A maid appeared at the doorway and said, “Miss Spencer, the Master is calling for you.”As Claire and Regina made their way to Harold’s study and they found him seated at his desk, a file clasped in his hands. He looked up as they entered. Without a word, he handed the file to Regina.“What is this, Dad?” she asked, curiosity bubbling within her.“Open it,” Harold replied, his tone cool. Regina flipped open the file and her eyes widened in disbelief as she absorbed the contents. Inside were the documents indicating that her father was transferring all his shares in her jewelry company to her. These shares were worth millions and had been a significant part of his investments. She could hardly wrap her head around it. Why was he acting so generous? Claire gasped softly as her heart raced. She and Regina had never imagined that Harold would give such valuable assets, especially while he was still alive. Why was he so nice today? What changed? “I have instructed Paul,” Harold continue
The next morning, Anastasia woke with a sharp cramp twisting through her stomach. Her discomfort must have stirred Damien as he blinked awake beside her, immediately noticing her pained expression.“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice filled with concern. He started to sit up, saying, “Do you need something? I will get you water—”But she reached out, she grabbed his hand to stop him. “Don’t move,” she whispered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. For some reasons, she did not want hin to get out of the bed. It was not because she was suddenly clingy of him. It had an entirely different reason. Damien’s brow furrowed, but he stayed still while lying close to her. They had fallen asleep in a spooning position with her body curled up against him and her back pressed into his chest. Her voice was soft and tinged with regret as she said, “Husband, I’m… I’m so sorry.”“What happened?” he asked, his voice gentle, though a flicker of worry crept into his gaze. Just then, he felt someth
As Anastasia lay there on the bed, Damien brought breakfast to the room and set it carefully on a tray. Normally, he didn’t believe in eating in bed but for her, he was more than willing to bend the rules. She watched him with a lot of dmiration as they had food together and that day, he got ready quite late and went to office. He even took time off and went to office late so he could make her feel better. When he was ready to leave, he leaned down and kissed her forehead softly. “Take care today,” he murmured. “Call me if you are not feeling well.”She looked up at him, a hopeful look in her eyes. “Can you come home early?”He smiled. “Sure.”“Can I borrow Jack for a day?” she asked after a moment’s pause.“My assistant?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow.She nodded, a playful smile on her lips. If she gets Jack, she had big plans for him. She wished that she had a multitasker employee like Jack. “Okay,” he agreed without hesitation.“Aren’t you going to ask why?” she teased.“Just us
Anastasia was working on her strategy when Damien walked in. The moment she saw him, she abandoned everything and ran to hug him. It was like a child greeting a parent after a long day. Seeing her so happy, he wrapped his arms around her. “Happy to see me?” he asked.She nodded with a smile.He kissed her forehead and they settled onto the couch. His gaze fell on the scattered papers, filled with words like break marriage, kill two birds with one stone, and various mind maps. He quickly understood that his beautiful and scheming wife was plotting to take down an empire. “I think the girl’s mother might be the easiest to manipulate,” Damien observed, piecing together what he could from her notes. He had no idea who they were talking about at this time but from the knowledge and the background that he could understand. “But isn’t she divorced?” she asked.“All the better,” he replied with a smile.“Will you help me craft a more detailed plan?” she asked.Though he didn’t know all the
They continued talking, mainly about Anastasia as shw was their mutual friend. Soon the conversation shifted and they shared stories about their careers and dreams. When Adeline excused herself to go to the restroom, Abel stayed at the table with a warm smile. His heart was so guddy. After such a long time, he liked someone. Not just to tangle in sheet but someone who he really wanted to get to know and spend more time together. Just then, someone approached him. “What are you doing here?” Ronan asked, grinning. He could see the glow on Abel’s face. The young man was clearly upto something. However, he did not expose him. “I’m on a date,” Abel replied, grinning back.Ronan punched his arm playfully. “Good luck, man. Hope you get lucky tonight.”Abel rolled his eyes. “Nah, this one’s different. I actually want to get to know her, not just... well, you know.”Ronan’s smile softened. “I hope you find the happiness you deserve.”He was very happy for his bestfriend at this time. “Than
It took Anastasia a week to arrange a “chance” meeting with Kiara Armani’s mother. She wanted it to seem like a coincidence, though it was carefully planned. She was in the children’s section, pretending to select clothes for a young boy, when Cara Williams, formerly Mrs. Armani, approached nearby. It felt like a perfect chance where she could execute her perfect plan. She needed to let the woman’s guard down and then plant seeds of worry in her brain. “Oh... Mrs. Armani!” Anastasia said with a friendly smile, making it sound as if they had bumped into each other purely by accident. Sometimes, she was in awe of her acting skills. Cara looked at her, puzzled. “And you are...?”There was a extremely attractive woman standing in front of her. She was surprised to see the beautiful woman in the teenage sections to buy clothes. And what was making her curious was that this lady knew her. “Don’t you remember me?” Anastasia replied warmly. She added, “You came to my seventeenth birthday a
