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"I won't be your backup plan anymore, Hudson," Aza whispers. In a world where arrogance and possessiveness reign supreme, Aza finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage to the powerful CEO billionaire Hudson Whitmore. But when she discovers that she's merely a stand-in for his true love, Caroline-who everyone knows as Coco Ashley-Aza's world shatters. As Coco reenters Hudson's life, determined to reclaim what she believes is rightfully hers, Aza faces the ultimate betrayal. When Hudson threatens divorce, Aza is left with nothing but the burning desire to regain control of her life and get revenge on Hudson. But as Aza finds herself drawn to unexpected allies and discovers an inner strength she never knew she possessed, she realizes that her fight for redemption and revenge is far from over. With every twist and turn, she learns that true love isn't about possession but finding the courage to love oneself. In "Aza's Search for Redemption from Her Billionaire Husband" Aza Finds Redemption, embark on a journey of romance, revenge, and resilience in this contemporary tale of love, loss, and the power of redemption. Will Aza conquer her demons and emerge victorious, or will Hudson's possessive grip keep her tethered to the past? Find out in this gripping novel that explores the depths of human emotion and the triumph of the human spirit.
"What exactly are you trying to tell me?" I muster, my voice strained as I fight to hold back the tears threatening to betray me.
Hudson's piercing, icy blue eyes narrow, his jaw clenched in a tight expression of irritation. "You're not grasping the situation, Aza," he retorts, his voice loaded with condescension. "Caroline is back in town. Coco is back."
His words hit me like a freight train, knocking the wind out of me and leaving me gasping for air.
"How do you know?" I ask though I am sure I already know the answer. "How do you know she is back in town? Did you see her?"
Hudson strides across the expanse of our penthouse kitchen to where I am sitting. His movements are tense as he stands behind me, peering out onto the terrace. The night sky is illuminated with the brilliant glow of the city lights.
After a moment of silence, he whirls back to face me, a smirk drawing up the corners of his lips.
"Yes. I saw her last night," he admits, his voice flat and cold. His absence from our penthouse had become a norm, his late nights a predictable pattern that I had grown accustomed to, so last night's deviation from routine hadn't set off any alarms until now.
Caroline "Coco" Ashley, the woman Hudson had once yearned for, the one he'd incessantly held up as the standard against which I could never measure, the one he'd wanted to wed but had been rejected by-she was back. And I, I was merely her substitute for all the last ten years.
Drawing in a shaky breath, I struggle to maintain my composure. "You saw her? In public? Do you realize what this could mean if the press caught wind of it?"
I've long known I could never rival Coco with her affluence, allure, and effortless charm. Yet, I also know that Hudson couldn't afford a scandal. It would be a media frenzy if the papers got a whiff of the married Hudson Whitmore gallivanting about with the infamous Coco Ashley.
Hudson looms over me, his towering frame casting a shadow over mine. His eyes blaze with emotions as he meets my gaze.
"How stupid do you think I am?" he answers sharply.
"I am the one you married, the one that said yes," I counter, my voice trembling with a combination of fury and anguish. "You made vows to me, Hudson. Promised to love and honor me, for better or for worse."
Hudson's expression hardens, his features twisted with contempt. "Those vows were a mistake," he declares. "You knew the situation. You knew who I was."
"So, what? Coco reappears, and suddenly, you're running back to her? What makes you think she won't reject you again?" I push, unsure of what to say or how to put my emotions into the right words.
But instead of escalating, Hudson's glare relaxes, and he steps away, dismissing me with a wave of his hand. "I never loved you, Aza. You were a convenient diversion-a way to pass the time. You were my backup plan."
My eyes search his for any sign of the man I fell in love with, who swept me off my feet. But that man is gone.
"You fulfilled the part that I needed. You served your purpose, Aza. And now we are finished," he states impassively as he pours himself a scotch.
Hudson's words land like a blow to the gut, the pain as real as any physical injury. I've sacrificed everything for this man-my career, my dreams, my dignity-and in return, he's treated me as nothing more than a pawn in his twisted game of love and power.
