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.
"We are divorced, Adams." She sighed and wanted to walk away, but he held her. "It doesn't matter." He answered, his voice laced with determination. "I don't love you anymore." "That doesn't matter either. What matters is that I want you, and there's nothing you or anyone can do about it." ***** Alicia's life has been a series of ups and downs. She suffered abuse from her husband and his family because she couldn't give him a child. She thought she had seen it all, but not until the day she returned home only to receive the divorce papers from her husband's parents. She pleaded with them, but was met with deaf ears, and so she signed the documents and left. Little did anyone know that she was pregnant. She returned six years later with her baby girl only to find her Ex-husband craving her once more. How will she take this, and what other surprises does fate have in stock for her?
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
"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.
Charlee was left at the altar and became a laughingstock. She tried to keep her head high, but ultimately lost it when she received a sex tape of her fiance and her half-sister. Devastated, she ended up spending a wild night with a hot stranger. It was supposed to be one-time thing, but he kept popping up, helping her with projects and revenge, all while flirting with her constantly. Charlee soon realized that it was nice having him around, until her ex suddenly appeared at her door, begging for another chance. Her tycoon lover asked, “Who will you choose? Think carefully before you answer.”