Jayda's life was never meant to be easy. Raised in the shadows of a city that never sleeps, she spends her days working tirelessly to care for her younger sister, Mya, while her mother drowns in a bottle of vodka. The weight of their broken world rests on her shoulders, and with every passing day, Jayda fights to survive - but survival isn't enough. As she hustles through life, Jayda dreams of something more. But with each broken promise and shattered hope, she begins to question whether she's strong enough to break free from the chains of poverty, addiction, and heartache. In a world that feels determined to crush her, Jayda must find the strength to rise above it all - for Mya, for herself, and for a future she's not sure she deserves. Can she escape the cycle of pain, or will the glass ceilings of her past keep her trapped forever?
Jayda woke to silence.
Not peace - just the kind of silence that made your ears ring. The kind that let you know something was wrong before your feet even touched the floor.
It was still dark outside, but her eyes adjusted fast. Years of living in this apartment had taught her how to move without waking ghosts - or her little sister, Mya, who slept curled in a blanket beside her, breathing soft and fast like a scared kitten.
Jayda slipped out of bed and pulled on her hoodie. The same one she wore yesterday. And the day before that.
She stepped into the hallway, careful not to step on the one floorboard that always cried.
The living room smelled like stale smoke and cheap liquor.
Her mother was on the couch - face down, bottle on the floor, the TV still glowing with an old gospel station playing faintly, like someone left hope on by accident.
Jayda stood there for a long time, just watching her. Not out of worry. She knew her mom was alive - she could hear the low, guttural snore. It was something else. A feeling. A memory. The ache of wanting a mother and only getting this.
She turned away, quietly. The fridge, when opened, held nothing but half a lemon, a ketchup packet, and a container of rice from three nights ago. Jayda closed it again. She wasn't hungry anyway. Not for food.
She looked at the clock: 5:42 AM.
In less than an hour, she'd be walking to the diner to pour coffee for people who never asked her name. They'd smile and tip her a dollar or two, and she'd pretend it made her feel seen. After her shift, she'd pick up Mya from the neighbor's house, try to help with homework, and count change to see what kind of dinner they could fake.
This was her life. Not dramatic. Just heavy.
Every day, Jayda carried a world no one else could see.
A mother who never looked her in the eye.
A sister who looked at her like God.
A future that looked like fog.
She went to the bathroom and stared at her reflection. Not because she cared how she looked, but because she needed to see that she still existed. That she hadn't disappeared beneath the weight of everything she had to be.
She whispered something to herself. A prayer. A promise. A plea.
She wasn't even sure anymore.
But she tied her hoodie tighter, stuffed her phone and the last $12 into her pocket, and stepped outside into the chill.
The city greeted her like it always did - hard and wide and loud.
And she walked into it like she always did - tired, quiet, and unbreakable.
"Mr. Evans, please maintain some dignity. Don't forget I'm your brother's wife!" Having caught her husband and best friend together in the bed, Elena wanted nothing more than to exact revenge on the people she once called family. She refused to be a pitiful divorcee and vowed to make everyone who had once looked down on her beg for forgiveness. And to start with her newfound freedom, Elena indulges in a one-night stand with a stranger. However, what was meant to be a fleeting escape turns into a nightmare when she learns that the stranger is none other than her husband's older brother! Would Elena be free from the shackles of her marriage? Or would the mysterious stranger make her life a living hell since he seemed to have a personal vendetta against his family? [The story is 18+ and involves mature content.]
Her fiance and her best friend worked together and set her up. She lost everything and died in the street. However, she was reborn. The moment she opened her eyes, her husband was trying to strangle her. Luckily, she survived that. She signed the divorce agreement without hesitation and was ready for her miserable life. To her surprise, her mother in this life left her a great deal of money. She turned the tables and avenged herself. Everything went well in her career and love when her ex-husband came to her.
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
"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?"
Lyric had spent her life being hated. Bullied for her scarred face and hated by everyone-including her own mate-she was always told she was ugly. Her mate only kept her around to gain territory, and the moment he got what he wanted, he rejected her, leaving her broken and alone. Then, she met him. The first man to call her beautiful. The first man to show her what it felt like to be loved. It was only one night, but it changed everything. For Lyric, he was a saint, a savior. For him, she was the only woman that had ever made him cum in bed-a problem he had been battling for years. Lyric thought her life would finally be different, but like everyone else in her life, he lied. And when she found out who he really was, she realized he wasn't just dangerous-he was the kind of man you don't escape from. Lyric wanted to run. She wanted freedom. But she desired to navigate her way and take back her respect, to rise above the ashes. Eventually, she was forced into a dark world she didn't wish to get involved with.
Their marriage was nothing but for the benefit of the two families. He could choose anyone to be his bride, but the moment he laid his eyes on her, he knew she was the one he wanted. However, their marriage didn't last for a long because of her indifference. Until the moment he signed the divorce agreement, he finally witnessed her true colors. It turned out that she also took advantage of him. Their divorce was not an end but the start of the real love game.