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Chapter 552

Author: Chweety
"Clary!" Maxwell cut in, shaking his head with a hint of disapproval. "You can't talk to Joseph like that! Remember, he's the one who saved Layla's life. We, the Hoffmans, owe him for that."

Joseph bobbed his head eagerly. "You always see the bigger picture."

However, Clarisse just huffed, her eyes rolling over Joseph with clear contempt, and she did not spare Maxwell or Mateo either. "Hold on, it was Henry's family who racked up that debt, not us. Layla's not even a Hoffman anymore. She's Jordan's problem now. If you're looking to settle scores, you're barking up the wrong tree!"

Joseph's cheeks burned with embarrassment. "Madam Baker, that's not fair!"

"Look, it's not your place to tell me if I'm right or wrong. Our opinions don't matter here. If you've got a problem with how things are being handled, take it up with Charles. I'd love to see how he plans to thank you for your 'kindness'!" Clarisse said.

"Joseph." Maxwell let out a weary sigh. "My daughter-in-law might not have t
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    Becky was at the top of Janet's buddy list, so for the past three months, any chance Janet got, she would whisk Becky off to hit the shops. Being from the high-rolling Baker family, Janet did not hold back on the spending, showering Becky with all the designer labels. However, as Charles's right-hand woman, Becky was wary about accepting the really pricey stuff. So, when Janet first invited her out, Becky gave Charles the heads-up.Charles cracked open the box and, to his surprise, there was a platinum necklace. It was not the crown jewels or anything, but it was still designer and definitely not cheap. Becky was on the fence. The really ritzy gifts usually went through Ronald before getting to Charles. "Just give it to Becky," Charles said with a shrug, tossing it back. "Keep the friendship going. Becky's got the smarts to know what's cool to say and what's not.""Got it!" Ronald pocketed the necklace. "Mr. Hoffman, Winter's wrapped up her latest gig and she'll probably be back

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    It was Janet's shot. It was her chance to shine and get some face time with Charles. It was a golden opportunity."If I rock this, Charles has got to notice me. Who knows? He might just take a chance on us," she mused with a hopeful smile.Becky's lips gave a quick, involuntary twitch. She could not help but think Janet was living in a fantasy world. However, Becky kept her cool, her face a mask of calm. "Look, Ms. Scott, could you maybe head back to work? I've got a ton on my plate, and if I don't get through it, I won't have a second to help you out!""Oh, sure, Becky, you do your thing. Um, any chance you could point me in the right direction, or...""You'll find all the records and stuff from past annual meetings over at HR. Why don't you check with them?" Becky suggested helpfully, hoping it might actually be useful to Janet.Once Janet was off on her new mission, Becky let out a relieved sigh and quickly dialed Noelle from the project department. "Ms. Shaw, Mr. Hoffman's ask

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    "And why shouldn't I be here?" Janet eyed Becky with suspicion. "Besides, HR's out, I heard they're handling some business, and no one's gotten those documents for me." She glanced at Becky, then followed her line of sight to catch a glimpse of a woman slipping into Charles's office. Her gaze sharpened instantly, zeroing in on the door. "Who was that woman who just went in?""What woman?" Becky hesitated, feeling Janet's piercing stare, and quickly regained her composure. "Oh, the woman who entered Mr. Hoffman's office? She's from the project department. Mr. Hoffman asked them to come up to talk about the project." Becky explained, noticing Janet's expression was far from pleased. "Ms. Scott?""Is there just one woman in the project department?""No, there's a bunch," Becky replied, confused. "Ms. Scott, why do you ask?""Who was that who just walked in? What's her name? How's she doing at Collosus Group?" Janet fired off a bunch of questions, and Becky was jolted back to the momen

