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Alexander Brookes was once a rising star in the competitive world of business, until the love of his life, Alessia , left for Paris, crushing his hopes. Diverting into depression and frequent drunkenness, he gave in to his father's opinion , marrying Camilla-a woman he hardly knows-in a loveless arrangement intended to save his reputation. For three years, their marriage has been frigid, but when Alessia unexpectedly returns, Alex's addiction reignites, blinding him to the love that has gradually built between him and Camilla. Camilla realizes she is pregnant, a secret that might change everything, just as their lives cross paths again. As Alex battles his problems and accepts the consequences of his decisions, Alessia's envy leads to a catastrophic kidnapping of Camilla's child, forcing him and Camilla to collaborate. In a high-stakes game of love, betrayal, and forgiveness, will Alex find the courage to recover his life and become the father and partner they deserve? AFTER MY EX-WIFE is a story of second chance, tenacity, and enduring family relationships, demonstrating that sometimes the way to love is paved with heartache.
CAMILLA
The beep from my phone pierced through the peaceful chats of the hospital waiting room. I paused before answering. My fingers, still numb from holding the pregnancy report, reached sluggishly for the phone.
"Camilla, where are you?" Mirabel's voice was frantic and pulled me back to reality. "I'm just leaving the hospital," I replied, my tone remote. A mild, delicate delight grew inside me, blended with something deeper.
"What's going on?" Mirabel was silent before she spoke again. "Get to the hotel. Now." Her voice faltered. "Your husband is been stolen from you by another woman." It's Alex He's... "He is with another woman."
The words hit me like a slap in the face, but I didn't respond. I could not. Not in front of everyone.
I tightened my grip on the phone, my breath wavering as I battled the nausea that was forming in my throat. "Which hotel?" I murmured. She mentioned the city's most exquisite five-star hotel, a place that seemed almost mystical to me-like something out of a storybook. Not me. Not us. The word "us" felt hollow now, like an echo of something that never existed. "Camilla?" Mirabel's voice sounded distant. "Are you okay?" I nodded, but she could not see me. "I'll be there."
I closed my eyes as I hung up. My pleasure at becoming pregnant was tempered by the weight of the reality that was weighing down on me. I am carrying a child. anticipating Alex 's child. I had hoped, genuinely thought, that this would be the turning moment after three hard years- three hard years of hoping, three hard years of trying to make him love me. This child had to be the one. He had to see me and fall in love with me. But, right now?
My thoughts dashed back to five weeks ago, the night we conceived our baby, as I drove to the Hotel. That night was different. Alex had held me for the first time in three years. Not out of cold need or obligation, but something more. Even though he had been far gone for so long, that night seemed like a truce-a moment when he allowed himself to be vulnerable- I had been craving for his touch.
He had just returned from a long business trip and was tired. We sat in the living room, and for once, the air was not thick with tension.
I had made his favorite meal, as I usually did, even though I often ate alone afterwards. But that night, when he sat down with me, there was something different in his gaze. Was it sadness? Guilt? I had no clue, but I didn't dare break the illusion.
Later, when he kissed me gently-so softly that I nearly missed it-I sunk into him, engulfed in the warmth I had always sought. His hands, were smooth and friendly, even sensitive, as he escorted me to bed. That night, I allowed myself to think that, just maybe, he had finally noticed me.
But the following morning, the freezing wall was back up. He left the house before I even woke up; I looked around, but he was gone. That night's warmth was like a faraway dream that I couldn't grasp again.
The hotel was before me, its towering structure creating shadows on the roadway. As I strolled around the hotel, the green surroundings and the beautiful flowers that decorate it, the liveliness outside, the magnificent halls, the contrast between the richness of the environment and the barrenness of my marriage stung. Couples grinned, hands intertwined, their love on display for everyone to see. It hurt a lot. It reminded me of something I've never had.
My sight was pulled to Mirabel near the doorway. She worked here-one of the numerous jobs she took on after the Corona virus became widespread-always working hard to support her family.
We've been good friends since college, sharing everything from sorrow to aspirations. She was the one person I could confide in, and she was aware of my misery and the heartbreaking parts of my marriage. As I went closer, I could see the concern in her posture and the embarrassment in her eyes. "Mirabel," I said softly, seeing her gaze. "How long have you known?"
Her eyes wandered and then returned to mine. "A couple of days," she mumbled in apologies. "I think I saw him here twice, but I wasn't sure if it was serious. I had no clue until now. "
"Who is she?" With a burning question mark on my tongue, I questioned.
Her eyes were filled with anxiety, as if she didn't want to hurt me any more than she already had. "Her name is Alessia." She's the daughter of one of his key investors. I have never seen her, but I have heard you mention her before."
Alessia. The name sent chills down my spine. Alex had mentioned her once or twice, always with a subtle air of respect, as if she carries something untouchable, someone he could never have. Until now.
