The grand mansion stood far away from the crowded city. Tonight, it was bustling under the warm glow of chandeliers and the murmur of conversations as a party for a business launch was going on in full swing. The focal point of the evening was a woman dressed in a long, elegant black dress holding a glass of champagne, possessing the grace of royalty. Her name was Regina Spencer and she was no less than a royal princess. Regina moved through the crowd with sophistication and a flawless smile that could ease anyone while her foxy eyes were on every opportunity laid around her. The mansion's luxurious ballroom was adorned with priceless art and rare decorations and showcased the power and wealth her family wielded. It apprehended and awed every guest. Outside, the beautifully mowed gardens were sparkling under the moonlight and some people were chatting there. The Spencer House was always a talk among the guests as they don't seem to get enough of its beauty. "Regina, I saw what you
Anastasia stared at the boy standing in front of her who was begging her to change her mind. Little did he know that no persuasion would ever change her resolve."Anna, please give us a chance," Damien begged, holding her hand with utmost sincerity. His eyes which were usually so confident mirrored desperation at this time. "Anna, I love you," Damien whispered. "Please, let's not break up?"Anastasia pulled her hands from his grip and turned away, her gaze fixed on the busy cityscape from the terrace of the building where Damien had brought her. He had flown from New York to London just to see her. They had broken up two months ago when she left New York, and she hadn't expected him to come here to plead for another chance.She closed her eyes as tears threatened to spill. No, she couldn't be weak now. She had to stay strong. They simply couldn't be together. A sob rose in her throat, but she bit down hard on her lip to distract her emotional pain from the sharp physical pain. He cou
When Anastasia finally arrived home, she found her mother waiting in the living room. It was late and the sight of her daughter, clearly drunk and accompanied by Adeline and a young man, made Fiona's eyes narrow with concern."Miss Fiona, this is my brother, Austin," Adeline quickly introduced as she sensed the tension."What happened to her?" Fiona asked, her worry evident in her tone and expression."I’m not sure," Adeline replied, glancing at Anastasia with concern. "She said she had to meet someone, and when she returned, she was very sad. I tried asking her what happened but she didn’t say anything."Austin scowled, impatience lacing his voice. "Why don't you just tell her that Anna went to meet that boy?"Fiona's expression hardened at the mention of "that boy."Austin continued, "A woman also came to meet her at a café."Fiona's heart sank as she pieced together what must have happened. Someone from New York had come to see her daughter, someone from the life she had tried so h
A year ago, Anna had everything—a family, a perfect life, and a loving boyfriend. But one fateful night, everything shattered into pieces and she became all alone in this world with nobody to run to. She was born into a powerful and wealthy family as her father owned one of the largest conglomerates in the USA. She recalled a time when her parents were madly in love with each other. However, things took a turn when she was ten. Her mother left home after a heated argument with her father. After that, her mother never returned. That day she not only lost her mother but also her father. Anastasia’s life turned into a battleground of legal battle– choosing which parent to stay with. However, nobody had much of a choice when the person was one of the most powerful people in the country. Her mother couldn't win the custody case and she had to stay with her father, which meant she would never see her mother again. When Anna was eleven, her father introduced her to his new wife. Accepti
Damien stood with his back against the sleek-black car with his arms crossed and exuding an air of impatience and elegance. Behind him, his secretary Jack was a bundle of nerves who had beads of sweat trickling down his face. They had been waiting outside the civil affairs bureau for over half an hour and the tension in the air was thick around then. Jack gulped nervously while casting anxious glances between his boss and the entrance, and silently praying that the mysterious woman Damien was set to marry today would appear soon. If she didn’t, Jack knew all too well the kind of storm that would follow. To mess up with Damien Callahan was no less messing with the devil himself. Jack still couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that just days before, Damien had been on the verge of finalizing his engagement to Miss Regina Spencer, a woman with great family ties and social standing. How on earth had he decided to leave her for this mystery woman—someone who might not even have the s
Damien glanced at Anna who was grinning like a fool with her eyes fixated on the wedding certificate that she was holding in her hands for the last thirty minutes. “How can a stupid piece of paper make you so happy?” The words escaped his mouth before he could stop himself.Anna’s gaze shifted to him as her smile unwavering today. She said with her usual joy, “How can it be stupid, Hubby? This is our marriage certificate. It’s always been my dream to marry you.”Damien's eyes darkened as he heard her say, “First of all, the affection in your voice makes my skin crawl. Second, don’t call me endearments you don’t mean. And lastly, don’t forget you are the one who shattered your own dream and left everything behind.”The joy in her eyes dimmed as the weight of his words pressed down on her. The past she had been trying to bury resurfaced and her smile faded completely now. Damien's lips turned into a smirk and was satisfied with the impact of his words on her. Inwardly, he seethed. Bi
