The Cherished Wife by Chweety

The room fell into a hush so profound one could hear a pin drop. Annie's hands were balled into tight fists, her gaze locked on Charles. She was scared stiff of him, but she would walk through fire for Suzy. She had to give it a shot.

Annie was not the only one with her heart racing; Cody was on edge too. They were in the presence of Brookville's very own VIP, Charles. Cody might not have witnessed Charles's full repertoire before, but he had gotten a taste during Annie's ordeal. He knew Charles had some serious chops.

Charles's lips quirked into a sly smile as his eyes finally settled on Annie. He let out a soft chuckle, his long fingers flicking a card in his hand. "Are you sure about this, Annie? A favor from me isn't something to take lightly. I always keep my promises, but do you really want to use up this chance for someone who doesn't even matter to you?"

Annie's breath hitched, but her voice was steady. "Suzy might just be a nobody to Mr. Hoffman, but she's my friend. I know Suzy and I were wrong by helping Winter to go against Noelle, and it's only fair that we were punished. But Mr. Hoffman, can't you forgive us now that we've already paid for our mistakes? Especially since Noelle is... Well, she's alright now!"

"Her being alright is just luck. It doesn't erase your misdeeds or the need for consequences!" Charles's tone turned icy. "If she wasn't so lucky, she would be in the same dire straits you two find yourselves in now, wouldn't she?"

Annie was speechless because deep down, she knew Charles was speaking the truth. The truth scared her, which was why she was willing to cash in such a huge favor from Charles to keep Suzy safe. "Please, Mr. Hoffman. It might be nothing to you, but for Suzy and me, it's a second chance at life. We realize our mistakes. Suzy even confessed to me that she regrets what we did to Winter and that she's learned her lesson."

in Charles's sharp gaze. "She told you

agenda. After what's gone down, Suzy hates Winter's guts. We never expected her to leak those photos. We... Mr.

lifted a hand, signaling for

Annie was not ready to

Cody a look, and he got thege. He took Annie's hand and helped her up. "Mr. Hoffman's on board. Let's

het

reason to deceive her, she sighed in relief "Mr. Hoffman,

él

door, Annie paused and spun around to face

one