“Anastasia, what are your plans for the future?” Madam Callahan asked. “You are participating in the Scarlet Hearts. I talked to Edward Wright recently and he was of all talks of you. You seemed to have impressed him.” Anastasia did not understand if Damien’s grandmother was praising her genuinely or had an ulterior motive. “I plan to work for the company I am still working in,” Anastasia answered. “Why should you work for someone else’s company? Your father has his own company. Should you not contribute to family?” Madam Callahan said. “That is my father’s company,” Anastasia said. “And I am a designer. What can I possibly do there? The field I am interested in is already managed by his step-daughter. I have no intentions of touching it.” “Why don’t you work for our company?” Madam Callahan asked. “Mom!” Carolyn whispered. Anastasia looked at Damien and answered, “I am happy where I am at the moment.” When the dinner ended, the conversation followed to the living room. A maid
The day after Anastasia and Damien returned from his house, she received an unexpected call. It was from her father who was asking her to come home for a meeting. She refused, saying she wouldn’t go back to his house but was willing to meet him elsewhere. Her father, Harold, then asked her to come to his office.Drressd in an elegant skirt and matching blouse from the collection Adeline and Lovelina had picked for her, Anastasia made her way to the office. As she waited in the lobby, Harold’s assistant came down to escort her."Miss Spencer, you can go ahead," the assistant said, holding the door open for her.Anastasia knocked, and upon hearing Harold's voice, she stepped inside. To her surprise, several men were already seated in the room. She greeted her father and nodded politely at the others."And who is this?" one of the men, who appeared to be around Harold's age, asked."That's my daughter," Harold responded."Oh, it’s Regina?" another man asked, frowning in confusion.Before
Harold couldn’t bear to see her cry anymore. It was giving him a headache. Big tears streamed down her cheeks and her nose had turned red and ugly from all the weeping. She looked utterly pathetic."Enough!" Harold snapped, his patience reducing each second.She looked up at him as her sobs filled the silence between them.“Regina was in danger because of Damien,” Harold said sharply. “Her name is linked to him in the media. If they find out that you are married to him, it will create a huge scandal and our family’s reputation will be affected.”Anastasia waited for him to continue. “I will wage a war against Damien, Anastasia. He openly disrespected me by hurting Regina and marrying you without my permission. You know better than anyone that I have the power to ruin Damien Callahan!” She stared at him, feeling the weight of his words. She knew he wasn’t bluffing, his ego was as vast as the ocean, and he would destroy anyone who dared to cross him. Though she didn’t want to cause any
"Where are you?" Damien’s voice came through the phone just as Anastasia stepped outside her father’s office.She was looking around for a taxi since her car was still at Adeline's. She hadn’t had time to pick it up as she had rushed over to meet her father. “I’m outside my father’s office,” she replied.“Wait there,” Damien said. “I will pick you up.”“It’s okay,” she replied, not wanting to inconvenience him. “I can manage.”But Damien wasn’t having it. “How? By taxi? Your car’s still at Adeline’s. I sent someone to retrieve it. Just wait five minutes; I will be there.”As he hung up, she realized it would take him at least half an hour to get here, more if traffic was bad. Yet, exactly five minutes later, a sleek car pulled up in front of her.Anastasia’s lips pressed into a faint smile. This man… he already knew she was here, didn’t he?Of course, he had a team of invisible guards following her everywhere. The car door opened and she climbed inside and turned to see Damien sittin
Inside the car, Anastasia took the pill and drank some water from Damien's bottle.“Will it be effective?” he asked, concern etching his features.“We will find out in a week,” she replied casually. Her period was due then and it would be clear if she was pregnant or not.“What if it doesn’t work?” Damien pressed, the worry evident in his voice. She turned to him with a playful smirk. “Then the poor Damien Callahan will be burdened with a child.”He quickly defended, “Children are never a burden.”“Unless they are unwanted and unplanned,” she shot back, raising an eyebrow.He countered, “If you get pregnant, would you consider our child unwanted?”Anastasia studied him, realizing he had a tendency to make everything personal. For some reason, he was overly emotional and sensitive almost as if he was the girl of the relationship. Sometimes, it felt like she was the one trying to be rational while he was the one who always sees things emotionally and sentimentally. It was not bad but
