“Then, why didn't you correct it?” Roseanne asked. “I was never in the position to,”Nicholas answered, frustration evident in his eyes. “When my wife died, my sister pushed herself away from everyone. She started a new life and I kept my distance, thinking that it's what she wants. I respected her decision to be away from the family. How would I know that these things are going in her life?”If there was anything missing in his family, it was respect for people's decisions. He was respecting his sister's decision when she declared that she did not want anyone from the Hart family to come anywhere near her. He believed that it was the best thing that happened to her. “As for now, I have no idea how to enter her life again,” Nicholas said with regret evident in his voice. “As for what happened today, it's hard for me to trust this family anymore. My mother hides things from me. My father tries to kill the woman and children I love so much. My brother who left our lives a decade ago and
“You were checking up on her?” Nicholas asked, surprised. “Why?”“What do you mean by why?” Nathaniel asked him. “She is my baby sister. I might have left the Hart family, not her. Although I couldn't meet her, I never stopped checking up on her.”Nicholas felt ashamed hearing this. Nathaniel was doing a better job at being a brother than him. However, he did not like what he was hearing. Why would Nathaniel be checking up on Emery and not on him? If Emery was his sister, he was a brother too, right? Why does this man have to do so much discrimination always? “What happened to her?” Nathaniel asked in a very softened voice. “Did your father have a hand in it?”“I don't know about my father's hand in it,” Nicholas told him. “That man broke up with her. She couldn't bear it.”“Oh…”Nathaniel reacted. “Are you not going to do anything to that bastard?” Nicholas asked him. How could Nathaniel not feel angry at that man? He felt like killing that bastard for hurting his sister. Nathanie
As Roseanne looked out of the window, she smelled a different air. It smelled like Oranges and lemons. She would not say that it was a bad smell. She quite liked it. The landscape was beautiful with vast agricultural lands, filled with citrus trees and other fruits everywhere. The place where they were supposed to stay was a villa in a small town. She had never seen life in a small town in America as she had always lived in New York and was used to life there. Even Italy was different from here. Her life in Italy was not fast as in Italy. However, here she could feel a slowness in the air. It was comforting for some reasons. As they entered the crowded part of the village, she saw the main street occupied by locally owned businesses like family-owned diners, hardware stores, and boutique shops. It was like all those small-town romances that she read came before her eyes. She was getting the same feeling that she would while reading those books. It was weird how memories could be tri
As they were soaking in the hot Jacuzzi, the tiredness of the whole day seemed to have flown away. It was a relaxing experience for both of them and what was more relaxing was the way they were holding conversation over a glass of wine. “What countries did you visit in these five years?” Nicholas asked Roseanne who was telling him about all the beautiful places that she had seen in the last five years. “I visited most of Europe,”Roseanne told him. “I absolutely loved all of it. However, I loved Italy the most and decided to stay there.” Taking a pause, she asked, “Have you ever thought of your dream place?”“What's that?” Nicholas asked him. “You don't know the concept of a dream place?” Roseanne asked him. Nicholas sighed, “It is not like that I don't know what you mean. It's that I don't have the luxury to think about my dream place. I never tried to think this way either. Also, I cannot even fathom uprooting my life from New York.” Taking a pause he went on to say, “Truth be to
After sharing the emotional moment with him last night, she started a new morning, pushing everything to the back of her head. Once again, she began baking and cooking as it provided her with a sense of great joy. Nicholas was not surprised with the long line of items on the breakfast table. If that's what she wanted, he would let her. If eating all of these things would make her happy, then so be it. For her, he would gobble up the whole world. “How is it?” She asked, eagerly. “Amazing,” Nicholas told him. “What's your plan for the day?” Roseanne questioned him. “I'm going to meet that boy,”Nicholas told her. He had made all the preparations for today. That man didn't live far from here. He would go to his house first. “Okay,”Roseanne said. When Nicholas reached the place where Emery's ex boyfriend lived, he knocked on the door. Nobody came for a long time. After sometime, he knocked on the door again. A man opened the door and when he saw who was outside, he shut the door on
“Were you not able to talk to him?” Roseanne asked him. She saw that Nicholas had been struggling to talk to Luke for a few days. It seemed that the man was a hard nut to crack.Nicholas shared his thoughts, “It is as if he is using this method to piss me off.”Whenever he would try to confront Luke, the man would do something that would piss him off. This way, Nicholas would let him go every time. Roseanne commented, “And he is getting successful too.”Nicholas was very stressed and annoyed about the whole situation. Of course, Luke managed to piss him off. He added, “Rose, there must be a way to talk to him. He is not even ready to look at me.”Roseanne asked him, “Did you try to find out why is it so?”Nicholas said, “If he will try to conversate with me, maybe I will.”Roseanne hummed. “From your talks, all I can deduce is that he is not scared of you, Nicholas. It meant he didn't fear losing anything. The threat won't work on him. You will have to knock on the door of his heart
Luke let Roseanne inside his house. As she entered, she noticed the walls of the house full of pictures of a family.“Take a seat,” Luke asked her as they entered the living room. The house was not a big building. It was a very basic house with three bedrooms. However, it looked very warm and homely as if it was decorated with the great love of family. The house was giving the whole middle-class family vibes but she felt comfortable there. As Roseanne took a seat, she began noticing everything around her. He cleared his throat, taking her attention. “Can I have the letter?” Luke asked her. Roseanne looked at the letter folded in her hand and then at him. When she didn't answer for a while, he asked, “Or should I call Nicholas first?”“No, you can have it,” Roseanne gently answered. She handed him the letter. “Aren't you worried that I will throw you out once I read it?” Luke questioned her. Roseanne let out a soft smile. “Will you?”“Can I?” He asked. “Of course, if you want,”
“You don't like him that much, do you?” Luke asked Roseanne with an amusing glint in his eyes. “Why?” Nicholas asked. “Are you thinking of forming a Nicholas hate club?”Luke and Roseanne ignored Nicholas's' comment graciously. Luke said, “Why did you want to meet me?”“How did you agree to meet me?” Nicholas asked instead. “Does it matter?” Luke asked. “Please say whatever you have to say.”Nicholas stared at Roseanne, who stood up to say, “I will see you out.”Luke watched Roseanne leave the room. After a few minutes, Nicholas exited the house while Roseanne waited, leaning against the car. He looked at his driver and said, “Go back.”Roseanne blinked her eyes and asked, “Where will you go?”Nicholas answered, “I thought I would share the ride with you. Shouldn't we conserve fuel by joining the same ride?”Roseanne rolled her eyes. Did it make any sense? It didn't. However, she didn't burst his bubble and asked, “How come you came so early? What did you even talk to him?”“Do you
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