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
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
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
“Did you find anything about Anna?” Damien asked, his voice tight with frustration.It had been an entire day since Anastasia had disappeared, and there was still no news about her or the baby. It was as if the world had swallowed her whole.Meanwhile, Regina’s condition remained critical. She was still in a coma, and Claire had fired yet another shot. This time, she turned her attention to Abel. With the so-called evidence she had gathered, she was dangerously close to gaining control over both her daughter and granddaughter.“You have lost your goddamn mind if you think I would ever harm my wife and kids,” Abel said, his voice laced with fury.Claire stood before him, her expression filled with misplaced triumph. “You are the reason my Regina is suffering. I need my daughter and granddaughter.”Turning to the officers, she commanded, “Arrest him! You have enough evidence to charge him with domestic violence.”The police hesitated for a moment, but the proof was airtight. They had no
Eleanor clutched the prison phone tightly, her voice sharp with desperation. "You have to get me out of here!" she shouted. Her disgrace was all over the media as she was caught naked while attempting to assault a man, high on drugs. Her politician father was struggling to contain the fallout, his career hanging by a thread. With nowhere else to turn, she called Claire, her biological mother."Can you be patient?" Claire's voice was cold. "I warned you not to do anything stupid. I told you I would help you get Ronan, but look at you now. Stay put for a few days. My PR team is handling it. You'll be fine, just keep quiet.""I don’t want to be here!" Eleanor screamed. "The Arnello family is trying to kill me! That bitch is everywhere, I see her all the time! Why won’t you come and get me? I know you can. Take me out of here, or I’ll die!"Claire sighed, rubbing her temples. "I can’t deal with more problems, Nora. Just sit tight and be quiet. I have two other headaches. one’s missing, an
“Daddy?” Ashton called out as Damien entered the house, exhausted from another long day searching for his wife.“What is it, Maxey?” Damien asked, kneeling to his son’s level.Ashton frowned. “Grandma is stuffing Bro with so much food. She treats him like a pet like he is her dog or something. She won’t let him out of her sight. It’s unbearable to watch.”Concern flashed across Damien’s face as he rushed to the dining room, where Fiona was insistently trying to feed Asher another plate of food. The boy looked pale, clearly struggling to eat more. Damien hurried over as he gently took the plate from Fiona’s hands.“Fiona, if you keep feeding Asher like this, he will fall sick,” he warned very softly. “If he gets sick, he will end up in the hospital like Regina. Do you want that?”Fiona blinked in confusion, trying to process his words. After a moment, she quickly set the plate aside. Instead, she turned her attention to Ashton, now running her fingers through his hair and fussing over
Claire was on the phone when she snapped, her voice sharp with frustration. “Where the hell are you?”Her assistant, Lance, responded carefully, “Madam, I was handling Miss Scuderi’s case. I went to appease her as you instructed, but she didn’t take it well. She threw whatever was on the table at me. I’m at the hospital now, getting treated for a head injury.”Claire’s expression darkened. “What did you just say?”“A head injury. Courtesy of Miss Scuderi,” Lance repeated, his voice filled with pain. “The police have tightened her restrictions. She is now in a stricter cell, and she isn’t allowed to meet anyone without being chained.”Claire inhaled slowly, forcing herself to stay composed. Eleanor was only making things worse for herself. And yet, as her mother, Claire couldn’t help but be concerned. But there was nothing she could do. Especially not without jeopardizing everything she had built.She had spent nearly thirty years plotting to take over the Spencer empire. She wouldn’t
Claire sat at the head of the grand mahogany desk as her manicured fingers tapped rhythmically against the polished surface. There was a sharp glint in her eyes that was far colder.She glanced at Lisa, who stood near the door, her posture as hesitant as ever. “There is a meeting with our new partners at eleven,” Claire announced. She leaned back, crossing one leg over the other, a sly smirk playing at her lips. “There may be resistance from Callahan Industries and their allies. But it’s pathetic, really. Damien and his supporters are too few. They’ll be nothing more than an annoyance. I can easily crush them by reinforcing my alliances.”Claire reached for the crystal glass of wine beside her, swirling the deep red liquid before taking a slow sip. Her voice dropped to a murmur. “All I need to do is play the part of the grieving, pitiful wife one whose daughters are missing and she is broken by her own tragedy. People love a helpless woman. They eat it up.” She set the glass down and
“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