The Unwanted Vow
/1/132171/coverbig.jpg?v=584949ea5c9e495cc0c21608874afceb)
Your Humble Ex-Wife Is Gone
Three years of marriage, and Jayson Mccormick never once looked at me the way he looks at my sister. I told myself he was just cold. That if I loved him hard enough, he'd eventually love me back. Then I crashed his secret wedding. The bride was Kate-the daughter my parents kept while I was lost. The guests? My entire family. They all knew. They all helped. "She's dying," Jayson said. "Let her have this." So I let her have it all. The husband. The family. The life they built around her. I walked away with nothing-because I knew I could make it all back. After years of silence, the legendary perfumer and the financial genius have returned. They think I have nothing. They don't know that, where they never bothered to look, I've already built an empire of my own. It's time to bury the obedient wife.
Chapter 1 The Secret Wedding
It was exactly seven o'clock in the evening.
The private manor, nestled on the outskirts of the city, was brilliantly illuminated, its grand facade glowing like a beacon against the darkening sky.
Corina Logan stood at the towering wrought-iron gates, her attire glaringly out of place. She wore a simple, unadorned plain dress, the kind one might wear for a quiet evening at home, standing in stark contrast to the opulence unfolding before her.
Just two hours ago, the illusion of her life had still been intact. Her husband, Jayson Mccormick, had called her, his voice carrying its usual clipped, authoritative tone. "There's a critical board meeting tonight that's going to run late," he had said through the receiver. "I won't be coming home. Go to sleep early, Corina."
Yet, here he was. Not in a boardroom surrounded by executives, but in this lavishly decorated estate, preparing to hold a wedding ceremony with another woman.
Through the grand windows of the manor's main hall, Corina could see the head table. Sitting there, adorned in their finest evening wear and beaming with pride, were her biological parents, Arthur and Eliza Logan, alongside her older brother, Oliver.
The guests mingling on the manicured lawns and inside the grand hall were a familiar crowd. They were the mutual friends, business associates, and extended family that made up the social circle she and Jayson shared.
Yet she, the lawful wife, had been kept entirely in the dark.
As Corina took a step closer, the evening breeze carried a scent that made her breath hitch. It was a complex, intoxicating fragrance-a masterful blend of deep, velvety rose intertwined with the rich, smoky notes of agarwood.
This specific perfume was named "Surrender." It was a unique, one-of-a-kind fragrance that Corina had personally formulated and blended as a wedding gift for Jayson three years ago. It was meant to symbolize a love that was absolute, a yielding of the heart.
Now, this very scent, representing possession and ultimate surrender, saturated the air of a wedding where her husband was the groom, and the bride was not her.
Her gaze traveled down the pristine white carpet that served as the aisle. At the end of it stood Jayson, looking breathtakingly impeccable in a custom-tailored, pure white high-fashion suit. His usually cold, calculating eyes were currently filled with a profound, melting affection as he looked at the woman standing opposite him.
The bride was Kate Logan.
Kate was the fake daughter who had occupied the Logan family's nest for over twenty years. Corina, on the other hand, was the true daughter, only found and brought back to the family a mere three years ago. Because their grandfather and the patriarch of the Mccormick family had been comrades in the trenches, they had arranged a marriage pact for their grandchildren.
When Corina returned to the family, she fulfilled that pact, marrying the heir to the Mccormick empire, Jayson. It felt like destiny to her, because Jayson was the man Corina had desperately, silently loved for seven long years. He was the man who had once pulled her out of the darkest abyss of her life.
She had truly believed this was a match made by fate, that she was destined to be the happiest woman in the world. But reality had just delivered a resounding, brutal slap across her face.
At this moment, Kate, draped in a voluminous, sparkling white wedding gown, leaned weakly against Jayson's chest, looking so fragile that a strong gust of wind might blow her away.
As Corina stepped fully into the light of the entrance, the melodious strains of the "Wedding March" suddenly warped. The musician had spotted her, and his fingers slipped, producing a harsh, piercingly discordant note that echoed across the lawn.
Instantly, every pair of eyes in the venue snapped toward Corina.
The joyous smiles on the faces of the Logan family froze, replaced by expressions of sheer panic and guilt.
Whispers erupted among the guests, spreading like wildfire.
"Is that... isn't that Corina? Why is she here?"
"I thought everyone agreed to keep this an absolute secret from her!"
"Who leaked the information? This is going to be a disaster."
The hushed voices were deafening. She was his actual wife, yet in this place, surrounded by her own family and friends, she was treated as an unwanted intruder.
When Jayson's eyes finally landed on her, a flash of genuine shock crossed his deep gaze, but it was almost instantly swallowed by his habitual, chilling composure.
He lowered his head, whispering a few soothing words to Kate, before gently handing the bride's hand over to a bridesmaid. He then stepped off the altar, his long legs eating up the distance as he strode purposefully toward Corina.
