The Cherished Wife (Noelle and Charles)
Wife 65

Wife 65

Chapter 65

It all had been going so well. Even the prestigious Hoffman family had taken a liking to her. Winterhad felt like she had Noelle right where she wanted her, squashed under her heel. Now, Xavier’swords were throwing her for a loop. Noelle could not have a sugar daddy!

“Xavier, are you for real? But that’s just not Noelle!”

Why wouldn’t it be? I saw her this morning in an outfit that wasn’t the same as yesterday’s, and itlooked expensive!”

“It might be worth hundreds of thousands!” Winter gasped, her teeth catching on her lower lip inworry. What are we going to do now? And what about Dad? He mentioned that Master Yorkseemed pretty smitten with Noelle, right? Master York was in Noelle’s room yesterday and endedup getting hurt!”

A mean streak flashed in Winter’s eyes. She had been so sure that Noelle and Simon would end upin a scandal last night. Who would’ve guessed Simon would be such a flop, getting knocked outcold?

The word on the street was that Simon did not care who he mixed with, guys or girls, and he wasnot exactly known for holding back. His reputation for playing fast and loose was legendary inBrookville.

That was exactly why Winter had set her sights on having Noelle compromised by Simon. Shewould tarnish her image so badly that no guy would give her a second glance. Who could havepredicted that Noelle would slip through the net?

Simon ended up in the hospital yesterday. Rumor had it he woke up today in a rage, bellowing forthe Shaw family to make things right.

Julian caught up with her this morning, wanting her and Xavier to go talk some sense into Noelle, toget her to grovel and apologize to Simon. Simon might not have been the golden boy of the Yorkfamily, but he was still their blood, and the Yorks‘ clout in Brookville was no joke.

Julian also had his eye on the two hundred million from the Yorks. There was no way he this chanceslip by.

was

going to let

“What’s our next move? We’ve gotta calm Simon down, or Dad’s company can kiss that twohundred million goodbye. We’ll probably piss off the Yorks too Xavier said with a scowl, blamingNoelle for the

mess.

“But Simon’s got his eyes on Noelle…” Winter chewed on her lip, torn. “I can’t stand the thought ofher marrying a guy like that, but Dad says the company’s in deep need of the cash. If I didn’t loveyou so much, if I could bear to be apart from you… I’d step in for Noelle myself.”

“Don’t be crazy!” Xavier’s frown deepened at the mere thought of Simon, a real creep. He wrappedhis arms around Winter. “You belong with me, and I won’t let you trade yourself to a guy like that.Anyway, Simon wants Noelle, not you. You stepping in wouldn’t change his mind and might evenmake things worse. Don’t say stuff like that again. It breaks my heart”

Xavier cradled Winter, his hand gently brushing her hair. “Let’s head back and figure this out.”

A sly smile flickered in Winter’s eyes as she pulled away from Xavier, her face shifting back to alook of vulnerability. “I get it, but you have to promise me we’ll save Noelle, no matter what. She’smy sister, my only sister, I’d never want her with someone like Simon if we had any other choice.”