I kind of miss Bella... she is quite something. she was the most fun charater of the book.
Sabrina caught Sia’s eye and with a playful smile, said, “How are you doing, dear?”Sia turned toward her while giving a polite nod. “Hello, Miss Sabrina. It is very nice to see you.”Sabrina raised an eyebrow. “How formal! Come here and hug me.”Sia hesitated for just a moment before stepping forward and hugging Sabrina. It was a bit awkward at first, but soon enough, Sia found herself relaxing in the embrace. They held the hug for a moment, and then Sia pulled back, her smile warm. “How was Africa?”Sabrina smiled back, a faint trace of exhaustion in her eyes. “Tired but very fulfilling.”Sia nodded with a soft smile. “That is good to hear.”Sabrina leaned back with a teasing grin. “Well, I must thank you for taking the worry of our sappy Romeo off our heads,” she said, eyeing Leon with a playful smirk.Leon groaned, rolling his eyes. “Not you too, Sab.”Sabrina huffed dramatically. “What? You were like a sad little boy who got left behind. Finally, I see the old Leon back. You were
Ellora watched Charlotte with dreamy eyes as the latter adjusted the hem of her elegant white dress while preparing to leave. “Sia, I was just telling Charlotte how amazing her new hairstyle suits her,” she said with enthusiasm, glancing at the brown waves that framed Charlotte’s face perfectly. “What do you think?”Sia’s gaze swept over her best friend, noting every detail, the wavy, shoulder-length hair left loose, the subtle but striking lipstick, the dress that accentuated her figure, and the pair of graceful heels replacing her usual boots.Before Sia could respond, Abella clapped her hands together and exclaimed, “Coco looks so pretty! Like a princess!”Charlotte grinned at the little one. “Thank you, Belly Bear,” she said, her voice warm and affectionate.Sabrina said with a hint of pride. “My daughter really does look like a princess. I have never seen you dress up like this, Charlotte. Whoever you are meeting must be someone special for you to put in this much effort. Good jo
"Where is Leon?" Sia asked, looking around. She hadn’t seen him anywhere, and the evening was settling in. She suddenly realized she had spent the entire day with the Hart family without noticing. She realised that she was worried in vain for meeting his family. This whole trip to his family had calmed her nerves and it had made her so sure about their relationship. It felt so good to know that the man she loved a lot, and his family loved her too. They were very supportive of their relationship and what more could she ask for? Ellora smiled kindly. "Oh, his father and grandfather dragged him off with them. He wanted to tell you himself, but I said I would let you know.""Oh," Sia replied, nodding quietly.Ellora gave her a curious look. "Is everything okay?"Sia hesitated for a moment. "Actually, I wanted to visit Mr. Cooper, the man who hit my car. He is in the hospital. I sent my driver home because Leon said he would drive me there."Anne jumped in before Ellora could respond. "T
Anne and Sia exchanged a knowing glance before heading out for the hospital. Once they were in the car, Sia’s expression grew serious. "Ma, I’m really worried about Rhys."Anne raised an eyebrow, curious. "Why?"Sia let out a sigh, her worry evident in her voice. "He is spoiled, but that’s okay because he is not a brat. He is respectful, but his nonchalant attitude is going to get him into trouble one day. He is just never stressed. I mean, I try to give him tough work, hoping he will learn to take things seriously, but he never does... And don’t get me started on his womanising. I banned office romance in my company the day he joined."Anne knew what Sia was saying. Among Rhys all the habits, she did not like that he always had multiple girlfriends each month. It was as if he had no respect for the emotion named love. She wanted to sit with him and have a talk about the relationship. But each time, he would deduce what she was going to talk about, he would use just any opportunity an
When they arrived at the hospital, Sia asked, “Ma, would you like to come with me or wait in the car?”Anne responded with a smile, “I will join you.”The two of them walked toward the ward where Mr. Cooper was admitted. As they approached, Sia noticed Nash sitting alone in the waiting room. The cold winter air had set in yet Nash wore nothing but a worn-out T-shirt and plain old jeans. He was visibly shivering but showed no intention of moving from his spot. The boy loved his father too much that he would rather freeze to death than leave his old and sick dad. Sia walked up to him and greeted him. “Hey, Nash.”Nash looked up, his brows furrowing. “Miss Swift, what are you doing here?”Last night, he googled Alessia Swift and found out that she was a billionaire and a business woman. She was known for her foul personality but he did not feel that she was having any foul personality, just too stubborn. Feigning offence, Sia said, “Oh, I thought you would be happy to see me.”“Why wou
Anne said gently, “You’re cold.” She turned to the guard who had been following them and handed him her black card which she retrieved from her handbag. “Go and get some warm clothes for the boy. It is far too cold in this hospital for him to be sitting here like this.”She noticed that the boy was very cold. If he did not take care of himself now, he would fall sick. She did not want such a good-natured kid to be wronged. He was merely taking care of his father. If he fell sick, nobody would be there to take care of him. And something was telling him that he would not even accept help if he fell sick. Nash quickly shook his head. “I don’t want anything,” he said firmly.Sia added with a knowing smile. “Ma, Nash is a very proud boy. He doesn’t accept anything from anyone. He didn’t even let me compensate his family after the accident.”Anne looked at Nash with understanding in her eyes. “I know. Being prideful and principled isn’t a bad thing. It is admirable to have strong values a
Sia looked at Anne in surprise, “Ma, you solved my problem in seconds. How did you do that?”Anne smiled warmly while her eyes twinkled with the wisdom of years spent working out the chaos of motherhood. She said, “I raised five of the most difficult kids you can imagine. I picked up a thing or two along the way.”Sia chuckled, admiring Anne’s ability to handle this situation with ease. She then straightened, her expression turning serious. “I will go and see Mr. Cooper now. Do you want to come with me?”Anne nodded, about to follow her, but just as she reached for the door, her phone rang. Nicholas’s name flashed on the screen, and Anne’s face subtly shifted. She recognized the signs as she already knew that her husband was drunk. Knowing it would be a long and drawn-out conversation, she gave a knowing sigh, gesturing for Sia to go ahead.“You go on. I will handle him,” she said with a wave.Sia hesitated, she stepped into the other room. She found Mr. Cooper was lying on the bed,
Before Sia could respond, the door to the room opened, and the doctor stepped in. “Miss Swift, Mr. Cooper is having internal bleeding. We didn’t catch it earlier. He has lost a significant amount of blood. We need to start a transfusion immediately, but…” The doctor paused, glancing at his clipboard. "His blood type is rare. We don’t have it in our bank."Leon looked between the doctor and Sia, "What can we do?" he asked.The doctor shook his head, his eyes troubled. "We will try contacting other hospitals, but it could take time. In the meantime, we need to act fast." Sia’s mind raced. Nash wasn’t here, Anne was dealing with Nicholas, and now Mr. Cooper’s life was hanging in the balance. “I will see what I can do,” she said quietly. Leon placed a hand on her arm. "I will help. We will figure this out together."Sia nodded. Time was running out, and they needed a solution fast. Sia’s mind raced as she processed the doctor’s words. “What is his blood type?” she asked, her voice ti
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