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Myla Calloway thought she'd found her forever with Damien Brooks–until her wedding day revealed a soul- crushing betrayal by her mother, Vanessa Calloway. Humiliated and heartbroken, Myla vows never to trust again. In the chaos of heartbreak, she had a one-night stand with her boss, Jaxon Brooks, Damien's elder brother. A single night of forbidden passion leaves her with a secret that binds her to Jaxon forever. But Vanessa Calloway isn't done wreaking havoc. Determined to control Jaxon and claim the Brooks family's immense fortune, Vanessa's manipulative schemes turn deadly. Can Myla and Jaxon overcome the lies and deceit that threaten to destroy them? Or will Vanessa's ruthless ambition tear them apart for good?
Myla POV:
At twenty-three, I knew exactly what I wanted: to marry the love of my life and start my own family. Today was my wedding day-a day I had dreamt of since I was a little girl.
I stood before the full-length mirror, adjusting the lace of my wedding dress. My hands trembled, not with excitement but with a feeling I couldn't explain. I had dreamt of this moment for years -walking down the aisle to the man I loved, the man I was about to marry. Today was supposed to be perfect.
My fiancé, Damien Brooks, is the love of my life. We met three years ago, and it was love at first sight for the both of us. In a few hours, we will finally be husband and wife.
My breath hitched as I looked at my reflection. The dress was breathtaking, hugging my curves perfectly, with the train flowing behind me like soft waves. My dark hair was styled elegantly, framing my face, and the veil rested gently over my head. For a moment, I felt like a princess.
" Are you ready, darling?" my mother's voice interrupted, pulling me from my thoughts. Vanessa Calloway stood in the doorway, her eyes gleaming with joy. She wore a bright smile, though it trembled slightly as she fought back her tears.
I nodded, forcing a smile. " Ready as I'll ever be."
She stepped into the room, inspecting the dress. "It's beautiful, Myla. You look just like I did on my wedding day. Damien will be blown away when he sees you."
I swallowed hard, trying to push the knot of nervousness from my chest. " I just want everything to be perfect."
Vanessa reached out, adjusting the veil, her fingers gentle. " It will be, darling. Don't worry."
But as I stared at my reflection, a strange feeling settled over me. It wasn't my dress or the ceremony that made me scared-it was something deeper, a feeling in my guts that today was not going to unfold as planned. But what could possibly go wrong?
~~~
We arrived safely at the church. The wedding arrangements were in full swing. Guests were beginning to fill the church, the flowers were arranged in beautiful patterns, and soft music played in the background. The air was thick with excitement and anticipation.
My Father, a tall, handsome figure, walked beside me with a proud smile on his face. He held my hands, reassuringly, but his eyes flickered with a hint of nervousness. We both felt the tension; it had been building for days. I wish Cynthia, my best friend, was here, but she had traveled out of town for a business trip.
My heart pounded hard in my chest as I made my way down the aisle. I glanced at the empty seats where Damien's parents- his father, Michael, and his mother, Susan- were supposed to sit in the front row, smiling proudly as they watched their son marry the love of his life. But they weren't there. I swept my gaze over the empty chairs again, fear creeping in instantly.
" Why aren't Damien's parents here?" I muttered under my breath, feeling uneasy.
My father noticed my hesitation and stepped closer. " It's strange," he admitted quietly. " I spoke to Damien's father last night. He said they'd be here on time."
" Did he say anything else?" I asked, my voice trembling.
" He sounded... distracted. But he didn't mention anything that would indicate they wouldn't show up today. You know how they are, Myla. They are always quiet, reserved, but never late."
I couldn't shake off the fear knotting in my stomach. Why haven't Damien's parents come? Michael Brooks had always been a man of his words- his punctuality was something I admired about him. So why did they disappear without a word?
"Did they know something I didn't?" I wondered, as fear slowly began to settle in.
My eyes scanned the crowd, searching for Damien's face. But he wasn't here either.
I stood at the altar, waiting, feeling the weight of the deafening silence pressing down on me. The guests whispered among themselves. The priest waited patiently, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Damien and his family were always punctual. So why haven't they shown up yet?
Minutes passed, and the tension in the air grew. My father, trying to keep up appearances, leaned in. " They'll be here soon. Calm down, Myla."
I forced a smile, but inside, the knot in my stomach tightened. I glanced at the wall clock - they were late. Very late. My heart hammered in my chest. Was something wrong? Were they having second thoughts?
Minutes turned into hours, and still, Damien didn't arrive.
" Damien, where are you?" I whispered under my breath, the question slipping out before I could even stop it.
But no one had an answer.
Finally the priest cleared his throat. " Shall we proceed?"
My chest tightened. " No," I whispered. "I can't."
I turned, glancing at my father. " Where's Damien? Why isn't he here yet?
He opened his mouth, but no words came. His face turned pale, his lips pressed into a thin line. The truth could no longer be denied. Damien and his family were no longer coming. My hands began to tremble, my fingers slipping nervously against the fabric of my dress.
Minutes turned into agonizing hours. Every tick of the clock was a hammer to my chest. The whispers among the guests grew louder. Why wasn't Damien here? Was he stuck in traffic? Was he hurt?
A thousand terrible thoughts raced through my mind.
I excused myself from the altar, my legs trembling as I walked toward the back of the church. The whispers grew louder, and I could feel every pair of eyes following me.
" Dad," I whispered, my voice barely audible, and overwhelmed by fear.
"Damien isn't coming. And mom... She's still not here."
