The Cherished Wife by Chweety

"Right!" Cody nodded with determination. "I'm taking you to meet Charles!"

"Meet him?" Annie's voice trembled. "Brother, do I have to go?" Fear gripped her at the thought of Charles.

Since she learned that Noelle's husband was Charles, Annie had even started to fear Noelle. She knew firsthand the kind of terror Charles could unleash. It was a fate so grim it made death seem merciful. That was exactly what Charles would do. "Don't worry. You're practically a hero for saving Noelle this time. He won't lay a finger on you!"

"But..."

"Believe me. Besides, we might need his help with Suzy's situation. You don't want Suzy to spend the rest of her life hiding away in that villa, unseen, do you?" Cody saw the hesitation in Annie's eyes and gently urged, "Listen to me."

Cody led Annie to The Majestic Lounge, which haunted her memories. It was the very spot where her nightmare had begun. Stepping out of the car, she felt that old fear creeping in, but Cody was with her, gripping her hand firmly. "Don't be scared." Ronald escorted them to Charles's exclusive lounge, where Charles and Sean were in the midst of a card game. Charles looked up, his eyebrows arching slightly at their arrival.

Sean glanced at his cards before tossing them onto the table with a casual, "Hey, look who's here!"

Cody did not know Sean, but only a few people in Brookville had the right to hang out with Charles casually. Taking a quick look at Sean, Cody figured out who he was in no time. "Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Smith." "Mr. Smith?"

at Sean, her finger pointing at him in

an eyebrow. "You

shook her

into a half-smile, his fingers drumming lightly on the

glanced at Cody and Annie.

Hoffman!" Cody said, guiding Annie to sit down before asking, "So,

what happened

said,

slightly. "Ms.

a great job last night." He continged at a

I are

I