The husband took their daughter on an autumn outing, but she unexpectedly died. It wasn't until the driver responsible for the accident came to apologize that I realized my husband was the one who caused our daughter's death. He sacrificed our daughter to save the son of his first love. Later, my husband begged me for forgiveness, and I watched him harm himself with a smile.
I stared intently at the mobile bed covered with a white sheet in front of me, unable to bring myself to move forward.
My husband, Joshua Williams, stood behind me, holding my shoulders and choking back his tears as he comforted me, "Gloria, don't be afraid. I'm here with you."
Seeming to have found a way to rely on, I grabbed Joshua's hand tightly, my voice trembling, "Joshua, what they're saying isn't true, right? This isn't my Mia. My Mia is perfectly fine."
An hour ago, I was at the office handling some paperwork when I received a call. The person on the other end claimed to be a doctor from the hospital, saying my daughter had died and I needed to come to the hospital to identify the body.
I dismissed it as a scam, thinking crooks used all kinds of dirty tricks these days.
Unexpectedly, the caller rang again, claiming to be a traffic officer this time.
Was this a fraud ring??
I impatiently warned the caller that if they continued with their nonsense, I would report them to the police.
The caller gave me an address, saying the child's father was already at the scene, and if I didn't believe them, I could verify it myself.
In a panic, I called Joshua.
How could this be? Mia had gone on a field trip with Joshua.
I had personally driven them to school that morning. Mia had kissed my cheek before getting into the car, her warmth still lingering. How could she possibly be dead?
Joshua didn't answer his phone.
I then called Mia's homeroom teacher.
"Mr. Green, Mia's been behaving, right? She hasn't caused any trouble, has she?" I asked, cutting him off before he could speak.
My Mia couldn't possibly be in trouble.
I clutched my chest, struggling to steady my frantic heartbeat.
The background noise on the other end was chaotic, with sirens and crying.
After a long silence, the teacher's somber voice finally came through.
"I'm sorry, Mia's mom."
I didn't remember how I get to the hospital.
Joshua stood at the hospital entrance, looking disheveled and distraught, and his expression was complex when he saw me.
I followed him as the doctor led us to the morgue.
The doctor pulled back the sheet, revealing Mia's delicate and adorable face.
But she would never open her eyes again.
Tears streamed down my face as I rushed forward to embrace Mia, gently caressing her face. I noticed a dark wound at her temple, and the blood was already dried.
"Mia, Mommy's here. Open your eyes and look at Mommy, please?"
Such a large wound-how much pain must my Mia have endured?
"Mommy's here to take you home. Please get up, okay?
Don't you love ice cream? Mommy will buy it for you if you get up, okay?"
Tears fell onto Mia's face, and I quickly wiped them away, touching her cold skin. My heart shattered.
"Gloria, don't do this." Joshua said, pulling me back from behind.
I shoved him away, shouting, "Get away! How could you promise me you'd take good care of Mia? Why didn't you protect her?"
Joshua clutched his hair in agony, his head bowed. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's my fault."
I closed my eyes in pain.
I knew Joshua didn't mean for this to happen. His love for Mia surpassed even mine.
His mother always preferred sons over daughters, and when she found out I had given birth to a daughter, she refused to help during my postpartum period. I was unable to move easily due to my C-section.
Joshua and a nanny he hired took care of Mia.
Later, when I got busy with work, it was Joshua who looked after her. Sometimes, I was even jealous that Mia preferred Joshua over me.
But I couldn't help blaming Joshua. If I had gone on the field trip today, maybe Mia wouldn't have been in danger.
I stepped forward to embrace Joshua, leaning on him, seeking comfort in each other's warmth.
Joshua's pained whisper reached my ears, "I'm sorry."
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?
She thought he was the villain. He was only trying to save his soul. Rena lives in a world of sunshine, sweets, and simple dreams. Until one reckless decision drops her into a dark realm of secrets, curses and werewolves. Kidnapped, heartbroken. She doesn't know who to trust anymore especially not Logan, the arrogant, cruel Alpha who's keeping her as a hostage. Until she discovers his dark secret. He's been hearing her thoughts all along. Now the walls between them are crumbling. And when feelings grow where hatred once lived, a curse demands that blood becomes a love that demands sacrifice. But how can she give her heart to the one who might need it to die?
Trigger warning!!! Intended for mature readers who enjoy morally complex, slow-burn, poseesive, forbidden, dark romance that pushes boundaries. ***EXCERPT*** Blood everywhere. Trembling hands. "No!" My eyes blurred. His lifeless eyes stared back at me, his blood pooling at my feet. The man I loved-dead. Killed by the one person I could never escape - my stepbrother. *** Kasmine's life was never hers to begin with. Kester, her stepbrother, controlled and monitored her every move. At first, it was all sweet and brotherly until it began to turn into an obsession. Kester was the Alpha, and his word was law. No close friends. No boyfriends. No freedom. The only consolation Kasmine had was her twenty-first birthday, which was supposed to change everything. She dreamt of finding her mate, escaping the sickening control of Kester, and finally claiming her own life. But fate had other plans for her. On the night of her birthday, not only was she disappointed that she wasn't mated to the love of her life, but she found out that her mate was none other than him - Her tormentor. Her stepbrother. She'd rather die than be mated to a man whom she had known as her big brother all her life. A man who would do just anything to make sure she was his. But when love turns to obsession, and obsession turns to blood, how far can one girl run before she realizes there is nowhere else to run to?
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
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!"