Vanessa's world shatters when her perfect life is upended by her stepsister, Delilah, who cunningly steals away the love of her life, Lucas. Once close, Vanessa now finds herself on the receiving end of betrayal, her engagement shattered, and her trust broken. Determined to reclaim everything she's lost, Vanessa embarks on a path of calculated revenge, using Delilah's own secrets against her. But as the intricate web of lies unravels, Vanessa discovers that revenge may not bring the closure she seeks-only a chance to heal and find true strength within herself.
Vanessa POV
I never thought that one day, the life I had worked so hard to build would be shattered in the span of a single night. It all started like any other day, with the sun shining through the kitchen window, the smell of freshly brewed coffee filling the air, and the comfortable hum of normalcy. How naïve I was, thinking things would always stay the same. I didn't know that the very people I trusted would betray me, or that the person I thought of as family could be the one to tear apart my world.
My name is Vanessa, and this is the story of how I lost everything-how I was forced to rebuild it from the ashes.
The morning had been peaceful, almost too peaceful. Delilah, my stepsister, had just moved in with us after her mother passed away. Her arrival, just a few months ago, had been an unexpected turn. I didn't mind; I had always wanted to be the kind of sister who welcomed family with open arms. And Delilah... well, she seemed to need comfort. After all, she was grieving. She was fragile, or at least that's what I believed.
She'd always been a bit of a mystery to me. Pretty, with that kind of beauty that could stop traffic, but she had a way of drawing attention without ever asking for it. It wasn't that I was jealous. No, I'd always considered myself confident in my own skin, secure in my life with Lucas, the man I loved. I had my own career, my own friends, and I was proud of the life I was building with him.
But as I reflect on that morning now, I can't help but think I was blind. Blind to the fact that Delilah wasn't as innocent as she seemed, that the love I shared with Lucas wasn't as secure as I thought. I didn't see the signs until it was too late.
It was a Saturday, and Lucas had promised he'd spend the day with me. We had plans for a quiet day at the lake, a picnic, maybe a little boating if the weather was nice. It was our thing-away from the stress of work, away from the pressures of life. He'd texted me earlier that morning, saying he couldn't wait to see me, that I was the most important thing in his life.
I was on cloud nine, thinking everything was perfect. But that morning, I didn't realize that something had shifted beneath the surface. Something dark, something I would never have suspected.
"Vanessa, are you coming? Lucas is waiting outside," Delilah called from the hallway, her voice just a little too sweet for my liking.
I blinked, startled. "What?"
"I said Lucas is waiting outside for you," she repeated, this time in a sing-song tone that had a strange undertone I couldn't quite place.
My gaze flickered to her face, trying to catch any sign that something was amiss. She was standing in the doorway to the living room, her long, dark hair cascading over her shoulders, her expression unreadable. Her eyes glinted, but I couldn't tell if it was mischief or something more sinister.
I gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Delilah. I'll be right out."
I left the kitchen and walked toward the front door, eager to see Lucas. The air outside was fresh, the sun shining down in perfect harmony with the kind of peaceful Saturday morning we always cherished. But as I stepped outside, I saw him leaning against the car, his eyes fixed on something in the distance. He didn't turn when he heard me approach.
"Hey, baby," I called, walking up to him.
Lucas straightened and smiled when he saw me. His smile made my heart skip, the way it always did. But today, it didn't feel as warm. There was something off in the way his eyes met mine. A flicker of hesitation, something that had never been there before.
"You ready for our day?" I asked, smiling up at him, trying to ignore the nagging feeling in my chest.
He nodded, but it wasn't with the usual excitement I expected. "Yeah, just give me a minute." His voice was quiet, distracted.
I frowned. "Everything okay?"
He didn't answer right away. He glanced over his shoulder, where Delilah stood by the door, watching us with that same unreadable expression. I couldn't help but feel a pang of unease. It was as if she were waiting for something.
"Vanessa, I-" He took a deep breath, his eyes locking onto mine. "I think we need to talk."
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. "What do you mean?" I whispered, my throat suddenly dry. "What's going on?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes shifting away from mine. "I... I think we need some space."
I blinked, unable to process what he was saying. "What? Space? Why? Lucas, we've been together for three years. What's going on?"
His gaze flickered to Delilah again before meeting my eyes. "I... I'm sorry, Vanessa. I think I've made a mistake. I think... I think I've been leading you on. I've met someone else."
My heart stopped. The world seemed to tilt beneath me, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe. My chest tightened, my legs wobbling as I tried to stand. "What?" My voice cracked, and I could hear the disbelief in it, the confusion. "What do you mean? Who?"
Delilah stepped forward then, her smile almost smug as she placed a hand on Lucas's arm. "It's me, Vanessa. I'm the one he's been seeing."
I felt the ground beneath me disappear. My knees buckled, and I collapsed onto the grass, the weight of her words crashing over me. "No..." I whispered. "No, this can't be happening. You... you're my sister."
She crouched down beside me, her face softening, but I could see the coldness in her eyes. "I didn't want to hurt you, Vanessa. But Lucas and I, we... we're in love. And I don't want to hide it anymore."
I couldn't process it. Couldn't understand how the person I'd trusted most in the world, the woman I'd opened my heart to, had taken the one thing I loved most.
