“So, Saturday night at Apollo’s? It’s a date,” Andrew said, taking a chance with the woman of his dreams. They were standing on the porch of the café. With Charlotte’s high-heeled boots, she stood an inch taller than him.Before she could respond, a smiling hunk with his arms crossed over his chest approached and said, “No, it’s not.”Charlotte froze at the sound of the deep, husky voice that had haunted her dreams. She didn’t dare turn around. What if it was him? What would she do? And if it wasn’t him, how would she handle the crushing disappointment?Andrew frowned at the interruption and asked, “Who are you, man?”“Why don’t you ask the lady?” the stranger replied, cocking an eyebrow.Andrew turned to Charlotte. “Do you know him?”Without even glancing at the man, Charlotte said firmly, “No.”Andrew wasn’t convinced. There was an undeniable tension between them with her avoidance and his unwavering stare. It was as if an unspoken history filled the space between them.“Well,” And
“What’s up?” Sia asked, leaning casually against the doorframe. Charlotte was sitting quietly in her room, staring at nothing in particular.“I met Sebastian,” Charlotte said flatly, her voice devoid of any emotion.“Oh?” Sia raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. “How did that go?”It was as if she was not sitting with Anne and scheming about Charlotte. Charlotte gave her a look. “Knock it off. I know you already know everything. Whatever you are thinking, it’s not going to happen. He asked me to sign the divorce papers, not to be his wife.”Sia stepped into the room, sitting across from her. “The real question is, do you want to be his wife?”Charlotte’s gaze faltered. “He doesn’t even remember me, Sia. And don’t forget—he loves Emily. Always has, always will.”“Did you ask him if Emily is still in his life?” Sia pressed, tilting her head.Charlotte shrugged. “How does it even matter?”“Coco,” Sia said, “How does it not matter? Why are you being such a coward? We both know you still
“What do you want to know about her?” Carter asked, his tone measured as he observed his son’s restless demeanour. He wondered if his son recalled anything about her? As much as he knew that stubborn yet kind woman, she would not come to him again. “Who is Charlotte?” Sebastian asked directly, his voice tinged with both curiosity and apprehension.Carter leaned back in his chair, folding his hands together. “She is your wife. Or rather, she was your wife.”Sebastian frowned. “Our divorce isn’t finalized yet,” he corrected.“Great,” Carter said with a small satisfied smile.Sebastian raised an eyebrow, surprised by his father’s reaction. “Are you happy that we are still married?”“You bet I am,” Carter replied with a nonchalant shrug.Sebastian leaned forward, his confusion evident. “As much as I know you, you are an overprotective man. How on earth did you approve of a woman who married me after what was, by all accounts, a drunken mistake?”Carter chuckled, his expression softening.
“Where are you taking me, Leon?” Sia asked, her voice tinged with curiosity and amusement. He had covered her eyes with his hands and was carefully guiding her along the path. From the moment they met that morning, she could see the anticipation in his eyes. There was excitement, almost boyish, but beneath it there was a hint of nervousness, as if he wasn’t entirely sure how his secret plan would unfold.“Just a minute,” Leon replied his voice brimming with eagerness. “Once we are there, you will see.”They walked along the winding and uneven path, Sia grumbling at every step. Finally, after what felt like an eternity to her and just a blink to him, he stopped.“We are here,” he announced softly. Then, his voice took on a deeper and more heartfelt tone. “Before you open your eyes, I want to tell you—I love you so much, and I can’t wait to start this new chapter of our life together.”Sia felt her heart skip a beat at his words. Slowly, Leon removed his hands, and she opened her eyes.
Tonight, the Hart girls had planned a much-needed night out. Charlotte and Abella took the lead, guiding Sia, Kate, and Estelle to one of their favourite clubs. Over the past few days, Estelle had been spending time with Abella, and despite their age difference, the two had become fast friends. So, when Abella invited her to join the group, Estelle didn’t hesitate.Estelle had a naturally chill personality. Even though she was a bit more reserved, she knew how to let loose when the moment called for it.“Boss, I missed you!” Kate exclaimed as she threw her arms around Sia, hugging her tightly and refusing to let go.“Come on, Kate, I’m not your boss here,” Sia said, laughing as she tried to pry Kate off, but Kate clung to her like glue.“I know that! But calling you by your name still gives me the shivers,” Kate grinned mischievously. “You are scary.”Charlotte raised a brow and teased, “How can Sia baby possibly be scary?”The girls burst into laughter as Sia shot them a glare. Normal
From across the room, someone was watching the entire scene unfold with an amused glint in his stormy grey eyes.Sebastian leaned back as his lips curled into a half-smile, clearly enjoying the drama, but there was something else in his gaze. Something deeper and darker.“Mr. King, what are you watching?” one of his business partners asked, noting Sebastian’s lingering attention.Sebastian’s eyes never wavered from the group. “Mr. Jones, I hope you don’t mind, but I just spotted an old friend. Would you mind if I went over and said hello?”“Not at all, we are done here,” Mr. Jones replied, excusing himself as he walked away.Meanwhile, Charlotte, having just made her point to Ronan, turned to rejoin her girls. But as she did, she froze. Her gaze met a pair of stormy grey eyes. Eyes that seemed to burn with a quiet intensity.For a moment, Charlotte thought it was just another mirage, a trick her mind was playing on her. She moved as her steps were hesitant, but those eyes followed her.
