Slowly, more than a month had passed since Anne’s surgery and she had fully recovered. Rhys and Callum were growing fast each passing day. It was a typical weekend morning and Sabrina was scheduled to drop off Coco later in the day. Leon was still sleeping soundly in his room as he had no school today. As Anne stepped outside into the soft morning light, she spotted her father, Jacob in the nursery. He was there early and gently cooing at the little babies in their cribs. Recently, Jacob had begun visiting the Hart mansion more often. He was managing the café alongside Anne and whenever he missed his grandchildren, he would come by to see them. Rhys and Callum had formed a special place in his heart and he loved every moment spent with them. After a week without seeing them, his heart ached for their little smiles and coos.“Good morning, Dad,” Anne greeted him with a warm smile.“Good morning, daughter,” Jacob replied, looking up at her with affection. “I don’t see them for just a fe
After a little while, a voice rang out in the living room, announcing the arrival of a small whirlwind. “Mommy!” “Mommy! My sweet mommy! Your daughter is back!” Coco exclaimed, dashing into the room. She hugged Nicholas first as she saw him. “Hey, Dad!” Then she blew kisses at the babies in the bassinet. “Hey, Rhys! Hey, Callum! I missed you so much! I love you both a lot!” Next, she greeted her grandfather with a big smile. “Hello, Baba!” Coco seemed to be in a hurry. She ran back to Nicholas and asked, “Dad, where is my mommy?” Before he could respond, she sprinted upstairs to find Anne. When she burst into Leon’s room, she squealed in delight and wrapped her arms around her mother, showering her with kisses. Coco even did a little dance. “Mommy, Coco missed you a lot!”Anne laughed, her heart warming at the joyful reunion with her best daughter. “Me too!” They both squealed with happiness and their laughter filling the room. Leon who was still trying to wake up fully watched
Anne turned to Nicholas and said, “I’ll drop Coco off at Sabrina’s. Can you take Leon to the café? He wants to work with Dad today in the garden.”Nicholas was in a hurry, so he didn’t ask her many questions. After securing the babies in their car seats, Anne drove Coco to Sabrina’s, feeling a sense of purpose about visiting the Taylor house today. Once they arrived, she placed the kids in the stroller and made her way inside with Coco.Sabrina was pleasantly surprised to see Anne, who hadn’t come to drop Coco off in a long time. “Anne! It’s great to see you!” she exclaimed, greeting her warmly before cooing at the little babies, who were wide-eyed at the unfamiliar surroundings.“Is Bella here?” Anne asked, glancing around.Sabrina’s expression shifted slightly. “Bella’s down with a cold. Are you sure you want to see her?” she asked, concerned about the babies catching anything.“We’re recently vaccinated,” Anne replied reassuringly. “I’ll go and see her.”It had been a while since An
A few years later…Today, the Hart Mansion was bustling with excitement. The mansion was beautifully decorated, celebrating Leon, also known as Nathaniel Hart’s special day, who had just turned thirteen. Leon was all smiles when he woke up to find his parents in his room with a large gift.“My baby entered his teens,” Anne said emotionally, moving to hug him and kissing his forehead.“I love you, Ma,” Leon replied, hugging her tightly.“Happy birthday, baby boy,” Nicholas joined in, giving his son a warm hug.Leon groaned, “Please, Dad, I'm not a baby boy anymore.”“When your mom calls you baby, you accept it,” Nicholas teased, feeling a bit left out.“She is my mom. She can call me anything,” Leon declared.“Fine,” Nicholas rolled his eyes.Leon then turned to Anne with hope in his eyes, “Ma, did you make me a special breakfast?”Anne laughed, “Of course, I did!”Leon beamed and kissed her cheek, “You are the best!”Nicholas chimed in, “I helped too, you know.”“Thanks, Dad!” Leon sai
They heard the loud pop of a balloon from the living room and immediately, they all rushed toward the sound, only to find Coco standing there, holding a million of colorful balloons. She wore black sunglasses, her dark hair styled in two thin braids with the rest left loose and she was dressed in a short skirt and an oversized hoodie. The moment Leon arrived in front of her, she let go of the balloons and yelled, "Happy birthday, Leon!"She ran over and hugged him tightly. At thirteen, she stood as tall as Leon who was already 170 cm. "Little brother, happy birthday! I have so many presents for you!"Leon smiled. "Thanks, Coco."Abella, Callum, and Rhys ran to play with the balloons floating around the living room. Coco on seeing Anne, ran over and hugged her mother while giggling. She was now a few inches taller than Anne and whenever she hugged her, she liked to lift her off the ground which always startle her mother."Mommy darling! I love you so much," Coco said, kissing Anne on
“Hello, my little jungle!” Bella’s voice rang out in the living room.At the sound of their grandmother, all the children ran to her. Their faces lit up with excitement as they saw her. Bella was their favourite person in the entire universe. They loved her deeply and she loved them more than anything. “Leon, my grandson! My favorite little devil!” Bella exclaimed as she hugged Leon. “Your gift is waiting for you outside!”Knowing Bella, it had to be something extraordinary. Leon’s eyes widened with anticipation as he ran out the door, only to be greeted by the sight of a red Ferrari parked right outside. His jaw dropped and crazy excitement ran through him. "Oh my god! Oh my god!"He rushed to the car and opened the door to look at the interiors. He could hardly contain his excitement as he bounced on his feet. His joy was over the world. He yelled out, “This is the best birthday gift ever!”Anne stood back, watching with a soft smile. She approached Bella and said in a gentle tone
The birthday party had started and it was quite grand.Jacob had come to celebrate his grandson's special day. When Anne noticed him standing alone, she approached him and asked, “Dad, you didn’t bring Sia?”“You know her. She would never come to events with me,” Jacob replied, shaking his head. “She said she has an exam tomorrow and is busy preparing for it.”Sia was indeed a brilliant student but she struggled with low self-esteem, especially when it came to the Hart family. Interacting with them often left her feeling insecure and inferior.As the time for cake-cutting approached, Leon scanned the room as if he was looking for someone but it seemed he didn’t find who he was searching for. Coco asked, “Baba, where is Alesia?”“Don’t you all have the math Olympiad coming up?” Jacob said. “She mentioned she was preparing for it.”Coco pouted in disappointment. “My bestie is such a bookworm!”“Leon, let’s cut the cake!” Anne brightened the mood.Leon paused for a moment, taking in the
“Baba, when will these plants flower?” Callum asked his grandfather, who was busy in his garden, planting seedlings in the soil. Callum had learned the art of gardening from his grandfather and he loved coming to visit every Sunday to watch the garden that he helped his grandfather bloom. He would either harvest vegetables and fruits with his grandfather for taking them home for his mommy to cook delicious meals for his siblings or ask Leon to cook some of them right there at their grandfather’s house. They always share such precious moments together.“In about thirty days, they will start giving us vegetables,” Jacob said, calmly guiding Callum’s small hands to plant the fragile seedlings in the soil. Callum was just over five years old and he stood in the soil with his hands dirty, but his face beamed with joy.“Mr. Swift, it's getting hot. Please go inside,” Sia said worriedly, approaching them with a glass of water that she had mixed with electrolytes. “Please have this.”Jacob loo
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