After serving three years for a crime I didn't commit, I discovered the devastating truth on my release day: Chase Grayson, my husband, had divorced and betrayed me, marrying my younger sister. Worse still, he sold me to Axel Blackwood, a powerful and feared stranger. Heartbroken and trapped in Axel's world of secrets and lies, I faced a new prison that threatened to consume me.
AVERY'S POV:
Today was the day. The day everything I'd sacrificed for-three years of isolation, shame, and clinging to hope-would finally be worth it. Today, Chase and I will be together again. I'd imagined it a thousand times, practically willed it into existence. He'd be there waiting, holding roses, his face soft and full of the love I'd convinced myself still lived beneath the hurt and resentment. It had to be there. He would be my reward for enduring it all.
The warden's voice cut through the waiting room. "Mrs. Avery Grayson!" Her voice loudly pulled me back from my daze.
"That's me," I blurted, jumping to my feet, my heart doing a little twirl dance. Today was the day I left behind everything-the concrete walls, the metal bars, the fluorescent lights, and that dull ache that had taken residence in my bones. I'd already showered, fixed my hair, and even put on a little makeup that one of the guards had snuck me. I wanted to look perfect. He'd appreciate the effort; he'd see that I'd held on, stayed loyal, kept the faith, kept my mouth shut. Even when it hurt. Even when he was the one making it hurt.
The warden held out a plain brown envelope, her eyes avoiding mine. My pulse quickened. It had to be something from Chase-a message, a keepsake, something personal to remind me that he hadn't forgotten me.
Eagerly, I tore open the envelope, the anticipation nearly buzzing through me. But when I finally pulled out its contents, they slipped through my fingers, fluttering to the floor like dead leaves.
Divorce papers.
And beneath them, another piece of thick, ivory card. A wedding invitation.
Chase Grayson and Astrid Russell.
That had to be a coincidence. Right? That the name on the invitation was the same as that of my sister's.
My younger sister. My flesh and blood.
I stared at the papers, willing the words to change, to mean something else. This had to be a sick joke. Chase was getting remarried? And to Astrid, of all people? No, no, this wasn't real. My chest felt tight, my pulse hammering through every vein.
"Avery Grayson," a guard's voice cut in, jolting me. "You're free to go."
Clutching the papers, I barely noticed the small bag they handed me with the few belongings I'd kept here. I bolted towards the gate, trying so hard to make meaning of everything.
Chase was waiting for me-he had to be. This was some misunderstanding, something that would be cleared up the moment I saw him. He wouldn't betray me. Not like this. He'd hurt me, yes-hurt me in every way a man could hurt a woman-but he'd never leave me. Chase had promised that he'd change. He'd written me letters, sent me small gifts. He wouldn't just... abandon me.
But as I stepped out into the bright, unkind light of freedom, reality hit me like a slap. There was no one there. No Chase. No flowers. Just a black SUV idling by the curb, windows tinted so dark I couldn't see inside.
A man in a crisp black suit approached, his expression unreadable behind sunglasses. He extended a gloved hand. "Mrs. Blackwood."
For a second, I thought he must be mistaking me for someone else. Maybe Chase sent one of his security guys to come pick me up since he couldn't come himself.
"Excuse me," I said, forcing a polite smile. "I'm Mrs. Grayson. I think you're expecting someone else."
His jaw tightened, and he held out a gloved hand as if to relieve me of my bag. "No, ma'am. I've come on behalf of Mr. Axel Blackwood. He's sent me to bring you home."
I almost laughed, the absurdity of it all washing over me in waves. "Look, I don't know what kind of joke this is, but I'm not Mrs. Blackwood. I'm Mrs. Grayson." My voice cracked a little, but I pushed on. "You're waiting for the wrong person."
"No, Mrs. Blackwood," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I am Mr. Blackwood's second-in-command. My name is Ryan Dren. My orders are to escort you to your new husband and your new home." His voice was cold and precise, as if he were reading from a script.
