I have a secret that has made me feel both guilty and exhilarated all these years.
I have a secret that has made me feel both guilty and exhilarated all these years.
That day, as I approached the front door of my house, I was greeted by the sound of laughter and chatter from inside. Instantly, I knew my sister-in-law, Mara Francis had brought her daughter over.
I took a deep breath, but it felt as if there was a stone weighing on my chest, making it stuffy and hard to breathe. After several seconds, I finally unlocked the door with my key.
Usually, no matter whether he was cooking or watching TV in the living room, my husband, Caleb would always come and open the door for me. He'd also be all enthusiastic about handing me my slippers and taking my handbag.
He once said that he loved for me to walk in and see the warm lights and his welcoming smile, as that was what made a house feel like home.
To my relief, he always kept his word, and for the past twenty years, our relationship had been steady. Especially after our son went to college, we returned to our life as a couple, and our love was as sweet as when we were young.
But there were exceptions. Whenever his mother and sister were around, it was as if he was under a spell, becoming cold and distant towards me.
Just like at this moment, he was looking at me with a rigid expression as I opened the front door, only uttering a faint, "You're back?"
I glanced at the dining table, which was laden with a variety of dishes. They had already started eating, with no intention of waiting for me. They hadn't even bothered to call and ask when I'd be home.
The laughter and joy abruptly ceased as I entered, as if I were an unwelcome intruder disrupting their perfect moment.
Mara didn't even greet me, nor did she look me in the eye, acting as if I were invisible.
Her daughter was just as ill-mannered as she was. She secretly curled her lips in a sneaky way, showing her dissatisfaction with me, her aunt.
Were you kidding me? I was the lady of that household!
What gives them the audacity to treat me with such arrogance and disrespect in my own home?
Feeling unhappy, I became rougher with my hands, banging things around. This made Caleb give a "tsk" sound towards me. He's always like this. He'd play dumb and deaf just to defend his mother and sister, being completely unreasonable.
I changed into my slippers and went into the bedroom to change into my loungewear. Caleb followed me in. As soon as he entered the door, it was like he changed his face. The coldness disappeared in an instant, and with a flattering smile, he said, "There's some food left for you in the kitchen."
I ignored him, aware that my complexion must have been rather unsightly. He went on with a fawning smile and said, "Sheri will be studying in her sophomore year of high school here and will be living with us for two years. I've let her sleep in Ruben's room."
Sheri was my Mara's daughter, and Ruben was my son.
Logically speaking, Sheri should have already finished taking the college entrance examinations. However, her grades were so terrible that she didn't even dare to sit for the exams. Mara used her connections to get her to repeat her sophomore year of high school here. She'll go back to their place to take the exams when it's time for the college entrance examinations again.
I stared at Caleb and asked, "You didn't get mixed up in her affairs, did you?"
He was a leader of a certain rank. It wasn't like the previous few years. Those things were being strictly investigated at that time. Once someone reported it, he would have lost all his prospects, and it might even have got our kid's future political review affected.
Caleb nodded reassuringly, whispering in my ear, "Don't worry, honey. I know how to prioritize things."
"And what about the people?" I countered him right away.
He grinned so wide that his face was all wrinkled up as he cajoled me, saying, "Sweetheart, you're well aware of our family situation. They've only been here for such a short time. In the end, it's still just the two of us spending our days together, right?"
He was good at smoothing things over. To be fair, he treated me and our child well, and his parents rarely visited.
So, even though I felt stifled when I saw Mara and his mother, Cleo Fernandez, our everyday life was quite pleasant.
I didn't want to hold his sister's faults against him relentlessly.
As for Sheri, she's just a young girl. I'm already in my forties. What's there to haggle with a half-grown kid for?
Originally, I thought I could let this go, but as soon as I stepped into the kitchen, my anger flared up again.
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
"Stella once savored Marc's devotion, yet his covert cruelty cut deep. She torched their wedding portrait at his feet while he sent flirty messages to his mistress. With her chest tight and eyes blazing, Stella delivered a sharp slap. Then she deleted her identity, signed onto a classified research mission, vanished without a trace, and left him a hidden bombshell. On launch day she vanished; that same dawn Marc's empire crumbled. All he unearthed was her death certificate, and he shattered. When they met again, a gala spotlighted Stella beside a tycoon. Marc begged. With a smirk, she said, ""Out of your league, darling."
The day Raina gave birth should have been the happiest of her life. Instead, it became her worst nightmare. Moments after delivering their twins, Alexander shattered her heart-divorcing her and forcing her to sign away custody of their son, Liam. With nothing but betrayal and heartbreak to her name, Raina disappeared, raising their daughter, Ava, on her own.Years later, fate comes knocking when Liam falls gravely ill. Desperate to save his son, Alexander is forced to seek out the one person he once cast aside. Alexander finds himself face to face with the woman he underestimated, pleading for a second chance-not just for himself, but for their son. But Raina is no longer the same broken woman who once loved him.No longer the woman he left behind. She has carved out a new life-one built on strength, wealth, and a long-buried legacy she expected to uncover.Raina has spent years learning to live without him.The question is... Will she risk reopening old wounds to save the son she never got to love? or has Alexander lost her forever?
Years ago, Cathy's husband threw himself into danger to save her. Then fate cut the cord-after the accident, he remembered everyone but the woman he'd once died for. On their third anniversary, he betrayed her, and that night she signed the divorce. Freed, she dusted off her hidden brilliance: miracle healer, racing legend, elite hacker, visionary designer. When his memories roared back, regret did, too. He stormed her wedding, pleading, "Cathy, please, one more chance!" But a certain trillionaire held her close and huffed, "Honey, someone's asking for trouble."
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul-her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband's entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I'm out of your league."
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