The Cherished Wife

Wife 60

Xavier’s face turned red with fury as the car sped off into the distance. “Some hero you are, hiding behind tinted windows! Come out and face me if you dare!” he yelled, though his challenge fell on deaf ears.

Charles was long gone, the car a mere speck in the sprawling suburb. Xavier was left with nothing but the smoke of the car’s trail and a firestorm of anger in his chest that he could not quell.

It was maddening. Noelle had been with him for ages, yet she had never stayed the night. Now, some random guy

showed up, and she did not come home? Unbelievable.

Xavier clenched his fists. If only that guy had stepped out of the car, he would have shown him what a real man looked like.

Little did Xavier know that his outburst might spell disaster for his family’s company.

It was only after the car had vanished that Xavier calmed his anger. He could not believe Noelle would run around with some guy, not coming home all night. He had not even stopped to think about what he had done the night before.

Noelle burst into her house, slammed the door shut, and leaned against it. Sliding down to the floor, she took deep, ragged breaths.

This was a terrible feeling, truly terrible.

She was never one to act on a whim, always careful and thoughtful. However, somehow, she had thrown caution to the wind today and married Charles on a crazy impulse.

Charles was a big deal, no doubt about it. Everyone else seemed to think twice before crossing him. As Noelle sat there, however, a new thought dawned on her–she did not have to marry Charles. There were other roads to take. It is just that the Shaw family had really spooked her yesterday, making her fear her whole life might get wrecked by their schemes. Now, was she not just handing her future over to Charles on a silver platter?

“Noelle, oh Noelle, what are you up to?” she muttered to herself.

un and This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

She clenched her jaw, sitting on the floor for what felt like ages before finally standing up straightening herself out. The girl staring back at her from the mirror, cheeks pink and eyes a little wild, seemed like a stranger.

She had thought a betrayal from the one she loved most would crush her and leave her in pieces for days. However, the truth hit her fast–Xavier was not her be–all and end–all.

Maybe the Shaw family had been too pushy, too keen to shove her out the door, or maybe Xavier had just been that cold. Either way, the pain did not make her want to curl up and cry; it made her want to break

free,

After splashing her face with water and feeling a wave of clarity, Noelle headed to the living room to chill.

Then came a knock. Noelle’s eyebrow quirked up. She paused, then peered through the peephole to see Xavier. Her brow furrowed instantly.

After last night’s drama, he had the nerve to show up here?

Noelle watched him through the peephole, her gaze icy. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, and decided the door was staying shut. However, Xavier would not quit. His knocking was like a fly buzzing in

her ear, annoying and impossible to ignore.

Xavier was already in a bad mood after getting a lungful of car fumes downstairs, and now Noelle would not even open the door. He had been knocking forever. He called out, louder this time, “Noelle, open up.” No response came from inside. Xavier persisted, “Noelle, I know you’re in there. I saw you come home.” Did Noelle just raise an eyebrow?

“I’m really worried about you. Where were you last night? Don’t you realize your sister and I are freaking out over here? Why didn’t you come home? We called you a zillion times. Why didn’t you pick up? Don’t you get that we’re worried sick?”

“Worried?” Noelle’s voice was icy with sarcasm. “What’s there to be worried about? It’s not like Simon did anything to me. Or is that what you were hoping for? What exactly are you worried about?”