Luo Ye

My husband Jeremy crashed a wedding for his ex, Donnie, and the video went viral. I was at home, pregnant and making his favorite lasagna, when I saw him screaming about saving her from the groom. This wasn't the first time. Three years ago, his obsession with playing her hero cost me our first baby. He swore it would never happen again. He had promised to be there for my prenatal check-up, but he abandoned me to rescue her instead. When he finally came home that night, he fell to his knees, crying and begging for another chance, just like he did before. He looked pathetic. But this time, I felt nothing but a cold, hollow emptiness. The woman who loved him was already dead. I looked him straight in the eye and calmly delivered the final blow. "I had an abortion today. The baby is gone." "Sign the papers, Jeremy."

For ten years, I lived as a powerless Omega, my only joy being my brilliant daughter, Michelle. I had bound my true nature—a powerful White Wolf—to protect her from my family's enemies. When she won a coveted internship at the International Council, I thought our quiet life was finally secure. But a week later, I found her crumpled in a corner of her school, bound by silver ropes that burned her skin. Her dreams were being torn apart by Lacey, the daughter of our pack's Alpha. "This little nobody thought she could steal my spot," Lacey sneered. "The internship my Alpha father secured for me." My world shattered. The Alpha was my husband, Vincent—my fated mate of ten years. When I reached out to him through our sacred bond, he dismissed my panic with sweet lies, even as I watched Lacey and her friends torture our child for sport. The ultimate betrayal came when his mistress, Ivy, flashed the Alpha's Mate card—"my" card, which he had given to her. He arrived only to deny knowing me in front of everyone, a sin that shattered our bond. He called me a trespasser and ordered his warriors to punish me. As they forced me to my knees and beat me with silver, he just stood and watched. But they all underestimated me. They didn't know about the amulet I'd given my daughter, or the ancient power it held. As the final blow landed, I whispered a name into a hidden channel, calling in an oath my family made generations ago. Seconds later, military helicopters swarmed the building, and the High Council Guard stormed the room, bowing to me. "Luna Harper," their commander announced, "The High Council Guard is at your command."

For five years, I was the Alpha's mate, but my husband, Mark, saved all his affection for another woman. At a grand pack gala, our fragile charade came crashing down when a massive crystal chandelier tore from the ceiling, plummeting towards the three of us. In that horrifying second, Mark made his choice. He violently shoved me aside-not to safety, but directly into the path of splintering debris. He used his own body as a shield, but only for Isabella, his mistress. I woke up in the infirmary, my body shattered and my connection to my wolf spirit crippled for life. When he finally visited, it wasn't with remorse. He stood over my bed and performed the ultimate betrayal: the rite of severance, brutally tearing our sacred bond in two. The spiritual agony was so profound it stopped my heart. As the monitor flatlined, the pack doctor burst in, his eyes wide with horror as he looked from my lifeless body to Mark's cold face. "What did you do?" he screamed. "By the Moon Goddess, she's carrying your heir."

My name is Jennifer Smith, and for eight years, I believed I was the luckiest woman alive. I was marrying Ethan, the charismatic musician who' d promised to be my rock, the one who saw past my severe stutter. At our rehearsal dinner, my parents gifted us millions: a trust fund and a historic Beacon Hill brownstone. Then, Ethan' s mother, loud and sharp, mocked my stutter, questioning my ability to speak my own vows. Before I could even react, Ethan, my supposed protector, brazenly addressed my parents. He claimed that due to my "condition," managing such assets would be overwhelming. He suggested all wedding gifts be put under his name, for my own protection and to prevent anxiety that triggered my stutter. My father roared, slamming the table, refusing to make his daughter a business deal. The stress and betrayal were too much; he clutched his chest, gasped, and collapsed onto the floor. My father suffered a heart attack. While he fought for his life in the hospital, Ethan' s mother posted a viral video, painting us as cruel rich people who gave my father a heart attack for refusing to give them money. This malicious lie, going viral as #JusticeForEthan, reached my father's tablet. He saw it, and his heart gave out. In that moment, I knew. They killed him. Grief consumed me, but underneath it, a cold, hard fury solidified. I saw Ethan in the hospital, smirking, already plotting his next move to exploit my father' s death for gain. But he didn't know the game had just fundamentally changed. My father' s funeral would be the beginning of my war.

