The Cherished Wife (Noelle and Charles)
Chapter 781

Chloe's face showed a cold smile as she replied, "Family? Madam Baker, you're not even one of the Hoffmans, are you?"

"You..." Clarisse's expression immediately changed. "Chloe, how could you speak to me like that?"

"And how exactly do you expect me to speak to you? To me, you're nothing more than a stranger," Chloe sneered, clearly showing no respect for Clarisse.

Clarisse was shocked to realize that both her son and daughter harbored such hostility toward her.

Her face fell. Feeling humiliated, she turned her anger toward Mateo, "Look at the daughter you raised!"

Mateo frowned. "Chloe, is that any way to speak to your mother? Apologize!"

Chloe snorted coldly. "I did nothing wrong. Since I was old enough to remember, I haven't had a mother." Chloe's stubbornness mirrored Charles', and she was not one to back down easily.

"Enough!" Maxwell slammed his cane on the floor and stood up with a scowl. "Chloe, come with me!"

Chloe patted her husband, Jordy, on the shoulder and said, "Take care of Anna."

As Maxwell and Chloe went upstairs, Clarisse was left seething, unable to vent her frustration.

She directed her anger to Mateo, Nancy, and the others. "Look at the kind of people the Hoffmans have raised! They all have no manners. I knew it from the start. When a child isn't your own, you can't expect someone to truly care for them!" Nancy's eyes flashed, her face paling slightly at Clarisse's words.

Henry furrowed his brows together. "Are you alright?"

Nancy gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm fine."

Then, she turned to Clarisse. "That's not quite right, Clarisse. It wasn't me who abandoned Chloe and Charlie back then, and I didn't raise them either. I only did what any aunt should do."

Although Nancy was physically frail, she was not someone who could be easily bullied. "If you're upset and need someone to take it out on, I won't argue with you." "You..."

"Enough, Clarisse. Haven't you

caused enough trouble?" Mateo snapped, clearly frustrated. "This is

the Hoffmans' home, not the

you're free to leave right now.ne

Bakers If you're so unhappy with us,

"You... Mateo, you're the one who wronged me, not—"

"That's enough! What's all this shouting about?" Henry helped Nancy to her feet, his eyes filled with disdain as he looked at Clarisse.

"My brother is right. If you replace the Hoffmans so unbearable, Madam Baker, you can leave. And for the record, no one is allowed to lecture my wife. Come on, Nancy. Let's go upstairs."

Henry could not stand to see

Clarisse's face any longer, especially after noticing how upset Nancy had become due to her comments. He was determined to get her away from the toxic atmosphere.

Seeing Henry's attitude only fueled Clarisse's rage further. "The Hoffmans are treating me horribly! Mateo, you..."

Mateo scoffed. "You can sulk all you

want, but no matter how much you refuse to accept reality, it won't change anything. He's never going to look at you again. Do you even

realize how pitiful you are, Clarisse?"

Mateo clearly had no desire to keep arguing with her, so he turned and headed upstairs.

"Don't be angry, Aunt Clarisse," Janet said gently, holding Clarisse's hand. "If this continues, we won't be able to stay here in the Hoffman residence any longer." Clarisse opened her mouth to retort but stopped herself. She cast a glance at Jordy, who was quietly holding Anna.

The sight of them reminded her of her ungrateful daughter, Chloe, and her attitude toward Jordy soured. Without another word, she led Janet upstairs as well.

The living room finally fell silent once more. Anna had fallen asleep in Jordy's arms, and by the time Chloe came back downstairs, the only ones left were the maids, Jordy, and Anna.

Chloe quietly walked over, reaching out to take Anna from Jordy. However, He gently shook his head. "She's asleep. Let her rest."