Sutton Horsley

Five years ago, my company went bankrupt, burying me under mountains of debt. It was the lowest point of my life, yet I still believed I had my family. I was wrong. The day bankruptcy was finalized, my parents and younger brother called a family meeting. I expected comfort, a plan. Instead, my mother coldly declared, "Ethan, we're done. We can't be associated with this failure." My father nodded along, and my brother Kevin smirked, announcing they were disowning me in the paper. They left me in the shell of my office, with nothing but debt and the echoing sound of their betrayal. For five years, I clawed my way back, sleeping in a storage unit, eating instant noodles, taking every coding job I could find. My second company, Phoenix Innovations, just closed a nine-figure deal. I wasn't just back on my feet; I was flying higher than ever. Then the phone rang. It was my mother, her voice dripping with fake emotion. She gushed about how proud they were, then immediately shifted, claiming they had fallen on hard times. She asked for five million dollars and a Senior Vice President position for my father. I almost laughed at their shameless audacity. "No," I said, the word simple and final. Her voice turned venomous, "After everything we've done for you? We are your parents! You have a duty to take care of us!" My duty? I reminded them of the newspaper notice disowning me. They sputtered, claiming it was just a formality. I countered with their forged medical reports and my father's convenient recovery. "I owe you nothing," I said. "You made your choice five years ago. Live with it. Don't ever call me again." I hung up, blocking their number. The peace I had fought for felt about to shatter.

I threw a latte on the most dangerous man in New York and lived to tell about it. Dante Vitiello. The Capo dei Capi. A man rumored to cut out tongues for interrupting his dinner. Instead of a bullet to the brain, he handed me a black card and a terrifying ultimatum. "I need a fiancée," he told me, his eyes dead cold. To save my failing journalism career and my life, I signed a contract with the devil. I had to wear his massive diamond ring, smile for the cameras, and pretend to be the love of his life to stop a political mafia marriage. The rules were clear: Absolute obedience. Total exclusivity. And absolutely no feelings. But the performance started to feel dangerous. When a rival Don insulted me at a gala, Dante didn't just play the part—he threatened to butcher him in front of three hundred people. When I saw the jagged scars on his chest in the dead of night, I didn't see a monster; I saw a lonely protector. My investigation was supposed to expose him, but I was the one getting stripped bare. Then his cousin Rocco stormed in, calling me a disposable whore and a temporary pawn. I stood my ground, defending not just myself, but Dante too. Dante looked at me then, not as an asset, but as a woman he wanted to devour. He stepped closer, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through my bones. "I think we are going to have a problem with the clause about 'no feelings'."

For ten years, I was the indispensable right hand and fiancée to star architect Declan Sharp. I poured my life into his career, sacrificing my own ambitions for us. Our wedding was just weeks away. But my world shattered when I saw him with the new intern, Kisha. He was showing her my design, the one he called "competent," and proudly saying, "This is Kisha's idea." It got worse. He stole my groundbreaking research paper for her, then publicly dismissed me as a mere "drafting assistant." My own family attacked me, furious I had lost their meal ticket. I was just a tool. A convenient machine he used to build his empire. He never loved me; he loved what I did for him. So when he tried to kiss me to shut me up, I slapped him. I deleted every file, every blueprint, every trace of my work from his life. Then I blocked his number and bought a one-way ticket to Detroit. This time, I was building a life for myself.

For seven years, I was the rejected mate of Alpha Kaelan Blackwood. But he never wanted me; he only ever wanted Livia, the woman he'd grown up with. When Livia framed me for stealing a priceless necklace, Kaelan didn't even hesitate. "You disgusting Omega," he spat. "You are not even worthy of licking the dirt from her shoes." Then he had his guards cuff me in silver and drag me to the cells, all while Livia wept crocodile tears in his arms. As they hauled me away, I saw him flinch, a flicker of pain from our severed bond crossing his face. But he did nothing. In that moment, seven years of foolish hope finally died. The next day, after my mother bailed me out, a rival Alpha found me at the airport. He offered me a position as his Chief Strategic Advisor, with one goal: to destroy Kaelan’s empire. I accepted without a second thought.

