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
“Damien?” Anastasia called softly as she stepped into his study, finding him sitting quietly at his desk while being lost in thought. She gave him sometime but when she could not hold on anymore, she came to find him. “Yes?” Damien looked up and saw his wife standing at the door. She appeared hesitant. He could sense her nervousness and uncertainty, but she still mustered the courage to say, “Um, I need to talk to you.” “Not now, Anna. How about tomorrow?” Damien replied, his voice calm. At the moment, his mind was too cluttered, and he needed some space to process his thoughts. He didn’t want to upset her, but he also was not in the right state to have a meaningful conversation. “Are you upset with me?” Anastasia asked quietly. He looked at her, his expression softened. “Don’t be ridiculous. I could never be upset with you.” She took a deep breath, then said, “Okay.” After a brief pause, she added, “Do you have something to ask me?” She had been pondering about what Adel
Abel glanced at Adeline with a faint smile and said, “Hello, Adeline.” Adeline nodded politely. “Hello, Abel. It is nice to see you. How are you doing?” He replied, “Just fine.” Adeline rolled her eyes. “Youare one incident away from a breakdown,” she said dryly, then added, “I suppose you are here to find your best friend.” For somereasons, he looked as if he needed Damien the say she did Anastasia whenever her life goes bad. She could understand his condition though. Abel looked toward Damien and confessed, “I can’t find Ronan anywhere.” Damien’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?” he asked, his tone sharp with concern. Abel sighed and explained, “He is nowhere to be found. I called his mother, and even they can’t locate him. He is not answering calls or replying to texts. Apparently, there was a big fight in their family, and it has been a week since he disappeared. We didn’t realize it sooner.” Damien’s expression darkened. “Was the fight about his upcoming marriage
“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