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!"
Katelyn Bailey pushed the door open and walked briskly into the villa.
Today was her anniversary with Neil Wheeler, and she had already planned the celebration.
"Neil? Are you home?" she called out.
Katelyn looked around but found no one in the large house.
Puzzled, she went upstairs to the second floor and was met with the unmistakable sounds of intimacy coming from the master bedroom.
A woman's voice moaned loudly, attempting to stifle her pleasure. "Stop it, Neil. This isn't fair to Katelyn..."
Hearing the soft moan was enough to drain all the color from Katelyn's face, and it definitely didn't help when she recognized the voice.
It was Lise Cooper.
She was Neil's old flame. Katelyn never expected her to return.
Yet there they were, in the master bedroom, engaged in an affair.
"Why is it unfair? Our families joined by marriage for mutual benefits. Katelyn is just my wife in name. I don't care for her at all. I'm not even interested in her body and I've never touched her since we got married."
"I pity her! Three years of marriage, and she hasn't won her husband's heart," Lise commented.
Katelyn began to tremble. Those words pierced her heart like invisible daggers.
Her marriage to Neil had always been one of convenience, and not by love.
For the past three years, Katelyn had devoted herself entirely to her family. She did the laundry, cooked meals, and tried her best to be a good housewife. Despite her efforts, Neil had never shared a bed with her.
Katelyn had believed she wasn't meeting his expectations and had failed to earn his approval. But now, she realized he had never cared for her.
The ongoing sounds of sex from the room made Katelyn's heart ache.
"Bang!"
All of a sudden, the door flew open.
The two people on the bed were entwined, and Neil quickly grabbed a blanket to cover both himself and Lise. When he saw Katelyn, he froze for a moment before his expression turned cold.
With disdain, he barked, "Get the fuck out!"
Even though he had been caught in the act of adultery, he still carried himself with an air of arrogance.
Katelyn felt a sharp pain in her chest. Staring at her husband, who showed no remorse, she asked in disbelief, "Neil Wheeler, why are you doing this to me?"
Lise leaned forward and deliberately pulled down the blanket a little bit, revealing the kiss marks on her collarbones.
With a soft sigh, she said, "Katelyn, you should understand that a mature man has physical needs. Neil doesn't love you, so he doesn't wanna sleep with you. I'm the only one he loves, which is why he can only be intimate with me. I'm sure you can understand our situation, right?"
Lise smiled. She had deliberately chosen to seduce Neil on their anniversary, relishing the thought of Katelyn being overwhelmed.
Katelyn clenched her fists tightly and glared at Lise with bloodshot eyes. "You're proud of being a home-wrecking bitch, aren't you?"
Lise's eyes turned red as she replied, "How could you say that? Would I have broken up with Neil if your parents hadn't threatened my family's safety? Katelyn, forcing love only leads to suffering. And remember, in any relationship, the one who isn't loved is the real outsider."
Katelyn stared at her in shock. So this was the story Lise had fed Neil.
It was now clear to her how Neil couldn't seem to move on from Lise.
The truth was that neither Katelyn nor her family had forced Lise and Neil apart.
"That's a lie!" Katelyn wanted to defend herself, but before she could speak, Neil cut her off.
"Katelyn, if it weren't for you, Lise wouldn't have suffered so much these past few years. How dare you and your parents treat her that way? I will never forgive the Bailey family."
Neil had already stood up and dressed, his gaze toward Katelyn as cold as ice.
Katelyn's heart continued to ache.
In that moment, she abandoned any attempt to explain and smiled bitterly.
She realized how blind she had been to love a man who cheated on her and felt no remorse.
A flash of satisfaction crossed Lise's eyes, but she sighed with a guilty tone. "Neil, don't be so hard on Katelyn. She overheard us at the door earlier. You haven't slept with her in three years, so it's understandable she's feeling unbalanced."
Katelyn trembled with rage. She stormed over to the bed and snapped, "You shameless slut! How dare you spew such nonsense? Didn't anyone in your family teach you any manners? I'll be happy to give you a lesson then."
