The Price of a Billion-Dollar Love

The last thing I remembered was the cold, my body broken, kneeling in the snow at Chloe Davis' s memorial. I was Olivia Reynolds, a tech heiress who gave everything for Julian Thorne, only for him to shatter my soul. He built a digital shrine to his "dead" ex-girlfriend in our home, forcing me to chant repentance for sins I didn' t commit, mourning a woman whose supposed death catalyzed his public transformation into a guru. This relentless torment led to my miscarriage, the loss of our unborn child, and ultimately, my own lonely death. Then, I opened my eyes. I was back in the bridal suite of the Grand Astoria Hotel, on my wedding day, the scent of gardenias filling the air. The day it all began, again. Julian walked in, his charming smile now turning my stomach. "Olivia, my love," he said, "I need to talk to you about Chloe." He spun the same manipulative tale from my past life, claiming Chloe was leaving the country forever and he needed to see her "one last time" for "our future." He called it a sacrifice we had to make, together. The same sacrifice that had made me the lamb on his altar before. I remembered his cruelty, my empty crib, my parents' grief, Ethan' s vacant eyes after Julian destroyed his life. He had been reborn too, and knew. But this time, I wouldn't be so foolish. I wouldn't cry or beg. I would give Julian exactly what he thought he wanted: my blessing to go.

I was Mark Thompson' s secret, his adoptive niece, and his hidden lover for three years. He took me in when I had nowhere else to go, becoming my protector and hero. Then, two pink lines on a pregnancy test changed everything. I went to tell him, hoping this baby would make our relationship real, only to overhear him on the phone, laughing. "A baby? With her? Are you crazy? I can't have some unwanted mutt ruining my life." My blood ran cold as I heard him, the man I loved, dismiss our unborn child as an "unwanted mutt," and me as "just a kid," "a fling." My phone shattered on the floor, mirroring my heart. Later, his ex, Sarah Jenkins-the "white whale" he never got over-buzzed his phone. I heard her laughter in the background as he canceled our dinner for her. The dream turned into a nightmare. Days later, Mark took Sarah' s side after she maliciously posted private photos of me online and then lied, claiming I was crazy. He didn't ask for my side of the story. He just saw her tears and shattered phone and immediately took her side. "You have caused nothing but trouble since she came back," he snarled, and then the man who promised to protect me slapped me. I fell, clutching my stomach, screaming his name as I saw the blood. But a cold, unfeeling Mark just looked at me. "Stop it, Olivia," he said, his voice laced with disgust. "The drama is over. I'm not falling for it." Then, he left me bleeding on the floor, driving off with Sarah as I lost our baby. How could he? How could the man who raised me, the man I loved, turn into a monster who chose his ex-girlfriend's lies over my suffering? How could he dismiss me, hit me, and abandon me when I was losing our child? What kind of love was this? What was wrong with me for believing in him? I would not let him soothe me this time. There would be no more tears, no more begging. I would take my shattered pieces, walk away, and build a life where I was finally free.

The exclusive bar hummed with the city' s elite, and from my secluded booth, I had a perfect view of my brother, Ethan, and my fiancé, Noah, holding court at the bar. They were betting on me, on my future, confident I was a nervous wreck after a minor accident, completely unaware I was meticulously listening to every word. I had been back with the wealthy Smith family for six months, a life everyone envied: a mansion, endless credit, an influential fiancé. But it was all a charade; beneath the surface, I was nothing more than their pawn, their trophy, targeted by my brother' s arrogance and my fiancé' s oppressive control, while the adopted daughter, Chloe, simmered with resentment. I was a victim, a fragile damsel in distress. Everyone saw it but me. I watched them, learned their weaknesses, and then I orchestrated my own engagement to Noah, making him believe he was securing the true heiress, all while pulling his strings. They were consumed by their petty rivalries, completely blind to the game I was playing, a game where their arrogance was my ultimate weapon. Their bet on me was just the beginning; I was playing for a much bigger prize. With chilling precision, I created scenarios, fanned their egos, and subtly moved them into positions where they would self-destruct, all while I appeared to be the struggling, innocent girl. I was merely the quiet, fragile girl they thought they were protecting. They talked about winning, but they had no idea they were already losing. The truth was, I wasn't just in the game; I was the game master, and they were all about to find out exactly what happens when you underestimate a Smith.

