The Cherished Wife (Noelle and Charles)

Charles' sharp eyes swept over Sean. "Looks like you're itching for a fight after a few quiet days.

He then extended his hand toward Peter. "Hand over the money."

Peter, however, pressed his lips together. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Charles, are you targeting me today?"

Nearly every round had been won by Charles, but every time, it was Peter who had been the greatest loser.

Charles smirked. "There's no stopping luck when it strikes. Can't help it if you're all single."

This remark immediately sparked discontent among the group, especially Sean, who could hardly bear it anymore.

Normally, he and Charles were the closest and spent the most time together, so he was accustomed to being on the receiving end of Charles' teasing. However, even with Noelle absent, Charles was still this smug. Charles chuckled. "You brought this on yourselves. You wanted to play."

Steven did not seem to mind. At over 30, he had never had much interest in women, let alone love. It was something he found unworthy of attention.

However, Peter and Sean were different. Peter had been married once, but the marriage lasted less than a year. Tania left after going through so much, and now, three years later, Peter still had not fully moved on from that chapter in his life. Sean, too, was in a similar situation. His feelings for Liliana had never been resolved. Even now, no woman stood by his side. Though he did not talk about it, everyone knew he felt guilt over what had happened with Liliana.

Both of these men, as fate would have it, had been in love with women from the Hoffman family-Charles' sisters.

Over the past few years, while Sean remained close to Charles, Peter would avoid him when possible. It was not because there was any animosity between them but simply because seeing Charles reminded him of Tania, and he did not want that. Peter was the first to stand up. "I'm going to step out for a smoke. You guys carry on."

After Peter left, Steven's eyes glinted with amusement. One hand rested on the stack of cards while the other was placed casually over his long legs. These last three years must've been tough on Peter," he remarked, then turned to Charles.

"You still haven't told him where Tania is?"

Charles raised an eyebrow slightly. "What are you getting at?"

"With Peter's resources, it's impossible he can't find Tania unless someone deliberately erased her tracks," Steven said, his sharp gaze settling on Charles. "And can't think of anyone else capable of

pulling that off besides you."

Charles' hand, which was gripping a set of cards, tensed slightly. Even so, his expression remained calm.

A faint smile played on his lips as he said, "Steven, you guessed wrong this time." His gaze was steady as he met Steven's. "What would I stand to gain by doing that?"

"So, Tania doesn't want to see him?" Steven pressed.

Charles looked down briefly. "You should trust me."

Steven shook his head slightly. "Three years of punishment is enough. Let Tania come back. Even if you don't care about Peter's well-being, what about your Uncle Henry and Aunt Nancy? They've been waiting for so many years.

"They finally found their daughter, only for her to be forced to leave again. You grew up with your aunt. You haven't forgotten how she treated you, have you?" "Whether you believe me or not, Tania's disappearance isn't my doing," Charles said quietly.

At the time, Charles had not fully understood the nature of Peter and Tania's relationship.

Even though Tania had been accepted back into the Hoffmans, she had always been fiercely independent and had a proud spirit. She followed her own path without hesitation.