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Blurb; On the eve of her wedding, Adeline's world crumbles when she discovers her fiancé, Stuart, entwined with her step-sister, Annika. But that's only the beginning. As Adeline confronts the deceitful pair, she's met with a sinister surprise. A shocking betrayal leaves her fighting for survival, and when she awakens in an unfamiliar room, she's faced with a horrifying reality: she's been violated and her life is in danger. With her memory shattered and her body scarred, Adeline must unravel the web of lies and deceit that threatens to destroy her. Will she find justice, or will the darkness consume her?
Chapter 1
ADELINE
"I have endured everything that has been thrown at me, including being entangled in this unsolicited marriage with you, yet for some reason, you are right here, coiled up in the arms of my sister. I only have one question - Do you feel like a man now?" I refuse to let tears run down my cheeks though my heart aches like it has been smashed into a thousand pieces.
"Adeline, you look adorable whilst feigning anger, but this is all too much and vain, so quit it." Annika flips her hair backward as she leans in closer into Stuart's arm to stress a point that I already knew too well.
Stuart never loved me, and neither did he want to be in this marriage with me. His heart had always belonged to my step-sister, so I do not understand why my heart is hurting seeing them in this entangled position a few days before my wedding-Our wedding.
"Oh, that's where you've got it wrong. I'm not feigning anger; neither am I angry, to be clear. It's a few days to the wedding so surely the both of you should be able to control the urges, unless you're trying to do me a favor by letting someone else see you like this."
"The wedding would be called off, and we both know that we don't want this wedding, so that would be of much benefit to the both of us." I forced a smile and straightened my back as they both stared at me in shock. I can't let them see my pain, that would be the last thing I do.
"You're very much aware, Adeline, that I and Stuart used to be a thing, and I guess that would explain why you're paranoid seeing the both of us together, but seriously, this isn't what you think." I raise a brow as I lift the corner of my lips in a scoff.
"Your wedding is in two days and the worst thing I can do is to have any involvement with your husband. Maybe I would later after the wedding but just not now." Annika states as she disengages from Stuart's arm taking a seat in the room casually.
What does she mean by it isn't what I think? How else can one explain seeing her husband and his ex-girlfriend, who is, in fact, my step-sister, together in a compromising position? When I say compromising situation, I mean on the same bed; arms wrapped around each other--you get what I mean.
"You have not a single right to say that it isn't what I think because you are not inside of my head and do not have any idea what's going on inside of it." I subconsciously take a step back, refusing to let them see my fear though I am terrified of the fact that Annika has just changed her sitting position for the third time. Right now, she was walking towards me with a coy smile etched on her face; how bleak is that?
I swallow nervously as Annika gets to where I am standing, much to my detriment, and the hairs at the back of my neck rise as she places her filthy hands on me.
"Adeline, you would be very much surprised at how much I know of what's going on inside of your head, but trust me, I need you to dismiss the thoughts." I am on the brink of tears, and my eyes itch to let the tears roll down, but I can't let it. Not in front of them.
"Oh please, don't play the good sister role. We both know that you're way far from that." I bite the insides of my tongue to stop myself from screaming out my frustration.
"You judge me." She simply smiled as she circled me slowly, my heart pounding in my chest and it felt like they could hear it from even a mile away.
"It confuses me; why can't you just admit to Dad that you love Stuart?" I question and curse inwardly when I let a tear slip. The question seems to have ruffled her feathers a bit due to the way her face goes rigid but I wanted her to answer the question.
I have repeated the question ever since I got to know that Annika and Stuart were sexually Involved but no one had deemed me worthy to receive an answer to that.
"You ask too many questions, Adeline," Annika muttered and my eyes widened in shock as I felt a sting on my neck. A burning sensation raging like a merciless inferno blazed from the exact spot where she had stabbed with -whatever it was- and darkness began to creep in.
***
The time I woke up, I was on the bed somewhere that didn't look like my room, nor was it a tad bit familiar. I try standing from the bed, but as I do, the room begins to swirl in my eyes, and my head begins aching.
I placed both hands on each side of my head as I tried to recall how I got here but the only thing that crossed my memory was a blur of hazy darkness. Trying to remember only causes my head to ache even more; the room is dark, and as I stare out the window, I realize this is either nighttime or dawn breaking.
Am I dead? Is this what the afterlife looks like? Or am I being held hostage?
I tiptoed out of the bed and groped around the wall. By the tiniest strand of luck, I found something that looked like a light switch and I quickly turned it on.
The room was illuminated and I took in a deep breath of relief before looking down on myself.
"Argh!!' A shrill and loud cry escapes my mouth as I gaze at the bed in terror. There was blood all over the sheets.
Hold on, there's also blood on me! I lifted the dress I was putting on slowly in horror and it confirmed the sore I was feeling between my legs.
Astrid was a good bride, Luna and mother of the people of her pack. She cared too much for other's but never for herself.She was in love with a man who didn't give a damn about her but she didn't leave. She stood beside him and helped him build his clan despite whatever people said behind her back.Soon he warmed up to her but that was all a facade. When his first love arrives, she is put into dilemma and gets insecure if almost everything about her.Her insecurities were scary and they came to life. She was locked away in the dungeon on the day of Kara's delivery day (kael's first love). Scared and alone, she reached out to Kael but he not only made the guards beat her up but called her immature.She lost her baby.Wounded and afflicted. She left the pack after severing all ties with Kael, but she promised him one thing and that is Revenge.How did she get her revenge?And do you think it all worth it?Find out.
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"
Allison fell in love with Ethan Iversen, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Moonlight Crown pack. She always wanted him to notice her. Meanwhile, Ethan was an arrogant Alpha who thought a weak Omega could not be his companion. Ethan's cousin, Ryan Iversen, who came back from abroad and was the actual heir of the pack, never tried to get the position nor did he show any interest in it. He was a popular playboy Alpha but when he came back to the pack, one thing captured his eyes and that was Allison.
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."
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.