The Cherished Wife



Noelle had been scared out of her wits for quite some time, but with Steven right there, she stayed composed until they got to his place. Once Eloise ushered her into the guest room to relax, Noelle crumpled to the floor, shaking a bit.

Eloise walked in to find Noelle on the ground and rushed to help her up. "Noelle, are you okay?" she asked, worried. "You look pretty pale. Are you sick, or did you get hurt? Should I call a doctor?"

"No, that's not necessary," Noelle said quickly, grabbing Eloise's hand. "I'm okay. I'm just really tired. Please don't tell Steven. I don't need a doctor!" After making sure they were safe, Noelle managed a weak smile. "El, could I borrow some clothes from you? I really need a shower!"

Noelle was a mess, and she could not shake off the memory of how Steven had heartlessly let two people die without batting an eye.

"Sure. I'll grab something for you, but my clothes might not be your style!" Eloise said with a quick look at Noelle. "The bathroom's right over there. You can head in first, and I'll bring you something to wear in a second!"Original content from NôvelDrama.Org.

Noelle gave a slight nod, waiting until Eloise's footsteps faded before she sighed heavily. She trudged to the bathroom, staring at her reflection in the mirror, then down at her trembling hands. "Don't be scared, Noelle. You've got this. It'll all be over soon," she whispered to herself, trying to muster up some courage. It took an eternity before she could finally open her eyes and give her cheeks a little slap to snap out of it.

Deep down, she knew they were after her and Charles, which meant Steven stepping in was not wrong. However, Noelle could not shake the feeling that they should have called the cops instead of taking matters into their own hands.

"Noelle, I brought you some clothes. They should fit just right, and the underwear is brand new. We're pretty much the same size, so they'll probably fit you too!"

"Thanks!" Noelle smiled with a mix of gratitude and relief. "I really appreciate this, El."

"Don't mention it. If you need anything, just holler. I'll be right outside."

"Will do!"

Once alone, Noelle let the shower wash away the grime and the grim memories. Half an hour later, she slipped into the clothes Eloise had given her. However, as she opened the door to step out, she stopped dead in her tracks.

Blinking in disbelief, Noelle's gaze landed on the unexpected figure in the room. Her shock quickly turned to elation, and she dashed forward, hurling herself into the man's arms. "Charles!"

Charles caught sight of Noelle barreling towards him and stood his ground, letting her crash into him. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close in a protective embrace.

Their lips met in a lingering kiss, intense and full of unspoken emotions. When Noelle's mind finally caught up with the moment she realized that Charles had hastily undone her jacket and that she was lying on the bed. Charles cradled her waist with one hand while his other hand tenderly swept up her hair, his fingers softly caressing her flushed cheek and chin.

Noelle's face was warm with a rosy blush, and her breaths came in short gasps. She reached up, tracing the lines of Charles's face-his forehead, nose, lips, and chin. Then, her arms found their way around his neck, pulling him into a fierce embrace. "Charles, are you okay? I've missed you so much!"

They had only been apart for a few hours, but it felt like an eternity to Noelle. "Why did you leave me behind? Do you have any idea how worried was?" She understood he did it to keep her safe, but she could not help feeling upset. "Don't you realize that if anything happened to you... I wouldn't be able to go on? How could you be so selfish, taking everything on by yourself?"