With New Year’s approaching, the dinner gathering at Charles's house was in full swing. Guests were everywhere, drawn in by the holiday cheer and the Hoffman family's reputation for hosting events that combined business and pleasure. As the future head of the Hoffman empire, Charles was the man of the hour, and everyone was eager to get on his good side.The Hoffmans' dinner gathering was pretty much the same as always, except this year, Clarisse and Janet were new faces in the crowd. However, for Charles, it was just another day at the office.Lounging at the banquet table, Charles had barely taken a sip of his drink when his phone buzzed to life. He narrowed his eyes—a bad sign—and his expression turned even more intense when he spotted Sean's name on the screen.With a swift move, Charles was on his feet, and the room went still, all eyes on him. His face was a mask of shock as he clutched his phone.Janet had been keeping tabs on Charles since the moment he walked in. As he ros
When Janet saw Charles answer the phone and get ready to leave, she instinctively guessed that the caller must be someone important. What bad timing. It was the Hoffman family's annual dinner, an event Charles had never missed as the future head of the family. Even Kelly's departure years ago had not seemed to stir much emotion in him.Trusting her women's intuition, Janet was certain the caller was a woman.Janet's voice was not exactly loud, but it cut through the room so every member of the Hoffman family heard.Mateo was the first to catch on, his face clouding over. "Charles, where do you think you're heading?"Charles gave Janet a sharp glance that soon landed on Mateo. "I’ve got some stuff to sort out. It’s quick, and I'll be back in a flash!""Now? What could be so urgent? It’s a work holiday, so you should be enjoying dinner with us!" With the house packed, Mateo played the part of the strict dad. After all, most of the attendees were there to see Charles, so what would h
Charles was a storm cloud in human form, radiating such negative vibes it was practically a force field. Who in their right mind would get close to him now? Only Janet seemed to have missed the memo and was barreling straight into danger.Charles's forehead was creased with a frown, his face so dark it sent shivers down her spine. "I'm telling you one last time. Let go!""No!"However, before Janet could even finish protesting, Charles had already wriggled free. He moved so fast it was a blur, and by the time everyone caught up, he had spun around and clamped his hand on Janet's neck. It looked terrifying."Cough cough!"Janet was dangling from Charles’ hand, her toes barely scraping the ground."Charles!" Clarisse was the first to snap out of it, her face as white as a sheet. She dashed over. "Charles, what the hell are you doing? Have you lost your mind? Let her go now!"Charles might as well have been deaf. His dark eyes locked on Janet's reddening face. A twisted smile playe
After that display, everyone got the message loud and clear about how Charles felt toward Clarisse, Janet, and the whole Baker family. Anyone who had been scheming to cozy up to Clarisse today suddenly put their plans on hold. The heir of the Hoffman family had spoken, and the Bakers were off the list of allies.The room fell into a hushed silence. This was Hoffman family drama, and no one wanted the fallout to land on them.As Charles turned to leave, Janet scrambled to her feet, wanting to follow, but Clarisse caught her by the arm. "Janet.""Aunt, Charles was just spinning tales, wasn't he? He tricked me, right?"Clarisse's face was stormy. She was the Baker family's darling, but today, her own son had made her look like a fool. Clarisse, who always wanted to look her best, could not stand it.Mateo was about to call Charles back, but Chloe cut him off with a subtle shake of her head. "Dad, don't."Mateo stopped in his tracks, watching Charles walk away, a frown creasing his f
"You..."Charles slammed the gas pedal, his phone pressed to his ear. "Where are you?""Uh, we're on the road, heading to Noelle's place...""Forget the apartment. I need to get to Phoenix Tree Residence, Sean. Take me there!" Noelle finally snapped out of her daze, her eyes locking on Sean. "Take me to Phoenix Tree Residence."Sean hesitated. "The thing is, over at Phoenix Tree Residence...""Sean, just get Noelle to Phoenix Tree Residence!" Charles barked, whipping the car around a sharp bend. "Hand Noelle the phone!"Sean passed the phone to Noelle. "Noelle, Sean will drop you off. I'll be there soon!""Alright!" Noelle shivered, a wave of warmth rushing over her. "I'll be waiting, Charles! I'll wait forever if I have to!"Noelle ended the call and passed the phone back to Sean. Sean shot her a quick look, his mind buzzing with silent gripes. Was his advice really that worthless compared to Charles's? If he had known, he would not have bothered getting involved. This whole
With a gentle sweep, Charles gathered Noelle up in his arms.Noelle looked up as she felt the warmth of his embrace. Her eyes, which were so full of sorrow, now sparkled with a mix of helplessness and happiness. "Charles!" she exclaimed.Noelle wrapped her arms around Charles's neck, pulling herself close to him and nuzzling against his neck like a little kitten searching for comfort. "Charles, you're here!" she said with relief."Yeah, I'm here," he replied. Their few words spoke volumes, conveying more than a lengthy conversation ever could.Gently, Charles lifted Noelle and laid her on the bed, making sure she was snug under the covers. He noticed her feet were chilly to the touch. His brow furrowed with concern. "Why are you walking around barefoot? Don't you realize it's freezing out?"With a slight pout, Noelle looked up at him. Charles could not help but shake his head with a smile. "Hey, I'm not upset with you, alright?"She nodded. "Charles, please don't go.""I'm not g
