When they reached home, night had already fallen. Neither of them mentioned her visit to her father and the silence on the subject was mutual. He thought that if she wished to tell him about the topic, she would. And she did not think that she needed to inform him anything and if he expressed his wish to know, she would not hide anything from him. Despite their differences, she did not like to lie to him. If she could tell him the truth, she would. If not, she would keep quiet. Damien also understood this thing and thus he did not pressed further. But as they walked into the living room, they were met with an unexpected sight that quickly caught Damien’s attention. Sitting on the couch was someone he hadn’t expected to see in his house.“What are you doing here, Caleb?” Damien asked, surprised. Caleb almost never came to his house. What added to Damien’s unease was the suitcase sitting by the couch, a detail that immediately felt off. It was already strange that Caleb was here. What
On the other end of the line, Damien’s mother Carolyn sounded unusually agitated.“What did he say? That I threw him out of the house?” she huffed. “I will give that boy a piece of my mind!”Damien had never heard his mother so riled up. What had caleb done that infuriated his mother that much? He also wanted to know so he asked, “Mom, can you tell me what happened?”Carolyn sighed heavily. “You know how he is. He is moody, stubborn, doing everything according to his whims. A few days ago, I met with his teacher. I have lived a life of pride as Carolyn Callahan and no one has dared to shame me, but this boy failed miserably in his classes! I tried to be understanding, kept calm, and hired tutors to help him catch up. But he scared every one of them away! And today? He fought a classmate. A kid from the Jade family, no less!”Damien’s brows knitted. He knew how important the Jade family’s partnership was to their business. “I’m guessing they weren’t thrilled.”Carolyn scoffed, frustrat
After hanging up with his mom, Damien went downstairs to find Anastasia and tell her about the changes ahead. When he reached the dining room, he paused at the doorway only to be surprised by what he saw.Did not his mom said that Caleb was on hunger strike? Well, it did not seem like that. Caleb was seated at the table and was calmly eating a bowl of noodles. It was the kind of noodles that Anastasia usually prepared just for him. She always tried to make it seem like the chef had done it, but Damien knew better. She made those noodles from scratch carefully considering his health and allergies. And now here she was, serving that same dish to Caleb.Beside the noodles was a glass of milkshake, prepared in the same way she did his which was naturally sweetened with fruit instead of sugar given his dietary restrictions. This was his daily routine, a meal made for hi, and yet now Caleb was the one being served with the same care and attention. Damien felt an odd discomfort at the si
At dinnertime, Damien found Caleb already seated at the dining table, waiting patiently for the couple to arrive. Damien raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"The spying agent sent by his mother was quite relentless?Caleb looked up, his expression unreadable once again. "Food," he replied flatly.It infuriated Damien to no end that the boy who could muster up a whole sentence for everyone barely acknowledge him with a word or two. It would be a miracle if he would use more than one word for Damien. Damien’s brow furrowed. “Didn’t you already eat?”With a pitiful glance in Anastasia’s direction, Caleb answered, “I want to eat dinner.”Anastasia tried to steel herself, reminding herself that he was likely a spy sent by Carolyn. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was just a vulnerable boy, caught up in the Callahan family’s schemes without a mother to care for him. His situation tugged at her heart. He was motherless just like her and so she could not be strict to hi
Before Anastasia could retort, he captured her lips with his and a sensual spark ignited between them. What began as a gentle kiss quickly turned into something far more heated. He explored her lips while savoring every moment and trailed kisses down her neck, and even more igniting a fire of desire in her stomach.Feeling the urgency of the moment, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bed, his lips never left her skin. “You have no idea how long I have been waiting for this,” he murmured against her collarbone, his breath sending shivers down her spine.She gazed up at him, her eyes half-dazed with desire. “Where are you taking me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, laced with anticipation.“To enjoy the jumbo pack that my wife bought today,” he replied, a mischievous glint in his eye.“Dami—” Her words trailed off as his lips brushed against her sensitive nipples,. He laid her gently on the bed and his fingers effortlessly slipped her nightgown off and lea
The morning light crept in,and the alarm beside Anastasia began blasting. She groaned and pulled a pillow over her ear to muffle the sound but the noise didn’t stop. Frustrated, she rolled over and bumped into something solid. It was a warm, hard body. She blinked and found herself face-to-face with Damien who was sleeping peacefully beside her. One of his arms was draped around her and he was holding her close as if she would slip away from his arms.She muttered in her heart, ‘Even if he wants to throw me away, I won’t go anywhere much less than slip away from him.’For a moment, she just admired his face as her gaze softened as she traced his features with her eyes. She couldn’t resist the urge to touch him and took the courage to gently brush her fingertips along his nose. Her heart fluttered and on impulse, she leaned in to press a light kiss on his nose.As she realised what she did, her eyes widned but there was also a grin on her face. He stirred as he tightened his hold arou
