LOGIN
🔥 THIS STORY CONTAINS EXPLICIT SEX SCENES, POSSESSIVE ALPHA ENERGY, AND INTENSE EMOTIONAL TENSION. READER DISCRETION IS STRONGLY ADVISED. When Liana Rivers fell into bed with her brooding, dominant, dangerously irresistible stepbrother, Killian Wolfe, she gave him everything, her heart, her body, her virginity. But when she discovered she was pregnant and found out he was engaged to another woman, she ran quietly, carrying a shattered heart and a baby he would never know. Now, seven years later, she’s a struggling single mom working as a hotel janitor, doing everything she can to hide her past, and her son from the ruthless Alpha who broke her. Until one night, he finds her again. Richer. Darker. More powerful than ever. And he wants her back. Killian isn’t just here to play house. He wants control. Of her life. Her body. Her son. And this time, he's not asking. She ran from him once. But now that he knows the truth… He’ll burn the whole damn world to keep what’s his.

On the fifth anniversary of Rebecca Perry's marriage to Vance Bradford, his first love returned to the country. That night, she caught him in the bathroom, murmuring Catherine's name as he pleasured himself. That was why, for five years, he had never touched her. "Catherine is back; she's all alone. I'm just helping her as a friend." "I understand." "I promised her I'd accompany her to the island for her birthday. I'm just fulfilling it." "Okay." "This banquet requires a capable companion, and Catherine is more suitable than you." "Okay, go ahead." When she stopped getting angry, stopped shedding tears, and stopped making a fuss, he grew puzzled. "Rebecca, why aren't you angry?" Of course, she wasn't angry anymore—because she was preparing to leave. Weary of this stagnant marriage, she had secretly learned a foreign language, taken the proficiency exam, and applied to study abroad. The day her visa was approved, she presented him with the divorce agreement. Vance froze. "No joke. How are you gonna survive without me?" Rebecca turned away, bought a plane ticket, and flew to the European continent, vanishing without a trace. The next time he saw news of her was in a viral video. Dressed in a flowing red gown, she danced against a foreign sky, igniting the internet with her performance. He gritted his teeth. "Rebecca, no matter where you hide, I will find you and bring you back!"

When you have status in a wolf pack then your life is set. You have privilege, you have pretty much everything you can ask for. I used to have that. Until my father, the head warrior, died protecting the Alpha and then all of a sudden we were nothing to the top pack leaders. That was 5 years ago now. I still wonder how my mother managed to live through the death of her mate. She’s the strongest woman I know. Especially after having our house taken off of us, our car, our entire life taken away. When I got to school, I was pretty soaked from the rain and I went inside and went straight to my locker. I could hear a bunch of kids coming down the hallway towards me, and I turned my head slightly to look at them. They were friends that I used to have, and friends that I always refused to have because they were spoiled assholes. One of the guys that was closest to me elbowed me and shoved me into the locker and the rest of his friends started laughing. “Dickhead.” I yelled. And they all stopped. But he slowly turned around to look at me. “What did you just say, trash?” He asked. “You heard me.” I said, turning to face him head on. “I outrank you bitch. You don’t walk away from me. Never forget that.” He yelled. “Fine.” I said, without changing my facial expression at all. So he relaxed a little and pulled back away from me to look at his friends. But then one of his friends yelled at him to look out and when he turned back around to look at me, I punched him straight in the nose.

Zoey Bennett only wanted revenge on her ex. After being humiliated and left at the altar, all she wanted was to walk into that ballroom as an irresistible woman, with the perfect date on her arm. But how on earth did her hired gigolo turn out to be a billionaire? Standing before her was Christian Kensington, the maddeningly arrogant and devastatingly gorgeous CEO of Kensington Winery, one of the richest men in the country. In that moment, Zoey felt the ground slip right out from under her feet. No problem? Oh, there was definitely a problem. The entire internet now believed they were a couple. And the biggest problem of all? So did Christian's grandfather. Now Christian would need to keep up the charade if he wanted to inherit the family business. Zoey just wanted to get out of this mess without being sued. But when the line between lies and reality started to blur, Zoey realized she might be stumbling into the most dangerous trap of all: falling in love again. "I've been left before, Christian. I won't make that mistake again." "Who said this time you'd be the only one to lose?" This is a romantic comedy full of twists, buried secrets, and a passion too irresistible to ignore. Will Zoey find the courage to open her heart again?

