They loved the wedding fineries and swirled in front of the mirror, admiring themselves. Somehow, Skylar couldn’t erase the wish to see Christian‘s reaction to seeing her in the turquoise dress she bought at his insistence. Would he find fault with this one, too?Eva asked for the jewelry that Sienna would wear the next day. Sienna went to her closet to get the jewelry, but to her horror, the velvet box containing the family heirloom wasn’t there! She searched the entire closet but couldn’t find it anywhere. Tears fell from her eyes out of panic. “What happened? Hey, why are you crying?” asked a bewildered Eva walking towards her. “I lost the antique jewelry that mom gave me to wear tomorrow,” gasped Sienna, crying more. Everyone was worried, and they all helped look for it. Lucas’s mom, Claudia Donnelly, walked into her room. “What happened? Sienna, why are you crying, dear?” she asked, rushing to Sienna and pulling her into her arms. “Aunt Claudia, Sienna can’t find the jewelry y
Christian waited impatiently, but before Skylar’s turn, the doorbell rang. The game ended when Sienna’s ex-fiancé, Roman Drexler, appeared on their doorstep. After everything he did to Sienna, everyone panicked, and a battle ensued. They all stepped forward to support Lucas and Sienna. Roman did not stand a chance with all of them against him. He begged Sienna for forgiveness and she forgave him finally. He left, and they all breathed a sigh of relief. After a hasty dinner, everyone retired to their room to sleep. However, Christian had other plans! He couldn’t sleep without talking to Skylar. The whole day she had been avoiding him and he wanted to know the reason behind it. What had he done? Weren’t they an engaged couple? He went upstairs and waited for her. After five minutes, the cubicle elevator stopped and Skylar emerged, all by herself. This was the opportunity he had been looking for. He walked out of his room and followed her down the corridor. Skylar whirled around, sen
Christian pulled her into his arms, molding her soft body to his. “Please, Christian! Don’t spoil my makeup. I won’t have time for a retouch. I’ve got to get Sienna ready,” pleaded Skylar, pushing him away. Christian gazed at her for a moment, yet didn’t release her. “Fine. We can leave after the wedding!” Skylar panicked and grabbed his cheeks to plant a kiss on his lips. Christian gazed at her, amused by her antics. “Is that it?” he asked in disbelief when she pulled away. “Yes, for now. Do you want smudges all over?” “I don’t mind!” He shrugged, tightening his hold on her as he waited for more. “I do! Please, Christian, don’t be so stubborn.” Christian slowly shook his head, not at all giving in. His eyes drank her in and he held her against him for as long as he could. They fitted into each other so perfectly, just like the parts of a jigsaw puzzle. He didn’t want her to leave the sanctity of his arms! “Okay, you can kiss me on the cheek!” she said, but Christian groaned wi
The lights were dimmed and the slow romantic number made them sway to its rhythm. Wrapped up in his arms, Skylar soon forgot everyone around her. Lost in their own magical bubble they didn’t notice the fight that ensued between Alexander, Nicholas, and Alyssa. The music stopped, and Christian released her, holding her gaze in disbelief. It was the most magical moment, the dance he had been longing for. It was strange that she didn’t put up a fight at all! Did that mean she had surrendered to him? The lights were switched on and Skylar blinked and looked around her. Where were her friends? “Alyssa, Hayley, and Eva are leaving!” informed Sienna with a sad pout when she joined her. “We will leave after the cake-cutting!” said Christian, who had followed Skylar. “Thanks for staying! I was so upset they didn’t stay until the cake-cutting ceremony. Eva wanted to taste the cake so badly!” “I know! Alexander is too harsh on her sometimes.” Alyssa and Hayley came down to bid them farewel
Christian gaped at her, shocked by her reaction. He had never expected her to actually sign the agreement. He was sure she would admit to her wishes if pushed to the edge. Now watching her actually sign the contract made his heart sink with disappointment. “You should have read the document, Ms. Carnell,” advised the lawyer with a grim look on his face. He glanced at a shattered Christian and shook his head with disapproval. He had warned him about this, but Christian had been over-confident. “I don’t need to, Mr. Anderson. Is there anywhere else I have to sign?” “No, that would be all.” Skylar got up to leave the office. She didn’t want to break down in front of them. Her heart filled up with desperation, but she couldn’t admit her feelings in front of the lawyer. “I’ll wait outside then.” She gave Christian a brief glance and rushed out, leaving both of them gaping after her. “I knew this would backfire. You should have talked to her first, Christian.” Christian sat with his h
“Take a deep breath dear. Have faith in the Almighty. Everything will fall into place,” said Granny. Skylar turned towards her and inhaled deeply. This was for life! Although she signed a contract with Christian, she wouldn’t leave him at all! The music started, and she composed herself. When she turned around, Grandpa Ben and the others had already entered. Where was Christian? Had he gone in already? “It’s time to walk you down the aisle, Skye!” said Caleb. Grandpa Phil held out his arm for her to take while Caleb took his position on the other side. “Ready?” asked her grandpa. Skylar felt tears prick in her eyes. Yes, she was indeed getting married, although her groom was avoiding her! Flanked by her grandpa and brother, she walked down the aisle strewn with white flower petals. The interiors of the church were also decorated in pristine white interspersed with greenery. There were white silk fabric swags hung from the ceiling to the seating. The decorative candelabra centerpi
