The Cherished Wife



Noelle stared at Charles, utterly stunned by what she had just heard. She shifted her gaze between Charles and Clarisse, her expression reflecting a mix of disbelief and revelation.

Moments ago, she had wondered if Charles was being too harsh toward Clarisse, questioning whether his behavior was unfilial. Now, those thoughts had vanished entirely.

Charles had seen with his own eyes how his mother had drugged his father and involved an innocent woman in the process. Hearing about it gave Noelle a new understanding of everything.

She suddenly recalled Charles mentioning a woman named Liliana in the past-his half-sister. Could she be the child born to that woman from the night Charles witnessed as a child?

"No, Charlie, let me explain! I did it only because—"

Charles interrupted, his tone sharp, "Only because you wanted to divorce my father? And then you tried to ruin Uncle Henry's marriage? You wanted to break up Uncle Henry and Aunt Nancy so that you could marry him instead?"

"I..."

Clarisse stumbled backward, visibly shaken. She had never imagined that the dark secret she had kept buried for so many years would be uncovered by her own son. Now, it was dragged into the open by Charles himself.

"You believe my father violated you, don't you? But do you even know who drugged my father 35 years ago?" He kept his gaze on her, unwavering. His expression was devoid of pity.

"I warned you that staying quietly with the Bakers was your best option. But since you chose to return and involve yourself in all this mess, I won't stop you. However, you'll pay for what you did.

"I'm your son, after all, and my heart reflects yours. If you can be ruthless to the one you love, why should I hesitate to be ruthless to you or the Bakers?"

This was his final warning. Charles' words were a cold ultimatum, leaving no room for negotiation.

"Enough said."

With that, he grabbed Noelle's hand and led her away. Noelle followed him, her heart heavy. She knew that Charles was likely in great emotional turmoil.

These events were some of the

most painful and humiliating

chapters in his life and the history of

the Hoffmans. Yet today, he had chosen to expose them, letting the truth see the light of day.

Noelle understood what this decision meant for him. Charles rarely showed his vulnerability, but she knew him well enough to see beyond his tough exterior.

He was not as heartless as he appeared. He was not immune to pain. He was just a man, one who needed love and care just like anyone else.

Now, hearing the full truth of his relationship with Clarisse, Noelle realized that Charles had likely never experienced true maternal love.

She had not expected Clarisse,

Mateo's wife, to be in love with Henry. Driven by jealousy toward Nancy, Clarisse's hatred toward

Mateo caused irreparable damage.

"About Liliana..." Noelle asked cautiously.

UMS

Charles gave a slight nod. "Yes. Liliana was born from that

woman-one of the many tangled tnoveldrama

threads in the Hoffmans'

complicated web. Beyond the few

people I've told you about, you

should trust no one else."

He gently squeezed Noelle's hand, patting it softly. "Liliana is the child of that young university student."

"Then..."

"You want to know about the young woman?" Charles asked knowingly.

Noelle nodded. She could not help but wonder about the young woman's fate. She was innocent, just an unfortunate victim of someone else's cruelty.

Had it not been for that night, her life might have taken a completely different path.