The Cherished Wife (Noelle and Charles)
Wife 1

Wife 1

The Cherished Wife

Ch weety

Chapter 1

Autumn had painted Brookville in shades of gold and crimson when Noelle Shaw stepped off theplane. She grabbed her suitcase and walked out into the crisp air, a familiar sense of homewrapping around her.

A whole year had passed since she left to pursue a corporate training program overseas, and now,she was back just in time.

Her third anniversary with her boyfriend Xavier Harris was just days away, and she had beenworking nonstop to make it back early enough to surprise him.

She hailed a cab and headed straight for Xavier’s office. The moment she walked through the -frontdoors, Alice, the receptionist, gave her a look of total shock. “Ms. Shaw? You’re back?

Are you here for the CEO’s engagement party?”

Noelle’s brow creased in confusion. The CEO’s engagement party? What are you talking about,Alice?”

‘It’s Mr. Harris’s engagement party with your sister!”

“What?” Noelle’s heart skipped a beat, and the happiness drained from her face. “Whoseengagement party?”

Alice seemed to realize she had dropped a bombshell and nervously swallowed. “The CEO… andyour sister…”

“Where is it happening?”

“The… Golden Oasis Hotel.”

It felt like a punch to the gut. Noelle spun on her heel and rushed out. “Driver, take me to theGolden Oasis Hotel, please.”

She had not even made it inside the hotel when she saw a huge photo by the entrance. ThereXavier was with his arm around Winter Shaw, who looked stunning in her elegant dress. They weregazing into each other’s eyes, lost in a world of love.

On her way over, Noelle was psyching herself up. Xavier was her boyfriend. He was hers! The ideaof him getting engaged to her sister was just too bizarre. As she arrived, however, reality

hit her like a ton of bricks.

She walked in just in time to catch Xavier whispering sweet nothings into Winter’s ear,

making her cheeks tum a rosy pink.

Noelle felt a surge of anger, her eyes blazing with fury.

+15 BONUS

How ludicrous it was. Her boyfriend of three years, the one she had been with through thick andthin, was now cozying up to her elder sister while she had been miles away.

Winter Shaw was mingling and toasting with the guests arm in arm with Xavier when she spottedNoelle. Her face drained of color, and her grip on Xavier’s hand tightened without her even realizing

it.

Xavier’s eyes met Noelle’s. He paused for a split second, then flashed Winter a comforting smilebefore walking over to Noelle. “Hey Noelle, did you come to celebrate me and your sister’s bigday?”

His voice, which was usually so warm and gentle, felt like a knife twisting in her heart. Noelleclenched her jaw. “Celebrate? Celebrate you stabbing me in the back? And Winter, really? Are youthat desperate for a man? You knew he was mine, and you… you both…”

Before she could finish, a slap snapped her head to the side, leaving her cheek throbbing.

Holding her face, tears brimming in her eyes, she looked up in disbelief. “Mom!”

‘Don’t you dare call me ‘mom‘ right now! What kind of daughter or sister acts the way you’re acting?It’s your sister’s engagement, and you can’t even be happy for her? Instead, you show up here tomake a scene. You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” Jade Jones was fuming, her eyesshooting daggers at Noelle.

Noelle’s heart clenched. “Mom, what are you even saying? Xavier’s my boyfriend.”

“Your boyfriend? Xavier is your sister’s husband. Why do you have to challenge your sister foreverything? I’m so disappointed in you.”

Noelle could not help but laugh. She stared at her mother, Jade, who had the nerve to twist the truthso blatantly. She turned to Xavier. “Xavier, come on. Tell us who you’re really dating.

His brow creased, his gaze on Noelle filled with uncertainty. The firm grip he felt, however, broughthim back to the moment. “Noelle, I’m sorry, but there’s only ever been one person for me, and that’syour sister.”

Noelle’s heart felt like it was being sliced open as she listened to Xavier’s emotionless confession.

What a joke! What bitter irony!

“Xavier, you’d better get this straight: it’s me who’s dumping you, not the other way round.” It took allher willpower not to lash out at the cheating couple. “I hope you two have a long,‘ happy‘ lifetogether,” she spat.