The Cherished Wife novel Chapter 455

Charles's gaze was icy, filled with an intimidating power. With Noelle by his side, though, he quickly softened his fierce look.

Noelle could still sense the edge in Charles, though. She gave his hand a reassuring pat. "I'm alright. And you know what? This whole mess has wiped any last shred of sisterly love I had for Winter. I can’t forgive her time and again for the hurt she's caused. So don't hold back on my account. There are things I used to avoid or think were beneath me. But if she's not going to stop coming after me, then I'm done playing nice. Some battles are mine to fight!"

Charles's lips twitched into a smirk. "Alright!"

"Don’t worry. I'm not the same Noelle who used to get pushed around. I'm going to stand tall and get stronger, so you won't have to be concerned about me all the time!"

"Attagirl!"

"Hehe!" Noelle's smile was bright. "I've got it all figured out."

Winter had promised that the secrets of last night's wild party would stay under wraps, and Xavier had worked overtime trying to keep everyone quiet. However, with a crowd that big, there was always someone who could not keep a secret, especially with the sneaky photographers Winter had let in.

Paparazzi were like spies for hire. Winter paid them off, but she never told them who the VIPs were. So, in the middle of the chaos, they snapped some pretty scandalous shots.

"You don’t know? Why didn't you tell me last night before the scandal spread like wildfire?" Jane's voice thundered through the phone. "It’s a total mess right now. Tons of people are saying the person in the video is you, but others are defending you, saying it's just your friend. Winter, do you understand the gravity of this? The hotel's swarmed with paparazzi. Hey, Winter?"

Winter's knees buckled, and she crashed to the floor, stunned. It felt like hours before she could gather herself, scramble to her feet, and frantically dial Annie's number. "Annie, it's Winter. I—"

"Winter, what's your problem? You promised the video was gone. You swore last night's mess would stay under wraps. But you lied. Suzy's a wreck, and I spent all night trying to calm her down. How could you let us down like this? The paparazzi have our addresses now, and they're all over the hotel. Winter, you've crossed the line!"