The Cherished Wife (Noelle and Charles)
Wife 6

Wife 6

Chapter 6

He must have completely lost it! This guy must be out of his mind!

“Charles…” Noelle was on the verge of exploding. “Are you even listening? I don’t want to marryyou. I don’t know you, and I definitely don’t love you.”

“Who loves you, then? Xavier? He’s your sister’s husband now,” Charles said, slicing through thetruth with a cruel edge. “You’re not still pining for Xavier, are you?” He teased her chin with ataunting finger. “Hmm?”

Noelle swatted Charles’s hand away. “What is it to you? Why are you so set on marrying me? Can’tyou replace someone else?”

“You’re the first woman who doesn’t make my skin crawl.”

“What?” Noelle was taken aback.

Charles’s lips tightened, and he let go of Noelle. She quickly stepped back, putting a safe distancebetween them.

Charles watched her with a light chuckle. “It’s quite simple. You ran into my arms last night, and Ididn’t mind it one bit.”

He squinted thoughtfully. “How about we strike a deal?”

Noelle stayed silent, and Charles settled himself on the couch. “I’m in need of a wife, and your

fit the bill.”

‘Insane!‘ she thought. Who did he think he was? “Mr. Hoffman, maybe you’re the one who

needs a doctor.”

“Ms. Shaw, don’t rush to give me an answer. Take your time,” Charles said, dialing a number on hisphone. Shortly after, Ronald came in with a bag in hand. ‘Sir, as you requested, this is Ms. Shaw’sclothing.”

With a slight nod of his chin, Charles directed Ronald to hand the bag to Noelle. She hesitated foronly a second before taking the bag and heading to the restroom.

The clothes were a surprisingly perfect fit down to the exact size of the underwear, as if they hadbeen made just for her.

Gazing at her reflection, Noelle saw a scowl flicker across her face before she slumped in defeat.

She never imagined that her boyfriend would end up with her sister during her year away. She wasthe real victim here, but somehow, she had been cast as the homewrecker. Her mom wascompletely on her sister’s side.

With a twist of the faucet, Noelle splashed water on her face, clenching her teeth to hold back

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the tears.

She pulled herself together before stepping out of the bathroom. Her eyes, red and puffy, gave heraway, however. Charles caught a glimpse of her state and quickly averted his gaze. “Ms. Shaw, youcan reach out to me whenever you’re ready,” he said, offering her a business card.

Noelle eyed him warily as she took the card.

“Don’t turn away help when it’s offered,” Charles said as he pressed the card into her hand.

“Help?” she thought, skeptical of his so–called kindness.

Her eyes locked onto the title on the card, and she paused. “You…”

Before she could snap out of it, Charles brushed a stray hair from her forehead and walked away,leaving his parting words. “I’ll be waiting for your good news!” Noelle stood frozen, watching himgo.

His name rang a bell, of course.

Charles was a big deal in Brookville. He was the top dog among the

town’s elite, one of the Four Young Masters of Brookville. While the eldest was a mystery, Mr.Hoffman and Mr. Lennon were household names, their fame echoing through the streets ofBrookville.

It was clear why Charles could not care less about Xavier. Xavier and his whole Harris family wereprobably not even a blip on his radar.

Noelle’s gaze dropped to the business card she was gripping a little too tightly. The name‘ Charles‘seemed to be etched into her brain, playing on a loop she could not shut off.

Why on earth would someone like Charles, who seemed to live in a stratosphere all his own, botherto lend a hand to someone smeared by scandal? Noelle did not have the answers, and frankly, shedid not want them. She shoved the card into her purse, took a deep, steadying breath, and walkedaway.

Once she was gone, Ronald stepped out from his hiding spot, eyes tracking Noelle until she wasout of sight. He dialed Charles to say, “Sir, Ms. Shaw has left.”

D

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