The Cherished Wife

Charles's eyes lit up, ready to say something, but just then, the door swung open. Noelle walked in, a cup of herbal tea in her hands. She had caught the tail end of Charles's unfinished sentence, and her expression clouded over. "Grandpa, Charles!" She took a seat next to Charles. "What's up? What are you guys chatting about?"

"What else? We're talking about you two lovebirds, of course!" Samuel said, trying to sound casual as he steered the conversation off-topic. Noelle kept probing, but Samuel dodged every question about the one thing she wanted to know. Her curiosity and desire to uncover her true origins burned stronger, but with Samuel tight-lipped, she was stuck.

Thankfully, Charles was there to smooth over the awkwardness.

Charles drove them back. Noelle sat in silence next to him, her head down and her mood obviously off. Charles did not start a conversation. Instead, he played a song to soften the tension between them.

back any longer. "Isn't

with a steady gaze that seemed unshakable. He laid his other hand gently on

eyes darted away as she pushed Charles's hand aside for the first time. She turned to gaze out the window, and it was a long time before she spoke. "You already knew, didn't you?" "Knew what?"

I really am to the Shaw family!" She was getting upset at Charles playing dumb. She was already humiliated,

softly. "I've told you I don't care about your last name. All that matters to me is that you're you-you're my wife, Noelle, and that's all that matters, okay?"

smile, but it came out twisted with bitterness. "When did

had started with a hunch, which was expected, but he had no proof. It