Divorce After Deception

Adela stood outside the private room, holding the obsidian necklace she had spent three months hand-crafting for her boyfriend. But through the cracked door, she heard Juston laughing with his friends, calling her a stupid, obedient pawn and her art "garbage." After she shattered the necklace and walked out into the freezing rain, Juston texted her a far more horrifying truth. Her own family didn't just hate her-they had actively tried to kill her. Two years ago, her brother Kayden intentionally slipped deadly shellfish into her food at a gala, sending her into anaphylactic shock. Worse, her parents had covered up the attempted murder as a simple kitchen mistake, all to protect the family name and elevate her adopted sister, Kara. Adela collapsed on the wet pavement, suffocating under the weight of the ultimate betrayal. She had spent her entire life begging for their love, secretly working as the anonymous designer keeping their failing company afloat, only to realize she was nothing but a disposable tool. She had absolutely no one, and nowhere to go. Just as the storm threatened to swallow her whole, a sleek black Maybach pulled up to the curb. Harmon Holland, the ruthless Wall Street billionaire she was originally arranged to marry, stepped out into the rain. He didn't offer her pity. Instead, he handed her a legal document. "Marry me, Adela. For one year." She took the pen. This time, she wouldn't be an obedient pawn; she would be their executioner.

The prince of New York high society once stopped a plane for me, and I once vanished with our child for three years. We were married. Nine years later, a younger, more attractive woman appeared by his side. She's vivacious and daring, joining him in all his thrilling escapades. Meanwhile, I had become a housewife, keeping a watchful eye on our daughter, insisting she not indulge in too many sweets. He told me, disappointed, "Thalia, you've lost your spark." Even my daughter critiqued, "Aunt Alison is smart, gorgeous, and earns her own living. What about you? You just depend on Dad." The next day, I took my ID and went through with the divorce from Harvey. Perhaps they'd forgotten. At twenty-two, I was bold enough to dive off a cliff into the open sea to escape.

Tech-CEO Victoria discovers her husband Ethan is cheating with his male trainer; she records the tryst and confronts Ethan’s boss, Dylan Shaw, offering a merger to save Dylan’s cash-strapped company. She demands Ethan’s professional destruction in exchange—she becomes CEO, Dylan Chairman. Dylan agrees on one condition: total strategic ruthlessness so Ethan never sees the hit coming.

I was never meant to see it. The moment wasn't intended for my eyes, but fate has a cruel way of revealing truths we've spent years avoiding. The crisp autumn air kissed my skin as I stepped into Le Bernardin, Manhattan's crown jewel of fine dining. Alexander had texted that he was running late for our anniversary dinner—our sixth year together. Six years of loving a man who had never once looked at me the way he was looking at her now. I'd arrived early, hoping to surprise him with a vintage watch I'd spent months tracking down. Instead, I was the one ambushed by reality. Weaving through the sea of white tablecloths and crystal glasses, I spotted them tucked away in a corner. I instinctively slipped behind a decorative pillar, my heart hammering against my ribs as the scene unfolded before me. Alexander Dropkin—my Alexander—was on his knees.

Five years ago, Elena Moretti walked away from Dominic Russo without explanation-leaving him to face the collapse of his father's empire alone. Now Dominic is no longer the reckless man she once loved. He's a ruthless billionaire CEO with power, influence... and a memory that hasn't forgotten betrayal. When he acquires the company Elena works for, he offers her a deal she can't refuse: work under him for six months-or watch her family's name be dragged through a financial scandal from the past. Forced into close proximity, old wounds reopen and buried secrets threaten to surface. But the more time they spend together, the more dangerous the tension becomes. Because hatred is easier than forgiveness. And love? Love is guilty as sin.

Chapter 1 : Shadows Cast at Moonset** Seven years into their marriage, Kathleen knew her place in David’s world. To him, she was less a wife and more a convenient outlet—a bedmate for whenever the urge struck. After yet another passionless encounter, he absently nuzzled the top of her head. “If I haven’t found her by the time I turn thirty, I’ll settle down with you for good.” Kathleen knew exactly who occupied his heart: the little girl who had pulled him from the sea over twenty years before. He’d once confessed promising her, even then, that he would marry her when he grew up. For seven years, Kathleen had asked the same question—what if you never find her? For seven years, David had never answered. But tonight, she finally had the answer she’d longed for. A fragile hope fluttered in her chest, because after midnight, David would be thirty. She had thrown a lavish party at his estate on the outskirts of town. Now, in the castle’s top-floor suite, the frantic energy of their encounter had dissipated. In one hour, they would stand before that same castle, hand in hand, ready to face the future. Wincing at the soreness in her lower back, Kathleen leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his Adam’s apple, her gaze hazy with lingering desire. “Wait for me.” An hour later, she stood in a shimmering fishtail gown, a pair of matching wedding bands clutched in her palm. *After tonight*, she thought, *we can finally leave the past behind and truly begin.* But when she turned, she saw David embracing another woman. The man who was usually so aloof he rarely smiled now held a look of wild, disbelieving joy, his voice trembling. “I finally found you!” The woman wore a simple white dress, her face a portrait of innocent alarm. Kathleen stood frozen, the warmth draining from her fingertips in an instant. It was Emily, the daughter of the Jiang family’s former housekeeper. She had lived in the household with her mother since childhood. Kathleen’s father had always treated her kindly, even sponsoring her overseas studies seven years ago. Their personalities had never meshed, resulting in a relationship of consistent, cool politeness. “Mr. David,” Emily stammered, shrinking back slightly, “you… you must have the wrong person.” David released her, his fingers gently tracing the jade pendant hanging from her neck. His voice softened, as if handling a priceless treasure. “This is the token I gave you when you saved me. Why did you never come find me?” Emily looked bewildered. “I… I had a high fever after nearly drowning as a child. I lost some memories. I don’t remember who gave me this pendant.” “It was me,” David said, his eyes blazing. “I told you back then, you would be my only bride in this lifetime.” The words were a knife, plunging straight into Kathleen’s heart. Emily’s gaze, however, drifted over David’s shoulder, locking onto Kathleen. “But Mr. David, you’re already married to Ms. Kathleen.” David turned. The tenderness in his eyes vanished, replaced by the detached coolness reserved for a stranger. “I told her before we married that my heart belonged to someone else. She made her choice.” A suffocating pain seized her chest, stealing her breath. She remembered seven years ago, when the Shen and Jiang families first broached the alliance. The first time she saw David, she’d fallen for those cool, distant eyes. Even then, he had stated plainly: he was waiting for someone. He would never love her. But she, stubborn and proud, had assured him, “I can wait. If you truly find her, I’ll step aside willingly.” She’d been too young, too confident, convinced that time and closeness would work in her favor. Just last night, he had held her and murmured, “Kathleen, let’s have a proper wedding.” Cradled in his arms, her heart had raced, believing she had finally grasped the moon. Now, he was saying his heart belonged only to Emily.