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Chapter 78
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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,
The Cherished Wife Chapter 83
"Why, am I not allowed to call my wife?" Charles's voice had a teasing edge, as if he was playfully challenging her. "You sound like you're not exactly thrilled to hear from me."Noelle was at a loss for words for a moment. "You can't even see my face, so how would you know if I'm thrilled or not? And about my tone..." She sighed, a mix of exasperation and affection in her voice. "Look, I'm at work. What's this really about?""Swamped, huh?" Charles juggled his phone in one hand and a pen in the other, signing off on a stack of papers. His eyes flicked down, caught something that made him pause, and his mood dropped. He shot a glare at his secretary. "Get the finance chief in here, now!"Noelle heard that and said, "Looks like you're the one who's tied up! If you're too busy, I'm just gonna hang up!""Wait!" Charles cut Noelle off, "How'd you figure I'm busy? Just give me a second!" Without waiting for a reply, he slammed the phone down and drummed his fingers on the desk, fixing h
The Cherished Wife Chapter 84
Noelle instinctively shook her head before realizing that they were on a call and Charles could not actually see her. She paused, thinking about it. She might not have seen this side of Charles before, but she knew the kind of man he was. The rumors in Brookville were enough to paint a picture. With that thought, everything clicked into place.Charles was the head honcho of a big-time company and had skills others could only dream of. It all added up. "Nope."Charles's laughter came through again, light and easy. "Good to hear I didn't spook you!""So, what's up? Why'd you call?" Noelle had not forgotten that Charles was the one who called her up.Charles squinted thoughtfully for a moment. "Oh, nothing much. Just wondering when you're clocking out. I’m thinking about dinner. Do you wanna eat in or go out?"Noelle was speechless for a second... He called just to chat about dinner plans? "Mr. Hoffman, just a heads-up, you're supposed to be working right now."Charles's laugh was k
The Cherished Wife Chapter 85
"Got it!" Noelle hung up quickly and fixed her gaze on the unexpected visitor, squinting slightly, "Mr. Harris, did you need me?"Meanwhile, Charles, who had just ended the call, still had a playful smile lingering in his eyes. He swiped at his phone screen, but soon, the smile vanished. "Enter!"Ronald walked in with Jenson, "Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Lowry has arrived.""Right!" Charles acknowledged with a nod and gave Ronald a look. Ronald understood. "I’ve got stuff to handle, so I’m heading out."Once Ronald was gone, Charles tossed his phone aside and relaxed on the couch, coolly eyeing Jenson. Jenson was drenched in sweat. He had been warned on his way over, since Ronald had escorted out Joey from the secretarial team. As to where Joey was brought, that was anybody's guess.Jenson was a bundle of nerves the entire way, but Charles would not throw him a bone. The trek from the finance department to the big boss's office was not exactly a marathon, but it sure felt like an eternity. H
The Cherished Wife Chapter 86
"Really?" Charles stood abruptly, yanking a paper from the pile behind him. "I didn't come here to listen to your excuses. You seem to be in the dark on how I operate. Since I've brought you in, it's clear—you're out of the Collosus Group.""Mr. Hoffman!" Jenson's legs turned to jelly, and he nearly dropped to his knees, "Mr. Hoffman, I admit it, I messed up! I was backed into a corner, you know? I've got my aging parents and my kids to look after, and sure, being the finance chief sounds like a sweet gig, but... it takes guts to do this job! I was desperate. My mom's sick in the hospital with heart disease, she needs a transplant, and I was out of options."Charles gave Mr. Lowry an icy stare. "I gave you a chance to come clean, and you wasted it!" With that, Charles hit the intercom button, and Ronald was in the room in a flash. "Mr. Hoffman, Joey's spilled the beans. A bunch of those phony accounts never reached you, so things were smooth sailing until now."A smirk played on Cha
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The Cherished Wife Chapter 2018
Liliana's arm throbbed where Sean had grabbed it, but she bit her lip, refusing to give in. "I didn't do it on purpose. I had no idea she invited you.""Oh, you didn't know? Isn't she supposed to be your best friend?" Sean's voice was edged with sarcasm. "Or maybe this was your plan all along?""I didn't!" Liliana felt a tightness in her chest at his accusation.She pulled her arm free from his grasp, her face twisted with both anger and shame. "I truly didn't know.""Who knows what the truth is?" Sean said with a light laugh, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Tania doesn't know about us, and you think you're in the dark too? What if Tania found out who you really are? Would she...""Don't."Liliana's voice was loud and full of panic. "Please don't tell Tania." Deep down, she was being selfish. She did not want Tania to find out about her secrets.When she first became friends with Tania, all she wanted was a simple friendship. She did not want Tania to know about her embarrassi
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2017
The next few moments dragged on painfully for Liliana. She would have bolted if Tania, her best friend, had not been there.She felt that neither Sean nor Peter wanted to see her around.She did not want to be near them either.Peter was a mystery she did not dare to unravel, and as for Sean...Liliana snuck a peek at Sean when no one was looking. It had been over a month since she had last seen him, and despite herself, she was thrilled.She tried to bury her feelings in work every day, but she knew how hard it was to forget Sean completely.They had promised not to meet again, yet there they were. He could not possibly think she planned this encounter, could he?As Liliana watched Sean and lost herself in thought, she noticed him suddenly glance her way. She quickly turned away, dodging his gaze.Liliana felt like she was a thief caught red-handed when she unexpectedly ran into Sean.Upon laying eyes on Liliana, Sean could not quite figure out what he was feeling.They had
