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
Today, Alisha organised a picnic for the whole family, hoping to bring everyone together for a fun and relaxing day. The atmosphere was filled with joy as everyone enjoyed the beautiful weather. The boys and girls were enthusiastically playing basketball, running around and laughing, while Anne, Emery, Ellora, and Estelle chose to sit on the side and watch the action from afar. Ellora and Emery were both deeply engrossed in a conversation with Estelle about pregnancy. Ellora shared her personal experiences while speaking about the joys and challenges she had faced while being pregnant with her three children, while Emery took a more serious tone by providing medical advice and explaining what Estelle should be careful about during this special time.Anne who had been observing the situation couldn’t help but feel that they were overwhelming Estelle with too much information. "You are overwhelming her," she commented, glancing at Emery. "Why are you so worried about her? She is a doct
On the other side, the younger generation was happily immersed in their basketball game. Sia was about to make a shot, and as she threw the ball towards the hoop, Callum, quick on his feet, leapt up to block it. He managed to stop the ball with his head and tossed it to the other side of the court. But Sia, resolved to get the ball back, quickly regained control of the ball again. Seeing Callum ready to dodge, she threw the ball with great force. Callum jumped to block it, but instead of stopping it, his arm made contact with the ball which caused it to change direction and speed rapidly.Meanwhile, Estelle, who had been talking to her mother on the phone, was walking along and hadn’t realized how close she had gotten to the basketball court. She was still on the phone, completely unaware of the game happening nearby. Out of nowhere, the ball came speeding toward her and before she could react, it hit her with full force.The impact was so strong that Estelle lost her balance and fel
On one side of the house, Emery was sobbing uncontrollably while her grief was pouring out as she struggled to process the loss. Her face was streaked with tears and her body was shaking with emotion. She felt heartbroken for the loss of the baby and the dream of becoming a grandmother ripped away from her in an instant.Meanwhile, across the room, Sia was also crying while her arms were wrapped tightly around Leon. Her tears fell silently but the pain was deep and far beyond what anyone could see. Her past traumas were crashing to the surface and it was more intense than anything she had ever dealt with before. Sia had lost children—too many children. Multiple miscarriages had scarred her, and she had been forced to undergo abortions each one of the memories leaving a wound that had never fully healed. She had always longed to be a mother, to experience the joy and love of raising children, but Matthew’s cruelty had turned that dream into a nightmare. His constant episodes of cruelt
Sia was trembling and in desperation, she rushed towards the washroom with her heart racing as she frantically searched through the cupboards. Her hands shook with fear as her mind was consumed by the haunting nightmare she had just woken from. Tears streamed down her face as she rummaged through the shelves with her breath coming in sharp and uneven gasps.Leon was woken up by the sound of her distress and quickly followed her while his concern grew as he watched her desperate movements. “Sia, baby?” His voice was soft but filled with worry.He stood in the doorway, completely unsure of what to do or say. “What are you looking for?” he asked gently, but there was a sense of helplessness in his tone. Sia was visibly dishevelled both mentally and physically as her past trauma overwhelmed her in that moment.When she finally found what she was searching for, Leon’s heart skipped a beat. His eyes widened in disbelief as he saw what she had grabbed. A pregnancy test. His voice dropped to
Leon was still in shock himself as he shook off the initial disbelief and rushed to her side. He pulled her into his arms while lifting her onto his lap and holding her tightly. “Nothing. Nothing will happen to you or the baby,” he whispered, his voice filled with newfound determination and love. He stroked her hair while trying to comfort her with every fibre of his being.But Sia was consumed by the past and by the horrors she had lived through. “No, Leon…” she sobbed. “I’m cursed. I’m cursed to be a mom.”Leon held her tighter. He knew the journey ahead would be difficult, but he refused to let her go down this dark path alone. "You’re not cursed, Sia," he whispered. "This baby is a blessing, and we’ll face everything together. I’m here with you, always."But Sia’s sobs didn’t stop, and neither did the shadows of her past. As Sia continued to sob uncontrollably, Leon never left her side. His arms wrapped around her, holding her close, offering the only comfort he could which was