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
"Regina!"Abel’s voice cracked as he rushed to his wife, wrapping his arms around her the moment her eyes fluttered open. He had dreamed of this moment. Heck, even prayed for it, but now that she was finally awake, the reality felt almost too cruel to bear.For weeks, he had watched over her lifeless form, hoping against hope. And in those weeks, everything had fallen apart. Too many things had gone wrong. Too much had changed.But as he held her, Regina stiffened. Her hands pushed against his chest, her brows furrowing in confusion."What's wrong with you?" she demanded, looking at him like an outsider. Her voice carried no warmth, only suspicion. "Why are you hugging me like this?"Abel pulled back while searching her face, but all he found was cold detachment and the same distant, disdainful expression she had once reserved for him."Why are you looking at me like that?" he whispered, his heart pounding.Regina ignored his question, her gaze shifting around the hospital room, takin
Anna’s voice dropped to a whisper. "Something is missing. Something I don’t know yet. A piece that doesn’t fit. Regina worshipped her mother, and yet, suddenly, she named me as the guardian of her children in case of her and her husband’s death. Why? She hated me to me death." Her eyes narrowed. "There is something deeper at play, and I need you to find out what it is."Damien nodded. "I will get on it."Anna took a deep breath before revealing the most critical information. "And there is something even more important. The drug that Claire injected Regina with, I managed to steal a sample of her blood and sent it to a lab for testing."Damien’s grip tightened on her arms. "And?""The results came back. The drug has severe side effects. If Regina wakes up, there is a high chance she will suffer from amnesia. The extent of it is unpredictable, as she might lose all her memories or have selective amnesia. It depends on how her body reacts to it."Damien added. "Her pregnancy already weak
"What are you doing?" Lisa tried to ask without letting her voice tremble.Damien’s arm snaked around her waist while pulling her close with effortless ease. A smirk tugged at his lips as he whispered, "What do you think?"She stiffened, placing her hands on his chest to push him away. "You are a married man. Stay away from me."His grip didn’t loosen. Instead, he tilted his head as his eyes gleamed with mischief. "Am I?"Lisa’s breath hitched. "I know that you are.""Then tell me why I can’t seem to stay away from you," he murmured, his breath warm against her ear.Her pulse quickened as she tried to hold her ground. "Your wife won’t appreciate this."A deep chuckle rumbled in his chest. "Oh, I don’t think she will mind me having you."That was the last straw."Ouch!" Damien groaned as she elbowed him hard in the stomach. He staggered back, clutching his side."You jerk! You absolute asshole!" she fumed, eyes blazing. "I disappear for a few days, and you’re already out here seducing
"Dad, where are you going?" Ashton asked, watching Damien adjust his cufflinks in the mirror. He and Asher were sprawled across their father’s bed, clearly in no mood to move.Damien glanced at them with a small sigh. "I told you, there is a business event at Callahan Mansion. I have to be there." He walked over and ruffled Ashton’s hair. "I'm sorry, kiddo. I promised to spend more time with you tonight.""It's okay," Ashton mumbled, though his expression said otherwise.Damien exhaled, guilt settling in his chest. "Come on, both of you. I will drop you off at your Aunt Adeline’s place. I will pick you up in the morning."Ashton frowned. "Why morning?"Before Damien could answer, Asher spoke up. "Because he doesn’t want to disturb our sleep."Ashton shook his head. "Why can’t we just stay here?" His voice was quieter now, almost hesitant. "I don’t wanna leave this bed… It smells like Mom and you. I miss her. I just wanna stay here."Damien felt something tighten in his chest at his so