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    "You, really!" Charles just shook his head with a smile, grabbed Noelle's hand, and led her to the couch, gently pushing her down. "If I hadn't put it that way, would you have stayed downstairs?""Well, yeah, we had a deal, didn't we? At work, it's strictly boss and employee, but at home, we're husband and wife. You know Janet's around the office. If she caught wind of us..." Noelle trailed off, eyeing Charles to gauge his reaction. Seeing his face flicker with emotions, she went on, "It's not like I'm scared of people knowing—we're married, for crying out loud. I'm over hiding it. However, if Janet gets a whiff, we'll never hear the end of it. And with the project kicking off, I don't want any drama to mess things up!"Charles nodded, giving Noelle's shoulder a reassuring pat. "You don't have to explain. I get it." He settled beside her and opened the coffee table's food box. "Lunchtime anyway. Let's dig in!"Noelle could not help but laugh, a bit exasperated. "So this is your gran

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    Charles grinned. "Oh? Are you worried about Becky?"Noelle made a face. "Becky works for you. If you're not concerned about her, why should I be?" She was not the one with time to kill. Noelle had not met Janet, but she could not shake the memory of the chaos from three months back. Janet seemed like a disaster waiting to happen."Don't worry about it. Becky's used to this kind of thing, she's got it covered." Noticing Noelle's discomfort, Charles gently touched her stomach. "Feeling okay?"Noelle nodded. "I overdid it with the food!"Charles chuckled and playfully tapped Noelle's nose. "You!" He set aside his glass and gently massaged her belly. "Does it hurt here?""No, I'm fine. I just need to rest a bit. A short walk will sort me out." Noelle brushed Charles's hand away, dug out some digestive tablets from her purse, and popped one in her mouth, grinning. "See? I came prepared!""Don't eat those!" Charles exclaimed, reaching to snatch the digestive tablets from Noelle's grasp

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    Charles was a master at kissing, and just when Noelle felt like she was running out of breath, he eased up, flipped them over, and pinned her beneath him. A playful smile graced his handsome face as his tongue gently caressed Noelle's cheek. He whispered with a soft laugh, "You're as sweet as candy."Caught off guard by Charles's sudden romantic words and her own eager response, Noelle blushed and tried to push him away. "We can't do this, we're supposed to be working!" she protested, trying to get up. However, Charles would not let go, his voice low and sincere. "Noelle, I've missed you."Noelle's cheeks flamed with a sudden blush. "You!" she exclaimed, shoving Charles back and scrambling to her feet from the couch.She caught Charles's gaze, those eyes twinkling with mischief, and her heart went wild, thumping uncontrollably. She had to look away, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "Look at the time. I've got to head down and start my shift," she said.She hurried to straigh

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    Although Brian knew Noelle's position, Noelle did not want to show any favoritism in front of anyone."Chill, it's strictly business!" Charles retorted with a huff. "You think your hubby can't keep work and play separate?"Noelle narrowed her eyes, gave a small nod, and whispered under her breath, "However, isn't that exactly what you do?"Phone in hand, Charles paused mid-dial and shot Noelle a quick, sidelong glance. She quickly looked away, feigning innocence.With a resigned shake of his head, Charles dialed Brian. "Mr. Parker, Noelle's free this afternoon, right? I need to borrow her for a bit!"Brian hesitated, his lips tightening. "Yes!" He said it, but inwardly he was kicking himself and throwing a little shade Charles's way for good measure.Had their boss really gotten so bad at keeping things professional? The project department was swamped, and there Charles was, whisking Noelle away. After all, she was Brian's ace.Charles escorted Noelle out of Collosus Group, and

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    The moment Noelle's words hung in the air, the frosty tension melted away. She watched Charles's face for a reaction, and when she saw a small smile and his features soften, she relaxed. She held out her hand. "Your phone. Hand it over!""In my pocket, grab it yourself!" Charles, one hand steering, took a peek at Noelle's messenger and caught Rowena's message. "Been getting close with Charles lately? When do I get to be a godmother, huh?"Charles gave her a sharp look, and Noelle felt the air tighten again. She paused, meeting his gaze with a blink. "Something wrong?"Charles flashed a sly grin. "Nope, I don't use Messenger. Set an account up for me, will you? And add yourself too!"Once he finished, Charles calmly shot back a reply in Noelle's chat, "And that's not all. Our Charles here is planning on starting a whole soccer team!"Over at Rowena and Teresa's end, things went nuts, with messages pouring in like crazy. Most of them were pretty shocking. Even Charles, who was usual

