Before I Leave

Upon Ethan Shaw’s passing, Stella Walker finds a hidden photo album revealing his devotion to another woman. Having lost everything to her husband's ward, Stella dies in agony only to regress to the eve of her wedding. This time, she abandons the relationship to chase her own ambitions. Yet, as Stella moves on, Ethan becomes consumed by her absence, launching a desperate search for the woman who walked away from their life together.

Chapters

Chapter 2

Stella had no family to say goodbye to.

Her parents died when she was 15. Ever since then, she had been on her own.

She called Ethan's parents and told them she wanted to call off the engagement.

After hanging up, she headed to the auction house.

Stella's mother had been a famous ceramic artist. Since her mother passed away, Stella had been collecting her mother's pieces as keepsakes.

There was one piece named 'Love'. Her mother made it while pregnant with her. Stella had been searching for it for years.

She was lucky. Just before leaving for the Northwest Research Base, the piece came up for auction.

However, when she arrived, she saw Ethan and Rachel there too.

The moment Ethan saw her, his tone turned cold. "Stella, have you made enough of a scene?"

"What?" She blinked, entirely confused.

His face showed even more impatience.

"You called my parents to break off the engagement. Was it because the wedding felt too rushed? Fine. I increased the wedding budget tenfold. Are you happy now?"

Stella finally understood—they still did not believe she was serious about ending things.

"You misunderstood. I really wanted—"

Before she could finish, Ethan cut her off again, "Enough is enough, Stella."

Looking at the cold expression on his face, Stella no longer wanted to explain herself.

The wedding was in five days. Once he saw no bride at the altar, he would understand she meant it.

The auction started.

Ethan leaned closer to Rachel and said gently, "Your birthday is around the corner. Tell me what you like, and I will buy it for you."

Rachel clutched the hem of her sleeve and shook her head. "Uncle Ethan, raising me was already a huge favor. Everything here is too expensive. I don't deserve anything—"

"Don't mention it." Ethan frowned. "You deserve the best in the world."

12 years ago, Rachel's father had died saving Ethan. Since then, Ethan had taken her in.

She had been 10. He was 21.

The little girl had grown into a beautiful young woman.

Watching Ethan gaze at Rachel with soft eyes, Stella suddenly realized how blind she had been in her past life. She never realized how much he loved Rachel.

The host's voice rang out, "Next up is a well-known porcelain piece: Love!"

A snow-white sculpture was carried onto the stage—a mother elephant wrapping her trunk around her baby.

Rachel suddenly looked up.

Ethan noticed right away.

"You like this one?"

Rachel blushed and replied, "Yes... it reminds me of my mom."

At that moment, Stella raised her number. "1 million dollars."

She offered double the market price. She had to get her mother's final piece.

Just then, Ethan followed suit and offered his bid price.

"2 million dollars."

Stella glared at him sharply.

Ethan stayed calm and said, "Rachel likes it."

Anger flashed in Stella's eyes.

"That is my mother's last piece!"

Ethan froze and finally noticed the artist's name. His hand lowered on instinct.

Rachel's voice broke in, soft and trembling, "It's okay, Uncle Ethan. I never deserved something so nice anyway…"

Her eyes turned red. Ethan's chest tightened.

Without a second thought, he turned to the staff.

"I'll outbid anyone for it."

Continue to next part

For three years, I wasn't a foster child. I was a living, breathing cure. Hidden away in the attic of the Thomas mansion, my sole purpose was to keep their precious daughter alive. Every week, they drained my blood to treat her rare disease, leaving me anemic, scarred, and invisible. I was the "walking blood bag" from the wrong side of the tracks-a stray they'd reluctantly taken in. The day Katharina was finally cured, I overheard the truth. "That walking blood bag has served her purpose," the grandmother hissed. "We are done with her." They threw me out into a freezing rainstorm, tossing a crumpled check at my feet like a tip for a beggar. Payment, they said, for the years I'd "leeched" off their family. Payment for the six thousand milliliters of blood they'd stolen, for the chronic anemia, for the scars. I shredded their charity in front of their faces and walked into the storm. They laughed, screaming that I'd be back, that I'd be begging on the streets by morning. But as I stood alone on that dark road, my world shifted. A sleek, black Rolls-Royce pulled up in silence. The door opened, and my real family stepped out. I wasn't a stray from the slums. I was their lost heiress. And the Thomases are about to learn that the girl they bled dry is now the one holding all the power.

