The CEO's Betrayal: My Escape

After eight years, I watched the man I loved, Ethan Morgan, celebrate a success he' d stolen from me. He stood on stage with his assistant, Bella, giving her the credit and the massive commission that was rightfully mine. His CEO smile, once reserved for me, was now exclusively for her. He claimed it was punishment for my mother' s engagement to his wealthy father, calling her a gold-digger and me a co-conspirator in her "scheme." Later, he texted that he was "out of town for a few days." But on Instagram, I saw the truth: a selfie of him and Bella on his private jet, on a romantic getaway. In the background of their photo was a small, silver-framed picture of us from our trip to Santorini. The violation was absolute. Our entire life together was a lie. That was it. I sent my resignation, effective immediately, and booked a one-way ticket to Oregon. I was done being his victim.

Chapters

Chapter 5

Alissa POV:

My muscles tensed. Home.

The word felt like a trap. A cage.

I remembered the easy rhythm of our evenings, the shared meals, the comfortable silence. The home I had built, piece by piece, with him.

But that home was gone. Replaced by a hollow shell, filled with Bella's perfume and Ethan's casual cruelty.

He hadn't been home in days. Not really. He' d been on a "spontaneous getaway" with his assistant.

"I need you to come home, Alissa." His voice was insistent now, a subtle command beneath the strained plea.

"Why?" I asked, my voice flat. "Your car's fine. What happened to your driver?"

He hesitated, his gaze darting away. "Just... get in the car."

My mind raced. He wanted me to go back to that apartment. To his playpen. With her scent.

No. Never again.

My flight was in a few hours. My entire escape plan depended on this moment.

I needed to get away, without a trace.

He watched me, his eyes narrowed, searching for something. A tell.

I had to play along. Just long enough to slip away.

"I'm starving," I said, a sudden thought striking me. "I haven't eaten all day. Can we get something first?"

His brow furrowed for a second, then smoothed out. "Fine. There's that new Italian place downtown. You like pasta, right?"

Perfect. Downtown was close to the airport. And busy.

We drove in silence, the air thick with unspoken words. The city lights blurred past, a kaleidoscope of fleeting colors.

My heart hammered against my ribs. How do I do this? How do I disappear?

Ethan glanced at me occasionally, his jaw tight. He seemed on the verge of speaking, then stopped himself.

Finally, he cleared his throat. "About that... that bracelet. And the scarf. Bella was just... she meant well, Alissa."

His phone buzzed. A jarring interruption.

He glanced down. His face tightened. Bella.

I subtly adjusted the rearview mirror. I saw the name clearly. Bella Russo.

I leaned forward, pretending to adjust the air conditioning. My finger brushed the hazard light button, flipping it on. Then off.

He answered the phone, his voice laced with forced patience. "Bella? What's wrong?"

Her voice, high-pitched and tearful, filtered through the speaker. "Ethan! Oh, thank god! I'm stranded! My car broke down on the highway, and it's so dark! I'm all alone!"

Stranded. I almost rolled my eyes. Bella was never truly alone.

"Don't worry," Ethan said, his voice softening, "I'm on my way."

He hung up, his gaze intense. "I have to go. Bella needs me."

I nodded, my expression neutral.

"Here," I said, pulling over to the curb. I unlocked the car doors. "You can take my car. It's faster."

He blinked, surprised. "You're just... letting me take your car?"

"I'm still hungry, Ethan," I said, my voice flat. "I'll wait for a cab. You go."

He still hesitated. "Alissa, I can't just leave you here."

"I'll be fine," I insisted. "Go. She needs you."

He scowled, a flash of irritation crossing his face. "Fine. But you can walk home after you eat."

He got out, slammed the door, and walked around to the driver's side.

"Just leave the keys in the usual spot when you're done," he called out, his voice sharp.

I watched him drive away, the familiar SUV disappearing into the night traffic.

My flight. My escape. It was all falling into place.

I pulled out my phone. My ticket was confirmed. My bags were already at the airport.

I looked at my watch. Plenty of time.

I slid into the driver's seat, started the engine, and drove straight to the airport.

As I checked in, my phone buzzed with a flurry of texts from Ethan.

Where are you?

Are you at the restaurant?

They said you didn't show up.

Alissa, stop playing games!

Then, a photo. A plate of greasy pasta. I ordered for you. It's getting cold.

I felt a cold, hard satisfaction. He still thought he knew me. He still thought he was in control.

The flight attendant announced the final boarding call.

I took a deep breath.

I scrolled to Ethan's contact, hit "Block," and then switched my phone to airplane mode.

I put on my eye mask, leaned back in my seat, and slept soundly for the first time in months.

Continue to next part

Elianila, an AI Architect, is part of an elite team tasked with designing a global system meant to prevent threats, manage disasters, and distribute resources to vulnerable regions. After five years of tireless work with her colleagues, she uncovers disturbing anomalies, code-named, X-variables, that flag individuals according to criteria she never programmed. As Elianila digs deeper to understand what the X-variables measure and where their origin, she finds herself in direct conflict with the authorities. Soon, the System marks her and her daughter as threats - targets to be eliminated. With a small band of colleagues and dissidents, Elianila goes on the run, hiding in places beyond the Systems reach. As they evade surveillance, they race against time to warn others, expose the truth, and fight back against the omnipresent authority of the System.

