The Cherished Wife

Jade ushered Winter into the room. After shutting the door, she gave her a stern look. "What's gotten into you? Didn't I tell you to hold it in? You can't lose your temper at home, especially not in situations like this."

Jade's heart sank as she recalled Samuel's attitude. She had been part of the Shaw family for years, but Samuel had always been distant toward her, and it was the same with her children.

"Mom, I know I messed up. Please don't be mad at me anymore!" Winter, ever the skilled actress, had quickly pulled herself together and was now sweetly holding Jade's hand. "I didn't manage to stay calm today, but do you know why?" Winter bit her lip, still upset about it.

Jade knew her daughter well. Winter was usually so graceful and knew exactly how to act around others. She would not normally do something so out of character as she did today. "What happened?"

Winter said with frustration, "It's all Noelle's fault."

"Noelle? What does she have to do with it? Did she cause you trouble?" Jade's voice rose, clearly annoyed.

Winter's eyes sparkled. She was getting the support she wanted from her mom.

Looking all sad and teary-eyed at Jade, Winter looked so pitiful that it would break anyone's heart. Jade, seeing her daughter like that, asked, "What did that mean girl do? Is she trying to drive me crazy?"

"I saw these shoes today, the ones that a big star wore at Paris Fashion Week. They finally had them in Brookville, but can you believe it? Noelle grabbed them right before I could."

"Noelle took your shoes?" Jade was puzzled. She trusted Winter, but knowing Noelle, it did not make sense. Noelle would not just take something from Winter, especially not something as pricey as those shoes. How could she even afford them?

Winter could tell by the look in Jade's eyes that she was not convinced, but today's events were no fairy tale they were real. Noelle had not taken anything from her. She just tried on those shoes for Charles.

However, that was enough to make Noelle the bad guy in her eyes.

"Mom, you don't believe me?"

"Of course, I believe you, sweetheart. What happened? Tell me everything!"

Winter explained what had

happened that day, leaving out

e

Charles' name. "Mom, you tell me, was Noelle up to no good? She knew I loved those shoes, and then she teamed up with some guy to snatch them right from under me!"

Jade zeroed in on that detail. "Noelle was with a man? Are you certain?"

Under Jade's intense stare, Winter felt a twinge of guilt. However, she then remembered that Noelle really was with a man, so she was not lying. She nodded firmly.

"Yes. And Noelle said she likesThis belongs to NôvelDrama.Org: ©.

Xavier. Can you believe it? She

might've been secretly seeing him all along. Mom, why is Noelle so mean? She knows how I feel about Xavier. If she's got a boyfriend, why can't she leave Xavier alone? She's doing it on purpose. And I thought we were sisters!"

Jade clenched her teeth in anger. "That little troublemaker! She's got a secret boyfriend!" Her eyes narrowed as she took Winter's hand. "Does anyone else know about this?"

Winter shook her head. "No, I haven't told a soul!"

"Okay, you must promise not to tell a soul, got it? Not even Xavier!" Jade gripped Winter's hand so tightly that it hurt. "Ouch, Mom! Let go, you're hurting me!"