The Cherished Wife

Emilia told Joseph about the conversation. He just raised an eyebrow. That night, Joseph seemed pretty happy about it in the study. “The Shaws are getting impatient, huh?”

“It looks like it. The lady called today. She was kind of feeling things out, and she invited me out for tea tomorrow,” Emilia explained. “Looks like it might get decided soon.” She paused, then asked, “What do you think?”

Joseph let out a short, brisk laugh. “What do I think? Of course we’ll say yes.”

Emilia was not so sure. She was a woman of simple values and did not get the world of business. She had met Winter a few times. She was beautiful, sure, but she just did not click with her. However, she had liked Noelle, Winter’s sister

Her son had talked fondly about Noelle before, and Emilia had high hopes for those two. She never saw his new relationship coming…

“I get what’s on your mind, but you’ve got to realize that kid’s got no standing in the Shaw family. She can’t do a thing for Xavier. Winter’s a whole different story. She’s got a whopping fifteen percent of City Ring Corp. Think about it. The Shaws don’t have a son. If Winter marries Xavier, doesn’t that pretty much mean the Shaws are his?”

Joseph was always thinking ahead. The Shaws might not be the most prestigious family in town, but they were still a force to reckon with. Fifteen percent of a big company like that was nothing to sneeze at. Even if the old man would not give his shares to Winter, her mom and dad, Julian and Jade, had plenty, and that would all go to Winter someday. This belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.

Winter had been in showbiz for so long that she did not know the first thing about the business world. That meant that Xavier would probably

end up with anything she got.

Emilia zipped her lips, smart enough not to bring up Noelle again. “So, should I go see Jade tomorrow? If we get this sorted, does that mean Xavier’s wedding is a done deal?”

“Yes. Test the waters with the Shaws. When it comes to getting hitched, the sooner the better!” A chilly glint appeared in Joseph’s eyes. Just thinking about Noelle’s sway over Xavier made him scowl. “That Noelle’s nothing but trouble. We’ve got to kick her out of Frotconn!”

The study door burst open, and there stood Xavier, his face pale with anger. “Don’t you think you should ask me what I think about getting married?”

“What do you think? You’re supposed to be happy to marry Winter!” Joseph shot Xavier a sharp look. “What’s with this attitude? Weren’t you the one who wanted to be with her?”

Joseph saw how Xavier was acting and spoke with a mix of anger and disappointment. “People who do big things don’t sweat the small stuff. Just look at you! What’s going on? You chose Winter, so what are you trying to say now?”

Xavier’s lips were pressed together tightly. “I’m not ready to get married yet!”

He balled his hands into fists, standing his ground. “I’m still young. I want to work on my career. Plus, you know all about the rumors regarding Winter. Who knows if she can clear her name?”

“Are you thinking of breaking off the engagement? Do you want to be with Noelle?” Joseph was so mad at Xavier’s stubbornness that he blurted out, “Listen, you’re going to marry Winter. Her being in the middle of scandals is actually good, since your marriage will shut down those rumors. And don’t forget, Charles from Royal Star Entertainment is no pushover. He’s promised to help, and he’ll make sure Winter

comes out on top. So, you’re getting married, no matter what!”