Harold who was watching her devour the cake with zero hesitation couldn’t resist a comment. “Not worried about calories today?”Usually, this girl count every calorie that she ate. It was as if calories were her enemies. Anastasia shot him a look as her tone suddenly sarcastic. “Old man, why don’t you mind your own business?”Harold crossed his arms, his brow lifting in mock authority. “You are my business. You are my employee.”She didn’t even pause between bites. “Don’t you have another daughter? Go annoy her instead.”Her offhand comment hit its mark and Harold’s face fell as his expression clouded with a rare sadness. “Actually, I don’t even have her,” he said quietly.Anastasia slowed her chewing while glancing at him briefly before shrugging. “Well, she sold her company for a ton of money. Your other daughter’s richey rich now.”Harold’s lips quirked as his tone lightened. “Are you jealous?”She snorted, waving her fork dismissively. “Why would I be? Do you know how rich my hus
Today, Anastasia accompanied Adeline to her gynaecologist appointment. She hadn’t missed a single one so far. As they looked at the sonogram, Anastasia was captivated. The baby’s features were becoming more distinct, and she could even make out the little chin which was an adorable cleft, unlike Adeline’s.Suddenly, Anastasia burst into laughter.Adeline turned to her, puzzled. “What is so funny?”“I think I just figured out the baby’s gender,” Anastasia said, grinning.Adeline quickly covered her ears. “Don’t tell me!”“Alright, I won’t,” Anastasia replied with a mischievous smile. Then, gazing at the sonogram image, she cooed, “Baby, your godmother loves you so much. You are my special little one, and I promise to love you endlessly when you are here.”The doctor while holding Adeline’s reports spoke in a serious tone. “Miss Kingsley, there is something we need to discuss.”Anastasia immediately grasped Adeline’s hand in support. The doctor continued, “You are currently in your twe
Anastasia stepped out of the doctor’s cabin her gaze met the older lady in the waiting area. She nodded politely. “Mrs. Arnello.”Delilah smiled warmly. “Anastasia, how are you, dear?”Since the last time, her behaviour towards Anastasia had turned softer as the dynamics in the Spencer family have changed. “Great,” Anastasia replied with a calm demeanour. “And you?”“I’m doing well,” Delilah said. Her tone was as gracious as ever. “I wanted to send a book to your friend. Would it be alright if I asked Ronan to pass it on to you?”Anastasia nodded thoughtfully. “That would work, or better yet, you could come to our place for tea sometime, Mrs Arnello. Adeline mentioned how much positivity she felt after speaking with you last time.”Delilah’s kind eyes turned to Adeline. “Is that so?” she asked, clearly touched.Adeline nodded with a shy smile.Delilah chuckled softly. “In that case, I won’t stand on ceremony. Girls, give me the address, and I will make sure to come for tea.”She did n
As Gideon was busy making bold declarations, a mature voice interrupted filled with amusement. “Here I was wondering where my son had wandered off to, only to find him simping over a pretty woman as usual!”Gideon turned and grabbed his mother’s hand with quite some seriousness. “Mom, I wanna marry the one who looks like Princess Jasmine!”Giovanni, his mother, glanced past her son at Anastasia who was half-hidden behind Damien. A chuckle escaped her lips as she remarked, “Son, don’t even think about that one. He cried his heart out for ten years to get her. That one is way too expensive for you.”Her gaze then shifted to Adeline who stood quietly beside Anastasia, looking slightly out of place. Giovanni’s eyes widened with recognition. “Damn, is that Adeline Kingsley in the flesh?”Adeline blinked, surprised. “You know me?”Giovanni smirked. “Girl, the whole world knows you.”Adeline smiled politely. “We have spoken over the phone. I’m Gideon’s friend.”Giovanni’s face lit up with pr
Giovanni’s voice rang out while cutting through the tension, “Don’t forget that it’s my son’s birthday. Cut the cake, go home, and then you can all deal with your relationship issues.”The chaos of the moment eased as the guests reluctantly shifted their focus, heading toward the dining area where the birthday preparations were in full swing. Ronan made his way toward the gathering in the dining room where his gaze landed on a familiar, frail figure assisting Niall with the decorations. Niall was laughing and turned to her with an easy smile. “You know, I have been your biggest fan for ages. I really like you a lot. Can’t believe we are meeting today.”Adeline smiled warmly, her eyes shining with genuine appreciation. “Thank you, Niall. That really means a lot to me.”Before she could say anything else, Gideon raised his voice carrying with that familiar demanding tone that he used with everyone. “Addy, can you give me the juice?”He was sitting on the sofa and the juice was on the d