My chest ached as if something had been ripped from me, and the world around me became a blur of pain. Lucas... my Lucas... was gone. Delilah had taken him from me.
Sofia DeLuca has spent her life running from her family's dark legacy, determined to carve out a life of her own. But when her estranged father, a notorious mafia don, is murdered, Sofia is pulled back into the criminal underworld she tried to escape. Standing in her way is Luca Romano, her father's ruthless right-hand man and heir to the empire. As Sofia and Luca work together to uncover the truth behind her father's death, a forbidden romance ignites between them.
A prophecy long buried in Lycan lore speaks of a child born of two rival bloodlines-a child destined to unite the fractured packs but cursed to overthrow the reigning king. Seren Duskbane, a fearless rogue, never imagined her path would cross with Lucian Veylor, the brooding and enigmatic Lycan King. When a fateful encounter binds them in a forbidden union, Seren discovers she carries the heir that could change the fate of their kind. As whispers of the prophecy spread, they face enemies from within and beyond their packs-forces that see the child as either salvation or destruction. With time running out and danger closing in, Seren and Lucian must navigate treacherous alliances, unearth ancient secrets, and confront the prophecy's devastating truth.
Selena Kaelvar is the last surviving member of the Kaelvar Pride. After witnessing the cold-blooded slaughter of her family by the ruthless Crescent Moon Pack, she becomes consumed by a singular purpose: revenge. Her opportunity comes when she discovers her uncanny resemblance to Liana Morven, the Crescent Moon Alpha's beloved Luna. Selena kidnaps Liana, hiding her far from her mate, and assumes her identity to infiltrate the pack from within. Darius Raelith, the Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, is burdened with the legacy of his father's cruel reign. Determined to lead his pack with honor, Darius strives to mend the wounds of the past. But his efforts are undermined by a "Luna" who seems to be playing her own dangerous game. Selena walks a treacherous path of deception and vengeance, long-buried secrets surface, and the stakes grow higher. What will happen when Selena and Darius confront the truths that tie their fates together? Can redemption be found amid betrayal, or will revenge plunge them both into darkness?
When Seraphina, a young woman with dormant werewolf traits, is mistreated by her pack and ultimately rejected by her Alpha mate, she is forced into a life of solitude as a rogue. Her world is turned upside down when her dormant powers are awakened, revealing her true nature as a powerful Alpha and the dangers that come with it. Seeking to understand her new identity, Seraphina turns to the Lycan King, Kael, who becomes her mentor and guide. Together, they face the threats from her past that rise along with her newfound abilities. But when her former Alpha, Thorne, who once rejected her, returns, pleading for her forgiveness and help, Seraphina is faced with an agonizing choice: should she listen to his plea to take her back, or trust Kael, the one who helped her unlock the great power within her? With her destiny as Alpha hanging in the balance, Seraphina must decide how to wield her powers and confront the looming dangers that threaten her. Will she embrace the future that's calling, or be undone by the past that haunts her?
Hunted by fate and bound by a curse, Selene Draven lives in hiding, avoiding the truth of her identity as the last heir to the Duskwind Pack. When her quiet life is disrupted by Alaric Veylor, the fierce alpha of the Ebonridge Pack, her world is upended. Alaric, seeking vengeance for his brother's mysterious death, captures Selene, believing she holds the answers to the curse plaguing his pack. But as their fates entwine, an undeniable bond forms, challenging everything they know about loyalty, love, and destiny. As ancient forces awaken and secrets unravel, Alaric and Selene must face a choice: break the curse and risk losing each other, or let love conquer the darkness threatening to consume their packs.
For Claire Evans, love has always been a secondhand emotion. After a string of heartbreaks, she's convinced herself that forever isn't in the cards. Instead, she pours her energy into her thriving career as an interior designer. But when her latest project brings her back to her small hometown, she's forced to confront the one man who shattered her heart and the walls she built around it- Ethan Carter. Ethan has spent the past decade regretting the one decision that drove Claire away. Now the owner of a struggling vineyard, he's desperate to save his family's legacy. When Claire steps back into his life as the designer hired to transform the vineyard into a wedding venue, he sees it as a second chance to prove that love is worth the risk. As the days unfold in a whirlwind of late-night confessions, rekindled laughter, and lingering glances, Claire must decide if she's ready to give Ethan- and herself- a chance at the kind of love she thought only existed in fairytales.
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
Brenna lived with her adoptive parents for twenty years, enduring their exploitation. When their real daughter appeared, they sent Brenna back to her true parents, thinking they were broke. In reality, her birth parents belonged to a top circle that her adoptive family could never reach. Hoping Brenna would fail, they gasped at her status: a global finance expert, a gifted engineer, the fastest racer... Was there any end to the identities she kept hidden? After her fiancé ended their engagement, Brenna met his twin brother. Unexpectedly, her ex-fiancé showed up, confessing his love...
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"
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?"
After two years of marriage, Kristian dropped a bombshell. "She's back. Let's get divorced. Name your price." Freya didn't argue. She just smiled and made her demands. "I want your most expensive supercar." "Okay." "The villa on the outskirts." "Sure." "And half of the billions we made together." Kristian froze. "Come again?" He thought she was ordinary—but Freya was the genius behind their fortune. And now that she'd gone, he'd do anything to win her back.