Semua Bab The Cherished Wife: Bab 1361 - Bab 1370

A sharp look flickered in Charles's eyes. "What are you getting at, Grandpa?""To be honest, I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I just found out today that Noelle's actually a Smith. Had I known that, I never would've given her to the Shaws."Charles nodded, piecing it together. "Do you think Noelle should join the Smiths?”He got it then. "The Smiths do have some serious clout, that's for sure.""I'm not saying Noelle has to go back or anything. She's married to you now, which puts my mind at ease. But she's still a Smith, and after the rough time she had with the Shaws, I bet the Smiths will want to make things right for her," Sebastian mused. "Still, it's all up to what Noelle wants. That's why I wanted to talk to you today. What's your take on all this, and how much does Noelle know?""All that matters to me is what Noelle wants. If she's up for it, she can reach out to Harrison. If not, I'm not going to push her. She's got me now, and I won't let anyone hurt her agai

Chloe bit her lip, torn. She glanced at Noelle, then at Charles, weighing her options.Charles raised an eyebrow. "It's pretty late. Aren't you tired and worried about waking Anna?"Chloe gave a small nod. "Okay, we'll stay. Zara, could you help clean up a bit? I'm going to put Anna to bed.""I've got it!" Clarisse suddenly stood up and approached them. "I'll hold the baby."Chloe's face froze for a second, and before she could say anything, Clarisse had already gently scooped Anna into her arms as if she was terrified of disturbing her sleep. She whispered, "Zara, where's the room? Lead the way, please.""Right this way, madam!"Chloe's expression was tense, and she felt a weird twist in her gut. She realized she had not even thought to protest Clarisse taking over.Noelle and Charles shared a knowing look, and Noelle got to her feet. "Some things are in the past. Let's not dwell on them."Chloe forced a smile. "I'm not sure if I can forgive her.""Just try not to push her aw

Noelle remembered the guy she had bumped into at Royal Star that morning. "Harrison, right?”Charles raised an eyebrow in surprise. "How'd you figure that out?"Noelle shrugged. "Just a wild guess." She had not expected to actually hit the nail on the head.Harrison's face had popped into her mind out of nowhere. "Harrison was at Royal Star with Shirley today. It looked like there was some drama between them from how Shirley acted around him. I can't figure out their relationship. And get this: Harrison is Sean's uncle. Why hasn't Sean ever mentioned him?"Charles's eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief. "Yeah, Harrison is Sean's uncle, alright. Their family has some skeletons in the closet. If you're really curious, I'll spill the beans some other time.""It’s not a big deal. I'm not dying to know. I've only run into Mr. Harrison Smith a couple of times, but he seems like a decent guy. So, tell me. Why was Harrison tagging along? What's his deal with Shirley?"Charles dropped a

Noelle stirred awake to a room bathed in sunlight, the chill of the morning long gone. She stretched out to find the other side of the bed empty and the sheets beside her cool to the touch. She blinked the sleep from her eyes and realized she was alone. Pushing herself up, she crawled out of bed, her movements slow and groggy.The alarm clock on the dresser read eleven o'clock, jolting Noelle into alertness. She slapped her forehead in disbelief and scrambled out of bed.After a quick wash, Noelle double-checked the clock, frowning. "I was sure I set the alarm for eight this morning." Somehow, she had slept through it until nearly midday.Descending the stairs, Noelle found the Hoffman household already buzzing with activity.She crept down, the lively sounds from the living room growing louder. Anna and Charles were in the midst of a playful tussle. Anna's laughter was ringing out, punctuated by Chloe's good-natured chuckles. "Anna, come on. Give your Uncle Charles a break," Chloe

Charles and Noelle shared a look, then both glanced down at Noelle's pronounced belly. Noelle could not help but quirk a smile, thinking Maxwell was making a bigger fuss than even her grandfathers would."We're just going for a short stroll nearby, and we might drop by Sean's place while we're at it," Charles explained as he gently guided Noelle to the foyer. He crouched to slip her shoes on her feet, asking, "Are they rubbing anywhere?"Noelle shook her head."If they bother you at all, just let me know. I had these shoes made just for you, and they're supposed to be comfortable. We’ll get rid of them if they're not, okay?""Understood!" Noelle replied, her expression a mix of amusement and exasperation.Noelle jumped when Maxwell popped up behind her, and she instinctively shoved Charles's shoulder."What's up?" Charles asked, looking up to find Maxwell lurking behind Noelle. He squinted at him. "Do you need something else?"Maxwell faced Charles with a dead-serious look. "Hea