After Aaron was reborn, Keeley was different for some reason. She wasn't the little ball of sunshine that chased after him anymore. Most people fell into one of two categories: people who wanted something from him and people who feared him. She had been the only one that didn't fall under either but now... He refused to give up his chance at happiness this time around. "Run, girl, if you can...but I won't let you because you belong to me no matter what..."
Keeley Hale stood her ground fiercely though tears threatened to spill out the corners of her eyes.
"What are you staring for? Leave," Aaron said flatly as he pulled out his phone and began scrolling through it.
Cold. Emotionless. Cruel.
Her husband of eight years looked as disinterested as ever and she was appalled. He had just told her his girlfriend was pregnant and he planned to divorce her as casually as if he were commenting on the weather.
"Not until you tell me the truth. Did she...have anything to do with my father's death? Are you covering up for her?" Keeley's fists shook but she wasn't sure whether it was from holding back the tears or from rage.
Her father-the only family she had left-died in a hit and run accident. The cops thought it was random but she couldn't believe that. Not after what she had seen. That woman was plotting to take her place from back when they were all in high school.
Aaron actually deigned to look up at her blankly. "So what if I am? She's worth more than fifty of you."
He had never exactly been the warmest person to begin with, but it wasn't always this bad. Keeley couldn't remember the last time he looked at her with any degree of tenderness.
"I'll expose you," she seethed as the tears broke free. "I'll put both of you in prison."
He smiled wickedly. "Money is power, sweetheart. You can't do anything to me."
She kicked a rock as she walked underneath some scaffolding on the sidewalk. New York was always under construction when the weather was nice.
Who could she talk to who had access to the traffic cameras that weren't in either the Hales' or Knightons' pockets?
She had to try and think clearly. Rationality was all she had left after the man she once loved so deeply dealt the deathblow to her heart.
The scaffolding above her started to sway dangerously and she hurried out of the way before it collapsed. Keeley's heart raced. A lot of accidents like this had been happening lately. She knew it was all Lacy Knighton's fault.
If only she hadn't gotten involved with Aaron Hale in the first place and taken what Lacy thought should have been hers. Her father would probably still be alive and her entire life would have turned out differently.
To escape the scaffold, Keeley ran into the street but she thought she was safe since it was a back alley that only delivery trucks used and none were around.
Too bad she had cried earlier. Her head was still fuzzy so she didn't see the car speeding towards her-a car that still had remnants of blood under its bumper if someone looked hard enough.
Keeley got a glimpse of the driver as she went flying. She knew him but couldn't figure out where from. He didn't stop to help, screeching away and leaving the smell of burning rubber behind along with Keeley's broken body.
As her consciousness slipped away from her for the last time, she swore that she would haunt Aaron and Lacy and make them pay for what they did to her family.
When Keeley woke up, she was in a hospital bed. "I...didn't die?" she asked groggily.
The nurse on duty laughed in surprise. "Were you so worried? They only did a routine appendix removal."
Appendix removal? But she already had her appendix taken out when she was seventeen!
She wanted to ask what was going on but was distracted by a very familiar figure rushing through the door.
"Oh, honeybun you're awake! I'm so glad," her father said with a relieved sigh as he caught his breath.
He was wearing a sweater over a collared shirt and, like usual, part of the shirt stuck out of the bottom. It was always becoming untucked. She used to tease him that it made him look like an absentminded professor.
She must be dreaming. Her father died more than two years ago. It had been so long since she heard anyone call her honeybun.
Or...was that other reality the dream? A premonition?
Her eyes filled with tears as she reached out her arms to hug the person she never thought she would see again. "Daddy!"
He moved over to the bedside to grant her request. "Daddy's here. I know this was really scary but you're going to be just fine."
"What happened?" Keeley asked.
She wanted to know if what he said was consistent with her memory. It was the only thing she could think of that could tell her what was going on.
"You were at school on a field trip when you said your stomach hurt and you collapsed, remember? Your teacher had to call an ambulance and you were rushed right here. I came as soon as I heard."
Right. They were visiting the Guggenheim Museum for history class in order to write a paper on modern art when it happened.
She went down in front of a Picasso. From her angle, it looked like the cubistic face was mocking her as her classmates began to scream for help.
The facts checked out. So was the future she remembered a dream or was she somehow reborn over a decade earlier?
Honestly, it didn't matter. Her father was alive. She hadn't met Aaron yet. All she had to do was avoid him.
