Elaina Gainsford had been a married woman for two years, yet the only chances she got to see her husband were the times when he was on TV. Therefore, she divorced him later. To her surprise, the day after the divorce, he frequently came into her sight. He first asked her to help his girlfriend, and then he claimed to woo her. "Jalen Halton, do you know who I am?" she asked him. "Of course. You are the internationally famous Dr. Gainsford, the renowned painter, Damon Dorthea's last student, the top hacker Elevan, and the founder of a high-end clothing brand. What other identities do you have? Tell me. I'm all ears." Jalen was so confident. He thought that he already knew everything about Elaina. "In fact..." Elaina leaned close to him and whispered in his ear, "I am also your ex-wife."
Penny's POV
The morning sunlight streamed in through the sheer window curtains, making it impossible for me to get even one more minute of sleep. I groaned and rolled over, trying to decide the most productive way to spend my last free week of summer before rush week took place and consumed all of my time.
Kelly had somehow managed to talk me into joining a sorority, how she'd done it was still a mystery to even myself. Her family is full of legacies, something I had to google in order to understand, and since we've been attached at the hip since birth she insisted I partook in the experience with her.
"It would so cool, Penny! Think about it! We would officially be sisters. Not that we aren't already, but you get what I'm saying," she replied while waving her hand in front of her flippantly. I giggled, remembering how excited she'd been when we held the initial conversation a couple weeks prior. It was obvious none of that excitement had died down since then. The truth was, it was only partially because of her excitement that I agreed to go through with the whole thing. The other reason was that I've never been one to say no to someone - especially when it comes to the happiness of those I deeply care about. I glanced around the now-barren walls of my bedroom that had once been littered with photos of me throughout my life. I let out a deep sigh, letting my mind wander to memories of my childhood.
A small smile rested upon my face as I thought about how Kelly and I came to be friends. She was in the delivery room next to my own at the hospital and the story is that we were both extremely fussy, constantly crying. When the labor and delivery ward became more crowded, they were forced to move Kelly's mother into my own mother's room to make room for the numerous incoming deliveries. They were shocked when Kelly and I both ceased our crying the second we were near. They tested the theory by removing one of us from the room and, sure enough, we both started screaming again. It wasn't until both of our families were discharged and sent home that they discovered that our families were, in fact, neighbors. Kelly and I have been inseparable ever since. Rumor has it we even took our first poop together. I giggled at the thought. Had my grandparents not left their beautiful three-story family home to my mom and dad when they retired and uprooted their lives to Spain, my parents would have been forced to move into a dinky apartment clear across town - separating Kelly and I forever.
With my mom falling pregnant with me at sixteen after a careless-prom-night-gone-wrong, she just wasn't ever able to attend college and get an education further than her high school diploma. Even that, within itself, was difficult for her to obtain; or so she's told me on numerous occasions when lecturing me on waiting until marriage to have sex.
Thankfully for my mom and dad's sake, though, my dad's parents were completely loaded and absolutely adored my mother - even after they found out about her trailer park background. I remember her telling me how she'd been terrified they would treat her how everyone one else in town did when they found out about her roots, but they took her in as if she were one of their own. After finding out she was carrying their first grandchild, they bought everything needed to raise me comfortably and even let my mom permanently move into one of their many guest rooms.
Because my dad was a year older than my mom, he ended up leaving her to take care of me by herself while he went to college at Princeton. I couldn't believe it when my mom told me that piece of information. It was no wonder I had absolutely no early memories of my father. When I was younger, my mom told me a sugar-coated version of the story; how my father just wasn't ever able to make it home, even on holiday breaks, because he was too busy with his studies. Turns out, that wasn't the truth.
He'd chosen to stay away and attend every party he possibly could while leaving my mother and me at home, waiting until late in the night for his infrequent calls. While I wasn't my mother, I couldn't understand how she'd completely forgiven him for all those years of utter abandonment. I also wasn't able to understand how my dad could leave my mother behind without the intention of calling and checking in every once in a while. He hadn't even attended my birth, claiming he had an important fraternity function he just couldn't miss.
Priorities I guess.
I couldn't help but let his past influence my attitude towards him. I was constantly battling with myself and the resentment I felt towards him to this day, unsure if I was right to harbor those negative thoughts or just be thankful for what he could provide now that his degree had secured him a good job.
Because I guess there's always some bad with the good, isn't there? And his business and financing degree and job weren't the only positive thing that came from my father's absence; he also used it to help my mom set up her very own floral shop in town.
My mom has always been completely obsessed with flowers ever since before I could even remember – hence my name. My Grandma even went so far as to fire her full-time landscaper and give the job to my mom just a few months after she first moved in. The extra income the store brought in came in handy when my younger sister's birth came out of nowhere after I'd turned fourteen.
She was a diamond covered by ashes.... King Dakota was known as the most Powerful Alpha King of all times - more powerful than any other King that had ruled from his lineage. He was cold hearted, introverted and dangerous in anger. Cursed by the Moon goddess, King Dakota had to get married to three wives all in search of a male child that would become his heir, but it was impossible as the curse would only let his wives bear she -wolves. But on a different day, the King meets a lady who offends him and as a punishment, he took her home as his fourth wife. Her name was Shilah. Shilah was a powerless wolf and as a result, was disregarded and intimidated by all. But, when she begins to do things that the King had never felt for years, he began to wonder who she really was. Slowly, she crawled her way into his icy heart and turned out to be something nobody ever expected - a storm.
She thought she was the love of his life, and he became the love of her life that fateful day she had seen him at the pack's party. Selene Grace was only a replica of Alpha Leo's real mate, and when he spotted her, Leo immediately claimed her as his Luna in order to suppress the rumors of him being mateless. Being unable to conceive turns Selene's marriage into a nightmare, and as if that wasn't enough, Alpha Leo finally reunites with his long time lover and mate, rejecting a pregnant Selene as a result. 5 years later, Selene, a now successful doctor, receives an invitation to the moon shadow pack in order to rid the pack of a deadly disease which has struck it. Will Selene return back to the pack which had caused her so much pain, and what would she do when she realizes that she is mated to the Alpha who had betrayed her in the past?
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"
When Corynn mustered up the courage to tell Elliot about her pregnancy, she unexpectedly found him gallantly helping another woman from his car. Her heart sank as three years of effort to secure his love crumbled before her eyes, compelling her to leave him behind. Three years later, life had taken Corynn down a new path with someone else, while Elliot was left grappling with regret. Seizing a moment of vulnerability, he pleaded, "Corynn, let's get married." Shaking her head with a faint smile, Corynn gently replied, "Sorry, I'm already engaged."
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.