As morning light flowed through the windows, they were still wide awake. They quietly went to the breakfast table, starting the simple morning routine would offer some comfort.When Charlotte entered the room, she was surprised to see them awake. Usually, she would wake up early and the two of them usually wake up late but this time, it seemed they had been up much earlier than expected."You guys woke up pretty early," Charlotte said with a warm smile, noticing their tired eyes but she did not miss the subtle shift in their energy."Do you Want to have breakfast with us, Coco?" Leon asked, his voice soft but with a new warmth. "Sure," Charlotte replied, sitting down with them at the table. The housekeeper came over and served them a meal, and for some reason today, Sia’s plate was filled with a healthy, balanced mix of food like fruits, grains, and proteins. Ever since Anne and Sia got closer, the latter had become obsessed with sugar. She needed sugar thrice a day to survive Charl
The two mischievous best friends were at King’s residence today as their parents were busy with work. Whenever they were alone for a long time, they would request to stay with Carter, as he was the only one who could put up with all their antics. Since his children had inherited his business, he had focused all his attention on being a good and available father and grandfather.He loved it when his grandson Silas and granddaughter Athena visited him for the whole day. He loved it even more when it was just Athena and her best friend, Aurora or the stormy Aurora, as he called her.A few months after Sebastian got married, Serafina fell in love with a man named Drake, but the two did not work out. However, Serafina got pregnant and gave birth to her son, Drew, who lived with her mother. He was not a social child at all. The only person he could talk to, aside from his mother and grandfather, was Silas and no one else.For some reason, it was Aurora’s first time meeting Drew. Actually, s
"Dr. Hart?"Callum turned back to see his lab assistant running towards him with a coffee in her hand. She was a young and pretty woman in her late twenties who had recently completed her Ph.D. and was now working as a lab assistant in his lab. With her qualifications, she could have secured a better job, but she had decided to stay for the next two months until her project ended. "Yes, Dr. Maise?" Callum said. "Umm, coffee?" she offered him with a small smile. "Actually, I am about to head for lunch," Callum said. "If you wish, you can join me." Honestly, he was just being polite. "Okay!" the woman said and began walking with Callum. As they walked towards the cafeteria, they passed several students who were seated there. Callum was a familiar face on campus, as he used to take classes on behalf of his Ph.D. supervisor. Even after joining the university as a scholar, he occasionally covered classes for his supervisor again, as the two shared a deep professional relationsh
Parenthood had changed Sia and Leon in ways they had never expected. Watching Aurora grow up every day before their eyes felt like nothing short of a miracle. She was tiny, mischievous, and so full of light. Her presence would light up the room in a way no one could quite understand. Aurora was just one and a half months old when her biggest nemesis, Silas, was born. Silas was her favorite uncle’s son—the handsome uncle with shiny hair and flawless skin. Everyone joked that Aurora was obsessed with Sebastian’s beauty, while Charlotte would playfully complain that her favorite niece only had eyes for her husband. From the time Silas and Aurora were little, they fought over everything from their grandparents’ attention to every little gift they received. Neither of them wanted to lose to the other. Their endless competition worried their parents, as their families were best friends, but their children were anything but. Charlotte’s dream of having her children and her best friend’
It was a beautiful day when Aurora Swift Hart was born. She had troubled her mother a lot while getting comfortable in her mother’s tummy, but when she finally arrived, she did so without causing much pain. Aurora’s daddy began crying even before she could, as she opened her tiny eyes to a world she wasn’t yet used to. She wondered who the real crybaby was—her daddy or her. “I told you it’s a baby girl,” Aurora heard her daddy say, his voice filled with emotion as he cried fat tears. Her mommy, on the other hand, just smiled at her. If she could smile, she would because her mommy was so brave, loving, and comforting. Oh no, her mommy was the best! Especially when the nurse showed her how to be her food. But that was a topic for another time. “You won, Leon!” Aurora’s mommy said to her crybaby daddy. “What name have you chosen for the baby girl?” the doctor asked with a smile, looking at Leon, who was struggling to contain his excitement. “I want to know too,” Aurora heard he