I watch him swirl the two ice cubes in his crystal tumbler, our crystal tumbler, a wedding gift from my cousin, and ask, "What purpose was that exactly Hudson? What purpose did I fulfill?"
With an unimaginable casualness that I almost cannot bear, Hudson settles onto the chair at the eating nook with me, reaching for his tablet as if the matter is settled. But a fire ignites within me, burning away the remnants of my former complacency.
From the moment I met Hudson, I was in love. Ten years ago, he had been charming and captivating, seemingly as much in love with me as I was with him. He swept me off my feet, whisking me away on romantic getaways and showering me with affection.
I first heard the name Coco Ashley whispered when we started dating, but I was too in love to pay attention. The whispers got louder when our engagement was reported in the New York Times, and I finally mustered the nerve to question him.
"So, who is the Coco Ashely I keep hearing about," I asked, laying naked in his arms.
Hudson brushed a whisp of hair from my face and tucked it behind my ear. He smiled and laughed a soothing chuckle. "We dated. I asked her to marry me. She said no. End of story."
But it wasn't the end of the story. The ghost of Coco Ashley loomed larger and larger, her presence a constant reminder of my inadequacy. Hudson would compare the clothes I bought to what Coco would wear, the food I would order, and my friends- all could never compare to Coco.
I don't know the exact moment when I realized that she was Hudson's great love, not me, but it was not long after that night. For ten years, I've been second best, but I refuse to play the role of backup any longer.
With every fiber of my being, I promise silently to fight back-to unleash the full force of my fury upon Hudson Whitmore and anyone else who dares to underestimate me.
I may have been knocked down, but I'll be damned if I don't rise from the ashes, stronger and more determined than ever before.
"I won't be your backup plan anymore, Hudson," I vow, my voice a whisper that echoes with newfound will.
In the heart of New York City during the late 19th century, the luxurious era of The Gilded Age paints a portrait of extravagance and privilege. Among the towering mansions and bustling streets, Sadie Sinclair, the embodiment of wealth and sophistication, graces the halls of the illustrious Sinclair mansion. Poised to inherit her family's vast fortune, Sadie is a vision of grace and poise, yet beneath her composed exterior lies a heart torn between duty and desire. Sadie's father, Mr. Edward Sinclair, looms large over her life, his stern visage a constant reminder of the expectations placed upon her. A shrewd businessman and pillar of New York's elite society, Mr. Sinclair is determined to secure his family's legacy at any cost. Though he loves Sadie deeply, his affections are tempered by a rigid adherence to societal norms and his recently deceased wife, forcing him to orchestrate a marriage for his daughter that will cement their place among the city's elite. Enter Charles Harrington, a suitor handpicked by Mr. Sinclair to become Sadie's future husband. With his impeccable lineage and considerable wealth, Charles symbolizes the model of social success. Yet beneath his charming facade lies a calculating ambition. His interest in Sadie is fueled not by love but by the prospect of furthering his own fortunes through marriage to the Sinclair heiress. Meanwhile, within the confines of the Sinclair mansion, Elsie Brooks navigates the intricate web of servitude and secrecy that defines her existence as the family's parlor maid. A woman of quiet strength and unwavering integrity, Elsie starkly contrasts the glittering world of wealth and privilege surrounding her. Despite her humble origins, Elsie captures Sadie's heart with her intellect, kindness, and quiet resilience, igniting a forbidden passion that threatens to unravel the carefully constructed facade of high society. As Sadie and Elsie's secret romance unfolds against the backdrop of New York's social elite, they find themselves entangled in a web of deception and desire, where love and ambition collide with devastating consequences. Caught between duty and desire, tradition and authenticity, Sadie and Elsie must navigate a treacherous path to happiness, where the stakes are higher than they ever imagined. "Affairs of Gilded Love" weaves a tale of love, longing, and sacrifice in the glittering world of The Gilded Age, where secrets lurk behind every gilded facade and true happiness is a prize worth fighting for.
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."
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
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.
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."