When Sia heard the doorbell ring, her heart skipped a beat. She thought Leon had arrived, but it felt too soon as they had just hung up the phone. Curiosity piqued, she opened the door. A smile lit up her face when she saw who was standing there.“Mama!” Nico called out excitedly, rushing into her arms.She bent down, showering him with kisses. “Aren’t you my favourite boy?” she cooed, her tenderness making him giggle.Nico wrapped his arms around her tightly while returning her kisses.“Hey, what about me?” Rhys asked with a grin as he stepped in behind Nico.Sia straightened up, surprised to see him. “Rhys, what are you doing here? I thought you were having dinner at home.”Rhys sighed dramatically. “I was excited about that too, but then I saw a devil and decided to escape here instead.”“A devil?” Sia asked, leading them inside.Rhys groaned. “We have the most annoying guest tonight.”Sia tilted her head curiously. “Who is it?”Before answering, Rhys took a deep breath and sniffed
That night, as Leon prepared to leave, Ellora looked at him with a smile. “Why don’t you stay the night? Callum and Abella are staying for Alisha and it would be nice to have you here too.”As a grandmother in her later age, all she wanted was her whole family to be surrounded by her. She wanted all her grandkids to stay under the same roof even if it was a wishful thinking on her part. Anne while noticing Leon’s hesitation decided to add with a laugh. “Mom, let him go. Sia is at home and he is probably miserable without her. Let’s face it, Leon needs Vitamin Sia more than he needs sunlight.”Ellora sighed, shaking her head lightly. “Ever since they moved in together, he visits so rarely. It’s like we hardly see him anymore.”Anne couldn’t resist teasing. “Mom, you are starting to sound like a bitter mother-in-law trying to blame everything on the woman! To be honest, Leon wasn’t exactly a regular visitor before either. If anything, since Sia came into his life, he visits more often b
The morning came, and Leon, who had stayed up late, woke up equally late. As he stirred awake, his eyes landed on Sia seated at the breakfast table, indulging in her morning sugar rush. Her plate held an extra-sweet coffee paired with some fruit on the side which was an attempt at balance that he found amusing but chose not to comment on. She had peculiar tastes, and if sugar was her thing, so be it. She knew her limits.He liked seeing her enjoying her life finally. Life was never smooth when it came to her. She had her fair share of struggled. Not just fair share but abundance of struggles. It was only after her life threatening accident that she began living her life to the fullest and not just working on autopilot. “Good morning, sunshine,” she greeted him with a bright smile.He groaned softly, walking over to her and wrapping her in a warm hug from behind. Resting his head on her shoulder, he complained, “You left me all alone in bed.”She chuckled lightly, patting his cheek a
Today, Charlotte and Abella went shopping with Alisha. Beatrice had specifically asked Charlotte to get Alisha involved in normal ‘girl activities,’ since Alisha often had rather quirky interests.“This is as boring as ever,” Alisha said flatly, looking unimpressed.“Come on, shopping is fun,” Abella replied enthusiastically. Of course, she was the one who had bought the most outfits so far. While Charlotte tagged along more for the outing, Abella was genuinely excited to shop. Alisha, on the other hand, had been reluctantly dragged along.“I like shopping with Sia and Estelle better,” Abella said, a little frustrated. “You two are boring!”The remark stung Alisha. “What could you possibly have in common with them?” she asked, her voice filled with curiosity and maybe some annoyance.Abella shrugged. “Well, we don’t have much in common, but I like them. Sia pampers me, but she also treats me like a friend, and Estelle—she is becoming my best friend these days. She is so fun to be arou
Sebastian stared at his phone. It had been three days since he had texted Charlotte, but she hadn’t replied. He told himself she was probably busy with work and might have forgotten to check her messages. Deciding to try again, he sent another text.But the silence continued.By the end of the day, frustration had settled in and left him restless.At the dinner table, Carter spoke up. “I’m going to Mexico this weekend.”Seraphina frowned. “What about your health? Are you sure you can handle this trip?”“It’s an important matter,” Carter said firmly. “Mr Roudgreiz was the one who helped me build my business after I left the King family. Now that I have surpassed their entire fortune, I can’t turn my back on my benefactor when she needs me.”Carter’s story with the King family was another sad tale of his life that ruined everything but he never liked to talk about it with his kids and he did not wish to make them feel guilty. Seraphina pressed further. “Dad, your health isn’t good. The
It was Abella's 19th birthday party. The Hart Princess had insisted on keeping it a simple, intimate family gathering and nothing extravagant. Even the cake had been baked by Abella herself, as she didn’t want to make a big deal of the day.Though it was low-key, the family showered her with thoughtful gifts. Among them, Alisha’s gift stood out and was the one Abella cherished most.Abella’s eyes widened in surprise. “I can’t believe you thought of this,” she said, grinning from ear to ear. “Now I can drive around without everyone staring at me in our flashy cars. I will blend in with my friends!”If Abella had struggled in life, it was blending in with her peers and not letting them know that she was a real-life princess. Her biggest struggle was being a princess but acting like a pauper. Rhys raised an eyebrow. “What’s so special about a car? If you wanted one, you could have bought it ages ago.”Abella chuckled. “I know, but Alisha’s whole point was to get me out of my comfort zon
