The Cherished Wife

Charles just pressed his lips together, a hint of a smile playing on them. "You're worrying about nothing. It's not just the guys, others will be there too."

"Really? So, they'll all know about us?" Noelle gestured to herself, a bit concerned.

"Don't sweat it, they're all good people," Charles reassured her, giving her shoulder a comforting pat. "No need to fret over me."

Sean made a couple of tsk-tsk sounds, rolling his eyes. "If I'd known you guys were coming, I wouldn't have bothered showing up. Can you believe I bolted over here the second I stepped out of surgery?"

"You seem like you really don't want to see me, huh?"

sound, Sean's mouth twitched into an embarrassed grin that seemed out of place on his usually innocent face. Catching the gleeful looks on Charles and Noelle's faces, Sean turned around with a mock cry of despair and waved. "Hey, Mr. Fischer, it's been a

suit, standing tall and straight. He casually held a coat over one long arm,

a bit taller than Sean, giving him a towering presence. He gave Sean a condescending look and, seeing Sean's goofy antics, his dark eyes intensified with a sardonic lift of

was captivating, the kind that stuck in your memory, but

then shifted his attention to Noelle. With a slight raise of his brows and a charming tilt of his lips, he said, "Charles, aren't you going too

mirth as he casually wrapped an arm around Noelle's waist, a silent claim of territory as he faced Steven. "Meet my wife, Noelle," he introduced, shooting a quick, knowing look her way.

had always thought Charles was