The Cherished Wife (Noelle and Charles)

Charles's eyes narrowed in a quick flash. "Go on."

"You were the one controlling that order, weren't you? I thought you'd just cut it off, but now it's back to business as usual." Noelle was trying to figure out Charles's game plan, but she figured he must have his reasons for doing things this way.

Now Noelle understood why Joseph was so keen on pushing Xavier away from her and toward Winter. Being with Winter meant getting a hold of Winter's shares, and by extension, a piece of the Shaw family's company, City Ring Corp.. If Winter ever had a brain lapse and handed those shares over to Xavier, then Xavier would carve out his own place in City Ring Corp.. And then, it would be anyone's guess whether the Shaw or the Harris family would lead City Ring Corp..

Joseph was a man of big ambitions, never shy about reaching for what he wanted.

"He once saved my second uncle's daughter's life," Charles revealed. Noelle's head shot up, not expecting this twist. "Your second uncle?"

"Yeah!" Charles confirmed with a nod. "His adopted daughter, Layla."

"Adopted daughter?" Noelle was taken aback. "Your second uncle is Henry Hoffman? Since when did he have an adopted daughter?" Noelle might not have known Henry personally, but she had heard enough to be surprised she had never heard about an adopted daughter in the mix.

Everyone in Brookville knew Henry as the ultimate wife-spoiler. No matter how many 'Hottest Hunk' lists popped up, Even though Henry was no longer young, always won the title of 'Most Charming Man' because he treated his wife, Nancy, like royalty. Rowena would often sigh, wishing for a love like theirs that stayed strong throughout the years.

If they were the perfect couple, why did they have an adopted daughter, though?

Charles caught Noelle's confused expression and guessed she was cooking up all sorts of dramatic stories in her head. "She was switched at birth," he explained. "My uncle took pity on her and could not bear to send her back. But..." "But what?"

"It's a long story, not something I can sum up quickly. Just remember, when you run into the Hoffmans, there are two you can actually get along with." "Who?"

"Ella and Tania," Charles said, his gaze growing heavy. "They're not like the rest of the Hoffman bunch. They won't hold grudges against you!" Noelle nodded, though another question bubbled up. "Wait, how come I've never heard about you having sisters?"

alf-sister, v

"Ella is my share the same dad. Tania is my uncle's kid and Peter's wife," Charles revealed, a shadow passing over his face ashe spoke of Ella and Tania. "These are family secrets, things outsiders wouldn't know about the Hoffman family."

"So, you're just going to spill the family's secrets to me like that?" Noelle chuckled, unable to contain her amusement. "And since when did Peter tie the knot?" She had never met Peter, but today, she was thrown for a loop-Peter's wife was Charles's cousin. That was a twist Noelle had not seen coming. But the look on Charles's face told her there was more to the story. "You've filled me in on the basics, so let's save the rest for when I meet them, okay?"