Callum was in the lab when Abella called him. These days, he had been refusing gatherings at home which was a convenient way to avoid Estelle. Seeing her was unbearable for him. Each encounter was a reminder of the betrayal that would devastate Ronan if he ever discovered the truth that his wife and cousin had a one-night stand.When Callum first met Estelle, she seemed like the most fascinating woman he had ever known. She was beautiful, intriguing, intelligent, and so passionately driven by the things she loved. But the magic of that night shattered when she vanished the next morning, leaving him with no address, no contact and nothing. It was as if their connection had been nothing more than an illusion.And then, he saw her again. Standing in his own house by Ronan’s side as his wife. The heartbreak was indescribable. What could be more devastating than realizing the woman who had once enchanted him now belonged to someone else? Someone he cared about deeply. Anger replaced longi
When everyone left, Abella turned to Callum, tugging at his sleeve. “Let’s go check on her,” she said softly, her concern evident on her face. But before Callum could answer, raised voices from inside the room stopped them in their tracks.“Why did you tell everyone?” Estelle’s voice broke through the quiet.“What are you talking about?” Ronan replied, his tone filled with confusion.“Ronan, you know what I’m talking about,” Estelle said, her voice trembling with hurt. “Instead of worrying about your wife, the first thing you did was call your entire family to swarm me! This isn’t what I wanted. I told you I needed you. Just you.”When the doctor told her about her pregnancy, she was lost. Thankfully, it happened to be the hospital where his husband worked. She needed him so much but he made her wait for so long. And when he came, he came with his family. The emotional strength that she needed, she did not get it. Instead, the overwhelming feeling that she was getting was taking away
Abella straightened up and stretched a little. “I think I will have iced tea instead of coffee. Coffee feels too serious for me,” she said with a smile.Cillian chuckled, his gaze softening as he watched her. “I will get you the coffee then.”Before he could reach for his wallet, she was already ahead of him while placing the order and turning to him with a grin. “It’s on me.”He raised an eyebrow, taken aback. Cillian Facci was a man who had always prided himself on taking care of his own bills and had never let a woman pay for him. He opened his mouth to protest, but she was already off to get their drinks.When she returned with the drinks and a tray of food, she asked, “Are you hungry? I am! What do you suggest?”Cillian pointed toward a combo meal that had been his go-to in his college days. She picked up two of them, and they sat at an empty table with the warm food in front of them. What is this alternate reality? he thought.As they dug into their meals, Abella took a bite of
“I’m a first-year medical student at NYU,” Abella answered, a proud smile playing on her lips. “I love my life there.”Cillian muttered under his breath, barely loud enough for her to hear, “So young and untainted.”Her eyes narrowed. “What was that?”“Nothing,” he said smoothly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.She crossed her arms. “And what about you? Oh wait, let me guess a fancy lawyer fighting high-stakes battles for the immoral capitalists of the world?”Cillian let out a laugh at her sass. “I guess you are not entirely wrong.”Just then, his phone buzzed with a message. He glanced down at Carina.It will take me a bit longer. Wait for me. Don’t leave.He swore under his breath. That woman had some nerve while giving him orders.Shaking his head, he turned back to Abella, his gaze appraising. “Would you like to grab a coffee?”She arched a brow. “Aren’t you a little too old to be asking me for coffee?”His lips twitched in amusement. “How old do you think I am?”She t
“Abella, you can explore the campus while I meet Scottie,” Estelle said as they arrived at Oxford University. Her cousin was running late for a conference, leaving little time for their meeting. Wanting to see her first before heading to the hotel, Estelle decided to make the most of their brief window.“Oh, I like the idea,” Abella replied enthusiastically, already intrigued by the historical grandeur of the university.While Estelle went to meet her cousin, Abella took her time admiring the beauty of the Oxford campus. She had always loved the elegance of its architecture. Its ancient stone buildings stand proudly, ivy creeping along their walls, and students walk with books tucked under their arms. It was just like the movies that she had watched. Finding a quiet spot outside the Oxford Law School, she settled onto a wooden bench and pulled out a thick medical book. It was a contradiction, she knew, reading about anatomy in the heart of a law faculty but it didn’t bother her. She
