Sean took a whiff. "Wow, that smells amazing. It's rare to find girls who can cook these days.""Thanks!"Noelle dished out some rice for them. "Dig in! If you like it, help yourselves to seconds!"When Noelle passed the bowl to Charles, she caught him staring at her. Feeling a bit self-conscious under his gaze, she chuckled. "What's up? Not hungry?"Charles squinted slightly, accepting the bowl. His long fingers grazed Noelle's hand, sending a flutter through her chest. She quickly pulled back, a bit flustered, and served herself some rice. "Come on, eat before it gets cold."Charles's eyes twinkled with mischief at Noelle's bashful reaction, clearly enjoying the moment. He casually stretched his legs and gave Noelle a playful nudge under the table.Noelle straightened up immediately, her eyes darting to Charles with a mix of surprise and nervousness, as if to say, ‘Hey, focus on your food. Stop kicking me!’Charles could not help but let out a grin at her adorable bewilderment
Charles shook his head with a chuckle, while Sean was left speechless, clicking his tongue in mock disapproval before nodding in agreement. "Sounds good to me. I'm free as a bird these days. If you can get Peter to come, it'd be awesome for the gang to get together.""Got it!"Once Sean had left, Charles came up behind Noelle and gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.Noelle spun around, her lip caught between her teeth, "When you say ‘the gang,' are you talking about the Four Young Masters of Brookville?""Four Young Masters of Brookville?" Charles chewed over the title, a playful glint in his eyes. "Who told you about that?""Come on, who needs to be told?" Noelle's eyes went wide with mock surprise. "In Brookville, you guys are celebrities. Back when I was in school, you were all everyone would talk about.""Really?" Charles quirked an eyebrow, clearly amused. "That's just a label others slap on us. We're just a bunch of guys with the same hobbies. We’re brothers. We’ve ne
Charles led Noelle to his home, the Phoenix Tree Residence.Noelle had visited this place before, so it was not entirely new to her. Nevertheless, as they pulled into the driveway, she could not resist taking in her surroundings with wide eyes.She remembered hearing ages ago how the prices in this neighborhood had shot through the roof, and someone later went all out and bought a huge chunk of it. Back then, Noelle had been in awe, wondering who could afford such a splurge—it turned out to be Charles.After Charles had parked in the garage, Noelle stepped out and was immediately struck by the sight. "Wow! Look at all these cars!" It was like stepping into an auto show.Charles caught her comment and paused, a grin spreading across his face, "You've got a driver's license, right?"She nodded. "Got it back in college with some friends!" It had been more of a spur-of-the-moment thing. Although she had her license, she hardly ever got behind the wheel.Ever since she graduated and s
Charles could not help but laugh and shake his head. He playfully flicked Noelle's forehead. "Looks like I'm not really on your radar, huh?"Noelle was speechless. She truly had no idea, and since she had not known Charles before, how could she have randomly looked up his birthday?"It's on the marriage certificate, Mrs. Hoffman. Try to remember these things from now on!"Charles hauled Noelle's suitcase up the stairs, leaving her alone at the door. Her expression was a mix of emotions as she watched him go.She touched her forehead where Charles had flicked her, a faint sting lingering. She bit her lip, a wave of discomfort washing over her.Everything had happened so fast with this relationship, and she was still trying to catch up. Charles, on the other hand, seemed to be adjusting just fine.Noelle followed him upstairs and saw that he had taken her luggage to the master bedroom. She rushed in, "You know... you could've put my stuff in the guest room."Charles stopped unpack
Charles was right next door in the guest room. Noelle knocked and knocked; however, there was no answer, which left her confused. When she passed the study and saw the light on, she paused at the door.The study door was slightly open, and there was Charles, lounging on the couch, buried under a mountain of paperwork.He must have heard her because he looked up, and suddenly, they were eye to eye. Noelle felt her cheeks heat up and gave him a sheepish half-smile. "Aren't you tired?"Charles quirked an eyebrow, paperwork in hand. "Just finishing up some stuff," he replied. "What about you? Couldn’t sleep?"Noelle felt like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar, her gaze dropping to her slippers. Charles let out a soft chuckle. "Having trouble sleeping?"She nodded. "Can I come in?""Sure thing." Charles snapped his folder shut with a smile. "Come on in!"Stepping inside, Noelle's eyes widened in awe. Charles's study was a world of its own, lined with shelves of books on ec