For five years, Olivia loved Mark. But his heart belonged to another, so he decided to destroy her reputation, framing her as a cheater and ruining her name in their tight-knit community. Just as she was about to end it all, Mark' s brother, Ethan, pulled her back, whispering promises of love and marriage. He seemed like her savior, shielding her from gossip and rebuilding her confidence. But on the eve of their wedding, Olivia overheard Ethan revealing the truth: their marriage was a sham, designed to clear Mark' s name and allow him to marry his true love, Sophia. Olivia was just a pawn, an obstacle neatly moved aside. Heartbroken and enraged, she fled, only to be reminded of her heroic parents and a fierce new purpose ignited within her. After giving up everything to find her, Ethan and Mark finally located Olivia two years later. They begged for forgiveness, but she kept them at arm's length, even after they saved her life in a deadly attack. Now, she's leaving again, for good this time, choosing freedom over their desperate apologies.

For five years, I was a ghost in my own life, a silent wife to my deceased sister' s husband, raising children who treated me like their servant. Then came the accidental pregnancy, a tiny flicker of hope that was brutally extinguished when Mark, my stoic husband, ordered the doctors to let me and our baby die during a complicated labor. I survived, but he delivered the news of our baby' s death with chilling conviction, feigning grief while his eyes held only contempt. He gaslighted me, convincing me I was hysterical, that my memory of a baby' s first cry was a delusion. "Your duty is not to this dead child," he sneered, "Your duty is to Josh and Emma." My world fractured further as his cruelty escalated. He turned our niece and nephew into miniature tyrants who physically abused me, killed the only kind soul in the house, my maid Lily, for daring to question him, and then, in a final sadistic blow, let my parents die after I begged for money to save them. Lying beaten and broken, listening to the casual gossip about my parents' car accident, something inside me snapped. The old Chloe, the one who tried to please everyone, died on that cold marble floor. A new, more terrifying resolve began to form.

Ten years. That' s how long it took for Sarah Miller to finally be Mrs. Ethan Black. But on their wedding day, Dr. Ethan Black didn't show up. Instead, his assistant delivered a "no-questions-asked forgiveness voucher" -his excuse? His socialite ex, Brittany Hayes' s show dog was sick. When I tried to talk to him, I walked in on Brittany lounging on my sofa, her dog chewing my shoe. Before I could process the scene, the dog attacked, sinking its teeth into my leg. Brittany slapped me, then shrieked, "He' s a prized show dog! If you' ve hurt him, I' ll kill you!" And Ethan? He stood by, watching, ultimately telling me to apologize to the dog. He even tried to give me another voucher, an invoice for my humiliation. But the ultimate blow came at my mother' s grave, which Brittany claimed was now hers. With Ethan' s complicity, she scattered my mother' s ashes, then broke my arm. I was left for dead, but I survived. Ethan thinks I' m gone, that a debt has been paid. He has no idea. Now, it' s my turn to make him pay, to show him what happens when you use up all your chances-and all my unconditional love.

For eight years, I poured my soul into this prestigious firm, fueled by a secret, burning love for my boss, David Chen. I pushed my own artistic dreams aside, endured endless hours, and navigated the cutthroat corporate world, all for a crumb of his attention, a fleeting nod of approval. Then came Emily, the charming new junior architect who effortlessly captured the warmth and affection David had always withheld from me. In a brutal office confrontation, he publicly dismissed me, then I later discovered the devastating truth: a calendar notification on his phone, "Dinner with Emily's parents. Discuss ring." My world shattered. The love I' d built my life around was a mirage, and I was just an invisible cog in David' s meticulously planned future. The sting of rejection, the deep, soul-crushing humiliation of realizing I had sacrificed everything for nothing, left me reeling. He hadn' t just overlooked me for a promotion; he' d completely erased me from a future I' d foolishly dared to dream of. But then, as I clutched my signed resignation letter, the anger ignited a new path. I wasn't just walking away; I was running towards a future uniquely my own, a destiny far removed from David Chen and the hollow ambitions of corporate life.

