Anne was sad and depressed the whole day after she came from the Hart house. That place always made her sad. But she only talked to Emery and Ellora and she had nobody else to talk to. Even though they pain her sometimes, she had nobody else. That day Anne was surprised to find her husband at home. A tall woman with dark hair was crying on his shoulder. She didn't like the scene before her eyes. "Tracy, I can feel your pain, "Nicholas consoled the girl. Never had he ever consoled her like this, "Everything will be fine."Was he not always an apathetic and unemotional man? What happened to his usual personality or was it reserved for his wife only? The beautiful girl cried, "I don't wanna go home, brother Nick. I don't want to. My heart hurts so much. I can't go back there."She called him ‘Nick.’ She recalled how she called him Nick once and he raised hell over it. She spent a whole week coaxing him. She never gave him any nickname after that incident. Nicholas wiped the girl na
Nathaniel gently rested his hand on her shoulder and said in an attempt to console her, "You cannot alter any aspect of this story. The things were meant to unfold as they did. Presently, the only way you have is to acknowledge the past and make do with the present. I refrain from discussing the future, uncertain whether I will even be alive to witness tomorrow that may never arrive."Roseanne knew that Nathaniel was not the man who would console someone or who would speak big things. It was rare for him to discuss things about life so casually. Otherwise, he always had a very raw and pessimistic approach towards everything. His words were not optimistic but they were motivating for her. This made her see Nathaniel and Nicholas in contrast. Her ex-husband was an unemotional man and Nathaniel considered him to be the same. But the latter would never intentionally hurt someone with his actions or words. He was unemotional in aspects of his life. When it came to treating others, he would
"I'm telling you, Nicholas, you're going to love this place," Sabrina said as she pulled Nicholas into the cafe, which she had grown to enjoy after a few visits. Her desire to return was not only influenced by the atmosphere and cuisine but also by the excellent service of the cafe. She chose to show Nicholas everywhere she had been while she was here in the hopes that he would feel better. She was not mistaken to believe that he led a depressing life. She merely wanted to add some colour to his life by taking him to trendy and desirable locations because it was evident that he had a really depressing existence. “Sabrina, you know that I am not someone who will go to cafes to hang out, ”Nicholas told her. How did he tell her that he had no interest whatsoever in going to cafes to have coffee? He had the best staff at his disposal. They could replicate any taste for him. “I know that but why don't you try once?” Sabrina asked him. She was not going to listen to his old excuses. She w
Roseanne had seen Sabrina and Nicholas from a distance before Maria had ever made contact with her. She was filled with worry when she saw them together at her cafe and began to wonder why they would show up there. Her first inclination was to run away, to put the unexpected encounter behind her. But she was stopped by a voice inside her that told her not to give in to her fear. They had no control over her anymore, and she was no longer Anne Rose. To run would simply be to live a life of hiding.When Maria called her and those two people saw her she didn't have to think about running anymore after all there was no point now. Thus, she put the crown on her head like the queen she was and proudly walked to them. Her proud walk was the same one that she taught Coco a few days ago to perform in her school. She did not know how she was acting but she was trying to act confident. When Maria introduced them, she took the role smoothly. “Miss Deluca, I have heard a lot about you,” Sabrina
It had been three days since Roseanne saw Nicholas and Sabrina in her cafe. As Nathaniel said, Nicholas did not try to investigate her which only meant one thing that he did not recognise her. She knew that Anne Rose and Roseanne looked like two worlds apart. No one would be able to guess that they both were the same person. Still, the fear was deeply rooted in her heart. Anne Rose was a skinny girl with blonde hair and esteem issues. Her timidity made her look even shorter. But Roseanne had long beautiful red hair and a curvy body. She stood proud and tall. The other reason why she looked taller than Anne Rose was because of her confidence and choice of outfits. That day when Sabrina talked to her about the collaboration between them, Nicholas was there. He didn't act any suspiciously. She was now working with Sabrina. She didn't even know why she agreed to that deal. Perhaps, because she had nothing to say no to. If she said no to a perfect deal, Nicholas would get suspicious and
After his second visit to Roseanne’s Cafe, he visited it a couple of times. Each time he would be in the cafe, Roseanne would be on pins and needles. Maria would usually inform her about the arrival of Nicholas and she would stay in her office until then. Usually, she took part in other activities outside the office but whenever Nicholas was in a cafe, she would confine herself to the office. Each time Nicholas was in a cafe, he would try to catch a glimpse of Roseanne but she would never be found anywhere. Every time, he would sit in the Library section which would be very quiet and peaceful. He read a couple of books and it reginited his adoration of reading again. Due to his busy schedule, he had forgotten about relaxing. He used to read a lot before but along the way, he lost his habit of reading. For certain circumstances, Nicholas had to extend his stay in Italy for about a month or so. He was growing weary of hotel accommodations and so he instructed Johnson to find a villa f
