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Damien was sitting at the dining table, the morning sun casting a warm glow over him as he focused on his breakfast. He heard the sound of soft footsteps and a few moments later, Anna entered.“Sorry, I got late,” she said, a small smile playing on her lips.Damien just nodded in response, not lifting his gaze from his plate.Anna tried to initiate conversation "Thank you for the car. I like it very much."Damien nodded again. Anna hesitated before speaking again as if trying to find the right moment. “I have something to tell you.”But before she could say more, a voice interrupted them. It was neither Damien nor Anna who spoke. “What’s for breakfast?” asked Adeline, yawning as she sat down in the seat next to Anna, her hair were tousled and eyes were half-closed from sleep.Damien looked up with his eyes narrowing as he recognized the woman from last night. It was the same person who had punched Ronan and had given him that hopeless disappointed look.“She is my friend,” Anna expla
“Damien?” Anna knocked softly on Damien’s door. She seemed to have something on her mind that she wanted to express to him. “Yes?” came his reply from the other side. She walked inside his room as she saw him sitting on his desk and holding files in his hand. “Um… I’m going to London tomorrow,” she informed him, her voice was little uncertain.He furrowed his brows. “Suddenly?”“It’s important,” she whispered, not offering more explanation.Damien's tone remained practical. “The competition is in five days. Can you manage it?”“I will be back soon,” Anna assured him.“You know what’s best for you,” Damien said, though there was a hint of curiosity behind his words. Of course, he wanted to know why she was going to London just a few days before the important contest. He was certain that whatever was happening in her life was important than the contest. “Damien?” she called his name again, the tone softer this time.He blinked as he sensed there was more she wanted to say but hesitati
Damien shook his head. He could not be hung on his past. It has passed and he was at a very good place in life. “Jack booked the hotel,” Damien mentioned. Anna shook her head. “No, we can’t stay in a hotel,” she insisted. “I will drive us to our destination.”Damien didn’t argue with her over the plan. He had come here because she had asked him to. She seemed to know what she was doing and he trusted her with whatever was going on. After working nonstop throughout the flight, exhaustion was starting to set in. He closed his eyes as Anna took the car, dismissing the driver. The rhythmic hum of the road beneath them and the pitter-patter of rain on the windows lulled him into a light sleep. After an hour’s drive, Anna pulled the car over to a small bungalow which was situated in a semi-countryside area just outside the city. Damien glanced around as he saw the quiet and isolated place standing in clear contrast to the bustling London he had remembered. It was late and the night air
At that moment, Anna noticed Damien standing in front of her. She greeted him with a soft, “Hi.”Damien, feeling slightly out of place, asked, “Do you need help?”Anna looked at him, a small smile playing on her lips. “Do you know how to cook?”He shook his head.“Then it’s fine,” she said.“I can chop vegetables,” he offered. “Just tell me what to chop.”She raised her eyebrows but nodded. “Okay.” She guided him through the task and showing him how to slice the vegetables. To his surprise, he picked it up quickly. While he chopped, she boiled the pasta and reheated some freshly baked sourdough bread that the housekeeper had stocked in the refrigerator.As he watched her cook, Damien was captivated by her talent in the kitchen. Anna heated a pan, drizzled olive oil,and sautéed tomatoes with a mix of other vegetables,. She filled the room with a mouthwatering aroma. She finished the dish by grating cheese over both their plates of pasta.When Damien took his first bite, he glanced at he
The next day was sunny as Damien and Annastasia left the house. She had baked a cake and was carrying a bouquet of flowers. He didn’t ask her where they were going as he simply followed her in silence. They walked for a while and when they reached their destination, he glanced at her. He noticed a shift in her demeanor. She walked ahead but her body was tense and focused solely on moving forward. It was as if she feared that if she looked around, she might lose the courage she had mustered.They stopped in front of a cemetery, a large tree casted a shadow over the graveyard. Annastasia placed the cake and flowers on a nearby stone before kneeling to clear away the dried leaves and dirt with her bare hands.Damien watched her, feeling a lump form in his throat as he saw droplets of water fell onto the grave. It wasn’t the sky that was raining but her eyes. Once she finished cleaning, she gently laid the flowers on the grave. Then she turned to face Damien, her eyes red but managing a sm
Later that evening, Anastasia sat on the swing sofa, wrapped in a thin blanket and was holding a cup of coffee. She had cried so much that her eyes and head ached. Overwhelmed by her emotions, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Damien might think her tears were just for attention. She did not want him to think that she did all of this to prove a point to him. As she sat lost in thought, Damien walked in and said, “Let’s get dinner.”She blinked, realizing she had completely forgotten about eating and hadn’t even prepared anything. “Did you make dinner?” she asked.He scratched his head sheepishly. “I’m hopeless in the kitchen. I ordered takeout instead.”A smile spread across her lips. “Okay.”Instead of heading to the dining table, they settled on the rug in the living room and eating the food from takeout boxes. “This is good!” Anastasia exclaimed, savoring her food.Damien nodded in agreement. “Are we leaving tomorrow?”She nodded, “Have you ever been to London?”He shook his hea
The day of competition . All the contestants had submitted their designs and were eagerly awaiting the results. Only thirty would advance to the second round and with at least twenty designs each and then every contestant’s portfolio was evaluated individually. Each design received a score and the top thirty scorers would clear the first round.The setting resembled an exhibition with every contestant's designs beautifully printed and arranged in unique portfolios on tables assigned to each designer. Judges and onlookers walked through the room and reviewed the work. The atmosphere was quite tense as the contestants waited for the results.Finally, the list of selected contestants along with their scores was displayed on the board. Regina Spencer unsurprisingly secured the top score which confirmed her reputation as one of the strongest competitors. Anastasia was ranked around number twenty and she breathed a sigh of relief as she had made it through even if was just passing marks.