“Where are we going?” asked Skylar as he helped her to Lillian’s car. There was excitement in their hearts as both were bursting to connect with one another. The vows and the confession had unleashed a newfound energy between them. “Somewhere special!” He smiled as he climbed into the driver’s seat. It felt like she was a truant high schooler eloping with her lover! The sparkle in his eyes was enough to express his excitement. “I can’t wait to check out the special place.” Their eyes met and he winked, promising more than she could ever imagine. Skylar blushed and looked away while he drove out of the hotel with a skew little smile on his face. He was glad she knew about his feelings for her at last. Tonight he would express them in words. He would tell her how much he loved her, always did, and always would! Soon he sped away towards Geneva-on-the-lake, a small picturesque town an hour’s drive away from Cleveland, along the southern shore of Lake Erie. “Is it a hotel?” she asked
Skylar lay on the hospital bed worrying about Christian. He was critically injured after the fall while trying to save her life. They rushed him to the OT without informing her about his condition. Skylar was restless and kept asking the nurse after Christian. She was so traumatized the nurse refused to divulge any information about him. “Have you informed your family, Mrs. St. James?” Skylar nodded as tears pricked in her eyes. “Yes, I have. They should be here any minute. Is my husband critical? Please, can I see him?” “He’s still in the OT. When they shift him to a room, you can meet him.” The door opened and Caleb and Lillian came in, followed by her grandpa and grandpa Ben. “Skye, how are you?” asked her Lillian, with tears in her eyes. Even Caleb couldn’t stop himself from breaking down at the sight of his little sister. “I’m fine, Lillian. Christian saved me. Please take me to him. He’s critical!” she wept brokenly, trying to get up. “The operation was successful. They’re
Five Years Later “Wow! You’re looking so gorgeous, Skye! You look fresh as a daisy, like a virgin bride, marrying for the first time,” said Sienna while the others agreed. The last five years had been a roller-coaster ride for all of them. Motherhood and career had taken a toll on them. None of them could make it on Skylar’s first wedding anniversary. Therefore, she had dropped the idea of a reunion and party. Now, after five years, they planned to renew their vows in the presence of all their loved ones. The wedding would take place in the neighborhood church while the reception at Escapades. Maddox supervised everything to perfection, and they didn’t have to check even. “I know, right? Look at me! My hair is shedding from handling Axel and Alexander! I don’t understand how you guys handle your twins and husband,” complained Eva while fixing Skylar’s veil. “Maybe because Lucas isn’t like your Alexander!” said Sienna with a chuckle. They all giggled knowingly while Eva groaned.“I
“I’m glad you cleared your misunderstandings, Skylar. Now you can connect with them to your heart’s content like before,” said Christian. He led her towards their room to freshen up for the reception party to start in an hour. “I was very upset by their behavior at first, but later everything fell into place. They don’t want a treat now with their pregnancies. Why don’t we renew our vows on our first anniversary? We can plan it like a dream wedding and invite everyone!” “Great idea! We’ll do that. Now give me a kiss before we go down.”Skylar complied, capturing his lips in a gentle and lingering kiss. It portrayed her blissfully happy state. She was indeed now at peace with everything around her. “I want to see you this happy always!” he whispered against her lips. “I’m happy. Your presence in my life makes me happy!” He kissed her passionately, and Skylar gaped at her smudged makeup when he released her. “Oh no! You ruined my makeup.” She grabbed a tissue and started wiping it
The response of their family overwhelmed Christian and Skylar. Even Erica was over the moon with happiness to know that Skylar was also pregnant. “I wish you too have twins like me.” “I wish the same too,” said Skylar unable to tell her she wanted both: a boy and a girl. “So I’ll have to plan two baby showers later,” said Lillian excitedly.“You can club it together. It’ll be easier,” suggested Erica. “Yes, we can plan it in your seventh month. It’ll be Skye's sixth.” They all agreed to the idea. They could plan the date and venue later at everyone’s convenience. Vivienne and Blade were the most excited at the prospect of having baby cousins. After spending three days with their family, they left for Miami Beach, where Hayley and Ashton had planned a beach wedding. Ashton had inherited a beach-facing mansion there from his former mentor and employer, Simon Baylor. In fact, Simon Baylor left the entire Baylor Group to Ashton after his death. They were happy for him since he deser
