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
Damien dialed a number and said, “Get here quickly if you want to see them alive.”Within moments, Ronan burst into the room, only to find Regina and Abel in a disheveled condition, looking like they had just survived a WWE match. He rushed over and he pulled out a first-aid kit and applied ointment to both their faces while scolding them like a father would his misbehaving children.“You two are impossible!” he exclaimed, reprimanding them for a solid ten minutes. Finally, he made them face each other and say the dreaded words: “Sorry.”With a reluctant exchange of glances, Abel and Regina muttered, “Sorry,” at the same time.“Now shake hands,” Ronan ordered.They glared at each other like two cats ready to pounce, but after a moment, they grudgingly shook hands. If they do not, Ronan was going to scold more. Abel muttered under his breath, “Wild cat.”Regina shot him a fierce glare. “Shall I show you what this wild cat can do?”Abel turned to Ronan, feigning innocence. “She is thre
Ronan stepped out to order something but before leaving, he turned to Damien with a serious expression. “Keep an eye on those two demons,” he instructed, nodding towards Regina and Abel. Ronan knew that once he steps out of this room, Abel and Regina would start fighting again. It hurt him each time to see them after each other’s lives. He did not know what he could do to make this fight stop? Initially, he used to think if Damien and Regina end up together, Abel and Regina would start bearing each other’s presence, if not like each other. But now with Anastasia in picture, it did not seem it was anywhere close. The thing was that he always rooted for Regina and Damien but now he was not sure. Of course, he wanted Regina and Damien to end up together and happy but Damien looked radiant and finally at peace and all of that was happening because Anastasia was by his bestfriend’s side. Regina sat in silence while Ronan went out, her gaze drifting toward Damien and Anastasia. She notic
A while later, Ronan returned, and the atmosphere shifted back to a lively celebration, though only Damien and Anastasia seemed genuinely happy. The rest of the group appeared to be drowning their sorrows in drinks and laughter that didn’t quite reach their eyes. All of them had their sorrows to forget. Abel’s party gave them an opportunity to feel what was going around them as they could no longer ignore it. Suddenly, the door to the private room swung open and a woman dressed in a striking red dress stepped inside. Upon spotting Ronan, she furrowed her brows and said, “Sorry, I came to the wrong room.”Hearing that familiar voice, Anastasia looked up, her face lighting up with surprise. “Addy, what are you doing here?”Ronan’s attention snapped to the newcomer as his curiosity increased all of a sudden.Abel, on the other hand, froze, forgetting to breathe as he recognized the woman who had gone MIA on him. It was Adeline. Oh my god. The woman of his dream was standing in front of h
The next day at the Callahan house, a disheveled Adeline burst through the door, tears streaming down her face. Mrs. Luna had woken Anastasia from her sleep when she sensed that something was terribly wrong with Adeline. The staff at Callahan house recognised Adeline as Anastasia’s dear friend and so they offered her drinks when they saw that she was not looking well. Anastasia and Damien hurried to the living room as their hearts were racing with concern. When they spotted Adeline, the sight of her distress sent a jolt of fear through them. She was such a jolly girl. If she was in this condition, it certainly meant that something worse had happened. The first thought that came to Anastasia was Poppy. Poppy was sick these days. But then, she thought if something had happened to Poppy, Adeline would not be here? Is Austin fine? Again, if Austin was unwell, Adeline would be with him. This left her with the single conclusion that it was Adeline’s personal problem. “What happened?” Ana
Adeline nodded. “It’s from that night…”She hesitated before continuing, “When I went home, I realized all those thoughts I had that night… It was him.”Anastasia’s brow furrowed. “Your online friend?”Now she regretted not investigating properly that night. If she had investigated properly, things would have been in control. This online friend.. She wanted to beat him up. Adeline nodded, her voice filled with a mix of frustration and resignation. “Yes, Romeo. I heard his voice… He called me ‘Ed.’ Only he ever called me that. I remember it clearly that it was him.”In the beginning, Adeline could not remember what happened that night. But as days began passing, some things came back to her in flashes. However, she couldn't trust herself. It was only when she realised that she was pregnant, she realised that she could no longe rhide from the truth and she needed to confront it. “Did you tell him?” Anastasia asked softly.Adeline’s lips twisted in a bitter smile. “I texted him, told hi
