Can I Have This Dance
Your Humble Ex-Wife Is Gone
Three years of marriage, and Jayson Mccormick never once looked at me the way he looks at my sister. I told myself he was just cold. That if I loved him hard enough, he'd eventually love me back. Then I crashed his secret wedding. The bride was Kate-the daughter my parents kept while I was lost. The guests? My entire family. They all knew. They all helped. "She's dying," Jayson said. "Let her have this." So I let her have it all. The husband. The family. The life they built around her. I walked away with nothing-because I knew I could make it all back. After years of silence, the legendary perfumer and the financial genius have returned. They think I have nothing. They don't know that, where they never bothered to look, I've already built an empire of my own. It's time to bury the obedient wife.
Chapter 1 The Secret Wedding
It was exactly seven o'clock in the evening.
The private manor, nestled on the outskirts of the city, was brilliantly illuminated, its grand facade glowing like a beacon against the darkening sky.
Corina Logan stood at the towering wrought-iron gates, her attire glaringly out of place. She wore a simple, unadorned plain dress, the kind one might wear for a quiet evening at home, standing in stark contrast to the opulence unfolding before her.
Just two hours ago, the illusion of her life had still been intact. Her husband, Jayson Mccormick, had called her, his voice carrying its usual clipped, authoritative tone. "There's a critical board meeting tonight that's going to run late," he had said through the receiver. "I won't be coming home. Go to sleep early, Corina."
Yet, here he was. Not in a boardroom surrounded by executives, but in this lavishly decorated estate, preparing to hold a wedding ceremony with another woman.
Through the grand windows of the manor's main hall, Corina could see the head table. Sitting there, adorned in their finest evening wear and beaming with pride, were her biological parents, Arthur and Eliza Logan, alongside her older brother, Oliver.
The guests mingling on the manicured lawns and inside the grand hall were a familiar crowd. They were the mutual friends, business associates, and extended family that made up the social circle she and Jayson shared.
Yet she, the lawful wife, had been kept entirely in the dark.
As Corina took a step closer, the evening breeze carried a scent that made her breath hitch. It was a complex, intoxicating fragrance-a masterful blend of deep, velvety rose intertwined with the rich, smoky notes of agarwood.
This specific perfume was named "Surrender." It was a unique, one-of-a-kind fragrance that Corina had personally formulated and blended as a wedding gift for Jayson three years ago. It was meant to symbolize a love that was absolute, a yielding of the heart.
Now, this very scent, representing possession and ultimate surrender, saturated the air of a wedding where her husband was the groom, and the bride was not her.
Her gaze traveled down the pristine white carpet that served as the aisle. At the end of it stood Jayson, looking breathtakingly impeccable in a custom-tailored, pure white high-fashion suit. His usually cold, calculating eyes were currently filled with a profound, melting affection as he looked at the woman standing opposite him.
The bride was Kate Logan.
Kate was the fake daughter who had occupied the Logan family's nest for over twenty years. Corina, on the other hand, was the true daughter, only found and brought back to the family a mere three years ago. Because their grandfather and the patriarch of the Mccormick family had been comrades in the trenches, they had arranged a marriage pact for their grandchildren.
When Corina returned to the family, she fulfilled that pact, marrying the heir to the Mccormick empire, Jayson. It felt like destiny to her, because Jayson was the man Corina had desperately, silently loved for seven long years. He was the man who had once pulled her out of the darkest abyss of her life.
She had truly believed this was a match made by fate, that she was destined to be the happiest woman in the world. But reality had just delivered a resounding, brutal slap across her face.
At this moment, Kate, draped in a voluminous, sparkling white wedding gown, leaned weakly against Jayson's chest, looking so fragile that a strong gust of wind might blow her away.
As Corina stepped fully into the light of the entrance, the melodious strains of the "Wedding March" suddenly warped. The musician had spotted her, and his fingers slipped, producing a harsh, piercingly discordant note that echoed across the lawn.
Instantly, every pair of eyes in the venue snapped toward Corina.
The joyous smiles on the faces of the Logan family froze, replaced by expressions of sheer panic and guilt.
Whispers erupted among the guests, spreading like wildfire.
