To say that Roseanne was scared to be an understatement. She put on a mask of bravery and asked him, “What does it mean?”“I am just saying that you should not ignore me,” Nicholas said, taking a sip of the coffee. He acted nonchalant after throwing a big bomb at her. “What made you think that I was ignoring you?” Roseanne asked him. “Each time, I am around, you try to hide or run away from me,” Nicholas told her. “Don't say that I'm thinking too much. I am not. I have noticed it.”“What is it that you can not be around me?” Nicholas asked, crossing the boundaries that he had made around him. He did not want to act on his impulses but this woman was making him crazy. He had been trying to stay away from her but it was harder for her. Each day he found himself running to her cafe. Initially, he used to tell himself that it was because he liked how this place felt. But soon he realised that he was coming here to catch a glimpse of her. She had made him starved with her attention. Wh
The doorbell rang and Nicholas got up to open the door. He did not find anyone outside the door. Thinking that somebody might have left as he took time to leave, he was on his way back. He was about to shut the door when he heard the sound of a little girl. A very familiar voice indeed which made him smile. Looking down at her, he saw her dragging the boy from his collar. She looked quite rowdy doing that. While she was skinny, her brother was a bit chubby. He wondered where she got the strength to drag him. “Leon, you cannot go back, ”Coco yelled at him. She wanted to beat him up but since she was a believer in non-violence, she chose to not do that, “You promised Mommy that if you apologize to Nick, she will not ground you anymore.”‘Why don't you tell Mommy that I apologized to that man?” Leon requested her. At no cost, he wanted to go inside. Coco did not know the truth about the identity of the man inside. If she knew, things would be different. But he could not tell anyone tha
“What about your babies?” Coco asked him. “They are also home? Do you not miss them? Do they not miss you? When my daddy goes to work far away, I miss him terribly. But he does not take me with him. Even if I go with him, I miss mommy back home. What should I do? Being a baby is so difficult.”Coco was just stressed that her father would not be coming home for some days. Although their mommy said he would be back soon, she knew that he would come late like always. Nicholas laughed. “Indeed, it is. But I do not have babies.”“Why?” Coco asked him again. Nicholas shrugged, “Because god does not give me babies.”Coco facepalmed herself and said, “Oh, silly. Men do not get babies. Girls get. Like my mommy got babies. What about your wife? Does she have babies?”Nicholas gave her a small smile and said, “My wife is with god. He did not give me babies and took my wife too.”On the other hand, Leon just rolled his eyes and dipped his cookie in the milk. “That’s sad.” She got down from her
“When did mommy invite him for dinner?” Leon asked as they entered the gates of their house. Nicholas did not let kids go alone. He came to drop them at their house’s entrance as he didn't feel it was right for him to let them go all alone, no matter how secure the neighborhood was. Moreover, they had become his new friends. He did not know that he would feel attached to anyone, outside his family. Little did he know that one day he would meet two children and end up becoming their friend. Coco told him with an eye roll, “When you were grounded.”Leon said, narrowing his eyes, “You are lying.”Coco said, “I am not.”He pointed his finger at her and stressed on her lies, “You are.”As if he did not know she was a bluffing queen. She was lying and he could tell that. He did not know what to say about his dumb sister who had no idea what a mess she had created for everyone. He came to apologize because he did not want Nicholas and his mommy to meet. His mommy would be very sad if she s
When Roseanne reached her cafe, the police had already arrived. Her heart broke seeing how her cafe had been ruined. The newly built flower section which was in the front had taken the entire brunt. Tears pooled in her eyes seeing her hard work getting ruined by a group of goons. “Miss Deluca?” The officer in charge began talking to her. “We have been working to find the people who did this. We tried checking your CCTV but we couldn't find anything there.”“How is it possible?” Roseanne asked him. The CCTV was working perfectly till the time she was there. “Miss Deluca, your CCTV was not working when this incident took place,” The office informed her. “We are working on the case. If we find something, we will inform you.”The officers left soon after. Maria sent Roseanne home as there was nothing that they could do. Roseanne couldn't reach Nathaniel but she texted him, explaining the situation. As she reached home, it was almost morning and still she could not sleep a wink. On the
Saying this Roseanne left, leaving Nicholas behind. For some time, he was standing there, unable to move. He could not take her words out of his mind. Her eyes burned Anne Rose's, the same way she asked him for divorce that day five years ago. At that time, he didn't take his wife seriously and as a result, he lost her forever. However, he was not going to commit the same mistake again. He wanted to ask her what she meant. Why did she look, sound and feel like Anne Rose at this exact moment? The more he accepted that Anne Rose and Roseanne were two different people, the more there would be instances that forced him to think otherwise. He ran behind her. He wanted to get answers from her. She was still halfway. He grabbed her wrist and made her look at him. She yelped as he pulled her towards him. Her bloodshot eyes glared at him. “What's your problem, Nicholas Hart?”“I don't know,” Nicholas told her. “Tell me, what did you say that I am your problem as if I ruined your life?”Wit
When Nicholas came back Sabrina was sitting on the sofa, acting as if she did not see anything odd. She wanted to fire questions regarding her doubts but she prevented herself from doing so. When Nicholas saw Roseanne for the first time, she noticed a spark in his eyes but she had no clue that the spark would turn out to be something this big. “How are you?” Nicholas asked as he took a seat next to her and handed her the water glass. “I'm good,” Sabrina told him. “I was going to drive out of the city for some work and wondered if you would be interested in joining me.”Recalling Roseanne, he shook his head and said, “Maybe, next time, Sabrina. I'm quite busy.”Sabrina snickered inside. Of course, she understood that he was quite busy with a new woman who was just a few tries away from falling into his bed. She knew how Charmin Nicholas could be and even if Roseanne hadn't agreed to sleep with him, she was just dilly-dallying. Nicholas would convince her sooner and she could not see
Roseanne had dinner with her kids, tucked them in the bed and poured a glass of wine for herself as she took a seat near the window, looking at the bright moon. The dinner was anything but uneventful. The children were over the moon to be here. As for her? She was miserable ever since she saw Nicholas and Sabrina together. She told herself many times that it didn't matter if they were together. However, she would be lying to herself if she said it didn't hurt seeing them together. She had loved Nicholas to the point of losing her sanity but he threw all away for a woman who left him. If she had known that he was in love with a woman, she would not have chased after him. She would not have dared to fall in love with him. Only if she knew. Now that she looks back, she realises that she has always been kept in the dark about a lot of things. Be it her husband's real identity, love life and the main reason behind their marriage. She couldn't help but feel disgusted for marrying such a m
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