With Anastasia, things were different. She was much like her mother who was open with her emotions, unafraid to show anger, frustration, love, or hate. Her outbursts and honest expressions made her easy for Harold to accept. Regina, however, mirrored Harold too closely. She was guarded and reserved, just like him. She was unable to express her concern freely and equally uncomfortable receiving it. Their similarities only created a silent barrier between them.As Regina and Harold shared breakfast, she hesitated before asking, “Father, did Mother change the chef?”Harold shook his head. “No, still the same incompetent staff. They can't get a single thing right.”Regina didn’t respond immediately, though she noticed the food was somehow better than usual. With Claire away, she felt compelled to bridge the gap herself, to find some way to converse with her father.Harold watched Regina buttering her bread and asked, “I thought you didn’t like butter.”Regina murmured, “Well, I do like it
Harold smiled a rare and almost tender smile, as though he had been waiting for this moment all his life. “Because she is trying to win against a ghost. A ghost from her past that she resented so deeply that she is trying to live all her unfulfilled fantasies through you.”Regina’s face went rigid. “What are you saying?”“Faye…” Harold whispered the name. “You know this figure in your field, don’t you?”Regina nodded, her mind reeling. Of course, she knew of Faye, the legend she aspired to become. But being like Faye was a distant dream as history didn’t repeat itself.Harold continued, “Faye was none other than Fiona Watson.”The realization hit Regina like death. For a while, she ate in a daze, her mind elsewhere. When she finally regained her composure, she asked, “Why are you telling me this? I think this is the first time in twenty-eight years you have spoken this much to me. And now that you are finally talking, it is all against my mom. She loves you so much and never says any
Regina left the Spencer mansion feeling emotionally charged, barely holding back her tears. But the moment she got into her car, they spilled over, uncontrollable and raw. She drove to her usual bar, the one place she knew she could let herself fall apart and ordered her regular drink. As she took a sip, trying to drown her feelings, a familiar voice cut through her thoughts.“Isn’t it a little early to be drunk, Miss Spencer?” came the smug tone.With bloodshot eyes, she spat, “Not today, Abel!”Ignoring her warning, Abel slid into the seat beside her. “So, what has got you down today? Finally realized you’re not perfect?”“Fuck off,” she muttered, but he persisted, pushing her buttons as he always did, testing her limits.Just then, her phone rang. “Miss Spencer, something has happened!” her assistant Ela’s panicked voice filled the line. “Please come to the office right now.”Regina, tipsy but trying to pull herself together, grumbled, “Did they mess up the new project? It’s fine,
At the dining table, she saw Anastasia and Damien sitting with him.Her father was saying, “Anastasia Spencer, when exactly were you planning on reporting the mishap at the construction site?”Anastasia replied, “I handled it in time. The construction workers were on strike, so I managed it the best way possible.”Harold raised an eyebrow. “You increased their wages. That raised project costs and reduced our profit margin.”Anastasia shrugged. “Daddy, when you hand over my inheritance, you can deduct the cost from it. We are responsible capitalists, not exploitative ones. We don’t mistreat our workers.”Harold snorted. “Did they teach you Karl Marx in London?”She grinned. “Didn’t you know? He became Karl Marx there. I had to read him to honor his legacy.”“Shut up,” Harold retorted.Anastasia’s response was laced with sarcasm, but to Regina, it looked cute and funny, “Oh, Daddy, I’m your only child. This entire empire is mine. Can’t you spoil me a little?”Harold ignored her snide r
"Are you a little too happy today?" Damien asked, noticing her grinning from ear to ear while she read the news headlines on her phone. The little brat had been up early and replaying his interview over and over.In response, she planted a wet and sloppy kiss on his cheek. "You are the best! I love you so much!"Damien’s heart skipped a beat, and her words filled him with a warm and sweet feeling."Husband, you are so capable. In just one day, you cleared Regina’s name from yours! I’m so happy you clarified things. Yay! You are mine. All mine."He rolled his eyes. "Little peacock, get up and eat something."She was as beautiful, arrogant and proud as a peacock. She wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning in to whisper seductively, "Husband, I know you’re hungry, and so am I. Let your wife treat you to a feast. You deserve it." With that, she removed her robe and climbed on top of him, her hands moving sensually over his body.An hour later, the couple finally made it downstairs wi