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    Sean had never hit a woman before, but at this moment, as he looked at McKenzie, he did not mind making an exception.McKenzie was already shocked that Sean was actually taking action for Liliana, an illegitimate daughter. "Sean, just because your family is rich, you think you can do whatever you want—"Sean let out a chuckle, his tone laced with amusement. "That's exactly what I think. What? You don't like it?"McKenzie was momentarily stunned."It's the survival of the fittest," Sean continued nonchalantly. "If you think it's fine to bully someone weaker like Liliana, then why shouldn't I do the same to you?"His words were so brazen, so outright arrogant, making it crystal clear that he was here to seek justice for Liliana.His overbearing attitude was enough to make people dislike him, but so what?Sean had a point. This world operated on the law of the jungle.Everyone bullied Liliana simply because she was an illegitimate daughter. Even though she carried the Hoffman name

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    The crowd stiffened, completely unprepared for Sean to actually stand up for the so-called illegitimate daughter."Mr. Smith, that girl is a vixen. She—""Oh? A vixen?" Sean's narrow eyes held a faint smile. "And how exactly do you know that?""I... I...""Did she seduce you? Hmm?" Sean's gaze darkened.There was utter silence."So, it seems like while I wasn't at school, you all just assumed I was dead, huh?" Sean's voice carried a lazy drawl, yet there was an unmistakable sharpness to it. "I hear the school has a new leader?""No, no! That's not true! You're still the boss. You'll always be the boss!"Sean let out a low chuckle and turned to Liliana. "See that? These are the same people who bullied you so fearlessly. It turns out they can be put in their place too. Understand?"Liliana did not fully grasp why Sean was doing this, but she knew that after today, these people would hesitate before hurting her again.Her feelings were complicated. She knew she should be gratefu

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    Sean twitched the corner of his mouth. "Do I not have a name?"Liliana hesitated, her lips trembling slightly. "M-Mr. Smith."Sean frowned.Liliana immediately sensed his displeasure but had no idea why he was upset, so she dared not speak.Seeing her looking like a frightened little wife as if he had bullied her, Sean sighed impatiently. "What's with all this 'Mr. Smith' nonsense? You're not my staff.""Then...""Just call me by my name. It doesn't matter even if I'm older than you. Think of me as an older brother." Sean did not seem to care much, but his words stirred something deep inside Liliana."I..."Did she say to think of him like an older brother?She did have an older brother—Charles. He was the golden child of the Hoffman family and the future master of the household. He was raised to be exceptional in every way.Even so, she had never dared to look him in the eye, let alone address him as her brother.In her memory, Charles was a cold and distant figure, unappro

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    The doctor gave Sean a surprised glance, taken aback that the boy could actually read his handwriting and even recognize the names of the medications.However, he quickly changed the prescription.Hearing this, Liliana panicked. "No, there's no need! Just prescribe the regular ones, the normal ones!"She did not have that much money. She had already borrowed the money for her medical expenses from Sean, so she could not afford to let him pay for expensive medication too. "Doctor, my skin is tough. I don't need anything that pricey!"The doctor turned to Sean, who pressed his lips together impatiently."Sit down." His tone carried unmistakable irritation. "Do you even care about your face?""But..." Liliana fidgeted anxiously. "I... don't have that much money.""Did I ask you for money?" Sean was thoroughly exasperated now and stopped looking at her altogether. "Just prescribe it. In fact, give her extra. She looks like she gets hurt often, so give her a dozen boxes while you're