In the living room, Caleb returned with a glass of water and Damien wrapped his arms around Anastasia while providing her with a sense of comfort. “Damien,” she said earnestly, “If one day I die, you have to take care of Addy and my godchild on my behalf. Do you get it?”“Baby, don’t talk nonsense,” he replied, concern etched across his face. “Nothing will happen to you. I promise, I will take care of Addy and our godchild.”They had already taken the role of god-parents. They were the self declared god-parents! Even if Adeline did not make them the godparents of her child, they would love the baby so much and protect him or her from all the dangers. Caleb chimed in, “Sister-in-law, don’t worry. I will always look out for Miss Addy and my god-niece or god-nephew.”Anastasia hugged both Caleb and Damien tightly. “Thank you, guys.”In the evening, a doctor visited to check on Adeline. After a thorough examination, the doctor informed them that Adeline’s health was fragile and that she
As Adeline peacefully enjoyed her meal, Damien turned to Caleb and said, “Mom is calling you back home.”He had spent almost two weeks with the couple and now Carolyn was insisting that Caleb should be sent back home. Even grandmother was missing him a lot. Caleb immediately grasped Anastasia’s hand, his eyes wide with both determination and desperation. “Anna, I don’t want to go.”He was so used to living a free and great life here that he did not want to go. Damien and Anastasia were not nosy. Nor do relatives come here every other day. Those two were very concerned about him in all the ways. He would get a very healthy but delicous breakfast that Anna designed for him. She would buy him cool clothes and she would also get him subscription for all the games that he liked. When Damien was against him playing videogames all day, she made Damien understand that it was caleb’s way of interacting with friends. Although he could play videogames without any worry, he just had to join Dami
Damien studied him for a moment before speaking. “I’m going to ask you something, and I need you to be honest with me. Can you do that?” Ronan opened his eyes, hesitant, but eventually nodded. “Do you love Regina? Not as a friend, but as a romantic partner?” Damien’s tone was firm and curious. “What?” Ronan looked startled. “Be honest, Ronan.” Ronan was quick to respond, his voice firm and sincere. “I don’t! I don’t see her that way at all. She is like the sister I never had. A little sister. I love her a lot, but not romantically.” He paused, his voice softening. “But she means the world to me. She has been there for me through everything, good and bad. She is someone I share my heart and soul with. Damien, I don’t love her as a romantic partner, but she is still my soulmate. I know it sounds strange, but it’s the truth.” Damien tilted his head while being intrigued. “If you marry someone in the future, how will you fit Regina into that dynamic?” Ronan met his gaze whi
Damien arrived at an abandoned property on the outskirts of town. The place looked abandoned, the kind of place one would pass without a second glance. He walked up to the door and rang the bell. Once. Twice. Ten times. Finally, the door creaked open, revealing a dishevelled Ronan. “You look like shit,” Damien said, tossing a bottle of whiskey to him. Ronan caught it instinctively and rasped, “What are you doing here?” “Came to find you, asshole,” Damien replied, brushing past him to step inside. Oh, the inside of the house was not as bad as the inside. Someone had made it livable. Ronan, too exhausted to argue, stared at the bottle in his hands. “Are you gonna drink this?” Damien rolled his eyes. “Anna would kill me first before diabetes would kill me, if I did drink it.” Ronan chuckled dryly and asked, “Why are you so scared of your girlfriend?” Damien smirked. “Actually, she is my wife.” Ronan blinked, his momentary exhaustion was replaced by shock. “What… when? How
Mr. Arnello slammed his hand against the table, crashing the decorations to the floor. He was so angry and Delilah, who was used to his anger, did not flinch. “How dare she!” he roared, his fury directed at Anastasia Spencer and her father. The thought of being humiliated and forced to pay five million because of them burned like acid in his chest. “That crippled old man and his brat of a daughter, unbelievable!” “Matt!” Delilah’s voice cut through his tirade. He turned to her, his face twisted with anger. “Did you see what happened today?” “I did,” she said firmly, crossing her arms. “And maybe if you weren’t so biased, you would see the bigger picture too!” Matteo’s jaw clenched. “That little Spencer girl—” he began, his voice was a venomous snarl. “How dare she cause a rift between our families! She—” The shrill ring of the home phone interrupted him. Delilah moved to answer it, her face paled slightly as she listened to the voice on the other end. “Matt,” she said, ha
Back at Damien’s mansionWhen Damien arrived home, the house felt unusually quiet. Neither his wife nor Adeline was there. Mrs. Luna informed him that Anastasia hadn’t returned from the office yet, and Adeline had gone out for work. Left alone, he decided to head to the gym, where he found Caleb practicing the moves he had taught him during their last session.Atleast, someone was home. “Hey, buddy. When did you get here?” Damien asked, his voice warm. He had grown so accustomed to Caleb’s presence in his home that, without realizing it, he had embraced the role of a father figure. Caleb, for his part, already saw Anastasia as a mother. Finally, Caleb was keeping the fences around his heart down and letting these two people come inside. “I came after school,” Caleb replied with a shrug. “I missed you guys.” Damien suppressed a smile and nodded. “Alright, let’s practice some more.” As they worked out, Caleb paused and asked, “When will Anna and Addy be back?” Damien sighed, wi