Anastasia was sitting in Austin’s office as she was looking at the screen, lost in thought. Austin wondered what was on her mind.“What are you thinking?” Austin asked.“Did you stop circulating the posts?” Anastasia asked.“What we started was deleted within an hour that day,” Austin replied. “I haven’t started more since we only wanted to plant a seed of doubt, not create an entire scandal.” He paused and added, “You told me she is closer to Ronan, not Abel. But why were Abel’s people doing damage control for Regina?”“Maybe Ronan asked him,” Anastasia suggested. “We can’t be sure about their friendship, I can’t fully understand their dynamics.” She added, “Anyway, my suspicion was right. Someone else is sabotaging Regina. They just took advantage of this opportunity to bring her down.”Austin shared her doubts. “I believe so too. I was thinking it could be a contestant from the Scarlet Hearts, or maybe a business rival. I heard Harold gave his shares in her company to her. She’s n
Claire quickly regained her composure and folded her arms as she asked, “What are you doing here?”“I’m here for answers,” Regina replied.Claire asked, “What kind of answers?”“Mom…” Regina said, her tone making it clear not to test her patience. Before she could say anything else, a very familiar woman entered and said, “Madam, these are the ten designs that you wanted to be finished.”Regina looked at the woman, then at the designs, and finally at her mother. “What is this, Mom?”Claire appeared a little guilty but spoke confidently. “These are the designs… Your third round of competition is coming. I want you to win.”Regina responded, “I already told you that I don’t want to cheat.”“I know that,” Claire said. “You used these designs in the first round and got selected.”Regina clarified, “You replaced my designs before sending them! I sent something else, but you had them replaced.”Claire replied, “That’s why you got first place.” She added, “In the second round, you were deter
Anastasia’s expression darkened. “She caused such a big scandal just because she thinks she can win Scarlet Heart like this?”Austin chuckled. “That is what I thought too. But then I dug a little deeper to find out if there were any other connections between the two. And you won’t believe what I found.”Anastasia waited impatiently, her curiosity was at the top.Austin leaned forward, his voice lowering as he spoke. “Ronan Arnello.”Anastasia’s eyes widened, her surprise was evident. “Ronan?”Austin nodded. “The Arnello family is pushing for Ronan and Eleanor’s engagement. By the end of the year, they will be married or at least, that’s what his father has decided. And I’m sure you are wondering why Abel is helping out and why Ronan hasn’t been seen around.”Anastasia frowned. “Who on earth is Eleanor Scuderi? What is her background?”Austin sighed, pulling up his phone and tapping the screen. “Her father’s a politician. He was just a blue-collar worker, but twenty years ago, he entere
say we couldn’t be seen together?”Claire stood before her and said in frustration and exasperation. “I told you not to come here. What part of that didn’t you understand?”Eleanor crossed her arms defiantly. “Why can’t I come? You don’t get to lecture me about this, Claire. You have kept me locked up in that house for months! I came here on my merit.”Claire’s eyes flashed. “If I hadn’t locked you up, you would have been punished far worse. Do you have any idea what you have done? Picking a fight with Anastasia and her friend was reckless!”Eleanor rolled her eyes. “Reckless? I was standing up for myself. They are not untouchable, Claire.”Claire’s voice dropped to a sharp whisper. “You don’t understand the consequences of your actions.”Eleanor’s defiance wavered, but she masked it with a glare. “Maybe you should stop underestimating me.”Claire sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You don’t get it, do you? It’s not about underestimating you. It’s about protecting you—from your
“Abel and I are going to the courthouse tomorrow to get married. Would you like to be my witness?” Regina asked casually, as though she had just invited Anastasia for coffee. Her tone was like she and Anastasia had been a pair of best sisters all these years. Well, what was she supposed to do with the fact that Anastasia was no longer her half-sister? They shared the same parents. This made them full siblings. She had nothing to fight with this woman, right? Anastasia was annoying but she could do with it. Anastasia’s jaw dropped. “You are getting married? To Abel? And you want me to be your witness? Tell me the truth, were you smoking pot, Regina?”Regina burst out laughing. “Trust me, my life story is smoking pot.” She wiped a tear of amusement from her eye before adding, “Yes, I’m marrying Abel. He is a nice guy. I’m not looking for love. Giving a stable home to our kids before they arrive feels like the responsible thing to do. And if the marriage doesn’t last, that is okay too.
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, s
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 real
“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