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"She's wearing white. Why is she wearing white? I'm supposed to be the only one. Make her stop, baby!" a woman whines at my husband-to-be. "You have to change," Abraxas says, kissing her temple is a caring and soothing way. "Eh, why? Am I not the bride?" I ask in confusion. Little did I know, the wedding was only the beginning of a nightmare. Despite knowing it was a contracted marriage, I still entered into it full of hope that Abraxas Harlow would eventually fall in love with me. But after years of being treated as a slave and striving to perform as the Harlow family's 'good wife', I had enough. When I finally gathered the courage to ask for a divorce, Abraxas belittled me, and he thought my life would be a struggle without him. But he couldn't have been more wrong. I am Anastasia, the billionaire heiress of the Jackson family, the most influential and powerful family in Pearl City. I am not just any Stacy. Now that Abraxas knows my true identity, and he thinks he can win me back? Dream on!
Anastasia's POV
Six Years Ago
Today Anastasia Jackson becomes Stacy Elizabeth Reid, the identity created for the occasion by my powerful father. Standing in my bedroom, I look myself over in the mirror. The dress hugged my curves perfectly, and I'm smiling. Today I'm going to marry the guy I've had a crush on for years and years. He doesn't know who I am, but I've had time to study him at every occasion - yes I sound like a stalker! But I'm not, I swear.
Abraxas Harlow is a business associate of my fathers, and my father is very protective. So, even with me and my brother being the heirs to take over, he has been going out of his way to keep us out of the limelight - with more or less success. I've been going to every business meeting and venture with him as his 'assistant', so I can learn the protocol for years. It's exciting. But it's also where I met Abraxas for the first time and fell in love with him.
"Are you really sure about this, sis?" Aron asks for the million times. He is as worried about me as the rest of my family, but I am sure. I need to do this for myself. To get out of that overprotected world my parents had placed me and him in, and get some life experience for myself.
"I'm sure. We created my alias for this occasion and I'm seeing it though." I told him. My father had a man make me a new identity. From the moment I left the car I would no longer be Anastasia Jackson, but Stacy Elizabeth Reid. They had made it bulletproof, so even with the extensive background check Connie Harlow had ordered on me, she didn't know anything but what we wanted her too - and that was nothing.
"Okay then! You have your things, and the special phone?" He asks while looking me in the eyes. I'm going to miss him too.
"Yes and yes. I'll call if and when I want out, but you know I've been crushing on Abraxas for years, brother." Aron snorts some sort of answer before hugging me tight.
The church is small, and only for the high society people to use. The pastor knows my family, but he doesn't know me. I've been protected by my parents for him to know.
I walk with my stuff to the church where the wedding is taking place. I have put on a cute, not too expensive, not too cheap white dress and semi white high heels. I walk through the door, putting down my things.
The people there turn at the door movement, and I am met with Abraxas' cold gray eyes, his mouth turning down into a scowl. Beside him clings a platinum blond woman whose pale blue eyes widen at my arrival.
"She's wearing white. Why is she wearing white? I'm supposed to be the only one. Make her stop, baby!" She whines at my husband-to-be.
Looking back, that should have been enough warning, but nope.
"You have to change," Abraxas says, kissing the other woman's temple in a caring and soothing way.
"Eh, why? Am I not the bride?" I ask in confusion, not following the train of thoughts between these people. The other woman starts to cry loudly.
"She's so mean already. Why is she already mean?" She whales and I take a step back. What the fuck.
Before I can react, an older woman, the spitting image of a younger woman on the other side of Abraxas grabs my arm harshly.
"Stop being a needy brat and get changed already. We don't have time for your prima donna tendencies. Isn't it enough that you are going to be my son's legal wife? You don't have to be a bitch about it too." She says, as she drags me to a side room. In there she gives me a cheap badly fitting black dress and black flats to wear.
"Change and come out! We don't like to be kept waiting." She walks out, and I'm left alone with my thoughts.
