Twisting Fate
His Unwanted Wife, The Hidden Genius
I flew back to New York on my twenty-fifth birthday, carrying vintage gold cufflinks I spent weeks finding for my billionaire husband, Declan. But when I walked into our townhouse, I found him throwing a massive victory party with Sloane, a glamorous socialite, standing by his side as the proud hostess. "Don't cause a scene. Go upstairs." Declan coldly dismissed me in front of his guests. Even Poppy, the rookie player whose shattered ankle I had painstakingly rebuilt, rolled her eyes and ignored me to suck up to Sloane. Hiding in the shadows, I heard the maids gossiping that everyone thought Sloane was the future Mrs. Hartford. To make matters worse, I discovered Sloane had stolen my anonymous, groundbreaking medical algorithm and was planning to present it as her own. First my husband, then the girl I mentored like family, and now the scientific foundation I had built with my own hands. Declan even texted me to cancel our birthday breakfast without a single apology, treating me like an annoying afterthought. My tears vanished, replaced by a freezing clarity. I signed the divorce papers, leaving them on his desk with zero demands for his money. Then I packed my bags, booked a one-way ticket to Boston, and prepared to destroy them on the global stage.
Chapter 1
Aurelia Vance POV:
I had been married to Declan Hartford for three years.
Today was my twenty-fifth birthday, and I had flown back from Boston in secret, hoping for one quiet evening with my husband.
I'd spent a week carefully picking out a pair of gold cufflinks as a gift for my husband.
But the laughter spilling from the front door told me I was already too late: the woman who had taken my place at his side was already inside.
The heavy oak door swung open before I reached the porch. Three young players from the New York Titans, Declan's NHL franchise, stumbled out with crystal tumblers of scotch, laughing loudly. They barely glanced at me as they passed.
I stepped into the grand foyer. The heat hit me instantly,expensive champagne, roasted tenderloin, cigar smoke.
Dozens of people filled the double parlor: executives, scouts, wives in designer dresses.
In the center stood Declan, tall and broad in a bespoke charcoal suit. Beside him, laughing into his ear, was Sloane Whitfield, her backless silver dress catching the chandelier light. Her hand rested on his forearm like she belonged there.
Before I could take another breath, a blur of blonde hair darted past my elbow.
"Sloane!" Poppy Delacroix cried, throwing her arms around Sloane's slender waist. "You were completely right about the catering! This is literally the best victory party the team has ever had!"
Poppy is fourteen, a junior elite forward prospect.
I scouted her two years ago from a crumbling youth league, back when she was at her lowest.
Her parents had once shown me great kindness, and I knew they had already passed away, leaving her all alone in the world.
Declan and I adopted her together.
I rebuilt her shattered ankle with a custom rehabilitation plan.
I had always loved and cared for her as both a mother and a sister.
Now, she did not even glance in my direction.
Declan turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the crowd until his eyes locked onto mine. The easy grin on his sharp jaw vanished instantly. His brows drew together in a hard, irritated line.
He excused himself from Sloane, cutting through the throng of players with long, impatient strides.
"Aurelia," Declan said, stopping two feet in front of me. His voice carried zero warmth. "What are you doing here?"
My throat felt like sandpaper.
"I took the four o'clock flight from Boston," I whispered, clutching the strap of my bag until my knuckles turned white. "It is my birthday, Declan. I thought we could—"
"We are celebrating the division win," he cut in, his tone sharp enough to draw blood. "The board is here. The sponsors are here. Sloane spent four consecutive days coordinating this event so the organization could project stability."
He did not look at me. His gaze slid past my shoulder to the bar, like I was a waitress who had wandered into the wrong room.
"Don't cause a scene," he added quietly. "Go upstairs."
A soft, mocking murmur rippled through a cluster of players' wives standing near the grand staircase. Two women with platinum blowouts exchanged knowing glances over their flutes of Dom Pérignon.
"I didn't know," I said, my voice barely audible over the swelling music. "I am sorry."
I turned toward the staircase, my legs trembling beneath my wool trousers.
