Anna Peterson grew up in a home filled with hatred. Accused of a terrible deed, she was sold as a wife to the Greg family. For years, her husband Oscar was her only solace amidst constant mistreatment. She loved him and he loved her. Or did he? Everything changed when Oscar slapped divorce papers on her face, casting her out to die on the cold streets of London. Just when Anna thought all hope was lost, a mysterious and powerful man saved her, offering her a chance to rebuild her life and seek revenge. Now, with a fierce determination burning within her, Anna is ready to get her revenge. It is time to strike back!! Will she? And who is this mysterious man?
"You piece of shit! You have one job to do, wash the dishes and ensure the whole house is tidy, yet you go about, breaking all the plates in the house. Are you nuts?" Vivian shouted at me like I was a little earthworm leeching around in the mighty walls of the kitchen.
I gently stooped down and began to pick the pieces of the broken plate carefully, making sure they don't cut me. I have had enough cuts already, both physically and mentally, and fifty percent of my wounds came from my devilish mother in law, Vivian, the woman who hated me with every fibre of her being. Well, I deserved it anyways. Else, why would my own mother sell me out to the Greg's family as a wife?
"I am sorry, mother. I lost focus because.."
"Your lame excuses do not matter here, child. I do not care about you or what is in that empty head of yours. You are married to my son, not as a wife, but as a slave. If you break any more of my expensive plates ever again, I will make sure you are kicked out of this house with an axe. I never really liked you anyway. You don't even like yourself." Vivian blurted out hurtfully.
I could have been crying by now or wailing like a little child, but this was not the first time Vivian was saying these things to me. Over the years, I have been able to develop a receptor, a thick skin to all of Vivian's arrows.
"At least, Oscar loves me. And that is enough for me." I confidently whispered, hoping that Vivian does not hear me.
"What did you just say?" Vivian asked and before I could open my mouth to give an answer, a loud, disfiguring slap landed across my face, sending me violently to the ground. A few pieces of the broken plate pierced my skin, causing me to bleed.
"Now, you listen to me, Anna," Vivian began angrily, "Oscar does not love you one bit. You are nothing but a stick of broom, both to him and the entire Greg family!"
As she spoke, I blocked my ears. Oscar loves me and nothing was going to change that fact, not even if Vivian threatened to kill me. And yes, I loved Oscar too, more than my own life. He was the man who held the key to my heart since the day my mother abandoned me. Honestly, somtimes, I feel like I do not deserve him.
But what type of woman would be so foolish to love a man this deeply and even entertain this type of torture from her mother inlaw?
My horror story began many years ago. I did not come to this world alone. I came with a sister, a twin sister. As we grew older, I began to notice that she got all the love and attention a child deserved. She was more beautiful than me, smarter than me, and the whole world liked her.
And me? Well, I was simply shoved to a corner of the world and was left to myself and the girl in the mirror. I was hated by everyone, called a freak and ugly.
A very serious incident occurred one time and sadly, I lost my twin sister. My parents blamed me for it and called me a murderer, and at a very young age, I was sold to the Gregs family as a wife to their son, Oscar. No one knew this dark secret about me, and I hid it from the world.
But to my utter surprise, it was the best moment of my life. For the first time in my entire miserable life, I finally found someone who loved and cherished me. Oscar made me feel like my past was a wound that he could heal. And he did. He loved me and made me feel special, a feeling that not even my parents had for me. I loved him back and promised to lay my life for him.
But Oscar's mother? The witch hated me with every bone in her old body. I mean, being a millioniare, she would not want her son to be together with a freak, right?
But maybe Vivian was right. I am a nothingness and hold no value on the scale of life. I mean, even my family hates me.
I quickly swept the kitchen, mopped the whole house, and cooked dinner for Vivian and the rest of the Gregs, ignoring the schorching pain that reveberated through my body. I had to do it to prove to my husband that I am not the woman his mother portrays me to be.
But again, how could Vivian be so forgetful? When her son, my husband, was diagnosed with Neprhitis, I donated my kidney to him. When he lost a lot of blood in one ghastly accident, I drained him almost all of my blood, just to make sure he was alive and well. Truth is, I did not do all these things to please him or the Gregs. I did it because I geniuely loved him. I found solace in his arms. And guess what? He loves me too. So, tell me, why wouldn't I brag about his love for me in front of his mother?
As soon as I left my the Greg's house, I got into my car and began to cry. My life was a living hell. Everything and eveyone was against me and my happiness. Well, I knew that Oscar loved me, but he had been so busy lately. He was barely at home and when he was eventually home, he would be on his computer working.
But I still loved him. He was my only safe space, the only umbrella I could hide under from the storm. Something as little as a text from Oscar would make me happy and smile. Was it because I loved attention? Maybe. But was I foolish? Of course not! I knew my love for Oscar was genuie and I knew he loved me back.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed. As soon as I saw the caller, a smile from nowhere appeared on my face.