I looked around, half-expecting someone to jump out with a camera and yell, "Gotcha!" But the parking lot was empty, save for me and this suited stranger. Panic started to bubble up, prickling under my skin. This couldn't be happening. This wasn't how my story was supposed to end. I'd served my time. I'd sacrificed myself for Chase. I'd given up everything, and now... now I was being told I belonged to someone else?
"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "You're wrong. Chase is coming. There's just been a misunderstanding. I have no idea who Mr. Blackwood or Whiteboard is. I've never heard of the name. And, I'm definitely married to Chase Grayson. No one else."
Ryan's expression didn't change, his face hard and impassive as stone. "If you'll come with me, ma'am," he said, his grip on my arm firm but not rough, steering me towards the SUV.
"I'm not going with you!" I pulled back, panic taking over as I tried to wrestle my arm free. But Ryan's hand was like a vice, unyielding. My breaths came quicker, my heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat. "Let me go! Chase is coming, I know he is!"
"Mrs. Blackwood," Ryan's voice was low, warning. "I suggest you calm down."
At that moment, I knew I had no choice. My heart sank as he opened the car door and nudged me inside. The doors locked with a mechanical click, and the dark-tinted glass shut out the world.
We were driving before I even realized it. The city flashed in blurs and streaks, and all I could do was sit there, numbly staring at my trembling hands. But as Ryan's focus shifted momentarily to the road ahead, I saw my chance.
I threw myself against the door handle and stumbled into the street, nearly falling. Shouts erupted from the SUV, but I didn't look back. I just ran, feet hitting the pavement as I headed toward the only place that could make sense of this nightmare.
When I finally reached the Grayson mansion, my breath came in ragged gasps. And there, strung across the front entrance, were satin ribbons and elegant white lilies. Wedding decorations.
Inside, soft music and laughter drifted through the air. Guests moved about, dressed in formal clothes, oblivious to the storm raging inside me.
Indeed, there was a celebration going on, but not for me.
When billionaire CEO Ethan Asher hires the brilliant but unassuming Brandon Nate Daniel as his new Personal Assistant, neither expects a casual dare to ignite a passionate romance. As playful flirtations turn into undeniable passion, Ethan and Brandon find themselves entangled in a steamy, forbidden relationship that threatens to unravel their carefully constructed lives. With secrets surfacing and office politics heating up, they must decide if their love is worth risking everything.
"Part those legs for me, you little whore," Miles whispered in Meredith's ear. He entered a finger into her throbbing member before adding a second one. "You'll be the death of me, Miles," she moaned. "No, Meredith, you'll be the death of me. I never wanted to own something so badly until I met you. Now, I want to own every inch of your beautiful body." - The story of a girl who lost all hope when her long-time boyfriend decided to end things. She is subjected to taking care of a billionaire who underwent a heart transplant. Their encounter started as a whirlwind of chaos and hate for each other. Slowly, they began to fall in love until they couldn't deny their feelings. However, Meredith was in search of her missing brother she needed answers to his disappearance. Miles and Meredith's relationship is entwined and one of the soulmates. One holds the answers to so many unanswered questions. - Note: Don't forget to like, share and comment if you love the story.