The imperial selection, a grand affair that could secure a family' s fortune, was upon us. But in the Thompson household, excitement was replaced by a chilling demand. My mother, Mrs. Thompson, gripped my hands, her face a mask of strained concern. "Sarah, you have to do this for us. For the family." She wanted me to go to the selection in my cousin Emily' s place, "fail gracefully," and return home a nobody. I looked at her, her words a haunting echo from a life I' d already lived. The last time, I believed her. I failed as instructed, but nobody ever came for me. I spent three years as a low-ranking intern, enduring humiliation and grueling labor, clinging to the promise of my family. When I finally scraped enough money to return, I found red lanterns and festive decorations. My cousin, Emily, was marrying my fiancé. My mother saw me at the gate, tattered and starved. "What are you doing here?" she spat. "You' re an embarrassment. Go away." The gates slammed shut, laughter from inside filling my ears as I collapsed in the snow, my life bleeding away. Then, I woke up. Back in my room, my mother' s voice a poisonous murmur. "Sarah, you have to do this for us." A bitter laugh almost escaped. I was back, at the very moment of my ruin. But this time, things would be different. I pulled my hands from her grasp, a cold resolve settling in my heart. "I will go. But I will go as Sarah Thompson. And I will not fail."

My life was simple. I worked double shifts at a greasy diner, aching from cleaning. I handed over every cent to my supposedly struggling parents. I believed their stories about hardship. I believed in my mom's messy divorce. I believed my sister lived far away. This was my duty. Then, strange comments started flashing in my vision. They were like overlays on a screen. "LOL, he's not even trying to hide it anymore." My world spun. "Her 'dad' is an actor." Was my whole life a social experiment? The truth hit harder than any physical blow. My "broke" family lived in a mansion. They were raking in money from my misery. My sister, Jessie, whom I thought was miles away, was complicit. She deliberately lured me into a trap. I was mugged. My arm was broken. My college dreams were shattered. Their betrayal was undeniable, a physical ache. How could they? How could my own family turn my entire existence into a performance? They profited from my pain and poverty for strangers. The coldness that settled in me was absolute. Every act of kindness, every sacrifice, had been a lie. Their cruel show demanded I stay trapped. They even tried to buy my silence. They offered me luxury if I covered for Jessie. They thought I was still their 'manageable' victim. But they were wrong. With a hidden recording and newfound resolve, I looked them in the eye. I demanded my freedom. This wasn't just my story anymore; it was my fight.

Our trip to the San Juan Islands was supposed to save my marriage. I loved Chloe completely, even sacrificing a kidney for her years ago. This getaway, she promised, was just for us. But onshore, her icy betrayal began. She smashed my satellite phone, threw my wallet in the water, and watched Marcus pour my vital kidney medication into the sea. "Liam needs this baby," she hissed. "You were always a complication." They left me to die, stranded on that desolate island. I died that night, alone. I awoke a ghost, trapped as an unseen witness. Liam usurped my life, claiming my kidney donation and moving into my home. He poisoned Chloe's mind, convincing her I'd abandoned them. He brutally killed our dog, Buddy. When my remains were found and my ashes offered, Chloe-believing it my cruel trick-tragically trampled them. My love, my sacrifice, my very existence erased, twisted into lies. As a silent, raging specter, I endured her profound delusion, unable to shatter Liam' s lies. This desecration of my memory was a death beyond physical pain. Yet, hope unexpectedly flickered. Months later, our son, Leo, fell gravely ill. At the hospital, Chloe overheard doctors detailing my kidney donation and my missed medical appointments. The chilling truth of Liam' s lies, and my sacrifice, finally shattered her reality. The true horror had just begun.

My Manhattan penthouse, a testament to my late father-in-law Michael Rossi's empire, felt like a gilded cage. As Michael' s chosen "legacy guardian," I was loyal, a steady presence. But to his daughter, my wife Isabella, I was just background noise, an obstacle to her obsession: rockstar Jules Vance. One day, she swept in, reeking of expensive perfume, ready to jettison for Austin and Jules. I handed her a stack of company papers, including a marital separation agreement Marc and I had subtly slipped in. Without a glance, she scribbled her name, dismissing our anniversary, her father's legacy, and me. Her heels clicked away, the door slamming shut, sealing my fate. She hadn't even noticed the separation. I was bound by a promise to a dead man, meant to protect a woman who saw me as a ghost, a joke to her and her flamboyant lover. Her casual cruelty and constant dismissal had built an insurmountable wall. Years of emotional suffocation, of being the quiet anchor to a woman who resented stability, finally took their toll. How could a marriage, painstakingly built by her visionary father, a man who saw me as a trusted son, be dissolved with such a careless flick of a pen? Her indifference was a brutal symbol of her utter disregard. I was simply exhausted. This time, her ignorance was my liberation. With her signature on that separation agreement, the decision was unequivocally made. I packed a single duffel bag, climbed into my old pickup truck, and drove north. Leaving the glittering city, the endless drama, and the woman who didn't want it, irrevocably behind. My new life had finally begun.