It was late at night, and Anna sat in the room that Damien had assigned her. It was located at the far end of the mansion. She wondered if he had chosen this room to keep her out of sight, so they wouldn’t cross paths too often. A few hours had passed since his mother left. When the housekeeper came to call her for dinner, Anna realized she would have to eat alone because Damien had asked the maid to bring her food to her room.Anna ate slowly with her heart heavy. When she returned to her room, she couldn't sleep or rest. Her mind was filled with thoughts she wished she could avoid. She paced back and forth, trying to clear her head. Then, her thoughts turned to Damien. Unable to stop herself, she left her room to find him. Standing outside his door, she tried to push it open but it was locked from the inside. She felt restless, knowing he might be in a bad mood and she was probably the last person he wanted to see. But despite that, she needed to check on him because wished to know
For three nights straight, Anna had stayed awake until midnight, waiting for Damien. Each time, he returned too late and left before she could wake up. He was slipping through her life like a shadow. A whole week passed without her seeing her husband yet she continued preparing food for him without any expectations. On the eighth night, Anna decided enough was enough. She made up her mind to wait for him in the living room. Sitting on the sofa, she waited for him. She had been busy all day managing household tasks and her own errands without a moment's rest. Now, at 2 a.m., with her eyes growing heavy from sleep, she still held on as she refused to surrender to sleep. Seven days without a word from him was too long. Today, she would see him by hook or crook. Finally, the front door creaked open. A man dressed in a sharp suit stepped inside. Anna jumped to her feet. As he entered, he glanced briefly at her and then at the housekeeper who had likely also gotten up to make sure there wa
"Eat slowly! No one will snatch your food from you," Austin said, watching his beautiful but messy sister gobble down sushi. She was on her 10th piece, and for a woman who had just given birth, she sure had a lot of energy."What if they do?" Adeline replied, chewing with her mouth full.Ronan, sitting beside her, gently wiped her mouth with his handkerchief. "Take it easy. I won’t let anyone touch your food."After the labour, they two of them had gotten pretty close and everyone with two eyes could see that the air between them had shifted. Since Austin was quite happy, he did not say anything to Ronan, the bastard. "Where is Anna?" Adeline asked, looking around the room. Ever since she gave birth, her best friend only came once to hug her and congratulate her and after a few minutes, Damien came. Both of them did not come together as she was hoping. Austin let out a sigh. "She is outside, pacing back and forth. She is convinced someone’s going to steal your baby.""Is Damien with
"It's a boy!"Someone shouted, and the entire waiting room burst into cheers and clapping. Anastasia and Damien immediately hugged each other. Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she couldn’t find the right words to describe what she was feeling. It was like pure magic. A mix of overwhelming joy and relief. Despite her excitement, she had been more afraid of this day than Adeline herself.Her best friend was too weak. She was scared that she might loose her best friend. But now that everything went without a hitch, she could breathe and celebrate with everyone like she always wanted to do. On the other side of the room, Giovanni and Austin hugged each other in celebration, though the moment quickly turned awkward.“Sorry,” they muttered in unison.“It’s okay,” they both said at the same time, laughing as they hugged again. They were overjoyed about their sibling becoming a parent, and nothing could dampen that.Anastasia turned to the nurse with concern. “How is Adeline?”“She is doing
On the other hand, Damien was stunned to learn about Regina’s pregnancy. As she asked the doctor to check on her baby, he was frozen in place, watching in a daze as the doctor bandaged the few cuts on Regina’s body from Claire’s beating.“One of the babies is slightly hurt, Miss Spencer,” the doctor said, after reviewing the ultrasound image.Regina couldn’t hold back her fear and tears. She asked, “Will she be okay?”“We will do our best,” the doctor reassured her. “I suggest you get some bed rest for a while.”The doctor hesitated for a moment, then looked at Damien before continuing, “If you are suffering any kind of abuse…”Regina quickly interjected, “He is not the baby’s father. He is family.”The doctor nodded in relief. “Please report the abuse and take care of yourself. You are in a very delicate situation.”The doctor then added, “You are borderline anemic. I will put you on the blood transfusion list.” She handed Regina a form. “Please fill this out.”Regina looked at the f