"Charles, I...""Oh, Noelle." Charles chuckled softly, pulling her into a warm embrace and gently rubbing her back. "I'm right here, and I always will be."Feeling the warmth of his hug, Noelle's anxiety began to melt away. She nodded against his chest. "Yeah." She knew he would always be there for her."Ready to talk about it now?" Charles's voice was soothing, like he was comforting a little kid, and he was drawing calming patterns on her back. However, Noelle stayed quiet.He glanced down and caught the turmoil in Noelle's eyes. He got the message. "Can't figure it out yet? That's okay. Just sleep on it. When you're ready, you can tell me, alright?""Thank you, Charles," she whispered, grateful for his understanding.Noelle shifted slightly and planted a soft kiss on the corner of his lips. Then, she heard him whisper, “Go to sleep now. When you wake up, everything will be alright."That night, Noelle clung to Charles like she was trying to become part of him, her hands and f
Charles nodded. "Looks like it." He whipped out his phone and dialed Peter. "Are there any leads on that thing I had you check on?""What's up?" Peter grumbled, clearly having been woken up. "This better be good, or you and Sean are on my list for today."He sounded less than thrilled.Charles quirked an eyebrow at Sean, a silent question hanging in the air—had he tried to reach Peter too?Sean just shrugged, and Charles got the message. "So, how's the search for Noelle's family history going?""That issue?" Peter hesitated, taking a long moment before he finally spoke. "It's a tough nut to crack. It's weird, but Noelle's past isn't as straightforward as it seems. Everything I've dug up has been tampered with. There's got to be something unique about her background, or else why would anyone go to such lengths to cover it up?"Peter was fully alert now. "You didn't ask me before the holidays, so I figured you weren't in a rush. I've been on it, but I need a bit more time!""I can
"Alright. Have fun with your friends, and don't come home too late," Sean said before hanging up. Liliana's heart started to beat faster for some reason, and she could still hear Sean's voice in her ears, as if he were right there with her.She kept staring at Sean, who was still standing there. It looked like a girl had walked up to him.Liliana could not see very clearly, but she could see a girl in a pink dress with long hair standing next to Sean. She did not catch what they were saying, but Sean looked really happy.Suddenly, Liliana felt a soft pain, a sharp twinge in her heart.It was so quick and elusive that she could not figure out what she was feeling."What's wrong?" Tania asked, noticing Liliana seemed upset after her phone call. She kept staring into space. Tania looked around but saw nothing. She waved her hand in front of Liliana's face. "Liliana?"Liliana came back to the present with a forced smile. "Tania, didn't you say you'd take me out for a big birthday din
Tania's face went pale when she heard that. "No way!"Tania was still young and did not really get all that lovey-dovey stuff. She just thought Brian was nicer to her than her other friends. With a puzzled look, Tania scratched her head. "Maybe he just thinks I'm... cute?"Liliana shook her head. "Don’t you know? Him giving you a watch means he likes you.""Really?" Tania jumped. "Liliana, you're not joking, right? I'm just a kid, and I've always seen him as a big brother." Suddenly, the watch felt like a hot potato in Tania's hands, and she quickly snapped it shut. "What should I do now?"Liliana threw up her hands. "I have no idea!"She had never been in this kind of situation before and did not know what to do."So..."Tania did not get to finish because Liliana's phone started ringing. She stopped, pulled out her phone, and looked at the caller ID with a surprised face. With Tania watching, she answered, "Hello?"Sean was on the line, frowning. He asked, "Are you at the Wor
"Brian? You're back?" Tania paused, smiling at Brian. "What brings you home today?"If Tania was not mistaken, was Brian not supposed to be at college in another town?Brian's heart raced as Tania spoke, and his cheeks flushed a light pink. He looked at her and said, "Um... I actually got back a few days ago.""Oh, was it something urgent?" Tania asked, nodding without suspicion.Brian felt his pulse quicken. "Um... I heard today's your birthday?"Tania paused, then cocked her head and smiled at Brian. "Yes. I'm surprised you remembered my birthday!""Happy Birthday!" Brian blurted out. He pulled out a box from behind and handed it to her. "For you."Tania took the box, a little unsure at first, but quickly smiled. "Thanks so much, Brian!"Seeing Tania's sweet smile, Brian's heart skipped a beat, his rhythm all over the place. "No problem!""I've got to go now, Brian." Tania waved, tucked Brian's gift into her bag, and hopped away with a spring in her step.Liliana had arrang