My life as a New York socialite was a carefully constructed facade, enduring my husband Richard' s relentless affairs and emotional cruelty. I stayed for our daughter, Lily, and the prestigious Harrison name. But everything shattered when Richard brazenly paraded Chloe, his young associate, into our lives. She wore my perfume, used my hand cream, and tried to charm my child, while he publicly shamed me, always choosing her. The ultimate betrayal came when I discovered Chloe wasn' t just his mistress: she was my half-sister, daughter of my late father, desecrating his memory to further her own agenda. His casual cruelties turned violent, isolating me further. Then, a positive pregnancy test, a brutal reminder of his control, felt like a cruel joke-until it ignited a chilling realization. This unwanted life could be my weapon. Every forced smile, every feigned acceptance, became a calculated move in my new game. How could I escape this gilded cage, reclaim my dignity, and protect my daughter, when the man I married was systematically erasing me? And how far would I go to ensure his family' s precious legacy became my ultimate leverage? My plan began with a single, icy demand made to his powerful parents, a threat so audacious it sent shivers through their old money veins.

I finally got it: the limited-edition designer bag I' d tracked for months. It felt like a small reward after years of quietly propping up my husband Mark and his entire family. Tonight, I planned to debut it at our usual Sunday family dinner. But when I walked in, my stomach dropped. My sister-in-law, Chloe-a wannabe social media influencer with a history of copying me-was holding the exact same bag. She chirped "twinsies!" then escalated, crying theatrically and demanding I not use mine. "It loses its appeal," she whined, "especially on someone… older." Mark' s parents, Michael and Patricia, instantly leapt to her defense, accusing me of showing off and being "ostentatious." Patricia even threw in her usual jab about me not having children, despite my funding their lifestyle. I waited for Mark, my husband, to stand up for me. Instead, he looked up from his phone, sighed, and said, "Sarah, come on. Don't make a scene. Just let her have her moment." Then, the ultimate blow: he suggested I give Chloe my brand-new bag, "You can always buy another one, right?" My throat closed. Give away what I' d earned? To appease a manipulator and her enablers? He dismissed me, my feelings, my purchase. It wasn' t just about the bag. It was about years of silent tolerance, of being an ATM, of being thrown under the bus by the man who was supposed to be my partner. The sheer, infuriating injustice of it all. That was the moment something inside me snapped. Cold, hard resolve settled in. "No," I said, picking up my bag. "I will not be giving Chloe my bag." Then, looking at Mark, I added, "We need to talk. Privately. Now." In the hallway, I uttered the words that would change everything: "I want a divorce, Mark. And I' m filing tomorrow." And for Chloe? I decided she'd have plenty more to copy.

Here’s the translation: "After being by Jeremy's side for ten years, I became the sharpest knife in his hand. He ascended to the throne, yet he wanted me dead. Later, he came to see me. I lowered my gaze and said, 'Let's not meet again.' But he leaned closer, his eyes cold and menacing. 'Not meet again? Justine, you are mine. Never think of leaving me.'"

Being second best is practically in my DNA. My sister got the love, the attention, the spotlight. And now, even her damn fiancé. Technically, Rhys Granger was my fiancé now-billionaire, devastatingly hot, and a walking Wall Street wet dream. My parents shoved me into the engagement after Catherine disappeared, and honestly? I didn't mind. I'd crushed on Rhys for years. This was my chance, right? My turn to be the chosen one? Wrong. One night, he slapped me. Over a mug. A stupid, chipped, ugly mug my sister gave him years ago. That's when it hit me-he didn't love me. He didn't even see me. I was just a warm-bodied placeholder for the woman he actually wanted. And apparently, I wasn't even worth as much as a glorified coffee cup. So I slapped him right back, dumped his ass, and prepared for disaster-my parents losing their minds, Rhys throwing a billionaire tantrum, his terrifying family plotting my untimely demise. Obviously, I needed alcohol. A lot of alcohol. Enter him. Tall, dangerous, unfairly hot. The kind of man who makes you want to sin just by existing. I'd met him only once before, and that night, he just happened to be at the same bar as my drunk, self-pitying self. So I did the only logical thing: I dragged him into a hotel room and ripped off his clothes. It was reckless. It was stupid. It was completely ill-advised. But it was also: Best. Sex. Of. My. Life. And, as it turned out, the best decision I'd ever made. Because my one-night stand isn't just some random guy. He's richer than Rhys, more powerful than my entire family, and definitely more dangerous than I should be playing with. And now, he's not letting me go.