The sound of shattering glass was the first thing I heard, a familiar prelude to years of belittlement and control in my own home. My husband, Ethan, his voice cold and cutting, threatened to take our children and leave me with nothing, casting me onto the street. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law snickered from the couch, reinforcing the lie that I was worthless, just as they always did. His words, his family's disdain, echoed the desperate, lonely motel room where I would die, twenty years from this very moment, abandoned and full of regret. But this time, as I stood there, watching my life unravel, I felt an icy calm replace the rage, because I knew this was my second chance.

My hands, my father' s legacy, were destined for culinary greatness. I was just days away from the Golden Whisk competition, a scholarship to Le Cordon Bleu within reach, my dream of becoming a master pastry chef about to ignite. And Caleb Scott, the man I loved, my seemingly devoted partner, was supposed to be my biggest supporter. Then, with a sharp click, the heavy industrial mixer door slammed shut, my hand trapped inside. A white-hot explosion of pain, a raw scream. Caleb stood before me, his eyes cold, resolute. "Molly' s father died for me, Gabby. I owe her this." In an instant, he shattered not just my bones, but my future. My career was over before it began. Staring at my mangled hand, then at his impassive face, I couldn' t comprehend this monstrous betrayal. He offered to "take care of me," an insult layered on top of the injury. Molly, his childhood friend, later visited me in the hospital, feigning sympathy, holding the trophy I should have won. His mother then offered me a fortune – a bribe to disappear and erase me from their perfect narrative. I took the money, feeling my spirit crush under the weight of their callousness. How could the man who claimed to love me orchestrate such a cruel, calculated act? What kind of debt repayment costs another person their entire life' s ambition? Why would he so casually destroy everything I worked for, for someone else' s perceived gain? But as I packed the last remnants of my old life, clutching my father' s recipe book, I felt a new flicker within the devastation. This wasn't the end; it was a forced redirection. I would not disappear. I would reclaim my love for baking, on my own terms.

Sarah Miller believed her life was perfectly on track: a thriving career as a marketing associate, a loving fiancé, Mark, and a dream engagement vacation to Napa Valley just days away. But her world abruptly shattered with a discreet email about company restructuring, quickly followed by the brutal news that her position had been eliminated without warning. Then, her fiancé, Mark, dropped an even more devastating bombshell: the company's ruthless CEO, Victoria, was pregnant with his child, and he chillingly admitted he had personally arranged Sarah's layoff, shamelessly calling it "strategic" and "for their shared future." Reeling from this double betrayal, Sarah found herself not just fired, but publicly humiliated by Victoria in her own home, with Mark betraying his true, mercenary nature and choosing his mistress over her. The ultimate insult came when she found the cheating pair flaunting their affair at the very Napa resort meant for her engagement, only for Victoria to then stage a public ambush, falsely accusing Sarah of corporate espionage and pursuing Mark. How could the man she loved so cruelly scheme against her, destroy her career, and then, with twisted logic, claim it all "to protect her," utterly oblivious to her own true, powerful identity as the secret heiress to a multi-billion dollar empire? The bitter irony of his "sacrifices" festered, fueling a quiet rage. But as Victoria prepared for her final, public mockery, she had no idea the "broke nobody" she was attempting to shame was about to unleash a truth bomb that would not only reclaim her stolen dignity but spectacularly dismantle their entire corrupt kingdom.

