Love Against All Odds
Your Humble Ex-Wife Is Gone
Three years of marriage, and Jayson Mccormick never once looked at me the way he looks at my sister. I told myself he was just cold. That if I loved him hard enough, he'd eventually love me back. Then I crashed his secret wedding. The bride was Kate-the daughter my parents kept while I was lost. The guests? My entire family. They all knew. They all helped. "She's dying," Jayson said. "Let her have this." So I let her have it all. The husband. The family. The life they built around her. I walked away with nothing-because I knew I could make it all back. After years of silence, the legendary perfumer and the financial genius have returned. They think I have nothing. They don't know that, where they never bothered to look, I've already built an empire of my own. It's time to bury the obedient wife.
Chapter 1 The Secret Wedding
It was exactly seven o'clock in the evening.
The private manor, nestled on the outskirts of the city, was brilliantly illuminated, its grand facade glowing like a beacon against the darkening sky.
Corina Logan stood at the towering wrought-iron gates, her attire glaringly out of place. She wore a simple, unadorned plain dress, the kind one might wear for a quiet evening at home, standing in stark contrast to the opulence unfolding before her.
Just two hours ago, the illusion of her life had still been intact. Her husband, Jayson Mccormick, had called her, his voice carrying its usual clipped, authoritative tone. "There's a critical board meeting tonight that's going to run late," he had said through the receiver. "I won't be coming home. Go to sleep early, Corina."
Yet, here he was. Not in a boardroom surrounded by executives, but in this lavishly decorated estate, preparing to hold a wedding ceremony with another woman.
Through the grand windows of the manor's main hall, Corina could see the head table. Sitting there, adorned in their finest evening wear and beaming with pride, were her biological parents, Arthur and Eliza Logan, alongside her older brother, Oliver.
The guests mingling on the manicured lawns and inside the grand hall were a familiar crowd. They were the mutual friends, business associates, and extended family that made up the social circle she and Jayson shared.
Yet she, the lawful wife, had been kept entirely in the dark.
As Corina took a step closer, the evening breeze carried a scent that made her breath hitch. It was a complex, intoxicating fragrance-a masterful blend of deep, velvety rose intertwined with the rich, smoky notes of agarwood.
This specific perfume was named "Surrender." It was a unique, one-of-a-kind fragrance that Corina had personally formulated and blended as a wedding gift for Jayson three years ago. It was meant to symbolize a love that was absolute, a yielding of the heart.
Now, this very scent, representing possession and ultimate surrender, saturated the air of a wedding where her husband was the groom, and the bride was not her.
Her gaze traveled down the pristine white carpet that served as the aisle. At the end of it stood Jayson, looking breathtakingly impeccable in a custom-tailored, pure white high-fashion suit. His usually cold, calculating eyes were currently filled with a profound, melting affection as he looked at the woman standing opposite him.
The bride was Kate Logan.
Kate was the fake daughter who had occupied the Logan family's nest for over twenty years. Corina, on the other hand, was the true daughter, only found and brought back to the family a mere three years ago. Because their grandfather and the patriarch of the Mccormick family had been comrades in the trenches, they had arranged a marriage pact for their grandchildren.
When Corina returned to the family, she fulfilled that pact, marrying the heir to the Mccormick empire, Jayson. It felt like destiny to her, because Jayson was the man Corina had desperately, silently loved for seven long years. He was the man who had once pulled her out of the darkest abyss of her life.
She had truly believed this was a match made by fate, that she was destined to be the happiest woman in the world. But reality had just delivered a resounding, brutal slap across her face.
At this moment, Kate, draped in a voluminous, sparkling white wedding gown, leaned weakly against Jayson's chest, looking so fragile that a strong gust of wind might blow her away.
As Corina stepped fully into the light of the entrance, the melodious strains of the "Wedding March" suddenly warped. The musician had spotted her, and his fingers slipped, producing a harsh, piercingly discordant note that echoed across the lawn.
Instantly, every pair of eyes in the venue snapped toward Corina.
