The Cherished Wife (Noelle and Charles)
Chapter 423

Out of nowhere, Noelle felt a reassuring weight on her shoulder. She looked straight into Charles's eyes.

Charles gave her shoulder a comforting pat. "Remember, you've got me!" Noelle's face split into a wide smile, and she covered his hand with hers. "I know!" Without Charles, she would be lost, unsure of who she would even be. She had only teamed up with Charles to dodge the Shaw family curse, never expecting to actually fall for him. Charles was an unexpected surprise in her life, but she was not about to push him away.

"Hey, don't sweat it. I'm not the old Noelle anymore. I've got my eyes wide open now. What's bugging me is Mom pushing me at Bob non-stop. You can't keep sending Sean to bail me out! And what if Bob's parents catch wind of this?" "Don't worry, Bob's got this!" Charles said, squeezing Noelle's hand before he turned, sat down, and pulled her close. He gently dried her hair. "You don't need to stress over this."

"Speaking of, Sean was pretty intense with my mom today. You think she'll go talk to Bob's mom about it?"

Charles hesitated. That thought had not crossed his mind. "No worries," he said quickly. "Sean and Bob will sort it out."

"Oh, okay!" Noelle nodded, relieved. "That's good to hear."

Meanwhile, Yitty had just ended a phone call. Her brow was furrowed, and she looked troubled.

Ever since Bob was born, her health had taken a nosedive. She had insisted on having him despite the risks, and it had taken its toll. Since moving back from Cascade City to Brookville, Yitty had become a recluse, barely interacting with anyone. Now, out of the blue, Jade had reconnected, dredging up the past and a favor owed, leading to this matchmaking event.

Jade had changed over the years, though. It was more than Yitty had anticipated.

"Bob!" Yitty clutched her prayer beads, shaking her head slightly. "I heard you had fought with Mrs. Jones today?"

Bob paused in the act of pouring a glass of water, his expression tightening before he relaxed and offered a half-smile. He handed it to Yitty nonchalantly. "It's nothing to worry about."

"Really? You're not into this

match-making thing, huh? Well, I've

heard Noelle Shaw is quite the

catch. You're not exactly young anymore, Bob. Hang out with her a bit, okay? Feelings can grow Mrs. Jones said.

Bob nodded. "I get what you're saying, Mom. Miss Shaw might be alright, but you can't rush love, right?" He lifted his hand, his deep, dark eyes locking with Yitty's.

Yitty's grip on her glass faltered,

caught in Bob's gaze. She was momentarily dazed before snapping back to reality, quickly trying to hide her fluster. "I'm not trying to push you into anything, dear. It's just that I owe her a favor, and she mentioned it?"

"That's an easy fix. If you owe her, I can pay it back. As for this blind date thing, I'll go, but I think you're missing what Mrs. Jones is really after." "And what's that?"

"Mrs. Jones has been bugging me to tie the knot with Noelle Shaw." Bob's gaze turned icy. "You understand what she wants, don't you, Mom?"

"Let's just drop it. I shouldn't meddle

in your business. How long are you planning to stay this time?" Yitty asked. "You sticking around Brookville might not look so good. Don't forget, you're the heir to the Jones empire, after all. Your dad..."