The Cherished Wife

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"That's wrong, Clarisse. Charles is your son, and he will remain your son forever. No one can take him away from you, not even me. He is his own being who can think of his own free will and is an excellent person that not even I could claim control over." When Nancy realized Clarisse was going overboard, she shook her head. "I'm not the one who caused your relationship with Charles to end up the way it is, Clarisse. Similarly, since you decided to Mateo, you should stop obsessing over things that will never belong to you. Were you speaking the truth when you said I'd taken what rightfully belonged to you?"

Nancy stared at Clarisse, and her unblinking gaze somehow managed to frighten her. To be exact, she felt a sense of guilt wash over her as Nancy looked at her.

Clarisse was about to say something else when Henry walked over with a glass of water in his hands. He gave Clarisse a nonchalant glance before handing the water to Nancy. "Nancy, why don't you try and see if the water temperature is fine? I had someone bring it over."

Clarisse was exasperated at how Henry was acting like there was no one else nearby. "Hen, you..."

"Only Nancy is allowed to call me Hen, Clarisse. I'm your brother-in-law. Please know your place!" Henry spoke frostily. When it came to his attitude toward Clarisse, Henry had never been particularly warm or welcoming towards her.

Clarisse bit down on her lip, tears forming in her eyes.

"Oh, everyone's here?" Mateo walked over, an odd look flitting through his eyes as he swept his gaze across the three people present. However, he still tugged the corner of his lips upward into a smile as he said, "Henry, Nancy, you're here too."

"Mateo!" Henry and Nancy nodded in greeting. "Charles said that this year, things will be different from the previous years and insisted that Nancy and I drop by to take a look."

"That child always has so many tricks up his sleeve," Mateo said as he shook his head. "Where is Charles?"

As he spoke, he noticed a commotion at The Majestic Lounge's grand entrance on the second floor. He watched as Charles walked in, one hand against his coat, with Ronald and Andrew right behind him. All three strode in with confidence.

As Charles walked past them, all the workers said hello in unison, and he merely glanced at them before continuing on his way.

"Charles, you're here!"

J emerged from backstage, having had her makeup done. When she caught sight of Charles making his way to the middle of the hall as everyone else watched, she did not think twice before she turned toward him. However, before she even had the chance to get close to Charles, the bodyguards clad in black-colored clothing and standing behind Ronald stopped her. Content belongs to NovelDrama.Org

J tried again to approach Charles, but the bodyguards stopped her from doing so.

J bit down on her lip in frustration as she stomped her foot. "Charles, do you see what they're doing..."

However, Charles gave J a sharp look, warning her not to kick up a fuss.

et

"Charles is here!" Clarisse had regained her usual elegance and demureness and smiled as she walked over to take J's hand "Charles, J's practically a sister. Don't embarrass her when we're at a place like this!" Content belongs to NovelDrama.Org

"One's honor is earned, not given," Charles said as he brushed past Clarisse and made his way over to Mateo and Henry. "Father, Uncle Henry, Aunt Nancy, you made it."

"That's right," Mateo said as he smiled and reached out to pat Charles on the shoulder. "You've done quite a good job of organizing things."

Charles' chin raised slightly as he said, “Ronald, please escort my father, aunt, and uncle to the seats over there."

"Yes, Mr. Hoffman!" Ronald said as he sent two bodyguards over. "Please escort Mr. Mateo and the others to their designated seats over there."

Charles had mentioned Mateo and

everyone else in his instructions, and Clarisse was the only one he had failed to mention. This preferential treatment caused Clarisse plenty of displeasure, but given the setting, she had no choice other than to follow the others and sit down beside Mateo. However, her gaze traveled elsewhere and landed on Henry, where she stared at him vehemently. Content belongs to NovelDrama.Org