The richest man in Hovendale, Stanley Hawk, had been in a vegetative state for three years. His wife, Wendy Crone, took care of him during that time. After he awakened, Wendy caught him cheating through a message on his phone. It turned out his first love had returned to the country. His friends, who once looked down on her, were now poking fun at her. “The swan has returned; it’s time to kick that ugly duckling to the curb.” It was then that Wendy realized Stanley never loved her. She was nothing but a joke to him. One night, Stanley received the divorce papers from Wendy. Her reason for wanting to get a divorce was due to his failing potency. Stanley went to confront her with a gloomy expression on his face, only to find that she had transformed into a gorgeous doctor in a long dress that glistened under the dazzling lights. Seeing him approach, Wendy smiled gracefully and asked, “Stanley, are you here for an andrology consultation?”

She loved him first. He chose her best friend. Sierra: I'm sure that being in love with my dead friend’s husband is a sin. It doesn't matter that I knew him first or that I fell in love with him first, way before she came along. I've always loved Noah Woods, but he hates me, so how the hell did I end up in bed with him on the death anniversary of his dead wife? I thought it was the start of something, but I was wrong. Very wrong. I should have seen it coming, but hindsight is a bitch like that. Noah: I’ve always hated her. Everyone knows that I can't stand Sierra Meyers, so how the fuck did I end up in bed with her on the death anniversary of my beloved wife? I thought I could forget about the night I made my biggest mistake, but Sierra flips my life when she gives me unexpected news. Now I am torn between keeping my promise to the woman I swore and believed I’d love forever and the woman I swore to hate.
Avery watched her boyfriend Ryan cheating with her half sister Zara right in front of her eyes on the Mating Day, the day she was meant to be claimed by Ryan as his chosen mate. The worse thing is that Ryan and Zara had the right to do so, because they just found out they were fated mates. Heartbroken, Avery fleed into the forest, only to fell into the arms of a dangerous stranger whose scent triggered her mating heat. Avery believed he was a rogue, so she just wanted one night of forbidden passion in the dark and ran away the next morning without even knowing what he looked like exactly. However, after she got home, she panicked as she found out she was marked by that stranger... Avery's father threatened to kill her if she couldn't secure a husband who could accept her. Just when Avery thought no one would want a marked girl, Alpha Gideon choose her as his bride, and something about him just seemed familiar....
On their third wedding anniversary, Clark Summer gifted his wife a diamond necklace named "Love Nyla," broadcasting his devotion to the world. But while the public swooned, Nyla sat alone in their empty home, staring at a photo sent by a stranger: her husband’s new secretary, Jordyn, wearing that same necklace, tangled in Clark’s arms. For three years, Nyla had been the perfect, submissive wife. In return, she received betrayal, humiliation from her mother-in-law, and Clark’s sickening justification that his affair was merely a "physical necessity" while he still loved her. He believed Nyla was trapped, tethered to him by her father’s astronomical medical bills. He thought she would swallow the insults and raise his mistress's child. He was wrong. Selling their mansion, gathering evidence, and delivering irrefutable proof of her infidelity… Nera turned and left, donning a white lab coat instead of an apron, transforming overnight into a top-tier pharmaceutical researcher who had astonished the industry. When Clark, with belated repentance and red-eyed pleading for her return, saw his icy ex-wife being gently embraced by his uncle Damon, he saw the aloof man before him. The superior man coldly glanced at his nephew, his voice low and dangerous: "What are you calling 'wife'? Call her 'auntie'."
“If you can’t provide an heir, you’re a Luna in name only. I need more than a worthless, barren omega cosplaying as a Luna!” My Alpha husband Jason’s words cut deeper than any silver blade. For three years, I have kept the truth from him. He thinks he married a weak omega. But the truth? I am the Alpha King’s daughter. I wait eagerly for his return from a victorious war, ready to reveal who I truly am. Only to find him walking back with his mistress, Viki, who has already carrying his pup. “You have two options,” Jason snarls, eyes cold. “Lose your status as Luna and go back to being a useless omega. Or stay for Viki and help raise my heir.” Pushed to my breaking point, I accept his rejection and return to my father’s kingdom. I think my heart is dead but fate has led me to a dangerous second-chance mate. Worse, Jason can’t let me go that easily.