“Okay,”Nicholas replied. He extended his hand and introduced his name, “I'm Nicholas.” Sensing that the name might be difficult for a child to pronounce, he added, “You can call me Nick.” Coco smiled and shook his head, “Oh. Hello, Mister. I'm Charlotte. Since I hate my name, you can call me Coco.”Nicholas laughed. “What's wrong with Charlotte? It's such a beautiful name. I knew a beautiful woman whose name was Charlotte.”She crinkled her nose and said, “Knew.”“It's a little old–”Nicholas agreed. She said, “It's centuries old.”Nicholas laughed. “Not exactly.”“So, Charlotte.”This time, she threatened him with big eyes, “Coco.”Nicholas laughed at her cuteness and added, “Okay, Coco. Shall I help you with a house for your babies?”“Do you know how to do that?” She asked, happily. Nicholas said to her, “I can try “She rolled her eyes and said, “Oh please don't be like my brother. He is very bad at tires.”Nicholas said, “I will make it.”Coco said, raising her brow, “I will jud
The following day, Roseanne had dropped kids at their school and went straight to the cafe. Lisa, the receptionist was not there and so she was sitting in her place. Since she was quite close to her staff and there was no other person to cover Lisa’s shift, she didn't mind covering it. As she was doing her work sitting on Lisa’s seat, she saw someone placing a book in front of her. She looked up to find Nicholas holding a couple of books. “This is?” She asked, confused. “There is a section to donate books,”Nicholas told her. “I want to donate these old books.”Roseanne looked at the books that looked so fresh that she knew he took them from the books stores just a few moments ago. “Maria, take these books from Mr Hart,” Roseanne said. “He wants to donate them.”“Thank you, Mr Hart,” Roseanne said. Seeing the politeness between them, he felt uncomfortable. She was always polite to him yet he felt sometimes that she was keeping him at arms length. She would not entertain him. She
“Sia?”“Hmm,” he murmured in reply, feeling his finger trailing along her shoulder. The rays of the sun bathed her body as they lay near the sea. They were on one of the private beaches in the Philippines, one of the most breathtaking places she had ever seen. For the past three days, they had been travelling. The first two days were filled with adventure, but today was a much-needed lazy day for both of them.“I think you need sunscreen,” Leon said, his voice low and teasing. “Hmm,” she replied, her eyes still closed. She felt him scooping sunscreen into his hands, the cool sensation was contrasting with the heat of his palms as he began smoothing it over her body. His touch lingered as he worked the lotion into her neck while gliding down her back, tracing every curve and dip with deliberate care. Then his hands moved lower, over her hips and along her legs. Just as she thought he was done, his hands reversed course and they have begun gliding upward with an unhurried sensuality. S
After a few days of silence, Charlotte was nowhere to be seen. Leon had been patient, giving her the space he thought she needed to handle whatever was going on in her life. But as weeks turned into a month with no sign of her, he had had enough. He grabbed his phone and called her. She picked up just as it was about to go to voicemail. Her tired face appeared on the screen. “What’s up, little brother?” she asked, her tone lacking its usual energy. “Charlotte Hart, where the hell are you?” Leon snapped. “Somewhere on Earth. Why? What happened?” she replied nonchalantly, though her eyes betrayed exhaustion. Leon’s frown deepened. “Do you know how frustrating you are? You told everyone you were painting, but this doesn’t look like your apartment, and you look like crap.” He paused, taking a closer look. Her hair was longer, browner, and wavy which was completely different from her usual style. His brows furrowed as something else caught his attention. “Wait a minute… are you
Sia smiled widely at Abella and gave her an encouraging pat on the back. “I like it, girl,” she said with genuine warmth. Abella lowered her head, her voice tinged with embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I just… I made the plan, but they ditched me because Cade was interested in me. And, well, Leslie has a crush on him too. You know… the usual college drama.” Sia tilted her head sympathetically but kept her tone light. “I’m glad you ended up spending the evening with me instead. Those people made you cry, and they don’t deserve your energy. You should let them know you don’t care about what they think. You have got people who care about you, and tonight, we are going to have a lot of fun! You are in college, and there is no curfew.” Abella muttered with a small pout, “I still can’t drink until I’m 21.” Sia laughed. “I will show you how to have fun without needing a drop of alcohol. Trust me, tonight is going to be unforgettable.” And it was. The two spent the evening laughing, tal
