Fifteen-year-old Jaden Carter has never felt wanted. Born to teenage parents who see him as a mistake, he spends most of his days alone in their North Carolina home, abandoned and forgotten. But when he stumbles upon a hidden door in his basement, his world is forever changed. The door pulls him into Aje'ra, an ancient, hidden village deep in the heart of Nigeria-a place untouched by time, where the people bow before him in worship. They call him their lost god, the reincarnation of a powerful deity who once ruled over them. At first, Jaden is skeptical, but the village priestess sees the truth in his soul. Under her guidance, he learns the forgotten arts of black magic-powerful, dark sorcery that allows him to reshape reality itself. With every lesson, he feels himself growing stronger, more in control. For the first time in his life, he is more than just an unwanted boy. He is a god. But power comes with a price. As Jaden uncovers the secrets of his past life, he realizes that his return was foretold not as a blessing-but as a warning. Something dark stirs beneath Aje'ra, a force that only he can face. Torn between the family that never wanted him and a destiny that could consume him, Jaden must decide: Will he embrace the darkness within, or will he fight to rewrite his fate?
Chapter One:
Jaden had always known he was unwanted. His parents, barely out of high school when he was born, treated him more like a burden than a son. They left him alone in their crumbling North Carolina home for hours, sometimes days, without a second thought. He learned to cook for himself at eight, to lock the doors at night at ten, and to stop expecting love long before that.
It was on one of those lonely nights-when the house felt too empty, and the wind whispered things he didn't want to hear-that he discovered the basement door.
He had never noticed it before.
The old house had its fair share of creaky floors and hidden spaces, but this door was different. It was small, nearly blending into the shadows at the bottom of the basement stairs. The handle was rusted, the wood old yet strangely sturdy. Something about it called to him, sent a shiver down his spine that was equal parts fear and curiosity.
Jaden hesitated only for a moment before twisting the knob.
The door swung open without a sound, revealing a narrow tunnel carved from red earth. A heavy scent of damp soil and something older-something ancient-filled the air. He stepped forward, drawn in as if the tunnel itself was waiting for him.
And then, he fell.
Not in a clumsy, accidental way, but as if something had grabbed him, pulling him downward through darkness that had no end. His stomach lurched. His scream was swallowed by the void.
Then, light.
Blinding, golden sunlight burned into his eyes as he landed, not on a basement floor, but in the middle of a vast, open village.
Dozens of people in flowing, traditional robes surrounded him. Their dark eyes widened in awe, and within seconds, they dropped to their knees.
"He has returned!" one of them cried, voice trembling with devotion.
A woman stepped forward, draped in intricate beads and a headdress that shimmered under the sun. Her skin was deep brown, her gaze sharp yet filled with reverence.
"You are the one we have waited for," she whispered.
Jaden swallowed hard, his pulse pounding in his ears.
"What...what is this place?" he managed to ask.
The woman smiled, placing a hand over her heart.
"This is Aje'ra, the sacred village of the Forgotten Ones."
She knelt before him, bowing her head low.
"And you, my lord, are our lost god."
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
Rejected by her mate, who had been her long-time crush, Jasmine felt utterly humiliated. Seeking solace, she headed to a party to drown her sorrows. But things took a turn for the worse when her friends issued a cruel dare: kiss a stranger or beg her mate for forgiveness. With no other choice, Jasmine approached a stranger and kissed him, thinking that would be the end of it. However, the stranger unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You're mine!" He growled, his words sending shivers down her spine. And then, he offered her a solution that would change everything...
Five years ago, Alessia La Rosa's life took a drastic turn when, suffering from memory loss, she wed to Dominic Carter under her grandfather's mysterious arrangement. But their marriage was a facade, bringing her only humiliation and heartache as Dominic showed no love, and she couldn't conceive. Upon discovering Dominic's infidelity, Alessia sought liberation through divorce. Yet, fate had more in store for her. Five years later, spurred by an anonymous email hinting at her lost child's whereabouts, she returns to the city with her twin babies in tow, determined to uncover the truth. As she navigates the tangled web of her past, a surprising twist awaits. Dominic, upon meeting her again, finds himself drawn to the woman she has become, unaware of her true identity as his former wife. Little does he know, the woman he's falling for is not only his ex-wife but also a powerful Doctor and Master Hacker.
"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?"
After two years of marriage, Kristian dropped a bombshell. "She's back. Let's get divorced. Name your price." Freya didn't argue. She just smiled and made her demands. "I want your most expensive supercar." "Okay." "The villa on the outskirts." "Sure." "And half of the billions we made together." Kristian froze. "Come again?" He thought she was ordinary—but Freya was the genius behind their fortune. And now that she'd gone, he'd do anything to win her back.
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.