"Addy?" Anastasia asked with a grin.Adeline’s face lit up as she grinned back. "I’m ready."With that, the two of them took Destiny to Adeline’s new house, where the fun truly began. For the next few hours, they turned the house into a magical princess paradise. There were tiaras, balloons, and sparkles everywhere. Destiny couldn’t stop giggling as her laughter filled the room as she bounced from one princess game to the next. Cake, toys, and more fun followed, creating a dream come true for little Destiny. Adeline couldn’t help but join in while smiling and laughing with her. But after hours of excitement, even the liveliest of princesses needed rest. Destiny, completely worn out, curled up on the couch and finally fell asleep along with a tired and very pregnant Adeline.Anastasia had other plans.Summer had sent Destiny’s nanny and bodyguard along to make sure she was always safe and well cared for. But Anastasia wasn’t about to let the fun end just yet. She carefully picked up the
"Go and hug your big brother," Anastasia said, her voice filled with warmth.Destiny hesitated for a moment as her tiny feet were shuffling uncertainly. But when she saw the excitement in Anastasia’s eyes, she couldn’t hold back. She threw her arms wide open with a huge smile lighting up her face and without wasting another second, she ran straight to Damien who quickly stood up from his chair with his arms ready to embrace her.As Destiny reached him, she leapt into his arms and he bent down to scoop her up while holding her close. The soft, sweet scent of baby shampoo filled his nose and in that moment, Damien was overwhelmed with emotions. His heart swelled and his eyes welled up with unexpected tears. He didn’t know why, but holding his little sister in his arms made him feel a joy he hadn’t realized he had been missing.He pulled her tightly against his neck while savouring the moment.Destiny was still holding his face gently in her small hands as she stared at him with those bi
Anastasia reminded him a while later, “We have to take her back to her parents. Don’t forget that it’s her birthday today.”Damien mumbled, “Can’t we fight her father for custody? We could raise her.”Anastasia laughed. “Oh, baby… we can’t. She will need her parents when the ‘big brother rush’ wears off.”Damien muttered, “Fine.”After a while, he asked, “Shall we take her to see Caleb? He will be very upset if he finds out we spent the whole day with Destiny and didn’t even take him to meet his little sister.”Anastasia nodded. “You are right, but he is at the old mansion. How can we take Destiny there?”Damien asked, “Why can’t we?”“Your mom and grandmother... What if they say something bad about the little girl? It’s her birthday. I don’t want to hurt her,” Anastasia said.Damien replied, “They wouldn’t dare!”After some time, they reached the Callahan mansion. The staff was shocked to see Damien carrying a little girl inside, along with Anastasia. When the old madam found out tha
The old woman swiftly manoeuvred her wheelchair toward the group while shooing away the brats. “Go away!” she barked. Then, her demeanour shifted dramatically. Grabbing Destiny’s hand, she turned syrupy sweet, her voice dripping with exaggerated affection. “Oh, my princess! Your dad is such a terrible man! How could he hide my precious grandchild from me? A girl! A girl from the Callahan family! And so beautiful just like your grandma.” She wailed dramatically, tears threatening to spill. “Oh, how I missed you!”Anastasia stood frozen completely stunned at the dramatics that the old lady displayed.Destiny, visibly uncomfortable, glanced around for help and murmured, “Big brother…”Damien leaned down and said gently, “Des Des, this is our grandma. Go on, greet her properly.”Destiny hesitated but eventually said, “Hello, Grandma.”The old woman’s tears began to flow. “That horrible man! He kept my granddaughter from me all this time! My precious granddaughter!”Feeling sorry for her, D
"Let's talk, son," Darcy said again as they stood in the quiet garden. The cool evening air surrounded them but the silence between them was heavy. He watched his son while knowing Damien wouldn’t speak first. With a sigh, he decided to start.Damien looked at him, distantly. "What is there to talk about?" he asked, his voice flat, carrying both irritation and curiosity.Darcy held his gaze. "A lot, Damien. There is a lot we need to talk about."Damien folded his arms. "Like what?"Darcy sighed with both sadness and frustration. "Like why you won’t answer my calls, my messages, my letters, like nothing. You have been ignoring me for years. Don’t I deserve to know why?"Damien stayed quiet, his face giving nothing away. Deep down, he felt a small pang of guilt, but he pushed it aside. He had avoided his father for almost ten years, keeping their paths from crossing. Facing Darcy meant facing old pain and he wasn’t ready to deal with it. He was just trying to protect his heart by hurtin
