The Cherished Wife

Chapter 48

Charles burned the midnight oil, wrapping up his workload before stashing it away. He sparked up a cigarette and stepped out onto the balcony, gazing Into the Inky vold that shrouded Phoenix Tree Residence. As the last wisp of smoke from his cigarette faded, he released it, his intense eyes cutting through the night like beacons.

He swung by the master bedroom, where Noelle was put like a light. He kept watch like a silent sentinel to keep her from tossing and turning.

He peered down at Noelle from his vantage point. The flush that had painted her cheeks was gone, leaving her looking serene and exquisite. Charles had clocked her as a knockout from the get–go, but her natural beauty caught him off guard.

A chuckle escaped him as he gently flicked the quilt. There she was, all askew in her slumber, a far cry from her usual buttoned–up facade. Maybe the night was too warm, or maybe it was just her habit, but she had kicked off her covers, baring her silky shoulders to the cool air.

Charles’s gaze darkened, his breath quickening with a rush of emotion. He looked down at Noelle, still lost in slumber, and then at himself, feeling a twinge of self–loathing.

Ever since this girl came into his life, he found himself. losing control.

buzzed loudly,

dark eyes, Charles strode over and picked up Noelle’s phone. It was lit up several missed calls–not just from Samuel

with

silenced the phone, letting it blink

a bit of

peaceful. At first, she felt like she was on fire, then as if she was freezing in

reason, she felt a persistent light behind her a gaze that seemed to pierce

an unfamiliar room bathed in white. For a moment, her mind was foggy, her eyes taking in the strangeness that made her feel uneasy, especially with the room steeped in a distinctly