The next few weeks sailed by amidst fun, work, and lots of special heated moments between them. Christian planned a date every weekend and each of them was unique in their own way. Skylar was now quite comfortable around his group of reckless friends who frequented their home. Skylar didn’t mind, since her friends were the same. Christian’s therapy was going well. He had improved a lot in the past few weeks. The limp was almost gone and he could run unlike earlier. With the strength back in his legs, Christian was unstoppable. He trained with renewed energy now. At work, Skylar made excellent progress, making her mentor Mr. Fairbanks proud of her achievements. He was confident she could take over from him completely in three months. They kept in touch with their family back in Cleveland and New York. Erica was doing fine and had joined work. Expecting twin boys, they were excitedly on the lookout for names. Skylar’s grandparents were still staying with them in New York. Caleb and L
“When did you get all this done?” asked Skylar, noticing the mouth-watering fare served before them. With the romantic lighting and the soothing decor, the place looked more magical than ever before. “This time I sought Joanna’s help. I would have liked to do everything myself, but didn’t get time.” His eyes twinkled, catching the rays of the lights hanging around them. They lured her into their magical depths, promising her a night of passion soon to follow. “Still it blew my mind away! I must say Joanna did a wonderful job!” “Yes, she’s quite a pro at it!” There was an understated excitement in the air as they enjoyed a quiet moment with one another. “Yes, we can make use of her talent more!” Christian chuckled, feeding her a piece of the roasted chicken Katherine had made for them. “Even Katherine has done a wonderful job. So are we going to Escapades tomorrow?” Skylar didn’t want to go to the club. She was apprehensive about meeting the rest of his reckless friends. She prefe
Skylar gaped at him for a moment, absorbing the bombshell he had just dropped. Then a slow smile spread across her face as realization dawned on her. With almost all her friends pregnant, she felt left out whenever they discussed, unable to contribute to their pregnancy woes. Now she could! She just hoped she got pregnant! “Really? I want to get pregnant with your baby!” she gasped, making Christian’s jaws drop with surprise. He hadn’t expected her to be so eager to embrace motherhood since he wasn’t eager to embrace fatherhood so early. He wanted to enjoy his married life for at least two years before planning to have children. “I wanted children too, but not so early.” He sighed, since it was actually God’s will. They had no say in the matter. “If it has to happen early, it will. It’s destiny, Christian.” “Yes, you’re right. It’s no use pondering over it. Come closer baby!” He grinned at her, pulling her closer, right into his lap. The water calmed them, invigorated their minds,
With a savage sense of possession, Christian captured her lips, shoving his tongue into her mouth. The intensity of the kiss took her by surprise and she moaned with pleasure. He captured her feminine moans of bliss, swirling his tongue and devouring her hungrily. It was more of a kiss to vent out the pent-up hunger he had kept buried for so long. After getting a taste of her, he had been addicted to her sweetness, but Erica’s health prevented them from enjoying the trip. She kissed him back, making him groan as a shock of pleasure spiraled through his body. He wanted more now! His fingertips skimmed along her throat, trailing down to the buttons of her top. In a split second, he undid them and eased the top off her body. Next went the rest of her clothes. Skylar lifted her eyes to meet his glittering, lust-filled gaze. He gently cupped her breasts, feeling the voluptuous mounds that overflowed in his hands. Pressing his thumb over a taut peak, he sucked the other into his mouth. H
Christian was sitting in the reception room waiting for her when she walked into the house. “So, how did the wedding go? Did Alexander whisk Eva away with him?”“Yes, he did. There was war, but no bloodshed thankfully! I’ll get myself a drink. It was too much for a day!” She got a bottle of water and emptied its contents. Then she explained everything that happened to Christian. However, her relief was short-lived. Erica was again critical, and they re-admitted her in the middle of the night. “You can go back and rest, Skylar. I’m here,” said Christian, as they sat outside the Emergency Unit. “No, I can’t leave you alone here.” She knew his condition. It wasn’t very good either. He needed more rest than she did.For the next two days, they took turns at the hospital. Skylar didn’t get time to catch up with her friends anymore. They eagerly waited for Sebastian’s return. After five days, they brought Erica home. She was pregnant with twins and her condition was critical with both f
They reached Bellevue Hospital after an hour. Skylar immediately inquired after Eva, but it was strange she had taken a long leave for almost a fortnight. Was it because of her wedding to Alexander? “She is pregnant and her wedding is coming up!” the nurse informed her. Skylar was shocked to hear the news. She knew about her wedding, but not about her pregnancy. The last time she connected with Alyssa, she only found out about her upcoming wedding. Even Hayley cribbed about her own love life. So who was Eva marrying? How was it she didn’t know? Did Eva find her happiness at last with Alexander Van Every? “Let’s go to see Erica,” said Christian, leading her away from the neonatal department. They went to the emergency department and met Sebastian in the lobby. “I was waiting for you,” said a haggard-looking Sebastian. “How is she now?” asked Skylar. “She’s still on drips.” “How did her health deteriorate so much?” asked Christian worriedly. “She was exceptionally nauseous. It t