I knew I was only to be a wife through a contract, but I didn't know he already had a woman in his life. I don't follow the gossip of the town much, the only thing I saw was an opportunity to finally get some time with the man I've been crushing on. Time to win him over. As humiliated I feel, I do as they say and we are married with me in black, while the blonde woman cries hysterically into my new mother-in-law's arms.
She is acting like this is a funeral, not a wedding.
I'm shaken from my thoughts by a shout from an annoying high pitched voice of Celia, Abraxas's little sister.
She is shouting for me to get downstairs for god only knows what, and I am done. This time I will not answer her beck and call. I know the consequences all too well if I don't follow instructions through and through, I've lived through them all - beatings with belts, canes, shouting, degrading and starving.
But today I got something else other than me to fight for. Something they will never touch or even look at in the wrong way. They have no idea. No idea who lived here for 6 years. No idea who they have mistreated for six years - most of the time just because someone was bored or needed an outlet.
I pack the last of my things, making sure everything I was supplied with from this horrible family is still in the closet. I am only taking the things I brought with me - including the wedding dress I brought to church that day. I look outside the window, a calm falling over me as I hug myself. This has to be done, and the more I think about it the more it feels right. In my heart and in my head.
I tried for six years to get him to love me back, and now there is nothing left but promises broken.
"You can't be my mate. Why would the Moon Goddess pair me with the pack abomination? I, Daemon Fenrirson, future Alpha of Black Moon, reject you Abigail Stone-Goldmoon as my mate and Luna." When Abigail hears the crushing words of her mate, her heart shatters into a million pieces. The pain of being deemed unworthy is almost unbearable. Born as a hybrid, part wolf, part witch, Abigail is bullied and mistreated because of that. As she's rejected on her 18th birthday, she experiences the first taste of what her life is going to throw at her. Abigail knows her fate is going to be difficult, but the Goddesses have it in store for her. Fate hands Abigail a second chance mate and pack, she will be powerful, maybe even more so than anyone knew and she will have to be ready to fight for the freedom of the entire realm and all their people. But with danger lurking around every corner, will Abigail be able to rise to the challenge and fulfill her fate as a powerful Luna?
Joanna was sabotaged by her sister and ended up in a stranger’s bed. Despised by her boyfriend and pressured by her family, she was forced to marry a wealthy scoundrel, Rhys. Rhys’ young adoptive father was the richest man in town, but was also said to be violent. Everyone thought Joanna was doomed, but Owen favored her and condemned her bullies. Joanna secretly loved Owen, but after a night of passion, he began to withdraw from her. Heartbroken, she entertained other men. She was on a date when Owen suddenly barged in. "You said you loved me!" Joanna smirked. "Too late. You’ll have to get in line."
After spending a night with a strange man on the day before her wedding, Arianna left the country to start her life afresh. The 22-year-old Arianna Jason lived her life pleasing those she loved the most, without knowing that she was simply a prey being nurtured for the day of her ruin. Her life has tasted the butter pill of betrayal. She wants to give back to the world what she's got but how can she change her good, innocent personality to fit into a cruel society and world? Can her sweet nature be contaminated, or will she make it through, paddling on the right path?
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."
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
Katie was forced to marry Dillan, a notorious ruffian. Her younger sister mocked her, "You're just an adopted daughter. Count your blessings for marrying him!" The world anticipated Katie's tribulations, but her married life unfurled with unexpected serenity. She even snagged a lavish mansion in a raffle! Katie jumped into Dillan's arms, credited him as her lucky charm. "No, Katie, it's you who brings me all this luck," Dillan replied. Then, one fateful day, Dillan's childhood friend came to her. "You're not worthy of him. Take this 50 million and leave him!" Katie finally grasped Dillan's true stature—the wealthiest man on the planet. That night, trembling with trepidation, she broached the subject of divorce with Dillan. However, with a domineering embrace, he told her, "I'd give you everything I have. Divorce is off the table!"