Charlotte took a deep breath and met his gaze. “I’m sorry for not telling you about Cillian Facci. I wanted to, but the timing was never right.”When she met him, she forgot about everything. All she could recall was her. Sebastian studied her for a moment before shaking his head with a small understanding smile. “We never really had the time, did we? I don’t blame you.”Relieved, she reached for his hand and squeezed it. “Thank you for understanding.”He tilted his head slightly. “So… your parents know about me?”She nodded.“Will they like me?” he asked. His tone was light but she caught the hint of nervousness in his voice.A laugh bubbled out of her. “Maybe, maybe not. But does it really matter?”“A little,” he admitted. “I would rather not be the guy your family wants to strangle.”Charlotte smiled, understanding his worry. “My family is complicated. I was raised by two sets of parents.” She paused, then explained, “My birth parents are easier. My mom is probably over the moon t
After finishing their meal, Sebastian and Charlotte decided to take a short walk together in the beautiful garden of the hotel. They had spent the last two days doing nothing but enjoying each other’s company, and now the fresh air felt nice.As they strolled, Charlotte noticed Sebastian repeatedly declining an incoming call.“Who keeps calling?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.Sebastian sighed, a small and helpless smile on his lips. “It’s my dad.”Charlotte frowned. “It might be something important.”He shook his head. “Trust me, it’s not.” He hesitated for a moment before adding, “Earlier today, he asked me about my plans, and I told him I was going out with you. Now he won’t stop calling and texting, trying to find out if we got back together. He is more excited than a kid on Christmas morning.”He does not know what to do about his father who seemed to be more interested in his relationship with Charlotte. His dad had been given his long lectures over the texts on how to win a wom
"Be careful," Anne said over the phone."Mom, I'll be fine," Abella reassured her. "Thank you for letting me go.""This is for Estelle. I want her to be happy," Anne said gently. "If you need anything, let me know."Abella and Estelle were going on a trip to Europe. Their first stop was London, where Estelle wanted to visit her cousin, who was studying at Oxford. They planned to stay in London for a few days before continuing their journey across Europe. It was a long plan and she was going to spend her semester break by travelling with her best friend. "Have a safe journey, girls!" Anne added. "Call me when you land in London."Although they could have traveled by private jet, Abella and Estelle wanted an independent adventure just like any other young women. However, Anne insisted on booking them first-class seats, ensuring their comfort and safety.Now settled on the flight, Estelle and Abella took their seats, with Abella sitting directly behind Estelle.Just as they were getting
When Cillian arrived at his car, a woman reached out to hug him.He caught her hand before she could which made her hesitate."It was tiring," she said in a perfect British accent. She was a classic Italian beauty, her refined features framed by the elegance of her voice.Cillian responded in Italian. "Not now, Carina."She bit her lip, watching him with knowing eyes. Slowly, she reached for him again, her fingers trailing lightly over his sleeve while testing his resistance. After a moment, she whispered, "You know what? I will ask the driver to give us privacy, and I will make you forget about everything."The moment the car door shut behind them, Carina straddled him with her fingers slipping into his hair. Her lips ghosted over his tensed jaw."You are tense, Tesoro," she purred, her accent slipping between Italian and English, a seductive blend of the two. "Let me help."Cillian exhaled sharply when her lips met his, the taste of whiskey lingerd between them. He should have pushe
The scent of aged wood and candle wax filled the room. The dim light flickered across the long mahogany table where two mafia families faced each other and the other had yet to enter.Charlotte Hart entered the room with calculated confidence, wearing a tailored black suit. The cold click of her heels echoed through the space while commanding attention before she even spoke. Hardened men straightened in their seats.Cillian turned to look at Luca Moretti, the third mafia family who controlled the Mexican region. He said, “Nicholas Hart was supposed to come.”Luca laughed. “Facci, I told you Nicholas does not look after the business. The new boss does.”Cillian said, “Bullshit. A woman cannot control our business. He is using her as a bluff.” Across from him, Luca leaned back lazily, fingers wrapped around a glass of whiskey, his expression filled with amusement.“That’s the queen herself,” Luca said, loudly. “Miss Hart, thank you for gracing us with your presence.”There was amuseme
For some reason, Sebastian had to go and meet a client. It was a short meeting and he called the client in the hotel restaurants. While leaving the room, he left her a message that he would be back soon. When Sebastian returned, he found Charlotte dressed in his clothes—his white shirt and shorts fitting her perfectly, almost as if they were made for her. She sat on the couch to read something on her phone while sipping coffee. Her face looked tense, but the moment she noticed him, her features softened into a breathtaking smile.“Hi,” she greeted.His own lips curved into a smile as he walked toward her. “Hey there.” Without hesitation, he pulled her into a warm hug. “I’m sorry I had to leave you here alone.”As he held her, he caught the familiar scent of his body wash on her skin. His heart stuttered. “Someone took a bath,” he teased, pulling back just enough to meet her eyes. His deep steel-blue gaze locked onto her vibrant green ones.Charlotte smirked. “Are you really that happ