Everyone is hurting here.....
Charlotte jumped out of the car, her heart pounding as she hurried toward the door. With each step, something ugly seemed to press heavier on her chest. She didn’t stop until she had thrown the door open, her breath was shallow with anticipation and fear. As she stepped inside, her gaze fell on him.There he was, standing tall in the kitchen with his back turned towards her as he sprinkled sugar powder over what looked like a baked fruit dish. The kitchen counter was filled with neatly arranged plates, and it was an image so domestic and so normal but so intimate that it almost made her heartache.When he turned to face her, his eyes softened, those deep, soulful eyes that she had always seen straight through. His lips curved into a smile that made the room feel warmer, and brighter, as if he was the source of all light. Sebastian Monet King was no less than a sun as he was always selflessly giving out his rays and making people around him happy and warm. “Well, hello to my beautiful
In Sia’s office, the endless bickering between Kate and Rhys was in full swing once again. Kate couldn’t stand Rhys’ flirtatious ways and his nonchalant attitude, while Rhys found great amusement in riling her up."Since Mr. Rhys is so capable of performing tasks," Kate said with a sly smile, "I have another task for you!" She dropped a large file on the desk, "Please go through all these resumes, narrow it down to fifty candidates, and then interview them with the HR department. We need to select three secretaries for the Presidential department."Rhys scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "Who do you think you are for ordering me around?"Kate's smile grew wider. "If you have forgotten, I'm the Executive Assistant to the CEO. You have a whole team above you, but I only answer to the CEO. So yes, you have to do what I say."Rhys grumbled. "You can't bully me," he muttered, walking out the door.Kate sat back in her chair while taking a sip of her tea and feeling victorious.Later that evening
When Sia was alone in her office, she gazed out the window and watched Rhys flirt with the new employees and couldn’t help but let out a long sigh. "This boy..." she muttered under her breath, shaking her head in amusement and slight frustration.She picked up the phone and dialled Kate's number.“Kate, who volunteered for the Mexico project?” Sia asked. Kate’s voice came back with a slight hint of disappointment. “Boss, nobody wants to lead it. It is such a messy project and no one wants the headache.”Sia’s eyes narrowed as she thought for a moment. “Send Rhys and Mr David for it.”“Is Rhys a good choice?” Kate questioned, quite unsure.Sia’s voice was firm. “He is talented but his only flaw is his distraction by women. Give him five difficult projects with almost no female contact. I want him to crumble under the weight of the burden.”Kate’s grin widened. “Yes, boss.”After hanging up, Sia settled back in her chair. But before she could get lost in thought, her phone rang and a s
In the Hart House,Nicholas had moved Nathaniel to the Hart mansion, as the family agreed that his health was too fragile to take any risks. Nathaniel was now in his old room in the wing where he had spent his younger years, and since Charlotte also lived in the same wing, it had been decorated by her in an artistic way.Nash, however, was not pleased with the change. He had not been consulted about his father's move, and he felt a sense of anger and resentment toward the whole family. He couldn't understand why they had decided this for Nathaniel without asking him and it bothered him deeply.Late one evening, after spending most of the night quietly watching over his father and crying in sorrow, Nash fell asleep after taking a break to freshen up. When he woke up, he was absolutely starving. He had no particular destination in mind but began wandering through the mansion and lost in his thoughts. He ended up in a garden so enchanting that it looked like it could have been plucked s
Abella nodded. "I have got you covered. Just sit tight." When she finished, she handed him a steaming bowl of ramen. Nash picked up his chopsticks and took a bite. "Woah, why do you have all this stuff in your room?" he asked, clearly impressed by her resourcefulness.Abella chuckled, sitting down beside him. "I live in a dormitory. I need these things to survive. I actually packed these to take with me to cook sometimes. And this electric kettle," she gestured toward the small appliance on the desk, "I just bought it today."Nash slurped down another bite of noodles. "You cook pretty amazingly."She grinned, pleased with the compliment. "That is one of my talents."He couldn’t help but smile back at her, feeling more at ease. "Where do you study?""Huh?" Abella blinked, surprised by the question.He clarified, "You told me you live in a dorm.""Oh! Yes, I study at NYU Medical School," she replied, her voice filled with pride.Nash looked impressed. "That was my dream school."Abella’s
“When will you come back?” Leon asked Sia as they stood outside the airport.“It will take me some time,” Sia sighed. “My team messed up the project. I need to handle things before the government gets involved. I can’t face this lawsuit.”If this was not urgent, she would not go to that damned state back. But some things could not be helped even if she wished. Leon nodded and pulled her into a hug. “Take care.”Sia smiled. “I’m just going to LA. I will come back soon. And if you miss me, you can drop by anytime.”Leon hesitated before speaking. “I’m just not comfortable with you going back to California. It has been a nightmare for you.”He knew how much she was hurt in California. One night, He and Coco sat and talked about her life in California, all the little and big things that she did not deliberately tell him because she did not wish to cause him any stress. However, when he asked his sister, she told him about everything in detail. If it was upto him, he would have killed Mat