My father, who had been trying to maintain his calm demeanor, furrowed his brows as he exchanged a glance with the ushers nearby. His jaw tightened. " I'll go find her," he said sharply, already taking a step toward the door.
" No," I interrupted, stepping in his path. " Dad, wait."
His eyes softened slightly, but his concern was obvious. " Myla, this is your wedding day. You shouldn't be running around like this. Let me handle it."
"Dad, please," I interrupted.
"Damien isn't here, and I need to find him. And mom's probably just running late."
"Myla..." He hesitated, his tone softening. "Are you sure? This is your wedding day. Let me-"
"I'm sure," I said, cutting him off again. "I have to do this."
He looked at me for a long moment, his lips pressing into a thin line before he finally sighed. "Fine." He handed me the keys, his grip lingering for a second. "Be careful. And call me if you find anything-anything at all."
"I will," I promised, though the knot in my stomach told me I wouldn't be calling with good news.
I stepped out of the church, the warm air outside feeling suffocating against my skin. Sliding into the car, I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white.
Why hadn't Damien shown up? My mind raced, desperate to piece together a reason that didn't involve the worst.
I started the engine, the sound matching the rapid beat of my heart. Whatever was going on, I had to find him. I drove through the streets of the city to Damien's townhouse, each second of the journey felt like an eternity.
When I arrived at Damien's townhouse, my hands were shaking so violently, I almost couldn't unlock the front door. Finally, I managed to push it open.
" Damien?" I called softly, unsure of what to expect.
No answer.
My footsteps echoed as I entered the house, the place we had picked out together-the place I had imagined our future.
The silence was suffocating.
" Damien?" I called again, my voice breaking. Still, there was no reply.
I hurried up the staircase, each step echoed like the ticking of a time bomb. My eyes scanned the dimly lit hallway, but it was the noise from his bedroom that caught my attention.
A soft moan.
My heart stopped. No!. This isn't happening. My blood ran cold. I didn't bother to knock, I pushed open the door.
The moment I walked into the room, my heart felt like it was ripped apart.
There, in the dimly lit room, I saw my mother-Vanessa-on top of Damien,her hands gripping his shoulders, and her head thrown back in pleasure.
My breath was knocked out of my lungs.
My mother's mouth opened in a gasp, her fingers gripping Damien's hair as she rode him. Damien's face, the face that should have been standing at the altar, was contorted in pleasure.
The room seemed to blur around me as the crushing reality hit me hard.
A soft gasp escaped my lips, but neither of them stopped. Not until Vanessa turned her head, her eyes meeting mine.
My legs gave out as I stumbled back, my heart shattered into a million pieces. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't move.
Vanessa's eyes flickered towards me and the time seemed to stop. There was no apology, no regret in her eyes.
I sobbed uncontrollably until my chest ached, and my breath came in ragged gasps. Tears spilled freely, blurring my vision.
This could not be real.
But it was.
" Mom... how could you?" I wailed, my voice hoarse with disbelief.
Vanessa, still straddling Damien, turned to face me. Her lips parted, but there was no shame in her eyes-just a coldness that froze me in place.
"You should have known better, Myla," my mother said, arching her eyebrows. "I've always wanted him. You were just a stepping stone."
When Zora was sick during the early days of her pregnancy, Ezrah was with his first love, Piper. When Zora got into an accident and called Ezrah, he said he was busy, when in actual fact, he was buying shoes for Piper. Zora lost her baby because of the accident, and throughout her stay at the hospital, Ezrah never showed up. She already knew that he didn't love her, but that was the last straw for the camel's back, and her fragile heart could not take it anymore. When Ezrah arrived home a few days after Zora was discharged from the hospital, he no longer met the woman who always greeted him with a smile and cared for him. Zora stood at the top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, "Good news, Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us anymore, so let's get a divorce." The man who claimed not to have any feelings for Zora, being cold and distant towards her, and having asked her for a divorce twice, instantly panicked.
6 years ago, Lydia suffered a brutal betrayal orchestrated by her own husband and step-sister, who drugged her and framed her. In a twist of fate, she ended up having a one-night stand with a stranger. Don't even remember what he looked like. Later, in the throes of death, she discovered the truth about her mother's death all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, she lost everything. 6 years later, Lydia returned with her genius son, vowing to exact revenge on all her enemies! Little did she know, she encountered an incredibly familiar man at the airport! *** The man was briskly pushing open the door to the restroom, heading to the urinal. Even with such a mundane action, he did it with unparalleled elegance and grace. Lydia, following him in a daze, saw his fierce lower body and suddenly snapped back to reality. She let out a high-pitched scream, instinctively covering her eyes with her hands, her cheeks flushed, and stood there stiffly, unsure of what to do. Lambert furrowed his brows slightly but remained calm as he continued to relieve himself. The sound of water hitting the urinal made Lydia's face even redder. She angrily shouted, "You pervert!" Little did Lydia know that Lambert, seeing her in this state, had a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Memories from many years ago flashed through his mind, and his heart couldn't help but stir. It was her!
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!"
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!
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
Anabel found out she was pregnant and dialed her husband's number to share the good news to him. They have been married for two years without a child. Desmond's mother had been accusing her of being barren and unproductive. When the call was picked, she was flabbergasted and broken. She was hearing a loud moan of feminine voice. "Ohh! Yeah! Don't stop fucking me! Fuck me harder baby!" accompanied with sound of skins slapping against the other. She went home to confront her husband and end up receiving a divorce paper. Desmond divorced him for a lady his mother was rooting. Few months later when he found out that his ex-wife is a billionaire heiress and she is pregnant with twins, he went crazy!