The Cost of Their Lies

My life with Jake was supposed to be a rom-com: I, the supportive girlfriend, he, the brooding game developer destined for greatness. But our apartment was a toxic mess of his empty energy drinks and my growing resentment, as the rent-paying backbone of his "genius." Strange, unsolicited “viewer comments” glowed in the air around me, always excusing his messes, validating his outbursts, and telling me how to be the "perfect" partner. They echoed in my ears the night Jake threw a tantrum over a hot dog, shattering our matching mugs and leaving me cut and bleeding, while the comments screamed that he was just "hangry" and "passionate." After Jake publicly flaunted his "support crew" and I lost my major freelance job due to the "difficult" reputation he manufactured, I was drowning in a narrative everyone else seemed to believe. Why was my life so chaotic, and why did everyone, even my own parents, act like I was the problem? Fleeing in despair, I stumbled upon a shocking truth: My entire life, every argument, every emotional manipulation, was a meticulously crafted "script" by a "Relationship Architect" named Mark Taylor, designed to make me the perfect, submissive character in Jake's "hero's journey."

My husband, Ethan, always said the money was in my account for my birthday, but that thin comfort barely masked the ache of five years of neglect. Every year, on our shared birthday, he’d be "swamped with work," while his childhood friend and my birthday twin, Chloe, got the full Ethan Davis production – elaborate plans, thoughtful gifts, all the attention I craved. He’d even bought this stunning silver sequined dress, making me foolishly believe this year might be different, that it was for me, only to overhear him in the bathroom, tenderness dripping from his voice for Chloe, calling me "not a toddler" who needed her hand held. Then, the Instagram post. Chloe, beaming, wearing *my* supposed birthday dress, planting a kiss on Ethan’s cheek, captioning it, "Best birthday ever with my one and only protector!" Five years of turning a blind eye, of justifying his absence, of trying to understand his "charity case," evaporated into a cold, hard rage. I was a wife who simply wanted her husband to remember her birthday, to prioritize her over his childhood flame who clearly wanted to be more than friends. And for that, I was dismissed, humiliated, a "placeholder" in my own marriage. But that moment, seeing his brazen betrayal plastered online, was the last straw. I typed, "This trash is yours now. Have fun with him," under Chloe’s post, and then announced on my own Facebook: "After five years, I’ve decided to file for divorce from Ethan Davis. Some things just aren’t worth fighting for anymore." I was done being the invisible wife; it was time to choose myself.

For five long years, my sister Meg and I lived in Ryan Sterling's opulent mansion, a "gilded cage" disguised as an act of kindness after our accident. My days were consumed by caring for his demanding son, Kyler, while my musical dreams lay dormant, my face forever marked. One morning, Kyler, with a malicious smirk, deliberately scalded my guitar hand with scorching coffee. But a far colder burn came moments later: I was six weeks pregnant with Ryan's baby. His chilling words, delivered with flat precision, demanded: "An abortion, Ellie. It's the only way." My hand blistered, a constant ache, yet it was dwarfed by his casual dismissal of our unborn child as a mere "complication." He spoke of my "damaged" and "dependent" state, his tone echoing the pervasive control that had suffocated us for five years. How could the man who once seemed captivated by my music now strip me of all humanity, reducing my life, my body, and my child to inconvenient problems? This callous disregard, this profound sense of injustice, was the final, devastating cut to my soul. But in that instant, a desperate resolve ignited within me. I would not bring my beloved child into such a cold, demeaning existence, nor would I let her witness my own subjugation. Clasping my still-blistering hand, now a symbol of their cruelty and my newfound defiance, I looked Ryan in the eye and declared, voice trembling but firm: "Meg and I are leaving."

After five long years, the prison gates groaned open. My husband, Michael, and our son, Kevin, were waiting, their presence a balm to my battered soul. I stepped into the blinding California sun, believing my nightmare was over, ready to reclaim my life. But within days, searching for old family videos on Michael’s tablet, I stumbled upon a subfolder: “Audio Notes – Misc.” The latest file contained Kevin's voice, confessing how he’d helped his father frame me – swapping my USB drive, planting evidence before my career-defining presentation. Then, Michael's chilling confirmation: he orchestrated my downfall, all to clear the path for a young actress, Sophia Bell. My meticulously rebuilt hope shattered. My five years in prison weren't a mistake; they were a deliberate sacrifice orchestrated by my own husband and son. I discovered Michael’s study was a shrine to Sophia, filled with devotion he never showed me. At Sophia’s lavish Hollywood party for the film stolen from my script, I saw my grandmother’s cherished necklace – my wedding "something old" – glinting on her neck. My own father publicly disowned me, my son Kevin shoved me to the ground, calling me an embarrassment. Later, I found Michael and Sophia in *my* bed, my heirloom tossed carelessly aside. How could the people I loved most betray me with such cold precision? Was my entire life built on a foundation of lies and manipulation? The pain was suffocating, the injustice searing. With trembling hands, I signed the divorce papers. Minutes later, I was in a black car with David Lee, my loyal friend, leaving behind the wreckage. No suitcase, no goodbyes, just the quiet click of the door marking the start of a new battle and a new dawn.

