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
Meanwhile, the waitress hurried over to the manager, her face flushed with worry. “Summer, I’m so sorry! I really messed up. I accidentally spilled hot coffee on a guest!”Summer was a beautiful and gentle looking woman in her late forties with a warm but had a kind presence and she looked at Lily with genuine concern. “Take a deep breath, Lily. Just make sure she is okay and offer any help she needs. Accidents happen all the time.”Lily’s hands twisted nervously. She said while catching breath, “I don’t think she is badly burned and she poured ice water over herself immediately and rushed into the restroom. But what if she is scalded?”Summer nodded thoughtfully. She said, “We shouldn’t take any chances. I will call my friend Eliza. She is a doctor and happens to be babysitting my daughter. Let us also grab the first aid kit, just in case.”Just then, a tall, middle-aged man with a strong and attractive presence walked over. He gave Summer a gentle look as he noticed the frown on her
Anastasia rushed in, her eyes wide with concern. “Addy, are you okay?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.Adeline was too drained to respond managed a small sleepy nod from where she rested. Eliza, the doctor, stepped in to reassure her. “Hello, Miss. I’m a doctor. Your friend is fine. She is just very worn out from all the vomiting. We have given her a drink with electrolytes to help her regain her strength. A little nap and she will be back to herself.”Anastasia exhaled as she visibly was relieved, though her concern lingered about her bestfriend. She said, “She is pregnant, and sometimes the nausea gets really intense. Once she starts, she just can’t stop until her stomach is completely empty. Are you sure she will be okay?”Eliza nodded, her tone calm and confident. “Absolutely. With some rest, she will feel much better.”Finally, Anastasia could breathe. She was feeling so guilty for bringing Adeline here. If she was not stubborn enough to take Adeline out, this would not
They held each other’s gaze for a long moment. Finally, Darcy gave an awkward smile, breaking the silence.“You have not changed at all,” he said with a faint sigh. “It feels like I just stepped back ten years.”Anastasia returned his smile warmly. “It is good to see you, Mr. Callahan.”Summer was watching the exchange with a frown and looked between them. “Darcy, do you know her?”Due to their past, she was very careful about the people who would try to come closer to people. Today was a coincidence, was it or not? She was usually a kind woman but her husband was her bottomline. Darcy chuckled, nodding. He knew what was going through his wife’s head at the moment anf said, “Yes, my dear wife. This is Anastasia Spencer. Remember Fiona? My old friend? Well, Anastasia here is her daughter.”Summer’s eyes lit up as the connection came together. Oh, she knew Fiona. She liked FIona a lot. That woman was a quirky and an interesting woman. “Oh! Didn’t Fiona’s daughter used to date…” She t
At that moment, Summer gave her husband’s shoulder a reassuring pat and signaled Eliza to join her in the kitchen while giving Darcy and Anastasia a little space to catch up. As the two women left, Darcy and Anastasia continued their conversation, sharing updates and memories. As Summer and Eliza worked quietly in the kitchen, they exchanged knowing glances as they listened to the soft murmur of Darcy and Anastasia’s conversation from the other room.Eliza sighed. “Who would have thought Darcy would meet his daughter-in-law by chance like this?”Summer nodded thoughtfully. “He misses his family more than he lets on. He can’t see Damien, but at least through her, he can get some peace of mind.”Eliza shook her head, her tone somber. “It is tragic. Darcy left an unhappy marriage, and now his family uses that against him. To hold such a grudge, it is just cruel. Everyone has a chance to have a happy life. He waited for eighteen years for his son. Carolyn did not even love him yet he st
Suddenly, they heard the knocking of something on the ground. They turned to see a little girl with tousled hair, holding a comforter and a giraffe stuffed toy and standing with a scowl.Darcy muttered, “Well, meet our little princess or as we like to call her, the little tornado. Destiny Callahan.”Anastasia’s eyes widened as she took in the sight of the little girl with big green eyes, so much like her husband’s. When Destiny scowled, the resemblance was uncanny and Anastasia couldn’t resist the urge to pinch her chubby cheeks. Destiny, however, ran straight to her father while huffing at Anastasia as though guarding her daddy from being taken away.“Dessie, weren’t you sleeping?” Darcy asked, smiling helplessly as he lifted his little tornado onto his thigh. Destiny hugged his neck tightly, mumbling, “Des Des missed Dada.”“Oh, did you?” he asked, amused.The little girl nodded earnestly.“Dessie,” Darcy said, gesturing toward Anastasia, “This is your sister-in-law. Remember I told
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