The Day the Contract Ended, His World Crumbled

My life was perfectly on track. A full scholarship to Yale, loving parents, and the SATs were just another stepping stone. I had my best friend Brittany and boyfriend Kyle by my side, seemingly there to support me through it all. Then, I died. And snapped awake, gasping. The horrifying memories of my past flooded back: a SAT cheating scandal that ruined my family and led to their deaths, and my own demise. I was back, exactly one day before the SATs, staring at the faces of those who would betray me. I desperately tried to change my fate, fleeing the hotel and establishing an alibi. Yet, the nightmare unfolded again. I was arrested, framed with planted evidence-a fake earpiece, forged transactions, a look-alike at the test center. My ironclad alibi vanished when the cafe's security cameras mysteriously 'fried.' My parents were shamed, my father physically attacked. How could this be happening? Every attempt to escape only tightened the net. My supposed best friend, my boyfriend-they were the architects of my ruin. The proof was overwhelming, irrefutable, yet entirely false. Was I truly powerless against this meticulously crafted conspiracy? But amidst the despair, a single, overlooked detail on the 'evidence' hoodie sparked a desperate hope: the absence of a tiny, silver thread I' d sewn into my unique raven patch. This time, I wouldn't be a victim. Feigning illness to buy critical time, I would unravel their monstrous lie and reclaim my future.

My tech company was at its peak – celebrated, successful. For twenty years, I believed my marriage to Bella was just the same: perfect. We had two sons, Mark and Alex, my pride and joy, the heirs to everything I had built. Then, at fifty, Bella lay dying in a sterile hospital bed. Her rasping voice delivered the blow that pulverized my world: "Ethan," she whispered, "the boys… they' re not yours. They' re Ryan' s." My heart squeezed, then shattered. My own sons, whom I loved more than life, turned on me instantly, their eyes cold and calculating. They saw Ryan, their biological father, not as a long-lost parent, but as a direct route to my wealth, reducing me to nothing but a disposable obstacle. In the brutal inheritance struggle that followed, the very boys I' d raised beat me to death. I gasped for air, my heart giving out under the crushing weight of their betrayal, my world built on a twenty-year lie crumbling to dust. How could I have been so utterly blind? My final thought was of profound regret, a desperate, yearning wish for another chance to live life differently, to choose another path. Then, darkness. But instead of an afterlife, I jolted awake, alive, younger, surrounded by the pulsing chaos of an SXSW party. Standing before me, vibrant and deceptively innocent, was Bella, dropping to one knee, a champagne flute raised, asking me to marry her. This was my impossible second chance. And this time, with the bitter truth of twenty years flooding my mind, I knew exactly what to say.

I spent hours sourcing ingredients, meticulously preparing a farm-to-table lunch for my wife, Olivia. It was meant to show my unwavering support for her booming career, a perfect culinary testament to my love. But Olivia barely glanced at the beautifully set table. One quick peck on the cheek, a mumbled excuse about a "team BBQ," and she was gone. Moments later, I saw it: her Instagram, smugly captioning a brisket sandwich, while her assistant Mark' s LinkedIn showcased my elaborate meal, beautifully plated at his office desk, praising Olivia as the "Best Boss." My scallops. My panna cotta. All discarded and used as a prop for her assistant. When I confronted her, she fiercely defended Mark, even accusing me of being "childish." Later, in a fit of rage, she shattered our anniversary sculpture and even a Sterling family heirloom, injuring me in the process, while implying my actions destroyed our relationship. It wasn't just about lunch. It was a relentless invalidation, a blatant disrespect for our vows, for my very identity. My devotion wasn't just unappreciated; it was actively repurposed for another man' s gain, treated as worthless by the woman I cherished most. How could she prioritize his superficial flattery over everything we built? That was the breaking point. I left, but not in defeat. My "departure" was merely phase one. When I unexpectedly returned, catching her laughing intimately with Mark and her own mother dismissing my pain, I knew. The shattered wedding photo I left behind wasn't just physical debris; it was a promise. A promise of a meticulous, devastating reckoning.

I' ve always known what animals were thinking. It' s a secret I keep, even from my boyfriend. So when my best friend, Chloe, invited me to her cutting-edge Primate Cognition Center, I agreed, expecting just another odd day of animal thoughts. Then I met Brutus. A massive gorilla housed behind thick glass, his thoughts weren't mere animalistic grunts. They were clear, chilling: "Her skin. So smooth. I want it. Tonight. I' ll take it tonight." Hours later, Brutus escaped, his tracker leading straight to my apartment building. Mark was working late, and I was alone. Chloe' s police deputy brother, David, rushed to help. I heard his muffled struggle outside my door, followed by Brutus' s casual thought: "He was strong. Good fight." Then, Brutus used David' s dead body to knock on my door, a gruesome puppet. When Mark called, saying he was coming home, I warned him, but he disconnected. His last terrified thoughts flooded my mind as Brutus ambushed him in the garage. Mark was gone. Brutus was gone. But then "Mark" called me. His voice was off. His behavior was wrong, serving me food I' m deadly allergic to. A horrific truth clicked: Brutus wore Mark' s skin as a grotesque disguise – a calculated revenge against my mother, who had experimented on him. My presence was now the target of his cruel, human-like rage. Chloe arrived at our apartment, yet "Mark" lied about her being late. My gut screamed. I found Chloe on the balcony, bound and gagged. Her terrified plea, once free: "It' s not Mark! It' s Brutus! He' s wearing his skin!" Everything clicked. With a kitchen knife glimmering in "Mark's" hand, it was time to fight for my life.