Cara’s expression faltered, caught off guard by the serious question.“In Noorstan,” Anastasia continued, “Things are quite orthodox and conservative there. Kiara would have to follow a specific set of rules and expectations about how she should dress and behave. Her freedom would be limited. Not just that, this freedom that she is having with her family here would be taken away from here.”Cara’s eyes flickered with unease and her voice barely a whisper. “What are you trying to do?”“My best friend was in a relationship with that boy,” Anastasia began, her tone cool. “He is more than ten years older than your daughter. His family was against a white girl at that time. Just imagine the restrictions Kiara will face, not to mention the palace politics for an eighteen-year-old girl. How sad for such a child.”Cara’s face flushed with anger. “How do you know? You are just talking nonsense!” She did not want to show an outsider that her words were impacting her. Anastasia remained calm as
It had been a week and a half since Abel and Adeline went on their first date and Abel couldn’t wrap his head around why she hadn’t agreed to a second one. Everything had gone splendidly, but still, no call or text came from her. He was starting to feel like a contestant on a game show where one that never seemed to get picked for the next round.He wanted Adeline to talk to him and tell him if he did something to upset her biut she would not even see his texts. Why was she doing this? Today, Abel decided to throw a party simply because he had nothing better to do or his heart was hurting too much. He even invited Adeline, but of course, she didn’t reply. As he waited, he heard the click of heels outside his door. His heart raced. could it be Adeline? He dashed to the door, throwing it open with a wide with hopeful grin.But his smile vanished faster than a child’s who dropped his icecream when he saw who was standing there.Regina crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “Am I that des
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
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,
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 rea
“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
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
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
It was the 80th birthday of Matriarch Callahan, and dignitaries from across the globe had flown in to celebrate the grand occasion. The weight of organizing such a significant gala rested on the capable shoulders of Damien and Anastasia, leaving them with no room for error.In the backseat of the luxury car, Claire sat poised like the picture-perfect wife, adorned in the finest clothes and glittering jewels. Her carefully composed demeanour, however, was a façade.Harold glanced at her sternly. “Be on your best behaviour tonight.”If not for the important gala tonight, she would still be in the lock-up at Spencer's house. He could not come to Anastasia’s in-law's house without his picture-perfect wife by his side. This would raise questions among people of their high society. Claire pouted, leaning toward him in offence. “Hubby, don’t you trust me?”He didn’t hesitate. “Not after what you did to Regina. No.”Her expression hardened but she quickly masked it with a fake smile. “I was
Damien noticed the furrowed brow and the unmistakable worry etched across Anastasia's face as she stared at the screen before her. He stepped closer, his voice calm but laced with concern. “What is wrong? Are you worried about something?”Anastasia turned to him, her expression conflicted. “Regina is investigating my mom,” she said, her tone tinged with disbelief.Damien’s brow shot up in surprise. “Regina? Investigating Fiona?” He tilted his head slightly, puzzled. “Why? She has never shown any interest in Fiona before. What has changed all of a sudden?”Anastasia shook her head. “I don’t know why she would want to dig into my mom’s past. It doesn’t make sense. Regina’s behaviour has been odd lately, like not sticking to her usual script.”Damien’s frown deepened. “Is she only looking into Fiona?”“Not just her,” Anastasia explained, leaning back in her chair. “She is investigating everyone. Fiona, Claire, and even Claire’s past before she married Harold. She is trying to piece toget
Later, Abel walked into the hospital room and found Regina sitting patiently on the bed, scrolling through her iPad. He smiled hesitantly. “Hi.”Regina looked up, setting the device aside. “Hey, how are you feeling?” she asked gently.Abel rubbed the back of his neck, his expression conflicted. “You are probably thinking the baby’s father is completely hopeless. I’m sorry. I was just... startled. So many scenarios were running through my mind. I never imagined I would end up in the same situation as Ronan.”Regina raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in her voice. “Is it really that bad?”“No…” he said quickly, shaking his head. “It’s just... I don’t know. I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel. There are so many emotions hitting me all at once, and... I’m sorry, Regina.”She smiled warmly at him, her tone soothing. “I understand. Don’t feel guilty. You didn’t run away, and that is more than enough for me.”Abel sighed in relief, her words easing some of his tension. “Thank you for t