Claire stared at the screen as her frown was deepening with frustration. Something had been kept from her and the thought made her tense. She switched off the TV and tossed the remote onto the table. Just then, the door opened and her husband’s wheelchair was pushed into the room. The helper quietly stepped out when he saw her and left them alone."Hubby, how are you feeling today?" Claire asked, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. She was quite a good faker. "I’m fine," Harold replied, his voice calm. "How was Regina’s competition?"A wide smile broke across Claire’s face. "Regina came first in the first round. You know how she is. She always excelling in everything she does. It is no surprise she will win this contest too."Harold hummed in acknowledgment.After a moment’s pause, Claire spoke again. Her tone was deliberately hesitant. "Hubby, did you know that Anastasia is competing in the same contest?"Harold’s eyebrows rose in surprise. "Anastasia is participating
Damien studied him for a moment before speaking. “I’m going to ask you something, and I need you to be honest with me. Can you do that?” Ronan opened his eyes, hesitant, but eventually nodded. “Do you love Regina? Not as a friend, but as a romantic partner?” Damien’s tone was firm and curious. “What?” Ronan looked startled. “Be honest, Ronan.” Ronan was quick to respond, his voice firm and sincere. “I don’t! I don’t see her that way at all. She is like the sister I never had. A little sister. I love her a lot, but not romantically.” He paused, his voice softening. “But she means the world to me. She has been there for me through everything, good and bad. She is someone I share my heart and soul with. Damien, I don’t love her as a romantic partner, but she is still my soulmate. I know it sounds strange, but it’s the truth.” Damien tilted his head while being intrigued. “If you marry someone in the future, how will you fit Regina into that dynamic?” Ronan met his gaze whi
Damien arrived at an abandoned property on the outskirts of town. The place looked abandoned, the kind of place one would pass without a second glance. He walked up to the door and rang the bell. Once. Twice. Ten times. Finally, the door creaked open, revealing a dishevelled Ronan. “You look like shit,” Damien said, tossing a bottle of whiskey to him. Ronan caught it instinctively and rasped, “What are you doing here?” “Came to find you, asshole,” Damien replied, brushing past him to step inside. Oh, the inside of the house was not as bad as the inside. Someone had made it livable. Ronan, too exhausted to argue, stared at the bottle in his hands. “Are you gonna drink this?” Damien rolled his eyes. “Anna would kill me first before diabetes would kill me, if I did drink it.” Ronan chuckled dryly and asked, “Why are you so scared of your girlfriend?” Damien smirked. “Actually, she is my wife.” Ronan blinked, his momentary exhaustion was replaced by shock. “What… when? How
Mr. Arnello slammed his hand against the table, crashing the decorations to the floor. He was so angry and Delilah, who was used to his anger, did not flinch. “How dare she!” he roared, his fury directed at Anastasia Spencer and her father. The thought of being humiliated and forced to pay five million because of them burned like acid in his chest. “That crippled old man and his brat of a daughter, unbelievable!” “Matt!” Delilah’s voice cut through his tirade. He turned to her, his face twisted with anger. “Did you see what happened today?” “I did,” she said firmly, crossing her arms. “And maybe if you weren’t so biased, you would see the bigger picture too!” Matteo’s jaw clenched. “That little Spencer girl—” he began, his voice was a venomous snarl. “How dare she cause a rift between our families! She—” The shrill ring of the home phone interrupted him. Delilah moved to answer it, her face paled slightly as she listened to the voice on the other end. “Matt,” she said, h
Back at Damien’s mansionWhen Damien arrived home, the house felt unusually quiet. Neither his wife nor Adeline was there. Mrs. Luna informed him that Anastasia hadn’t returned from the office yet, and Adeline had gone out for work. Left alone, he decided to head to the gym, where he found Caleb practicing the moves he had taught him during their last session.Atleast, someone was home. “Hey, buddy. When did you get here?” Damien asked, his voice warm. He had grown so accustomed to Caleb’s presence in his home that, without realizing it, he had embraced the role of a father figure. Caleb, for his part, already saw Anastasia as a mother. Finally, Caleb was keeping the fences around his heart down and letting these two people come inside. “I came after school,” Caleb replied with a shrug. “I missed you guys.” Damien suppressed a smile and nodded. “Alright, let’s practice some more.” As they worked out, Caleb paused and asked, “When will Anna and Addy be back?” Damien sighed, wi
