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Chapter 74
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The Cherished Wife Chapter 75
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
The Cherished Wife Chapter 76
"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 Cherished Wife Chapter 77
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
The Cherished Wife Chapter 78
Noelle was truly taken aback by Xavier's behavior. It was obviously him and Winter who wronged her, but somehow, she had been twisted into the one to blame.Noelle shot Xavier a withering look. "I'm going to act like today never happened. I won't tell a soul, but don’t pull this again, okay?" She tossed these words over her shoulder as she breezed past him and out the door.Xavier's gaze lingered on Noelle's fading silhouette. The sweet scent that lingered when he had held her earlier left him momentarily lost in thought. Noelle always smelled amazing. Back when things were good between them, he would hold her hand, and they would walk for hours on end together.His hands balled into fists, his eyes reddening with intensity.Noelle was his. She had to be his. Even if his feelings had changed, she was meant to be with him and only him!Noelle rushed upstairs, feeling a wave of nausea at the memory of Xavier's embrace. She dropped her bag and made a beeline for the bathroom, scrubbi
The Cherished Wife Chapter 79
"Morning!" Noelle greeted with a smile, tapping her desk."Frank, step into my office, will you?"Frank had been Noelle's right-hand man until a year ago, when she was sent on an assignment away from the office. In her absence, Frank had been reassigned. Now that Noelle was back, she was ready to bring her team together again.Frank blinked in surprise at her invitation, quickly straightening the papers on his desk before responding, "Sure thing!"Once inside the office, Frank asked, "What's up, Ms. Shaw? Did you need something?""No big deal," Noelle said casually, leaning back in her chair. "I just wanted to check in with you. Are you still on board with becoming my assistant again?"Frank paused, his eyes suddenly misty, "I was worried you didn't need me anymore."Noelle chuckled, a playful arch in her brow, "Why would you think that? I'd be lost without you!" Frank had always been a stellar assistant, organized and reliable. Noelle knew her year-long absence might have left hi
The Cherished Wife Chapter 80
"To be honest, I'm having a hard time believing it myself, but this is what I stumbled upon this morning. Please, take a look," Noelle said, highlighting several problems. "Orders from Collosus Group have dropped off suddenly, and our products in department stores are being sent back."Noelle paused, "It might not look like much right now, but at this rate, I'm worried there could be some serious issues brewing at Collosus Group."At the mention of Collosus Group, Joseph and the other directors' faces darkened.Some in the room might not have been aware, but the chairman and directors knew all too well. Without Collosus Group's support over the years, Frotconn would never have grown so large. Orders from Collosus Group were their lifeline.When Noelle dropped that bombshell, truth or not, it rang alarm bells in Joseph’s head. Noelle's comment was like a public diss to Joseph and the crew in the middle of the company's morning meeting. "Ms. Shaw, what are you saying? We've had noth
The Cherished Wife Chapter 81
In Joseph's office, a shadow of concern crossed his face. The issue Noelle brought up at today's meeting had him sending people to dig up some information. It turned out Collosus Group had been cutting back on their orders, and it had been going on for a while. However, it was only getting serious now.Joseph could not figure out what game Collosus Group was playing. In the past, even if the books did not balance, they had never meddled. Frotconn was its own thing, and barely connected to Collosus Group. The only reason they ever backed him was because he once helped out a kid from the Hoffman family, which had earned Frotconn some brownie points.Joseph thought that favor would carry Frotconn forever, but now it looked like Collosus Group might be cutting them loose."Dad, what's the deal here?" Xavier was just as baffled about Collosus Group's motives. "What's up with that Charles guy?"Mentioning Charles brought a scowl to Xavier's face, mixed with a hint of fear and distaste.