Anastasia’s first day at the office was nothing short of exhausting. From morning until night, she was expected to follow Paul everywhere following his every step without even a moment to think for herself. She felt more like an underpaid intern than a family member being groomed for company and she could barely squeeze in a quick meal during the day. By the time her workday finally ended, it was already eight o'clock at night. And to add to her frustration, Paul had informed her she would be accompanying him to every meeting even those out of state and abroad.When she stepped outside, she was tired and drained as she spotted Damien’s car waiting. Relief washed over her and she rushed to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. Finally, peace in such a bad day. “Rough day?” he asked softly, holding her close.Anastasia sighed, trying to keep her voice normal but all she wanted was to throw a big tantrum and tell him how she ahd been bullied and he must avenge her. She said with
"Take care of yourself," Anastasia said, standing at the door. She turned to Caleb with a warm smile. "And if someone bothers you, call me or your brother. No fighting, alright?"Caleb nodded softly. "Okay, sister-in-law."Anastasia gave him a hug and said, "Enjoy the school trip! Have lots of fun. I made sure Mrs. Luna packed plenty of snacks for you."Caleb was going on a school trip and he only told them about it last night. Anastasia and Damien were unprepared. When the boy went to sleep, the two adults made all the prepearations to send him for the school trip. Anastasia heard about his aggressive nature that she had yet to see and was worried that he would get into fight with some kids. She did not want to give Carolyn a chance to call Anastasia careless. If Caleb even had a scratch on his body, the Callahan family would blame her. After all, the two old women were looking for a chance to find her guilty. Damien raised a brow, eyeing Caleb's large bag. "He is only going for tw
Damien asked, shocked, “What happened to Harold?”Jack replied, “He suffered a stroke. His condition is serious.”“Is Claire there?” Damien asked urgently.“Not yet, but the butler is. Claire has been informed and will be arriving soon,” Jack explained.Damien’s tone turned sharp. “Jack, get Harold out of the house as soon as possible. Don’t let Claire catch wind of it. Until she arrives, the butler has the authority to assist you. Once she’s there, she’ll take control. Warn the butler that this is all part of Claire’s grand plan. To eliminate Harold and seize everything. She is already plotting against Regina and Anna.”“Understood, sir. I will take care of it,” Jack assured him.When Damien ended the call, he turned to find Asher who was standing nearby and observing him quietly.Before Damien could talk to his eldest son, Darcy entered the room, followed closely by Summer who was carrying a sleeping Destiny. Despite the late hour, the couple had arrived, uncalled but concerned.Dam
While Ronan, Adeline, and Abel were at the hospital, Damien found himself pacing back and forth in the living room. He had been trying to contact Anastasia, but now her phone was switched off. She had been keeping him updated on the situation but with no recent word, his worry began to grow.“Dad, Rio is crying,” Maxey said softly, tugging at Damien’s sleeve.Damien turned quickly, his thoughts momentarily interrupted. “Oh…” he muttered, glancing toward the baby.As he turned, he noticed Asher holding Rio in his arms, while gently rocking him. To Damien’s surprise, Asher was singing the lullaby that Anastasia usually sang to soothe the baby. His voice was sweet and homely and before long, Rio’s cries quieted as he drifted off to sleep.Damien smiled faintly at the sight, feeling both pride and heartache.“Dad, when will Mom come home?” Asher asked, his voice filled with worry. “Is everything okay?”Damien ruffled his son’s hair, trying to reassure him. “Everything’s okay, kiddo,” he s
Anna made sure all the exits around the hospital were blocked. She was determined to stop anyone from escaping, especially since she was certain the kidnapper hadn’t left and the missing baby was still inside the building.She didn’t waste any time and searched every corner of the hospital. She checked rooms, hallways, and storage areas, leaving nothing untouched. The guards were also running around, doing their best to find the child, but no one seemed to have any luck.As Anna moved through the hospital, she noticed a nurse heading toward the terrace, holding a cigarette packet. The nurse tried to open the door but found it locked.“That’s strange,” the nurse muttered. “Why is the terrace door locked? It’s never locked.”Anna’s instincts kicked in. Something felt off. She walked up to the door and tried opening it herself, but it wouldn’t budge. The lock was solid and the door wouldn’t move. Without hesitation, she decided to break it open.She hurried downstairs to find something h
