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. Bit by bit, I’ll strip away every ounce of happiness you have left. You may have set the terms and conditions for this marriage, but I’ll be the one who walks away unscathed. You’ll find yourself tangled in your own web of schemes, Anastasia Spencer. His eyes gleamed with silent determination and fury as he watched the brief flash of pain in her eyes and he felt a small victory in their unspoken game. An hour later, the car rolled through the gates of a luxurious mansion. The moment it stopped, Damien stepped out without even sparing a glance in her direction. The door slammed shut behind him leaving Anna sitting alone in the backseat. Jack, who had been sitting quietly in the passenger seat, quickly stepped out and opened the door for her. He didn't know why but he felt slightly bad for her. She gave him a small sad smile and murmured, “Thank you.” As Anna walked into the mansion, she was met with an overwhelming coldness. The place was lavishly decorated and every inch of it was oozing wealth and status yet it felt completely lifeless and barren. It reminded her too much of the Spencer mansion which was grand and adorned with every luxury imaginable but devoid of any warmth or soul. It was as if the house hadn't witnessed a caress of human love and care and she made a remainder to change it. A wave of loneliness washed over her as she stood in the vast and empty space. As Anna reached the living room, she found Damien standing stiffly while facing a woman whose expressions were showing both seething anger and disgust. Anastasia recognized her instantly and it was not one else but Damien’s mother. She noticed how the woman had not changed much over the years and was still exuding the same stern, cold and calculative presence. “What are you doing here, Mother?” Damien asked, his voice was sharp. The woman was dressed in a pristine business suit with a pearl necklace resting elegantly on her neck. She wanted to ignore the woman standing behind her son but as her glance fell on the ridiculous wedding dress that she was wearing, she felt fury burning inside her. She casted Anna a disdainful glance. The disgust in her eyes was apparent and she didn’t bother to hide it before turning back to her son with an air of cold calmness. "I should be asking you that, Damien," she retorted. "What do you think you are doing? You are set to be engaged to Regina in a week and yet, here you are bringing another woman into your house. Have you no shame?" Damien’s face hardened. “My life is none of your concern.” His mother smirked, showing an icy and condescending expression. “Oh, but it is. Who you marry is the Callahan family’s business. Your grandmother decided you would marry Regina. We don’t care about your personal matters. Keep your mistresses separate from our business, and we will tolerate whatever else you do.” With barely concealed sarcasm, Damien replied, “Right. I’ll be sure to contact Father for his advice.” A vein throbbing visibly on Mrs Callahan’s forehead and she raised her hand as if to slap Damien. But at the last second, she glanced at Anna and with a scoff of disgust, she stormed out of the room. As she was leaving, her heels were echoing angrily behind her. Damien sat onto the couch, visibly distressed. He rubbed his temple in frustration. Anna could not watch him in distress and moved closer to console him. Her voice was soft as she asked, “Damien, are you okay?” But his response was immediate and cruel. “Stay away from me!” he snapped. Startled by the sharpness of his tone, she stepped back and her hand dropped helplessly. She should have known better that he would never accept help from her out of all people. "Mrs. Luna!" Damien called. “Yes, Master?” A middle-aged woman hurried into the room. “Show Miss Anna to her room,” he ordered. Without another word, Anna followed the woman, glancing back only once at Damien who remained on the couch, looking very angry. Later, Jack returned to inform him, “Sir, Madam has reached home.” Damien simply nodded, his mind elsewhere. Moments after Jack left, his phone buzzed. A text from his mother appeared on the screen: Damien, I don’t want to control your life. You are my only child, and I care for you. That woman is going to hurt you again. Do not forget how she broke you all those years ago. She’s back because she wants something from you, not because she loves you. Please, don’t let her take advantage of you. Damien’s jaw tightened as the words hit him. Suddenly, images from the past began to flash in his mind. All the moments of pain, betrayal, and everything that had shattered between him and Anna all those years ago.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