"Is that... isn't that Corina? Why is she here?"
"I thought everyone agreed to keep this an absolute secret from her!"
"Who leaked the information? This is going to be a disaster."
The hushed voices were deafening. She was his actual wife, yet in this place, surrounded by her own family and friends, she was treated as an unwanted intruder.
When Jayson's eyes finally landed on her, a flash of genuine shock crossed his deep gaze, but it was almost instantly swallowed by his habitual, chilling composure.
He lowered his head, whispering a few soothing words to Kate, before gently handing the bride's hand over to a bridesmaid. He then stepped off the altar, his long legs eating up the distance as he strode purposefully toward Corina.
As he neared, the familiar, crisp scent of cedarwood that always clung to him enveloped Corina. It was the scent she had once been so hopelessly addicted to.
"What are you doing here?"
Those were his first words. Not an explanation, not an apology, but a cold, hard interrogation.
Corina looked up at the face she had loved for seven years. The sharp, aristocratic line of his brow, the thin, cool lips she had kissed a thousand times. Suddenly, she found the entire situation utterly laughable.
"Shouldn't I be here?" Corina's voice was incredibly soft, as casual as if she were inquiring about the weather. "My husband is getting married here today. Shouldn't I come to offer my congratulations?"
Jayson's brow furrowed deeply, a clear precursor to his impatience.
He took a sudden step forward, his large hand shooting out to clamp down hard on her slender wrist. Without another word, he dragged her away from the prying eyes of the crowd, pulling her into the shadows of a secluded stone corridor.
Once they were enveloped in the dim light of the corridor, he stopped and released her wrist.
"Corina, don't make a scene," he commanded, his voice tight.
"Kate... she doesn't have much time left." Jayson reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket, pulling out a silver cigarette case. He extracted a cigarette but didn't light it, instead rolling it restlessly between his long fingers, a sign of his internal agitation. "Late-stage liver cancer. The doctors have confirmed she has, at most, half a month left to live."
Corina stood perfectly still, her eyes locked onto his.
"And so?" she asked, her voice devoid of inflection.
"Her final, greatest wish in this life was to wear a wedding dress and marry me," Jayson said, meeting her gaze with a look that suggested his actions were the most logical, reasonable thing in the world. "This wedding is entirely fake. I am simply putting on a performance for her, allowing her to leave this world without any lingering regrets. Do you understand?"
He paused, taking a breath, and when he spoke again, his tone softened marginally, sounding like a king offering a generous concession to a peasant. "Corina, it is merely a ceremony. Why must you be so petty and hold a grudge against a dying woman?"
Petty? Holding a grudge?
Corina's gaze drifted past his broad shoulders, looking out toward the distant, brightly lit lawn where the guests were still murmuring, their faces painted with a mix of celebration and nervous anticipation.
Can I Have Your Number
He finally asked for my number just like that, OUT OF THE FUCKING BLUE! The guy I've had a crush on for how long. Imaani Cyrus has always been more reserved always on her phone unless she's at work. She barely has friends cus she's had to move most of her life not used to staying in one place till
Can I kiss You
Nicole after many failed relationships decided to give up instead of giving in to another shot, she decided to travel to Paris where no one knows her but she never knew that love could also be waiting for her in Paris.
It Should Have Been Like This
Lavender faced the ultimate betrayal after discovering that her fiancé, the man she loved most, had been using her all along. He had only dated her to seek revenge against her father and to claim everything her late mother had left her as a gift to his real fiancee. Devastated, Lavender lost everyt
The Mate I Can't Have
WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS MATURE AND EXPLICIT SCENES, READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION "I, Henry Ethan, hereby reject you, Niylah Harry, as my mate," his words echoed through the speaker, sending shockwaves through the crowd of students. Niylah, a 20-year-old girl, was known for being a weak
THE LOVE I CAN SACRIFICE
•BLURB/SYNOPSIS. Arella comes from a middle class family, her father who after his marriage decides to give her up to the old billionaire, in marriage, she runs off with Lan who promises her forever, however, Dominic storms the wedding taking his bride away, as he locks her up in his home, confuse
I Can Be Your Nightmare
Wilona Lea Miles gave everything to her marriage, not just her love, her loyalty, but years of unwavering support. She never thought that the day would come when everything she had built and owned would be destroyed and lost just like that, because of the affair of her beloved husband. Not only
Can I still love you?