I' m Sarah Jenkins, an independent graphic designer who only longed for a child, not a husband. Five years ago, after a traumatic past, I built a quiet, safe life in Northern California with my son, Leo. I was finally marrying Mark, a kind, stable man, promising us the uncomplicated future we deserved. But peace was fleeting. A week before my wedding, Jax, security chief for Alexander Sterling-the powerful man I' d fled-appeared. He knew. They found me. Then, Alexander himself stepped from a black SUV, confirming my greatest fear: my meticulously faked death and new identity were exposed. The once-amnesiac man, now a formidable Senator, was intent on reclaiming what he believed was his. He publicly crashed my wedding, declaring Leo his son and me his wife. He tore apart the quiet world I' d painstakingly built, leaving me utterly exposed before our stunned community. My heart pounded with terror. Six years hiding, fearing discovery, only to be dragged back into his dangerous orbit? The abandonment, the cold payoff, years of fear-all surged back. What did Senator Sterling, a man of immense influence, truly want from the woman he' d discarded and the child he' d presumed dead? Then he knelt, not accusingly, but with a profound plea. He presented a stunning prenuptial agreement securing my independence and Leo' s future. He hadn' t come to control, but to confess, commit, and offer a path I never dreamed possible. Was this a genuine chance, or a trap disguised as freedom?

My argument with Jake still echoed, his excuses about Emily ringing in my ears. I drove to our old, tiny apartment, a monument to a past that now felt like a cruel joke. My comfortable suburban life, built on what I realized was a lie, mocked me. My Jake, the boy I married, was gone, replaced by a stranger. That stranger was having an affair with Emily, a young woman we' d once helped, and then the ultimate betrayal: Emily appeared on my doorstep, tearful and pregnant with Jake' s child. The irony was a bitter pill. While I reeled, my own body betrayed me. A miscarriage. Our baby, gone before I even knew it was there, while his mistress carried his. His true callousness emerged later. He confessed his twisted logic: years ago, after an illness, I' d been told conceiving might be difficult. Desperate for a child, he' d arranged for Emily to carry his baby. The monstrous deception: she' d disappear, and we' d raise the child as our own. He thought I' d be happy for this sick manipulation of my deepest desires. Disgust curled in my gut. My entire life with him was a brutal, calculated farce. Just as the last shred of my world crumbled, a thud from the bedroom jolted me. There he stood. Not the man who' d shattered my life, but a ghost of love lost. Eighteen-year-old Jake, confused, innocent, staring directly at me. The boy who was once my lifeline, now a stark, impossible reminder of everything I' d lost, and everything I still had to fight for.

Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?

For two years Caitlin quietly wore Isaac's ring, trying to melt the frost from his heart-until his first love returned, pregnant. Devastated and hiding her own pregnancy, Caitlin presented divorce papers. Isaac ripped them apart with a sneer, "Tired of your games already?" Later, Caitlin stormed back into the spotlight-a billionaire designer with endless admirers. Desperate, Isaac pinned her to the wall, pleading, "Honey, give me one more chance."

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.

Ashley is burned alive by her half-sister, but she gets a second chance to undo all of her past. She was reborn ten years ago, and this time she is determined to find a strong backer for herself to take revenge. "I'll take revenge for everything you've done, and I'll make you all suffer!" Author's Note: This story was originally published under the same title on another platform. This version has been fully revised to improve grammar, clarity, and overall reading flow, but the plot remains unchanged. It is now released under a non-exclusive contract. Thank you for reading and supporting this refined edition!

Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town's richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. "Way to go, honey!"

Lucille was one of the most skilled female assassins, and on the previous night, she embarked on a top-secret mission. However, the mission's details were leaked, leading to her untimely demise at the hands of a traitorous companion. She never discovered the identity of the person who betrayed her before her death. But by some miracle, she was granted a new life, and was reborn as a girl with the same name. Determined to uncover the truth and seek revenge for her family, Lucille seized her second chance at life. She planned to avenge her loved ones. However, her plans were complicated by Joseph, an apparently frail man who was actually skilled in martial arts. And he seemed to fall for her deeply, now this newfound knowledge only added to the complications of Lucille's revenge plan...