In the washroom, Regina was bent over the sink while throwing up. Anastasia didn’t realize someone was already inside. She thought about leaving but really needed to use the toilet. Since Regina was using the sink, Anastasia quickly slipped into the toilet.When she came out, she saw Regina sitting on a stool, looking completely exhausted. Without saying a word, Anastasia pulled out a small bottle handed it to her and avoided eye contact. Regina raised an eyebrow but took the bottle but was curious about Anastasia’s sudden gesture. A faint smile tugged at her lips at the awkwardness of it all.She took a small sip and immediately felt some relief from the awful taste in her mouth. Surprised by how good it made her feel, she gulped down the rest of the liquid.“What is this?” Regina asked, her nausea easing for the first time in hours.“I experimented with some herbs,” Anastasia said simply. “I made it for Adeline because she had bad nausea all the time due to her pregnancy and so I ke
When they returned downstairs, Adeline was seated beside Anastasia, casually chatting. Without thinking, Anastasia blurted out, “Regina is pregnant.”The secret was weighing heavily on her soul. Now that she blurted it out, she could breathe. Adeline’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Wow. Who is the father?”Anastasia smirked. “Probably Abel.”Adeline’s eyes widened even more. Something was going inside her but she could neither express it nor understand it so she quickly said, “I think I ate too much cake. I need a walk in the garden.”Anastasia nodded knowingly and let her go.Adeline strolled into the cool evening air and it had the faint scent of flowers in the breeze. The moonlight painted soft shadows along the garden paths as she wandered. Suddenly, a faint voice called out, “Mom. Mom. Mom.”Startled, she stopped and looked around as her heartbeat quickened. The garden was quiet except for the rustle of leaves. No one was in sight. Brushing it off as her imagination, she walked
Adeline didn’t find anything suspicious at first while scrolling through Ronan’s phone. But then, she noticed the hidden folder option. Her heart raced as she selected it and, once again, used his face ID to unlock it.The folder opened, and Adeline froze in shock. It was packed with pictures of her—pictures that weren’t publicly available, ones she had only shared with her online friend. There were more than a thousand of them. He had saved every photo she sent, even the random ones. Not just that, but quotes she liked, screenshots of things she shared, everything was there. It was as if it was his second life that he was hiding from everyone. Her chest tightened as she scrolled through the images. A mix of emotions flooded her including anger, betrayal, and disbelief.She clicked on the social media app they used to chat back then. Two accounts were logged in. one was his personal account and the other was that she recognised. Her hands trembled as she opened the one she recognised
say we couldn’t be seen together?”Claire stood before her and said in frustration and exasperation. “I told you not to come here. What part of that didn’t you understand?”Eleanor crossed her arms defiantly. “Why can’t I come? You don’t get to lecture me about this, Claire. You have kept me locked up in that house for months! I came here on my merit.”Claire’s eyes flashed. “If I hadn’t locked you up, you would have been punished far worse. Do you have any idea what you have done? Picking a fight with Anastasia and her friend was reckless!”Eleanor rolled her eyes. “Reckless? I was standing up for myself. They are not untouchable, Claire.”Claire’s voice dropped to a sharp whisper. “You don’t understand the consequences of your actions.”Eleanor’s defiance wavered, but she masked it with a glare. “Maybe you should stop underestimating me.”Claire sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You don’t get it, do you? It’s not about underestimating you. It’s about protecting you—from your
“Abel and I are going to the courthouse tomorrow to get married. Would you like to be my witness?” Regina asked casually, as though she had just invited Anastasia for coffee. Her tone was like she and Anastasia had been a pair of best sisters all these years. Well, what was she supposed to do with the fact that Anastasia was no longer her half-sister? They shared the same parents. This made them full siblings. She had nothing to fight with this woman, right? Anastasia was annoying but she could do with it. Anastasia’s jaw dropped. “You are getting married? To Abel? And you want me to be your witness? Tell me the truth, were you smoking pot, Regina?”Regina burst out laughing. “Trust me, my life story is smoking pot.” She wiped a tear of amusement from her eye before adding, “Yes, I’m marrying Abel. He is a nice guy. I’m not looking for love. Giving a stable home to our kids before they arrive feels like the responsible thing to do. And if the marriage doesn’t last, that is okay too.