Since they had stayed up late, neither had breakfast in the morning. Damien woke up and came downstairs around lunchtime. He seemed to be waiting for someone when Mrs. Luna served him his meal. Noticing that he hadn’t started eating, she asked, “Master, is the food not to your liking? Shall I cook something else for you?”Damien looked around, appearing a bit distracted. “No, no, the food is fine.” He began to poke at his meal with his fork.After a moment, Mrs. Luna spoke again. “Master, I forgot to mention that Madam told me to inform you that she went out and will be back for dinner.” She hesitated, as though there was more to say.Did he believe that Anna was this polite and kind? Nope. She was a big troublemaker. She does not say, she orders. She was tiny but god so bossy! Damien glanced up. “Mrs. Luna, what were her exact words?”Mrs Luna paused, her lips twitching with the hint of a smile before she hesitantly quoted, “She said, 'Tell Damien to have his meal on time and wait fo
As Anna had promised Damien she would be home by dinner, she made sure to be there on time. She asked Mrs. Luna, "Is Damien coming for dinner?" Mrs. Luna replied, "Master is in his study. He mentioned having an important conference scheduled. He might be a little late, but he'll be here."Anna smiled. "Okay, I will wait for him."Mrs. Luna then noticed Anna’s appearance. "Madam, how did you hurt yourself?" Anna was wearing a pink summer dress with spots of blood on it. "Your forehead is bruised. Why didn’t you go to the doctor? Please, sit here. Let me take care of it." She guided Anna to a chair and went to get the first aid kit. Mrs. Luna cleaned the wound and seeing it wasn’t too deep, she applied some medicine and a bandage. She treated Anna so gently that all the emotions Anna had been holding back throughout the day, especially the hurt from the Spencer family and their treatment came spilling out in hot and fat tears.Mrs. Luna asked, "Madam, is it hurting?"Anna cleared her st
“Mr. Callahan, do you want to make any changes to the final draft? We will make an announcement and start accepting applications,” The director of the Public Relations department said.Damien was in a meeting with all the shareholders. The company usually holds a contest every three years.this contest/ competition was called Scarlet Hearts and it was one of the biggest event of the comologrete as it was no less than a tradition for them. In this contest, Callahan Comologerete’s fashion house, the largest jewelry company in the country, collaborates with various companies to launch a collection that is only released once every three years. Along with this, they sign an exclusive contract with the winner for the following three years. This tradition had been in place since Damien’s grandfather started Scarlet Hearts, a jewelry brand under the comolegrate.Every department had been working for the past two months to prepare for this contest. In today's meeting, they were set to make the
When the meeting ended, Damien and Abel arrived back to the company office and were also accompanied by Rowan. As they approached the lobby, they noticed Regina standing at the reception while filling out a form. Damien paused as she turned her head to look at them suddenly. Among the three friends, Rowan had always shared a closer bond with Regina and seeing her here made him happy instantly.“Hey, what are you doing here?” Rowan greeted her as his face lighting up with a wide smile.Regina responded softly, her gaze lingering on Damien for a moment. “I am here to apply for the competition.”“That is great!” Rowan exclaimed. “I’m certain you will win this! Your company is already doing fantastic work.” He turned towards Damien, his enthusiasm was at peak. “You already know the winner, Damien.”Damien simply stood there while saying nothing and maintaining his neutral expression. Abel stepped in with his curious and a little playful tone. “Regina, I don’t understand you. In this age o
Behind Damien, Rowan and Abel were also standing and observing the scene. Rowan did not acknowledge Anna’s presence, and turned to Abel. "I’m getting late," he muttered, "See you soon."Once Rowan left, Abel stepped closer to Anna, his face brightening with a smile. "It’s great seeing you, partner." He enveloped her in a warm hug and added, "How long has it been? Almost a decade since we last met?"Anna returned the hug, her eyes softened at his old and kind attitude. "How are you, Abel?" she asked.Abel shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, I’m just surviving." He then gestured toward the door. "Care to join your old friend for a coffee?"Anna nodded without hesitation.They found themselves in a coffee shop nearby and sat at a secluded corner table. It had been years since they had seen each other. As they sipped their coffee, Anna said, "What’s up with Rowan?"Abel let out a long sigh, shaking his head. "Same old drama," he said. "Regina is still chasing Damien, and Damien, despite everythi