The Cherished Wife Chapter 82
Ronald watched Charles's retreating figure, a smirk playing on his lips. "You've got it, Mr. Hoffman!"Charles's smile was a mix of amusement and challenge. "Joseph's not ready for the big leagues. Going public?" He shook his head. "We'll just have to wait and see.""Right," Ronald agreed, then paused, a new concern flickering in his eyes. "About Ms. Shaw..."Charles spun around, his gaze sharp as it landed on Ronald. Ronald froze, his throat suddenly dry. "Your wife, uh, she went to work at Frotconn today.""Hmm?" Charles quirked an eyebrow, "Just say it!""Mr. Lambert was giving her trouble," Ronald said, eyeing Charles warily, though he could not help but wonder why Mr. Hoffman had been acting so oddly. Was Ms. Shaw actually Mr. Hoffman's other half?"Mr. Lambert?" Charles's eyes narrowed, "What kind of trouble?""It looked like there was a mess with Frotconn's finances. The lady must have picked up on something. She dropped a hint during the morning meeting, and right after,
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The Cherished Wife Chapter 1746
After coaxing Noelle to sleep, Charles finally stepped out of the bedroom, only to find Peter standing at the doorway with a cigarette between his fingers.When he saw Charles coming out, he raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"Charles' expression was heavy. "Nothing."Peter smirked. "Need any help?""Not for now." Charles glanced at Peter. "Got kicked out?"Peter's face darkened instantly. "You really seem to be hoping for my misfortune."Charles let out a cold snort. "Your house is big enough. There's no need for you to squeeze into my tiny place."His meaning was clear—Peter wasn't welcome here.However, Peter had no intention of leaving. "I think you should be begging me to stay. After all, trouble could break out here at any moment. Do you really think you can handle everything alone?"His wicked grin made Charles grit his teeth."Peter, it's been a long time since we sparred," Charles said through clenched teeth."I don't fight. My wife is waiting for me in the room." Pe
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"Trust the people you use, and don't use those you don't trust." Charles knew where to draw the line.Noelle did not press further. "Alright then. You said it yourself—you're staying with me. You'd better not go back on your word!"As she spoke, she nuzzled against Charles' chest, resembling a content little kitten. "By the way, since Yves is part of the Hoffmans, what does Grandpa think about all this?"At the mention of that, Charles pondered for a moment. "Naturally, Grandpa hopes he'll acknowledge his heritage, but Yves has his own thoughts. As for what will happen in the end, I don't know.""Oh, I see." Noelle nodded in understanding.Charles reached out and smoothed a stray strand of Noelle's hair. "He's my eldest uncle's only grandson. My uncle's son turned out to be a disappointment, but Grandpa never seemed to mind. Now, Yves is the last remaining child from that branch of the family, so...""Wait, then what about Simon?" Noelle had heard a bit about Simon from Charles b
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1744
"There's more!"Wearing gloves, Linda picked up the rest of the items. Bob's gaze landed on them, and he raised an eyebrow. "This?"His long fingers pointed at the tattered rag doll. "What's this?"Noelle's name was written on it, and the doll had been so badly mutilated that it barely resembled its original form.This really was targeted at Noelle?"Has Noelle offended anyone recently? Think carefully!" This was no trivial matter.Today, it was just a package containing dead rats and a doll to scare Noelle, but who knew what might happen next?Phoenix Tree Residence had guards, but if someone was determined to act, nothing was impossible.Charles remained silent for a moment before saying, "I'll investigate."Bob nodded. "Good. If you need my help, just say the word.""Alright." Charles nodded before turning to Yves. "It's getting late. You should head back."Yves gave a slight nod. "Alright."Once everyone had left, Charles stared at the items for a long while before orde
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1743
Sean, Bob, and Yves arrived at Phoenix Tree Residence shortly after. Seeing Charles and Linda standing outside in the yard, they could not help but feel curious."Charles, you called us over in the middle of the night just to stand outside and greet us?" Sean was the first to step out of the car.As he got closer, he caught a strange smell and frowned. However, it was not until he saw what Linda was holding that his expression changed."Damn! Little girl, even if you like playing around, don't do it here! This is disgusting!"Linda looked at Sean like he was an idiot. Sean furrowed his brows. "What's that smell?"Linda lifted the dead rat toward him. Sean recoiled instantly, pinching his nose. "Get that thing away from me!"Linda clicked her tongue. "It's the SN virus. You seriously don't smell it?""SN virus?" Sean immediately understood.He had some knowledge of these things, so when Linda mentioned the virus, his expression darkened, and he turned to Charles. "Where did this