Keeley tightened her arms around her father's back. Yes. She would stay away from Aaron Hale and Lacy Knighton no matter what. It couldn't be too hard to keep her head down.
Whatever had just happened, she was given a chance to do her life over right. Keeley could actually live her dreams instead of throwing her life away on someone who didn't love her.
This was the 21st century! No self-respecting woman should chase after a man that doesn't even value her. Love isn't necessary to be happy.
Besides, maybe someday she could find someone better for her. Anybody would be an improvement over her ex-husband.
Join Ezra Zephyr as he'll wreck havoc in the world with Fenrir as his spirit. Get ready for rollercoaster of Adventure, War, Dark Schemes, Light Comedy and Seggs.A world where both Cultivators and Sorcerors fight for supremacy, a new fantasy world where Qi and Mana co-exist.This is a novel where MC will trample the so called Gods without disisting his sexual urges that he inherited as werewolf. However, there won't be harem or MC's weakness in form of titties.
They are a husband and wife who married by mistake, without love, this tragic marriage occurred. what's next in their story? will they be able to accept each other?
She, the unfavoured adopted daughter of the Lin Clan, was just a pitiful little girl who had to live under someone else's roof.And he, son of the richest man in the country, tall, handsome, and cold and evil.Originally, the two of them had not interacted at all. However, due to a coincidence, she had become his wife.She had originally thought that she was only being used by him, but he would actually be a wife-doting man! Whoever dared to bully her would be annihilated by him! He was extremely overbearing outside, yet he was more like a hungry wolf in bed. She couldn't bear it any longer and wanted to escape, but he blocked her.He lovingly asked, "Wife, you're already pregnant with my child, where are you going to escape to? back
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The man I had a one-night stand with is the CEO!“Romantic relationships between employees are strictly forbidden”Karina’s chaotic love life starts when she lands her dream job only to fall in love with her colleague on the first day. Things get more complicated when the CEO finds out about her forbidden relationship. Drunk and heartbroken, Karina spends a steamy night with a stranger only to find out that it is her Devil CEO boss. Karina navigates the complicated web of lust and lies with her unwavering determination to reach her career goals. What will happen to Karina and her love life when the Devil CEO demands that she becomes his ‘personal secretary’?My other works: Forbidden Heat, Love Slave to the Mafia Boss’s Passion, Lust Contracts and Conquering the Emperor
Madison had always believed that she would marry Colten. She spent her youth admiring him from afar, dreaming of their future life together. But Colten was always indifferent to her, and when he abandoned her at a time when she needed him most, she finally realized that he never loved her. With renewed resolve and a thirst for revenge, Madison left. Endless possibilities lay ahead, but Colten was no longer part of her plans. Colten rushed to her place in a panic. "Madison, please come back to me. I’ll give you everything!" It was his powerful uncle who answered the door. "She's my woman now."
"You're my wife in name only, on paper only. My heart and love will never be yours." Edward made it clear to Daisy that she was nothing to him. They were both victims of family greed -- the marriage was arranged for them. Six years passed. She remained quiet, gaining a reputation in the army as a tough-as-nails colonel. When she walked into his life again, Edward fell in love with this woman, unlike any he had known. She surprised and delighted him. But will Daisy take him back? Can their son keep them together? Can the rift between them be healed? Pick this one up and find out!
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
"I heard you're going to marry Marcelo. Is this perhaps your revenge against me? It's very laughable, Renee. That man can barely function." Her foster family, her cheating ex, everyone thought Renee was going to live in pure hell after getting married to a disabled and cruel man. She didn't know if anything good would ever come out of it after all, she had always thought it would be hard for anyone to love her but this cruel man with dark secrets is never going to grant her a divorce because she makes him forget how to breathe.
When they were kids, Derek saved Norah's life. Years later, after Derek ended up in a vegetative state from a car crash, Norah married him without a second thought and even used her medical knowledge to heal him. For two years, Norah was devoted, seeking his affection and looking to settle her life-saving debt. But when Derek's first love returned, Norah, faced with divorce, didn't hesitate to sign. Despite being labeled as forsaken, few knew of her true talents. She was a race car driver, a famed designer, a genius hacker, and a renowned doctor. Regretting his decision, Derek begged for her forgiveness. Just then, a charming CEO intervened, embracing Norah and declaring, "Back off! She's my wife!" Taken aback, Norah blurted out, "What did you say?"
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."