"Everything's been ready for a while. I wanted to bring it over a few days back, but I ran into a few problems. I just got them sorted. When are you heading over?" The woman's voice was polite, and Noelle caught every word."We'll be there shortly," Charles replied, then hung up. He glanced at Noelle's curious gaze and smiled slyly. You'll see soon enough."They arrived at their destination, and Noelle stared at Charles, bewildered. "Why are we at a mall?" They were not at just any mall, but one that oozed luxury.Charles just chuckled and stepped out of the car, prompting Noelle to sigh and follow. "Hang tight. You'll see soon enough. No need to rush!"Hand in hand, they made their way through the mall, making a beeline for the glittering jewelry section. Noelle's eyes lit up with realization. "Is this a New Year's surprise for me?"He responded with only a grin, keeping the secret until they paused at the jewelry store's entrance. That's when Noelle guessed aloud, "You're gettin
“Why would it not count? You’re considered a bride every minute you’re with me!” Charles said as he gently tapped Noelle’s nose and handed the box to her. “Can you put this on for me?” “You have one, too?” Noelle asked, surprised. She gave her ring a satisfied glance before looking at the complete set of jewelry within the box and crying out in surprise. "When did you start preparing these?” How did she not have a single clue?“That’s a secret!” Charles said as he retrieved the male pair of her ring and handed it to Noelle. “Help me put it on!” Noelle took the ring and compared it to the one on her finger. Both rings were minimalistic and had a simple design. Their shapes made them special, as they were not traditional circles. Noelle continued holding the ring and staring at it rather than slipping it onto Charles’ finger. She held it up against the light for the longest time before crying out. "You got it engraved?” Noelle just realized her and Charles’ initials were engrave
It was not just the craftsmanship but the extremely valuable material the brooch was made out of. Based on what Janice had said earlier, Noelle had thought it would be a cheap but heartfelt gift. “I can’t accept this!” Janice raised her eyebrows and smiled as she turned to look at Charles, who took the brooch from Noelle. “Thank you!” Then, he added, “I’ll have Ronald bring a check over later!” “That sounds good!” Janice did not beat around the bush and was appreciative of Charles’ straightforward way of doing things. “When will your wedding be held, Mr. Hoffman?” Charles raised an eyebrow slightly as he turned to look at Noelle, a smile tugging on his lips. "We won’t be having a ceremony anytime soon, but I’ll let you know when we decide to!” “I’ll wait for your good news then, Mr. Hoffman.” Charles and Noelle left the jewelry shop, and Noelle grinned as she held Charles’ hand and walked ahead of him. All her melancholy had vanished into thin air, which also brought Charles
Noelle thought she would need to spend the new year by herself this year. She did not expect Charles to spend it with her. How could she not be overjoyed by that fact? “But this reminds me of something.” “What is it?” Noelle blinked as she leaned back into her seat. “What’s going on?” “We haven’t met your maternal grandfather yet, have we?” “Oh, right!” Noelle clapped a hand to her forehead, an aggrieved expression on her face. "I would have completely forgotten if you hadn’t reminded me. I always spend this time of year with him, but everything that’s happened recently has made me completely forget about it." Noelle sounded guilty. “Do you think he’ll be mad at me because of how long I haven’t called him?” “Nope!” Charles said as he gently pinched Noelle’s nose. “He would never be mad at you.” “Let’s go visit him now!” Noelle said as she picked up her phone and called May. She learned how Sebastian told May to prepare extra food for the last few days because Noelle would b
“If you’re so happy, why did it take you so long to come visit me?” Sebastian asked, shaking his head as he gently pinched Noelle’s nose. “Oh, child!” Charles brought in the gifts they had bought, and a loving smile appeared on his face as he listened to Noelle speaking so cutely to Sebastian. “Hello, Grandpa!” Sebastian nodded. "Take a seat!” Then, his gaze landed on Charles, who he gave a good up-and-down look to before he nodded in satisfaction. “I thought you’d make Noelle come here alone.” He had not expected Charles to accompany Noelle back home, and he was glad his overthinking had proven wrong.Sebastian had never quite approved of their decision to get married in secret, but since his granddaughter wanted to do it, there was not much he could do. Sebastian’s opinion was that although Charles was extremely well-accomplished and perceived to be too good for most people, Sebastian still just saw him as one of his students who happened to be better than most others in his stu
“Hmph!” Sebastian huffed but still allowed Charles to bring the chessboard over. “Don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re addressing me as ‘sir’. If you ever hurt Nelly in the future, you’ll have to sleep with one eye open! I don’t care whether you’re heir to the Hoffman family or not!” “Understood!” Charles said, a smile on his face as he placed the chessboard on the table. “Would you like to play black or white?” “I’ll play white!” Charles handed the pieces to Sebastian, and the two sat down to play a game of chess together. Every once in a while, Sebastian would ask him a question. Charles bade his time, directing his black pieces across the board before he asked hesitantly, “Something happened when Noelle went to celebrate the New Year at the Shaw residence the other day. I was wondering if you heard about it, sir?”Sebastian’s hand quivered slightly as he looked at Charles. Though he was getting on in age, he still had sharp eyes that allowed him to peer into