“Mom, he is getting obsessed with Alessia!” Olivia said angrily. She could see what others could not. She could see Alessia returning to their life and ruining everything. She wanted to protect her husband and her position as his wife. “What makes you think that?” Stephanie asked, confused.“What’s my daughter’s name?” Olivia snapped. “It is Alicia! Can you see that? He named my daughter after his ex-wife! And, as bad luck has it, she looks like Alessia! Why did she have to look like that bitch?”She yelled and kicked at air when Matthew named their baby girl Alicia in the hospital. He told her that he gave it to punish her as the day on her labour, she was out drinking and smoking with her friends. She was doing it to spite Matthew who left to find Sia to be obsessed with her. He named her daughter Alicia because he wanted her to remember her worst nightmare everyday because she put her daughter in danger. Stephanie sighed, trying to remain calm. “Sia has green eyes like me, Oli. A
“Charlotte?”Charlotte quickly turned to look at Sebastian. He was sitting up in bed, holding his head in pain. They had been sleeping beside each other but now he was shouting out in agony.“My head is blasting!” he cried out, his face full of pain and tears streamed down his face. Charlotte’s heart raced as she saw how much he was suffering. She immediately sat up, trying to stay calm.“We are going to the hospital now!” Charlotte said, her voice showing some calm even when her heart was not. She grabbed her phone and called for help. A few minutes later, a helicopter landed on their property, and Charlotte helped Sebastian outside. She quickly led him to the helicopter while her mind was racing with worry.In the hospital, they rushed Sebastian in for tests but things took a sudden turn. Before they knew it, Sebastian had fallen into a coma.“What do you mean?” Carter shouted at the doctor, his face full of shock and confusion. “How could my son be in a coma? He was fine just a whil
EpilogueThree Years Later“Dr. Hart?”Abella turned around to see a nurse hurrying toward her.“The patient in the NICU is responding to the medication,” the nurse informed her. “Could you check on her?”Without hesitation, Abella rushed to the NICU, her heart throbbing fast. That morning, the baby girl’s condition had been critical, but now, as she looked into those tiny, bright eyes, she felt a wave of relief.“Hey there, sweetheart,” Abella cooed, smiling warmly. “You’re such a fighter. You fought so hard to be here with your mom and dad.”The baby stared up at her, and Abella’s heart melted.“Yes, you’re such a strong, big girl,” she whispered, gently touching the baby’s hand.Outside the NICU, the parents expressed their gratitude; their tearful smiles reminded Abella why she had chosen this path. In moments like these, she was reminded of how beautiful it was to help save these little angels. But there were also the heartbreaking days, the ones where some angels didn’t make it.
Meanwhile, Kate and Rhys were sitting with Anne.“Why is Aunt suddenly changing colors?” Rhys asked.“Because she knows she was wrong and wants back what she lost,” Kate said matter-of-factly.Anne chuckled. “Kate, as much as I love your straightforward attitude, I’d appreciate it if you toned it down in front of Emery. She is… well, very touchy and fussy.”Kate shrugged. “MIL, I have a complaint. Coco and Sia had a girls’ day without me! Can you imagine? I’m trying to be as cool as them, but they left me out!”Rhys suppressed a chuckle. “Yes, Mom, they left my dear Kate out.”Anne played along. “That’s terrible, I’ll scold them,”“Yes, scold them well,” Kate agreed, then added mischievously, “but don’t tell them I snitched. Just say it was Rhys.”Anne smiled. “Alright, dear.” Then, she glanced at Kate. “I saw you have been spending time with Abella. How’s that going? I know you two weren’t close.”Kate sighed. “Everyone coddles her too much. She is living in disillusionment. Coco and
It was a beautiful day that was filled with love, laughter, and cherished memories. Anne and Nicholas’s wedding anniversary had brought the entire family together, and the house was buzzing with warmth and joy.Nicholas turned to Anne as his eyes were soft with affection. “We have been together for forty years,” he said, a gentle smile on his lips.Anne smiled back, a touch of nostalgia in her gaze. “Yes, we made it this far.”Leaning in, Nicholas pressed a tender kiss to her lips. “Thank you for giving me the chance to be your husband.”Anne’s voice was barely above a whisper as she responded, “Thank you for fighting for us.”Just then, Leon and Coco appeared out of nowhere while wrapping their arms around their parents in a tight hug. “If anyone deserves the credit, it’s us!” Leon declared with a grin. “We made sure you two ended up together.”Nicholas and Anne exchanged amused glances before nodding. “Yes,” Nicholas agreed, “and we’re very thankful for your scheming. Turns out, it w
