Fallen Hearts

Fallen Hearts (1988) is the third out of five books in V.C. Andrews's Casteel Series. Started writing by Andrews and finished by her ghostwriter Neiderman. The book was published under Andrews's name.

Synopsis

Proud and beautiful, Heaven comes back to the hills - to rise at last above her family's shame. As Logan's bride, she would savor now the love she had sought for so long. And free from her father's clutches, she would live again in her backwoods town, a respected teacher and cherished wife. But after a wedding trip to Boston's Farthinghale Manor and a lavish, elegant party, Heaven and Logan are persuaded to stay... lured by Tony Tatterton's guile to live amidst the Tatterton wealth and privilege. Then the ghosts of Heaven's past rise up once more, writhing around her fragile happiness and threatening her precious love with scandal and jealousy, sinister passions and dangerous dreams!

Plot

Heaven is living in Winnerow and working as an elementary school teacher. She has resumed her relationship with Logan after returning from Farthingale Manor after Troy's death. Logan eventually proposes to Heaven, and she accepts. She feels compelled to invite her biological father, Tony, to the wedding and, thanks to Logan's correspondence with Tony, the Tatterton and Casteel families agree to attend the wedding and arrange to have the reception at Farthingale Manor

Heaven is excited about marrying Logan. However, her wedding day is almost ruined when Luke decides not to give Heaven away and Fanny, who serves as the best maid, swings her new husband around the dance floor and kisses him in front of the guests to embarrass Heaven. Despite having told Heaven she is always welcomed in his family, Luke avoids her, and Heaven wants to have a familial relationship with him, despite how he treats her. Heaven and Logan travel to Farthingale Manor for their honeymoon, but Heaven is worried about returning to her ancestral home and thinks it's a mistake. She is more worried about being around Tony, who seems to obsess over her due to her dyed-blonde hair, which reminds him of her dead mother, Leigh. Jillian's mental illness is also a major concern for Heaven as her grandmother frequently claims that it was really Leigh who seduced Tony instead of the other way around. Heaven wants to leave as soon as the honeymoon is over, but Tony is determined to keep her at Farthingale Manor and close to him always. He persuades Logan to work in the Tatterton family business and forgo becoming a pharmacist. Heaven is disappointed, but gives in when she sees how excited Logan is.

Over time, Jillian and her servants start spreading rumors of a ghost residing in the condemned parts of Farthingale Manor. Logan spends most of his time in Winnerow, setting up and building the Tatterton factory. While he is away, Heaven's curiosity gets the better of her and she goes exploring the forbidden areas of the mansion. During one of her exploits, she discovers that her uncle and former lover, Troy, is still alive and has been residing in a cottage behind Tony's home, even though Tony told her that Troy drowned and his body was lost. She now knows that had been a lie to put an end to their relationship. Troy tells her that he had faked his death because he wanted to give Heaven the chance to live a normal life with Logan and forget about him, but she has never been able to forget about him and their relationship since the day she was told he was dead. In a night of forbidden love, they have sex one last time before Troy decides to leave Farthingale Manor for good. He knows Heaven won't be able to move on with her life otherwise. Although heartbroken that she can't be with Troy, Heaven feels guilty for betraying Logan and vows to never to tell him of night with Troy. However, when Logan returns, he confesses that he had been seduced by Fanny while he was away. Although enraged of his betrayal, Heaven forgives Logan and she remains estranged from Fanny.

Then, Heaven discovers that she is pregnant with Troy's child, and Fanny is pregnant with Logan's child. Heaven lies to Logan, telling him that her child is his, and Logan assures her that he will take care of both children but will have nothing to do with Fanny, who is only interested in getting money from them to help support her and her child. Luke and his third wife, Stacie, are killed in a car accident, and Heaven and Logan get custody of their son, Drake, after the funeral. Soon, Jillian dies, and after her funeral, Heaven discovers a secret agreement between Tony and Luke, in which Tony would give Luke enough money to save his circus on the condition to never see Heaven again. Heaven is devastated that Luke has "sold" her once again. In a delusional state, Tony attempts to rape Heaven, but she fights back and avoids him at all costs. To spite Heaven and Logan, Fanny fights for custody of Drake and almost wins when she gets Tony to admits that he is Heaven's father, and therefore, Heaven is not a blood relative to Drake. Heaven demands for Fanny to drop the custody fight, but when she refuses, she offers Fanny a million dollars in exchange for Drake. After a heated argument, Fanny agrees, and Drake is returned to Heaven and Logan.

The book ends with Heaven giving birth to a girl whom she names Annie, and Fanny to a boy whom she names Luke.