"Grandpa!" Noelle's face flushed with embarrassment. "Why are we talking about this during dinner?" Despite her words, she looked eagerly at Charles.Charles smiled and said, "Once things settle down, I plan to make my marriage to Nelly public."Sebastian smiled with satisfaction. "Good!"Noelle lowered her head and took a few bites of her food, which now tasted sweet to her.Suddenly, a warm sensation brushed past her knee. Looking down, she noticed Charles' restless hand roaming her leg.She frowned slightly and swatted his hand away before shooting him a glare. "Behave yourself!"Charles smirked. "You seem happy."Noelle raised an eyebrow and pretended to be upset as she turned away. "You're overthinking it!""Really? I can see it as clear as day, though." As he spoke, he tried to place Noelle's hand over his heart.Noelle glanced up and saw that Sebastian and May were both watching them intently. Feeling both embarrassed and annoyed, she slapped Charles' hand away. "What a
Charles pressed his lips together, frowning as he looked at the lock and blank paper. He could not figure out the meaning of these gifts either."Forget it, let's stop thinking about it!" Noelle put the items away and then noticed two envelopes stuffed with cash tucked beneath the gift boxes.Her eyes lit up as she pulled them out, realizing they were probably New Year's gifts from Sebastian. She could not help but laugh. "Since when did Grandpa get into this kind of thing?" she wondered. The intricate setup did not seem like something her straightforward grandfather would do.Charles shook his head with a smile and tucked the envelopes into Noelle's hands while gathering the gift boxes. "Let's go. If Grandpa gave them to us, there's probably a reason behind it.""Alright, let's get in the car!""Yes, yes, let's go!" Noelle nodded, but even after getting into the car, she continued staring at the gifts, lost in thought.She was so preoccupied that she did not realize they had a
Yves scrunched his brow. "Go ahead. Ask it.""Who are you, really? Are you Yves or Jacob?"Yves' gaze was sharp as it fell on Kelly. "Everyone who once knew me is gone.""Then tell me. I'm going to be gone soon, too!" Kelly said with a faint smile. "It doesn't really matter if I go now or later. I'd rather you be the one to do it than some nasty virus."Yves' frown deepened. "Kelly, please don't make me do this."His hand was a fist, and anyone who knew Yves could tell he was trying really hard to keep calm.However, Kelly kept smiling at him, not even pausing. There was laughter in her eyes but also a hint of sadness. She stared right at Yves and took a step closer.Her hands lifted, shaky, but she did not stop.Yves watched her closely, and when Kelly reached out, he quickly grabbed her hand. "Once we're done here, I'll let you know."Kelly shook her head. "After I find out, you'll end it, and your secret will be safe with me. But if you don't let me see, you know I'll try t
He stood up and gave Kelly a chilly look. "You think you can just walk out of here? That's not going to happen. Instead of dreaming about escape, you should be thinking about where you'd like to go with me once I've taken care of everything here."Yves reached for the door to leave, but Kelly's voice stopped him.She got up from the bed and stepped down, her bare feet touching the cold floor. She stood a few steps behind Yves, her eyes intensely focused on him. "If I agreed to go with you, would you leave all this behind and take me and Seth away?"Kelly's hands were balled into fists as she spoke. She did not even understand why she was asking that. She stared at Yves's back. He did not turn around and just stood there with his back to her.Kelly could not see his face, but she could read the real reaction in the way he held himself.His hand was still on the doorknob, not letting go. When he heard what Kelly said, he froze, as if her question caught him off guard.Kelly kept he
"Enough! I know that! You don't have to remind me!" Kelly shouted, her voice filled with frustration. "Yves, you don't need to keep bringing up my painful past. Yes, I once loved Charles, but that's all behind me. I have nothing to do with Charles now, and he's my sister's husband. Please stop making such guesses about other people."Kelly's eyes filled with tears as she stared at Yves. "I don't want to see you. Leave now!"She had thought her words were too mean and would make Yves mad. She expected him to storm out, but he did not move. Confused, Kelly noticed his dark eyes were then bright.Yves smiled. Kelly's yelling had somehow made him feel calm. His eyes were warm and kind, so different from the distant look he usually had.Kelly did not get it, but she was glad he was not mad.Yves let go of her and brought over a plate and spoon. "You must be hungry! You haven't eaten since you woke up. Let me feed you!"Kelly turned her head away, but Yves' eyes grew hard. "Eat," he sa