"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
“Mrs. Spencer, Miss Spencer is back.”Claire’s sharp gaze flickered toward the housekeeper, her fingers stilling over the rim of her teacup. The words sent a ripple through her carefully composed demeanour, but she did not let it show.She set her cup down with measured grace and asked, “Which one?”The housekeeper hesitated only briefly before answering, “Miss Regina.”Claire’s lips parted slightly, a glimmer of intrigue flashing in her eyes. She let the silence stretch, allowing herself a moment to absorb the unexpected news. Regina was back.Finally, she asked, “Where is she?”The housekeeper shifted uneasily. “She arrived with luggage. She went straight to her room. We did not ask any questions, but… it seems she is here to stay.”Claire leaned back into her chair, pressing her fingers together in thought. “Get her whatever she needs. Make sure she is comfortable.” Then, after a calculated pause, she added, “And keep an eye on her.”She had anticipated something like this. The dru
As they strolled through the garden, the evening air carried the faint scent of blooming flowers and the soft rustling of leaves. Damien glanced at Anastasia, his fingers brushing against hers lightly before he asked, “How are you feeling, Anna?”Anastasia let out a slow sigh before a small, thoughtful smile curved her lips. “You know, when I first returned to New York, I was consumed by my desire for revenge. I wanted to burn everything to the ground. I wanted to kill Claire. And I still do.” She paused, inhaling deeply. “But not at the cost of myself. Somewhere along the way, I realized just how beautiful my life is. I found my courage, Damien. I finally found the strength to come to you and—by some twisted manipulation—make you my husband as well.”He chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. “I still can’t believe you pulled that off.” Then, after a beat, he asked, “Can I ask you something?”She nodded, turning her gaze toward him.“Why did you propose marriage to me?” His expressio
“Welcome home, Mommy!”The children’s voices rang with excitement as they ran to embrace Anastasia with their little arms wrapped tightly around her. It was a simple moment filled with warmth, laughter, and an overwhelming sense of belonging. The family of four was whole again.Nevertheless, even as joy swelled in her heart, a shadow of bitterness lingered behind. Regina was gone. The sting of her departure wasn’t something Anastasia could easily ignore, but for the first time, she found herself truly understanding Regina’s reasons and doings. Regina had chosen to leave on her terms, and in doing so, she had finally earned Anastasia’s respect. Regina’s love for Damien had always been complicated, but at least now, there was honesty in it.What unsettled Anastasia more was that Regina had chosen to go back to the Spencers’ house. The thought of her returning to that place sent an uneasy chill through her. But Damien had reassured her. “She’ll be safe,” he had promised. “Regina isn’t as
As the letter slipped from his trembling fingers, Damien snatched his phone and dialled her number, his heart pounding in his chest.The moment she answered, he didn’t hesitate. “You stupid girl,” he muttered, his voice thick with frustration and desperation. “What the hell are you doing? Come back.”Regina let out a breathless laugh. One that was laced with the sound of silent tears. “No, Damien,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “You lost your chance.” A heavy pause. “Don’t make this harder for me.”Damien closed his eyes, pressing his forehead against his hand as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. “Regina, where are you?” he asked, almost pleading.“I’m going back to my house,” she said, her voice flat. “To the Spencers’ house.”His heart lurched. “Don’t go there,” he almost yelled, gripping the phone tighter. “Regina, don’t go back to that place! Just—just come back to me instead!”But she wasn’t listening. Or maybe she couldn’t. Instead, her voice took on an eerie calm