In the glittering world of high society and cutthroat ambition, a single sentence shatters a marriage: "Let's get a divorce." For three years, Claire Thompson has lived in exile, her marriage to the powerful Nelson Cooper a hollow shell existing only on paper. Shipped abroad on her wedding day and utterly forgotten, she returns only to be handed divorce papers. But Claire is no longer the timid, heartbroken girl she once was. Behind her quiet facade lies a woman transformed, secretly rejoicing at her newfound freedom. However, freedom comes with a price. As Claire signs the papers with relief, a chilling phone call reveals a dark truth: the threats she faced overseas were no accident, and the trail leads shockingly close to home-to the family that raised her and the husband who discarded her. Just as she prepares to sever all ties, a twist of fate pulls her back into the gilded cage. Nelson, for reasons unknown, suddenly stalls the divorce. Meanwhile, the family that disowned her and the fragile, manipulative sister who stole her life are determined to ruin her reputation and drive her out for good. But Claire is playing a different game now. With a mysterious new identity, powerful allies, and secrets of her own, she is no one's pawn. As hidden truths unravel and loyalties are tested, a stunning question emerges: In this high-stakes battle of love, betrayal, and revenge, who is truly trapping whom?

The day Raina gave birth should have been the happiest of her life. Instead, it became her worst nightmare. Moments after delivering their twins, Alexander shattered her heart-divorcing her and forcing her to sign away custody of their son, Liam. With nothing but betrayal and heartbreak to her name, Raina disappeared, raising their daughter, Ava, on her own.Years later, fate comes knocking when Liam falls gravely ill. Desperate to save his son, Alexander is forced to seek out the one person he once cast aside. Alexander finds himself face to face with the woman he underestimated, pleading for a second chance-not just for himself, but for their son. But Raina is no longer the same broken woman who once loved him.No longer the woman he left behind. She has carved out a new life-one built on strength, wealth, and a long-buried legacy she expected to uncover.Raina has spent years learning to live without him.The question is... Will she risk reopening old wounds to save the son she never got to love? or has Alexander lost her forever?

Ten years ago, Elizabeth Kaiser was abandoned by her biological father, cast out of her home like a stray dog. A decade later, she returned as a decorated general of Nation A, wielding immense power and wealth beyond measure. The onlookers waited eagerly for her downfall, only to watch in shock as the elite families of Capitol City bowed before her in reverence. Elizabeth smirked coldly. "Want to chase me? Better ask my fists for permission first!"

I just got my billionaire husband to sign our divorce papers. He thinks it's another business document. Our marriage was a business transaction. I was his secretary by day, his invisible wife by night. He got a CEO title and a rebellion against his mother; I got the money to save mine. The only rule? Don't fall in love. I broke it. He didn't. So I'm cashing out. Thirty days from now, I'm gone. But now he's noticing me. Touching me. Claiming me. The same man who flaunts his mistresses is suddenly burning down a nightclub because another man insulted me. He says he'll never let me go. But he has no idea I'm already halfway out the door. How far will a billionaire go to keep a wife he never wanted until she tried to leave?

