The Cherished Wife

Wife 66

The three days flew by in a blur. Noelle had her bags all packed, just waiting for Charles to swing by and pick her up. The last few days were not just about waiting: they were filled with drama, like the York family finding out Samuel got hurt and deciding to cut all ties with the Shaws

Julian was freaking out and running around like a headless chicken. He apologized to Samuel at the hospital and blew up Noelle’s phone with calls. Noelle was not about to fall for that though. She knew better than to show up. Julian even had the nerve to say on the phone that if the Yorks came after the company because of him, it would all be Noelle’s fault.

Noelle was so close to laughing out of sheer frustration. She could not believe the nonsense coming out of her own dad’s mouth. It was a sad moment when she realized she might not really know the man she

called Father.

Julian did not stop there. He actually had the gall to tell her to go and throw herself at Simon, to try and charm him into giving the Shaws a break. If she could snag a marriage proposal out of him, it would be even better. With the Hoffman family’s influence and the Yorks backing them, the Shaws would be unstoppable.

Noelle was not having any of Julian’s crazy daydreams. She cut the call short and blocked his number without a second thought.

Noelle was dead set against selling herself out for the Shaw family’s sake, especially since she did not even have a stake in their company. She vividly remembered her grandpa’s plan to gift her five percent of Helios‘ shares for her eighteenth birthday, a rite of passage into adulthood, but the rest of the family had shot that down, claiming she was too young and not business–savvy.

When Winter hit eighteen, she snagged ten percent of Helios without a peep of protest from the family. It was crystal clear to Noelle that the rules she had did not apply to Winter.

What was she supposed to say? She was left speechless.

She might not have cared about the company, but as a Shaw, the blatant inequality had stung. All she had ever wanted was fair treatment.

Charles pulled up outside and rang Noelle. She answered without thinking, “Hello. Who’s this?” Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

Charles squinted, his whole aura menacing. “Didn’t save my number?” he growled, clearly angry.

If Noelle had been next to him, she would have been quaking in her boots from his scary.tone.

She had gulped and forced a laugh. “Slipped my mind!

“Do it now,” Charles had commanded. “I’m right outside your door.”

Noelle dashed to the balcony for a quick peek, and sure enough, Charles’s car was right there below. “Oh, I’ll be right down, but my stuff…”

“Don’t bother. I’m on my way up!” Charles ended the call, squinted, and shot a look at the guy sprawled out next to him. “Up you go!”

Sean’s eyes snapped open, and he stared at Charles, still groggy. “Come on, Charles, that’s not cool. Why’s it always me when you need something? You could ask the boss… or even Peter!”

Sean’s rant continued, “You have no idea. I was on the night shift yesterday. I just got out of surgery, and

I’m not even rested yet, but here you are, dragging me out!”

Sean was telling the truth. He had just stepped away from the operating table, and before he could even shed his white coat, Charles had called him.

Charles shot Sean an icy look. “It’s because you’re the youngest!”