When Damien woke up, a sense of unease settled over him. Something felt off as if something was missing. Huh, what was this feeling? Anna was finally safe but why was his heart tensed? Before he could fully grasp the feeling, Mrs. Luna entered the room hastily, holding a neatly folded envelope. Her expression was desperate and full of fear. "Mr. Callahan," she said softly. "Miss Spencer left this morning. She asked me to give you this letter."Damien frowned, confusion knitting his brows. "She… left?" he repeated, his voice laced with disbelief. Where did she leave? He saw her last night and she looked fine. Where did she just go? Mrs. Luna merely nodded before stepping back, leaving him alone with the letter.With a deep breath, Damien unfolded the paper as his eyes scanned the words written in her familiar handwriting.Hi Damien,By the time you read this, I will be gone.Not from your life. Not entirely. But from this home, from your family, from the future I once dreamt of with
Rio, seemingly sensing the emotional shift, banged his tiny fists on his high chair. “Mama!”Adeline laughed through her sniffles, reaching out to ruffle his curls. And just like that, the warmth of home wrapped around her again.Suddenly, Rio let out an excited squeal as his chubby hands flailed wildly as he bounced in his high chair. His little body practically vibrated with enthusiasm as he made incoherent noises, pointing toward the entrance.“What’s gotten into you, little devil?” Adeline chuckled, reaching out to steady him. “Why are you so naughty tonight?”But Rio’s wide eyes remained locked on a single spot and his excitement grew by the second.Curious, Asher turned to follow his brother’s gaze. The moment he registered who was stepping inside, his fork clattered onto his plate. Without a second thought, he launched himself forward, his feet pounding against the floor at lightning speed.“Mommy!” he cried, throwing himself straight into Anastasia’s arms.Anastasia barely had
When Damien pulled up to his place, the night air carried a solemn stillness. He turned to Anastasia as he was reluctant to leave.“Go inside,” she told him softly.His jaw tightened. “Why do you have to leave?” His voice was low, almost pleading. He didn’t want to be apart from her, not now, not ever. Being with her made everything feel right, and the thought of stepping into that house without her felt unbearably empty.Anastasia sighed, cupping his cheek gently. “Damien, go home.” Her touch was warm but there was finality in her tone. “I know you could tell Regina you are away on a business trip or come up with some excuse… but I don’t feel right about it. She is sick, Damien. She is all alone, away from her family. And in her mind, you are the only one she has.” She paused, letting the words sink in. “Right now, she needs you more than I do.”Damien clenched his fists, torn between obligation and desire. He wanted to be with Anastasia, to hold her, to lose himself in her warmth,
Adeline sighed dramatically. “And when I woke up the next morning, he was gone. I still didn’t know what he looked like. But I knew it was him. So, I texted him. I said, I know it was you. Then, I deleted all my social media. I told him, If you want me, you’ll have to find me.”Regina held her breath. “Did he?”Adeline exhaled, shaking her head. “No.”Regina frowned.“Long story short,” Adeline continued, “I found out I was pregnant. When we finally met again, he was shocked… disgusted with himself… beaten half to death by my family—” She smirked. “And that was just the beginning. After so many dramatic twists and turns, we found our way back to each other. Now, we are living our happily ever after.”Regina stared at her, almost in disbelief. “You forgave him? Just like that?”Adeline’s smile softened. “You see, Regina… I hated him when I was going through pregnancy alone. The only person who stood by me was my best friend. But in the end, I forgave him. Not because I’m a saint, but b
Adeline had just returned to the table when she heard Regina’s soft and pensive voice.“Hey, Adeline… Have you ever been in love?”Adeline raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden question. Regina had been oddly quiet since she sat back down, her eyes distant, lost in thoughts Adeline couldn’t quite decipher. Something had shifted in her.“Yes,” Adeline answered with a small smile.Regina looked at her intently. “Was your love successful?”A nostalgic warmth flickered across Adeline’s face. “I struggled for almost a decade,” she admitted, “but it succeeded in the end.”Regina blinked, intrigued. “Really? Would you like to share it with me?”Adeline chuckled. “As you know, I’m a model, right?”Regina nodded. “I have heard your name.”Adeline rolled her eyes dramatically. “Girl, I have over fifty million followers, and you have just heard about me? You humble me real quick.”Regina let out a small laugh, and Adeline smirked before continuing.“Anyway, I was still in college and moving