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Fool me once

Author: TanuS
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-21 23:37:34

Carolyn called Damien while they were on their way to their mansion. He wasn’t surprised to hear from his mother as she had been bombarding him with messages insisting that he needed to to return to normal. Carolyn was not a risk-taker and she believed that Harold still posed a threat to the Callahan family. While the Spencer conglomerate remained powerful, it was merely a shell of its former self. The Callahans had gained considerable prominence over the last ten years and would not be ruined by Harold Spencer just like that.

If Harold decided to wage a war with him, both of them would get brutually wounded.

Damien could tell that his mother was making a bigger deal out of the situation which had left his grandmother quite concerned. He understood the ins and outs of what was happening. His grandmother didn’t have much knowledge about the shifts in power during these years but Carolyn was leveraging the situation to her advantage. If she wanted him to marry Regina, she needed to cre
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  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    Traditions

    “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

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  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    Real and fake daughter

    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

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  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    The Secret

    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

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  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    The Next Time

    "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

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  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    A Child

    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

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  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    A Guest at home

    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

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  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    A New Responsibility

    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

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  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    Scheme

    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

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Latest chapter

  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    Shattered

    A round of applause echoed through the courthouse as Regina and Abel signed the marriage certificates, officially becoming husband and wife. Anastasia and Ronan served as witnesses, while Adeline and Damien stood by, offering their unwavering moral support.After the formalities, the celebratory mood carried the group to the Smith House, where Abel’s parents had arranged an intimate party for family and close friends. Glasses were raised high as everyone toasted. “To Abel and Regina!” Mr. Smith beamed with pride, his voice filled with emotion. “I have never been happier than I am today, seeing my son start this new chapter.”Mrs. Smith leaned into her husband with a playful smile. “Well, except for the day when we got married.”The crowd laughed as they were charmed by the couple’s banter.Damien added. “Honestly, I still can’t wrap my head around it. Abel—married? And about to be a father? It feels like we have stepped into an alternate reality.”Ronan smirked, adding his two cents

  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    Twenty Eight Years Ago

    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

  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    Getting Married

    “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.

  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    Nature of relationship

    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

  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    well, the truth.

    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

  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    What just happened?

    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

  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    Lost or found her mind

    “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

  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    Lunatic spotted

    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

  • Contract Marriage: The Billionaire's First Love    Wreck Havoc

    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

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