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
Zhang Minghai was tired of the army's monotonous military career. Under the recommendation of the commander, he came to the Eagle Hunter Special Forces. Why don't men bring Wu Gou and fight to the death for their country!
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
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
"I, Sophia Addison, of the Crescent Moon Pack, deny your rejection, Jacob Carter." I smiled triumphantly at him and he just glared at me. I can hear loud gasps and whispers throughout the place. They cannot believe that their goody-two-shoes of a senior year president is rejecting me in front of everybody. What goody-two-shoes? More like a two faced jerk! That is why, here I am, denying his rejection. Oh well, I refuse to suffer alone. So...let us both suffer together my dear mate.
"Then let's get a divorce!" With courage, Leora left her husband's house, after being accused of poisoning his mistress. Her in-laws and sister-in-law had planned various ways to kick her out of Peter's house and in the end Leora gave in. However, no one expected that things would turn 180 degrees after the divorce. When everyone who had hurt her was happy with each other's lies, Leora returned. This time, she was no longer the poor orphan girl from the orphanage. She has changed and not only that, she also carries a big secret that will make everyone turn to worship her feet.
"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!
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."