As Leon entered, his eyes immediately fell on his sister, Abella was lying peacefully in her hospital bed. She was still but as if she could feel his presence, her eyes fluttered open. She looked straight at him, her innocent blue eyes locking onto his.In that moment, Leon could see it clearly, how much he meant to her. Those innocent blue eyes which were full of trust and hope, looked at him like he was her entire world.Truly, he felt like a jerk for not being there for her when she needed him. He never had time for her. Now, he wished he had spared time for this precious little child who loved him more than anything. Leon smiled gently as he pulled out a small chocolate and a delicate rose from his pocket, holding them out toward Abella."Is this for me?" she asked, her voice soft and her eyes widened just a little.He ruffled her hair with a tender touch. "Who else? Is there any other pretty girl in the whole world?"Despite the small smile on her lips, it didn’t quite reach her
Abella added, “It is my fault. This happened to me because I went out. I gave him the opportunity. I…”“Hush,” He said. “None of this is your fault. You did not gave him permission to touch you. He has committed a sin. He will be punished for it. No one gets to harm my sister.” “Leon, everyone will hate me,” Abella cried. “Coco’s marriage will be ruined…”Leon pulled her into another hug as her breathing became erratic and her body began shaking with anxiety. "Breathe, Belly. I’m here," he whispered, holding her tightly. But as her panic spiralled out of control, he quickly called for the doctor who arrived and gave a sedative.Slowly, Abella’s sobs quieted and her body relaxed into the bed. As she drifted into sleep, Leon sat beside her. He was going to find that bastard, cut him into pieces and throw him in the ocean where his family would not be able to find him! He did not know why Abella felt that nobody would believe her. As much as he knew his family, his father would be the
When she arrived at the Smith family home, her heart raced a bit as she spotted her fiancé, Archie, the man she hadn't seen in a month. But she didn’t look at him as her focus was elsewhere."Charlotte, when did you return from Paris?" Archie asked gently. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were also present but their expressions were both curiosity and annoyance. Curiosity as to why she was here and annoyance as to why she was followed by an army of guards who looked nothing less than highly skilled soldiers. Charlotte cut to the chase. "Where is Christian?"Mrs Smith raised an eyebrow, her tone sharp. "Why are you looking for him? Shouldn't you care about your fiancé? You are always travelling around the world and you don’t even work. You are not taking care of my son."Mrs Smith had always dismissed Charlotte’s artistic works as nothing more than a hobby. She did not believe that it was a career. She had always disliked Charlotte for her son but she never complained openly because she was from
Late at night, Leon and Charlotte sat on the lawn, holding beers in their hands. The air was cooland the stars twinkled above them. They felt a sense of relief after Abella’s situation had improved. The teenage bullies and Christian had been confronted and they confessed to their actions before Abella. Anne and Nicholas had a long talk with Abella, reassuring her that they would always trust her and that she was their priority. Even now they were with her. Thankfully, she was better after Christain confessed everything and now she was at home, recovering. “Where have you been all these days?” Charlotte asked, breaking the silence. “You texted me that you wouldn’t be available for a while. Just where were you?”“It’s a long story for another time,” Leon murmured, avoiding her gaze.Charlotte nodded but then dropped a surprising truth. “I broke up with Archie.”Leon turned to her, his expression shifting to concern. “Why? When did this happen?”“A few months ago,” she replied, her voi
Sia sat in her house in New York, her eyes fixed on her guards, the ones who had let her get kidnapped. They worked for one of the highest-paid security companies, yet they had failed her when it mattered most. She did not like mistakes and worse, she did not like those who makes mistakes. “We are sorry, Miss Swift,” the head security chief said, his voice was filled with regret. Too bad that Alessia Swift did not accept regrets and apologies. “You are all fired,” she replied coldly.“Tell your boss I’ll see him in court,” Sia added, her tone sharp.She glanced at Kate, who wore both relief and apprehension. Half of her was glad to see her boss alive and back, while the other half dreaded the repercussions that would follow.“I want you to hire White Dove Securities,” Sia instructed.“Yes, boss,” Kate replied, though her brow furrowed in confusion. “But, boss, White Dove Securities is owned by the Hart Group. Didn’t we always try to avoid any links with them?”Sia turned to her and s
"Boss, there’s an intrusion outside!" Kate said breathlessly as she rushed into Sia’s study.Sia who was working from home for the day, immediately stopped what she was doing. Without a word, she headed outside. Just as she stepped out, a woman around her age came running toward her and hugged her tightly."My cupcake!""My delicious cookies!" "My baby!""My best friend!"Sia sighed and muttered, "Seriously?"Charlotte burst into laughter and hugged her even tighter. "Oh, Sia, I missed you terribly.""You look like hell," Sia said, taking a good look at her messy friend.In a quieter voice, Charlotte confessed, "I broke up with Archie.""You broke up with him a month ago," Sia said, unimpressed.“We finally told our families,” Charlotte explained, sounding more serious now.Sia raised an eyebrow. "How did they take it?"Charlotte sighed deeply. "Given everything that has been going on lately, they were relieved. They were actually happy I broke up with him.""Is everything okay at ho
