Three years of marriage brought nothing but a thorn to my heart. My child was critically ill and in need of treatment. My husband didn't care and even called me unfaithful. In my desperation, I sold my body and soul in exchange for the recovery of my child. His name was Benjamin. Dominating the underworld and influencing politics, he was like a poppy that impressed, captivated, broke, and disillusioned me. He said that different from the others who approached me only for sex, he wanted every part of me. He also said that I was his only one and that nothing in this world could compare with me. Then he told me that these were all lies. I told him that these were true to me.
Emma
"Happy birthday, Emma." My mom hugged me tightly. I hugged her back, but our moment was cut short when my father cleared his throat.
"I believe it is my turn to hug my little girl," Dad said with a grin. He held his arms out and I gladly wrapped my arms around his waist. "Happy birthday, Sweet-pea," Dad mumbled into my hair.
I mumbled a thank you into his chest. "I have to finish cooking," Mom said, dismissing herself.
"My little girl is growing up," Dad said while hugging me tighter. "You have become a very beautiful, smart, and kind young woman. I am so proud of you. You will be an amazing Queen."
I pulled away from him and looked in his eyes. I saw nothing but honesty and pride. Pride in me. I shed a few tears of joy, happiness, and relief. Relief that my father believes in me. "Mommy! Daddy made Emacry!" Two little arms wrapped around my legs. "You shouldn't cry on your birthday. You have to be happy." Matthew, my younger brother, frowned at me.
I scooped him up and planted him on my hip. "I am happy. I have happy tears," I told him. He stared at me with a look of disbelief on his face.
"I know what will make you happy!" he motioned for me to move closer. I put my ear towards his face and he cupped my ear with his small hand. "Mommy said not to tell you, but she making chocolate waffles for breakfast. And she got whipped cream," Matthew whispered.
I put him back on the ground a ruffled his hair. "I am very happy now!" I exclaimed with a smile on my face. Matthew cheered and hugged my legs.
"Matthew. Why don't you help Mommy set the table," Dad suggested. Matthew nodded and ran away to the kitchen. When Matthew was out of the room, my father turned to me. "You and Ryan are leaving at dawn tomorrow," he informed me. I nodded in response and walked to the kitchen as he trailed behind me.
"Ema! I got you a special plate!" Matthew exclaimed. He took my hand into both of his and pulled me to the dining table. He stopped in front of a chair and started pointing at the table. "Mommy said that you made that plate when you were little."
I looked at the plate and smiled at the memory. In sixth grade, my teacher told us to design our plate with something that defines who we are. No one understood what she meant, so the class ended up coloring their plate however they wanted to. But I drew a crown. The crown that would be my future. My mother's crown. The Queen crown. Its always been my dream to be just like my mother. A strong Queen.
"I remember that. You said that you couldn't wait to be a big girl, so you could wear your mother's crown," Dad said, peaking over my shoulder.
"Yeah. You told me that I had to wait. Cause Daddy still needed his little princess," I said, remembering my father's exact words.
"Mommy, can we eat now? I'm hungry," Matthew pouted, cutting off our nostalgic moment. Dad chuckled and took a seat.
I ruffled Matthew's hair. "Come one, squirt. You can sit next to the birthday girl." His pout was replaced with a face-splitting grin. He quickly pulled out the chair next to mine and sat down.
"Chocolate waffles for the birthday girl!" Mom said while walking to the kitchen. She held a platter filled with square chocolate waffles. She put them in the center of the table and we all took a few waffles.
"Ema. Can you help me?" Matthew said, from next to me.
"With what buddy?" I asked, not looking at him, but at the heavenly breakfast in front of me. My stomach growled sensing the delicious meal.
"I made a mess," Matthew said quietly. I turned and immediately burst into laughter. Whipped cream and cherries. There was a cherry floating inside of his juice and his whole plate was covered in whipped cream. There was even chocolate syrup on the table. Kids are a force to be reckoned with. I have no idea how they do things like this.
