When the Flames Revealed His True Love Wasn’t Me

Both my husband's childhood sweetheart and I were caught in a roaring fire, and he chose to save me first because I was pregnant. When he came back, all he found was her lifeless body, consumed by the flames. He blamed me for being hysterical and delaying the rescue, refusing to let our daughter call him "dad." Six years later, when a time machine was invented, he ignored our family's objections and insisted on going back to the past. "Selena, if you hadn't used the baby to manipulate me, I would have saved her first," Riley accused. Even our daughter didn't want to call me her mother anymore. "If you hadn’t caused Aunt Natalia’s death, why would dad hate me?" she said. Facing everyone's contempt, I decided to go back to the past too. This time, I would save myself and owe Riley nothing. ... The dizziness from the time machine subsided, and I was hit by a nearly unbearable wave of heat.

Chapters

Chapter 2

He kept appearing in my life during my darkest times, leading me to mistakenly believe I held a special place in his heart. But now, it's time to face reality.

"Mom and Dad have invited us for dinner tonight. If you're feeling up to it, we should head out now."

Just as we were about to leave, Riley got a call from Natalia.

"Natalia's really shaken up by today's events and she's too scared to cook. I'm going over to help her make dinner."

After dining with Rosalie and Marcus, I was preparing to head home and rest when Rosalie's expression suddenly turned serious as she looked at her phone.

"Riley's gone to see Natalia again!"

She said this, noticing my lack of reaction, then handed her phone to me.

"Selena, didn’t you say Riley was caught up with something at work and couldn’t come? Did you know he went to see Natalia? You know the kind of influence she has... Ugh, what has she done to him!"

Natalia had posted a photo on Facebook of Riley diligently making dinner for her.

"That woman is married and still behaves this way, constantly clinging to Riley. And he believes her without a second thought."

Indeed, Rosalie and Marcus disapproved of Riley's involvement with Natalia because she was already married, a fact she managed to keep hidden quite well. They found out purely by accident. Her marriage was unhappy, which is why they didn’t want to tell Riley, fearing he might rashly confront her husband.

I learned this from Rosalie and Marcus, and knowing this was why I hadn’t considered divorcing Riley. I thought I was protecting him, but it only led him to resent me for eight years.

This time, I won’t get drawn into their drama. Riley and Natalia need to resolve their issues on their own.

"Selena, I'm sorry you’ve had to go through this," Rosalie sighed. "I hoped that after marrying you, Riley would forget about Natalia. After all, Riley once..."

At her words, I smiled, looking back at her calmly.

"Riley probably helped me out of kindness. I misunderstood his intentions. Forcing us together only makes us both unhappy, so it's better to part ways."

"Part ways?" Rosalie and Marcus looked at me, taken aback.

"Riley and I have signed the divorce papers. I’ll be leaving in a few days. I hope you’ll keep this from him. I don’t want him to regret his choices forever because of these circumstances."

Remembering how Riley looked at me with such cold eyes that evening on Thanksgiving, my heart ached deeply.

Together for over a decade, and it was the first time he felt like a stranger to me.

After explaining everything to Rosalie and Marcus, I returned home alone. Just as I was about to fall asleep, my bedroom door suddenly flew open.

I woke to find myself staring into a pair of furious eyes.

"Selena Jacobs, didn't you promise me you wouldn't go running to my parents? Do you want Natalia to suffer before you're satisfied?"

Continue to next part

"Your daughter's Punnett square project is quite unique, Mrs. Vance," the science teacher slides the wrinkled worksheet across the steel desk. For five years, I played the devoted mother to Maya, the orphaned girl my husband Mark brought home after his supposed best friend died in a car crash. I wiped her tears, baked her cupcakes, and loved her as my own flesh. Now, staring at the dominant alleles circling Maya’s blood type on the paper, the math fails. The dead best friend was O-negative. Mark is AB-positive. Maya is AB-positive. He didn't adopt an orphan; he smuggled his dead subordinate’s illegitimate child into our home under the guise of grief. He expects me to keep playing the saint. Instead, I’m calling my lawyer to draft an irrevocable family trust. The front door clicks open downstairs. Mark's heavy footsteps echo in the hall, calling out for his "two favorite girls."

