The Cherished Wife (Noelle and Charles)
Chapter 417

Noelle was just about to step out when the door swung open, and there stood Sean, easily grinning and with curious eyes as he took in the scene before him. His gaze lingered on Noelle, a playful arch to his brow. She had not expected Sean to be the one showing up. Charles had assured her it was fine to come, which probably meant he had filled Sean in.

Sean's eyes crinkled with a smile, that mischievous twinkle in his almond-shaped eyes. He leaned against the doorframe, hands in pockets, and teased, "Hey, where're you off to in such a hurry, Ms. Shaw?" Jade, spotting Sean, rushed over with a flurry of excitement. "Mr. Smith, you're here! Noelle was just getting antsy and wanted to come out to greet you."

"Really?" Sean's eyebrow quirked up as he locked eyes with Noelle. She bit her lip, holding back words. Jade, desperate, pinched Noelle and hissed just loud enough for them to hear, "Get it together and say hi to Mr. Smith, will you?" "Mr. Smith, take a look at Noelle here. She came all this way just for you. Come on in and take a seat. Don't just stand there!" Jade tried to usher him in, but Sean sidestepped her grab with a sly grin. "Ms. Shaw, after you." Noelle managed a tight-lipped smile. "Mr. Smith, please come in."

Jade watched as Noelle finally played along and breathed a sigh of relief. She shot Noelle a fierce glare when she thought Sean was not looking. "Keep it together, will you?" she hissed. Then she spun around to pour Sean a cup of tea. Sean raised his hand to stop her, so Jade passed the teacup to Noelle instead. "Hey Noelle, aren't you going to pour Mr. Smith some tea? You said you had tons of things you wanted to tell Mr. Smith before he got here, right?" Jade was throwing Noelle pointed looks, but Noelle acted as if she did not catch any of them. She poured the tea for Sean and handed it over with a polite, "Here you go, Mr. Smith."

"Thanks!" Sean said with a grin,

giving Noelle a playful wink as he accepted the cup. Noelle shot him a warning fook, telling him to cut it out without saying a word, and definitely not to do anything that might tip

Jade off.

Jade's mind was racing with plans to set Sean and Noelle up. She was dreaming of how to get them together as fast as possible and then down the aisle, so the Shaw family could cozy up to the Smiths.

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"Noelle, why so quiet? You've met Mr. Smith before, and you're always talking about him to me. You even asked when you could see him again!" Jade chuckled. "Don't mind her, MD. Smith. My daughter's just shy She's brought you up a lot at home, and she's been pretty curious about you, asking all sorts of

questions."

"Really?" Sean's eyes narrowed, a hint of intrigue playing across his face. This mother-daughter duo was quite the pair, but Jade's talent for spinning tales with eyes wide open, was something else entirely.

Noelle, ever the picture of serenity, did not utter a word in response to Jade's fabrications.

Sean's lips quirked into a half-smile. "I've got the message. To think I've caught the attention of Ms. Shaw-I'm flattered!" At his words, Noelle shivered, shooting Sean a wary glance. His tone made the compliment sound more like a threat.

However, her mother, ever the opportunist, was too caught up in her own schemes to notice the sarcasm laced in Sean's voice.

Jade beamed, oblivious. "It's a stroke of luck for our Noelle to catch Mr. Smith's eye, isn't it, Noelle?" She gave Noelle a covert pinch and hissed, "Chat him up a bit, and tell him you're into him."