Chapter Wife 51

Chapter 51 Time froze, and Noelle’s heart raced out of control. She Instantly wished she could take back herwords, wondering why she had ever blurted them out.

Her cheeks warmed with a blush, and she could not bring herself to look at Charles, feeling totallymortified. Girls were not supposed to ask guys questions like that, were they?

Charles watched her, a playful smile creeping into his eyes as he saw her squirm. His fingersdrummed lightly on the table, each tap echoing in Noelle’s chest Noelle chewed on her lip, her embarrassment growing. She felt like she had lost all control of theconversation. “I mean… just forget I asked, okay? Don’t take it seriously!” 1 “What if I do take it seriously?” Charles’s voice was cool but teasing.

Noelle was ready to just shrug off the whole awkward moment, but Charles’s response stopped hercold. She looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. “What?”

She had figured Charles was just messing with her, especially after his earlier gesture, and she hadnearly given up hope. “Can you repeat that?”

“You heard it,” Charles said, his eyes twinkling. “I always keep my word, and I’m not one for jokes. Itold you I’d give y you time to think, and now that you’ve made your decision, there’s no turning back.”

He spoke with confidence, holding the reins of the conversation and, it seemed, her heart too.

Noelle could not shake the sudden chill of fear that creeped up her spine. It disappeared as quicklyas it had come.

She tried to force a smile, tugging at the corners of her mouth. Sadly, it just would not come. “I… Iwas just thinking…”

“No need to explain, Ms. Shaw,” Charles had cut her off with a wave of his hand. “Whateversparked this change of heart or sped it up, it is not my concern. I’m only interested in the end result,and that’s all that matters.”

Was she really about to hand over her life story to someone else? Noelle’s heart was a tangledmess of emotions.

“Do not worry, Ms. Shaw, Charles reassured her, rhythmically tapping the table with his fingers.“Marry me, and I’ll give you the happiness you’re after. And if there’s anything you want, just nameit.”

Noelle bit her lip, lost in thought for a moment. “Can I ask you a question?”

Charles raised an eyebrow, his tapping coming to a halt. He gestured with an open hand, invitingher question. Noelle’s voice was hesitant. “It’s the same question as before. Why me?”

The silence stretched on, the air heavy between them.

Charles’s gaze was sharp, cold, scrutinizing Noelle as if trying to unravel a mystery, then he let it goand chuckled softly. “Are you really hung up on getting an answer, Ms. Shaw?”

After a brief pause, Noelle nodded.

“Fair enough,” Charles said with a nod. “If we tie the knot, I’ll put my all into our marriage. I’m asimple guy.

I don’t do well with complications, and divorce has never crossed my mind 15 BONUS Noelle knew that if she was seriously considering marrying Charles, she had to lay her cards on thetable and talk to him about it.

Charles quirked an eyebrow. “Great minds think alike, huh? If you’re on board, I’m not the type tobail and suggest a divorce. But if you ever want out, just say the word He grinned “Anything else onyour mind, Ms. Shaw?”

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