Anastasia stepped out of the banquet hall and found Regina sitting on a bench in the expansive garden of the Callahan mansion. Regina who was usually poised and sophisticated held a paper plate with a large slice of chocolate cake and was eating it with an unabashed delight that seemed out of character.For a moment, Anastasia simply stared at her but her curiosity was piqued by the rare sight.Regina’s gaze lifted and when she noticed Anastasia, she extended the plate with her used plastic fork. “Destiny was right. The birthday cake was awful, but this—” she gestured toward the cake with a satisfied sigh, “This tastes like heaven.”Anastasia raised an eyebrow.Regina grinned and said, “I walked an entire mile in these heels to get this cake from a bakery. The reviews didn’t lie. It’s worth every step.”Anastasia gaped. “You walked a mile? In those heels? Why didn’t you just tell Abel?”Regina shrugged nonchalantly. “I didn’t want to disturb him. He was with his friends. Besides, I ne
Regina replied softly, “I wish I could answer that.”Abel’s expression tightened as he whispered, “Claire isn’t your birth mother?”What on earth did he just see? Wait, she let him see this information? Did it mean, she really trust him with her life? Before he could get happy, she began saying. Regina shook her head. The DNA test had confirmed what she never imagined—Claire was not her birth mother. She didn’t know how to process it.She said, “The doctor told me there was a possibility I was adopted. Since I recently did a DNA test with my dad, I was certain that Harold is my biological father. All my life, Claire told me Harold wasn’t my father when they both knew the truth. Then suddenly, the doctor pointed out that with their blood types, they couldn’t have had a child with AB+. I was racking my brain, trying to figure it all out. Finally, I decided to test my DNA against the rest of my family.”Regina took a deep breath before continuing. “My DNA matched with my father... but, s
After the cake-cutting ceremony, Regina stood far away from the crowd when a little girl approached her with a plate full of cake slices. The girl stopped near her and said, “Hello, this is for you.”Regina looked at the little princess, who had become the apple of everyone’s eye tonight. She crouched down to the girl’s level and said, “Thank you. Did you bring this for me?”Destiny turned around and pointed at Anastasia. “Anna asked me to give cake to everyone who didn’t get any.”Regina asked, “Did you give cake to everyone?”Destiny shook her head. “No, just you.”Regina chuckled. “Thank you.” She took the cake and bit into it. “Oh, it’s delicious.”Destiny made a face and said, “No, it’s not.” Leaning closer, she whispered in Regina’s ear, “My mommy makes cakes with real sugar and cream. This one has fake sugar and cream.”Regina laughed again. The cake was low-fat and low-sugar, but since she rarely had sugar or dairy, she didn’t notice the difference. She said, “I will try a real
“Why is she here?” Anastasia asked, her voice low but sharp as her eyes fixed on Eleanor standing confidently in the hall. The nerve of that woman to show up at her house after trying to hurt her family.Damien leaned in slightly, keeping his tone casual. “She is Chris’s plus one.”Anastasia exhaled, quickly understanding the situation. “Okay. I will be on my best behaviour.”Though she wasn’t one to bow to others’ opinions, Anastasia had been making extra efforts lately. Damien’s family hadn’t fully warmed up to her, and for her husband’s sake, she was resolved to leave them with no reason to criticise. She wasn’t naturally a people-pleaser, but she knew that making peace with his relatives meant comfort for him and that mattered.Damien wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into a side hug. “My wife is always on her best behaviour. It is just other people who know how to get under her skin.”Anastasia smiled faintly, conceding, “You are not wrong.”He chuckled, then flagged down a
The sound of laughter and clinking glasses filled the air as more guests arrived and the mansion came alive with enthusiasm of the guests. Abel walked alongside Regina, his hand resting lightly on her lower back for support. She looked radiant in a sleek black evening gown, her poise and grace masking any signs of her pregnancy. Her heels clicked softly against the marble floor, commanding attention with every step.“If you are not feeling well, we can leave,” Abel said, his tone laced with concern. His eyes lingered on her, searching for any sign of discomfort.“I’m fine, Abel,” Regina reassured him with a faint smile. Despite her visible effort to appear composed, Abel remained unconvinced.“You have been pushing yourself too hard,” he pressed. “I don’t want you getting sick again.”Regina’s gaze softened as she turned to him. She understood his worry as the past month had been challenging. Her health had taken a toll, resulting his mother to insist she stay with them until she rega
Grandmother sighed and said, “They didn’t listen to us when we didn’t want them to get married. They went ahead and did it anyway. Now, when we ask them to marry, they are ignoring us again.”Suddenly, Adeline added while trying to get under someone’s skin, “What about having the ceremony on their wedding anniversary?”Claire and Carolyn shot Adeline sharp looks but Grandmother seemed pleased by the idea. “That sounds like a nice idea,” she said eagerly.Damien and Anastasia exchanged glances before responding, “We will give you an answer soon.”Grandmother nodded, a hopeful smile on her face. “Hopefully, it will be a good answer.”At that moment, there was a bit of commotion in the party and a maid quietly whispered into the old lady’s ear, “Mr. Callahan is here.”The old lady’s eyes sparkled as she turned to see her son entering the room, accompanied by his wife and daughter. He looked just as he had ten years ago. Perhaps even more cheerful now. His presence was as captivating as e
It was the 80th birthday of Matriarch Callahan, and dignitaries from across the globe had flown in to celebrate the grand occasion. The weight of organizing such a significant gala rested on the capable shoulders of Damien and Anastasia, leaving them with no room for error.In the backseat of the luxury car, Claire sat poised like the picture-perfect wife, adorned in the finest clothes and glittering jewels. Her carefully composed demeanour, however, was a façade.Harold glanced at her sternly. “Be on your best behaviour tonight.”If not for the important gala tonight, she would still be in the lock-up at Spencer's house. He could not come to Anastasia’s in-law's house without his picture-perfect wife by his side. This would raise questions among people of their high society. Claire pouted, leaning toward him in offence. “Hubby, don’t you trust me?”He didn’t hesitate. “Not after what you did to Regina. No.”Her expression hardened but she quickly masked it with a fake smile. “I was