“Damien Callahan! Get out of my room!” Damien snapped out of his stupor, still looking at her. His reaction was slow and dazed. She grabbed a pillow from the bed and threw it at him.“Get out!” She screamed.“Yeah…” Damien muttered as he walked out of the room, still in a daze.She quickly locked the door behind him, leaving Damien standing outside while he blinked in confusion. As he leaned against the wall, his mind unwillingly replayed what he had just seen. Her wet hair was framing her face while a droplet of water was trailing from the tip of her nose to her plump lips, before sliding down her chin, her neck and finally coming to rest on the curve of her chest. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. In high school, she had always been beautiful, but now she looked like Aphrodite herself. A warmth spread through his body, making him suddenly uncomfortable in his own skin. He tugged at his tie and unbuttoned his shirt collar, feeling the heat rising in him. He needed ai
Damien asked, shocked, “What happened to Harold?”Jack replied, “He suffered a stroke. His condition is serious.”“Is Claire there?” Damien asked urgently.“Not yet, but the butler is. Claire has been informed and will be arriving soon,” Jack explained.Damien’s tone turned sharp. “Jack, get Harold out of the house as soon as possible. Don’t let Claire catch wind of it. Until she arrives, the butler has the authority to assist you. Once she’s there, she’ll take control. Warn the butler that this is all part of Claire’s grand plan. To eliminate Harold and seize everything. She is already plotting against Regina and Anna.”“Understood, sir. I will take care of it,” Jack assured him.When Damien ended the call, he turned to find Asher who was standing nearby and observing him quietly.Before Damien could talk to his eldest son, Darcy entered the room, followed closely by Summer who was carrying a sleeping Destiny. Despite the late hour, the couple had arrived, uncalled but concerned.Dam
While Ronan, Adeline, and Abel were at the hospital, Damien found himself pacing back and forth in the living room. He had been trying to contact Anastasia, but now her phone was switched off. She had been keeping him updated on the situation but with no recent word, his worry began to grow.“Dad, Rio is crying,” Maxey said softly, tugging at Damien’s sleeve.Damien turned quickly, his thoughts momentarily interrupted. “Oh…” he muttered, glancing toward the baby.As he turned, he noticed Asher holding Rio in his arms, while gently rocking him. To Damien’s surprise, Asher was singing the lullaby that Anastasia usually sang to soothe the baby. His voice was sweet and homely and before long, Rio’s cries quieted as he drifted off to sleep.Damien smiled faintly at the sight, feeling both pride and heartache.“Dad, when will Mom come home?” Asher asked, his voice filled with worry. “Is everything okay?”Damien ruffled his son’s hair, trying to reassure him. “Everything’s okay, kiddo,” he s
Anna made sure all the exits around the hospital were blocked. She was determined to stop anyone from escaping, especially since she was certain the kidnapper hadn’t left and the missing baby was still inside the building.She didn’t waste any time and searched every corner of the hospital. She checked rooms, hallways, and storage areas, leaving nothing untouched. The guards were also running around, doing their best to find the child, but no one seemed to have any luck.As Anna moved through the hospital, she noticed a nurse heading toward the terrace, holding a cigarette packet. The nurse tried to open the door but found it locked.“That’s strange,” the nurse muttered. “Why is the terrace door locked? It’s never locked.”Anna’s instincts kicked in. Something felt off. She walked up to the door and tried opening it herself, but it wouldn’t budge. The lock was solid and the door wouldn’t move. Without hesitation, she decided to break it open.She hurried downstairs to find something h
On Adeline’s side, Damien called her to come to his place immediately with her son. She was already en route when Ronan sent her an SOS with his location. Her brows furrowed at the odd message, but her heart pounded with unease. When she tried calling him, his phone was switched off.Dropping Rio off at Damien’s place, Adeline wasted no time. With her security team in tow, she headed to the location Ronan had sent. It was a private property on the outskirts of New York. The urgency of the situation made her call Delilah to arrange for a chopper to get her there faster.As they landed, her bodyguards secured the perimeter and began a thorough search of the property. Room by room, they swept through until Adeline finally found Ronan.He was lying on a bed. His body filled with discomfort as a naked woman attempted to climb on him. He was intoxicated but was still trying to push her away. Adeline’s blood boiled at the sight, but she forced herself to keep her calm.“Record this,” she or