The joyous smiles on the faces of the Logan family froze, replaced by expressions of sheer panic and guilt.
Whispers erupted among the guests, spreading like wildfire.
"Is that... isn't that Corina? Why is she here?"
"I thought everyone agreed to keep this an absolute secret from her!"
"Who leaked the information? This is going to be a disaster."
The hushed voices were deafening. She was his actual wife, yet in this place, surrounded by her own family and friends, she was treated as an unwanted intruder.
When Jayson's eyes finally landed on her, a flash of genuine shock crossed his deep gaze, but it was almost instantly swallowed by his habitual, chilling composure.
He lowered his head, whispering a few soothing words to Kate, before gently handing the bride's hand over to a bridesmaid. He then stepped off the altar, his long legs eating up the distance as he strode purposefully toward Corina.
As he neared, the familiar, crisp scent of cedarwood that always clung to him enveloped Corina. It was the scent she had once been so hopelessly addicted to.
"What are you doing here?"
Those were his first words. Not an explanation, not an apology, but a cold, hard interrogation.
Corina looked up at the face she had loved for seven years. The sharp, aristocratic line of his brow, the thin, cool lips she had kissed a thousand times. Suddenly, she found the entire situation utterly laughable.
"Shouldn't I be here?" Corina's voice was incredibly soft, as casual as if she were inquiring about the weather. "My husband is getting married here today. Shouldn't I come to offer my congratulations?"
Jayson's brow furrowed deeply, a clear precursor to his impatience.
He took a sudden step forward, his large hand shooting out to clamp down hard on her slender wrist. Without another word, he dragged her away from the prying eyes of the crowd, pulling her into the shadows of a secluded stone corridor.
Once they were enveloped in the dim light of the corridor, he stopped and released her wrist.
"Corina, don't make a scene," he commanded, his voice tight.
"Kate... she doesn't have much time left." Jayson reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket, pulling out a silver cigarette case. He extracted a cigarette but didn't light it, instead rolling it restlessly between his long fingers, a sign of his internal agitation. "Late-stage liver cancer. The doctors have confirmed she has, at most, half a month left to live."
Corina stood perfectly still, her eyes locked onto his.
"And so?" she asked, her voice devoid of inflection.
"Her final, greatest wish in this life was to wear a wedding dress and marry me," Jayson said, meeting her gaze with a look that suggested his actions were the most logical, reasonable thing in the world. "This wedding is entirely fake. I am simply putting on a performance for her, allowing her to leave this world without any lingering regrets. Do you understand?"
He paused, taking a breath, and when he spoke again, his tone softened marginally, sounding like a king offering a generous concession to a peasant. "Corina, it is merely a ceremony. Why must you be so petty and hold a grudge against a dying woman?"
Petty? Holding a grudge?
Corina's gaze drifted past his broad shoulders, looking out toward the distant, brightly lit lawn where the guests were still murmuring, their faces painted with a mix of celebration and nervous anticipation.
Love Against All Odds
"A love Against all odds" is a captivating tale that takes readers on a journey of unexpected love amidst the odds. The story revolves around Amelia, a young and impoverished girl whose radiant beauty is concealed beneath the weight of her circumstances. Born into poverty and raised by a single moth
The Strong Survive Love Against All Odds
Chase Ward had done with women. Now his father was meddling in his life, hiring an attractive young woman, Christine Morrison to replace Chase's male secretary. As a defense attorney he did not have time to babysit his father's protégé. He decides to dislike her from the start. But much to his chagr
AGAINST ALL ODDS!
Caught in a web of lies and deceit, Sybil Eagan is left at the altar by the only man she has ever loved. Moving on isn't as easy as she thought, but she perseveres, and when she finally decides to open her heart to love again, the man who left her down the aisle comes back into her life, and no, he
Against The All Odds
Odds! Wouldn’t it be odd to not have something to fight against like suppose just some odds that we have to face? We can’t just escape them for sure. I mean numbers can’t be complete with just even series, right? Just the same way, having odds has been a normal part of anyone’s life. Yeah, sometimes
Against All Odds.