“Did you match into your preferred branch of residency?” Madam Facci asked, excitement filling her voice.Abella swallowed. “Ma, I’m still checking the results,” she admitted. “I’m scared.”“You have nothing to be scared of, my dear. Just look,” she heard. With a deep breath, Abella entered her credentials for the residency match. Her eyes darted across the screen as the words appeared before her.“I…” Her voice caught in her throat.“What is it?” Madam Facci asked eagerly.“Pediatrics…” Abella whispered in disbelief.A joyful gasp came from the other end. “Oh my god! I am so happy for you, dear!”Abella’s chest tightened as she read the rest. “With NYU…” she murmured. “If I accept it, I will have to stay in New York.”Was she ready for this?Madam Facci’s voice was warm and reassuring. “Whatever you choose, we are proud of you. You’ve worked hard for this. Don’t overthink it, just enjoy this moment. You did it, Abella. I’m so, so proud of you.”That evening, the entire family gather
Augustus Hart was born a healthy, chubby baby with a bald head, looking absolutely perfect in every way. His arrival was so sudden that only Callum and Estelle were present at the hospital when her water broke. They barely had time to inform anyone, but Abella rushed over as soon as she found out.The moment Callum stepped out of the delivery room and saw his sister waiting outside, a wave of emotions hit him all at once. Without hesitation, he pulled her into a tight hug.“Congratulations, brother. I’m so proud of you,” Abella whispered, pressing a kiss to his cheek.Callum let out a shaky breath, still overwhelmed. “When did you get here?”“Just now,” she said with a smile. “How’s Estelle?”“Tired,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “Still cursing me.”Abella chuckled. “And the baby?”“Just perfect,” Callum said, his eyes softening. “Come inside. She is going to be so happy to see you.”When Estelle saw Abella, she let out a small gasp before pulling her into a long, tight
After her divorce, Abella didn’t leave the country. Cillian had given her a staggering sum in alimony, even going as far as naming half of his assets to her, but she refused to take a single dime. She had her own inheritance. More money than she could ever need. But what could wealth do? It couldn’t buy her happiness. It couldn’t fill the void in her heart.Cillian knew her too well; he didn’t push her to accept anything. He let her go, even when it shattered him.When her mother lived in Italy with Coco and Leon, alongside her uncle Nate, she had bought a beautiful bungalow. It had never been sold, left untouched over the years. When Abella married Cillian, Leon had given her the key to that house as a quiet token of their family’s past. There were two bungalows beside each other, one where her mother had raised her two older siblings, and the other where her father had stayed, the place where her parents had met and reunited. One had been passed down to Charlotte, the other to Leon.
Cillian stared at her, his throat tightening as he heard the finality in her voice. He had imagined this conversation a thousand different ways, but none of them had prepared him for the calm and almost serene acceptance in her eyes.“Abella…” He whispered her name like a prayer, like a plea. “Can we please rethink this?”Abella smiled. It was a soft, bittersweet smile that made his chest ache.“Cillian, there is nothing to rethink,” she said gently. “Alessandro came to see me. He told me that he was leaving the country with his mother. He said he doesn’t want to come between us, that he would be happy if you called him once in a while and only if it was okay with me.” She let out a humorless chuckle. “That’s too big of a burden for me to carry. I mean, I don’t care how you navigate your relationship with your son. But I will give you one piece of advice: don’t be a jerk. Don’t hurt one more person. You have already hurt me, you have hurt him, and you have hurt his mother. Stop making
Cillian reached for her hand, his grip firm but trembling as well. “Abella, please listen to me. I’m sorry. I made a mistake by not telling you the truth. Can you please forgive me?” His voice cracked with desperation.She looked at him, her expression unreadable. “I don’t know,” she said softly.Cillian’s breath hitched, and he tried again. “Please, I’ll change. I’ll work on myself. Just give me a chance.” His hands clenched at his sides as if willing himself not to break apart. “I don’t want to see you like this, so shattered. You mean so fucking much to me. Please.”But to Abella, his words felt like echoes in an empty room. They were hollow and weightless. Once upon a time, she had longed to hear them, had dreamed of a moment where he would look at her like this, beg for her, choose her. But now? Now, they felt unimportant. They meant nothing.She exhaled, rubbing her temple. “I heard you. But my head is splitting apart, Cillian. Can you please just go back to your house? I just w
Madam Facci looked at her son, her expression undecipherable. She had seen Cillian walk through storms without flinching, but today, he stood before her looking utterly wrecked. His usually sharp eyes were bloodshot, his arm wound had reopened, staining his sleeve with fresh blood, yet none of that seemed to matter to him or anyone at this point.“What do you want, Cillian?” she asked, her voice firm but not unkind.“I’m here to see Abella,” he said. His voice was hoarse, almost desperate.Madam Facci crossed her arms. “I’m sure you have no idea what happened last night.”“I know,” he admitted, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. “I just want to explain things to her. She is overthinking this, and there is nothing much to overthink. I just—” He exhaled sharply. “I just want to make everything okay.”A wry smile tugged at Madam Facci’s lips, but there was no amusement in her eyes. “Son,” she said, “we can never tell someone what is worth overthinking or not. For you, th