Athena, a gifted pianist, loses everything after a mysterious accident robs her of the use of her hand. As she struggles to rebuild her life, dark secrets about her husband Leon and her best friend Crystal come to light-their betrayal runs deeper than she ever imagined. With the help of Arthur, a mysterious man with a vendetta, Athena devises a plan to expose their deceit. But as they work together, the lines between trust and suspicion blur, leaving Athena wondering: is Arthur truly her ally, or does he have ulterior motives? As their game reaches its peak, will Athena find justice, or will she become ensnared in an even darker web of betrayal?
"Leon, where are you?"
Athena's voice trembled as she pressed the red button on her phone. Her fifth call in the past hour had been met only with the cold sound of a waiting tone. Worry gnawed at her, making her bite her lower lip, especially after her mother had called from the hospital, weakly repeating her husband's name.
"Mrs. Athena? Excuse me, but shall we leave now? Perhaps Mr. Leon is still stuck on the city's connecting road?" Edward, her assistant, suddenly approached, nearly causing the wine glass in her tightly gripped hand to slip.
"I can't calm down until I see my husband, Ed. He promised to be with me, and my mother's call earlier... What if he's in some kind of trouble right now?" Athena sighed heavily, the finest goose feathers adorning her wide-brimmed hat shifting slightly with her breath.
"But, ma'am-"
"The businessman hosting this event is one of Leon's new associates, Ed. It would be better for me to arrive with him to avoid questions from the reporters that will only give me a headache."
"Alright, ma'am. How about delaying your departure for another ten minutes? I'll notify the event organizers of the change."
Nodding, Athena let her assistant leave. With her fingers clad in white mesh gloves, she reached for her phone again. She intended to call her husband once more but was distracted by a notification that shattered her heart.
"Impossible! How could they be together?!"
***
Flashes of light alternated, illuminating Athena's beautiful face as she stepped out of a black limousine. The clicking of cameras grew louder as she walked down the red carpet, forcing a fake smile and a soft wave of her delicate fingers.
Who didn't know Athena Rose Waverly? In addition to being a talented pianist, her last name alone revealed her to be the daughter of a renowned business mogul. Born into fame, her name echoed across the nation, especially after her marriage to Leon Alexander Thorne, a man coveted by many women.
"Mrs. Athena? You've arrived alone at tonight's party? Where is Mr. Leon? Weren't you both listed to attend together this evening?"
"Yes, Mrs. Athena. Where is your husband? Could the rumors be true? Is your marriage on the rocks after less than a year?"
"So, the photos circulating on social media are real, Mrs. Athena? Your husband is having an affair with your best friend? Is this the worst birthday gift you've ever received, Mrs. Athena?"
Forcing another smile, Athena continued walking, ignoring the reporters swarming her. Her dazzling evening gown reflected the light from the crystal chandeliers, making her appear mesmerizing to everyone present, though beneath her graceful smile lay a turmoil she couldn't dispel.
"Mrs. Athena, it's time. Everyone is eagerly awaiting your piano performance," Edward whispered, snapping her out of her reverie.
"Alright, don't forget to signal me if my husband arrives." Athena tried to remain positive, but before heading to the stage, she turned to look at the man behind her with a slightly quivering gaze. "Do you think... I haven't been a perfect wife for Leon?"
"Excuse me, ma'am?"
"Ah, it's nothing. I... I'm just nervous!" She shook her head, ending the conversation with a smile. For the first time, she felt unsure of herself. But despite her doubts, she resolved to deliver her best performance that night.
"Good! It feels like I'm about to play the soundtrack to my downfall!"
With her mask of composure firmly in place, Athena waved to the guests. She forced herself to banish the haunting image of her husband's intimate photo with her best friend, captivating everyone with her performance-including someone watching her from afar.
"Perfect! Give it your all tonight, darling. Enjoy this moment while you can, for tonight marks your ruin!"
Applause and cheers erupted as Athena's music bewitched the audience. She delivered the climax of her piece masterfully, channeling her shattered emotions into the melody.
"Mrs. Athena? The host of the event and the Mayor would like to speak with you. They seem deeply impressed by your performance tonight," Edward said, approaching with a drink in hand.