Near the landing, Poppy was adjusting her designer jacket in the hallway mirror.
"Poppy," I said softly, pausing beside her. "How is your ankle feeling after Thursday's third period? Did you complete the isometric sequence I sent?"
Poppy rolled her eyes, sighing loudly as she pulled out her phone.
"Aurelia, please, not right now," she muttered without looking at me. "Sloane is introducing me to a marketing director from one of our partners. I don't have time for your spreadsheets."
The dismissive edge in her voice hit me harder than Declan's coldness. I had stayed up until three in the morning reviewing her biomechanical scans while she was recovering from surgery, and now I was just an annoyance in the way of her social ascent.
I walked up the rest of the stairs and entered the primary suite—the massive, sterile bedroom allocated to me under our prenuptial agreement.
I sat on the edge of the mattress and pulled out the velvet box. The gold cufflinks gleamed under the bedside lamp, cold and useless.
Downstairs, cheers erupted. The sound vibrated through the floorboards.
I walked to the French doors overlooking the rear garden. Down on the illuminated patio, Sloane was directing two servers by an ice sculpture. Declan stood beside her, his head bent down as he listened to her speak, his hand casually brushing the small of her back.
They looked like the couple the city expected them to be.
My phone buzzed in my coat pocket. I pulled it out, hoping against hope.
It was an email notification.
"Happy Birthday, Aurelia. Remember that true science requires patience and solitude. You are meant for greater arenas than New York boardrooms. -Dr. Edmund Sterling."
My mentor at Harvard was the only person in the world who had remembered.
I typed a brief "Thank you, Professor" and shut off the screen.
Hours passed. The bass eventually quieted, replaced by the occasional clatter of glassware and slamming car doors. My throat burned with thirst.
At two in the morning, I padded downstairs in my stocking feet to fetch a glass of water from the butler's pantry.
As I rounded the corner near the service hallway, the voices of two newly hired catering maids stopped me dead in my tracks.
"Miss Whitfield is stunning," the first girl whispered, scraping dessert plates into a bin. "Mr. Hartford's girlfriend carries herself like royalty."
"A girlfriend?" the other asked, pausing. "But isn't Mr. Hartford rumored to be married? Is it inappropriate to be this close with Whitfield?"
"Married?Where did that come from? Even if there was one, they must have split long ago. I've worked three events here this month, and Miss Whitfield is the only woman hosting by his side. Everyone knows she's the future Mrs. Hartford."
I shrank back into the cold shadow of the archway, my blood turning to ice.
In the home where I held a legal marriage certificate, my presence had already been wiped clean.
Twisting Fate
"Marek!" Straightening, I glared at her. "I think you forgot. I apparently need to remind you." "Forgot what?" She was caught between the pleasure and the pain. "I am a monster. I'm bathed in blood. Molded by it. I've been in this filth for much longer than you have been alive, búsinka." Her eyes wi
Twisting Destiny
After dying in a tragic accident, Rhianne found herself transmigrated in a novel world as a character. To her much disappointment, she became the character who has a tragic fate in the end just because she falls in love with the wrong person. To avoid her tragic fate in the novel, she decided not
Fate
Janet Clinton was an investigative journalist. A few weeks after she broke up with her fiance; Jimmy Jeff, she realized that she was pregnant by him. Around this time, she also discovered a shocking truth about him. She acted on impulse and worked alongside the police to put him behind bars. What h
BLOODBOUND FATE
The prophecy didn't save me, it claimed me. Death was not her ending...... it was her rebirth. Awakened into a world of gods, bloodlines, and ancient curses, she learns that her second life is bound to a prophecy written long before she existed. Marked by divine blood and hunted by fate, she
UNCOMMON FATE
Casey is a young teenager and he finds himself in a new school. It's his first year in High School and it's his most fascinating year ever. He hopes it's his best year ever. He becomes friend with Cody and they unravel adventures together. Then, Cody's wayward but popular twin sister comes from an
UNMASKING FATE
the air heavy with tension. Seraphina, determined and desperate, had managed to lure Lucien outside under the pretence of needing fresh air. She walked with purpose, her heels clicking against the marble floor as Lucien followed, intrigued by her sudden change in demeanour. As they reached the secl
REKINDLED FATE
Lila a young orphaned girl who was employed as a maid at a wealthy household thought her life would finally turn around for good. But As her fates tangled with that of the blind young master who took a liking of her, tragedly her life took a very dark turn resulting to her sad dismiss. 10 years lat
Twisted Fate
In a twist of fate, Claire's life takes a turn, she meets with Josie but their friendship is short lived when Josie dies. Claire is faced with the burden of marrying Josie's husband to be, a wealthy, egocentric and supercilious man who has no regard for women. Would Claire be able to navigate to t
Fate betrayal
BLURB:I had hate in my heart when I died. The Moon Goddess herself linked me to a guy who was meant to adore me, but he betrayed me. I was alive and complete five years ago when I opened my eyes once again. I vowed that this time would be different. My so-called fated mate, Darius Blackthorn, would
Our Fate
POV of someone who have been hurt by her ex-husband. And the POV of the ex-husband with his true feelings.