"Mom, why do you treat her so well?" Layla asked with a frown as Liliana headed for the door.Nancy's face turned stern. "What have I taught you? Liliana is your sister. You shouldn't talk to her that way.""She's not my sister. She's just...""That's enough!" Nancy snapped, cutting Layla off. "I'll let it go this time because it's your birthday, but if you do it again, don't expect me to be so kind."Liliana slipped on her shoes, let out a small smile at Nancy's words, and walked out the door.Once outside, Liliana called Tania. "Tania, I'm on my way out. Where are you?""Oh, I'm at home. Hold on!"Tania rolled out of bed, ran her fingers through her hair, and let out a big sigh as she looked at herself in the mirror. She quickly slipped into her clothes, ready to dash out the door. Yasmin was right there, blocking the way. She saw Tania dressed and about to leave, so she tugged at Tania's ear. "Where do you think you're off to now? You're always getting into mischief instead
"Um..." Liliana seemed hesitant. She glanced at Sean and looked down. "Sure. Let me just put away my luggage, then I'll come find you!""Great. It's a plan!"Liliana ended the call and bit her lip. "Sean, thanks for the ride home!""Are you heading out?" Sean looked at Liliana. "You don't want to stay with the Hoffmans?"Sean's question shattered the silence between them. Liliana lowered her head. "It's my friend's birthday today! My really good friend!""Isn’t it Layla’s birthday too? Aren't you two like sisters?"After Sean spoke, he noticed Liliana looked upset. She bit her lip but kept quiet. Sean did not say anything else and pulled up to the Hoffman mansion. "Well, I've done my part now."Liliana thanked him, grabbed her bags, and watched Sean's car drive off. She stood at the entrance of the Hoffman mansion for quite a while before finally making her way inside with some difficulty.Thanks to what happened two years ago, the Hoffman family now treated Liliana with more r
Liliana shook her head, then nodded. "Sean, what are you doing here?"She had every reason to be shocked. She never thought she would see Sean in a place like this.Sean smiled as he took a quick look at Liliana. She was different from the little girl he remembered.The last time he had seen her, she was a mess—a tiny, skinny girl who was very shy.She had grown taller since then and filled out a bit, not looking as weak as before.Sean could not take his eyes off her. Even though she was taller, her face still had a childlike quality. "Hop in!""But my brother...""Don't worry. He's really busy today, so he sent me to pick you up," Sean said, nodding at the suitcase next to Liliana. "Pop it in the trunk!""Okay!"The sun felt strong and bright, making Sean's face shine in its light.Liliana paused for a second, dazzled, then quickly put her suitcase in the trunk. She tried to open the back door but could not get it to budge.Sean's face tensed up a bit. "Front seat!""Okay
Once Charles left, he called Ronald and instructed him to find Liliana a better school without all the drama.Ronald could not figure out why his boss suddenly cared so much about Liliana's problems. However, when he thought about how sad the young girl's situation was, he could not help but feel concerned too.Sean was surprised to get a call from Charles. "Hey, what's got Mr. Busy so free to ring me up?" he joked.The two were buddies. Even though Charles was a couple of years older, it did not get in the way of their friendship.Charles gave him a look. "You're not the type to poke your nose into other people's business!"Sean was stunned for a second, then laughed out loud. "What's that supposed to mean? Do I seem so standoffish? Let's just say I was being nice for once!" Sean explained, "But really, what's going on? That girl looked so helpless. She was getting picked on and too scared to stand up for herself. If I hadn't decided to skip the front gate and hop over the fence
"If you won't step up, then I'll look after her!" Charles declared, striding past Mateo. "We can't let the Hoffmans be pushed around without even realizing it!"“What do you mean by that?"Liliana had no idea that she had become the Hoffman family’s center of attention. By the next day, James had her room fixed up beautifully with every amenity she could ever want. She did not lack anything that Layla had, be it in her wardrobe or jewelry box.The servants escorted Liliana to her new room, and James handed her a card. "Miss, this is from Mr. Hoffman. He said you can buy whatever your heart desires with it!"Liliana could not believe it. She had no idea why Charles was being so nice or what he was up to. She did not even know that he had taken care of all the people who had bullied her before.All Liliana knew was that she felt nervous sitting in her room, waiting for Charles to come back.When Charles returned and saw Liliana waiting, he asked, "Were you looking for me?""Sir, y
Liliana stayed silent."Where's your room?"Charles felt a rare sense of defeat when Liliana would not answer. "Change your clothes. I'll take you to the hospital!""No, there's no need for that!" Liliana quickly gestured with her hands. She had already been to the hospital once today and could not possibly go again. "I have medicine!"Charles was not convinced. "What really happened?"Liliana fidgeted with her hands. "I was just clumsy. I've already bought some medicine, so there's really no need for this!"Clumsiness was a ridiculous excuse for how she looked right now.Charles was too clever not to notice what was going on. However, when he saw how scared Liliana looked, he did not push her any further. "You can put the ointment on yourself. Just remember that you're part of the Hoffman family. From today onward, don't let anyone push you around. If they do, they're messing with my reputation too!"Liliana nodded quickly, too scared to say much, and scampered off.With a fr