“Our family is finally completed, ”Anne said with a big smile. She looked at her kids who were bickering as usual on the dining table. Leon and Sia were sitting on one side and Charlotte and Sebastain on another. Sia was in her eighth month of pregnancy and extremely fragile while Charlotte was wuite healthy and even though she was pregnant, she was no fragile woman! Charlotte Hart King could still take down a man or two! “Our family was always completed,”Nicholas said with a smile. “Now it is time for our kids to have family of their own. Leon and Charlotte are already starting their family with their respective spouses. Rhys has Nico. Its just Callum that I worry about.”Anne said, “Actually, I learnt one lesson in life. We cannot control the lives of our kids forever. Although we want to keep them safe from all the harms, it is still not possible. Because they are the main characters of their lives. And main characters always have their struggles. We are nothing but supporting cha
What does forever feel like? Sia and Leon weren't quite sure. But ask them what love feels like—love that’s about trying to be there for each other, even when things are hard, and trying to love each other for as long as they’re breathing—and they’ll look at each other with tender eyes and give you a smile. It was a normal day for Leon. His girlfriend woke up and decided to flip the script. The couple sat at breakfast in their safe haven—home, the place they had built together. The meal was something Sia adored, and Leon couldn’t help but wonder if that wide smile on her face had something to do with the food—her favorite, sent over by his mother, Anne. Ever since Sia and Charlotte were pregnant, Anne had been sending meals packed with love and nutrients. It was a tradition now, one that seemed to brighten their days. Leon was sure it wasn’t just the taste of the food Sia adored, it was the love and care Anne put into it, the same kind of love and care Sia was a sucker for.
Happiness had settled into the Hart family. The two pregnant women were treated like delicate glass, cherished and fussed over by everyone. Sia was six months along but barely looked a day over her first trimester, while Charlotte, at five months, had already popped and was unmistakably pregnant. While Sia’s pregnancy was challenging due to her health issues, Charlotte was in perfect health, glowing with happiness and vitality.Today, Sebastian brought Charlotte to her favourite food spot. She had been craving different foods all day. Sia had once joked that Charlotte was gaining more “food weight” than pregnancy weight which earned her an exaggerated glare from Charlotte.“Did you ask for an extra scoop of ice cream?” Charlotte asked, her eyes glowing with anticipation.“I sure did,” Sebastian replied with a knowing smile. “I may have even ordered a special dish you might like.”Charlotte beamed, her dimples deepened. “Aren’t you the best husband in the whole wide world?”He smirked.
Sia watched as Charlotte and Sebastian cried and laughed together while holding each other in pure joy. Sebastian had arrived with a huge bouquet for his wife, and the moment he saw her, he dropped to his knees and hugged her stomach, whispering over and over how happy and blessed he was to have her.Seeing them celebrate their love and impending parenthood made Sia emotional. Her best friend had finally found the love she truly deserved. Not wanting to intrude on their perfect romantic moment, she quietly walked back home with a soft smile on her lips.As she stepped inside, Leon was already there, waiting for her.“Hi,” Leon greeted. “Is everything okay?”Sia nodded, her eyes still glistening with happiness. “I am very happy. So happy that I cannot even put it into words.”Leon studied her face as warmth spread through his chest. “That is very good to hear. But would you like to tell me what happened?”She wrapped her arms around him while hugging him tightly. “Charlotte and Sebasti
Charlotte pulled something from her pocket and handed it to Sia. As Sia saw it, her eyes widened. She immediately hugged Charlotte. “You are pregnant?”Charlotte nodded, tears welling in her eyes.“Why are you crying?” Sia asked gently. “This is such happy news! Silly girl.” She paused before looking at Charlotte. “You do not want the baby? It is okay, I will not judge you.”Charlotte shook her head through her tears. “No, I do. I already love the baby. But we just got married after only a month of dating, and now a baby. He is not ready for that.”“Did he say that?” Sia asked.Charlotte shook her head. “No, but…”Sia rolled her eyes, smiling a little. “You are being silly. You both need to talk. If you do not talk to him and keep making assumptions, you will ruin your relationship. You need to talk to him.”Charlotte hesitated. “Now?”Sia nodded. “I think it is better to talk now. Otherwise, you will just end up crying more.”With a deep breath, Charlotte took her phone, put it on sp