The Cherished Wife

Samuel furrowed his brow, fidgeting with the cup before letting out a resigned sigh. "What do you mean? I'm confused."

"Grandpa, no more secrets. You want to know why I took off that day, right?" Noelle forced a smile, seeing the realization dawn on Samuel's face. "I was just walking by the study when mom and dad were talking, and I overheard them."

A shadow passed over Samuel's eyes, and he shook his head gently. "Silly girl, why are you so convinced you're not a Shaw? If you weren't one of us, would I have been so kind to you?" He tried to continue, but Noelle cut him off. "Grandpa, I'm not a kid anymore. I'm a grown-up. Sure, I could've lived in blissful ignorance if I never found out, but now that I do, I can't just act like everything's fine." That was her line in the sand. "Ever since I was little, I wondered why other kids' parents showered them with love while mine loved Winter and hated me. I used to think I wasn't good enough or smart enough, so I worked hard to win their approval. However, no matter what I did, it was never enough."

"Noelle..."

"Grandpa, you've always been good to me, and you treat me like your own flesh and blood. However, I've come to realize I'm not really a Shaw. I need to know who my real parents are."

for

you know the truth,

felt a pang in her heart. "They didn't want me, did

hung up on this? You're a Shaw and my granddaughter, and everything

in strode a man with a commanding presence. A light

an intense chill about him that caught Noelle off guard.

he pushed the door open, his eyes locked on Noelle. "Noelle!" Then, he turned to Samuel. "Grandpa Samuel's face lit up with relief at the sight of