Sia had just wrapped up her work at the office when her phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she raised a brow in surprise. Softening her tone, she answered, “Hello?” “Hi, Sia,” came Abella’s slightly nervous voice. “Are you busy?” Sia glanced at the clock, noting the upcoming meetings on her schedule. But she brushed them aside and replied warmly, “Not at all. Just finished my work.” “Cool!” Abella sounded a little more at ease. After a brief pause, she asked hesitantly, “Would you like to go shopping with me?” Sia blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Abella was usually reserved and rarely expressed her wishes so openly. The invitation felt like a rare and meaningful step. “Of course,” Sia said, her voice full of encouragement. “When do you want to go?” “Now?” Abella suggested tentatively. “Perfect,” Sia agreed. “Where are you? I will come pick you up.” “I’m at my dorm. Can you come here?” “Absolutely,” Sia assured her. With that, they ended the call. Sia turned to
After spending the entire night with Sia, Leon decided it was time to visit his parents, whom he hadn’t seen in two weeks. When he arrived, the house was lively as usual. Along with Nicholas and Anne, Rhys, Callum, Abella, and his grandparents, Ellora and Nikolai, were all gathered around the table. It was a joyous occasion for the family to be under the same roof. “Dad, can you take over for a month?” Leon asked, leaning against the doorframe. Well, if he had to be gone for over a month, he needed capable hands to look after his work. Who did he trust more than Nicholas Hart himself? Nicholas raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Do I look stupid to you?” Why on earth would he want to return to that cold office building? He recalled the time when the kids were young and he would find all the opportunity to not go to work. He had waited a lot for his retirement. There was no way, he was going back to work! “It’s just a month,” Leon persisted, his tone almost pleading. Nich
“Leon?” Sia’s voice trembled with surprise and excitement as she spotted him standing at the door of her study. Without hesitation, she ran to him while wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. “You heartless man! You went on a business trip for a whole week! Did you even miss me?” “I’m sorry, Sia baby. I’m a bad man,” he murmured, pulling her closer and kissing her cheek. “I’m sorry. Next time, I’ will take you with me.” She pouted, muttering, “What would I even do there?” He smiled, his voice soft and affectionate. “Stay with me all day. Who cares what place or task it is, as long as we are together.” Her lips curled into a contented smile and she nodded, looking every bit like a satisfied child who had just been given her favorite treat. “I love you, Leon,” she whispered. The words were rare and reserved for moments that carried her true and raw emotions. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I love you more, Sia baby.” Without another word, Leon scooped her i
After an entire month since his accident, Sebastian finally opened his eyes. As if Charlotte’s life wasn’t dramatic enough, she soon discovered that Sebastian had lost his memories. The only thing he seemed to recall was that he was married to the love of his life. A week had passed since he woke from his coma and Charlotte was still struggling to adjust to this new reality. Sebastian with a radiant smile that could make anyone’s heart ache, said to her, “Wifey, when can we go home? I am so tired of being here. I want to sleep on our bed, hug you, and just be with you.” Charlotte would only smile in response while hiding the turmoil in her heart. She glanced down at the ring on her finger and sighed. This was her reality now. She had taken on the responsibility of caring for him, even if the man she was looking at wasn’t entirely the same. The doctors assured her that his amnesia was temporary and a result of both physical and psychological trauma. His memories would return
“So, Sebastian is connected to New York’s King family?” Charlotte asked, her tone sharp. Jimmy nodded. “Biologically, yes, but Athena never wanted them involved in his life. There is no connection between them.” Charlotte hesitated before asking, “How bad was Elizabeth’s abuse?” Jimmy handed her an iPad and displayed the evidence. Charlotte’s breath hitched as she scrolled through the images. “That’s...horrible.” Jimmy nodded solemnly. After a moment, she steadied herself and asked, “Who tampered with Sebastian’s motorbike?” “George Monet,” Jimmy replied without hesitation. Charlotte’s eyes darkened with cold fury. “I want George Monet crippled,” she said, her voice like ice. “And as for Elizabeth, the mastermind... I want her paralyzed. Let her mind stay sharp while her body becomes useless.” She laughed mirthlessly. “And Daphne Monet? Tie her to those disabled and crippled for life. That will be the worst punishment for her.” Charlotte leaned back in her chair, her g
As Sebastian was airlifted to the best hospital in France, Charlotte followed closely behind, ensuring no detail was overlooked. The top surgeons were flown in at her request and they operated on him immediately to pull him back from the brink of death. Yet, even after their efforts, he remained comatose for an entire week, with no sign of waking. Charlotte hadn’t left his side since the accident, refusing to return to her apartment. Exhausted, she called for an update from his team. “Jimmy,” she began, her voice calm but icy, “Did you gather all the information about my husband’s accident?” Jimmy stood before her, hesitant but prepared. “Yes, Madam. The brakes on Mr. Monet’s motorbike were deliberately tampered with, and the car that caused the accident was part of the plan.” Charlotte’s jaw tightened. “Who?” “It was George Monet,” Jimmy revealed grimly. “He paid the driver to orchestrate the crash. The entire accident was a plot by the Monet family. After your marriage to M