My husband, David Chen, the CEO of "InnovateX," called for a celebration on our fifth anniversary. He announced, with a theatrical wink, that the two representatives for the Global Tech Summit in Hawaii would be chosen by a game. He drew his own name first, then reached into the glass bowl, his hand going straight for a specific spot, and pulled out a precisely folded slip: his much-younger assistant, Emily White. A wave of whispers and knowing glances went through the office. Emily, wearing the new perfume I' d noticed in our bathroom, practically ran to him, her red nails lingering on his arm after an embrace that lasted far too long. I stood frozen, the silent partner, the co-founder, the wife whose marriage was a secret to protect his "young, bachelor CEO" image-an image he was now building with Emily. The next morning, Emily sabotaged a crucial presentation I' d spent two months perfecting. David, instead of holding her accountable, punished me. He canceled my trip and ordered me to fix "my department's mistake" over the weekend, all while comforting Emily and giving her credit for my work in front of the entire company. The humiliation was a physical weight, pressing down on my chest. Later, I found an elegant Vera Wang box on our bed, a dress I' d dreamed of. My heart leaped, hoping for an apology, a real celebration of our secret marriage. But David nonchalantly explained it was for a client, "to seal a deal." Hours later, I found his phone, a notification for "E's final dress fitting tomorrow" on the screen. The wallpaper was Emily, in my wedding dress, with his chilling caption: "My future Mrs. Chen." The glass shattered in my hand. My entire world shattered with it. The silence in our once-shared home was deafening, the truth a cold, hard slap. This wasn't about business; it was about betrayal, about a life I poured my soul into, stolen and given to someone else. I was ready to vanish, a ghost in my own life. But the rage that simmered beneath my quiet compliance ignited a spark. Now, I wanted something more than to disappear. I wanted justice and I wanted everything back.

The grand hall buzzed, echoing with the promise of my victory at the National Architectural Innovators Gala. My design, "The Spire of Tomorrow," glistened on the screen, a testament to years of dedication. This was the pinnacle, the moment my life was supposed to take off. But then, a cold dread seized me. I had lived this moment before. In another life, I, Sarah Miller, had won, celebrated by my mentor, Daniel Hayes, his smile a perfect mask for the darkness within. That win had been the beginning of my end. He and his protégé, Emily Chen, systematically erased my contributions, claimed my innovations, and then framed me for embezzlement. Publicly disgraced, I lost everything: my career, my home, and worst of all, my brother Michael' s specialized medical care. He deteriorated, and the guilt consumed me. My story ended in a cold, lonely apartment, crushed by failure. How could I have been so blind? How could my mentor, the man who shaped me, betray me so completely? The injustice burned, a bitter taste in my mouth, and I was left with nothing but unanswered questions and seething resentment. But this time, it was different. As the emcee built the suspense on stage, Daniel and Emily smugly confident in the front row, I knew one thing: I would not walk into their trap again. I raised my hand.

My cousin Liam has a hobby. It' s ruining my life. Every time I found a girl I genuinely liked, he' d swoop in, charm her, and orchestrate a public, humiliating breakup. For years, I played the victim, internalizing the laughter and pity, dismissed by my mother as merely "jealous." But this time, with Chloe Jenkins, I wasn't just waiting for the storm. I built it. I watched as Liam Davis, parasite extraordinaire, took the bait. He flaunted Chloe on social media, convinced she was another notch on his belt, funded by his ex-wife Sarah' s endless alimony checks. Then, Sarah revealed Liam was living on borrowed time, off credit cards in her name. It was all a carefully laid trap, and he walked right into it, dragging Chloe and himself into a spiral of fraud and deception. He showed up at my door, a ghost of the man who terrorized my youth, wild-eyed and desperate. "You set this all up," he snarled as two menacing figures dragged me into a black SUV. He threw the first punch, my head snapping against the window. This wasn' t just about humiliation anymore; it was about survival. But Liam forgot one crucial detail: I wasn' t the only player in this game. And as his broken body plunged into the dark water, pulled down by the very current he created, I finally understood. Freedom wasn't a gift. It was a weapon, forged in years of pain, and wielded with precision.

"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!

Life was a bed of roses for Debra, the daughter of Alpha. That was until she had a one-night stand with Caleb. She was sure he was her mate as determined by Moon Goddess. But this hateful man refused to accept her. Weeks passed before Debra discovered that she was pregnant. Her pregnancy brought shame to her and everyone she loved. Not only was she driven out, but her father was also hunted down by usurpers. Fortunately, she survived with the help of the mysterious Thorn Edge Pack. Five years passed and Debra didn't hear anything from Caleb. One day, their paths crossed again. They were both on the same mission—carrying out secret investigations in the dangerous Roz Town for the safety and posterity of their respective packs. Caleb was still cold toward her. But as time went on, he fell head over heels in love with her. He tried to make up for abandoning her, but Debra wasn't having any of it. She was hell-bent on hiding her daughter from him and also making a clean break. What did the future hold for the two as they journeyed in Roz Town? What kind of secrets would they find? Would Caleb win Debra's heart and get to know his lovely daughter? Find out!

Dayna had worshiped her husband, only to watch him strip her late mother's estate and lavish devotion on another woman. After three miserable years, he discarded her, and she lay broken-until Kristopher, the man she once betrayed, dragged her from the wreckage. He now sat in a wheelchair, eyes like tempered steel. She offered a pact: she would mend his legs if he helped crush her ex. He scoffed, yet signed on. As their ruthless alliance caught fire, he uncovered her other lives-healer, hacker, pianist-and her numb heart stirred. But her groveling ex crawled back. "Dayna, you were my wife! How could you marry someone else? Come back!"

Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.

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.

There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"