The One That Got Away
/1/132171/coverbig.jpg?v=584949ea5c9e495cc0c21608874afceb)
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.
/0/18619/coverbig.jpg?v=8fd25023d94e686b128f5d255c88a0c5)
Marriage Contract: Love Game With CEO
Outwardly a perfect match, but the story of Mary and William is not as sweet as their relationship seems. Their marriage starts off as nothing more than a contract – her bond in marriage to him, in exchange for her mother’s medical expenses. And yet, things take a dramatic turn. Neither knows who c
/1/103523/coverbig.jpg?v=f30fe1d9556eb9edbb2c483abaceeb02)
One Hundred Reasons To Walk Away
For three years, I documented my husband Ashton's neglect in a secret ledger I called "The Song of a Hundred Reasons." Each forgotten anniversary and dismissive glance was a point deducted from a hundred. When the points hit zero, I would walk away. The final reason came not as a quiet slight, but
/0/54954/coverbig.jpg?v=826938fa2d6147a359ff89b8580da6c0)
The billionaire got me pregnancy
Cassy Reign Salvacion- The only child of the feared businessman, Caden Salvacion. She's the black sheep, headstrong, and rebellious. The only way to straighten her out is to marry her off to the billionaire son of his Daddy's friend, Ulysses Grey Herrera, 33 years old, owner of famous hotels, resta
/0/64704/coverbig.jpg?v=a219ad6dc7adced8759d9d6219934d6b)
The Billionaire Got Me Pregnant
Stella Knightley has never been lucky with relationships, mostly due to the fact that she tends to shut herself out from people a lot of time. After recently getting dumped, through text message by her ex-boyfriend, she then decided to head to the club with her best friend, in which she met up wit
/0/32307/coverbig.jpg?v=2c3fe8b192b6c44be058dee6c5938abc)
One Night Stand With That Beggar
"Let go of me!" "You're asking me to let go of you? Weren't you the one who took the initiative that night?" Amos Granger's words struck her like a bolt of lightning. "What? I don't know what you're talking about." "Woman..." Amos gently pinched Eudora's chin. "There isn't a woman in this world who
/0/72660/coverbig.jpg?v=1c006e0d01c0138a4ac42dc4e0e5894b)
The Love Dare: One Game, One Kiss, One Night That Changes Everything.
"One game. One kiss. One night that changes everything." __ __ "Kiss, Val," Mason says with a smirk. "Wait, what?!" Seriously? There are other girls here, you know. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. This is just perfect. Jax starts walking toward me, shoving aside the girl he was making out with, his eyes locked
/0/50481/coverbig.jpg?v=4935490f0902582e7ebecd41d61d3d36)
Oh, I Got You!
He is deeply obsessed with his girl. He is determined to do anything to win her heart. "I really want to possess her, kiss her, lick her, make her moan beneath me, and have her say my name. She belongs to me."