Damien was in his office, reviewing a contract, when the door swung open with force. His mother, Carolyn, stormed in, her face tight with frustration. Without a word, she threw a file onto his desk. The papers spilled out before him. Damien leaned back in his chair and exhaled slowly, glancing up at her with extra patience. “What now, Mother?”His life was a mess, and he had no time to get involved in his mother's shenanigans. Carolyn crossed her arms, her voice sharp with accusation. “Look at this mess, Damien! How are we supposed to clean it up? The media is calling Scarlet Heart jinxed! Do you realise what this means? This was probably the last year we would be hosting the contest, and now, thanks to this disaster, the beautiful legacy of our ancestors has been ruined!”Damien flipped through the file absently, already aware of the media storm surrounding the contest. “Mother, it’s not in our hands,” he said evenly. Actually, every event comes with good or bad media attention. Al
Claire sat at the head of the grand mahogany desk as her manicured fingers tapped rhythmically against the polished surface. There was a sharp glint in her eyes that was far colder.She glanced at Lisa, who stood near the door, her posture as hesitant as ever. “There is a meeting with our new partners at eleven,” Claire announced. She leaned back, crossing one leg over the other, a sly smirk playing at her lips. “There may be resistance from Callahan Industries and their allies. But it’s pathetic, really. Damien and his supporters are too few. They’ll be nothing more than an annoyance. I can easily crush them by reinforcing my alliances.”Claire reached for the crystal glass of wine beside her, swirling the deep red liquid before taking a slow sip. Her voice dropped to a murmur. “All I need to do is play the part of the grieving, pitiful wife one whose daughters are missing and she is broken by her own tragedy. People love a helpless woman. They eat it up.” She set the glass down and
Claire was on the phone when she snapped, her voice sharp with frustration. “Where the hell are you?”Her assistant, Lance, responded carefully, “Madam, I was handling Miss Scuderi’s case. I went to appease her as you instructed, but she didn’t take it well. She threw whatever was on the table at me. I’m at the hospital now, getting treated for a head injury.”Claire’s expression darkened. “What did you just say?”“A head injury. Courtesy of Miss Scuderi,” Lance repeated, his voice filled with pain. “The police have tightened her restrictions. She is now in a stricter cell, and she isn’t allowed to meet anyone without being chained.”Claire inhaled slowly, forcing herself to stay composed. Eleanor was only making things worse for herself. And yet, as her mother, Claire couldn’t help but be concerned. But there was nothing she could do. Especially not without jeopardizing everything she had built.She had spent nearly thirty years plotting to take over the Spencer empire. She wouldn’t
“Daddy?” Ashton called out as Damien entered the house, exhausted from another long day searching for his wife.“What is it, Maxey?” Damien asked, kneeling to his son’s level.Ashton frowned. “Grandma is stuffing Bro with so much food. She treats him like a pet like he is her dog or something. She won’t let him out of her sight. It’s unbearable to watch.”Concern flashed across Damien’s face as he rushed to the dining room, where Fiona was insistently trying to feed Asher another plate of food. The boy looked pale, clearly struggling to eat more. Damien hurried over as he gently took the plate from Fiona’s hands.“Fiona, if you keep feeding Asher like this, he will fall sick,” he warned very softly. “If he gets sick, he will end up in the hospital like Regina. Do you want that?”Fiona blinked in confusion, trying to process his words. After a moment, she quickly set the plate aside. Instead, she turned her attention to Ashton, now running her fingers through his hair and fussing over
Eleanor clutched the prison phone tightly, her voice sharp with desperation. "You have to get me out of here!" she shouted. Her disgrace was all over the media as she was caught naked while attempting to assault a man, high on drugs. Her politician father was struggling to contain the fallout, his career hanging by a thread. With nowhere else to turn, she called Claire, her biological mother."Can you be patient?" Claire's voice was cold. "I warned you not to do anything stupid. I told you I would help you get Ronan, but look at you now. Stay put for a few days. My PR team is handling it. You'll be fine, just keep quiet.""I don’t want to be here!" Eleanor screamed. "The Arnello family is trying to kill me! That bitch is everywhere, I see her all the time! Why won’t you come and get me? I know you can. Take me out of here, or I’ll die!"Claire sighed, rubbing her temples. "I can’t deal with more problems, Nora. Just sit tight and be quiet. I have two other headaches. one’s missing, an