Collided Fate
Five years ago, Lisa reveled in the splendor of her seemingly idyllic life, complete with a genuinely caring best friend, a dream career, and a boyfriend who appeared to embody perfection. However, the harmony of her existence shattered when an unforeseen betrayal cast a dark shadow over her happi
Moonlight Fate
*Book Blurb:* "In the silvery glow of moonlight, fate entwines two souls bound by destiny. Amidst whispers of ancient magic and forgotten lore, their love becomes the key to unlocking a centuries-old curse. Will the lunar forces align in their favor, or will the shadows tear them apart? Dive into
Countering Fate
Flint Barimah, a village boy living a peaceful life witness a light descend from the heavens. He goes to investigate to find a spaceship and inside the spaceship is The Sequence Synthetic Management Data Cube or for short SSTM DC. A system made by Nytri herself to aid in increasing the strength of t
MOONLIT FATE
"In a world where werewolves are hunted, Emilia Grey discovers she's the last heir of the ancient Silvermist bloodline. As she uncovers her true identity, she's thrust into a treacherous landscape of ancient secrets and deadly rivalries. With Lycaon, the Lunar Guard's enigmatic leader and forbidden
Unexpected Fate
Rebecca Fuentes is a typical farm girl who got a scholarship from a prestigious school miles away from their village. She's chubby and sexy as how she addresses herself. No boyfriend since birth and have no plans to have one, not until she finishes college and has a wonderful job. But Rebecca's pla
Twisted: Fate
Alex Foster the youngest billionaire and the second richest man in New York City. He had this reputation of being a flirt , a Casanova and an arrogant dude. But he met his match the day he crossed paths with Ella Smith a mere waitress in a restaurant . He brought her to his side to torture her, to m
Mates Of Fate
A rejection from your mate is the most painful thing in the world. Before Ciara said those, I knew I didn't stand a chance. She fated to marry an Alpha and I simply wasn't that. I was just an ordinary wolf. When she said the words on the day of the moon, my whole being wept inside. "I Ciara Kin
Lunar's Fate (Nigeria themed)
Chioma (Lunar), a young girl who lived in the village with her parents was sent to the city of Lagos to work as a housekeeper. Things were going on smooth for her not until the death of her boss and then, she had to leave the house and look for another job. She got another job with a man who took h
THE REJECTED LUNA'S FATE
Sophia is an Omega werewolf, the lowest-rank of their pack. When Moon Goddess Ashlea told her that Ace is her fated mate, the highest rank of their pack, she immediately told him about this but he rejected her during her birthday party. But Sophia knew from the very start that Olivia has something t
The Alpha's Darkest Fate
In a world shattered by a catastrophic disaster, Jillian and Tom are among the last survivors, bound together by a shared will to survive and the budding, undeniable bond between them. As they traverse the wreckage of civilization, scavenging for supplies and navigating the horrors of a world stripp