Today was the day of Carter King’s birthday party. Along with Charlotte, Sia was invited too, and since she decided to attend, Leon was her plus one. It was not a big event but a very intimate birthday party. Still the guests surpased a few hundred. Charlotte was nervous the whole way. Thankfully, she was attending with her brother and best friend. She dragged Callum as her plus one since she didn’t want to appear alone.Sia and Leon entered first.All the while, Sebastian’s gaze was on the door as if he was waiting for someone to enter. When that person arrived, his eyes lit up, but it soon diminished as he saw her holding a man’s arm. The man looked younger, but he couldn’t tell much.When Charlotte appeared to greet Carter, she intentionally didn’t look at Sebastian, but she could feel his gaze bore a hole into her head. As Carter saw Charlotte, he forgot all the guests.He didn’t bother with formalities and hugged Charlotte. “My girl. How are you? It has been months since I last
"Sebastian King. Pleased to meet you," Sebastian introduced himself, his voice smooth as he extended his hand to the Hart brothers."Likewise.”Sebastian smiled an enigmatic expression with no hint of malice or curiosity but still carrying an unmistakable poise that made it hard to look away.The introductions concluded just as more guests began to trickle in. Alessia, Leon, and Callum made their way to their designated table, while Charlotte excused herself to take a call. “So?” Leon asked, glancing at his brother. “What do you think?”Callum leaned back slightly, his sharp eyes flickering with thought. Unlike Rhys and Leon, Callum had an uncanny ability to read people. He was the observer, blending into the background while Rhys commanded attention and Leon’s charisma drew people in. It gave him the advantage of seeing what others often missed.“He’s... something,” Callum admitted, his tone measured. “Even I’m a little starstruck, to be honest. The guy isn’t just handsome, he is be
The two mischievous best friends were at King’s residence today as their parents were busy with work. Whenever they were alone for a long time, they would request to stay with Carter, as he was the only one who could put up with all their antics. Since his children had inherited his business, he had focused all his attention on being a good and available father and grandfather.He loved it when his grandson Silas and granddaughter Athena visited him for the whole day. He loved it even more when it was just Athena and her best friend, Aurora or the stormy Aurora, as he called her.A few months after Sebastian got married, Serafina fell in love with a man named Drake, but the two did not work out. However, Serafina got pregnant and gave birth to her son, Drew, who lived with her mother. He was not a social child at all. The only person he could talk to, aside from his mother and grandfather, was Silas and no one else.For some reason, it was Aurora’s first time meeting Drew. Actually, s
"Dr. Hart?"Callum turned back to see his lab assistant running towards him with a coffee in her hand. She was a young and pretty woman in her late twenties who had recently completed her Ph.D. and was now working as a lab assistant in his lab. With her qualifications, she could have secured a better job, but she had decided to stay for the next two months until her project ended. "Yes, Dr. Maise?" Callum said. "Umm, coffee?" she offered him with a small smile. "Actually, I am about to head for lunch," Callum said. "If you wish, you can join me." Honestly, he was just being polite. "Okay!" the woman said and began walking with Callum. As they walked towards the cafeteria, they passed several students who were seated there. Callum was a familiar face on campus, as he used to take classes on behalf of his Ph.D. supervisor. Even after joining the university as a scholar, he occasionally covered classes for his supervisor again, as the two shared a deep professional relationsh
Parenthood had changed Sia and Leon in ways they had never expected. Watching Aurora grow up every day before their eyes felt like nothing short of a miracle. She was tiny, mischievous, and so full of light. Her presence would light up the room in a way no one could quite understand. Aurora was just one and a half months old when her biggest nemesis, Silas, was born. Silas was her favorite uncle’s son—the handsome uncle with shiny hair and flawless skin. Everyone joked that Aurora was obsessed with Sebastian’s beauty, while Charlotte would playfully complain that her favorite niece only had eyes for her husband. From the time Silas and Aurora were little, they fought over everything from their grandparents’ attention to every little gift they received. Neither of them wanted to lose to the other. Their endless competition worried their parents, as their families were best friends, but their children were anything but. Charlotte’s dream of having her children and her best friend’