"I can do anything just to get your forgiveness," said Allen with the pleading tune, he knows that he can't be forgiven for the mistake, he has done, he knows that was unforgivable but still, he wants to get 2nd chance, "did you think, getting forgiveness is so easy? NO, IT IS NOT, I can never for
I can't marry this bastard
A decade has past since Evangel set her eyes on the man she hated with her whole heart. Her ex boyfriend Trenton Wade. A handsome playboy who broke her heart several years ago. She never expected to see him again and was shocked to find him at her father's birthday as handsome as ever with that devi
Pain is all I have
All she wanted was Love, but she seemed to only have pain ever since her parents died. Alexis was the rightful Alpha but since she was a women her uncle the beta mistreated her for the power. It all changed on her birthday when the moon goddess appeared to her.
CAN I REWRITE MY STAR?
"Can I Rewrite My Star?" - A Heartwarming Tale of Sisterly Love Two sisters, one unbreakable bond, and a quest to defy destiny. Hazel and Hannah rise from ashes of poverty and heartache. Their journey is filled with twists, turns, and shocking truths. When all seems lost, love finds them in unexpect
Stepbrother, I Have A Secret
Because Beverly's in a rough patch relationship with her boyfriend, she decided to go on one night stand with someone. But the next day, she's informed that the man she slept with was actually her stepbrother. She's in a total doom, that's for sure, as she found herself slowly succumbing into their
Wild Animals I Have Known
In the late '70s there was a massive migration of young gay men to San Francisco. They left home in droves, traveling by plane, bus, Pinto or Volkswagen towards a life free from discrimination. Struggling to make ends meet, many worked in bookstores and restaurants, all the while taking advantage of
This Time I Chose Him
The list lay on the polished mahogany table, four names, my future, dictated by my father. Just four heirs to the city' s most powerful families. The world expected me to choose Ethan Miller, the charming heir I had publicly chased for years. They thought they knew our story, the pathetic heiress
Please! I Want To Have Fun!
Belle Stefano, a transmigrator who comes from another world. She woke up one day on a different body. She lives her life leisurely not until she finds out that she’s inside the comic that she’s read and that she is the antagonist who will meet her end tragically by the male lead. Luke Andres Hendr
I have a crush on my bestfriend
Having a best friend who understands and adores you so much is one of the best gifts you can ever have but when romantic feelings set in, it becomes a different story especially when it seems like it’s one sided. This is the exact situation Jessica finds herself in. Let’s get on this journey with
And Yes, I Can Live Without You
The handsome heir of a powerful billionaire is linked up with a low class but irresistible looking waitress as a result of a carefully executed plan initiated by his step-mother who intends to benefit from her husband's will. But The heir can only access his father's properties when he gets married.
Seventeen Again: This Time, I Win
I dreamed of perfect prom nights and Ivy League acceptance letters, with my ideal boyfriend, Kevin Johnson, by my side. But that dream turned into a living hell when he systematically sabotaged my SAT scores, stole my chance at my top-choice university, and sabotaged a crucial scholarship. The ult
Dear Ex-husband, I Have Returned!
Avery Brown had always wanted the perfect life between her and Scott Brandon, her husband. This perfect life she wanted was moving smoothly and soon she was expecting a baby. But things changed drastically when she returned from the hospital expecting to share the news with her husband but was gree
You Left, I Could Have Fixed Us
When Maya walks away from Alvarez, she thinks she's freeing herself from a toxic love. But love doesn't die easily. Alvarez refuses to let go, torn between rage and longing, while a new man steps into Maya's life - calm, patient, everything Alvarez never was. Caught between memory and possibility, M
The apocalypse: I can copy any talent
The apocalypse came overnight. Zombies, mutated beasts, and dimensional rifts. Everyone awakened ONE talent. Fire. Ice. Strength. I awakened the trash talent: "Copy". But they didn't know... I can copy ANY talent I touch. S-Rank Fire Mage? Copied. SS-Rank Assassin? Copied. Goddess-Level Charm?