With a mutual understanding in place, Noelle headed off to bed, her mind at ease. Charles, left alone, watched her leave and felt his carefully controlled emotions begin to bubble up again. He was not Mr. Perfect, but he had bent over backward for Noelle time and again. His phone suddenly rang, displaying Peter's number. Charles was caught off-guard. "What's going on?" Peter, hearing Charles's voice, could not resist a smirk. "Just a friendly call to pass the long night."Peter's voice, edged with a challenge, buzzed through the phone, and Charles squinted his eyes, a hint of suspicion flickering through them. "Did Sean spill the beans?" That had to be it. Peter was not the type to ring up in the dead of night without a good reason.Peter's tone dropped. "I didn't picture you tying the knot with her. Are you sure about this?""Of course I'm sure," Charles replied, rising from his chair. His long fingers swept across the desk, tapping it assuredly. "I know what I'm doing.""If you
"Don't worry about it. I've got my routine," Charles said, unfazed. "Grab some cutlery, will you?""Alright!" Noelle ran into the kitchen to figure out where to set the bowls and cutlery, with Charles right on her heels. He pointed to a spot. "Just remember, this is where we keep them.""Got it!" Noelle grinned, noticing that Charles had every room—from the kitchen to the living room and even the bedroom—arranged in perfect order.She stole another glance at Charles, puzzled. Who would've guessed that a guy like him would be into cooking?Charles quirked an eyebrow, leaning casually in the kitchen doorway. "Something on your mind?"Noelle shook her head, a touch of sheepishness in her voice. "I just feel a little silly. I was the one who said I'd cook yesterday!"Charles flashed a playful smile. "Time to eat!"After breakfast, Charles flicked a set of keys to Noelle, who caught them with a surprised look. "Why are you giving me these?""Like I said yesterday, you'll be driving
The thought of Noelle with some other dude, and maybe even getting cozy with him, set Xavier's blood on fire. He could not keep a lid on his temper."Who was it? Who was the guy who dropped you off that day?"Xavier's grip on Noelle's wrist was iron-tight as he spat out, "You had the nerve to say Winter and I did you wrong. Looks to me like you've been playing us all along. Noelle, you're making me sick.""That’s a bunch of lies." Noelle's wrist was trapped in Xavier's vice-like hold, and she could not wriggle free. She tried to pry his fingers off with her other hand, but he was just too strong. "Xavier, let go! Have you lost your mind?""Have I lost my mind? Yes, I'm pissed! I camped out at your door for hours, and you called the cops on me. Noelle, do you even have a heart? Sure, I messed up, but I said I was sorry. I came to check on you because I was worried, and instead of hearing me out, you get the police involved and accuse me of harassment.""Wasn't it harassment?" Noell
Noelle gave Charles a reassuring smile. "I just can't sit still. Dr. Ellison said this is normal and suggested I move around more. You go ahead and focus on your work!"Charles smiled back before lowering his head to continue working.When Ronald entered, he saw a peaceful scene. Noelle was leaning against the couch, holding a project file that she had read halfway through. However, her head was tilting forward slightly as if she had dozed off.Charles, who was seated at his desk, was busy writing. He would still occasionally glance up to check on Noelle. Seeing that she had fallen asleep and her head was slumping awkwardly, he quietly stood up.He carefully removed the file from her hands and gently supported her waist to lay her flat on the couch.Ronald knocked lightly before stepping in, just in time to witness Charles' meticulous movements. He was so delicate and protective, treating Noelle as if she were a priceless treasure.Unintentionally, Ronald found himself mimicking
Although Noelle had confidently agreed to help Arya earlier, deep down, she was not entirely sure of herself. She was worried Charles might insist on not letting her participate.Hearing him say this now, she smiled brightly. "Charlie, does this mean you agree?""Do I have a choice? Look at you, acting so aggrieved as if I bullied you!" Charles sighed, clearly unable to resist her. "But let's set some ground rules. You can give suggestions and handle simpler tasks, but don't overstep or get too involved. And absolutely no site inspections. Understood?""Got it! I know my limits. Don't worry," Noelle replied earnestly, knowing she had to keep her word since Charles had granted her some leeway."I'll just handle the preliminary work. Arya mentioned Mr. Parker is away on a business trip. Though others have been assigned to help, Arya hasn't been able to coordinate well with them, so they've been more of a hindrance than a help. That's why I decided to step in!"Charles nodded and gla
"Hm?" Charles raised an eyebrow, his gaze landing on the file in Noelle's hand.With a swift motion, he took the file and saw it was a project proposal. His eyes shifted back to Noelle's face. "What's this?""Ah, I…" Noelle had been so focused on calming Charles down that she had not expected to get caught so quickly. Laughing nervously, she wrapped her arms around Charles' neck. "Hehe, I hadn't visited the project department in a while, so I went to take a look, and, uh…""And then you assigned yourself a major project?" Charles lifted the proposal, his gaze steady and fixed on her.Noelle bit her lip, her eyebrows knitting together. "Are you mad?""Do you even care if I'm mad or not?" Charles retorted, making Noelle feel even more conflicted. "Of course, I care!""Then why didn't you stay in the office like I told you to?""Charlie, I'm sorry!" Noelle stuck out her tongue, realizing Charles might actually be upset. She pressed her forehead against his, trying to appease him.