"No more whipped cream!" Mom scolded Matthew, when he held the bottle inside his mouth.
Dad chuckled and took the bottle away from him. "More for me," Dad put some whipped cream in his mouth and Matthew pouted. I scooped some whipped cream off of his plate and dabbed it on the tip of his nose.
"Hey!" Matthew rubbed the cream off his nose. It just made the cream spread; so it looked like he put on sunblock, but didn't rub it in all the way. He looked at me with his lips jutted out and his eyes narrowed. I laughed so hard, I started clutching my sides. Tears formed in my eyes, blurring my vision. My laughter died down and I wiped my face.
I was about to start devouring my waffles, but they were gone. "What the heck?!" I exclaimed. My mom started laughing, and Dad tried covering his laugh with a cough. "Where are my waffles?!"
Dad pointed at Matthew, who was happily eating my food. Matthew looked straight at me, and took another bite. "Very yummy," he said with his mouth full. I cringed at the sight. Mom handed me another plate and I put another waffle on it.
We ate breakfast and laughed at each other. It was one of those rare moments that you wish would last forever. But it won't. Tomorrow, I won't be able to do this. Tomorrow, I'm leaving with Ryan.
Tomorrow, I have to find my mate, the new King.
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?"
Loraine was a dutiful wife to Marco since they got married three years ago. However, he treated her like trash. Nothing she did softened his heart. One day, Loraine got fed up with it all. She asked him for a divorce and left him to enjoy with his mistress. The elites looked at her like she was deranged. "Are you out of your mind? Why are you so willing to divorce him?" "It's because I need to return home to get a billion-dollar fortune. Besides, I don't love him anymore," Loraine replied with a smile. They all laughed at her. Some believed that the divorce affected her mentally. It wasn't until the next day that they realized she wasn't fibbing. A woman was suddenly declared the world's youngest female billionaire. It turned out to be Loraine! Marco was shocked to the bone. When he met his ex-wife again, she was a changed person. A group of handsome young men surrounded her. She was smiling at them all. The sight made Marco's heart ache severely. Putting his pride aside, he tried to win her back. "Hello, love. I see that you are a billionaire now. You shouldn't be with suckers who just want your money. How about you come back to me? I'm a billionaire too. Together, we can build a strong empire. What do you say?" Loraine squinted at her ex-husband with her lips curled in disgust.
To outsiders, Aileen was the adopted daughter of the Jefferson family, dismissed and scorned by all. Yet, in the underground racing world, she thrived as the dark rose, savoring the thrill and speed of night races. But her life took a new turn when Derek returned home, leading to a passionate night that diverted Aileen from the Jefferson family's path. Derek, the ruthless heir to the Jefferson legacy, tactfully steered the family's ambitions. Despite his control, he found himself captivated by Aileen-his adopted sister, business partner, and an exceptional racer-drawn to her enigmatic allure.
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
I ran after I died. The moon goddess gave me another chance to live. Married to a ruthless Lycan that was rumored to be cursed by the moon goddess herself. But I was killed by his minion... behind the bars of her torment... A new story began and he battled with his demons, in a world where truth was far fetched. I was his pawn, his toy, his game...until I discovered one night, when I was soaked in blood that I regretted the day I met him. I'd given up the Lycan beast, to marry a monster. I fled from the Alpha of Bloodmoon Park, the gruesome Lycan that every person feared, to be with this man that seemed soft at first glance. It made me wonder, what if I had stayed? The gruesome Lycan might be fearsome but I never heard him pierce a woman's heart with his claw. In a world where wolves howled at the moon and the lines between man and beast are blurred, danger lurked through the shadows, after the day I married the beast that visited my bed every night. Caught in a web of betrayal and deceit, the man I had fallen in love with had become the monster I wished I could flee from. A deadly threat to my life especially when I realized he was getting married to my step sister, the same girl that made my life hell when I was an omega. I wished I could get my revenge, but how could I, when I was lying in a pool of my own blood, dead? Will the goddess grant me another chance?
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."