"Come back to me, Ivy," the man whom she used to love with all her heart said. "No, no," Ivy shook her head and backed away from him. Her body trembled as fear consumed her whole being. He was the reason her baby was gone! He was the reason for all her suffering! ---------------------------- Ivy thought she was the luckiest woman in the world - she was married to the man of her dream. But that was just her illusion. On the day she received her pregnancy report, she found her husband in bed with his best friend. Before she had the chance to tell him about her pregnancy, she was forced to divorce and her family was driven to bankruptcy by that one man she loved. Since then, her life went south. She married a governor in another country whom everyone thought was a gentleman. Everyone envied her, but no one knew he was a sadist who loved to abuse her. Five years later, the man she used to love met her by chance and begged her to come back. But would she be able to give her heart again, when all she felt toward him was fear and hatred? Knowing that he was the sole reason her life had turned to be what it was today with endless suffering? Cover art by Rainygraphic.
An elegant young lady exited the hospital and quickly got into a high-end black car.
"You seem very happy, Mrs. Huxley," the driver commented with a smile.
Happy? She was joyful! After three years of marriage with the love of her life, she finally got pregnant. And this news came just at the right time!
Ivy had been in love with Gerard since high school. Gerard Huxley was her senior and the dream boy of every girl. He was handsome, intelligent, with an impressive background. His parents were the presidents of the Huxley group, the most powerful group in Artea, and it was no news that he would be the successor. Not that Ivy cared for the last part.
Looking at the report in her hand, the word 'PREGNANT' couldn't help but make her feel happy, and her smile grew even wider.
Ivy has always been a beautiful girl - big doe-eyes, small plump lips, and a cute button nose, even when she was just a child. Coupled with her sunny and friendly characteristics, it was impossible for one to hate her.
She remembered the first time she met Gerard. At that time, she was only fifteen years old. She was walking along the road when suddenly, some lewd boys dragged her into a deserted alleyway, where they bullied her. Her clothes were torn badly, and just when she thought she would be defiled, Gerard came and rescued her. He even removed his shirt and covered her with it before taking her in his arms and bringing her to the hospital. Since then, she fell madly in love with him.
She braved herself to confess her love for him but was rejected. She was brokenhearted, yet a miracle happened. A few days after her eighteen birthday, Gerard came to her house with his grandfather and proposed to her. How could she say no to the man of her dream?
Even though their marriage reception was low-key, the three years of her marriage were the best time of her life. Gerard spoiled her so much that she didn't need to do anything, nor was she short of money. Gerard lavished her like a madman, especially after becoming the Huxley Group CEO a year ago. She couldn't ask for a more perfect man.
Suddenly a ping sounded from her phone. She quickly checked it to see a message from her husband.
[Come to the Starlight Hotel. You can get the key from the receptionist.]
[Okay.] She quickly replied.
The Starlight Hotel was owned by the Huxley Group. Even though it was located two hours away from the city center, it was still popular with tourists due to the fact that a beautiful bamboo forest and river surrounding it.
"North, please drive to the Starlight Hotel," Ivy told her personal bodyguard cum driver.
"Alright, Mrs. Huxley," North replied and set course toward the suburb.
Gerard always spoiled Ivy during their wedding anniversaries.
During their honeymoon, he bought her to Modestria simply because she loved the roses from there.
On their first wedding anniversary, he bought her a custom grand piano from a piano master because she loved to play the piano.
On their second wedding anniversary, he bought her a horse because she said she wanted to learn how to ride one.
Gerard was always thoughtful when giving her gifts. He always gave her the things she loved.
She couldn't contain her excitement as she thought of Gerard's surprise for her this year. What would he give her?
"North, what do you think Gerard will do this year?" Her excitement was contagious and made North chuckle.
He really liked this Lady of the Huxley family and saw her as his own little sister. She had a sunny disposition yet, at the same time, was gentle, kind, polite, and very down-to-earth. She never put on air, although she was married to the wealthiest family in Artea.
"I'm sure it'll be something that will make you happy, Mrs. Huxley," North answered with a smile.
"You are right, North. No matter what Gerard will give me or do to surprise me, it'll always make me happy," Ivy giggled.
The car drove toward the hotel, and two hours passed, just in time for dinner. The moment the car stopped in front of Starlight Hotel, Ivy jumped down and walked toward the receptionist to get her key.
She went inside the elevator and pressed the number of the highest floor. As expected, Gerard had booked the presidential suit.
Once she was in front of the suite, she quickly swiped the key card and pushed the door open. But the view that greeted her made her freeze in her track.
Her bare-chested husband was leaning against the headboard with a quilt covering the lower part of his body, and one of his arms circled the shoulders of the woman next to him. The woman was his childhood friend, Mia, whom Ivy used to regard as her best friend too.
Mia had the quilt covering her body. Only her head, neck, shoulders, and hands holding the quilt tightly were visible.
When she saw Ivy, she moved closer to Gerard and buried her face in his chest as if seeking protection from Gerard.
"Gerard... Mia... What's... What's the meaning of this?" Ivy's voice trembled as she asked them that question.
"Can't you see? Do you still need to ask?" Gerard snorted. The hard look in his eyes was vastly different from the loving look he usually had for her.
"Gerard, don't be rude to her," Mia's soft voice sounded.
Gerard turned toward Mia, and Ivy gasped as she saw the loving look in Gerard's eyes that was usually reserved only for her was now fixed on Mia.
"You know I only love you, Mia," Gerard said in a loving tone.
He turned to see Ivy and the loving gaze became cold again.
"Sign the divorce paper on the desk," Gerard said coldly.
Ivy gasped again, and her body swayed. "D-Divorce?" she asked in disbelief as she tried to keep her body from falling.
"Sign it!" Gerard roared.
