Loraine was a dutiful wife to Marco since they got married three years ago. However, he treated her like trash. Nothing she did softened his heart. One day, Loraine got fed up with it all. She asked him for a divorce and left him to enjoy with his mistress. The elites looked at her like she was deranged. "Are you out of your mind? Why are you so willing to divorce him?" "It's because I need to return home to get a billion-dollar fortune. Besides, I don't love him anymore," Loraine replied with a smile. They all laughed at her. Some believed that the divorce affected her mentally. It wasn't until the next day that they realized she wasn't fibbing. A woman was suddenly declared the world's youngest female billionaire. It turned out to be Loraine! Marco was shocked to the bone. When he met his ex-wife again, she was a changed person. A group of handsome young men surrounded her. She was smiling at them all. The sight made Marco's heart ache severely. Putting his pride aside, he tried to win her back. "Hello, love. I see that you are a billionaire now. You shouldn't be with suckers who just want your money. How about you come back to me? I'm a billionaire too. Together, we can build a strong empire. What do you say?" Loraine squinted at her ex-husband with her lips curled in disgust.
It was dark outside.
Laughter erupted from the living room of the Bryant family's villa from time to time. Different voices could be heard chatting heartily.
In the kitchen, the air was so hot. Loraine Torres was cooking alone. Her face was flushed and sweat dripped down her forehead as she stared at the boiling soup in the pot. Soon, her vision became blurry.
She had been down with a fever since morning.
However, she was yet to go to the pharmacy to buy some medicine or have a good rest. She had been doing chores around the house since the crack of dawn.
"Hey, is dinner ready yet? Gosh! You are still not done. I can't believe that my brother married lazybones like you!" Marina Bryant shouted at her, standing at the kitchen door.
Loraine licked her dry lips. She was used to her sister-in-law's mean attitude.
"It will be ready soon."
Marina hissed. "Get it over with. My brother and Keely are waiting for the meal. Keely is different from a bumpkin like you. She had been receiving treatment abroad before coming back this time. Her health needs to be monitored well. We can't starve her. Otherwise, my brother won't let it slide."
Loraine's hand that was holding the cooking spoon tightened. She froze as her heart ached severely.
Since she was married to Marco Bryant three years ago, she had been nothing short of a dutiful wife. But he never appreciated her efforts. She was nothing in his eyes. To him, she couldn't hold a candle to Keely Haywood.
Marina sneered.
"Listen to me, Loraine. You wouldn't have been able to marry my brother if our grandma hadn't been in a hurry to have a great-grandchild. Had Keely been in the country at that time, my brother wouldn't have married you. You are just a useless woman. Three years have passed, but you haven't given birth to a child."
Tears welled up in Loraine's eyes at this moment. She fought them back as she watched Marina leave.
Just then, she heard a faint voice from outside.
"Marco, am I disturbing you and Loraine? Is she angry?" This female voice was so coquettish.
"No. Your welfare is the most important here," a deep and pleasant male voice said with tenderness.
Never had Marco spoken to Loraine with such loving care. It was what she longed for throughout the past years.
Loraine stood alone in the kitchen, and her aching heart sank. Her eyes fell on the candles and gift box in the trash can. The pain in her heart increased.
She had been trying to make this marriage work all these years.
Her so-called husband whom she always showered with love didn't remember that today was their third wedding anniversary.
Despite her sickness, she prepared a big dinner to celebrate. But it soon turned into a welcome dinner for Keely.
Everything seemed like one big unfunny joke. All her efforts, forbearance, and hope were reduced to nothing tonight.
"Miss Torres, I'm sorry to bother you guys. Let me help you." Keely walked into the kitchen with an apologetic smile.
With her face void of any expression, Loraine stared at the beautiful and feeble woman in front of her. "You should address me as Mrs. Bryant, not Miss Torres."
The apologetic smile Keely had disappeared in the blink of an eye. She eyed Loraine and said arrogantly, "Let me get this straight, Loraine. I'm the only woman in Marco's heart. He only married you because of his grandmother. Three years is enough for this sham of a marriage. Now that I'm back, I will take my rightful place in this household. Don't get your hopes up that you will win Marco's heart. How about you save yourself the shame and leave?"
Intense hurt tugged at Loraine's heartstrings. However, she still put up a strong front in the face of her rival.
"For your information, I'm still Marco's wife. I'm Mrs. Bryant. You are the outsider here."
Horror was written all over Keely's face as soon as she heard those words. They pierced her heart like a thousand knives.
"Stop being so complacent. The title of Mrs. Bryant isn't your birthright. It can be revoked. Besides, you will be in trouble if anything happens to me because of you. Just wait and see!"
An ominous premonition rose in Loraine's heart.
"What do you intend to do?" she asked, squinting her eyes.
Before Loraine knew what was happening, Keely grabbed a knife from the chopping board and tried to stab herself in the abdomen.
Loraine tried to stop her. Holding Keely's wrist, she roared, "Are you crazy?"
Keely shook off her hand.
During the struggle, the sharp blade slit Loraine's arm. She groaned in pain.
It was then she saw blood seeping through Keely's clothes.
Keely smiled at her evilly. The next second, she shouted at the top of her lungs.
"Marco, help! Loraine wants to kill me!"
Loraine's eyes almost bulged out of the sockets. A second later, Marco came rushing into the kitchen.
She tried to explain what happened, but no words came out. It seemed like her throat was blocked.
Loraine suddenly felt dizzy. Blood was gushing from her arm and her head was banging.
As she grew unconscious, she saw Marco walk past her. He picked up Keely and rushed out, leaving his wife on the ground unconscious.
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
After two years of marriage, Kristian dropped a bombshell. "She's back. Let's get divorced. Name your price." Freya didn't argue. She just smiled and made her demands. "I want your most expensive supercar." "Okay." "The villa on the outskirts." "Sure." "And half of the billions we made together." Kristian froze. "Come again?" He thought she was ordinary—but Freya was the genius behind their fortune. And now that she'd gone, he'd do anything to win her back.
“Do I want a taste?” his voice deeper than he had ever spoken. His eyes pinned on me like I was the only thing that fascinated him. “What do I do?” I thought to myself as he moved closer to me, I wanted to run away, to resist him but I was pinned to the wall by him. “Gosh I hate this man so much” his scent, his body, his beautiful green eyes, he was driving me crazy. I know this is wrong, he has a fiancee and all but that makes me want him even more. “Get on the bed and spread your legs” his cold voice woke me up and then I remembered I was just a maid to him. “Yes master”.