I was just a pawn in your game... but now, I'm the one holding all the cards." Three years ago, Arianna Blake was nothing more than a quiet, obedient wife-until the man she loved shattered her world. On their wedding anniversary, she walked in on her husband, billionaire CEO Damon Callahan... in bed with her best friend. The next day, she was ruthlessly divorced and thrown out like garbage, accused of betrayal she didn't commit. But Arianna didn't disappear. She rebuilt herself from the ashes. Now, she's back-with a new name, a powerful identity, and a secret Damon can't afford to discover. He wants her again. The problem? She didn't return for love. She came for revenge. And this time, she's the one who will walk away... With his heart in pieces.
The silence in the penthouse was unsettling.
Not the peaceful kind-but the kind that whispered secrets, like the air itself knew something she didn't.
Arianna Callahan tightened her grip on the bouquet of white lilies in her hand. Their scent used to calm her. Now, they choked her. Her heels clicked softly against the marble floor as she walked through the home she shared with her husband-the man she had loved for five years, married to for three.
Her heart raced.
Tonight was their anniversary.
She had spent the last two weeks secretly planning it. A private dinner. His favorite wine. A silk dress she picked out just for him. She even had the courage to leave the office early, for once, eager to surprise Damon with something simple, something real.
But the surprise wasn't hers to give.
It was waiting for her instead.
The bedroom door wasn't locked.
She pushed it open.
And everything inside her died.
There they were-Damon, her husband, shirtless, standing by the edge of their bed. And Lila. Her best friend. Wearing nothing but a silk robe that was very much hers.
The robe she had packed in the gift bag on their honeymoon.
It took Damon a second to notice her. When he did, he didn't flinch.
He didn't look guilty.
He looked... annoyed.
"Arianna," he said flatly, like she had walked in on a business meeting.
Lila smirked behind him, tugging the robe tighter around her waist with theatrical modesty. "Oh. You're early."
Arianna's throat closed up. "This is a joke, right?"
Damon's eyes-those cold, silver-gray eyes-met hers. "You should've called."
"Called?" she whispered.
"I was going to talk to you tonight," he said, buttoning his shirt like this was nothing. "It's better this way."
Her fingers tightened around the bouquet until the stems snapped. "Better what way?"
"I want a divorce."
The words fell like a bomb, echoing inside the cavern of her ribcage.
Arianna didn't respond. She couldn't. Her mind tried to grasp something-an explanation, a denial, anything. But the silence between them was filled with nothing but Lila's smug smile and Damon's icy indifference.
"There are documents in my study," he added. "Everything's ready."
"You've already-?"
"I've known for a while, Arianna. I just needed... confirmation."
Her voice cracked. "Confirmation of what?"
"That you cheated."
It hit her like a slap. "What?"
Damon walked past her, brushing her shoulder like she was nothing more than a stranger on the street.
"Don't insult me by denying it," he said. "I saw the messages. I know about you and Gabriel Hale."
Gabriel Hale. Her former colleague. A man she'd worked late nights with-strictly professional. She barely even spoke to him outside of work. The thought of anything romantic was laughable.
"You think I-Damon, that's not true."
"It doesn't matter now."
Arianna's chest heaved. "You believed them?"
"I didn't need to," he said, still refusing to look at her. "The evidence spoke for itself."
And just like that, she realized: He never really knew her. Never trusted her. Not when it counted.
She let the lilies fall to the floor.
"Get out," she whispered, her voice trembling but sharp. "Both of you."
Damon raised a brow. "This is my house."
"No," she said, finally lifting her chin. "This was our home. But it died the moment you chose her."
Lila snorted. "God, you're dramatic."
Arianna turned, eyes blazing, and for the first time in her life-she didn't cry.
She didn't beg.
She didn't even break.
She simply walked away.
Three Years Later
The city skyline had changed, but her resolve had not.
Arianna-now Aria Steele-stepped out of the black sedan, dressed in midnight-blue silk and diamonds that whispered of old money. The gala was in full swing, lights glittering from the ballroom windows, reporters buzzing at the entrance.
She handed the valet her invitation, her lips barely curved into a smile. "Aria Steele, investor and founder of Steele Holdings."
"Yes, Miss Steele. Welcome."
She walked in like she owned the place.
Because now, she did.
Behind her, the whispers began: Who is she? Where did she come from? Did you see that dress?
And in the far corner of the ballroom, Damon Callahan looked up from his drink-and his heart stopped.
There she was.
Older. Stronger. Unrecognizable in the best way.
She wasn't his Arianna anymore. She was something else.
Something untouchable.
And she didn't even spare him a glance.
She loved him with all she had. He shattered her with all he was. The night Arabelle Knight walked in on her husband tangled in bed with her best friend, her world ended - literally. Declared dead after a mysterious accident, Belle was buried and forgotten. But death was never part of her plan. Two years later, she returns - unrecognizable, untouchable, and armed with a new identity. Now, she's no longer the innocent girl he once betrayed. She's the storm he's about to beg for mercy from. When Damian Blackwood meets the fiery stranger who feels achingly familiar, he doesn't know two things: She's the woman he destroyed. And she's here to destroy him back. In a dangerous game of love, lies, and vengeance, the price of his love may be everything he's not ready to lose - including his heart. Betrayal cuts deep. Revenge cuts deeper. But love... love leaves the deadliest scars.
When the Hearts Collide is a deeply emotional, slow-burning romance woven with secrets, heartbreak, and the unexpected beauty of connection. Set between the gritty charm of New York City and the elegance of Paris, the story follows Amara Lane, a passionate street artist with a haunted past, and Julian Vale, a powerful finance executive hiding from a scandal that could destroy his life. Their worlds collide-literally-on a rainy afternoon in Central Park, when a chance encounter sparks something neither of them expected. Amara sees beyond Julian's guarded heart, while Julian finds peace in her chaos. But as their relationship deepens, so do the shadows they're both hiding. Julian's past is catching up with him in dangerous ways, and Amara is forced to choose between trust and self-protection. Full of romantic tension, surprising twists, heartbreaking choices, and moments of unexpected humor, When the Hearts Collide is a novel about love found in the wreckage, and what it means to fight for something real when everything else is falling apart.
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."
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."
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.
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
It's true what they say about marriage: one partner's always happier than the other. ~~~ Julie's world is shattered when her husband, Ryan, reveals that he wants an open marriage. His reason: he needs a child as they've been unable to have one. Julie reluctantly agrees to save her marriage. The next day, Ryan returns home with his secretary, confirming Julie's long-held suspicion that their affair was taking place behind her back. Julie, heartbroken and enraged, seeks solace in a bar, where she meets a fascinating stranger named Luke, who changes the game. Julie confides in Luke over drinks, and he proposes a risky plan: he will act as her "boyfriend" to turn the tables on Ryan. Julie agrees, setting off a chain of events that will challenge everything she thought she knew about love, loyalty, and herself.