Ariana Vale thought divorce would be the end of her heartbreak. But walking away from billionaire Dominic Thorne was only the beginning of the war. He shattered her trust with cold silence and hidden lies. So she left-with nothing but her pride and a broken heart. One night of weakness. One mistake. Now she's pregnant... and he isn't the father she planned on. Dominic doesn't believe in love. But when he learns his ex-wife is carrying his child-and might belong to another man-he'll burn the world to win her back. Jealous, ruthless, and dangerously obsessed, he wants her again... but Ariana's not the same woman he once controlled. She has secrets. She has fire. And this time, she's not just walking away- She's ready to make him beg. In a game of betrayal, passion, and revenge- love might be the cruelest weapon of all.
Ariana Vale-Thorne appeared to have it all on the outside.
A husband who created magazine covers with the same regularity he closed billion-dollar deals. A Manhattan penthouse with a private elevator and a starry view from the rooftop. A walk-in closet filled with bespoke couture, Milan-imported shoes, and jewels that sparkled under the flashbulb light. To the world, she was Mrs. Dominic Thorne-envied, loved, admired.
But no one ever observed the way in which he stopped looking at her.
She was in the master bathroom, overhead lights glinting too-brilliantly off the marble. Her silk robe slid off one shoulder as she looked at herself. Dark curls fell down her back, red lipstick impeccable, smoky eyes keen. She was beautiful. She was expensive.
She was a ghost in someone else's body.
Behind her, the bedroom lay quiet. Too quiet. Dominic hadn't come home the night before. Again.
Ariana held on to her phone on the vanity. No messages. No texts. Not even an empty "working late" text. The last one he'd sent three days ago. Three words.
**Board meeting. Don't wait.**
She hadn't, anymore.
She couldn't even remember the last time they'd eaten dinner together that wasn't in the presence of shareholders, reporters, or paparazzi. Or the last time he'd kissed her like he did.
She resented that she still required it.
She resented that even now, as she stood staring at the place he'd once held in their bed, her heart ached.
The news was already out when she walked into the kitchen twenty minutes later. She left the television on mute hanging on the wall, but the images spoke louder than words: Dominic at a gala last evening, alone-except for the woman on his arm.
A blonde.
Refined. Beautiful.
His secretary.
She could sense the familiar, old knot of nausea deep in her stomach. She'd known them before. Rumors had been going around for months. But last night? She hadn't even heard of the gala.
Dominic used to tell her everything.
She made coffee for herself. Poured it into a delicate porcelain cup and stood near the window as though she wasn't falling apart. When the intercom beeped, she blinked stupidly.
She wasn't expecting anyone.
"Mrs. Thorne?" the doorman asked over the speaker. "There's just a delivery here for you. From Blackstone Floral."
Ariana's heart skipped a beat.
For one stupid, momentary second, she thought-maybe it's him. Maybe he sent flowers to apologize. Maybe he remembers today is the anniversary of their engagement.
She pressed the button. "Send it up."
It was barely five minutes before the concierge showed up, white gloves and all. He placed the giant arrangement of black roses on the marble counter with the flair set aside for royalty.
"Would you care if I disposed of the card, ma'am?"
"No," she said brusquely. "Leave it."
He walked away with a nod.
She picked up the envelope between the thorns.
But the writing wasn't Dominic's.
And the card?
*Cass, thanks for last night. You rescued me from death by boredom. Let's do it again sometime. -Cass*
Cass.
His assistant.
Her chest went cold. Ice-cold.
The words weren't romantic, not exactly. But they were intimate. Casual. Comfortable. The kind of thank-you you pen after *being with someone all night*. Not just anyone. Her husband.
Ariana set the card down slowly, warily, as if it might explode.
And then she strode right into Dominic's office.
He always locked his files. His laptop. His drawers.
But never the wall safe.
She applied the pressure of her thumb against the biometric reader and it opened softly with a hiss.
Papers inside. Contracts. Stock reports. And a new, shiny black phone.
*Not* his work phone.
*Not* his personal.
Her fingers shook as she flipped it on.
No password. Not even a thumb print.
As if he didn't mind if someone else looked at it.
Her stomach turned.
The screen lit up. Notifications streamed in.
And then she saw them.
**Cass:**
You left your cufflink in my bed again. Naughty.
**Cass:**
Still can't believe we almost got caught in your office that day. Think she suspects?
Ariana couldn't breathe.
She couldn't move.
Each message was a blade piercing her chest.