Action Adventure LitRPG Sci-Fi

9.1

His Arranged Desire

9.1

"He's cold, devishily handsome, commanding, and impossible to read... and she's been forced into his world. Isabella thought she knew what life with Adrian would be-quiet, controlled, predictable-but an arranged marriage was never meant to be simple. One glance, one heated conversation, and everything changes. From enemies to reluctant partners, secrets, past hurts, and unexpected emotions collide as Isabella finds herself drawn to the man behind the coldness. In the quiet of his car, she glimpses the man beneath the fury-devilly handsome, sharp gray eyes softened for her alone. And for the first time, Adrian sees her-innocently beautiful, entirely his. Can she unravel him before her heart gets lost?" Add to your libraries, besties so as to join me in Adrain and Isabella's passionate journey. Trust me you wouldn't want to miss this! @NightWhisperWrites

Adventure Modern Romance

9.1

Humiliated Heiress: A Quest For Justice

9.1

I was ambushed in my guardian's Hamptons estate by his son's fiancée, Kaitlyn. Accusing me of being a homewrecker, she and her friends began live-streaming my public humiliation. They beat me, destroyed my father's priceless business legacy, and forced me to my knees to beg for forgiveness on camera. They shattered the last photo of my parents and then, after I groveled, crushed my mother's locket under their heels anyway. My world was a blur of pain and confusion. Julien was like a brother to me. Harvey, his father, was my legal guardian. The accusation made no sense. Just as they were about to strip me naked for their audience, Harvey arrived, his face a mask of thunder. But the real shock came later, when a terrified Kaitlyn confessed the truth. The attack wasn't about jealousy. It was a calculated act of revenge for a decades-old family feud, and Harvey's own son, Julien, was the secret mastermind who had set me up to be destroyed.

Adventure Billionaire LitRPG

7.6

Jilted By Nephew, Claimed By King

7.6

I was kneeling on the cold concrete of an abandoned warehouse, staring at a ticking timer while a masked man held a knife to my throat. My fiancé's nephew, Preston, finally burst through the door, but he wasn't alone. He was clutching my stepsister, Felicia, both of them looking frantic. The kidnapper gave Preston a brutal choice: the bomb was rigged to the door, and he could only take one woman with him. The other would stay behind to burn. Without a single second of hesitation, Preston grabbed Felicia's hand and turned his back on me. "I'm sorry, Annelise," he said, his voice flat and devoid of any real regret. He slammed the heavy iron door shut, leaving me to scream in the darkness as the flames began to roar. He didn't just leave me to die; he did it to protect his inheritance, treating me like a piece of trash that was finally being cleared from his path. Later, in the hospital, he didn't even offer an apology. Instead, he raised his hand to strike me, threatening to finish what the fire started if I dared to speak a word about his cowardice. His stepsister laughed, trying to pour scalding coffee on my face while calling me a pathetic loser who should have stayed in the warehouse. I sat there, cowering and shaking like a broken girl, letting them believe they had won. I watched their cruelty with wide, watery eyes, wondering how they could be so blind to the monster they were provoking. What Preston didn't know was that the entire kidnapping was a performance I had choreographed myself, and every second of his betrayal was recorded in 4K. Now, I've successfully moved into the manor of the real king-his uncle, Francesco Lancaster. He thinks he's rescued a wounded bird, but he's actually invited a world-class predator into his home. The game is no longer about survival; it's about total destruction.

Action Adventure Romance

8.0

Lost Princess's Vengeance

8.0

Betrayed by her own blood, Princess Elara barely escaped the brutal coup that claimed her throne and family. Now living in exile, she hides her royal identity while mastering the forbidden arts of war and ancient magic. Driven by a cold desire for retribution, she gathers a band of outcasts to reclaim her stolen birthright. Elara must navigate a landscape of political treachery and dark monsters to finally confront the usurper king.

Action Adventure Fantasy

9.5

Mated to My Intended's Enemy

9.5

She paid a stranger to take her virginity-unaware he already owned her. Victoria Howlthorne only has one night to destroy her value and escape a brutal fate-being sold as a virgin to the infamous Alpha Moretti. But the dangerous stranger she chooses in the shadows of Devil's Lair isn't what he seems.  "Buy a girl a drink?" "Shouldn't you be in college?" he smirks. "My birthday," she whispers. "I'm celebrating survival." She gives him her body. He gives her the most unforgettable night of her life. and takes her innocence with a hunger that feels destined. But Leo isn't just anyone-he's the dominant Alpha she was already promised to. She thinks she ruined the deal. He knows she just sealed her fate. When secrets unravel, desire turns to obsession. She tried to escape the monster. Instead, she gave herself to the devil who already owned her name. Will she run when she learns the truth, or surrender to the man who can never let her go?

Action Adventure Werewolf

The CEO's Betrayal: My Escape

Chapter 5

You may also like