The rejection letter for Danny' s after-school program landed like a physical blow. I just wanted a safe, affordable spot for my sweet five-year-old. But the reason shocked me: the spot was taken by "another child" of Sergeant First Class Tom Barnes – my husband. Tom admitted it was for Kyle, son of "Gold Star widow" Crystal, claiming he needed to help them for his promotion, casually dismissing Danny's needs. He then offered to take Danny to his duty station, "unofficially," to keep him out of Crystal's hair. Foolishly, I agreed, putting my boy on a Greyhound bus, his little backpack and beloved rocket ship t-shirt packed. Three days later, the call came: Danny was abducted. Tom arrived not with comfort, but screaming blame: "If you hadn't fussed... if you were stronger, this wouldn't have happened." He told me to "move on," then vanished back to Crystal and Kyle, leaving me in a silent, empty house, clutching a single, tattered piece of Danny' s blue t-shirt. The crushing guilt and unbearable emptiness drove me to swallow pills, praying for oblivion. How could the man I loved, the father of my son, so easily destroy our lives and then blame me? Why did I believe his lies, sacrificing my child for his career and his affair? The thought that I might have prevented it, if only I' d known the truth, was a tormenting torture. Then, one morning, I awoke in my own bed, the calendar reading May 15th-Danny' s application day. "Mommy? Are you awake?" That small voice, the sight of Danny, alive and whole, brought tears and a rush of crystal-clear memories. This time, I wouldn't be a victim. My fingers flew to the phone, straight to the Department of Defense Inspector General.

For years, I, Alyssa Peterson, worked tirelessly as a firefighter, striving for the approval of my father, Battalion Chief Michael Peterson, and my brother, Captain Eric Peterson, while constantly eclipsed by my adopted sister, Chloe, their undeniable favorite. Then, during a ferocious wildfire, a critical warning identifying an imminent, life-threatening flare-up was deliberately withheld from my crew by my father and brother, a decision made solely to protect a "distressed" Chloe, who was safely removed from any real danger far from the front lines. My team and I miraculously survived, coughing and scorched, only for my family to coldly dismiss our near-fatal ordeal, prioritizing Chloe’s dramatic performance over our genuine trauma, making it painfully clear they’d sacrifice me and my crew without a second thought. How could the very people sworn to protect, my own family, so cruelly abandon me and my fellow firefighters to near-certain death for the sake of a melodramatic, manipulative girl who had never truly accepted me? Realizing I was and always would be disposable in their eyes, I ripped myself free, moved out, and meticulously filed explosive complaints with Internal Affairs and OSHA, defiantly recording their furious threats to blacklist my career, prepared to burn down their carefully built empire and forge my own path.

My life was a greasy blur: taqueria shifts, a rundown trailer, and a dad who mostly slept or muttered about bad luck. Mom supposedly left with my twin, Kendra, when Dad’s investments went south. That’s what I believed for six long years. Then a rare message from Kendra, cryptic and laced with a link, shattered everything. My fingers fumbled as I tapped it, splitting my phone screen. On one side, my grime-covered existence. On the other: Mom, Dad, and Kendra, laughing in a mansion, beneath a banner blaring: “Double Track Lives: The Texas Sisters' Growth Experiment. Subscribers Only.” My stomach churned. This wasn't just a show; I was the show. I was the “control group,” the struggling poor one, while my family manufactured their wealthy lives from my very real pain. Every tear, every struggle, even the staged debt collectors who demolished my fifty-cent birthday cupcake – all for views. My father, who claimed illness, stole my grandmother’s keepsake and flaunted it on stream, saying it taught me ‘sacrifice.’ The betrayal burned colder than any Texas night. How could they? How could my own family turn my life into a spectacle of poverty, milking my hardship for their luxury? My despair hardened into an icy resolve. They thought they had me scripted for a big family reunion on graduation day. But as I walked off that stage, clutching my MIT acceptance letter, I wasn't walking to them. I was walking away, with a new purpose and a stack of loans taken in my father’s name. This experiment was about to go off-script.

Trapped in the shackles of a lonely marriage. A never ending void of monotony. Charles had her by his side but one thing he didn't have was her heart. Yet, he wasn't bothered. As long as he had her around, he convinced himself that he would one day win her over. Life doesn't always work out though. He never wanted to see his wife's crush come back into her life but it seemed that it was meant to be. Jealousy engulfed him, Charles completely lost all control. Lies, doubt, and desperation gradually filled their marriage. This life was not one to live anymore, she finally divorced him and left. However, her life didn’t reset as she expected. Charles came back and he was a man on a mission.