And then-
**Dominic:**
Doesn't matter. She doesn't see anything she doesn't *want* to see.
A strangled sound tore its way up her throat.
It was easy to suspect.
It was another thing entirely to have *evidence* that the man she loved-the man she'd married-had been unfaithful, and worse, mocked her for it.
She dropped the phone as though it would scald.
She didn't cry.
Not yet.
She stood there for what felt like hours, staring at the phone on the floor, the card on the counter, the half-warm cup of coffee still clutched in her fingers.
Then, gradually, she went back to the bedroom.
And packed.
Not much. Just essentials. Her documents. A couple of outfits. Her mother's locket. A photo of her and Dominic on their honeymoon in Florence-laughing, sun-soaked, in love.
She stuck the photo into her bag and zipped it up.
Then she got dressed in black jeans, a turtleneck, and flats. No makeup. No jewelry. Nothing flashy.
Nothing that cried Mrs. Thorne.
She stepped over the assistant's card on the counter, the still-wrapped black rose bouquet, and the life she'd built around a man who'd never truly let her in.
Her driver blinked as he regarded her.
"Ma'am?"
"Take me to the penthouse at Fifth. Don't inform Mr. Thorne."
The driver hesitated. "Of course."
She gazed out the window as the city appeared to pass by outside in a blur.
She hadn't cried until she made it to the empty guest apartment. By herself. In the dark. No lights, no warmth, no Dominic.
She fell to the floor and let the tears flow. Wretched, racking, soul-cry sobs that felt like betrayal and regret and too many years spent loving a man who didn't love her.
She cried until her throat hurt.
Until her eyes ached.
Until her body was exhausted.
Then she stood up.
Walked to the bathroom.
Washed her face.
And stared at herself in the mirror.
Not the ghost. Not the wife.
Just Ariana Vale.
And she whispered to her reflection, voice steady:
"I'm done."
She thought she was different. Special. Chosen. When Dominic Cross - ruthless billionaire CEO and the city's most dangerous obsession - pulled her from the shadows of his empire and into his glittering, poisonous world, she believed the fantasy. He told her she was the only one he saw. The only one he craved. But it was all a lie. She wasn't chosen because she was special - she was chosen because she was convenient, a pawn in a twisted game designed to capture another woman's heart. Now, with her innocence stolen and her heart shattered, she finds herself trapped under his intoxicating touch, addicted to the very man who betrayed her. And the worst part? She doesn't know if she'll ever be strong enough to walk away. Because when a billionaire sets his sights on you, love isn't the only casualty. Sometimes, it's your soul.
When Zora was sick during the early days of her pregnancy, Ezrah was with his first love, Piper. When Zora got into an accident and called Ezrah, he said he was busy, when in actual fact, he was buying shoes for Piper. Zora lost her baby because of the accident, and throughout her stay at the hospital, Ezrah never showed up. She already knew that he didn't love her, but that was the last straw for the camel's back, and her fragile heart could not take it anymore. When Ezrah arrived home a few days after Zora was discharged from the hospital, he no longer met the woman who always greeted him with a smile and cared for him. Zora stood at the top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, "Good news, Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us anymore, so let's get a divorce." The man who claimed not to have any feelings for Zora, being cold and distant towards her, and having asked her for a divorce twice, instantly panicked.
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
My marriage to Mathias was supposed to make me the happiest woman in the world. Although I knew he didn't love me, I thought he would fall for me once I showered him with all the love I had to give. Five years passed and Mathias still didn't give a damn about me. Instead, he met his true love and cut all ties with me because of her. He showed her off; something he never did for me. His abandonment pushed me into depression. I was broken in every sense of the word. Even on my deathbed, my so-called husband didn't come to say goodbye to me. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself reborn. I was still Mathias's wife and it was two months before he met his true love. In this life, I refused to be hurt by him again. After talking some sense into my head, I asked him for a divorce in other to escape being heartbroken like I was previously. Mathias tore up the divorce papers time and time again while also shutting me down. "Rylie, stop all this nonsense! Playing hard to get doesn't work anymore!" To show him that I was dead serious, I went ahead to file for divorce. Only then did he panic. He abandoned the "woman of his dreams" and came to my side. "Please give me a second chance, Rylie. I promise to do right by you. You'll be the only woman in my heart from now on. Don't leave me, okay?" A war broke out in my mind after this apology. On one hand, I didn't want to be hurt again. And on the other, I didn't want to let go of the man I loved so dearly. What should I do?!
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?