Ashley Brown find herself in love with his mafia stepbrother, Sirius Brown. They lived together as a step sibling for years, made the beautiful girl saw him as the hero, the man of her dream. The devil himself, Sirius Brown, is well known as a heartless, manipulative man ever. He kills every living being that goes in his way. Including to his baby girl, Ashley brown. "Baby... Why are you covering this up? Don't you believe me?" Sirius stroked the girl's hand, made Ashley trembled. She shake her head slowly. "It's not like that Bubba… It's dirty, I have to clean it up first." She answered. Sirius chuckled. He held Ashley's hand but the girl shook her head even faster. She didn't want Sirius to see and touch her wet p***y. "Baby, my innocent baby. Show me princess, there's nothing to worry about... Hmm? Come on..." Sirius kissed Ashley gently on the lips, trying to reassure her that it was fine, even normal and that's natural thing to happen… Warning! This novel describe detail sex and erotic scenes. It also has some bloody, torture scenes that may cause you uncomfortable. Please consider your age before reading. This is my original work.

[MATURE CONTENT 21+] I'm not sure if I'm here, at the moment, I don't know if I'm screaming or begging him to stop as the weight of his hands on my back feels more apparent. Maybe I'm just helplessly drowning in my despair with only silent tears running down my face. Nothing matters because even my mind could not wander off and protect me for long enough to silently surrender to a horrific situation. "You lied to me, You lied to me! You said you wouldn't do this if I " The words slip away as I sob and cry out in pain. "Hm..”" Alejandro lets out a breathless chuckle, "I did?"One of his hands leaves my hip, reaching down to wrap around my throat, forcing my back into an arch so I'm faced with the reflection of myself in the mirror. It is so I can watch the deranged, lustful look in his eyes as he roughly thrusts himself in and out of me while choking me against his hand at my throat.This is cruel. This is disgusting. This is shameful. But it makes Alejandro smile in pleasure, in pride, that he's able to break me and bend me into his will. "I believe I said that I was fine if you wanted to wait, " he admits. "However, I never said how long. "The reflection of myself in the mirror is someone unrecognisable; she's broken, and angry. I can see my eyes darken in misery, in hatred. The mirror also provides me with Alejandro's expression, filled with contentment and satisfaction. "I HATE YOU," I spit out with every inch of dignity that I may have left. The statement left no mark on Alejandro, instead, he thrusts into me harder, making me cry out but I didn't care, not anymore.

I glared when his hand reached again to my neck. Our faces only an inch apart. His big hand was almost wrapping it whole. His thumb massaging my throat like a feather. "And when I thrust inside of you, I want to hear you scream my name. Every name of mine." "Dante. Adriano. Sol. Di. Angelo." His thumb stroking the center of my neck while uttering every name he owned. His eyes hooded in heat, lust clouding the windows of his soul. "And when you cum, it'll be Dante you moan." --- Hailynn Fleury is a talented painter. Growing up as an orphan, she and her best friend Ethan, always wanted to get back to the people that helped and cared for them. When one of her friends convinced her to auction her paintings at one of her charity events, it didn't take much persuasion knowing the money would go to the orphanage. On the night of the auction, her future took another turn when she saw a handsome man holding a gun. Later finding out that he was a mafia boss with an intention of keeping her from thereon. Witnessing him pulling a trigger to someone would have been the mafia boss' wisest decision to never let her go. Except that he couldn't touch the girl knowing the promise he had with his cousin. Dreams of bedding the girl is no longer an option. But how will he treat his ragazza, really? Find out how both of their lives took a turn- with the aspiring artist and the Italian mafia boss.