Billionaire Modern

7.5

Marry My Billionaire Second Husband

7.5

Amelia has slaved her whole life, working multiple jobs to help support her poor husband Caleb― only to discover he is a millionaire! When confronted, Caleb feels no guilt. He divorces her immediately to pursue his true love, leaving her with nothing to her name. "Kelsie is the woman that I love, the woman who truly deserves to be by my side," Caleb said. "Now, sign the papers and I can end this farce of a marriage." But thankfully, fate has yet to close all its doors on her. The messy breakup has led Amelia to meet the elusive Matteo Montgomery, the mysterious owner of X'el International Inc., and even though Amelia could have sworn that this is the first time they have ever met, Matteo seemed to hold more interest in her than ordinary. With her divorce finalized, Matteo's courtship quickly grows more extravagant. He offers her everything, from a job as his secretary, a new penthouse apartment, and a permanent home in his heart. But just as Amelia's heart begins to open up to Matteo's sincerity, Caleb comes crawling back, determined to ruin her life. *** [Excerpt] "Oh?" Matteo asked, and Amelia caught a hint of amusement in his voice. "Then pray tell, what did we converse about?" Amelia swallowed. Good heavens, he was so close. She could barely even breathe, afraid that every movement she made would just amplify how loud her heartbeat was. It was racing like a bullet train at this point, and she felt it clog at her throat, refusing her a chance to speak. "I... I...I―" "I have no girlfriend, Amelia," Matteo said. "And before you overthink, I do not have a wife in secret either." His fingers didn't let go of her wrist, and instead, it even tightened its grip. It wasn't painful in the slightest, but it sent surges of electricity rushing through her body as though she had been struck by lightning in the most thrilling of ways. A coy smile curved his lips, and he leaned in just the slightest. His lips were now a hair's breadth away from hers, and Amelia instinctively held her breath. "Unless, perhaps you would like to volunteer?"

Billionaire Modern Romance

8.0

Now I’m Someone Else’s Bride

8.0

Abandoned at her Napa Valley wedding, she watches her life shatter when her fiancé, Liam Parker, runs off to a retreat with his childhood friend using their honeymoon savings. The devastating betrayal sends her father into cardiac arrest. Unable to afford his emergency surgery because of Liam's spending, she must make a drastic choice. When her father wakes, she vows to save him by marrying the man he originally chose for her.

Modern Romance

9.0

Pregnant Wife's Justice

9.0

After waking from a three-year coma, Lin Wan is devastated to discover that her husband, Lu Shen, has replaced her with her own sister. Her family has been destroyed, and her father’s death remains a mystery. Now pregnant and fueled by a need for justice, Lin Wan must navigate a web of betrayal and hidden secrets. She is determined to reclaim her life and uncover the truth behind the tragedies that shattered her world while seeking revenge.

Modern Mystery Romance

9.6

Scratching for Survival

9.6

After years of her mother dismissing every achievement as mere luck, the protagonist of Scratching for Survival is abandoned at Westridge University with nothing but a book of scratch cards for her expenses. Blocked by her family and left penniless, she must win to eat. As the semester progresses, she descends into starvation, scavenging for scraps and battling severe anemia while hoping for a winning ticket. Her mother’s cruel experiment reaches a desperate, ironic climax on the final card.

Modern Young Adult

8.0

The billionaire's secret baby

8.0

After a single night of passion with a powerful billionaire, a young woman discovers she is pregnant. Fearing his reaction and the complexities of his elite world, she chooses to disappear and raise the child in secret. Years later, a chance encounter brings them face-to-face once more. As her hidden truth threatens to surface, the tycoon is determined to reclaim his family, forcing her to confront a past she tried so hard to leave behind.

Billionaire Modern Romance

Before I Leave

Chapter 2

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