The Cherished Wife

 novelbin

Samuel furrowed his brow, fidgeting with the cup before letting out a resigned sigh. "What do you mean? I'm confused."

"Grandpa, no more secrets. You want to know why I took off that day, right?" Noelle forced a smile, seeing the realization dawn on Samuel's face. "I was just walking by the study when mom and dad were talking, and I overheard them."

A shadow passed over Samuel's eyes, and he shook his head gently. "Silly girl, why are you so convinced you're not a Shaw? If you weren't one of us, would I have been so kind to you?" He tried to continue, but Noelle cut him off. "Grandpa, I'm not a kid anymore. I'm a grown-up. Sure, I could've lived in blissful ignorance if I never found out, but now that I do, I can't just act like everything's fine." That was her line in the sand. "Ever since I was little, I wondered why other kids' parents showered them with love while mine loved Winter and hated me. I used to think I wasn't good enough or smart enough, so I worked hard to win their approval. However, no matter what I did, it was never enough."

"Noelle..."

"Grandpa, you've always been good to me, and you treat me like your own flesh and blood. However, I've come to realize I'm not really a Shaw. I need to know who my real parents are."

Samuel looked stunned for a moment. "Noelle, you..."

"Grandpa, you know the truth, right?"

His silence spoke volumes, and Noelle felt a pang in her heart. "They didn't want me, did they?"

"Don't jump to conclusions. They didn't abandon you... They're no longer with us. Noelle, why get hung up on this? You're a Shaw and my granddaughter, and everything I have is yours. Isn't that enough?"

"Grandpa..."

The door to the room burst open, and in strode a man with a commanding presence. A light coffee-colored coat hung over his arm, and his movements exuded a calm confidence.

Despite his steady steps, there was an intense chill about him that caught Noelle off guard. "Charles!"

Charles leaned casually against the doorframe, his coat in one hand. As he pushed the door open, his eyes locked on Noelle. "Noelle!" Then, he turned to Samuel. "Grandpa

Samuel's face lit up with relief at the sight of Charles. "Charles, you're here! Were you two planning to meet up?"

Noelle's brow was knitted with concern. "Weren't you supposed to head over to the Hoffmans' today?" She was sure she had seen Charles leave that morning.

Charles felt a chill settle over him at her words rather than the usual warmth he felt when he saw her. He looked at Noelle with meaningful eyes but held back any sharp retorts. With a calm stride, he took a seat next to her.

Without much thought, he handed his coat to Noelle. She hesitated briefly before taking it and hanging it up neatly.

Charles carefully selected a coffee

mug, poured himself some coffee,

and cradled it in his hands, seemingly waiting for it to reach the perfect temperature. "I missed dinner with Grandpa the other day. I'm using this chance to make things right," he finally said.