Kelly bit her lip, wondering about Simon's place in the York family. It looked like he and Jacob were not on good terms. If Simon could help her...She suddenly remembered Simon saying something about seeing her again before he knocked her out, didn't he?The door creaked open again, and Yves stepped in, this time holding a tray with utensils. As he set the table, a delicious smell wafted through the room, making Kelly's stomach growl at just the right moment.Feeling her cheeks warm, Kelly quickly turned away.Yves's face was as stern as ever, but if she looked really close, she could catch a tiny smile in his eyes. It was faint, but it was definitely there.He helped Kelly sit up and untied the ropes from her wrists. As soon as she was free, Kelly scooted away from Yves and perched on the edge of the bed.Yves's eyes flickered for a moment, but then he scoffed, "Kelly, you're a smart girl. You know that if I set my mind to something, I can make it happen, right?"Kelly scowled
"I can see it perfectly!" Kelly said, her eyes wide and serious. "You don't have to keep telling me. I'm not the same Kelly I was four years ago. I won't get upset by what you say. Yves, let me tell you one more time, if you want to deal with your problems with the Hoffman family and Charles the right way, I won't get in your way. But if you try to use my sister, I'll never let you off the hook!"Kelly's eyes lost their sparkle for a moment, and as she looked down, she bit Yves' hand hard.Yves' eyes turned steely, but he took the bite without flinching. Kelly did not realize how strong her bite was until she tasted something metallic and sweet. She looked up and saw Yves' eyes, hard and sharp like carved jade, dangerous enough to take down anyone.Kelly shuddered. Looking down, she saw Yves' hand was stained red, but he stared at her as if he did not feel a thing. "I won't let the Hoffman family off the hook, and I definitely won't let you go. So you can forget about trying to esca
"Are you Yves or Jacob?"Kelly's words made the air grow tense. Yves stared at her so intensely that her heart started to race. She tried to speak, but Yves's chilling look silenced her.Yves held her gaze. When she tried to run, he caught her hand and held her tight. "Who told you? Huh?"His voice was dark and frightening, making Kelly feel scared. This was not the man she knew.She wanted to run away, but Yves was not about to let her."Simon?"Kelly shook her head. "Let me go!""Is that Simon?" Yves stared at Kelly with icy eyes. "I can't believe you know someone from the York family!"Kelly heard that and shook her head like crazy. "No, I don't know any Simon. I really don't!""You don't know him? Then who just walked in, huh?" No one but Simon could get here, and nobody in the York family could find this place except Simon.Simon usually did not bother with such things, so Yves was puzzled why Simon would get involved. "He came for you, so why didn't you leave with him?"
As Kelly slipped into unconsciousness, she heard Simon's promise. "Next time, I'll take you with me!"Simon had barely finished speaking when a shadowy figure appeared, moving with lightning speed. Simon parried a few blows, but the attacker, wearing a silver mask, was relentless. With a frown, Simon dropped Kelly to the ground. The masked man caught her just in time, cradling her gently.When the man looked up again, Simon was gone. Beneath the mask, his face was dark and foreboding. He gazed down at the unconscious Kelly, holding her close and pressing her head to his chest as if she were a precious treasure. It was as if holding her was the only way to confirm she was really there.Kelly thought she had been dreaming, a really long dream where she tried to run away, but Yves was always right behind her, making it so she could not get away. When she got too tired to run, Yves held her close, his kiss icy on her lips, his eyes sharp. He touched her cheek softly, but his words were
Simon was the surprised one now. His sly eyes took in Kelly, clearly amazed to find someone who bore such a striking resemblance to Noelle.He examined Kelly's face as if trying to figure something out. "You two look alike, but you have such different energies. Your personalities don't seem to match either. And..." His eyes dropped to Kelly's belly. "You're not expecting."Kelly was taken aback at first, but then she faced Simon with a question of her own. "Who are you? How do you know Noelle?"Simon chuckled. "I should ask you the same. Who might you be, and what brings you to this villa?"Kelly did not sense any harm from the stranger, but she did not care for the way Simon spoke. "I asked you first."Simon rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How intriguing!"Kelly was getting annoyed. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?" She glanced outside and noticed a servant lying unconscious on the ground. "Did you do that?”Simon's eyebrow quirked up. "Yes!"Once Simon released her,
Kelly woke up and was surprised to see how late it was. She felt a little annoyed and said, "I'm going to change my clothes. You go down first, okay?"Once the servant had left, Kelly hurried to the bathroom to freshen up and get dressed. Then, she headed downstairs.Walking slowly, Kelly felt a sharp pain with each step, which made her wince. She glanced at the servant beside her, but he just kept looking forward, not noticing her discomfort. "Madam, your meal is ready," he said."Don't call me 'Madam’!" Kelly snapped. "Call me Ms. Anderson. I have nothing to do with your 'Sir’!"The servant gave her a strange look and repeated, "Madam, please."Kelly took a deep breath, trying to calm her anger. She knew arguing was pointless. The servant would not listen, so she let it go.After dinner, Kelly felt uneasy. She had not seen Yves for hours, and he did not show up at night either. That made her feel worried, though she could not quite pinpoint why.The night passed without any