They are so cute,,, arent they?
When Anastasia returned, she noticed the sunflowers arranged in a vase on Damien's desk, brightening up his usually serious office. A soft smile lit up her face.They sipped their coffees together and she began telling him about her day, “I met with my dad.”Damien looked at her, curious. “What did he say?”“I convinced him to let me handle the hotel project alone,” she said, her voice holding a trace of pride. “But he will be supervising.”He nodded approvingly. “That’s fine.”This was a good progress. For some reasons, he could sense that his wife wanted to stay more with her father. He did not know the reason behind it but it was fine. Whatever her goal was, he just hoped that she achieve it. She sighed. “I will need to go to Spencer Mansion twice a week to report on the progress.”He met her gaze, his tone firm. “I will come with you every time.”She hated going there. Since he could not see her being bullied there, he would accompany her there. A look of relief softened her fea
Over the weekend, Anastasia and Damien flew to London, as planned. They spent hours at Fiona’s grave while sharing updates about their lives, laughing and reminiscing about everything. They had even prepared one of her favorite meals and ate it there while letting the memories make them feel closer to her.That night, they wandered the streets of London. The next day, they returned home.That evening, they joined Carolyn and the Callahan family for dinner. As soon as Caleb sat at the table, Matriarch Callahan eyed him sharply while wrinkling her nose. “You stink, boy. Do you even remember where home is?”Caleb retorted, “Why did you throw me out in the first place?”Carolyn sighed, “No one threw you out, Caleb.”This boy.. Sometimes, he was ruthlessly honest. And they did not throw him out of the house. He was still holding a grudge against them. He crossed his arms. “You both did.”Both women exchanged a resigned look while letting out a sigh. Meanwhile, Matriarch Callahan took in C
As Caleb finished recounting his time at Damien's home, Matriarch Callahan shook her head in amusement. “It must be so hard for you to handle this mischievous boy.”Damien replied smoothly, “I didn’t have to do much. Anastasia took care of him the whole time.”Matriarch Callahan turned to Anastasia with genuine gratitude. “Thank you, Anastasia.”Anastasia smiled. “It is nothing. He is a wonderful kid.” She glanced at Carolyn and added with a playful gleam, “Besides, he is been giving Damien and me some practice for the future.” She laughed softly, “When Damien and I have our own little one, I will already know what to do, right?”Carolyn nearly choked, eyes widening as she registered Anastasia’s words.Matriarch Callahan’s eyes shot open in surprise. “Are you... pregnant?”Damien bit back a grin, thoroughly entertained by his wife’s clever approach. Anastasia was always a step ahead.“Well,” Anastasia replied, shrugging, “We are not sure yet. But even if I’m not, Damien said that we k
“Mrs. Spencer!” A half-bald man came limping over as he saw Claire step out of the car. A bright smile filled his eyes as he went ahead to receive her. “How are you doing, Henry?” Claire asked with a smile which smooth and poised. Although her appearance was elegant, it did not match her malicious heart. “Great, Madam,” Henry replied, though his voice held a trace of nerves. He disappeared inside briefly before returning with a file of sketches. He handed it to her. “This is what I have got.”Once a year or twice a year, his boss would come to see him and get the work that he had to take care of. This time, his boss came after a whole year. Usually, he would be excited to see her but this time, he was nervous as he had not done the work that he was supposed to do. Claire’s expression soured as she flipped through the pages. “A year, Henry, and this is all you have? Five new sketches? Don’t try to fool me and these others are old that were unfinished at that time.”Just as he had exp
"Ah!""Anna?" Damien woke with Anastasia's distressed scream. She was drenched in sweat while crying out in her sleep as if she was trapped in a nightmare. Gently, he tried to wake her by whispering her name, but she was lost somewhere deep and her unstoppable cries breaking his heart.It was as if she was caged in a place where he could touch her, feel her but he could not make his voice enter her ears. She clung to him unconsciously while her voice was trembling, she was just calling for one person, "Mom! Don’t go!" Damien held her close in his embrace warm and to make her feel that she was protected, hoping she could feel his presence and find some sense of safety in his warmth. He stroked her hair softly, murmured soothing words while he was feeling utterly helpless as he waited for the nightmare to fade. His wife was so much in pain that it was unbearable for him to see her like this. After half an hour, her breathing slowed and she finally fell into a peaceful sleep. When she
At that moment, Anastasia returned with a big smile and placed a fruit plate in front of Damien and Adeline. “I peeled and cut these myself. I want you both to finish it!”They groaned in unison, “Okay.”Why was this woman always obsessed with feeding them healthy food all the time? She never let them eat anything from out but twice or thrice a week, she would be found stuffing burgers. Then, she would give a sheepish smile and say she needed them for her emotional wellbeing. Anastasia giggled, “I want my godchild to come out healthy and rosy.”Adeline rolled her eyes. “I swear I have gained at least ten pounds since staying here for two weeks! And it is not all pregnancy weight.”Anastasia looked around playfully and said, “Husband, is there a third person here? Because I can’t see anyone else.”Damien chuckled, feeding her a slice of apple. “No, just us. But don’t try to avoid your own share. Take care of your health, too.”Anastasia pouted. “Why should I worry about my health? Don’
Anastasia was focused on her workstation in her father’s office as she was immersed in the details of the hotel design. The architecture had finally been approved, the investors were on board, and the selection of companies for the project was finalized. She had decisively removed all partners loyal to Armanis from the list and opted instead for neutral firms like the Callahans and others. When she presented her choices to Harold, he nodded in approval without any hitch which was surprising to her. With the official work complete, the construction in Noorstan was set to begin, and Anastasia confidently estimated the hotel would be ready in three to six months. As she wrapped up her tasks, she realized it was lunchtime. To her surprise, her father was in the office and busy with his own work. He usually liked to work from home and rarely come here. Harold glanced over at his daughter, noting how focusedly she stared at her screen. He cleared his throat, hoping to catch her attentio
“Anna!” Adeline protested as her voice was muffled as she curled deeper into the couch. “I don’t wanna go.”Anastasia sighed, hands on her hips. “Why not? You haven’t left this house in a month!”Adeline mumbled, “I did. I went to meet Austin.”A week ago, Adeline had finally come clean to Austin about her pregnancy. His reaction wasn’t terrible, but he looked more terrified than she felt. In the end, he insisted that she stay with him. But Adeline held her ground as she had refused to leave Anastasia’s place just yet. They compromised that she could stay with Anastasia until she felt ready to move in with him. At least she hzd have someone looking out for her.“Addy, staying cooped up is not good for your mental health,” Anastasia coaxed. “All day, you are either here or in the kitchen.”Adeline pouted. “I’m learning to cook from Mrs. Luna, and she is teaching me about baby care.”Anastasia smiled softly. “That is great, but you are doing nothing just for you. Your life doesn’t have
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