The Cherished Wife

Noelle nodded with a smile. "I totally agree. Work will always be there, but childhood is just a few precious years. Kids need us grown-ups around the most during that time. Peter, you've missed three years with Brandon, and now that he's taken a shine to you, you've got to make it count!"

"Thanks!" Peter grinned, buckling Brandon into his car seat before giving Noelle a thoughtful look. "You're going to be an awesome mom someday. Charles is so lucky."

Noelle's cheeks turned pink, and she fiddled with her hair. "Well, I guess I'll sit in the back with Brandon then!"

While Peter took the wheel, Noelle kept Brandon company in the backseat. She was pleasantly surprised to discover how bright Brandon was nothing like Tania's worried impressions. Maybe Tania was just overthinking it. As she chatted with Brandon, Noelle found him utterly charming and adorable.

She shot a quick text to Charles to let him know she and Peter had taken Brandon out for a bit. Knowing Charles and Tania might worry, she made sure to promise that Brandon would be perfectly fine.

As Noelle, Peter, and Brandon strolled into the amusement park, Noelle could not help but notice the place was a ghost town. "Is it empty because it's a weekday? Are all the kids stuck in school?" she wondered. It seemed eerily quiet for a regular day. Peter, with Brandon in his arms, shot Noelle a knowing look. "I took care of a few things."

considering what Brandon had been through before. Brandon meant the world to him-he was his and Tania's one and only. There was no way he would let anything go

was coming from. "Alright. Let's kick

for the hospital to get checked out by Sean, with Charles tagging along and fretting over

like a spring was new to Sean, and he almost cracked a smile. However, Charles just shot him a

on it. How's Brandon? Any

picture of health," Charles replied. However, the clean bill

something's going on,

guy around, but he had his limits he never messed with kids. "Do you think this

dark, his gaze chilling. "I have