The Cherished Wife

Noelle slept through the night, but she was not in very high spirits when she awoke. As she gazed at her pale face and puffy eyes reflected in the mirror, she vehemently splashed water at her eyes until some color returned to her cheeks. Then, she propped her hands against the sink dispiritedly and gazed at herself sadly.

“Wake up, Noelle! There aren’t any hardships that you can’t get past!”

After preparing herself mentally, she began putting on makeup. She heaved a sigh of relief when all signs of disheveledness could no longer be seen on her face. However, she frowned when she saw her grandfather, Sebastian, her maternal grandfather, calling her. She hurriedly answered, “Hello, Grandpa? What’s the matter?”

“You haven’t forgotten that I asked you to come home today, have you?” Sebastian’s voice rang out. He might be getting on in age, but his voice was filled with as much vim and vigor as it had during his younger years. He had his many years of delivering lectures to students to thank for that.

Noelle was stunned when she heard Sebastian say that. “Grandpa, I… Alright, alright. I’ll come home. I’ll drop by, alright?”

Noelle gazed at her phone with a vexed expression for a long while before she heaved a sigh and grabbed her handbag to leave the house.

had happened in the past two days, she decided

entire year since she had left Brookville, and she had spent all her time working without paying a single visit, only making the occasional phone call to her grandfather. She felt slightly sheepish when she arrived at the front door and waited for May, the family butler, to open the door for her. “Ms. Noelle, you’re home?

hers and smiled as she said,

Grandpa say…” Before Noelle managed to finish her sentence, she heard Sebastian’s voice ringing from the room, “Charles, it’s been so long since

her. When she looked up, she saw a man sitting with his

Noelle. However, the smile vanished from his face when he saw the gifts in her arms. “It’s enough that you dropped by. Why did you

that, Sebastian still beckoned May to bring the gift over. “Come here, quick. Let me take

a pair of house slippers. “Long time no see, Grandpa. I’ve missed you so much!” Noelle said as she took Sebastian’s arm and rested her cheek against it, swinging to and fro

at all,” Sebastian said as he gently clapped Noelle’s forehead. “Watch yourself. Have you

walked over. “Allow me to introduce you to my granddaughter, Charles. Noelle, this is a student of mine. His