The Cherished Wife

"Right!" Cody nodded with determination. "I'm taking you to meet Charles!"

"Meet him?" Annie's voice trembled. "Brother, do I have to go?" Fear gripped her at the thought of Charles.

Since she learned that Noelle's husband was Charles, Annie had even started to fear Noelle. She knew firsthand the kind of terror Charles could unleash. It was a fate so grim it made death seem merciful. That was exactly what Charles would do.

"Don't worry. You're practically a hero for saving Noelle this time. He won't lay a finger on you!"

"But..."This text is © NôvelDrama/.Org.

"Believe me. Besides, we might need his help with Suzy's situation. You don't want Suzy to spend the rest of her life hiding away in that villa, unseen, do you?" Cody saw the hesitation in Annie's eyes and gently urged, "Listen to me."

Cody led Annie to The Majestic Lounge, which haunted her memories. It was the very spot where her nightmare had begun. Stepping out of the car, she felt that old fear creeping in, but Cody was with her, gripping her hand firmly. "Don't be scared."

Ronald escorted them to Charles's exclusive lounge, where Charles and Sean were in the midst of a card game. Charles looked up, his eyebrows arching slightly at their arrival.

Sean glanced at his cards before tossing them onto the table with a casual, "Hey, look who's here!"

Cody did not know Sean, but only a few people in Brookville had the right to hang out with Charles casually. Taking a quick look at Sean, Cody figured out who he was in no time. "Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Smith."

"Mr. Smith?"

Annie stared at Sean, her finger pointing at him in disbelief. "Aren't you...?"

Sean raised an eyebrow. "You know me?"

Annie shook her head. "Nope!"

Sean's lips quirked into a half-smile, his fingers drumming lightly on the table. "Charles, now that everyone's here, aren't you going to say something?"

Charles tossed aside his cards and glanced at Cody and Annie. "Mr. Adams, Ms. Adams, no need to stand. Have a seat!"

"Thanks, Mr. Hoffman!" Cody said, guiding Annie to sit down before asking, "So, Mr. Hoffman, what's the reason for calling my sister here?"

"It's about what happened last

night," Charles said, his eyes

narrowing slightly. "Ms. Adams, you

did a great job last night." He

continged at a measured pace

I

"Nelly and I are in your

"Oh, no need for that!" Annie was taken aback her hands nervously intertwined. "Mr. Hoffman, I'm really sorry about what happened before with Noelle. It won't happen again. Consider this my way of apologizing to your wife."

Charles smiled knowingly and nodded. "I promised I'd owe you one, and I'm a man of my word." He was known for sticking to his promises. Cody, catching the cue, nudged Annie Annie, don't you have→

something to say to Mr. Hoffman?"

S

"Oh! Thank you, Mr. Hoffman!" Annie blurted out, aware that turning down Charles was not an option-it would be like dissing him. "So, Mr. Hoffman, could I ask a favor of you?"

"Go ahead, Ms. Adams," Charles said, opening his hands in a bring-it-on gesture.

Annie paused, biting her lip. With a little push from Cody, she gathered her courage. "It's about my friend, Suzy. She's in trouble... Can you help her out?"