A young woman, living in a small town, finds herself drawn to a mysterious stranger who keeps appearing around town. As she gets to know him, she realizes that he's not all he seems to be - he's actually a werewolf! Will she be able to accept his true nature, or will she run away?
Against All Odds #1
The story "Against All Odds" is about, two lovers Ava and Caleb. Their relationship started as a boss to an employee. But as time goes on things change and they fell in love with each other, even though Victoria( Caleb's morther) was not in support. Little do they know that, there's more secrete to
Against All Odds
As a poor family struggling to get through the day, my parents chose to be sailors, a dangerous but quite generous job. Until one day, my life as a child tore down, when they sailed to a point of no return. I still recall all our memories together. Today I am marrying an independent girl who surviv
Against all odds: crowned by fate
Harper Quinn has always been a fighter. From working multiple jobs to support her younger sister to chasing her dream of becoming a top fashion designer, she's never let anything stand in her way. But when an unexpected opportunity arises- a high-profile contract with a luxury brand- she finds herse
Love Against Odds
The story revolves around a female protagonist from a wealthy family who has a best friend named Erica. Despite being forced into a marriage, the protagonist refuses to accept it as she doesn't believe in love. It all changes when she meets a bartender named MB, and they engage in a series of fights
Love Against All Expectations
Kaylee had high hopes for her future. After spending many years with her adopted family—the Hadleys, she was about to get married to the infamous son of the Stephen family instead of her sister. Elijah—the bridegroom was known to be a treacherous playboy. He was handsome and loaded, but he was far
To Love Against
The Richmonds are a wealthy family with a long ancestry of wealth flowing from generation to generation. Melanie inherited the Richmonds' estate alongside the conglomerate with her father's passing. Still young and not very experienced in handling such a great company and disposal to such an amoun
Love Across Borders: How One Couple Defied Race, Culture, and All Odds for Love.
Ama Sarpong, a strong-willed woman from Ghana, never imagined her journey to Germany would lead her into the arms of Karl Fischer , a man whose heart harbored deep-seated prejudices. A chance encounter ignites an unexpected and intense connection between them, forcing both to confront their beliefs,
REVENGE (Love Conquereth All)
A young girl comes home from her birthday party, battered and raped, only to find her parents lying dead in a pool of their own blood. She thought that was the worst that would ever happen to her as she regretted celebrating her 18th birthday party... She received the shock of her life when she wa
LOVE ENDURES ALL THINGS
A billionaire named Ethan falls in love with a waitress of a restaurant named Ella despite her low class. But like every other love story their love will encounter betrayal jealousy and forgiveness however with their love for each other they endured everything
Perfect Odds
Calista Brenner refuses to let go of her past. She had her entire life figured out…except, maybe that was only in her mind. Being stood up for her own wedding should be a clue. Regardless, she’s determined to fix this. She just needs a plan and if there’s one thing she’s good at, it’s planning. It d
Greatest Love Of All
Ron and Holley were married four years ago. Their wedding was a great sensation, but their marriage was unhappy. Ron planned to send Holley to the prison, and announced that he would never touch her again. Holley spent four years in prison. When she is released, she feels wronged and doesn’t want to
Incest, a love against the grain
They love each other, without really wanting to, because each beat of their hearts follows an inverted rhythm. He advances, she retreats. Their story, a dance in reverse time, seems doomed to a dead end. And yet, with each separation, something invisible holds them, inexorably, towards a destiny tha
All For Love (Love Caused It)
Ivy, a young girl was reportedly murdered a few years back. They buried the wrong body not knowing it was not hers. However, she did not die, but was saved by a very kind person. But unfortunately, she had no memory of her past life, and her killers. As time went on, Ivy knew little about her
All He Needs Is Love
This is a story of a young boy,who at an early stage of life wants through love.He faced many disappointments but later accomplished his goals. The quotes which are used at the beginning or end of a chapter is just to illustrate what the chapter means.