I followed Mirabel inside, past the gilded lobby's gorgeous chandeliers and luscious draperies. The hotel was a palace, and I was the begar wandering through its hallways. My stomach churned with each step, the life inside me appearing so fragile and breakable. I had mistakenly hoped that this child would save us. But Alex had already given up on us, and specifically on me.
That's when I saw him. He was standing close to the bar, wearing blue jeans and a casual white polo shirt. He was laughing, really laughing, and Alessia was beside him. Naturally, she had flawless features, lustrous dark hair, and a form that made her seem like she belonged in places like this. I saw him give her a quick kiss on the forehead. An expression of love in public, something he had never done for me. Its sight cut like a knife through me. He showed her respect in a manner that he had never shown me. Here, in public, in front of those who knew him, he gave her a kiss devoid of remorse or shame.
My heart hammered in my chest as I came closer. Every breath was more difficult, every step seemed heavier. A scorching inferno of wrath threatened to devour me as it welled up inside me.
I was unnoticed at first by him. He was too lost in the world where I didn't exist and too lost in her. I yelled, nearly breaking into a cry, "Alex ," loud enough to penetrate the atmosphere. He glanced around, astonished to see me.
Something came in his eyes for a short moment-guilt? remorse? However, it faded just as fast as it had come.
With a stern tone, he questioned, "What are you doing here?" Alessia looked between us, perplexed yet unconcerned "Who is she?" she inquired, her tone filled with curiosity, as though I were merely a small interruption. "She's no one," he explained. "She used to work for me." "That's all." The words struck me harder than expected. Indeed, nobody! I had become nothing to him after three years of marriage and everything we had experienced.
I opened my lips to tell him that I was carrying his child and that I was pregnant. But before I could say anything, he stepped in closer and murmured quietly. "Camilla, you must leave. Right now. You shouldn't be here in the first place."
I gazed at him, in astonishment. The world became fuzzy, and for a second, the only thing I could detect was how severe his reaction is. He was unapologetic. neither about the kid forming inside of me, nor about me.
I took a look at him. But He had already shifted his sight from me, returning his complete attention on Alessia.
Without saying anything more, I turned around and left the hotel. My once-dreamed existence is disintegrating beneath my feet.
One night changed everything, and neither of them realized it. Years ago, they had one-night sex, the girl was drunk and her face blurred by booze and dim lighting. She went on to raise her daughter alone. He, a successful billionaire with his past put behind him. Now, fate puts them back together, he try to pretend and hide the truth that unites them. As they work together, sparks fly, as do questions. Could it be that he is the father of her child? And if the truth comes out, will it bring them together or tear them apart forever? How do you confront the past when it is right in front of you?
Bailey seems to be never destined to fit in, a little geeky, but under it all, a hidden beauty that so many seem to miss, but still not what her pack Alpha is looking for in a fated mate... so he is determined to reject her and make her life hell. Bailey, knowing her life will likely never be the same focuses on what she can control, her future, and heads off to study; becoming a teacher. Asher is the Beta of Autumn Valley Pack, a neighbouring pack. A broken man having suffered the loss of his mate after a rogue attack, Asher is slowly crumbling. Falling to pieces. A shadow of his former self, and not a man that anyone wants to be around anymore... Until, Autumn Valley Pack require a new teacher, and Bailey finds herself there and pushed together with the Beta. Is there a connection building or is that in their imaginations? And what will happen when Bailey's mate comes back to claim what is his?
"Who is she?" I asked, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "He met her at the Alpha training camp," he said. "She is a perfect suitor for him. It snowed last night, indicating that his wolf is happy with his choice." My heart sank, and tears made their way down my cheeks. Alexander took my innocence last night, and now he is taking that thing in his office as his Luna. **** Emily never shifted on her 18th birthday and became the laughingstock of the pack. When her old crush, Alexander Black, returns from Alpha Training, she never expected him to be her mate. After a night of passionate love, Emily finds out that young Alpha Alexander has taken a chosen mate. Heartbroken and humiliated, Emily runs off and disappears from the pack. Now, five years later, Emily is a high-ranking warrior in King Alpha's army, specializing in sensitive matters. When her best friend invites her to a night of music and laughter, she never expects to run into her mate, Alexander. Will Alexander figure out it is Emily? Will he chase after her, and most of all, will Emily be able to keep her secrets safe?
"I, Riccardo Saviano, future Alpha of the Grey Shadow Moon Pack, reject you, Artemisia Guerrieri, Daughter of Alpha Franco of the Blood Moon Pack, as my mate and future Luna." One single sentence. One stupid single sentence was all it took to disintegrate my life. And the day of my birthday, on which this sentence was audaciously uttered to me, I lost the love of my life, my future mate, and my wolf, all at once. As I'm still assembling the pieces of my shattered heart years later, there they come. Like lightning out of a crystal blue sky. My Mates. But wait... If I am mated to triplets, how come I'm about to be mated to 5 gorgeous men? *** TW: explicit and foul language; spicy content; explicit sex scenes ***
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."
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"