In all the time she had known Gerard, Ivy had never heard him speak to her that way, and her tears flowed down her eyes.
"Sign it. I want to make Mia my legal wife soon," he said coldly before turning to Mia and pulling the quilt over both of them.
"Stop it. Ivy is still here," Ivy heard Mia's shy voice.
"I don't care about her. It's you whom I love, and I can do anything to the woman I love. If she wants to watch, then just let her watch." Ivy heard Gerard's loving voice, saw the figures under the quilt moving, and heard Mia's soft moans.
She didn't need to see what was going on under the quilt to know what they were doing, and her heart shattered into pieces.
Not wanting to stay in the room any longer, she staggered to the desk and signed the divorce paper before running away from the hotel.
She ran and ran and ran, not knowing or caring where she was going. All she knew was that she needed to get as far away as she could from the hotel.
What went wrong? When did Gerard and Mia become a couple? Was she blind all these years? Or were they just too good at keeping their relationship a secret from her? To think of it, was her marriage a sham?
Why did Gerard suddenly propose to her after he rejected her and when they had nothing to do with each other? He had never talked to her before suddenly coming to her house to propose.
Did his grandpa ask him to marry, and he simply chose her because she was the only girl brave enough to tell him of her feelings? No wonder he seldom said to her that he loved her.
Today was supposed to be a happy day. It was their third wedding anniversary, and they should be celebrating it lovingly like the past two years, especially with the news of her pregnancy, but her cheating husband and best friend ruined everything!
Her feet subconsciously brought her to a bridge near the hotel where Gerard used to bring her to watch the sunset and sunrise.
She walked closer to the bridge, but suddenly she heard the screech of a car before she heard a loud bang and felt a force hitting her. Her body flew and hit the railing of the bridge before collapsing to the ground.
All she could feel was pain all over her body, and her eyesight was blocked by sticky liquid. She knew she had hit her head, and her blood was flowing down to her eyes.
"Quick, throw her over the bridge, or Mr. Huxley will fire us," a man's impatient voice sounded.
She recognized that voice. He was one of Gerard's most trusted bodyguards.
Mr. Huxley? Gerard? He wanted to kill her so he could marry Mia? But why? She had signed the divorce paper! Was it not enough? Did he hate her that much?
She would have laughed bitterly if she could, but at this point, she could not move even an inch of her body. Every movement would cause her agony, especially her tummy. She knew she had lost the baby she had waited so long to conceive.
She felt her body being lifted and knew she would die soon. The bridge was high, and underneath was a deep river. There would be no way for her to survive if she was thrown over, especially with the wounds all over her body.
For once in her life, she felt scared of her husband. She never knew him to be cold-blooded and ruthless.
The men lifting her threw her over the bridge, and she knew this was the end of her life.
"Gerard, I regret falling in love with you," she thought before she felt herself being submerged in the icy cold river.
"Listen to me! As much as I don't want to touch you and vice-versa, I'm the only one who can help in ending your suffering RIGHT now!" he said as one of his hands slipped into my shirt, and I moaned as he cupped one of my breasts. Meet our two protagonists: Aleena of the Black Heart Pack. She was the daughter of the Alpha's pack but has no wolf. And because of that and other reasons, she was banished to be a rogue, where she would meet our Lycan, Kyson. Kyson, our last Lycan in existence. He hated the Black Heart Pack to his core because of the guarded horrible secrets of the pack that only a few knew. What would happen to Aleena when she met Kyson, which coincidentally was her mate? Would she be rescued, or would she be tortured as Kyson had something in mind for the Black Heart Pack even though they found out they were mates? Would they give in to the mate bond or severe it? How about when Aleena found out that she wasn't what she thought she was.. at all! Would it make it break or make their relationship? Could they be together despite all the things Aleena was supposed to do? Let's find out about their story.. Author’s Note: Please bear with me as this is my first werewolf/Lycan story.. For my first romance story, please search for ‘My Always, My Forever’.. Thank you so much.. and happy reading ^_^ Cover art by @rainygraphic
[WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS MATURE CONTENTS!!!] “Princess, I love you. With all my heart. With all my life. More than life itself. I’m so glad that I found you. Remember princess, I love you.. till my last dying breath, till the day I die.” – Rai. “That’s right, baby girl. You. Are. Mine! Ever since the day you were born, you are mine! God created you for me and no one else! Remember that, baby girl.” – Damian. Meet Katarina, a cheerful, free-spirited woman with a dark past whose fate brought her to two best friends - Damian, the charming, easy-going one, and Rai, the calm, gentle one. Her prince charming and her knight in shining armor, each with secrets of their own. Different yet similar in their own way, best friends nonetheless. Both loving her, both wanting her. Would she be able to choose between the two of them? Who would be her greatest love, and her worst heartbreak? Would any of them be her always? Her forever? What would happen when their demons started to haunt them again? Could she be the strength of someone else despite all her traumas? Could their love survive those many obstacles and tragedies? Could love really conquer all? Would they finally be able to have their ‘happily ever after’? Find it out in this love-triangle story. Note: The story will start off as something like teenage-romance, but it will turn darker with traumatic events. Please be mindful of Kat's mental state and her Bipolar Disorder when you read her becoming indecisive and weak.. I hope you enjoy this story.. Please leave comments and reviews so I know how to improve! Cover by: @Rainygraphic Love ~ Little Angelic Devil
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."
"Is it considered betrayal to develop feelings for your best friend's boyfriend? What about when fate intervenes, and he turns out to be your destined mate? You might think it's luck and thank the moon goddess for such a twist of fate. That's what I believed until the love of my life uttered those dreaded words: 'I want a divorce!' As I stared at the pregnancy test in my hands, I realized it was better to keep my secret to myself. My name is Violet, and this is my story."