"Let's get married," Mia declares, her voice trembling despite her defiant gaze into Stefan's guarded brown eyes. She needs this, even if he seems untouchable. Stefan raises a skeptical brow. "And why would I do that?" His voice was low, like a warning, and it made her shiver even though she tried not to show it. "We both have one thing in common," Mia continues, her gaze unwavering. "Shitty fathers. They want to take what's ours and give it to who they think deserves it." A pointed pause hangs in the air. "The only difference between us is that you're an illegitimate child, and I'm not." Stefan studies her, the heiress in her designer armor, the fire in her eyes that matches the burn of his own rage. "That's your solution? A wedding band as a weapon?" He said ignoring the part where she just referred to him as an illegitimate child. "The only weapon they won't see coming." She steps closer, close enough for him to catch the scent of her perfume, gunpowder and jasmine. "Our fathers stole our birthrights. The sole reason they betrayed us. We join forces, create our own empire that'll bring down theirs." A beat of silence. Then, Stefan's mouth curves into something sharp. "One condition," he murmurs, closing the distance. "No divorces. No surrenders. If we're doing this, it's for life" "Deal" Mia said without missing a beat. Her father wants to destroy her life. She wouldn't give him the pleasure, she would destroy her life as she seems fit. ................ Two shattered heirs. One deadly vow. A marriage built on revenge. Mia Meyers was born to rule her father's empire (so she thought), until he named his bastard son heir instead. Stefan Sterling knows the sting of betrayal too. His father discarded him like trash. Now the rivals' disgraced children have a poisonous proposal: Marry for vengeance. Crush their fathers' legacies. Never speak of divorce. Whoever cracks first loses everything. Can these two rivals, united by their vengeful hearts, pull off a marriage of convenience to reclaim what they believe is rightfully theirs? Or will their fathers' animosity, and their own complicated pasts tear their fragile alliance apart?

Camille Lewis was the forgotten daughter, the unloved wife, the woman discarded like yesterday's news. Betrayed by her husband, cast aside by her own family, and left for dead by the sister who stole everything, she vanished without a trace. But the weak, naive Camille died the night her car was forced off that bridge. A year later, she returns as Camille Kane, richer, colder, and more powerful than anyone could have imagined. Armed with wealth, intelligence, and a hunger for vengeance, she is no longer the woman they once trampled on. She is the storm that will tear their world apart. Her ex-husband begs for forgiveness. Her sister's perfect life crumbles. Her parents regret the daughter they cast aside. But Camille didn't come back for apologies, she came back to watch them burn. But as her enemies fall at her feet, one question remains: when the revenge is over, what's left? A mysterious trillionaire Alexander Pierce steps into her path, offering something she thought she lost forever, a future. But can a woman built on ashes learn to love again? She rose from the fire to destroy those who betrayed her. Now, she must decide if she'll rule alone... or let someone melt the ice in her heart.

Eliza's life was destroyed by them: her boyfriend and her best friend. Five years ago, her boyfriend's career was at its lowest point and Eliza sacrificed everything to support him. However, her best friend fooled Eliza to be a surrogate mother. When her boyfriend led a successful career, he dumped Eliza because she had lost her virginity and had babies. It was just an excuse for the affair between the shameless couple. Losing all interest in life, she agreed to marry Mr. Valentine, a disfigured billionaire who likes to torture women in bed. It was said that his two exes died horribly in bed. Eliza didn't know that Mr. Valentine was the man she used to carry babies for. In this way, she got a handsome husband and a pair of adorable twins... """

"You'll be my wife on paper only. You'll have everything-except my heart. You'll never be Marina." For five years, Lily lived as David's secret wife-his poised secretary by day, his invisible stand-in by night. Every cold touch reminded her she was just a replacement. Every whispered "Marina" cut deeper than the last. Then his ex returned. And without hesitation, David cast Lily aside like she meant nothing. So she did what she should have done years ago. She signed the divorce papers. She walked away. But now, David couldn't escape her absence. Her silence burned him in ways Marina never could. And suddenly, the man who swore he'd never love her was determined to get her back. By any means necessary. Even if it meant breaking her all over again. She paid the price for loving him once. Now, he'd pay for losing her forever.

After the divorce, she became the dream woman everyone longed for. James Ferguson saved Zelda Liamson and always did whatever she asked, making sure she had everything she could ever want. Zelda thought it was true love. After five years of marriage, she realized she was nothing more than his favourite pet, while he was her whole world. Then, the woman James truly loved came back, and Zelda demanded a divorce. James mocked her, saying, " You can't survive without me. What will you do without the Ferguson's name? " But Zelda did run away and never looked back, receiving marriage proposals every day. James lost his mind and returned, begging Zelda, "Please, come back to me. Give me another chance." His eyes were full of love and desperation.