The Caged Canary Finds Her Sky

My hands shook as I stared at the pregnancy test: "Pregnant." My dream of a family, born from a lonely orphanage childhood, was finally coming true. Then, a woman's laugh on the intercom, followed by Holden's cold voice revealing I was just a "tool" he'd dump with a check. The digital screen glowed, announcing the life growing inside me. After years in sterile orphanage rooms, I was finally going to build the complete home I always craved. I planned a romantic surprise for Holden, eager to share our news. But then, a piercing static from the intercom panel shattered the quiet. A woman’s purr, Estella’s voice, cut through the air, asking Holden when he’d dump "that boring, common woman upstairs." Holden’s reply, flat and calculating, revealed I was merely a spotless tool to clean up his family's image, to be discarded after next month's charity gala. My knees gave out. I collapsed onto the freezing tile, the pregnancy test now a disgusting joke. Holden’s footsteps approached, forcing me to hide the symbol of my shattered future deep in my makeup bag, dreading his discovery. He later presented a brutal prenuptial agreement, ensuring I'd leave with nothing. At a family dinner, Estella, adorned with the diamond necklace Holden bought for his "future wife," publicly humiliated me by spilling wine on my gown, while Holden embraced her and coldly ordered me to clean myself up. My tears stopped. The pathetic, frightened mask melted away, revealing a woman no longer naive, no longer controlled. Wiping away the ink of his false promises, I clutched my flat stomach, a silent vow forming. He thought I’d leave with a check and my shame, but I would make Holden Dalton learn what a real price was.

Chapters

Chapter 4

Kenia POV:

The crystal chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling of the Hamptons estate blinded me as I walked down the grand spiral staircase.

I gripped Holden’s arm. The fabric of his tuxedo was smooth beneath my fingers, but his muscles were rigid. We reached the bottom step, stepping onto the marble floor of the main banquet hall.

Holden’s mother, Annabella, sat in a high-backed velvet chair near the fireplace. She didn't even look up as we approached. She kept her eyes fixed on a wealthy socialite next to her, loudly discussing the bloodlines of her racing horses.

I felt the eyes of the room on me. Dozens of women in designer gowns turned their heads. Their eyes raked over my starry blue dress, followed by sharp, cruel whispers behind their champagne flutes.

Holden suddenly pulled his arm out of my grip.

"I need to speak with the bankers from Wall Street," he said coldly, not looking at me. He turned and walked into the crowd, abandoning me instantly.

I stood alone. I walked over to a passing waiter and took a glass of sparkling water. I couldn't touch alcohol because of the baby. I retreated to a quiet corner next to the floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the rain beat against the glass.

Suddenly, the heavy carved mahogany doors of the hall swung open. A collective gasp rippled through the room.

Estella walked in. She wore a blood-red haute couture gown that clung to every curve. She walked with her chin held high, acting like she already owned the Dalton estate.

My eyes immediately locked onto her neck.

Resting against her collarbone was a massive pink diamond necklace. It caught the light, throwing pink sparks across the room. I recognized it instantly. It was the finale piece from the Sotheby’s spring auction. It cost five million dollars. Holden had proudly told the press he bought it for his future wife.

And now, it was wrapped around Estella’s neck.

Estella scanned the room. Her eyes found me in the corner. A vicious, triumphant smile stretched across her red lips.

She took a full glass of Cabernet from a waiter and walked straight toward me. The crowd of women parted for her, eager to watch the slaughter.

Estella stopped two feet away from me. She looked me up and down, her eyes full of disgust.

"What an interesting fabric," Estella said, her voice loud enough for the surrounding guests to hear. "It looks so cheap. No label, I assume? You really lower the standard of the Dalton family by wearing rags to a formal event."

I kept my face perfectly still. "I designed and sewed it myself," I replied evenly. "The value of art doesn't come from a price tag."

A few older men standing nearby—art investors—nodded slightly in agreement.

Estella’s eyes flashed with pure malice.

She took a step forward. Suddenly, her ankle twisted in an exaggerated, theatrical motion. She lunged forward.

Her hand jerked, and the entire glass of dark red Cabernet splashed directly onto my chest.

The cold liquid soaked through the starry blue silk instantly. The heavy red wine spread across my bodice, staining the beautiful fabric with an ugly, dark patch. Because my reflexes were slightly dulled by the pregnancy, I couldn't step back in time. Drops of wine splattered against my chin and neck.

The crowd let out a fake chorus of gasps.

"Oh my god!" Estella cried out. She covered her mouth with her hand. "I am so sorry! I tripped."

She grabbed a paper napkin from a table and stepped into my space. She aggressively rubbed the napkin against my chest. Through the wet silk, her sharp acrylic nails dug hard into my skin, scratching me.

I grabbed her wrist and shoved her hand away. My eyes burned with rage.

Before I could speak, heavy, uneven footsteps pushed through the crowd. Holden appeared.

Estella immediately let out a whimper. Her eyes filled with tears. She threw herself against Holden’s chest. "Holden! I tripped and spilled my wine, and I tried to help her clean it, but she pushed me!"

Holden wrapped his arm tightly around Estella’s waist. He pulled her close, protecting her. Then, his dark, furious eyes snapped to me.