Modern Mystery Romance

9.2

After Public Humiliation, I Became His CEO Boss

9.2

I stood in the corner of the ballroom, my camera a shield between me and the glittering crowd. Through my lens, I captured Marcus's triumph—his easy smile as he accepted congratulations, the way his hand gestured animatedly when describing his vision for "Midnight Embrace." My vision. Our vision. But no one knew that part. The Beverly Hills hotel ballroom sparkled with Hollywood royalty. Crystal chandeliers cast golden light over actresses in couture gowns, producers with perfect teeth, and critics whose words could make or break careers. I adjusted my aperture, focusing on Marcus as he threw his head back in laughter at something a studio executive said. "Perfect," I whispered, capturing the moment. Three years of late nights, endless networking, and silent sacrifice had led to this—his breakthrough. I should have felt proud.

Billionaire Modern Romance

9.8

BET. BOUGHT. OWNED. THE BILLIONAIRE'S PROPERTY

9.8

Janet thought she had finally escaped a life where she was only seen as property. Born to a father who never wanted a daughter and abandoned by a mother who vanished without a second glance, she grew up knowing she would never be truly loved. When her father sold her to a ruthless billionaire named Chris to settle a debt, she ran. She thought she found freedom in James... the man she chose. The man she loved. But love betrayed her. Drowning in debt, James made a desperate gamble… and staked the unthinkable...his wife. And when the cards turned against him, he lost everything. Including Janet. Now, Janet finds herself back in the hands of the man she once fled. But Chris doesn’t want her love. He doesn’t even believe in it. Love, to him, is weakness. Women, in his eyes, are meant to be owned, controlled, and used. She was never meant to matter. She was meant to obey. But Janet refuses to break quietly. Chris wants submission. He wants an heir. But Janet wants her freedom...and maybe even revenge. Will she be able to forgive James, the man who placed her as a bet? And will Chris succeed in bending her to his will — or will she shatter his instead? Two wills. One house. One brutal game of power, betrayal, and survival. Who wins when the prize refuses to be owned?

Billionaire Modern Romance

8.7

Escaping Blackwood's Gilded Cage

8.7

I stood in our bedroom, Manhattan's evening lights casting long shadows across the polished hardwood floor. The wish jar sat on my palm, its glass cool against my skin. Inside, dozens of colorful paper stars Alexander had folded for me over our five years of marriage caught the light, each containing a promise he'd made. "I promise to always put you first," I read aloud, my voice barely a whisper as I unfolded the blue star. My fingers trembled slightly as I dropped it into the wastebasket beside me. My other hand instinctively moved to my abdomen. Eight weeks pregnant. A life growing inside me while everything around me crumbled. I reached for another star—yellow this time. "I promise to grow old with you, watching sunsets from our porch." The paper felt fragile between my fingers, just like the vow it contained.

Billionaire Modern Romance

8.5

FALLING FOR MR SNOWFLAKE

8.5

When charming, small-town ski instructor Lily Carter saves a clueless tourist from tumbling down a black diamond slope, she has no idea she’s just rescued one of the richest men in the world. As snowflakes fall and sparks fly, Lily finds herself falling for the mysterious newcomer with terrible balance and a surprisingly sweet smile. But when the truth comes out, will the avalanche of secrets bury their chance at love or will it be the start of their greatest adventure yet?

Billionaire Modern Romance

8.7

Her Body, His Signature ( A CEO's X DEAL )

8.7

My back hits the cold glass of the penthouse window, the city glittering a thousand feet below us. Sebastian’s hand is at my throat—not tight enough to hurt, but enough to remind me who I belong to. “You were talking to him,” he says, voice low, dangerous. His other hand is braced beside my head, caging me in. “You smiled.” “It was just—” “Don’t lie to me, Ocean.” His thumb brushes the hollow of my throat, and my pulse jumps so hard he feels it. “You’re mine. Every glance. Every breath. Every inch of you.” I should be furious. I should tell him I’m not his property. But then his mouth is on mine—rough, consuming, tasting like the whiskey he hasn’t let go of since the gala. I moan before I can stop myself. That’s all the permission he needs. His hand slides to my waist, fingers digging in as if he’s afraid I’ll vanish. The heat between us ignites like dry kindling. It’s dangerous. It’s too much. It’s everything. When he finally pulls back, his eyes are dark enough to drown in. “One year,” he murmurs. “That was the deal. But you… you’re making me want forever.” And in that moment, I know the worst truth of all— If Sebastian Velez decides to keep me, I won’t even try to run.

Billionaire Modern Romance

When the Flames Revealed His True Love Wasn’t Me

Chapter 2

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