Charlotte shook her head and said, "Enough of this sadness. I'm tired of it being everywhere."She glanced at Kate who was quietly wiping away her tears and added with a playful tone, "Sia, you are officially banned from talking about the past. Every time you do, poor Kate ends up in tears."Kate who was still dabbing at her eyes replied, "They treated my boss so horribly, Miss Charlotte. I have seen everything she went through. I'm just thankful she took me with her when she finally left that awful family."Kate had been Sia’s assistant since her time working with the Kennedy family. Her loyalty ran deep and her anger at how Sia had been treated was still fresh in her mind and heart. "One day, I swear, I will see that family pay," Kate said with a tone full of determination.Charlotte raised an eyebrow and smiled darkly. "Well, we would all love that. If Sia gives the word, I would take them out myself."Sia chuckled. "Patience. I prefer my revenge served cold."The three women spent
An entire week had passed, and Sia hadn’t heard a word from Leon. Frustrated and tired of waiting for him, she made up her mind to block him out of her thoughts completely. She threw herself into her work while focusing on the final stages of moving into her new office. Life returned to the same predictabl and, monotonous routine like it had before Leon stirred everything up in her life. She convinced herself that this was for the best. It was for the best that Leon left her life without troubling her more. Meanwhile, Leon spent the week reconnecting with his family. Guilt burdened on him for not being as present with them for a long time. He knew that it was wrong of him to ignore them. They had done nothing to deserve it. With his siblings home, his paternal grandparents also came for a visit which filled the house with both chaos and warmth and he decided to take a break from both work and his personal life to be with his family after a long time.“This little jungle will drive
Charlotte walked into the room and noticed only a grand piano, nothing else. She looked around, confused. Did not he say that he wanted to show her the birthday gift for his father? Or was he saying it just to spend time with her? Then again. Why would he even want to spend time with her? "Where's the gift you wanted to show me?" she asked Sebastian after a while when she could not control her thoughts.He pointed at the piano with a soft smile. "There."Charlotte raised an eyebrow. "You want to give your dad a piano?"She could not think of another explanation of why would he want to bring her to a room that only had a piano in it. Sebastian chuckled and shook his head. "No," he said, walking toward the piano. He sat down on the stool and placed his fingers on the keys.The music started, and Charlotte stood frozen. The sound was so beautiful and emotional like the piano was telling a story all on its own. She couldn’t describe how it made her feel, but it was like a deep sadness m
"Sebastian King. Pleased to meet you," Sebastian introduced himself, his voice smooth as he extended his hand to the Hart brothers."Likewise.”Sebastian smiled an enigmatic expression with no hint of malice or curiosity but still carrying an unmistakable poise that made it hard to look away.The introductions concluded just as more guests began to trickle in. Alessia, Leon, and Callum made their way to their designated table, while Charlotte excused herself to take a call. “So?” Leon asked, glancing at his brother. “What do you think?”Callum leaned back slightly, his sharp eyes flickering with thought. Unlike Rhys and Leon, Callum had an uncanny ability to read people. He was the observer, blending into the background while Rhys commanded attention and Leon’s charisma drew people in. It gave him the advantage of seeing what others often missed.“He’s... something,” Callum admitted, his tone measured. “Even I’m a little starstruck, to be honest. The guy isn’t just handsome, he is be
Today was the day of Carter King’s birthday party. Along with Charlotte, Sia was invited too, and since she decided to attend, Leon was her plus one. It was not a big event but a very intimate birthday party. Still the guests surpased a few hundred. Charlotte was nervous the whole way. Thankfully, she was attending with her brother and best friend. She dragged Callum as her plus one since she didn’t want to appear alone.Sia and Leon entered first.All the while, Sebastian’s gaze was on the door as if he was waiting for someone to enter. When that person arrived, his eyes lit up, but it soon diminished as he saw her holding a man’s arm. The man looked younger, but he couldn’t tell much.When Charlotte appeared to greet Carter, she intentionally didn’t look at Sebastian, but she could feel his gaze bore a hole into her head. As Carter saw Charlotte, he forgot all the guests.He didn’t bother with formalities and hugged Charlotte. “My girl. How are you? It has been months since I last
From across the room, someone was watching the entire scene unfold with an amused glint in his stormy grey eyes.Sebastian leaned back as his lips curled into a half-smile, clearly enjoying the drama, but there was something else in his gaze. Something deeper and darker.“Mr. King, what are you watching?” one of his business partners asked, noting Sebastian’s lingering attention.Sebastian’s eyes never wavered from the group. “Mr. Jones, I hope you don’t mind, but I just spotted an old friend. Would you mind if I went over and said hello?”“Not at all, we are done here,” Mr. Jones replied, excusing himself as he walked away.Meanwhile, Charlotte, having just made her point to Ronan, turned to rejoin her girls. But as she did, she froze. Her gaze met a pair of stormy grey eyes. Eyes that seemed to burn with a quiet intensity.For a moment, Charlotte thought it was just another mirage, a trick her mind was playing on her. She moved as her steps were hesitant, but those eyes followed her.