As he neared, the familiar, crisp scent of cedarwood that always clung to him enveloped Corina. It was the scent she had once been so hopelessly addicted to.
"What are you doing here?"
Those were his first words. Not an explanation, not an apology, but a cold, hard interrogation.
Corina looked up at the face she had loved for seven years. The sharp, aristocratic line of his brow, the thin, cool lips she had kissed a thousand times. Suddenly, she found the entire situation utterly laughable.
"Shouldn't I be here?" Corina's voice was incredibly soft, as casual as if she were inquiring about the weather. "My husband is getting married here today. Shouldn't I come to offer my congratulations?"
Jayson's brow furrowed deeply, a clear precursor to his impatience.
He took a sudden step forward, his large hand shooting out to clamp down hard on her slender wrist. Without another word, he dragged her away from the prying eyes of the crowd, pulling her into the shadows of a secluded stone corridor.
Once they were enveloped in the dim light of the corridor, he stopped and released her wrist.
"Corina, don't make a scene," he commanded, his voice tight.
"Kate... she doesn't have much time left." Jayson reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket, pulling out a silver cigarette case. He extracted a cigarette but didn't light it, instead rolling it restlessly between his long fingers, a sign of his internal agitation. "Late-stage liver cancer. The doctors have confirmed she has, at most, half a month left to live."
Corina stood perfectly still, her eyes locked onto his.
"And so?" she asked, her voice devoid of inflection.
"Her final, greatest wish in this life was to wear a wedding dress and marry me," Jayson said, meeting her gaze with a look that suggested his actions were the most logical, reasonable thing in the world. "This wedding is entirely fake. I am simply putting on a performance for her, allowing her to leave this world without any lingering regrets. Do you understand?"
He paused, taking a breath, and when he spoke again, his tone softened marginally, sounding like a king offering a generous concession to a peasant. "Corina, it is merely a ceremony. Why must you be so petty and hold a grudge against a dying woman?"
Petty? Holding a grudge?
Corina's gaze drifted past his broad shoulders, looking out toward the distant, brightly lit lawn where the guests were still murmuring, their faces painted with a mix of celebration and nervous anticipation.
/1/116557/coverbig.jpg?v=3085ba208a663082f74c3eaf9f1dbc0e)
The Billionaire's Shattered Vow
For three years, Elena thought she was living a fairytale. She was married to Ethan Vance, the ruthless, cold-hearted billionaire CEO of Vance Enterprises-who was only ever warm with her. She gave up her career, her dreams, and her heart to be the perfect wife. But fairytales are built on lies. On
/0/69513/coverbig.jpg?v=2621182a40e7f077ac94bcf80eebe8d9)
THE BILLIONAIRE'S LOST VOW
With the world at his feet, Lucas Montgomery is a charismatic and powerful billionaire. The consequence of his fixation with his business, however, is the loss of Elena Carter, the woman he once loved. Elena files for divorce after years of neglect, leaving Lucas devastated. Lucas is aware that
/0/74249/coverbig.jpg?v=9a7e3c11c8a2baabfbbfebe8b3ce7b7e)
The Devil's Vow
Title: The Devil's Vow In the shadows of Bellavita, a city ruled by crime and corruption, Alessia Moretti, the reclusive yet sharp-witted daughter of a disgraced mafia consigliere, is forced into an arranged marriage with the ruthless Luca De Santis, the heir to the most feared syndicate in Italy.
