Anne whispered, her voice filled with sorrow. “Coco, I feel so stupid. How can this be my life? I have spent my entire life blaming my mother for abandoning me, and now…” She looked at her daughter and added with pain, “Now I find out it was never that simple.”Coco hugged her mother tightly while she was speaking with a calm and perceptive tone. “Mommy, I understand how sad you must feel and I get why you are upset. But think about it. How can we trust these people? We don’t know them. We have barely met them. They practically kidnapped us! They seem suspicious and I don’t think we can trust them.”Anne suddenly looked at Coco, her eyes narrowing as realization dawned. “You are right, baby! We can’t trust them. They know my weak spot and are trying to manipulate me with it. Until I have concrete proof that they are telling the truth, I would not believe a word they say.”Coco nodded in agreement, relieved to see her mother regaining her strength back. Anne could not believe that a sev
“Is this my mother?” Anne asked, her voice filled with skepticism. Her seven years old daughter reminded her to not trust these strangers no matter how persuasive they looked. She wondered how strong the Harts genes were that they kids were extremely intelligence even at this age. While her son had a skyrocketing IQ, her daughter had an astonishing EQ. Suddenly, she was so proud of the little darlings that she had raised. At the same time, she felt scared that she might never be able to return to New York and the new babies would be away from their family. She felt bad especially for Nicholas, who was extremely excited for this pregancy. He must be worrying too much right now. She just wished that he took it easy and take care of himself more at this time. She took a deep breath and came out of her thoughts. Amir nodded as his was gaze fixed on the portrait.Anne studied the painting. The woman in the portrait wore a sleek pantsuit while holding a gun in his hand. She has with an ai
Amir muttered under his breath, “She’s crazy.”A tall man in his late sixties, with a weathered face and a hint of weariness in his eyes, responded, “She’s Belrose’s daughter. Madness runs in their blood.”Amir acknowledged him with a nod. “Mr. Williams, how are you?”“I am well,” the old man replied, studying the painting with a critical eye. He sighed deeply, shaking his head. “Prince Amir, your father was never much of a painter.”Amir let out a resigned chuckle. “That, he certainly was not. Anne wanted to see a picture of her mother.”Mr. Williams continued to scrutinize the portrait. “This doesn’t capture Belrose at all, except for the eyes, hair, and chin. The rest? It’s just an idealized version your father imagined. She looks more like his fantasy than the woman she truly was.”Mr. Williams’s voice was calm but direct, carrying the experience that he gained all these years. “If you want her to see her mother’s real image, you know who you need to talk to.” His words were pointe
When Anne returned to the castle that was more as her prison, she noticed a man in a black suit waiting at the entrance. Near him, Daisy, Hugo, and Tallan stood with their heads bowed. As soon as Prince Amir spotted the man, his entire posture changed. He stiffened with both apprehension and unease.The man acknowledged Amir with a formal greeting before delivering his message. “The Queen has sent word. She requests that the esteemed guest be moved to her residence.”Amir’s reaction was immediate. His tone was very sharp and defensive. “Anne is comfortable here.” His discomfort was evident and Anne sensed the tension between the two men. She tried to piece together the unspoken conflict between the two to take advantage of it. He turned to her, his voice was almost pleading. “Right, Anne?”But does she care? She hated Amir more than anyone right now. Anne smiled softly. She said, “Actually, I would like to meet her.” The man’s expression turned to a satisfied smile. “Thank you, Mrs.
Anne’s voice was shaky as she said, “I’m not feeling well. I will go back.” She left quickly, leaving behind an uneasy silence. Although the Queen agreed to her request, her heart was very uneasy. Once Anne was gone, Amir turned to his mother in frustration. “Mother, don’t send Charlotte Hart back. The girl is a devil—”Before he could finish, his mother slapped him hard across the face. She was so angry that words could not cover it. “You fool! What were you thinking? You brought Nicholas Hart’s wife here? Of all people, why?”Amir rubbed his cheek, still shocked by the slap. His relationship with his mother was always sore but not to the point of his mother using violence against him. He whispered, “She’s Belrose’s daughter.”His mother’s eyes narrowed. “Do you really think I don’t know what you are trying to do?” She stepped closer, her voice filled with anger. “Amir, you need to learn your lesson before it’s too late. Belrose and her daughter are off-limits! I have been warning y
Since it was evening, no one noticed Coco lying unconscious on the shore. When she regained consciousness, she found herself in a completely unfamiliar place. Her mommy had told her about all the possible things she might need to do. She reminded herself not to be scared and to stay confident. She could handle it. Although she was all alone, she did not have kidnappers after her. As night began to fall, Coco walked along a dimly lit road and encountered some drunk men. She didn't feel afraid. Both she and Leon had been learning martial arts. She reminded herself she could handle this. She made a mental note to practise hardly to be more skilfull in martial arts and learn everything to defend herself and perhaps attack the other person too. These experiences were going to shaper her into a very strang person and she was looking forward to it. She was a Hart princess but she would become so strong and capable that she would not need a knight to save her again. The drunken men tried to
The next day, an aeroplane landed at the helipad, and from there, a convoy of cars carried the VIPs to the remote village police station. The officers had remained on high alert since Coco’s arrival. They hadn’t dared to sleep after knowing they were responsible for the security of someone extremely important.Coco was sleeping on a chair inside the station while clutching the phone. She had not let go of it all night and was connected with her family. Each member had taken turns talking to her all the time. They offered words of comfort to keep her spirits up.One of the officers gently tapped her shoulder and said, “Your family is here.”Coco’s eyes shot open and she immediately put the phone down while rushing outside. When she stepped out, she saw Nicholas, Sabrina, and her grandfathers waiting for her. Without hesitation, Coco sprinted straight into Nicholas’s arms with tears streaming down her face. “Dad, thank you for coming to save me.”Nicholas pulled her close, his voice fill
The next day, everyone from the Hart and Taylor families gathered at the Hart house. The living room was full od people but it felt heavy and tense with everyone waiting for news about Anne. Leon and Coco rushed into each other’s arms as they hugged tightly as they cried. They were glad to be together again, but Leon’s heart was still heavy and his worry about their mother grew with every passing moment. He pulled back, looking at Coco with red and teary eyes.“Coco, do you really not remember anything?” Leon asked, his voice sad. He needed to know if there was any clue about their mom. Although Coco was back, they wanted them to be back together. He could not bear the tought of his mother and his brothers all alone in danger. Coco let out a small laugh, wiping her tears. “I remember everything. I lied before because Mommy told me to. She said to pretend I didn’t know anything until I got home.” Anne instructed her to not speak anything about her until they were at home as she beli
The birthday party had ended and the Hart family gathered to leave. “Mr. King, we will take our leave now,” Leon said respectfully. Carter frowned slightly at the prospect of their departure. His gaze softened as it rested on Charlotte, “Why don’t you all stay the night?” he suggested, though even he realised how impractical it sounded. He wasn’t ready to let Charlotte leave just yet.Charlotte’s lips curved into a kind smile. “We will come to see you again someday,” she promised. “You better,” Carter replied. He stepped forward, pulling her into a hug that was long enough to draw a few curious glances from those nearby.Not far from the scene, Emily stood with Seraphina with her arms crossed and her expression clouded with irritation. Her brows furrowed as she watched Carter’s unusually affectionate behaviour. “Why is Carter being so affectionate with her? Even Seb seems to be revolving around her all evening. Just who is this girl?” she asked her tone filled with frustration.Se
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