Elliana, the unfavored "ugly duckling" of her family, was humiliated by her stepsister, Paige, who everyone admired. Paige, engaged to the CEO Cole, was the perfect woman-until Cole married Elliana on the day of the wedding. Shocked, everyone wondered why he chose the "ugly" woman. As they waited for her to be cast aside, Elliana stunned everyone by revealing her true identity: a miracle healer, financial mogul, appraisal prodigy, and AI genius. When her mistreatment became known, Cole revealed Elliana's stunning, makeup-free photo, sending shockwaves through the media. "My wife doesn't need anyone's approval."

"Stella once savored Marc's devotion, yet his covert cruelty cut deep. She torched their wedding portrait at his feet while he sent flirty messages to his mistress. With her chest tight and eyes blazing, Stella delivered a sharp slap. Then she deleted her identity, signed onto a classified research mission, vanished without a trace, and left him a hidden bombshell. On launch day she vanished; that same dawn Marc's empire crumbled. All he unearthed was her death certificate, and he shattered. When they met again, a gala spotlighted Stella beside a tycoon. Marc begged. With a smirk, she said, ""Out of your league, darling."

For three quiet, patient years, Christina kept house, only to be coldly discarded by the man she once trusted. Instead, he paraded a new lover, making her the punchline of every town joke. Liberated, she honed her long-ignored gifts, astonishing the town with triumph after gleaming triumph. Upon discovering she'd been a treasure all along, her ex-husband's regret drove him to pursue her. "Honey, let's get back together!" With a cold smirk, Christina spat, "Fuck off." A silken-suited mogul slipped an arm around her waist. "She's married to me now. Guards, get him the hell out of here!"

After five years of playing the perfect daughter, Rylie was exposed as a stand-in. Her fiancé bolted, friends scattered, and her adoptive brothers shoved her out, telling her to grovel back to her real family. Done with humiliation, she swore to claw back what was hers. Shock followed: her birth family ruled the town's wealth. Overnight, she became their precious girl. The boardroom brother canceled meetings, the genius brother ditched his lab, the musician brother postponed a tour. As those who spurned her begged forgiveness, Admiral Brad Morgan calmly declared, "She's already taken."

Sunlit hours found their affection glimmering, while moonlit nights ignited reckless desire. But when Brandon learned his beloved might last only half a year, he coolly handed Millie divorce papers, murmuring, "This is all for appearances; we'll get married again once she's calmed down." Millie, spine straight and cheeks dry, felt her pulse go hollow. The sham split grew permanent; she quietly ended their unborn child and stepped into a new beginning. Brandon unraveled, his car tearing down the street, unwilling to let go of the woman he'd discarded, pleading for her to look back just once.

Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."

In their previous lives, Gracie married Theo. Outwardly, they were the perfect academic couple, but privately, she became nothing more than a stepping stone for his ambition, and met a tragic end. Her younger sister Ellie wed Brayden, only to be abandoned for his true love, left alone and disgraced. This time, both sisters were reborn. Ellie rushed to marry Theo, chasing the success Gracie once had-unaware she was repeating the same heartbreak. Gracie instead entered a contract marriage with Brayden. But when danger struck, he defended her fiercely. Could fate finally rewrite their tragic endings?

The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."

Maia grew up a pampered heiress-until the real daughter returned and framed her, sending Maia to prison with help from her fiancé and family. Four years later, free and married to Chris, a notorious outcast, everyone assumed Maia was finished. They soon discovered she was secretly a famed jeweler, elite hacker, celebrity chef, and top game designer. As her former family begged for help, Chris smiled calmly. "Honey, let's go home." Only then did Maia realize her "useless" husband was a legendary tycoon who'd adored her from the start.

Blinded in a crash, Cary was rejected by every socialite—except Evelina, who married him without hesitation. Three years later, he regained his sight and ended their marriage. "We’ve already lost so many years. I won’t let her waste another one on me." Evelina signed the divorce papers without a word. Everyone mocked her fall—until they discovered that the miracle doctor, jewelry mogul, stock genius, top hacker, and the President's true daughter… were all her. When Cary came crawling back, a ruthless tycoon had him kicked out. "She's my wife now. Get lost."