Eleanor scoffed, pulling out her phone. “I don’t care who your ‘Madam’ is!” She dialled quickly and said, “Daddy, please come. Someone is bullying me.” Within minutes, chaos erupted as Politician Scuderi arrived, followed by national commandos and an entourage of security. Alongside them, Mr. Arnello and his guards entered the scene with matching intensity. Delilah, watching from a distance, sighed deeply. This is about to turn into a massive mess, she thought, deciding once again to stay out of it. “Daddy, she has hurting my friend!” Eleanor whined, pointing a trembling finger at Anastasia, who still had a firm grip on Ceecee’s hair. Politician Scuderi’s expression darkened as he turned to Anastasia. “Young lady, release her now, or I will have you arrested!” Anastasia met his threat with cold defiance. “I dare you.” “Guards! Remove her this instant!” Mr. Arnello commanded. Martial artists emerged from the shadows and advanced toward Anastasia. But before they could rea
“Anastasia Spencer?” “Mrs. Arnello?” Anastasia recognized her immediately. “You know Delilah?” Adeline asked, her tone curious. “She is Ronan’s mom,” Anastasia explained. “Oh…” Adeline’s expression shifted into something unreadable. Anastasia’s focus sharpened. “Did you say Eleanor Scuderi pushed you?” Adeline nodded, frustration was evident on her face. “Not directly. It was her sidekick. She deliberately knocked into me, and when I asked her to be careful, she flipped it around and blamed me. Then she started insulting me, calling me fat and even accusing me of sleeping with producers and directors to get jobs.” Anastasia’s fists clenched. “And then?” She was going to beat up those bitches for hurting her best friend. Adeline was not just her bestfriend but family. These days, she had been overly protected of Adeline too and if one danger come to the latter, Anna goes whole mom mode. Adeline’s voice hardened. “I slapped her. She deserved it. But then she shoved me ag
Moments later, a middle-aged woman entered and noticed the young woman shivering in the corner. Concerned, she approached her carefully while kneeling down. “Are you okay?” she asked softly. Adeline looked up with tear-streaked eyes, unable to hold back her emotions. She didn’t know why, but in that moment, she missed Poppy and Austin so much. She also longed for Anastasia. She felt utterly shaken and vulnerable at this moment. The middle-aged woman placed a comforting hand on Adeline’s shoulder. “Child, are you okay?” she repeated gently. She saw that Adeline was not looking fine and as a woman, she felt that it was her duty to help a person in need. Overcome with emotion, Adeline clung to the woman’s leg while tears streaming down her face. With one arm, she hugged the woman’s leg tightly, while the other cradled her stomach protectively. Fear overwhelmed her. Why hadn’t she listened to her intuition and stayed home? She could have lost her baby just now. “Dear, are you with
“Anna!” “Yes, Addy?” Anastasia replied as Adeline, who was in the living room, came looking for her best friend. Adeline said, “My agent just called me. She wants me to meet this client.” Anastasia frowned. “Didn’t you say you were not taking any projects for the time being?” Adeline muttered, “I wish, but my agent wants to utilize my time as much as possible. I mean, I have done a few projects that will be released by the end of this month. After that, I haven’t signed any contracts. You know how it is every day, there is someone more interesting and beautiful. I will be irrelevant by the end of my pregnancy if I am not active.” Anastasia nodded, understanding her situation. “I get your concerns. It would be so unfair if you had to leave your career because of your pregnancy. But the question is, do you want to announce your pregnancy? I have seen celebrities getting even more famous while pregnant.” Adeline sighed. “Anna, I have this bad feeling. If I tell more people abo
Abel rubbed the back of his neck and continued, “I brought her to the Spencers’ home, but when I saw your car parked there, I knew she would snap. Seeing you and Anna together would break her completely, and that’s exactly what happened. She ran out, crying and falling apart.” Taking a deep breath, he added, “She begged me not to take her back to her place, so I didn’t. I took her to my apartment. We drank more while trying to drown it all out. And then…” Damien’s patience snapped. “Fuck you, Abel!” he yelled, his voice reverberating through the room. Anger and disbelief flashed within him as he stared at his friend while barely able to contain his frustration. Regina was the last woman on planet that he should have touched. Not because of his own equation with her because of the complications that surround her. Damien’s voice cut through the tension like a knife. “Have you completely lost your goddamn mind? We have always understood you, Abel, always respected your decisions, b