The Cherished Wife

"You... You got Charles to come?"

Noelle's eyebrow arched higher. "Why so shocked? You should've known he'd show up if you summoned me here." She let out a derisive snort. "Although, right about now, Charles is probably..."

She was mid-sentence when the door flew open with a bang. There stood a man with his hands clasped casually behind his back and a grin that seemed too innocent to be true. He winked at Noelle. "Hey there, Noelle." Noelle could not help but return the smile. "Mr. Smith!"

Sean propped himself against the now ajar door, his eyes quickly scanning the room before landing on the door he had just booted in. "Sir Hoffman, you wouldn't mind getting a new door courtesy of me, will you?" "Sean!" Maxwell glared at him, utterly shocked to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"Just hanging out. Charles got held up, so he sent me to keep an eye on Noelle. He mentioned some shady characters have been lurking around and trying to snatch her up. Isn't that right?"

for nothing this time. Charles's granddad wouldn't hurt a fly, much less kidnap me. Right, Grandpa?" Maxwell, gripping his cane, let out a disdainful huff. He was not buying any of it. "You think you can scare me by

you saying, Grandpa?" Noelle challenged with a playful lift of her

and Charles just aren't a good match. Just name your price to walk

off mid-sentence. "So, Sir Hoffman, can you

think you're worth that much?" Maxwell's gaze

"Looks like you're not willing to pay. Or maybe you don't think Charles is worth 150

it or not, I'm not giving you a dime!" He was determined to show Charles that Noelle was

I'm

dollars. If you can't afford the price,