Anastasia glared at Claire and said, "Have you lost your mind?"Claire's fury only escalated when she saw who was speaking. Madness flickered in her eyes as she retorted, "Now you will tell me how to treat my own daughter? Who the hell do you think you are?"If there was one person that Claire hated more than anything in his life, it was Fiona and his spawn! If she wished, she would kill this bitch! Anastasia glanced at Regina who looked pale and fragile and was barely holding herself together. She turned to Damien and said, "Damien, please take her to a doctor first."She would not be kind to Regina but the fact that her step-sister was pregnant, she felt pity for her. As a human, she could not see fellow humans suffering. Maybe? She knew that she was not that great of a person yet she could not see Regina in this condition. Damien hesitated, his gaze shifting between Anastasia and Regina. It was unusual for his wife to care about Regina or even ask him to help her. What had change
While Adeline had already been rushed to the labour room, Giovanni and Regina arrived at the hospital. Austin was pacing back and forth like a panicked madman, completely at a loss for what to do. He looked on the verge of tears.“Hey, calm down. Your sister is going to be fine,” Giovanni said, trying to reassure him.“How do you know?” Austin snapped. “You were threatening her not long ago, and you even supported your bastard brother who hurt my sister.”Giovanni sighed and said, “He is my brother, and my first instinct was to protect him. I didn’t know the full story or that he was in the wrong. I’m sorry for threatening your sister. I didn’t realize she was pregnant with his child.” She added earnestly, “I really am sorry.”Austin studied her for a moment. With her phoenix tattoo and rebellious demeanour, she seemed bold and unapologetically heroic. Finally, he relented, “Alright. I’m just really stressed.”She stepped forward with a calm smile and said, “Your sister will be fine. I
Ronan took a deep breath and confessed his feelings, “Because I love her.”Adeline froze, her eyes locked on Ronan.Ronan turned to her and his gaze was so intense. “I love this woman more than my life. I was a jerk. I was a jerk for putting unnecessary things above her. I would die before letting any harm come her way.”Adeline was still shocked but did not forget to point a jab at Regina. “By unnecessary things, he meant you.”Regina’s jaw clenched, her face hardened with anger. “You are just as stupid and petty as your best friend.”Ronan’s frustration boiled over. “Regina, please. Don’t overwhelm Addy by bringing up Anna. Anna is her bottom line. She may love Anna more than her own blood brother. She is just one shock away from labor. Please.”Regina crossed her arms, clearly irked. “What did I even do?”Ronan looked up at Adeline, his face filled with regret, and dropped to his knees. “Adeline, I know I don’t deserve you. I know I have hurt you more than anyone should ever be hu
Ronan sighed deeply. “I wanted to meet you in Paris. I wanted to surprise you when you signed your first big commercial advertisement. You were so nervous about it for a whole month. When you told me you were going to sign it, I thought I would pop by to surprise you. I came, but then… I saw Anna with you.”She narrowed her eyes. “So, all these years we never met because of Anastasia?”He lowered his head. “I hated her…”Adeline’s expression hardened. “When we met, why didn’t you confess?” she pressed.“I thought you would hate me,” he said quietly. “The dynamics had been twisted with Regina and Anastasia. You live and breathe Anastasia, and I’m always just in Regina’s shadow. We were like mortal enemies.”Adeline’s face twisted with disgust. “What a stupid piece of shit you are. Why would I hate you for them?”She glared at him while speaking, “Ronan, you wasted ten years of our lives with your unreasonable hate for my best friend. You chose Regina over me. I don’t want to feel bad
“Addy, where are you?” Anastasia asked her best friend who had left early in the morning without informing her.“I went to the doctor’s,” Adeline replied.Anastasia asked, “I always go with you. Why didn’t you tell me?”Adeline explained, “Austin wanted to come with me. You see, we always ditch him and since this might be my last doctor visit, I thought I would take him with me.” She added, “After the doctor’s visit, we went for some ice cream.”Suddenly, Adeline’s voice grew tense. “Dear god.”“What happened?” Anastasia asked, panicked. “Are you okay?”“I’m fine, but someone else isn’t going to be,” Adeline said, hanging up the call. Her eyes caught sight of Ronan walking toward her. He was probably in a meeting with a client but as soon as he saw her, he changed direction and began walking toward her.Adeline looked at Austin, who was still on the call. Dear Lord, Austin was going to beat up Ronan. She looked back and forth between Austin and Ronan, the latter now just a few feet aw
"How did it go?" Anastasia asked gently, her eyes scanning Damien's face for clues."I... I don’t know," Damien replied, his expression clouded with uncertainty."Did you talk?" she pressed, her curiosity was spilling over, though she tried to keep her tone calm."Kind of?" he said hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck.Anastasia’s excitement spilt through despite her restraint. "Damien, I’m dying of curiosity here. What happened?"Damien let out a sigh and whispered, "Actually… we started screaming at each other, getting really angry. Then… he started crying."Her eyes widened. "He cried? Did you hug him? Console him?""No...?" Damien answered slowly, his uncertainty was almost childlike.She blinked, clearly horrified. "What did you do when your father started crying?"He shrugged as though the answer was obvious. "I just stood there."Anastasia let out an exasperated groan, throwing her hands up. "Goddamn it, Damien! That is not the kind of example you should be setting for Dest