I Lost Our Baby When His Mistress Pushed Me

The freezing rain lashed against my face as I clung to the iron gates of the Hendrix estate, begging for a chance to prove I didn't kill my best friend. I had come here for mercy, but the man I had secretly loved for years had a different plan. He didn't want to hear my truth; he wanted to see me broken. As the sun rose, the estate manager delivered the final blow. He shoved Emery’s phone into my face, showing a forged text message that framed me for her death, then turned his back as the gates slammed shut. My own family didn't offer a lifeline, either. When the police came for me, my parents didn't fight for my innocence; they chose to disown me to save their bank accounts from Alfredo’s wrath. I was thrown into Rikers Island, stripped of my dignity, and subjected to years of calculated, brutal torture paid for by the man who once held my heart. How could the person I loved turn my life into a private slaughterhouse based on a lie? After three years of hell, I walked out of those prison gates with nothing but a scarred body and a hollow soul. The woman who loved Alfredo Hendrix died in that cell. Now, I’m back in the city where it all began, and I’m done hiding.

She gave up a billion-dollar fortune for love. He humiliated her, betrayed her, and threw her out. Pregnant and alone. Five years later, Emma Weiss is back. Not as the pathetic wife he despised, but as the hidden heiress who owns the empire he's desperately begging to save. Now Jasper Parrish will learn the hard way: never underestimate a woman scorned. While he crawls for scraps, another man is ready to give her everything she deserves: passion, power, and a love that doesn't destroy. Revenge has never been this sweet... or this hot.

I should have known better than to want him. He’s off-limits in every way that matters: my best friend’s father, a man carved from control and authority, the kind of man who doesn’t bend… and doesn’t forgive. One look from him should have been enough to send me running. Instead, it pulls me closer. Every glance lingers too long. Every word feels like a warning wrapped in temptation. He sees everything I try to hide and dares me to keep pushing anyway. I tell myself it’s just a dangerous game… until the lines start to blur, and walking away stops being an option. Because he doesn’t just resist me. He watches me. Tests me. Breaks me down piece by piece until I don’t know if I’m chasing him… or falling exactly where he wants me. And if we cross that final line? There’s no going back.

I smoothed my fingers over the delicate lace of the lingerie, a pale blush color that had cost more than I'd ever spent on myself before. Three years of marriage, and Marcus had never seen me in anything like this. Three years of cold shoulders, separate bedrooms, and his constant reminders that his anxiety disorder made physical intimacy impossible. Yet somehow, I still believed this trip could change everything. "This time will be different," I whispered to my reflection in the bedroom mirror, practicing the warm, inviting smile I'd been rehearsing for days. The woman staring back at me looked hopeful, desperate even, with eyes that had grown accustomed to disappointment but refused to accept it. I carefully folded the lingerie between layers of tissue paper and tucked it into my suitcase, alongside the new sundresses and swimsuits I'd purchased for our trip to the Hamptons. Our belated honeymoon. The one Marcus had promised we'd take when he felt "ready." Three years later, and here we were. "You're beautiful," I practiced again, imagining what I might say if—when—Marcus finally looked at me the way a husband should look at his wife.

BLURB: I never thought my life would change because of a contract. But here I am, stuck in a marriage that isn't really a marriage. Matthew King is a billionaire, cold, powerful, and hiding deep scars. He's not the kind of man I ever thought I'd get close to, let alone marry. I thought this was just a business deal. No feelings, no love. But the more I'm around him, the more I realize I'm getting tangled in his world, and I don't know if I'll ever escape. What happens when a contract marriage turns into something more? Can I break through his walls, or will I be left behind, just another thing he can't trust? The deeper I fall for him, the harder it gets to tell if this is real or just a game. Will Matthew ever let me in, or am I just another business deal to him?

"C'mon, Dad, we're going to be late for school!" Noel shouted at his father, who lay motionless on his bed. "Daddy! Daddy! I can't find my toothbrush!" Kayla screeched with excitement. No one knew what was so exciting about that. "Dad! Junior just peed on his bed... and he's crying so hard!" Janietta yelled from the baby's room. Mr. Romeo looked completely frustrated as he listened to their complaints. "What!" he shouted weakly, almost in tears. Gosh. These children were a handful. He pried his eyes open a little and gazed at the wall clock. "Fuc—" He cut himself off the moment he remembered the kids were in the room. It was almost 7:00 a.m. And he still needed to get them ready before eight, dress them, prepare their breakfast and lunch, and also get himself to work… all before 8:00 a.m. He quickly jumped out of bed and tied his robe. "The three of you, take off your clothes and line up in the bathroom. I'm bathing all of you at the same time," he instructed before dashing off to attend to his wailing nine-month-old baby. ?????? Meet 30-year-old David Romero. Father of four beautiful kids. And yes, a single dad. His children: Noel, 8; Kayla, 5; Janietta, 10; and Junior, a nine-month-old baby. They are a handful. He lost his precious wife during the delivery of his last baby precisely nine months ago. He has been taking care of his kids ever since, and trust me when I say it has been hell. His kids virtually have minds of their own. It is very hard for David to cope with all of this and his new job as the supervisor of Duvel Company. The responsibilities are simply more than he can handle. Getting a new wife would be hell, because his kids do not want a new mommy. What about a nanny? Duh. They definitely don’t want one either. To them, it’s supposed to be just them and their Daddy. But David is not ready to do this alone. He definitely needs assistance.