"Yeah!" Arya sighed in frustration. "I have no idea when Mr. Parker will be back!""Let me take this one!" Noelle said, pulling one of the files from Arya's desk. "If you trust me, that is.""Of course, of course. How could I not trust you? I know how good you are at this. But will Mr. Hoffman let you work on it?""It's fine. I'm just killing time anyway. Whether I do this or something else in his office, it's all the same!"Noelle glanced at her watch and realized it was getting late. She patted Arya on the shoulder. "I need to go now, or Charlie won't bring me along next time."Noelle took the proposal into the elevator, and just as the doors closed, her phone rang. It was Charles. "Where are you?""Oh, I got bored, so I wandered around downstairs. I'm heading back up now!" Noelle replied, watching the floor numbers tick upward. "A few more floors. Charlie, are you done with the meeting?""Mhmm," Charles responded, raising an eyebrow. He glanced around before settling back int
"Without a word?" Noelle blinked in surprise. "Didn't I tell Mr. Parker? Where is he?""Don't even mention him right now," Arya grumbled. "Mr. Parker is on a business trip, and guess what? He left me to clean up this mess!"She glanced around at Noelle with mock exasperation. "You don't seem like anything's wrong, yet the rumors about you at the company have been absolutely wild. Where have you been?""Don't worry about me. What's keeping you so busy?"Arya pointed at the pile of documents on the desk. "Look at all this!" She scratched her head in frustration. "Honestly, I feel like I'm drowning. Sure, Mr. Parker reassigned some people to help before he left, but it's still overwhelming. Now, I truly understand just how helpful you were."Noelle walked over, casually flipping through the files and noticing numerous project proposals. "Are these all for this year?""Yeah!" Arya sighed, visibly stressed. "I think our department is seriously understaffed, and then you just vanished
Noelle knew her question was a bit rude, especially since Grant was Kelly's brother. Asking something like that seemed strange, but she could not stop herself—it just naturally came out. Deep down, Noelle always felt that Grant and Kelly were too different to be siblings.…Meanwhile, Grant stared at the message Noelle had sent, his expression softening with a faint smile. His slender fingers brushed against the screen, lightly tracing over the words. The smile in his eyes deepened.Kresten, standing across from him, could not help but shiver at Grant's smile but dared not comment.[She's going back.] Grant then pocketed his phone and looked up at Kresten. "Is everything ready?""It's all prepared, sir, but Ms. Kelly still refuses to leave," Kresten replied cautiously, glancing at Grant. As expected, Grant's expression darkened."She refuses? In that case, take Seth and leave without her!""But…" Kresten hesitated. Seth was still so young, and it seemed heartless to do this.
"Alright, alright. I won't wander off!" Noelle felt Charles was being overly clingy. "Now, go already!"Charles finally turned to Ronald and said, "Let's go."Ronald, who had been covering his face after witnessing Charles kiss Noelle, felt Charles' gaze sweep over him. It sent an inexplicable chill down his spine. Straightening up immediately, he responded, "Yes, sir!"As they exited, Charles could not help but give another instruction, "Have Becky assign someone to stay nearby. If Nelly needs anything, it should be handled immediately.""Yes, sir!"After Charles left, Noelle began aimlessly wandering around his office. She roamed back and forth a few times before realizing how bored she was. With nothing better to do, she picked up her phone and started browsing the internet.Since it was a weekday, Rowena was too busy to chat with her. Apparently, Rowena was tracking some big celebrity, with her editor pushing her to land a major headline this month. After cheering Rowena on
Previously, Charles did not live at the Hoffman residence for extended periods, so Maxwell could ignore most of his behavior. Now, however, with everyone under the same roof, Charles' actions clearly showed he had little regard for Maxwell's authority, leaving the old man feeling stifled.Maxwell wanted to blow up and scold Charles, that cheeky brat. However, considering Noelle's pregnancy and the need to ensure her safety, he swallowed his anger and held it in.He grumbled to himself before turning to head upstairs, muttering under his breath about how infuriating it all was.James followed behind Maxwell, glancing at him before looking back at Charles and Noelle, his lips curving into a helpless smile.Perhaps Maxwell had not even realized it himself, but he was no longer as resistant to Noelle as he used to be. His current actions practically screamed acceptance, even if he would not admit it.After finishing breakfast, Charles and Noelle headed to the company. Since Noelle was
Noelle opened her eyes. She took a sip of water to rinse her mouth before spitting it out.Just as she reached for the toothbrush, Charles instructed, "Open your mouth!" Without waiting, he began brushing her teeth himself.The cool sensation in her mouth jolted Noelle awake. She blinked a few times and then took the toothbrush from Charles' hand. "I can do it myself. You should brush your teeth too!""Alright."Noelle then brushed her teeth, her legs swinging slightly as she sat on the bathroom counter. She even turned her head to watch Charles.The window by the bathroom was slightly ajar, allowing the crisp morning air to seep in, carrying with it a refreshing coolness. Although spring had passed and summer had arrived, the early mornings were still a bit chilly.Noelle squinted her eyes against the sunlight. When Charles handed her the rinsing cup, she quickly rinsed her mouth and placed the cup down.She hopped off the sink, but Charles immediately caught her hand. "Be care