The Cherished Wife



"Cut it out!" Noelle ducked back into the bathroom to finish getting ready. When she emerged, she found a set of clean clothes laid out on the bed. They looked brand new, and she noticed the tags were still on when she picked them up. "Did you go out and buy me clothes this morning?"

"Nope, Eloise did," Charles replied. "Get changed, okay?"

"Alright, alright!"

Charles led Noelle downstairs hand-in-hand, where the whole crew had already gathered. It was not just Steven and Eloise. Peter and Sean had swung by too, along with Ronald, Lareal, and Andrew.

The whole crew watched as Charles escorted Noelle down the stairs, and they could not help but smirk at his tough-guy act.

Sean was the quickest on his feet, flashing a harmless grin and sauntering over. "Noelle, how're you holding up? It was a long night, and Charles wouldn't let us see you once you fell asleep."

He dumped the blame on Charles without missing a beat. "You missed the drama. We were all freaking out over you last night."

Charles shot Sean a look that could freeze lava, and Sean clammed up quickly. "Anyway, Noelle, all that matters is that you're okay!"

Noelle could not help but giggle. "Mr. Smith, I'm all good. Thanks for your concern!"

"Never mind him!" Charles said, pulling Noelle along. "What's with the crowd?"

Peter chimed in, "What, we can't drop by unless there's a crisis? I've got a place here too, remember? Let's not forget who played Santa with these houses!"

"So, do you think I owe you one?" Charles replied with a grin that did not quite reach his eyes, then turned to Ronald. "You're up with the birds, huh?"

"Yes, Mr. Hoffman. Andrew and I were worried about you and Mrs. Hoffman's safety," Ronald said, standing ramrod straight. "The

company's closed for the holida etContent provided by NôvelDrama.Org.

but Andrew and I aren't in the vacationing mood-we'd rather stick close."

Charles huffed. "As if we're in some kind of trouble!" He glanced at Noelle. "Hungry?"

Noelle was called out of the blue,

and she blushed with

embarrassment. She glanced

е

around to see everyone's eyes were

on her and Charles. She gave Charles's hand a quick tug. "I'm

okay! Don't mind me. Keep chatting!"

"Noelle, I haven't grabbed a bite yet either. Let's hit the restaurant for some breakfast!" Eloise got up and moved next to Noelle. "Mr. Hoffman, I'll look after Noelle!"

Charles gave a reassuring nod and gently patted Noelle's hand. "Go on and get some food. I've got to hash out a few things with Mr. Fischer and the rest!"

Noelle nodded and tagged along with Eloise to the restaurant. She threw a worried glance back at Charles, sensing that things were not as simple as they seemed. However, Charles was not spilling the beans.

"Don't sweat it, Noelle. They've got it under control," Eloise reassured her as she laid out the silverware. "I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I picked up some stuff this morning."

"Thanks. I'm easy to please," Noelle said, a thought striking her. "Oh, and thanks a ton for picking out clothes for me so early in the morning. They're a perfect fit, and I love them."

"I'm happy to hear that!"

Charles took a moment to eye the restaurant before settling down. He accepted a cigarette from Steven, rolling it between his fingers. "So, what's the deal? Are they going to shadow me around the clock now?"

The air was thick with tension as Steven tapped his cigarette, ash falling like snowflakes. He shot a look at Noelle, his gaze softening.

"We're still in the dark about what et

these

e guys

want, and we can't just pop up whenever there's trouble. You've got a family now to think about." He paused, letting the words hang. "Noelle's a keeper, you know? You made the choice to stick with her, so it's time to step up and take care of the both of you."