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Tania's lips quivered, as if she wanted to say more, but seeing Liliana so determined, she held back.However, as Tania paid, she leaned in and whispered something to the cashier, then scribbled down an address. "Make sure it gets here, okay?"Tania settled the bill, grabbed the shopping bags, and linked arms with Liliana as they headed out. "Liliana, you're joining me for dinner tonight!"No backing out this time. You've canceled on me too many times already.""Okay, fine!"Liliana had no idea that Tania's dinner invitation also included Peter. If she had known, she would have stayed far away. When Liliana returned from the restroom, she found not just Tania and Peter, but also Sean sitting there. Her first instinct was to turn around and leave.She was about to do just that, her foot already inching backward, when Tania caught sight of her. "Liliana, where are you off to? We're right here!"Frozen in place, Liliana could not seem to move a muscle.Standing with her back to th
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2015
Seeing Joanna in a new light, her friend still tried to be supportive. "Joanna, don't listen to that lady's wild stories. You and Mr. Smith are the perfect pair. You’re both so smart and good-looking. Everyone at the hospital is jealous of you guys! I bet she doesn't even know Mr. Smith, and she probably doesn't have a rich boyfriend either!"As she spoke, Joanna's friend watched her closely. She saw Joanna's worry fade away after her words. Joanna replied with a hint of frustration, "I don't know why she said that. I wasn’t even in the same faculty as her, but we were involved in a school event together once. We were in a competition together back then. I never thought she cared about it that much!"Joanna mentioned the school beauty contest she and Tania were in, suggesting there might be some old rivalry between them.Joanna's friend knew exactly what was happening. She was getting to see all the drama for free but did not want to call Joanna out. After all, they were coworkers a
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2014
"Look, you’re my junior.” Joanna had not expected Tania to say something like that in front of her friend. It was impossible for her to maintain her dignity at this point.What would her friend think if she owned up to it? If she denied it, what was Tania going to do?Tania watched Joanna's face turn beet red, a smile playing on her lips the whole time.Truth be told, Tania did not have beef with Joanna. However, she was Peter's girlfriend, and she knew Sean, so she could not stand watching Joanna strut around, lying and using Sean's good name."Look, Joanna, I'm not trying to be mean or anything. I just think your friend isn’t really thinking about how you feel, you know? You say you're single, yet she's out here telling everyone you're taken. How's that going to help you find a real boyfriend, right?"Joanna's nails were digging into her skin, but she did not even notice. She was drowning in embarrassment, and it was all Tania's fault."I don't know what I did to make you mad,
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2013
Joanna looked a bit upset. She was used to being the star everywhere she went, with everyone always fussing over her.However, Tania and Liliana did not seem to notice her at all.Tania slipped out of her dress and had it neatly packaged. She strolled over to a quiet corner and began flipping through a magazine.Meanwhile, Joanna and her friend were browsing through racks of clothes, chatting about which ones were the prettiest. Joanna's friend could not stop mentioning Sean, insisting that Joanna would look stunning in certain outfits and that Sean would surely be impressed.Tania watched Joanna with a smirk and called out, "Hey, Joanna!"Joanna and her friend paused and turned to Tania. "What's going on?" Joanna asked."Oh, nothing, really. I’m just curious—Joanna, are you and Mr. Smith together now?" Tania asked with feigned innocence. "I thought Sean turned you down before!""You...""Turned her down? Don't make things up. Our Joanna and Mr. Smith are very much an item!" Jo
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2012
The woman with Joanna gushed, "You're so lucky! Your boyfriend Sean is so handsome and rich, and your future mother-in-law adores you too!""Please, you're making me blush. Sean and I aren't even official yet." Joanna laughed off the compliment."It's only a matter of time. Everyone at the hospital knows you two are an item. And your future mother-in-law is so generous, showering you with gifts. You wouldn't believe how many people are green with envy!""You're making it sound too good to be true!"As Liliana overheard Joanna and the woman's conversation about Sean, she felt like a creep for eavesdropping.Yes, Sean had been with Joanna for a while. Where did that leave Liliana?She had been with Sean, which explained why he was so cold that day. He must have really disliked her, or else it would not have made sense.Liliana squeezed her hands together, trying hard not to eavesdrop on Joanna and the other woman's chat. However, their words floated to her ears, every single one c
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2011
Adalee had braced herself for tough negotiations, but to her surprise, they were ready to shake hands on the deal he moment she stepped into the other company's office. The previous unreasonable demands were gone. They were going to work together just like they had before.Even though Adalee thought it was odd, she was just glad there were no hiccups in the partnership. She signed the contract and decided to give Liliana some time off, hoping it would help her shake off the blues from that unhappy evening.Ever since Liliana came back from Cascade City, she had been quiet. Her life was work, work, and nothing but work. She did not go out, not even when Tania tried to coax her into hanging out.Tania could tell something was off with Liliana, but Liliana clammed up whenever she asked, saying she was swamped with work and had no spare time.Liliana had even forgotten about the date with Keith she had planned to arrange after her business trip.Her routine was simple: she would work
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2010
Adalee had just stepped out of her room when she ran into Sean. Sean's face was stormy as he walked past, not even noticing Adalee."Mister..." Adalee called, but Sean did not even look back.Adalee's brows knitted together in worry. She rushed to Liliana's door and called, "Liliana? Liliana?"Adalee did not hear Liliana answer, so she knocked again. "Liliana, are you in there?"After Sean left, Liliana could not stop the tears from coming. However, she did not let herself cry loudly. It was just a quiet, steady sob.When she heard the knock at the door, Liliana quickly stopped crying.She bit her lip, hurried to put on her clothes, and dried her eyes.Adalee waited outside, not leaving before she heard from Liliana. Liliana had no choice but to open the door.As soon as Adalee saw her, she noticed her red, puffy eyes and the marks on her face and neck. "Liliana, what's wrong?"Remembering the drink Liliana had taken for her sake the previous night, Adalee gasped and grabbed h