For ten years, I was Mrs. Ethan Cole, the perfect half of Manhattan's "Power Couple," living in a penthouse straight out of a magazine. I believed in our vows, even if love felt distant. Then, at a grim police precinct, I overheard him. My husband, Ethan, praised his assistant, Chloe, “She’s not like Ava. Chloe has self-respect. She wouldn’t just… offer herself up like that.” My world shattered. Ten years, my entire adult life, reduced to a woman he deemed disposable, lacking "self-respect." He proved it, dismissing my car accident, then allowing Chloe to maliciously frame me at Thanksgiving. He even grabbed my arm, his fingers biting into my skin, all to protect her. I was his property, an inconvenience, nothing more. How had I been so blind to the depth of his contempt? How could a relationship built on duty devolve into such cruel neglect and humiliation? The man who was supposed to be my protector had become my tormentor. That night, my voice steady, I told him, "I want a divorce." His rage erupted, demanding I "come home," threatening to make my life a living hell. But the compliant wife was gone. My only regret was not leaving sooner. This was no longer a marriage; it was my fight for freedom, my chance to finally live.

Evelyn Hayes, a venture capitalist celebrating a milestone in her impressive career, just wanted a quiet moment at a campus Starbucks, dressed comfortably after a long panel. But a simple outfit choice unexpectedly ignites a firestorm: anonymous messages turn into public online attacks, spearheaded by Mark Jenkins, an aspiring entrepreneur she's about to judge. He demonizes her, painting her first as "distracting," then as a "corrupt elite" actively sabotaging his dreams. When he realizes she's the lead investor for the prestigious "Pioneer" Accelerator, he unleashes a venomous social media campaign, exploiting his family for sympathy and turning the internet into a mob crying "#CancelEvieHayes" and accusing her of being everything wrong with Silicon Valley. How did a casual tank top become an excuse for such a calculated, personal vendetta? How can one man’s bitter entitlement twist reality and orchestrate a public shaming campaign against a professional woman? Refusing to be silenced, Evelyn knows she must fight back, not just for her reputation, but for every woman targeted by online hate. But as she prepares to expose Mark’s dark past, a terrifying truth emerges: his desperation could turn vicious. Will she overcome the digital mob and a dangerous real-life threat, or will his false narrative destroy everything she’s built?

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.

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.

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.

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."

"End her, and burn her body." Those words rolled off cruelly from the tongue of my destined one-MY MATE. He stole my innocence, rejected me, stabbed me, and ordered me to be killed on our wedding night. I lost my wolf, left in a cruel realm to bear the pain alone... But my life took a twist that night-a twist that dragged me into the worst hell possible. One moment, I was the heir to my pack, and the next-I was a slave to the ruthless Lycan King, who was on the brink of losing his mind... Cold. Deadly. Unforgiving. His presence was hell itself. His name a whisper of terror. _He swore I was his, craved by his beast; to satisfy even if it breaks me_ Now, trapped in his dominant world, I must survive the dark clutches of the King who had me wrapped around his finger. However, within these dark reality, lies a primal fate....

"Ms. Crawford, it’s time for you to divorce Mr. Larsen and come home. You're the only heiress the Master's waiting for.” ~•~ For the sake of love, Amara accepted the arranged marriage with Tobias William Larsen. She did everything to gain her husband’s heart but when his old love returned, she realized that all her effort was all for naught. Tobias demanded a divorce on the night of their wedding anniversary, even at the price of threatening her. Heartbroken, she finally dropped all her illusions about him and returned home to be the heiress. The next time she met Tobias, they were no longer couples but opponents. "Mr. Larsen, should I remind you again? We've divorced." "Amara, that's the stupidest mistake I've ever made. Please come back to me."