Evelyn caught her husband, Nathan, cheating with her longtime friend, Clarisse, in the guest room of their own house-a room Evelyn had generously allowed Clarisse to stay in. Without the slightest hint of guilt, Clarisse looked Evelyn in the eye and coldly explained why Nathan had chosen her. Together, they shamelessly admitted their affair and even asked Evelyn for permission to get married. But Evelyn was not a woman who would simply surrender to betrayal. With a firm voice and eyes filled with pain, she flatly rejected their request. Behind the deep wounds, Evelyn made a vow-those traitors would learn the true meaning of loss and regret. And she wouldn't stop until they paid the price for the betrayal they wore so proudly.
Evelyn stood at the end of the hallway, her fingers clutching the doorknob of the guest room-a room she had cleaned just days ago, the same room she had offered to Clarisse without hesitation. The woman had shown up at their door three months ago, teary-eyed and desperate, claiming she had nowhere else to go. Evelyn, always too trusting, too soft-hearted, had opened her home.
She hadn't expected to open that door and find her world collapsing.
The low murmur of voices inside was unmistakable. A man's voice-her husband's-and Clarisse's soft laughter. Evelyn froze. It wasn't the first time she'd had suspicions. Late-night calls Nathan claimed were work emergencies. Clarisse avoiding eye contact. Her gut had whispered, but her heart hadn't wanted to listen.
Until now.
With a breath that trembled in her chest, Evelyn pushed open the door.
Time seemed to stretch.
Clarisse was on the bed, legs tangled with Nathan's, her bare shoulders glowing under the warm light. Nathan turned his head, shock crawling slowly across his face like a stain. Clarisse didn't even flinch. Instead, she tilted her chin up with a kind of defiance that made Evelyn's stomach twist.
"Evelyn," Nathan said, scrambling to sit up, covering himself with the blanket as if modesty mattered now.
She didn't speak. Her eyes darted between them. Her husband. Her best friend. In her house. In her bed.
Clarisse smiled-calm, unapologetic. "I guess this saves us the trouble of telling you."
"What... What the hell is this?" Evelyn's voice cracked.
Nathan opened his mouth, but Clarisse was faster.
"We didn't mean for it to happen," she said smoothly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "But it did. And now, it's real. Nathan and I... we're in love."
Evelyn blinked, the words slicing into her. Real? Love?
"I've been your friend since college," Evelyn whispered. "You cried in my arms after every failed relationship. I gave you a place to stay. I trusted you-"
"And I'm grateful," Clarisse cut in. "But maybe that's the problem. You see trust as a weakness. You give too much and expect everyone to treat you like you treat them."
Nathan stood, his face pale. "Evie, I didn't want you to find out like this."
Evelyn laughed bitterly. "Then maybe you shouldn't have f*cked her in our guest room."
Silence.
Nathan flinched. Clarisse didn't.
Evelyn took a step forward, her eyes locked on her husband's. "What exactly are you trying to say now, Nathan? That it's over? That you're leaving me?"
He hesitated. "We want to get married."
The words were a punch to her ribs.
"You want my permission?" she asked, stunned. "After everything?"
Clarisse slid off the bed and stood beside Nathan, sliding her fingers into his. "It's the least you could do. You can't stop us from being together."
The arrogance. The cruelty. Evelyn felt something harden inside her.
She smiled. It wasn't the sweet, forgiving smile Nathan had known for the past seven years. This one was different-sharper. Measured.
"No," she said calmly. "You don't get my blessing. And you don't get to walk away clean."
Nathan frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," Evelyn said, stepping closer until she could see the flicker of fear in his eyes, "if you think I'm just going to disappear quietly, let you two run off into some fairytale ending, you don't know me at all."
Clarisse's eyes narrowed. "So what? You're going to fight for a man who doesn't want you?"
"I'm going to fight for everything you thought you could steal from me," Evelyn snapped. "And then I'll make sure both of you know what it feels like to lose."
Nathan's jaw tensed, but he didn't speak. He couldn't. Somewhere deep inside, even he knew-he'd unleashed something in her that couldn't be undone.
Evelyn turned on her heel and walked out, not waiting to hear their excuses or their shallow declarations of "it just happened." The tears would come later. The heartbreak could wait.
Tonight, she didn't fall apart.
She started planning.
After being betrayed by her fiancé and stabbed in the back by her own family, Elora lost everything overnight. Her home, her trust, and her hopes-all shattered. Just when her life hit rock bottom, a mysterious man began appearing in the most unexpected moments to help her. His name-Kaelan Drake. Unbeknownst to Elora, the calm man who once offered her a ride during a heavy rainstorm was actually the CEO and owner of the company she worked for. But what shocked her even more was the morning he called her into his office. With a sharp gaze and a cold voice, Kaelan gave her an ultimatum she couldn't ignore: marry him that very day... or be fired from her job.
Five years ago, Alessia La Rosa's life took a drastic turn when, suffering from memory loss, she wed to Dominic Carter under her grandfather's mysterious arrangement. But their marriage was a facade, bringing her only humiliation and heartache as Dominic showed no love, and she couldn't conceive. Upon discovering Dominic's infidelity, Alessia sought liberation through divorce. Yet, fate had more in store for her. Five years later, spurred by an anonymous email hinting at her lost child's whereabouts, she returns to the city with her twin babies in tow, determined to uncover the truth. As she navigates the tangled web of her past, a surprising twist awaits. Dominic, upon meeting her again, finds himself drawn to the woman she has become, unaware of her true identity as his former wife. Little does he know, the woman he's falling for is not only his ex-wife but also a powerful Doctor and Master Hacker.
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.
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?
Iris grew from an orphaned child to the adopted daughter of the Stewart family at age ten, finding warmth in her nominal uncle Vincent's kindness. Seven years later, she became his secret lover. When Vincent's engagement was announced, gossip spread about the notorious playboy CEO finally settling down. But only Iris knew the extent of his cold, two-faced nature. Iris fell for Vincent and, through tears, begged, "Marry me," only to be met with his frosty refusal. Defeated, she accepted a lawyer's proposal, sparking public excitement. Then, on her wedding day, Vincent pleaded desperately, "Don't marry him…"
"You're pathetic!" Brenden sneered, each word cutting deep into Corinna's heart. Years of emotional wounds had drained every ounce of love she once held. "I've wasted enough time on you. If there's a next life, I hope we never meet again." Her words severed the bond between them like a blade. From that moment on, Brenden was haunted by her absence—unable to sleep, longing for the warmth he took for granted.
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."