Regina couldn’t make sense of what was happening. How could it be Fiona? She had been living here for months and hadn’t even recognized her own mother.“Regina!” Anastasia screamed as Regina stumbled against a table and fell to the ground.Both Anastasia and Fiona rushed to her side, helping her to the sofa.“Are you okay?” Anastasia asked, panic evident in her voice.Dazed, Regina nodded.“You hit the table so hard! And you are heavily pregnant. I’m not taking any chances,” Anastasia said, her fear mounting.“Anna, I’m fine,” Regina reassured her.But Anastasia didn’t listen. She quickly called Damien. “Please come to Regina and Abel’s place right away. And increase security around our house.”“Is everything alright?” Damien asked, his concern clear.“Damien, my mom is alive. She is here with me. I need you to come over and make sure she is safe while I look after Regina,” Anastasia said, her voice trembling. “Please, hurry.”When Damien arrived, he was stunned to see Fiona. Anastasi
Abel’s voice over the call was filled with concern. “Hey, Anastasia. Can you please check on Regina for me? I’m out of state for a meeting. She is not answering my calls, and my housekeeper is on leave.”There was a pause before he added, almost apologetically, “I know it is asking a lot, but I’m really getting stressed about her.”Anastasia’s tone was calm and reassuring. “It is not a big deal, Abel. I will go check on her.”“Thank you. I really appreciate it. I have to get back. I called you in the middle of a meeting,” he said hurriedly before ending the call.Anastasia smiled softly after hanging up. Lately, Abel had become incredibly attentive and caring toward Regina. With her due date approaching, it was natural for him to worry, especially when she didn’t pick up the phone. She admired how much effort he was putting into making sure Regina felt supported.“Maxey,” Anastasia called out, intending to get her youngest to join her.Instead of Ashton, Asher appeared in the doorway
Damien and Anastasia lay tangled under the sheet as the afterglow of their passionate love-making session still lingered. He pressed a gentle kiss to the smooth curve of her shoulder and a quiet hum of satisfaction left her lips in response.“Who knew that kids making love would be such an adventure,” Anastasia murmured, her voice filled with exhaustion.Damien chuckled. “I hope for a decade none of them discover sex.”Anastasia rolled her eyes. “Come on, let’s not forget about us. We started pretty early. Thank God our parents never knew.”Damien’s grin was mischievous as he pulled her in for a slow kiss. “I missed you all day,” he whispered. Anastasia smirked, “Oh yeah? I heard the laughter downstairs. I know you were having fun with the boys. Did you even have the chance to miss me?”It warmed her heart to no end that their lives had changed for the better and now it was filled with so much love. This was the family that she never knew she needed. But now that she had it, everythi
As Mrs. Luna served Asher’s breakfast, it was noticeably different from everyone else’s. Since Asher loved animals so much that he couldn’t bear the thought of eating meat, the family wholeheartedly respected his choice and ensured he was only served vegetarian meals.“Jellybean, your dad told me about your plans for the day. Are you excited?” Anastasia asked with a warm smile.“Yeah,” Asher replied, though his tone carried a mix of emotions. Glancing at his younger brother, he added, “Maxey isn’t learning to ride a bicycle?”“Nope!” Ashton grinned cheekily. “I asked Mommy if I could skip it, and she said yes.”Asher turned toward Damien with a frown. “That’s not fair!”Damien shrugged with a smirk. “Sorry, buddy. He pulled the Mommy card today, and you know how it is, she is the boss.”Asher rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed.Anastasia leaned in, her tone encouraging. “I know by the end of the day, you will be riding like a pro. We are all rooting for you.”Breakfast was casual an
Many times, blood does not define relationships. Anastasia understood this better than anyone, and now Damien was living this truth as well.When Asher and Ashton were brought to their new home, they were awestruck. It took them an entire month to come to terms with the reality of their new life. Accepting Anastasia and Damien as their parents wasn’t easy, but all four of them were working hard to build a family together.It was the weekend. The boys had recently been enrolled in a new school and adjusting to the fast-paced curriculum of an international private school had been challenging for them. However, their parents were fully committed to helping them succeed.Despite it being a holiday, Damien woke the kids up early.Asher, the older of the two, groaned. “Do I really have to get up?”Though he was respectful to Anastasia and Damien, Asher had a frosty demeanour—his coldness rivalled that of Antarctica.“Yes, you do,” Damien said firmly. “We agreed that today you would learn ho