"How can I socialize when my mind and heart are in utter chaos, Ed?" Athena quickly wiped away a tear before accepting the drink. "Please find an excuse for me. Tell them I'll speak with them another time."
"Understood, ma'am. I'll let them know. Please wait here for a moment, and then-"
"I want to leave on my own. Give me your car keys; I'll use the back gate to avoid the reporters. Apologize to everyone on my behalf for leaving early."
Without further ado, Athena downed the drink Edward had handed her. She frowned slightly at its odd taste but dismissed the feeling, unaware of the looming danger.
"Mr. Leon, Mrs. Athena has left the event as predicted!"
Oblivious to the conversation behind her, Athena continued walking away. Though the back gate was still busy, it offered respite from the reporters who stirred her childhood trauma-especially now, with Leon's rumored affair circulating widely.
"How could Leon and Crystal have been carrying on behind my back? I... I can't believe they'd do this to me!" Athena muttered, gripping the steering wheel tightly as she drove.
The quiet of the night road gave her the freedom to accelerate. She pushed Edward's car to its limit under the dim glow of the streetlights. Her hands trembled on the wheel, her mind consumed by the photos of her husband and best friend at a hotel.
[They look so intimate. Are you sure they're just friends?]
The text from an unknown number echoed in her head. Athena's headache worsened. Finally, the tears she'd held back spilled freely, leaving her sobbing as pain tore through her heart.
"How could you do this to me, Leon? I love you so much, but why did you betray me like this?!"
The storm of emotions caused her head to throb. Her vision darkened as she reflexively swerved the car, sending it skidding. A deafening crash reverberated as sparks flew.
"This is your downfall, Athena!"
Kara never imagined that the purity she had guarded so carefully would vanish in a single night. Her life changed drastically in an instant. She was ostracized, alienated, and even treated no better than an animal. Kara was deeply devastated, but she continued to persevere for the sake of her child. After several years had passed, she was reunited with a man who had inflicted profound suffering upon her. He came back and further ensnared her life. Would Kara be able to endure once again? What if the man tries to take her child away in the future? Would Kara be willing to let go of her child to the man who had shattered her life?
Nara did not expect that the result of her long wait would lead to a divorce. Nara was betrayed and lied to by her own husband, and her life was destroyed. Nara had no hope for life until a man came along who became her god of help. He is Dimas, who offers her a form of revenge cooperation. Will Nara's plan with him work? Or will Nara be trapped with all her own plans and have her life even more destroyed?
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."
PERMISSION IS TAKEN FRIM THE ORIGINAL, BE WARNED!! Do you believe in Myths? Just when she thinks it can't get any worse, it does. Lucy lost everything four years ago in a rogue attack. She's been abused, starved, rejected, and broken. As her eighteenth birthday approaches, strange things start to happen, things that only happen once every century. She finds friendship in the most unlikely place and escapes to find her true self with the help of the most dangerous Alpha. Warning: This werewolf trilogy is not intended for anyone under the age of 18 or anyone who doesn't enjoy a good spanking. It will take you on adventures around the world, make you laugh, fall in love, crush your heart and possibly leave you drooling.
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
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.
Trigger warning!!! Intended for mature readers who enjoy morally complex, slow-burn, poseesive, forbidden, dark romance that pushes boundaries. ***EXCERPT*** Blood everywhere. Trembling hands. "No!" My eyes blurred. His lifeless eyes stared back at me, his blood pooling at my feet. The man I loved-dead. Killed by the one person I could never escape - my stepbrother. *** Kasmine's life was never hers to begin with. Kester, her stepbrother, controlled and monitored her every move. At first, it was all sweet and brotherly until it began to turn into an obsession. Kester was the Alpha, and his word was law. No close friends. No boyfriends. No freedom. The only consolation Kasmine had was her twenty-first birthday, which was supposed to change everything. She dreamt of finding her mate, escaping the sickening control of Kester, and finally claiming her own life. But fate had other plans for her. On the night of her birthday, not only was she disappointed that she wasn't mated to the love of her life, but she found out that her mate was none other than him - Her tormentor. Her stepbrother. She'd rather die than be mated to a man whom she had known as her big brother all her life. A man who would do just anything to make sure she was his. But when love turns to obsession, and obsession turns to blood, how far can one girl run before she realizes there is nowhere else to run to?