On Adeline’s side, Damien called her to come to his place immediately with her son. She was already en route when Ronan sent her an SOS with his location. Her brows furrowed at the odd message, but her heart pounded with unease. When she tried calling him, his phone was switched off.Dropping Rio off at Damien’s place, Adeline wasted no time. With her security team in tow, she headed to the location Ronan had sent. It was a private property on the outskirts of New York. The urgency of the situation made her call Delilah to arrange for a chopper to get her there faster.As they landed, her bodyguards secured the perimeter and began a thorough search of the property. Room by room, they swept through until Adeline finally found Ronan.He was lying on a bed. His body filled with discomfort as a naked woman attempted to climb on him. He was intoxicated but was still trying to push her away. Adeline’s blood boiled at the sight, but she forced herself to keep her calm.“Record this,” she or
Regina couldn’t make sense of what was happening. How could it be Fiona? She had been living here for months and hadn’t even recognized her own mother.“Regina!” Anastasia screamed as Regina stumbled against a table and fell to the ground.Both Anastasia and Fiona rushed to her side, helping her to the sofa.“Are you okay?” Anastasia asked, panic evident in her voice.Dazed, Regina nodded.“You hit the table so hard! And you are heavily pregnant. I’m not taking any chances,” Anastasia said, her fear mounting.“Anna, I’m fine,” Regina reassured her.But Anastasia didn’t listen. She quickly called Damien. “Please come to Regina and Abel’s place right away. And increase security around our house.”“Is everything alright?” Damien asked, his concern clear.“Damien, my mom is alive. She is here with me. I need you to come over and make sure she is safe while I look after Regina,” Anastasia said, her voice trembling. “Please, hurry.”When Damien arrived, he was stunned to see Fiona. Anastasi
Abel’s voice over the call was filled with concern. “Hey, Anastasia. Can you please check on Regina for me? I’m out of state for a meeting. She is not answering my calls, and my housekeeper is on leave.”There was a pause before he added, almost apologetically, “I know it is asking a lot, but I’m really getting stressed about her.”Anastasia’s tone was calm and reassuring. “It is not a big deal, Abel. I will go check on her.”“Thank you. I really appreciate it. I have to get back. I called you in the middle of a meeting,” he said hurriedly before ending the call.Anastasia smiled softly after hanging up. Lately, Abel had become incredibly attentive and caring toward Regina. With her due date approaching, it was natural for him to worry, especially when she didn’t pick up the phone. She admired how much effort he was putting into making sure Regina felt supported.“Maxey,” Anastasia called out, intending to get her youngest to join her.Instead of Ashton, Asher appeared in the doorway
Damien and Anastasia lay tangled under the sheet as the afterglow of their passionate love-making session still lingered. He pressed a gentle kiss to the smooth curve of her shoulder and a quiet hum of satisfaction left her lips in response.“Who knew that kids making love would be such an adventure,” Anastasia murmured, her voice filled with exhaustion.Damien chuckled. “I hope for a decade none of them discover sex.”Anastasia rolled her eyes. “Come on, let’s not forget about us. We started pretty early. Thank God our parents never knew.”Damien’s grin was mischievous as he pulled her in for a slow kiss. “I missed you all day,” he whispered. Anastasia smirked, “Oh yeah? I heard the laughter downstairs. I know you were having fun with the boys. Did you even have the chance to miss me?”It warmed her heart to no end that their lives had changed for the better and now it was filled with so much love. This was the family that she never knew she needed. But now that she had it, everythi
As Mrs. Luna served Asher’s breakfast, it was noticeably different from everyone else’s. Since Asher loved animals so much that he couldn’t bear the thought of eating meat, the family wholeheartedly respected his choice and ensured he was only served vegetarian meals.“Jellybean, your dad told me about your plans for the day. Are you excited?” Anastasia asked with a warm smile.“Yeah,” Asher replied, though his tone carried a mix of emotions. Glancing at his younger brother, he added, “Maxey isn’t learning to ride a bicycle?”“Nope!” Ashton grinned cheekily. “I asked Mommy if I could skip it, and she said yes.”Asher turned toward Damien with a frown. “That’s not fair!”Damien shrugged with a smirk. “Sorry, buddy. He pulled the Mommy card today, and you know how it is, she is the boss.”Asher rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed.Anastasia leaned in, her tone encouraging. “I know by the end of the day, you will be riding like a pro. We are all rooting for you.”Breakfast was casual an
Many times, blood does not define relationships. Anastasia understood this better than anyone, and now Damien was living this truth as well.When Asher and Ashton were brought to their new home, they were awestruck. It took them an entire month to come to terms with the reality of their new life. Accepting Anastasia and Damien as their parents wasn’t easy, but all four of them were working hard to build a family together.It was the weekend. The boys had recently been enrolled in a new school and adjusting to the fast-paced curriculum of an international private school had been challenging for them. However, their parents were fully committed to helping them succeed.Despite it being a holiday, Damien woke the kids up early.Asher, the older of the two, groaned. “Do I really have to get up?”Though he was respectful to Anastasia and Damien, Asher had a frosty demeanour—his coldness rivalled that of Antarctica.“Yes, you do,” Damien said firmly. “We agreed that today you would learn ho