When The Contract Ends

My head throbbed as I cooked Marcus's favorite meal. It was our tenth anniversary, a milestone I' d hoped would bring some semblance of peace to a decade marred by his growing distance. But Marcus never came home. Instead, an Instagram notification flashed: Skyler Reed, beaming beside my husband, champagne in hand, captioned: "Celebrating new beginnings with Mr. T!" When I finally reached him, his voice was dismissive, cold: "You've let yourself go, Ellie. Skyler's a breath of fresh air." The casual cruelty was a physical blow, leaving me reeling, a sudden nosebleed staining the anniversary tablecloth I' d prepared for a dinner that would never happen. Who was this woman I had become, a ghost of my former self, constantly tired, always bleeding? Why did I allow myself to be chipped away, humiliated, while he flaunted his affair so brazenly? Then, the final, devastating cut: my only comfort, my loyal dog Gus, brutally run down after Skyler maliciously kicked him into the street. My world went black, only to be replaced by the harsh hospital lights and a grim diagnosis: glioblastoma. Marcus, now belatedly awake to his ruin, would beg me to fight. Yet, the profound irony was a bitter pill: his decade of calculated cruelty had left me with no fight left. But though I was dying, this story was far from over-just not in the way anyone expected.

I was Sarah Miller, a junior architect, on the cusp of a life-changing promotion, meticulously crafting a future I believed was mine. But then, like a phantom limb ache, the terrifying memory hit: my "father," David, barging into my review, screaming baseless accusations of kickbacks. In my first life, this was only the beginning, the calculated unraveling of everything I held dear. My entire "family"-David, my "mother" Susan, "Grandma" Carol-systematically dismantled my reputation, framing me for identity theft, driving me into mountains of phantom debt. Their biological daughter, Jess, the "roommate" I thought was a friend, gleefully joined their schemes, twisting the knife. I was relentlessly doxxed, blacklisted from my profession, and ultimately met a brutal, senseless end in a hit-and-run. I died, my last conscious thought a haunting question: Why? Why did the people who raised me orchestrate such a relentless, professional campaign to destroy my life? The sheer depth of their calculated malice went beyond mere familial dysfunction; it foreshadowed a sinister, hidden truth far more profound than I could have imagined. But now, I'm back. It's the very same morning, the same inescapable dread, but this time, the grim knowledge has become my power. I remember every trap, every lie, every betrayal they planned. They believed they had broken me irrevocably once. They're about to discover that their carefully constructed world of deceit, built upon my stolen identity, is on the verge of spectacular collapse. Because this time, I'm not just surviving; I'm fighting back to expose every single one of their fraudulent secrets, and to reclaim the life that was always rightfully mine.

June 14th. The date burned into my mind like a brand. I woke in my bed, David still asleep beside me, and saw the familiar sunlight pouring through the window. This was the day. The day everything began to unravel in my last life. In that life, my sorority sister, my supposed best friend Brittany, systematically destroyed me. She poisoned David's mind against me, tried to steal him, and when he rejected her, she drove us straight into a deadly accident. I died. My life, my love, extinguished by her venomous jealousy. The betrayal was a cold, constant ache. To be eliminated by the person you confided in, the one you loved like a sister, simply because she couldn't have what was yours. It wasn't just a car crash; it was an assassination engineered by a twisted mind. I died feeling utterly helpless, unjustly robbed of my future. But this time, I wouldn't be a victim. This time, I had a second chance, a do-over. I sat bolt upright, heart thumping not with fear, but with fierce determination. "David," I whispered, shaking him awake. "We need to get married. Today. Right now." I was back, and this time, I would rewrite my fate, starting by securing my future.

My life, carefully constructed over six blissful years with my amnesiac husband Julian and our sweet son Ethan, felt like a peaceful dream. I had found Julian injured on the roadside years ago, and together we built a loving, albeit simple, existence. Then, a sleek black car, a stark contrast to our humble Ohio home, pulled up outside, its occupants shattering our world. Julian's forgotten, aristocratic mother emerged, and with her presence, his lost memories violently flooded back. He looked at me, his wife, the mother of his child, and his eyes, once full of love, turned to chips of ice, dismissing our entire shared life as an "unfortunate chapter," a mere "embarrassment." His mother coolly offered me a shocking sum—a million dollars—to simply "disappear," while Julian stood by, silent, as his new fiancée, Veronica, openly sneered, calling me a pathetic "charity case." But in that moment of profound betrayal, something extraordinary happened: a terrifying premonition, a vivid flash of my future if I stayed. I saw years of excruciating humiliation, a desolate existence in their grand mansion where I was nothing but a servant, my beloved son Ethan tragically turned against me, and finally, my own confinement in a cold mental institution. The nightmare culminated with older Ethan, his youthful face twisted in pity, raising a syringe to me, whispering, "It's for the best, Mother," as darkness consumed me. Returning to the harsh reality of my porch, the raw pain of the present was strangely dulled, an old scar compared to the horror I had just witnessed. I knew with absolute certainty that I could not, would not, live that devastating fate again. So, when Julian's mother extended the check as a final dismissal, I met her gaze, outwardly calm but with a newfound, steely resolve. "Thank you," I said, my voice steady, then added my decisive condition: a fully funded MBA from a prestigious London university. This wasn't just a betrayal; it was my unexpected rebirth, a radical turning point to forge a future entirely on my own terms.