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1742
Charles nodded.Linda immediately brightened and picked up one of the dead rats to examine it. "I need to go to the lab. Oh, right, you should strengthen security at Phoenix Tree Residence. Also, be extra cautious with food and any outside contact. I think it's best to avoid unnecessary interactions. This virus spreads through wounds."Charles made a mental note before quickly calling Sean. "Come over right away!"At that moment, Sean was still at the Smith residence. Since Kelly and Noelle were both married now, he and Bob had become the main targets of the Smiths' relentless scrutiny.Sean found it agonizing, but Bob, on the other hand, appeared completely at ease. It was as if none of it concerned him.Sean slumped in his seat, fully aware that Bob's indifference came from the fact that he was not just a member of the Smiths—he was also the heir to the Jones family. He had nothing to be afraid of.Frustrated, Sean ruffled his hair and was about to leave when Savannah stopped h
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1741
Charles paused. "What's wrong?"Linda walked over, her brows furrowing even deeper."When did this package arrive?" she asked the housekeeper.The housekeeper replied unsuspectingly, "This afternoon, after Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman went out. There were only a few of us at home, so I took the liberty of accepting it on Mrs. Hoffman's behalf. Is there a problem?"She glanced cautiously at Linda, unable to understand why such a small package had created such a tense atmosphere. However, Charles understood. He frowned at Linda, who nodded in confirmation.Charles turned to Noelle, Tania, and Liliana. "Tania, Liliana, take your sister-in-law upstairs!""Why?" Noelle asked immediately.She had a bad feeling. Linda's reaction just now, coupled with Charles' behavior, made her uneasy. "Charlie?""Be good. Go upstairs," Charles said, exchanging a glance with Tania and Liliana.Tania and Liliana led Noelle upstairs. Once they were gone, Charles' expression darkened like never before. "What's
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1740
Noelle shot Charles an annoyed glance, but he simply held her hand and asked, "What's wrong?""Nothing!" Noelle did not feel like talking to him anymore.Charles studied her profile with a faint smile. "Sleepy? If you are, just rest for a bit. We'll be home soon."Noelle wanted to say she was not tired, but her body betrayed her. She yawned, exhaustion washing over her, and she leaned against Charles and closed her eyes for a quick nap without much thought.Half an hour later, the driver pulled the car into Phoenix Tree Residence and carefully glanced at the rear-view mirror."Mr. Hoffman, we've arrived.""Shh," Charles hushed the driver and glanced down at Noelle.He then gently gathered her into his arms and stepped out of the car.Noelle had actually woken up the moment the car stopped, but before she could open her eyes, she heard Charles instruct the driver to stay quiet.Now, being cradled in his arms, she felt warm and comforted but also a little guilty. She slowly open
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1739
After dinner, Charles took Noelle home. Initially, Noelle had wanted to stay longer, but given her pregnancy and how late it was, the Smiths did not insist on keeping them.Just as they were about to leave, Yves caught up with Charles at the door. "Thanks."Charles smirked. "No need for thanks. I prefer something more tangible."Yves raised an eyebrow, and Charles chuckled. "As her brother-in-law, you should be more considerate. Nelly is due soon, and I won't have time to oversee Collosus Group. So..."Yves let out a cold laugh. "You're playing this well. Aren't you afraid I'll just swallow up the entire Collosus Group?""That would still take some skill, wouldn't it?" Charles' sharp eyes glanced back at the house. "On the surface, things might look stable, but I suggest you take it easy. You'd be better off making use of Sean and Bob. A good relationship with your brothers-in-law will only help you. Anyway, I'm off."Yves watched Charles walk away, rubbing his chin. It was no
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1738
"Is it really not possible?" Seth's voice trembled. "Mommy, is it really not okay? But isn't he my daddy? Why can't I be with Daddy? Mommy, am I a child you just picked up? Does no one want me?"The moment Seth finished speaking, he burst into tears.Kelly's heart nearly shattered. She could not bear to see Seth cry like that. She immediately crouched down and wrapped her arms around him."Seth, baby, don't cry. I love you more than anything! How could you think that way?""But what about Daddy?" Seth still was not satisfied. His big eyes that were filled with hope turned toward Yves.Before Yves could say anything, Kelly raised her head to look at him. Their gazes locked, and for a moment, too many emotions swirled in those dark eyes. Feeling overwhelmed, Kelly quickly looked away."Daddy loves you too," she said softly."Really?" Seth still looked doubtful and turned back to Yves.Yves nodded. "Daddy loves you very much.""Then can Daddy live with Mommy and me?" Seth's eyes
