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Bound by a contract, torn by the past, and tested by fate--is a second chance at love worth fighting for? Vanya Moon never imagined she would marry the man who once broke her heart. But when Rex Patterson, a billionaire with icy charm, offers a deal to save her brother's failing business, she has no choice. Their marriage is strictly business, yet old feelings resurface-passion, pain, and a love neither can forget. As hidden truths emerge and family pressures mount, their fragile bond is tested. When Rex discovers Vanya's secret-twin sons he never knew-he must fight to win her trust and reclaim their love. Will their second chance be enough to heal the wounds of the past?
The scent of vanilla candles filled the air, mingling with the faint aroma of the chocolate cake Vanya Moon had baked herself. The dining table in her small apartment was decorated with gold balloons and streamers. A carefully wrapped box sat in the center, containing the custom watch she'd spent months saving for.
Tonight, she had everything planned. It wasn't just Rex Patterson's birthday-it was the night she was going to tell him their lives were about to change forever.
She glanced at her reflection in the mirror one last time, smoothing down her navy-blue dress. A tiny flutter of nerves tickled her stomach, but she brushed it aside. Rex loved her. She was certain of it.
Her phone buzzed, interrupting her thoughts.
"Are you on your way?" she asked, her voice filled with excitement.
There was a pause. "I'll see you soon," Rex said, his tone oddly curt. Before she could ask what was wrong, the line went dead.
*********
THREE HOURS LATER
The candles had burned halfway down, the cake untouched. Vanya's excitement had given way to confusion, then worry. She dialed Rex's number again, but it went straight to voicemail.
Her phone chimed. She lunged for it, hoping it was him.
It wasn't. It was a text.
"Check the kitchen counter."
Frowning, Vanya walked over to find a single envelope propped against the wall. Her name was scrawled across the front in Rex's familiar handwriting.
Her fingers shook as she opened it, dread settling in her chest like a stone.
"Vanya, I can't do this anymore. Please don't look for me. I'm sorry. -Rex"
She blinked, reading it again, then again, hoping the words would change.
"What...?" she whispered, her breath hitching.
She grabbed her phone, redialing his number. This time, the robotic voice on the other end crushed her hope entirely: "The number you are trying to reach is no longer in service."
"No," she whispered, shaking her head. "No, no, no!"
Her heart pounded as she grabbed her coat and keys, her mind a blur of questions and fears.
*********
The imposing iron gates to Rex's estate were as cold and unyielding as the security guards standing in front of them.
"I need to see Rex," Vanya said, desperation lacing her voice.
The taller of the two guards shook his head. "Mr. Patterson left strict instructions not to let anyone in."
"Not anyone! I'm his girlfriend!" she snapped, clutching the bars of the gate.
"I'm sorry, ma'am," the guard replied, his tone firm but not unkind.
Vanya stepped back, tears stinging her eyes. "Please," she begged. "I need to talk to him. There's been a mistake."
"There's nothing I can do."
Her knees felt weak, but she refused to let them buckle. She stared at the mansion in the distance, her chest heaving with sobs. The man she loved, the man who had promised her forever, had disappeared without an explanation.
Her trembling hand fell to her stomach as she felt more than the pain of heartbreak.
*********
FIVE YEARS LATER
The sound of clinking glasses filled the conference room as Vanya Moon exchanged firm handshakes with the investors seated around the table. She exuded calm confidence in her tailored black blazer, but beneath her polished exterior, the pressure of the moment weighed heavily.
"Thank you for your time, gentlemen," she said, her tone crisp.
The investors nodded, but their expressions were hesitant. They'd heard the whispers about MoonTech's financial troubles, and the doubts in their eyes made it clear that Vanya had a steep hill to climb.
As the room emptied, her younger brother Damon leaned closer to her, his face etched with worry.
"Vanya, you don't have to do this anymore," he said, his voice low. "You've already sacrificed so much for me-for the company. It's not your responsibility to fix this."
She turned to him, her dark eyes blazing with determination. "You think I'm just going to walk away?"
"Vanya-"
She cut him off, gripping his hand tightly. "Listen to me, Damon. I'm not giving up until you're debt-free, even if it means I have to-"
Her words were interrupted by the sound of the TV in the corner of the room.
"Breaking news," the anchor announced. The screen cut to a photo of a man with sharp features, perfectly styled hair, and a smirk that made Vanya's stomach churn.
Rex Patterson.
Her breath hitched as the image flashed across the screen. The voice of the anchor continued, oblivious to the storm raging inside her.
"Billionaire mogul Rex Patterson is making headlines yet again as investors pour billions into Patterson Empire, citing his unmatched vision and leadership. Sources say this deal could mark one of the largest investments in the company's history."
Vanya stared at the screen, her pulse pounding in her ears. Rex looked smug and untouchable, his wealth and power on full display for the world to see.
Her grip on the edge of the table tightened as a bitter resolve hardened in her chest.
"Vanya," Damon said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You've done enough. You don't have to-"
She cut him off, her voice firm and unwavering.
"Even if it means I have to dine with the devil himself."
She was betrayed, reborn, and given a second chance-not for love, but for justice. Will her vengeance consume her, or will she rewrite her destiny? Betrayed by her mate and best friend, Lira's life ends in a pool of her own blood and broken dreams. Her mate's rejection and the loss of her unborn child shatter her soul. In her dying breath, she calls upon the Moon Goddess for justice. The goddess answers, granting her rebirth-but not as the weak mate she once was. Now reborn as Nora Moonblood, Luna to ruthless and fearsome Alpha of their pack, Lira must navigate a web of loyalty, revenge, and new love. With her past life's memories intact, she sets out to unravel shocking truths about her past, her death, her present and forge a path of vengeance. Will she bring her betrayers to justice or find healing in her new life?
P-please, I beg you. Come let's go tell Christian I had no hand in whatever happened, p-please." I clutched the lapel of his jacket desperately. "Let's go. You need to tell my husband you were paid." "Young lady, you're harassing me." His tone was cold and his stare granite. But I could care less. "You harassed me first! You had sex with me without my consent, my husband knows and now I'm pregnant with this child he doesn't want. You ruined my marriage! I-I hate you!" ************************************ Caught by her husband with another man on their matrimonial bed the morning after her birthday, Hailey Codza could not defend herself. As though it's not enough, she gets pregnant. Her enraged husband decides to pay her back for her infidelity by having an affair with his ex-girlfriend - Denise Kellers, the family Hailey never knew she had. Losing her family's wealth and company to her husband and his ex (now girlfriend), she is devastated, homeless and penniless as all her credit cards are blocked by her husband. She sees the man who is responsible for her pregnancy. The man she has no idea how he'd found his way to her matrimonial bed - Jared Johnson. Jared is annoyed when this strange woman disrupts his meeting and accuses him of ruining her life, marriage and impregnating her. It affects his business deals and having no choice, he marries her to calm the public whilst engaged to someone else. But he loathes her and allows his family treats her badly. Hailey who has fallen in love with Jared is broken when she can no longer take the humiliation. She signs the divorce papers and leaves, only to arrive six years later to the country as a self-made, secret billionaire and a mother of twins. Now her two ex-husbands are begging to have her back...
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.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.