The Cherished Wife (Noelle and Charles)
Chapter 386

Ronald did not claim to know Charles' temperament better than anyone, but he certainly understood it well.

Charles was a man who despised being constrained; he operated by his own principles, and unless something was absolutely necessary, no one could sway his decisions. Suddenly, Ronald found himself feeling a bit of sympathy for Frotconn and Joseph. To secure this project, Joseph had gone straight to Maxwell, bypassing Charles entirely. While it was true that Maxwell still held the official position as the head of the Hoffman family, in practice, Charles was the one in charge. Although Charles had yet to formally inherit the title or the shares from Maxwell, everyone in the family already saw Charles as the future leader.

Back when Maxwell chose not to pass the family headship to his eldest son, nor to his second or third sons, it became clear to everyone just how significant Charles' position in the family was.

Now, Joseph had the audacity to go over Charles' head, directly appealing to Maxwell for a share of the West City Development Project. Though Maxwell had agreed, Charles' approval was far from guaranteed.

Charles narrowed his eyes, a faint, enigmatic smile playing on his lips as his slender fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk. Even in silence, he exuded an aura of authority that demanded respect.

He closed an email with a cold click, then looked up. "If he wants a piece of the West City Development Project, he'd better have the stomach for it," Charles said icily. "How's the situation progressing with Royal Star?"

"Winter is set to start shooting in a few days, and the rest of the films are still under review," Ronald reported. He paused briefly before asking, "Should we give Winter a little lesson?"

"A lesson? No, let's give her some rewards first." Charles smirked, a glint of cunning in his eyes.

He stood with hands in his pockets and looked at Ronald with keen interest. "Ever seen a cat play with a mouse?"

Ronald pressed his lips together. "No, I haven't." He lived in a high-end residential area, where creatures like mice were virtually nonexistent.

Charles reached into his drawer. He

pulled out a document, which he casually flipped through with his long fingers. "When a cat catches a mouse, it doesn't eat it right away. Instead, it toys with it, letting it go only to catch it again and again until the mouse is utterly exhausted. Only then does the cat devour it."

Charles explained while tossing the document to Ronald. "Give her something good to feast on. Even i you've never seen a cat with a

mouse surely, you've heard ofl.ne

fattening up the fowl before the

feast. ,

"Feed Winter well, and when she's lost in her delusions of grandeur, that's when we'll take her down. Fattening up Winter is no different from fattening up Frotconn."

Ronald suddenly understood, realizing just how dangerous it was to cross Charles. He was terrifyingly strategic.

"Get started on this immediately.

On this

While I do like to reel in big catches,

there's a risk of letting the line run too long. 'don't like things that are out of control," Charles ordered with

a wave of his hand. "You're dismissed."

"Yes, sir!" Ronald straightened his posture before leaving the office. Once outside, he let out a heavy breath.

Opening the document Charles had handed him, he was shocked by its contents. He had not expected Charles to be this ruthless!