Tonight, the Hart girls had planned a much-needed night out. Charlotte and Abella took the lead, guiding Sia, Kate, and Estelle to one of their favourite clubs. Over the past few days, Estelle had been spending time with Abella, and despite their age difference, the two had become fast friends. So, when Abella invited her to join the group, Estelle didn’t hesitate.Estelle had a naturally chill personality. Even though she was a bit more reserved, she knew how to let loose when the moment called for it.“Boss, I missed you!” Kate exclaimed as she threw her arms around Sia, hugging her tightly and refusing to let go.“Come on, Kate, I’m not your boss here,” Sia said, laughing as she tried to pry Kate off, but Kate clung to her like glue.“I know that! But calling you by your name still gives me the shivers,” Kate grinned mischievously. “You are scary.”Charlotte raised a brow and teased, “How can Sia baby possibly be scary?”The girls burst into laughter as Sia shot them a glare. Normal
“Where are you taking me, Leon?” Sia asked, her voice tinged with curiosity and amusement. He had covered her eyes with his hands and was carefully guiding her along the path. From the moment they met that morning, she could see the anticipation in his eyes. There was excitement, almost boyish, but beneath it there was a hint of nervousness, as if he wasn’t entirely sure how his secret plan would unfold.“Just a minute,” Leon replied his voice brimming with eagerness. “Once we are there, you will see.”They walked along the winding and uneven path, Sia grumbling at every step. Finally, after what felt like an eternity to her and just a blink to him, he stopped.“We are here,” he announced softly. Then, his voice took on a deeper and more heartfelt tone. “Before you open your eyes, I want to tell you—I love you so much, and I can’t wait to start this new chapter of our life together.”Sia felt her heart skip a beat at his words. Slowly, Leon removed his hands, and she opened her eyes.
“What do you want to know about her?” Carter asked, his tone measured as he observed his son’s restless demeanour. He wondered if his son recalled anything about her? As much as he knew that stubborn yet kind woman, she would not come to him again. “Who is Charlotte?” Sebastian asked directly, his voice tinged with both curiosity and apprehension.Carter leaned back in his chair, folding his hands together. “She is your wife. Or rather, she was your wife.”Sebastian frowned. “Our divorce isn’t finalized yet,” he corrected.“Great,” Carter said with a small satisfied smile.Sebastian raised an eyebrow, surprised by his father’s reaction. “Are you happy that we are still married?”“You bet I am,” Carter replied with a nonchalant shrug.Sebastian leaned forward, his confusion evident. “As much as I know you, you are an overprotective man. How on earth did you approve of a woman who married me after what was, by all accounts, a drunken mistake?”Carter chuckled, his expression softening.
“What’s up?” Sia asked, leaning casually against the doorframe. Charlotte was sitting quietly in her room, staring at nothing in particular.“I met Sebastian,” Charlotte said flatly, her voice devoid of any emotion.“Oh?” Sia raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. “How did that go?”It was as if she was not sitting with Anne and scheming about Charlotte. Charlotte gave her a look. “Knock it off. I know you already know everything. Whatever you are thinking, it’s not going to happen. He asked me to sign the divorce papers, not to be his wife.”Sia stepped into the room, sitting across from her. “The real question is, do you want to be his wife?”Charlotte’s gaze faltered. “He doesn’t even remember me, Sia. And don’t forget—he loves Emily. Always has, always will.”“Did you ask him if Emily is still in his life?” Sia pressed, tilting her head.Charlotte shrugged. “How does it even matter?”“Coco,” Sia said, “How does it not matter? Why are you being such a coward? We both know you still
“So, Saturday night at Apollo’s? It’s a date,” Andrew said, taking a chance with the woman of his dreams. They were standing on the porch of the café. With Charlotte’s high-heeled boots, she stood an inch taller than him.Before she could respond, a smiling hunk with his arms crossed over his chest approached and said, “No, it’s not.”Charlotte froze at the sound of the deep, husky voice that had haunted her dreams. She didn’t dare turn around. What if it was him? What would she do? And if it wasn’t him, how would she handle the crushing disappointment?Andrew frowned at the interruption and asked, “Who are you, man?”“Why don’t you ask the lady?” the stranger replied, cocking an eyebrow.Andrew turned to Charlotte. “Do you know him?”Without even glancing at the man, Charlotte said firmly, “No.”Andrew wasn’t convinced. There was an undeniable tension between them with her avoidance and his unwavering stare. It was as if an unspoken history filled the space between them.“Well,” And