The Cherished Wife (Noelle and Charles)

"Get rid of it!"

Milo picked up his phone as another text from Ronald came in. "We received this information just a short while ago. Someone sent Ms. Baker these pictures the night of New Year's Eve, and it was after seeing these pictures that she lost control of her emotions and

accidentally injured Mr. Mateo and Madam Clarisse."

Milo pursed his lips, his brows knitted so tightly together that they were practically in a knot. He stared intently at the contents of the message, unable to stop himself from trembling violently. "That child's face!"

"Sir?" Hogan noticed something amiss about the look on Milo's face. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing. Continue keeping watch on Charles. I'm leaving tomorrow, but update me if you have any news."

Milo pocketed his phone and hurried off.

Hogan gazed at Milo as he left and waited until he was gone before he retrieved his phone from his pocket and made a phone call. "Mr. Wells."

"How did it go?"

"Exactly as you predicted. Milo freaked out when he saw those pictures and seemed absolutely terrified. Looks like a child isn't an unfounded claim!" Hogan stared at the teacups on the table as he spoke and frowned slightly. His gaze landed on the tea spattered across the table. "What do you think?"

"Alright, understood." Since he wants to know about Mr. Charles so badly, you can share some hints with him."

Ronald smirked and hung up the phone before he turned toward Charles. "Mr. Hoffman. Hogan reported that Milo freaked out after seeing that picture."

"Oh?" Charles put down his pen and stared at the papers before him before snapping the file shut in frustration. Then, he added, "What sort of pictures?"

Ronald chuckled and pulled up the

pictures on his phone before handing it to Charles. "Take a look, Mr. Hoffman. These are the pictures I was referring to. I got Lareal to tamper with them based on the facial structures of Janet, Milo, and the rest of the Baker family. Don't they bear a resemblance?"

Charles narrowed his eyes and fixed his gaze on those pictures as Ronald added, "Lareal's got some good skills. These pictures look so convincing, and they really resemble..." Ronald did not know how to continue that sentence. His gaze had landed on that picture as well. He gulped as he stared at it before returning his gaze to Charles.

Charles' sharp gaze remained on the

picture for a long while before he

finally tossed the phone back to Ronald. The corner of his lip curved upward as he propped his chin with one hand and used the other to drum against the table. His tone sounded calm and collected as he asked, "Who does the picture resemble? Why don't you continue your sentence?"

Ronald smiled awkwardly. "Well... You have to promise you won't punish me after hearing what I say, Mr. Hoffman."

The corner of Charles' lips curled upward. "Go on!"

Ronald plucked up his courage. "It resembles Janet a great deal, but it resembles Milo even more." Indeed, the child in the picture looked like Janet, but its eyes were practically identical to Milo's. Charles smirked. "You've got sharp eyes."

Upon hearing that, Ronald's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Mr. Hoffman!"

Charles scoffed. "It's a composite

picture, and you said so yourself that it was generated using images of Janet and Milo. Of course the results would resemble both of them." He continued drumming the table at an irregular rhythm as if he were deep in thought. "But..."

"The look on Milo's face after seeing those pictures was interesting. It was like he'd seen a ghost. Could this child actually exist?"