Clyde stared at the young girl lying on the bed. His eyes lingered on her legs, dark bruises and cuts appearing all over her creamy skin. He didn't know what had caused her to do such a stupid thing, but he knew she was desperate for something. So desperate that she could risk her life. He didn't know what it was about, but he wondered if it was worth risking her life. She was pretty enough to be wanted
Freya Parrish was orphaned at age three by her family's rival pack, which forcefully took power from the Blue Moon Pack, murdering everyone except 'lucky Freya.' After the death of everyone in her pack, Freya was supposed to be the ruling Omega being the only survivor, but she suffered from amnesia, leaving Alpha Hero Ian at advantage. The Omegas were never seen as worthy or relevant. They were the bitches and their pack was the most fragile. This implicated anyone from their pack because their hate came naturally. Alpha Hero Ian turned Freya into a slave for his pack, the Blood Moon Pack. For some reason, everyone felt intimidated by Freya, even though she was fragile. This led to everyone to hate and maltreat her, including the Alpha's rude and spoilt son, Dante Ian. As the governing rule of the Blood Moon Pack states, 'All slaves must be set free on their eighteenth birthday,' Freya got sent far away into the human world without any orientation or shelter. Dante on his path took over as the Alpha after the death of his father. For him to become true after, he must also bond with his mate. Desperate to make his pack whole, he goes searching for his mate, which was no other than the girl who hates even the air that he breathes. Despite all the ugliness, is there a chance for Freya and Dante to put their past and differences aside for both packs? Being the only survivor, Freya needs to bear the child of a true Alpha to avoid the extinction of the Blue Moon Pack. “Forgiveness is a pricey pearl that cannot be handed out with ease. It takes more than love and mate bond to win this battle.”
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.
After a one-night stand with Gavin Russell, the Powerful and cold alpha CEO, Iris Green was smitten and she thought there could be something between them after realizing they were fated mates. Her hopes were crushed by his harsh words, "I don't eat the same food twice." Broken, she returned to her city to manage her family business but soon realized that a seed had been planted. Giving birth to a set of twins, she could not endure raising them alone, when they looked exactly like him. She sent one of them to Gavin with a note, "Dessert after supper." Gavin frowned when he received the parcel, from his son. He sent people to fetch that blondie but it was as if she disappeared from the face of the earth. Of course, the Green family was mysterious and she was the new head of the family. She only gets seen whenever she wants to be.
WARNING! This book is not suitable for young readers or sensitive minds. Some parts contain graphic sex scenes, adult language, and situations intended for mature readers only! BLURB She saved herself for the man she thought would be her forever. She believed in love, in promises, in happily ever after. Until she caught her fiancé tangled in another woman's arms. Betrayal burned through her veins, leaving behind only one desire. REVENGE. And what better way to break him than to seduce the one man who could shatter his pride-his powerful, dangerously handsome billionaire uncle? He's older, untouchable, and completely off-limits. But she's willing to play dirty, willing to risk everything, just to watch her ex suffer. But what happens when the game turns on her? Because the moment she steps into his world, she realizes he's not just a pawn in her twisted little plan. He's a man who dominates, consumes, and makes her feel things she's never felt before. And the worst part? She might not want to escape.
Aria never wanted to marry Kael, the arrogant playboy her father forced her to accept as her fiancé. But Kael had his own twisted motives-he only wanted her because she was the one girl who refused him. When Aria rejected his demand to sleep with him a week before their wedding, Kael tried to take what he wanted by force. His drunken pursuit ended in tragedy when he was struck by a car, leaving Aria caught in the crossfire of blame. Zander, Kael's elder brother and the soon-to-be Alpha King, believed Aria was responsible for his brother's death-and promiscuous to boot. To prevent war between their packs, Zander agreed to marry her, but only for revenge. His plan? Ruin Aria's life for a year, then cast her aside and divorce her. But Zander's scheme begins to unravel when his ex-best friend Asher returns, determined to take Aria for himself. As secrets from the past resurface, Zander discovers betrayal, lies, and truths he never wanted to face. Was Aria truly guilty, or was she just another pawn in a deadly game of power and revenge? Asher laugh and say, "You're a fool; she never wanted to come. I told her you were with Lyra, so she came. And now I've achieved my goal: I ruined your marriage." Zander feel foolish, asking, "But why? I never did anything to you! You were my best friend. I should have killed you when you slept with my ex fiancée, Lyra!" Asher respond, "You knew I loved her, but you stole Lyra from me. She was my true mate, but she refused to marry me because you were soon to be the Alpha King! She never loved you. She loved me but wanted to be the queen of werewolves; that's all." Zander would realize how foolish he was. Yet, he still believed Aria wasn't innocent because she slept with his deceased brother before the wedding.
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"