Eleanor scoffed, pulling out her phone. “I don’t care who your ‘Madam’ is!” She dialled quickly and said, “Daddy, please come. Someone is bullying me.” Within minutes, chaos erupted as Politician Scuderi arrived, followed by national commandos and an entourage of security. Alongside them, Mr. Arnello and his guards entered the scene with matching intensity. Delilah, watching from a distance, sighed deeply. This is about to turn into a massive mess, she thought, deciding once again to stay out of it. “Daddy, she has hurting my friend!” Eleanor whined, pointing a trembling finger at Anastasia, who still had a firm grip on Ceecee’s hair. Politician Scuderi’s expression darkened as he turned to Anastasia. “Young lady, release her now, or I will have you arrested!” Anastasia met his threat with cold defiance. “I dare you.” “Guards! Remove her this instant!” Mr. Arnello commanded. Martial artists emerged from the shadows and advanced toward Anastasia. But before they could rea
“Anastasia Spencer?” “Mrs. Arnello?” Anastasia recognized her immediately. “You know Delilah?” Adeline asked, her tone curious. “She is Ronan’s mom,” Anastasia explained. “Oh…” Adeline’s expression shifted into something unreadable. Anastasia’s focus sharpened. “Did you say Eleanor Scuderi pushed you?” Adeline nodded, frustration was evident on her face. “Not directly. It was her sidekick. She deliberately knocked into me, and when I asked her to be careful, she flipped it around and blamed me. Then she started insulting me, calling me fat and even accusing me of sleeping with producers and directors to get jobs.” Anastasia’s fists clenched. “And then?” She was going to beat up those bitches for hurting her best friend. Adeline was not just her bestfriend but family. These days, she had been overly protected of Adeline too and if one danger come to the latter, Anna goes whole mom mode. Adeline’s voice hardened. “I slapped her. She deserved it. But then she shoved me ag
Moments later, a middle-aged woman entered and noticed the young woman shivering in the corner. Concerned, she approached her carefully while kneeling down. “Are you okay?” she asked softly. Adeline looked up with tear-streaked eyes, unable to hold back her emotions. She didn’t know why, but in that moment, she missed Poppy and Austin so much. She also longed for Anastasia. She felt utterly shaken and vulnerable at this moment. The middle-aged woman placed a comforting hand on Adeline’s shoulder. “Child, are you okay?” she repeated gently. She saw that Adeline was not looking fine and as a woman, she felt that it was her duty to help a person in need. Overcome with emotion, Adeline clung to the woman’s leg while tears streaming down her face. With one arm, she hugged the woman’s leg tightly, while the other cradled her stomach protectively. Fear overwhelmed her. Why hadn’t she listened to her intuition and stayed home? She could have lost her baby just now. “Dear, are you with
“Anna!” “Yes, Addy?” Anastasia replied as Adeline, who was in the living room, came looking for her best friend. Adeline said, “My agent just called me. She wants me to meet this client.” Anastasia frowned. “Didn’t you say you were not taking any projects for the time being?” Adeline muttered, “I wish, but my agent wants to utilize my time as much as possible. I mean, I have done a few projects that will be released by the end of this month. After that, I haven’t signed any contracts. You know how it is every day, there is someone more interesting and beautiful. I will be irrelevant by the end of my pregnancy if I am not active.” Anastasia nodded, understanding her situation. “I get your concerns. It would be so unfair if you had to leave your career because of your pregnancy. But the question is, do you want to announce your pregnancy? I have seen celebrities getting even more famous while pregnant.” Adeline sighed. “Anna, I have this bad feeling. If I tell more people abo
Abel rubbed the back of his neck and continued, “I brought her to the Spencers’ home, but when I saw your car parked there, I knew she would snap. Seeing you and Anna together would break her completely, and that’s exactly what happened. She ran out, crying and falling apart.” Taking a deep breath, he added, “She begged me not to take her back to her place, so I didn’t. I took her to my apartment. We drank more while trying to drown it all out. And then…” Damien’s patience snapped. “Fuck you, Abel!” he yelled, his voice reverberating through the room. Anger and disbelief flashed within him as he stared at his friend while barely able to contain his frustration. Regina was the last woman on planet that he should have touched. Not because of his own equation with her because of the complications that surround her. Damien’s voice cut through the tension like a knife. “Have you completely lost your goddamn mind? We have always understood you, Abel, always respected your decisions, b