“We need to talk,” Nicholas said to Roseanne when he saw her the next time. He decided to give her time at the expense of his comfort and peace. He gave her an entire day but she didn't try to make any contact with him. Sabrina left this morning without him. She didn't even ask him if he would leave with her. It was not like he would have left with her when the key to his life existed here in Rosegarden. He knew that Sabrina was angry at him. He decided to console her later and focus on his wife first. Roseanne looked at him hatefully and said, “We do not have anything to talk about.”For the whole day, she blocked every way he would have any contact with her. She hated the very existence of this man and wanted nothing to do with him. “We sure do,” Nicholas told her. “You can take all the time that you want but I want to talk to you. Give me a place and time, I will be there.”“Fuck you, Hart,” Roseanne yelled. “I want nothing to do with you.”“I know why you are avoiding me,” Nich
Back in USA,Ellora Hart found out that Sabrina had come home. Nicholas was still in Italy and he had no plans of coming back soon. She invited Sabrina for a tea today to know the recent happenings of her son's life. Nicholas kept his family away from his business. Nobody could force him to do anything they wanted. “Thank you for having me over, ”Sabrina said with a smile. Although she was mad at Nicholas for not even bothering to ask about her, she didn't decline Ellora for tea. She liked being close to Nicholas' family since she had known them since she was a young girl. “How are you doing?” Ellora asked with a smile. It had been quite a while that she had the company of a youngster. “I am doing good,” Sabrina smiled. Of course, she didn't show on face how much Nicholas had hurt her. “I heard your fashion show was a success,”Ellora said. “I saw the video and pictures. It was beautiful.”She also saw the videos when the internet was shipping Sabrina and Nicholas as a couple but d
When Ellora came from outside, she saw a servant taking out the big family portrait that used to be hung in the living room. A sense of Deja Vu happened to her as she ran to the servant and asked, “What are you doing?”Sabrina left a few minutes ago and her husband made it awkward by adding how he was seeing their son as a potential son-in-law for the Taylor family. The Hart family was at the top of the chain. They did not need a marriage alliance. After Anne's death, Nicholas was heartbroken. At least, now he should not be forced to marry any woman. It did not matter if Sabrina and Nicholas had something in the past. If they were supposed to marry each other, they would have married in the past. She did not want to force Nicholas or even Emery to marry against their wishes. She had learnt her lesson from Nicholas' first marriage. There was no need to try to set up Sabrina and Nicholas. It wasn't about Sabrina but any girl Nikolai was trying to push into her son's life. She had a
Ellora came out from the airport, the sun casting a golden glow over the bustling scene. With a graceful and stylish flick, she removed her shades while revealing her eyes alive with anticipation. As she studied the trail of cars parked outside, a gentle smile graced her lips. None of the figures walking around were there for her, and in that moment, she felt an unexpected rush of freedom. For Ellora, the absence of familiar faces was a welcome sign of liberation. The tedious routine of being followed by a line of servants had dimmed her spirit. She rediscovered the peace and refreshment of working for herself as she found freedom in the simplicity of life i.e. working for herself. The constant presence of others catering to her every need had become monotonous for her. It was hard to be free and herself while being a fine woman and wife of Nikolai Hart. It seemed as if she had spent the last four decades of her life being a wife of Nikolai Hart only and forgot to be herself. As sh
Ellora chose the best room and got herself settled there. She cooked dinner for herself at night and was enjoying it with a glass of wine when Nicholas opened the door and found her seated at his dining table. As she hoped that he would be surprised to see her, nothing of that sort happened as Johnson, the snitch, had already given him an update about the sudden entry of his mother into his house. “Mom?” Nicholas called out her name as soon as he saw her. As soon as he came in front of her, she noticed something highly unusual about himself. She didn't know how she knew it but she could tell that a major transformation had taken place in her son’s life. “Why are you here?” Nicholas asked the question. Ellora smiled and answered with a wide smile, “Hello to you too son.”Nicholas pursed his lips. Soon, he realised how rude his question was. Ignoring his rudeness, she answered him, “I am here on vacation.”“Would you like dinner?” Ellora asked him. She knew that he would certainly
“Mommy, can we go out and Play?” Coco asked as she looked at her mother who was clearing the table after lunch. ‘‘No!’’ The answer came so swiftly. “Mommy!” Coco complained. “I feel like I have been locked up in this house forever.”Ever since they came from vacation, their mommy had never let them play outside. She was feeling bored and frustrated about that thing. She wanted to go out and enjoy the beach with her friends. Moreover, she didn't even play with Billy because her mother said Billy couldn't come inside the house. “Why are you saying this?” Roseanne looked at her daughter and said, “You went to school. I took you to your favourite ice cream parlour. We even went to the mall to have fun.”Coco said, “Mommy, we do not go anywhere when we come home. You do not even let us go to the beach!” She was so frustrated with her mother that she wanted to throw a tantrum like Leon always did but since she had an image of a good girl she had to maintain that. “Mommy, I want to go ou
The car stopped all of a sudden before it could hit the girl or the cat. Leon heaved a sigh of relief as he saw that Coco was not hit by the car. With the car stopping, a possible tragedy was prevented. In that tense moment, it seemed like a close call with death, but fate was kind. A woman came out of the car as she realized that she narrowly avoided a disaster by pressing the brakes. She saw a familiar-looking cat and a young girl fall on the ground. She was so scared that she had hit the girl. Thankfully, she was able to press the brakes on time or else something unforgivable would have happened to her. “Are you alright?”She asked but the girl didn't respond to the question about her well-being.After some time, a boy rushed over and started assisting the girl to stand up. “Are you okay, Coco?" the boy inquired, but the frightened girl couldn't muster a response, likely due to the shock her brain had experienced. Coco tried to stand up but she was unable to due to the pain in her
“Do you all know each other?”Leon quickly answered, “I don't know him.”He had no relationship with Nicholas Hart and would not like to be associated with him in any way. “What about your sister?” Ellora asked him the question. It seemed that Coco and her son were quite close to each other. Leon sighed and answered, “She is dumb and claims that he is her friend.”If only his sister had an idea that he was such a bad person and she should not be closer to that bad man. “That cannot be true..”Ellora muttured. Is Nicholas being friends with a little girl? It was very hard for her to believe. She was surprised that her son was even capable of being nice to a child. He had always kept himself away from children. Leon said, “But she does not listen to me. She is not the bright one.”Ellora nodded her head. “What's your name, kid? You are pretty smart for your age.”Leon said very respectfully, “Thank you, mam. My name is Nathaniel but you can call me Leon.”He liked it when people didn
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