"Hey, Barbie, where did you put your phone? I've been trying to call you since like, forever!" Chelsea, my best best friend began to speak, worry enveloping her voice.
As soon as I heard her voice, my heart melted and I wiped my tears away. Chelsea was the only last soul that cared about me. Everytime when my parents would beat me, during highschool and college days, I would run away from home and sleep at Chelsea's. She was my true sister and a friend in need. She was the only person who knew my dark secret and still stood by me when no one else did. Yeah, we did the pinky promise too, you know, never to leave each other.
"Hey Chelsea, what's up? I um.. I was working, so, I had to leave my phone in the car. How are you?" I asked weakly, my voice as creaky as the opening of an expired door.
Vivian did not serve me dinner, she told me to go to my house and prepare myself something to eat. Oh heavens, where will I gather the strength to cook dinner?
Earlier today, Oscar had sent me a text saying: 'Hi, do not come home tonight, the house is under a major repair. I have sent you a sum of $30,000. Book a hotel of your choice and we will meet tomorrow, love you>>>'
So, clearly, I was not going home tonight, maybe I'll just order food from the hotel. I found it strange though that Oscar would make a major renovation without informing me beforehand. But again, busy husband, right?
"Oh my God, Anna, your voice is.. Tell me, is it Vivian again? Do you even realize that today is your birthday?" Chelsea asked, concern painted all over her voice.
Oh goddamit! How could I forget even my own birthday? "Look, Chelsea, I.."
"Say no more, Anna. You know what? Wherever you are now, leave there and go straight to my house. I have invited some friends over, you will be celebrating your birthday party tonight and you will sleep in my place. I can not let that fucking Greg's family insult my sister!"
You see? I told you. Chelsea was more than a friend to me. She finally made me carve my first smile this week, "Are you at home yourself?"
"No, I am at work, trying to round up, but you got the key, so just wait for me inside. I will be with you shortly. I love you!" she said and ended the call abruptly, giving no more room for further argument. She knew that left for me, I would just go to my house and sleep, especially because I hated crowds.
I looked at my dress. I looked and smelled really badly. So, I decided to go home first so I can shower, change my clothes and drive to Chelsea's house for the party. Oscar would be at home, renovating our apartment. I just hoped he kept my clothes safe and not covered in paint and surdust.
As soon as I got home, I was surprised to see two cars parked in front of the house. One of them belonged to Oscar. Well, this was unusual. Oscar never returned home this early. Again, the house did not look like it was undergoing any major repair or any repair at all. It was quiet and stiff.
But something else caught my attention. It was the second car parked just besides Oscar's car. It looked really familar. I walked closer for a better look.
"What?!" were the first words that escaped my mouth. This is Chelsea's car. What is she doing in my house? I thought she mentioned being at work.
What is going on?
"At this point in a werewolf's life, all sons of an Alpha will be proud and eager to take over as the next Alpha. All, except me!" Damien Anderson, next in line to become Alpha, conceals a dark secret in his family's history which gnawed his soul everyday, turning him to the villain he once feared he'd become. Despite his icy demeanour, he finds his heart drawn to Elara, his mate. To protect himself from love's vulnerability, he appoints her as a maid, an act that both binds them and keeps them apart. Just as it seemed he might begin to open up his heart to Elara, a revelation emerges that shakes the very foundation of their bond, and he must confront the dark truth about his family's legacy. The stakes are higher than ever as Damien faces a choice that could lead to salvation or plunge him deeper into the shadows he has fought to escape.
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."
Due to the plight of her family, Phoebe had no choice but to embark on the path of selling herself. In an accident, she had a tangled night with Alexander. Everything began to derail, and even if she fled to the ends of the earth, she would still be found by him and entangled... *** Phoebe screamed in frustration, "What do you want from me?" What was this supposed to be? He raised an eyebrow wickedly. "What do I want? You'll find out soon enough." With that, he hoisted her up and carried her back into the office. The door slammed shut with a kick, and he cleared the desk with a sweep of his arm before laying her down on it, his body pinning hers in place, completely trapping her in his grasp. Every cell in his body was telling him he wanted her. He wanted to claim her again. This time, there would be no escape for her-he wouldn't let her slip away. Never again. If he had suffered for five years, then this woman wouldn't get off easily either!
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..." But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"
Elin spent twenty years deeply loving her husband, finally marrying him just as she'd always dreamed. But reality shattered her illusions—he wasn't the man she believed. Instead, he callously destroyed her family, crushing her heart beyond repair. At her lowest point, Ruben, equally betrayed that night, approached her steadily. "Marry me, Elin. I'll help you take revenge." Yet, after their wedding, she quickly discovered he was dangerously unpredictable. "I made a mistake. Let's divorce..." Ruben slid his arm possessively around her waist, whispering a chilling promise, "Only in death."
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."
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?