She raised her hand and slapped Lise across the face.
"Smack!"
"Eek!" Lise cried out in pain.
Her head snapped to the side from the force of the slap.
"Katelyn, you bitch!"
Neil's eyes narrowed. Without a second thought, he rushed to defend Lise, and slapped Katelyn back.
"Smack!"
Caught off guard, Katelyn was struck and staggered back. A burning pain spread across her right cheek, and her ears buzzed as she struggled to regain her balance.
Anger flared in Neil's eyes as he growled, "Who do you think you are? How dare you hit Lise! Marrying you is my biggest mistake in life."
He turned abruptly, yanked open the drawer of the nightstand, and pulled out a divorce agreement. He threw it at Katelyn and shouted, "Sign it. I never want to see your face again!"
The divorce agreement had already been prepared and signed by Neil.
Katelyn fought back a bitter smile. The pain in her cheek was sharp, but it couldn't compare to the deep ache in her heart.
However, she knew it was time to let go of her marriage. He didn't love her and had even betrayed her. There was nothing left for her to hold on to.
Without hesitation, Katelyn picked up the agreement, quickly signed it, and threw it at Neil's face.
"Neil Wheeler, I'm done. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other."
As soon as she spoke, her phone rang. Katelyn froze when she saw the caller ID. Ignoring Neil's reaction, she swiped to answer the call.
The voice on the other end sounded urgent. "Iris, when are you coming back to work? The orders at the studio are piling up. Someone has even offered a hundred million dollars for a chance to work with you."
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!”
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
Her fiance and her best friend worked together and set her up. She lost everything and died in the street. However, she was reborn. The moment she opened her eyes, her husband was trying to strangle her. Luckily, she survived that. She signed the divorce agreement without hesitation and was ready for her miserable life. To her surprise, her mother in this life left her a great deal of money. She turned the tables and avenged herself. Everything went well in her career and love when her ex-husband came to her.
"You're a creepy bastard." His eyes smolder me and his answering grin is nothing short of beautiful. Deadly. "Yet you hunger for me. Tell me, this appetite of yours, does it always tend toward 'creepy bastards'?" **** Widower and ex-boss to the Mafia, Zefiro Della Rocca, has an unhealthy fixation on the woman nextdoor. It began as a coincidence, growing into mere curiosity, and soon, it was an itch he couldn't ignore, like a quick fix of crack for an addict. He didn't know her name, but he knew every inch of her skin, how it flushed when she climaxed, her favourite novel and that every night she contemplated suicide. He didn't want to care, despising his rapt fascination of the woman. She was in love with her abusive husband. She was married, bound by a contract to the Bratva's hitman. She was off-limits. But when Zefiro wanted something, it was with an intensity that bordered on madness. He obsessed, possessed, owned. There'd be bloodshed if he touched her, but the sight of blood always did fascinate him. * When Susanna flees from her husband, she stumbles right into the arms of her devilishly handsome neighbour with a brooding glare. He couldn't stand her, but she needed him, if she was ever going to escape her husband who now wanted her dead. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. She should have recalled that before hopping into Zefiro's car and letting him whisk her away to Italy. Maybe then, she wouldn't have started an affair with him. He was the only man who touched her right, and the crazy man took no small pains in ensuring he would be the last.
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."
Blurb: Nina Morrison's life is a relentless struggle, torn between caring for her bedridden father and enduring her stepfamily's cruelty. But her world is shattered when a near-fatal encounter with Lucien Gray-the ruthless, untouchable head of a global consortium-pulls her into a nightmare of possession. Lucien is captivated by Nina's fiery defiance, determined to possess her at any cost. But Nina's will to rebuild herself is stronger than his obsession. As their paths collide, desire and revenge intertwine, forcing them to confront the darkness within themselves. Can Nina reclaim her life? Will Lucien's obsession destroy them both, or will they truly fall in love and live happily ever after?