When Roseanne arrived at the hospital, she was immediately ushered to meet with the attending doctors. Her purpose there was clear: to sign crucial paperwork on behalf of Nicholas for her father. It was ironic that she was there on behalf of someone to care for her father. She laughed at the irony of life. “What's wrong with him?” she asked the head doctor, her heart pounding with worry. Despite his status as a convict, Jacob received top-notch medical care, thanks to Nicholas' arrangements. Roseanne was aware of Nicholas's involvement in securing these privileges. It left a bitter taste in her mouth for some reasons. The doctor's words hit her like a ton of bricks. “He's been diagnosed with liver cancer,” he said gravely. Hearing those, Roseanne's world momentarily stopped. It was a betrayal she couldn't fathom. How was it possible? Before questions would come rushing to her head, she realized that she was not ready to accept this bitter fact. The doctor continued while explaini
"What are you talking about?" Roseanne asked, feigning ignorance about anything concerning Mrs. Taylor that she wasn't supposed to know. She had learned the ins and outs of the game over these three years, realizing that a good person couldn't survive in this world; one had to be petty to survive, or the world would consume them entirely.Mrs. Taylor was in danger, something she had to evade at all costs, or else she would disrupt the house of cards she had built instantly. Mrs. Taylor knew her secret, one she didn't want anyone else to discover, especially Sabrina or Mr. Nikolai Hart.Hadn't it been Mrs. Taylor who preached to her about playing games or else she'd always be miserable? Roseanne smiled inwardly. Had this woman ever considered that these games might one day be used against her? She chuckled internally at life's irony."Roseanne De Luca, or shall I say Anne Rose Swift?" Mrs. Taylor smirked. "You cannot soar high while I keep a noose around your neck. Before attempting to
Roseanne's eyes burned with tears as anger threatened to consume her. Why was he speaking as though he was obligated to protect her? It was his choice to safeguard her, driven by his desire to repent for what his father had done to Leon!She confronted him, “I don't see how I did anything wrong. I don't understand why you're so upset. So what if I went to meet him? What's the harm? I only did it because Johnson asked me to. Otherwise, how would I have known?”Nicholas huffed in frustration, “Fine. Fair enough.”He presented her with a document, the green ink of her signature stark against the paper. “What about these papers you signed agreeing to donate your liver to Jacob?”“He's my father—” Roseanne began to defend herself.Nicholas erupted, “Damn it! You're not Anne Rose anymore. You're Roseanne DeLuca. Have you forgotten that?”She attempted to explain, but he cut her off, saying, “If these papers had gone through, do you realize the implications? Everyone would be suspicious of y
When Roseanne and Nicholas reached Emery and Luke's place, the dinner had already started. She was surprised to see Sabrina there, chatting with Luke's family. Nobody else from the Taylor family was there. As they entered Emery's eyes fell on the couple, she said, “I thought you guys will bail out.”Roseanne smiled. “Not me.”Emery hugged both of them and they all took seats around the dining table. Roseanne noted that Coco and Leon were sitting between Nikolai and Ellora and refrained herself from expressing any emotion. “Grandpa!” Coco said suddenly as Nikolai was digging in his plate. Roseanne and Nicholas immediately looked at that side to see what happened. Coco blinked her beautiful eyes and said, “I want french fries.”Nikolai was bewildered. What was he supposed to do here? He looked at his wife, startled. Ellota sighed and said, “Pass the girl fries, Nikolai.”Then, he understood what she was talking about. He never expected to be startled by such a little human being. F
Nicholas was surprised when Roseanne suddenly appeared beside him silently. He looked at her and she offered him a smile. Seeing the smile on her lips, he asked himself if he even deserved it. For three days, he had been running from her because he didn't have the courage to talk to her. How could he talk to her when he was lying to her face? Even if he wasn't lying, he was hiding a big truth. He needed a heart of stone to tell her that. Everyday he would make himself ready to confess to her, he would fail. Due to this, he would not be able to talk to her at all. “What are you doing?” She asked him as he was standing in the garden alone. They had come home from Emery's a while ago. This time, she came with his mother while the latter made her drop Sabrina home. Currently, he was standing in the garden, looking at nothing in particular as he was feeling restless and caged inside the house. Everyday he would not come home on time and would not meet anyone. But today he couldn't do th
“Nicholas, soon I will leave. I do not wish to hurt you or me anymore. I do not wish to leave with anger or hate for you this time. I wish to return to my world with a calm and clean heart. I want to start over once again with a clean slate. That's why I came to you today.”Her words were ringing in his ears again and again. Roseanne told her ahead, “I do not have any issue if you and Sabrina come together. After all, you have a history with her. If she can turn out to be a good partner for you, I will be very happy for you.”At this time, she didn't know what came to her as she spoke those words. She had never been that kind and selfless enough to give him such a big blessing. They were the thorn of her life, and now she was blessing them a happy union. What an irony, it was! Her insides were protesting against her as she was speaking these words. He said, “You are pushing me to her.”There was a hint in his tone that said that he did not like where the conversation had headed. Sh
It was the wedding day that everyone had been waiting for. As per Emery's wishes, the wedding was set up in an old church. The bride was in the bridal room, beautifully adorned in her white wedding gown. Ellora had tears seeing her daughter becoming a bride, while Nikolai was emotional, too. Emery was happy to get married by getting the blessing of her parents. When she decided to marry Luke, she didn't think her family would stand by her side while she married him. “Emery, there is a package for you,” Roseanne said as she entered the room. Nobody was allowed inside the bridal room as the family had their moment. Thus, she got the package that she believed was a gift for the bride from a friend who couldn't make it to the wedding. “Who is it from?” Emery asked. Roseanne answered that she had no idea. Just a bridesmaid handed it to her and gave it to her. As Emery opened the package, she was welcomed by a whole portfolio of her husband, Luke, aka Lucian Petrov. The colour began dr
As Sabrina made her way to the chapel, her anticipation was dampened by the sudden snap of her new shoe breaking. With a muttered curse, she felt frustration bubbling up inside her. She hadn't expected her newly purchased shoes to fail her so soon. The inconvenience of it all made her angry, especially considering the importance of the occasion.Despite her irritation, a practical thought crossed her mind. Remembering that Emery shared her foot size, she considered asking for a spare pair of shoes. It seemed like a reasonable solution to her predicament.Continuing on her path toward the bridal room, Sabrina's attention was drawn to a shadowy figure emerging from the darkness. A sense of unease crept over her as she realized she had stumbled upon someone trying to hide or flee. The unexpected encounter sent a shiver down her spine, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. Gathering her courage, she cautiously approached, unsure of what she might find."Hey!" Sabrina
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