I worked double shifts, saving every penny, convinced our family was barely making ends meet. My husband, Mark, managed a struggling car dealership, but for Thanksgiving, he booked a table at The Grand Steer. I arrived, envisioning a rare, happy family meal with Emily and him. Instead, Mark was there with our seven-year-old daughter, Emily, and his visibly pregnant high school sweetheart, Jessica. My heart froze as I overheard him casually explain he'd "taken care of" our beloved dog, Buster, because Jessica found him an inconvenience. When I confronted him, Emily, my daughter, shockingly screamed, "I wish Jessica was my mom! You always cared more about that stupid dog than me!" Utterly decimated by their betrayal, I filed for divorce and, in a moment of raw despair, told Mark to take full custody of Emily. Weeks later, a frantic call: Emily was in a severe car accident, needing a critical A-negative blood transfusion. But I'm O-negative, and Mark always claimed O-positive. The doctor's next words chilled me: "O-type parents cannot have an A-type child." The horrifying truth crashed down. My entire motherhood, the difficult IVF, Mark's secret files calling Emily "their legacy"-it was all a lie. She wasn't my child, but Jessica's, a cruel deception orchestrated through an embryo switch. My world exploded, but from the ashes, a cold, unyielding fire of revenge ignited.

I was 39 weeks pregnant, eagerly nesting for our daughter, Emily. Our Austin home was filled with dreams of a perfect new family. My ambitious architect husband, Ethan, traveled constantly for "high-stakes" projects. But I trusted our future. Then, breaking news flashed across the screen: a military coup in South America. On it, his award-winning documentary filmmaker ex-girlfriend, Olivia, was caught in the chaos, presumed in grave danger. That same night, as my first contractions began, Ethan dropped a bombshell. He was flying to South America immediately. Not for business, but for her. He walked out as my water broke. He was choosing his ex over his wife and unborn child. Days later, news of Ethan's critical injury reached me. It unleashed a barrage of demands from his family and friends. They expected me to rescue him, to pay his escalating medical bills. They expected me to be the forgiving "dutiful wife"—despite his shocking betrayal. But the deepest cut came when my lawyer unearthed the truth. For years, Ethan had been secretly siphoning thousands from our joint savings. He was taking from our daughter's future, funneling it to Olivia's 'humanitarian' non-profit. It wasn't just abandonment. It was a cold, systematic betrayal, built on lies. How could he do this to us, to Emily? I refused to follow his family's script. When a critically injured Ethan finally returned, expecting forgiveness and a tearful reunion, I was there. Not as a heartbroken wife. Instead, I was armed with divorce papers and a fierce determination to reclaim every penny he stole. This was my battle, for Emily and for me. It was the beginning of a new life on our own terms.

Two years ago, Nina married a man she had never met. She didn't know his name or his age; she knew nothing about this person she was married to. Their marriage was nothing more than a contract with conditions, and one of the clauses was that she should not sleep with another man. Yet, Nina lost her virginity to a stranger when she knocked at the wrong door one night. With the compensation she had to pay weighing her down, she decided to draw up a divorce agreement on her own. When she finally met her husband to hand over the papers, she was shocked to find that her husband was none other than the man she had “cheated” on him with!

Hazel Queen had loved her husband with all her heart for three years. But the one thing she never saw coming was the cold, shocking truth: he wanted a divorce because his mistress was pregnant. Heartbroken and betrayed, Hazel decides to move on and returns to Queen Corp, where she steps into her true role as the powerful female president, worth hundreds of millions. This revelation shocks her ex-husband, Damon Price, who never knew that the woman he left behind was the mastermind behind the famous Queen Corp-the Heiress of the Queen family, who had supposedly died in a fire three years ago.

Life was a bed of roses for Debra, the daughter of Alpha. That was until she had a one-night stand with Caleb. She was sure he was her mate as determined by Moon Goddess. But this hateful man refused to accept her. Weeks passed before Debra discovered that she was pregnant. Her pregnancy brought shame to her and everyone she loved. Not only was she driven out, but her father was also hunted down by usurpers. Fortunately, she survived with the help of the mysterious Thorn Edge Pack. Five years passed and Debra didn't hear anything from Caleb. One day, their paths crossed again. They were both on the same mission—carrying out secret investigations in the dangerous Roz Town for the safety and posterity of their respective packs. Caleb was still cold toward her. But as time went on, he fell head over heels in love with her. He tried to make up for abandoning her, but Debra wasn't having any of it. She was hell-bent on hiding her daughter from him and also making a clean break. What did the future hold for the two as they journeyed in Roz Town? What kind of secrets would they find? Would Caleb win Debra's heart and get to know his lovely daughter? Find out!

Maia grew up a pampered heiress-until the real daughter returned and framed her, sending Maia to prison with help from her fiancé and family. Four years later, free and married to Chris, a notorious outcast, everyone assumed Maia was finished. They soon discovered she was secretly a famed jeweler, elite hacker, celebrity chef, and top game designer. As her former family begged for help, Chris smiled calmly. "Honey, let's go home." Only then did Maia realize her "useless" husband was a legendary tycoon who'd adored her from the start.

Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."

"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"