I stood as tall as I could. The wet silk clung to my skin, freezing me to the bone. I stared into his eyes, waiting for him to see the truth. I waited for just one word of defense.

Holden looked at the massive stain on my dress, his upper lip curling in disgust.

"Kenia, stop embarrassing yourself. Go to the restroom and clean yourself up."

Continue to next part

She thought she knew who she was. She was wrong. Ayla Monroe has everything-wealth, beauty, and a family that keeps her under constant watch. But behind the walls of the Corsetti mansion, she feels like a bird in a gilded cage. She wants freedom, a normal life, and answers to the questions that haunt her every night-about icy water, a distant bridge, and a boy's voice calling her name. Then River Callahan walks into her world, bringing with him a storm of memories she can't quite grasp and a truth she's not ready to face. Because Ayla isn't Ayla at all. She's Hope Freissy Marsh, the sole survivor of a tragedy that wiped out her real family-and the rightful heir to everything the Callahans now own. As long-buried secrets unravel, Ayla finds herself torn between the boy she's falling for and the blood feud that binds their families. Love was never supposed to survive this war. But some ties are impossible to break.

Action Modern Mystery

7.2

Flash Marriage: Sold To The Possessive Daddy Alpha

7.2

When ordinary wolf Thalia Emerson is hit by a luxury car, she never expects the owner to be Alpha Cassian Frostclaw-ruthless heir to the most feared pack, a man whose presence alone commands obedience. Desperation drives her to accept an unthinkable deal: three years bound to him in exchange for the money that could save the only family she has left. For nearly three years, Cassian is absent, leaving Thalia to rebuild her life, chase her dreams, and quietly count down the days to her freedom. Just when she believes the contract will end without consequence, Cassian returns-unannounced, uncompromising, and very much aware of the woman she has become. What begins as a cold pact slowly unravels into something neither of them planned. As power collides with vulnerability and duty tangles with desire, Thalia must decide whether her heart is merely surviving. or learning to belong.

Modern Romance Werewolf

7.0

He Held The Sun, Then Lost It

7.0

Five years. Four hundred million dollars. And the wedding dress was never mine. I found out on a Tuesday—a C-list actress draped in my custom Vera Wang, hanging off my fiancé's arm. Six months of French lace. Six meters of Italian silk. Every stitch a promise I had made to myself: someone finally chose me for me. He locked the doors of that boutique. Froze my cards. Threatened my friends. Told the world I was just a delusional former assistant who didn't know her place. The internet called me crazy, a liar, a desperate woman who couldn't take a hint. His name trended everywhere. My accounts got suspended before I could say a word. What he never knew: his empire ran on my capital. His patents were mine. His executive assistant had been feeding me evidence for months—emails, recordings, a paper trail of fraud stretching back years. I dialed the encrypted phone. A voice said, "I've waited five years." "Then wait three more days," I said. "I'm going to tear his head off."

Modern Mystery Romance

8.3

I Tore Up His Check, Then He Bought My Life

8.3

After seven years of scrubbing floors to escape my past, my doctor fiancé convinced me to attend the Met Gala. It was supposed to be a one-night trip back to a world I hated. But then the doors crashed open, and the monster I.d left for dead rolled in on a wheelchair. Within twenty-four hours, Fielding Hancock.s shadow had poisoned everything. My fiancé, Nathan, saw a photo of Fielding touching my arm and completely shattered. He got me fired, drained our joint bank account of my life savings, and left me homeless on a sidewalk in Queens. I thought I had hit rock bottom, but then the hospital called. My mother had suffered a stroke, triggered by an envelope Fielding sent her. The insurance Nathan had just reported as fraudulent wouldn.t cover the ICU, and I was broke. With my mother.s life on the line and two hours to find five thousand dollars, I was out of options. He had systematically destroyed every piece of my new life, cornering me until there was nowhere left to run. I made the only call I could. Fielding picked up on the first ring. "You win," I said, my voice dead. "I'm yours."

Modern Romance

7.9

Love After a Broken Heart

7.9

After a devastating betrayal, a woman finds herself picking up the pieces of her shattered life. Just as she vows to close off her heart forever, a powerful and enigmatic billionaire enters her world. Though she is hesitant to trust again, his persistent presence and unexpected kindness begin to melt her icy exterior. Together, they navigate the complexities of high society and past traumas to discover if a second chance at true love is possible.

Billionaire Modern Romance

9.2

Love in the Coffee Queue

9.2

Every morning, in the same Roman café, two strangers stand in line always close enough to notice each other, never brave enough to speak. Emma, a translator finding her footing after heartbreak, came to Rome to start over. Liam, an architect content in his quiet routines, never expected his world to shift over something as simple as a shared coffee. But when one forgets a wallet, a single moment breaks the silence and changes everything. What begins as a gentle friendship blossoms into a love painted in sunlight and small gestures. Yet when life calls Emma back home, both must learn whether love born in fleeting mornings can survive the pull of distance and time. Set against the timeless beauty of Rome, Love in the Coffee Queue is a tender, cinematic story about chance, courage, and the kind of connection that lingers long after the last sip.

Adventure Modern Romance

The Caged Canary Finds Her Sky

Chapter 4

You may also like