The Cherished Wife (Noelle and Charles)
Chapter 424

"Mom!" Bob cut her off, his eyes narrowing, a trace of annoyance flickering through them. "I know what I'm doing. Cascade City can wait. It's mine, anyway. Are you really worried I won't be able to handle it?" "Alright then!" Yitty pressed her lips together and placed her glass on the table.

Bob realized that this was a conversation where he and Yitty would just go around in circles. "You should get some rest, Mom. I'll head out now."

Once he stepped out of Yitty's tastefully decorated room, Bob dialed Sean's number. "What have you been up to today?"

Sean had just gotten home and was about to crash when his phone buzzed with Bob's call. The tone was pure interrogation. He quirked an eyebrow and replied, "What could I possibly have done? I went to see Noelle, just like you asked, didn't I?" Bob squinted suspiciously. "What did you tell Jade? She's called my mom, and she's absolutely livid!"

"She actually called her?" Sean was taken aback. "That woman... Well, I didn't really say much. But you wouldn't believe it-she's pressuring me to marry Noelle right now, this instant. No, scratch that, she's pressuring you, Bob! I can't agree to that, can I?" Bob's frown deepened. Things were unfolding just as he had predicted. "Get Charles to sort this out ASAP. It's his mess, his girl; he needs to deal with it himself!"

"Hey, bro, you're the one who made the deal with Charles, not me. And it's you she wants to set up, not me!" Sean grumbled, unable to hide his exhaustion. "I'm tired, and I've got an operation first thing in the morning. I'm going to bed!"

"Hold on!" Bob's voice turned frosty. "You know how I am. I'm a Jones, and you're a Smith. Remember, the Smith legacy will end up in your hands one day."

"Come on. I admit it, I messed up! Happy now? I'll talk to Charles about it, okay?" Sean groaned, feeling cornered. "Sometimes I wonder if I owe you and Charles from a past life or something, the way you guys keep hounding me." He clenched his jaw in frustration. "Anything else, or can I finally catch a break?"

Bob pocketed his phone, a glint of determination in his deep, dark eyes. It took a moment before he finally headed downstairs. He bumped into Sean's dad, Harrison Smith, who let out a weary sigh. "If Sean had even a smidge of your drive, I wouldn't be half as worried. You're not planning on leaving again soon, are you, Bob?"

"No," Bob replied as Harrison ushered him into the study. "Our Smith family's got this huge legacy, but nobody wants to step up. Grandpa's getting on in years, and so are you. It's gonna fall to Sean and me eventually, but Sean's not exactly jumping at the chance, which leaves me to pick up the slack."

Harrison's frustration grew the more he thought about it. The Smiths had all the makings of a family empire, yet it feltdike they were childless for all the good it did them. Children of other families would claw at each other for a piece of the pie of the family's fortune, but his own kin seemed to run from it.

Bob's lips quirked up in a half-smile. "Sean's got time to grow up. I'll keep things running smoothly until he's ready to step in. The Smith legacy will be in his hands one day, no doubt about it!" Bob assured him, but Harrison just shook his head, unconvinced. "You're the steady hand, Bob. Speaking of which, about Cascade City..."

Bob flashed a confident grin. "With me holding down the fort, they're probably not too keen on having me head back just yet!" Noticing Harrison's concerned look, he added, "Don't sweat it, Uncle!"