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    Sean's voice was cold, carrying a maturity that did not match his age. However, his words made Liliana tremble slightly. She pressed her lips together and looked at him.What he said had shaken her. She had never known that she could walk among people with her head held high.Ever since she arrived in Brookville, since she became part of the Hoffmans, she had lived like an invisible person—afraid, self-conscious, and timid. She had spent every day trying to make herself as small and unnoticed as possible.Yet now, Sean was telling her she should hold her head up, that she had done nothing wrong.For as long as she could remember, everyone had pointed at her, calling her mother a homewrecker, a disgrace, a whore, a mistress. And if her mother was that kind of person, then she must be too. However, Sean… Sean had just told her to stand tall.Liliana's eyes welled up with tears.Sean frowned at her, irritated. "What are you crying for?"He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and

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    Sean looked at Liliana. "Before you leave, shouldn't you at least tell me your name? Otherwise, if you run off, who am I supposed to ask for my money?"Liliana clenched her fists. "I... I...""Sean Smith!""Huh?"Liliana looked up in surprise. Her swollen face made her expression even more pitiful, and the astonishment in her eyes only added to her fragile appearance.Sean's gaze deepened. "That's my name—Sean Smith."Liliana nodded. "I know."Of course, she knew.Ever since he had first saved her, she had memorized his name, his face, and everything about him.She even knew his family background, as well as his academic achievements.Sean's name was legendary at Jadebrook High School—just like her half-brother. He was an untouchable figure, almost mythical.Liliana's eyes dimmed slightly at that thought."What do you know? Now, tell me your name." Sean studied her, noticing how her mood had suddenly shifted again.Liliana hesitated before murmuring, "L-Liliana Hoffman."

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    Sean had originally planned to take Liliana to the school infirmary, but after seeing the severity of her injuries and considering her current state, he knew that going there would only draw unwanted attention.Instead, he called his driver to take them to the hospital, ensuring she could get a proper examination and treatment.The moment Liliana heard the word hospital, she panicked. "I'm not going!"She reached for the car door, intending to get out, but Sean grabbed her wrist. "You're not going to the hospital? Then where do you plan on going? Look at yourself—you're covered in injuries, and you still don't want to get checked out?"Sean genuinely wondered if this girl was an idiot.She had not fought back when she was being beaten, and now that she was injured, she refused medical care?Even so, Liliana could not afford to think about such things. Her circumstances did not allow her to get sick, let alone go to the hospital.During her years with the Hoffmans, the most impor

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    Liliana became acutely aware of her own disgrace. She hugged herself tightly, her eyes filled with wariness as she looked at the boy in front of her.Sean suddenly found the situation amusing. "Are you afraid of me?"Liliana did not respond, but the look in her eyes said it all.Raising an eyebrow, Sean noticed her tugging at the tattered remains of her clothing. Without another word, he shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "Do you know where the infirmary is?"She remained silent, and Sean's patience wore thin. "I just saved you. Are you mute?""Thank you," Liliana murmured, then carefully removed the jacket and tried to hand it back. "It'll get dirty."Her voice was small, and her gaze was downcast.She had not forgotten what Sean had said years ago—that she was filthy.Sean's frown deepened, his brows knitting together in irritation. He snatched the jacket back and threw it over her again. "Do you have any idea how terrible you look right now?"Liliana

  • The Cherished Wife   Chapter 1840

    The girl's face was swollen and bruised, nearly unrecognizable. Her clothes were torn, hanging in tatters, leaving her looking utterly wretched.Sean barely spared her a glance before shifting his gaze away. "A whole group of you bullying a single girl?""That girl is a filthy whore, a homewrecker! We were just—""Shut up!" Jasper shot McKenzie a sharp glare. "Sean is speaking. Who the hell do you think you are to interrupt?"In Jadebrook High School, Sean was like a god.Although he had already completed both middle and high school courses, he was still technically a senior. The school had granted him special privileges due to his exceptional performance, allowing him to attend only when he pleased.He rarely showed up, yet every student feared him.Sean was not someone who sought out trouble or bullied the weak, but if he caught someone doing so, there was no escaping his wrath.Jasper's family had some wealth, but compared to the Smiths, they were nothing. Just recently, his

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