"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
“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
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
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
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
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
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
"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
Regina was lying in her hospital bed, feeling weak and confused, when the door suddenly opened. She looked up and saw someone entering, her heart racing with worry. “What are you doing here?” she asked in a panicked voice, her mind racing with questions.Did he knew that she was pregant? She was suddenly so concerned about her secret. Abel, looking concerned, walked over to her bedside. “Why are you here? What happened to you? Are you okay?” he asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.Regina's eyes narrowed as she met his gaze. “Why are you here?” she repeated, still in shock.Abel hesitated for a moment before answering. “I was just worried about you,” he said. “Damien told me that you were hospitalised, that someone tried to hurt you. Who did this? I swear, I’m going to beat that woman black and blue.” His anger was evident as he spoke, his fists clenching at the thought of anyone hurting her.Regina, frustrated and exhausted, responded sharply. “It was my mother.”Abel stared
"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