/0/79837/coverbig.jpg?v=90c87139e756ae183cacffdac959024c)
The One Night Mistake That Became My Billionaire Boss
When Maeve walks in on the guy she had a one night stand with as her intending boss at her interview, she almost loses her footing, sure that she would lose the opportunity. But she doesn't. Aiden hires her as his executive assistant. On her first day, they share a kiss that reminds them of their e
/0/99674/coverbig.jpg?v=c69c06806a04651f7162826b8577d69c)
The Run Away Mate
When Alpha Derek asked Ella to give up her dream to be by his side, she willingly accepted it and did So. When he forgot her birthday for three years in a row and said he was sorry, she forgave him every time. When he hurt her feelings time and time again, showing her he was more interested in her
/0/74982/coverbig.jpg?v=223352544210f9ea95dd10e771aca5a8)
The Lies That Binds
When CIA Agent Calista Bloom, is sent undercover to infiltrate the notorious De Ricco mafia empire, she never expects to fall for the ruthless kingpin, Stefano De Ricco. But as she navigates the treacherous world of organized crime, Calista discovers a web of deceit and corruption that threatens
/0/4919/coverbig.jpg?v=ccf8f14f62b4950778e9e4c0cd5f5cc1)
The Light That Lures
Written in the 1800's or early 1900's. This takes place during the French Revolution in the 1700's. Richard is the main character as is Jeanne an aristocrat whom Richard helps. (Goodreads)
/0/71528/coverbig.jpg?v=289c58d1d41fe0f2b02c0227ca3fccb7)
I Got Married For Revenge
Five years ago, I died-my life as Irene Lancaster ended, along with the child in my womb. Pushed off a cliff by the woman who bore the man I once loved. But the true betrayal? He made her do it. To them, I was nothing. A mistake. An obstacle to be removed. But I survived. And now, I've returned w
/1/116325/coverbig.jpg?v=3d69d934f2f97fa5e76337c7b79b9d3b)
Got You: The Billionaire's Little Liar
I dressed up as a waitress and snuck into the VIP lounge of an exclusive club. My goal was simple: seduce a spoiled playboy to secure a business contract and save my family's dying company. But the man standing in the dark penthouse wasn't the foolish heir I was looking for. He was Dominick Dunca
/0/20553/coverbig.jpg?v=6e3de9ec93e12a6e725845c4a05fcc1b)
The girl who got on his nerves
This ain't your typical, nerd falls for popular guy story or bad guy falls for the nerd or something like that, no. Mila Bennett, 17-year-old, sassy, friendly, feisty and the vice-captain of the dance team. Well, everyone except Hayes Miller, bad-boy and the captain of the basketball team in Henr
/0/80939/coverbig.jpg?v=407191ff96baf99ea26d3539f9902be9)
The Silence That Screamed
My life was a perpetual grind, a blur of diner shifts and endless cleaning jobs. Every ache, every sleepless night was for him, for Mike, and the "debt" he owed to the terrifying Desert Scorpions motorcycle gang. Fifty thousand dollars, he said, or they'd kill him. I sold my mother's locket, pray
/0/81861/coverbig.jpg?v=c2bc36e8fb372fb89ead56e44a9da63d)
The Wedding That Wasn't
Victoria Hayes, heiress of the New York Hayes family, was poised to marry Ethan Miller. For four years, I' d meticulously molded him from a broke university kid into a successful entrepreneur. He was my creation, meant to be a living echo of Julian Vance, my first love, tragically lost. But on th
/0/77618/coverbig.jpg?v=22532312abb581bb0af87ccc4a8b6038)
The Vow That Burned
"I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I opened that door". On the day that should have been the happiest of her life, Amara Okafor walks into the grand cathedral in Lagos, her heart pounding with excitement-only to freeze at the altar. There, standing beside her supposed groom, Tade W
/0/92854/coverbig.jpg?v=51722da02cd8949a3509f04989d87ca0)
The Ties That Binds
Jackson Sterling, a ruthless billionaire businessman with a fractured past, needs a wife to secure his family's legacy and save his crumbling empire. Savannah Montgomery, a kind-hearted but financially struggling woman, finds herself forced into a marriage contract with Jackson to escape the clutche
/0/29664/coverbig.jpg?v=84c4cf463344a28bb5222eca0c0b8c4d)
Going Away
Nabilla is the daughter of Bill Kate, rich American businessman. Nabilla was born from the fruit of a passionate night between Léandra and Bill in South Africa, Léandra is of Cameroonian nationality. At that time Léandra was a young woman engaged to Ben and during a conference organized by her
/0/86403/coverbig.jpg?v=c836164e6f3fd771a23bd99f5db0165a)
The Mermaid He Sold Away
I was Lot 734. A living, breathing mermaid, displayed in a massive tank, waiting to be sold to the highest bidder. In the front row, watching it all, was Dr. Aris Thorne, the man who had promised me forever on a hidden beach, the man I had loved with my whole being. His colleagues had surrounded m