It was a beautiful day when Aurora Swift Hart was born. She had troubled her mother a lot while getting comfortable in her mother’s tummy, but when she finally arrived, she did so without causing much pain. Aurora’s daddy began crying even before she could, as she opened her tiny eyes to a world she wasn’t yet used to. She wondered who the real crybaby was—her daddy or her. “I told you it’s a baby girl,” Aurora heard her daddy say, his voice filled with emotion as he cried fat tears. Her mommy, on the other hand, just smiled at her. If she could smile, she would because her mommy was so brave, loving, and comforting. Oh no, her mommy was the best! Especially when the nurse showed her how to be her food. But that was a topic for another time. “You won, Leon!” Aurora’s mommy said to her crybaby daddy. “What name have you chosen for the baby girl?” the doctor asked with a smile, looking at Leon, who was struggling to contain his excitement. “I want to know too,” Aurora heard he
“Our family is finally completed, ”Anne said with a big smile. She looked at her kids who were bickering as usual on the dining table. Leon and Sia were sitting on one side and Charlotte and Sebastain on another. Sia was in her eighth month of pregnancy and extremely fragile while Charlotte was wuite healthy and even though she was pregnant, she was no fragile woman! Charlotte Hart King could still take down a man or two! “Our family was always completed,”Nicholas said with a smile. “Now it is time for our kids to have family of their own. Leon and Charlotte are already starting their family with their respective spouses. Rhys has Nico. Its just Callum that I worry about.”Anne said, “Actually, I learnt one lesson in life. We cannot control the lives of our kids forever. Although we want to keep them safe from all the harms, it is still not possible. Because they are the main characters of their lives. And main characters always have their struggles. We are nothing but supporting cha
What does forever feel like? Sia and Leon weren't quite sure. But ask them what love feels like—love that’s about trying to be there for each other, even when things are hard, and trying to love each other for as long as they’re breathing—and they’ll look at each other with tender eyes and give you a smile. It was a normal day for Leon. His girlfriend woke up and decided to flip the script. The couple sat at breakfast in their safe haven—home, the place they had built together. The meal was something Sia adored, and Leon couldn’t help but wonder if that wide smile on her face had something to do with the food—her favorite, sent over by his mother, Anne. Ever since Sia and Charlotte were pregnant, Anne had been sending meals packed with love and nutrients. It was a tradition now, one that seemed to brighten their days. Leon was sure it wasn’t just the taste of the food Sia adored, it was the love and care Anne put into it, the same kind of love and care Sia was a sucker for.
Happiness had settled into the Hart family. The two pregnant women were treated like delicate glass, cherished and fussed over by everyone. Sia was six months along but barely looked a day over her first trimester, while Charlotte, at five months, had already popped and was unmistakably pregnant. While Sia’s pregnancy was challenging due to her health issues, Charlotte was in perfect health, glowing with happiness and vitality.Today, Sebastian brought Charlotte to her favourite food spot. She had been craving different foods all day. Sia had once joked that Charlotte was gaining more “food weight” than pregnancy weight which earned her an exaggerated glare from Charlotte.“Did you ask for an extra scoop of ice cream?” Charlotte asked, her eyes glowing with anticipation.“I sure did,” Sebastian replied with a knowing smile. “I may have even ordered a special dish you might like.”Charlotte beamed, her dimples deepened. “Aren’t you the best husband in the whole wide world?”He smirked.
Sia watched as Charlotte and Sebastian cried and laughed together while holding each other in pure joy. Sebastian had arrived with a huge bouquet for his wife, and the moment he saw her, he dropped to his knees and hugged her stomach, whispering over and over how happy and blessed he was to have her.Seeing them celebrate their love and impending parenthood made Sia emotional. Her best friend had finally found the love she truly deserved. Not wanting to intrude on their perfect romantic moment, she quietly walked back home with a soft smile on her lips.As she stepped inside, Leon was already there, waiting for her.“Hi,” Leon greeted. “Is everything okay?”Sia nodded, her eyes still glistening with happiness. “I am very happy. So happy that I cannot even put it into words.”Leon studied her face as warmth spread through his chest. “That is very good to hear. But would you like to tell me what happened?”She wrapped her arms around him while hugging him tightly. “Charlotte and Sebasti
Charlotte pulled something from her pocket and handed it to Sia. As Sia saw it, her eyes widened. She immediately hugged Charlotte. “You are pregnant?”Charlotte nodded, tears welling in her eyes.“Why are you crying?” Sia asked gently. “This is such happy news! Silly girl.” She paused before looking at Charlotte. “You do not want the baby? It is okay, I will not judge you.”Charlotte shook her head through her tears. “No, I do. I already love the baby. But we just got married after only a month of dating, and now a baby. He is not ready for that.”“Did he say that?” Sia asked.Charlotte shook her head. “No, but…”Sia rolled her eyes, smiling a little. “You are being silly. You both need to talk. If you do not talk to him and keep making assumptions, you will ruin your relationship. You need to talk to him.”Charlotte hesitated. “Now?”Sia nodded. “I think it is better to talk now. Otherwise, you will just end up crying more.”With a deep breath, Charlotte took her phone, put it on sp