/0/90526/coverbig.jpg?v=cb2024cae1f0b4d0e32d201fea898cd9)
The vow of shadows
✨ The Vow of Shadows ✨ When night falls, promises written in blood can never be broken. Isha thought she had escaped her family's dark legacy, trading shadows for a fragile semblance of freedom. But when a stranger cloaked in smoke and silence appears at her door, she learns the truth: you don't w
/0/61035/coverbig.jpg?v=020bf5e9d67106340466fe8b05e880e5)
The unintended Vow
It's a small price to pay for everything we've given you and if you know you want to keep your model company and the investment funds we promised,you must replace your sister and marry her fiancé, Arielle's father told her. Arielle Rowan was forced to marry her sister's husband and saved her family
/0/16058/coverbig.jpg?v=3a298d962ad878ae1ef88541b4c38199)
/0/84066/coverbig.jpg?v=23004efb0547b2d40a151393edb27b78)
The Jilted Tycoon's Vow
The crystal chandeliers of the Houston Museum of Fine Arts glittered, reflecting what should have been the most perfect night of my life. My fiancée, Gabby Chadwick, stood on that gala stage, not hand-in-hand with me, but clasped firmly with Tony Johns, the very quarterback my family had plucked fr
/0/77618/coverbig.jpg?v=22532312abb581bb0af87ccc4a8b6038)
The Vow That Burned
"I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I opened that door". On the day that should have been the happiest of her life, Amara Okafor walks into the grand cathedral in Lagos, her heart pounding with excitement-only to freeze at the altar. There, standing beside her supposed groom, Tade W
/0/81981/coverbig.jpg?v=8909ffffc29c06cbe07df11a80be21d8)
The reluctant vow
Zara Tunde has always been the heiress-beautiful, bold, and determined to live life on her own terms. Being a model has always been her dream. But when her powerful father demands she marry Regan Kareem to seal a business alliance, she agrees-on one condition: it's only for one year. Regan, cold, e
/0/75465/coverbig.jpg?v=8129e08c5be673a953fc32d0071ef17d)
The Heir's Vow
When Tony Anderson returns to the estate he once called home, it's not to reclaim the billion-dollar family legacy- it's to destroy the man who stole everything from him: his own father. But with his inheritance comes more than cold marble halls and corporate dominance. It comes with Sandy Taylor- t
/0/87081/coverbig.jpg?v=727cb43a997224656353035201f8d7c3)
The Billionaire's Broken Vow
Beneath Paris's glittering lights, billionaire architect Lucien Moreau conceals a history of treachery and secrets. He is untouchable in the eyes of the world because he is strong, endearing, and dangerously intelligent. In private, however, the truth is much more deadly and Celeste Laurent is well
/0/65160/coverbig.jpg?v=27f3eadfbdc4704c47d139839425dfcf)
The Capo's Vow
Avaline's escape from a loveless arranged marriage turns into a nightmare. Kidnapped by Czar, her sworn enemy, she finds herself trapped in his opulent, yet chilling world. Threatened with a fate worse than death, she agrees to a marriage of convenience. But can she survive the icy grip of Czar's h
/0/66442/coverbig.jpg?v=17e280e987c7ab43ed5c0824c293c224)
The Knight's Vow
Lady Eveline of Ashford is a noblewoman whose life is upended when her family's lands are threatened by a rival lord. To secure peace, she is promised in marriage to a mysterious knight, Sir Gareth of Blackmoor, known for his skill in battle and his cold, distant demeanor. As Eveline and Gareth are
/0/70896/coverbig.jpg?v=62fe55c1c587fba2d2c6a9621d1ebb86)
The Billionaire's Forgotten Vow
When ruthless billionaire Alexander Cain wakes up from a near-fatal accident, the last five years of his life are erased-including his bitter divorce from Evelyn Carter, the woman he once loved but coldly discarded. In his mind, they're still married, and his heart still belongs to her. Evelyn, how
/0/71988/coverbig.jpg?v=22532312abb581bb0af87ccc4a8b6038)
The Unwritten Vow
"You're making a mistake," James smirked, lounging beside Chloe. "You'll never find someone better than me." Betrayal shattered Sarah Winters' world. She thought she had it all, until she walked in on her fiancé tangled in bed with her best friend. Humiliated but determined, she refuses to be a vic
/0/75533/coverbig.jpg?v=6892e67d63612133bbab53c90a27e423)
Beneath The Billionaire Vow
What are you doing to me?" Avery moaned into his mouth as he chuckled. "What exactly should I call you? Avery or Ghost?" Her face turned pale. Immediately, she knew he had her investigated. There was no escape. Avery Highborn once dreamed of a fairy-tale love with her high school sweetheart, M
/0/70174/coverbig.jpg?v=3a7b91ca0f2f44e2c9dc7a4e664b9eb1)
Shadows beneath the vow
Ivy Summers thought she could handle the storms life threw her way until one foolish choice turned her world upside down. A quiet night of weakness leads to a memorable one-night stand with Griffin Blackwell, a man who oozes power and control. When she learns that her mysterious lover is not only h
/1/109347/coverbig.jpg?v=371cd6a0d8857284eb8ef7d84f4ddd89)
THE OMEGA'S VOW
In a world where omegas are born to serve and Alphas rule with iron hearts, Lyra's marriage to Alpha Darius seemed like salvation, until she learned it was all a lie. Betrayed, broken, and left for dead, she is saved by his rival, Kael, a man as dangerous as he is unreadable. Bound by vengeance, Ly
/1/129999/coverbig.jpg?v=82eb9d001c6f7de1ab7a6ebf05072c30)
The Convenient Vow
Naomi Hale had three weeks to plan a wedding. Instead, she spent them watching her fiancé and her best friend take everything she'd built. Damon Voss had three weeks to find a wife, or lose his grandmother's company to the cousin already measuring the curtains in his office. Neither of them wanted l
/0/66323/coverbig.jpg?v=b66bab9a149db604c4699ab31c80876f)
The Wolf's Midnight Vow
Elena Raines has spent her life running from the past-haunted by the night her parents vanished in the wilderness of Coldmoor Ridge. When she returns to the eerie mountain town to settle their estate, she encounters Adrian Blackthorne, a mysterious stranger with piercing amber eyes and a warning she