SYNOPSIS Beneath the shimmering lights of a city steeped in sin, Dante Rossi is a detective living in the shadows. He has successfully infiltrated the Valeriano family—the most feared mafia syndicate in existence—with a single mission: to gather the evidence needed to tear them down from the inside. As the personal bodyguard to Isabella Valeriano, the Don’s only daughter, Dante expects his greatest challenge to be the arrogance of a pampered heiress. However, behind the palace-like walls of the mansion, Isabella is no fragile doll. She is a woman of lethal intelligence, weaving her own web of betrayal. Isabella has known Dante’s true identity since day one, but rather than eliminating him, she transforms him into the primary pawn in her plan to overthrow her own father and avenge a childhood tragedy buried in blood. In this dangerous game of cat and mouse, the line between duty and desire begins to blur. Dante finds himself trapped between his oath to the law and a dark attraction to the woman he is meant to imprison. Meanwhile, Isabella begins to question if she can truly love someone destined to destroy her family’s legacy. When the night of the grand gala arrives, their secrets explode amidst the thunder of gunfire. Facing the barrel of a gun, Isabella and Dante must confront a bitter reality: in the world of the mafia, love is the deadliest weakness, and the only way to survive is to betray one another before the world destroys them both.

The stethoscope around Dave’s neck was a lie. The engagement ring on my finger was a cage. I thought I was marrying the man of my dreams, a brilliant surgeon with a heart of gold. But when my friends dragged me to a back-alley club to relax, the gold on my finger became so hot, it burned. Seeing my fiancé naked on a pole, lost in a live orgy for the world to see, didn't just break my heart. It incinerated my soul. One OnlyFans link later, the good girl in me was dead. Driven by a surging hunger for revenge, I traded my bridal veil for 6-inch heels, and accepted a job offer in the most exclusive club in Las Vegas. But on my first night, I caught the eye of the one man I should fear… Marcello Vitale, the deadliest Don in the Italian Mafia. He doesn't want a lap dance. He wants me in his private basement. And in this world, when a King demands, a sinner like me obeys.

After losing her parents at twenty, Amy’s world crushes around her as she falls into a life of hardship. Taken in by her uncle, she is exploited for his gain, forced to work in his club to keep his failing business afloat. Her life spirals further out of control until his debts finally catch up with him. When the ruthless and powerful Leader of a Mafia family called The Deluca Family, his name, Lord Drake, arrives to settle his debts, Amy’s uncle is unable to pay. In a cruel twist, Amy is taken as collateral. But Drake doesn’t just want repayment—he recognizes something in her. Her strength, resilience, and untouched innocence catch his eye, and he decides to shape her into something more. Against her will, Amy is coerced into a marriage—not out of love, but as the perfect vessel to bear his heirs. In a brutal world driven by power, loyalty, and bloodshed, Amy must adapt quickly or face destruction. As enemies close in and internal wars threaten the mob, she becomes both a symbol of power and a target of betrayal. Every corner hides treachery, and a secret mole lurks within, threatening to shatter everything from the inside. Surrounded by envy and danger, Amy’s survival hinges on her ability to evolve. But as the days pass, the lines between right and wrong begin to blur. A complex love triangle emerges, and her emotions deepen, tearing her between duty, survival, and her own heart. What starts as control and necessity evolves into something far darker—obsession. With her life constantly at risk and her heart in turmoil, Amy faces a perilous life as a pawn in a deadly game.

“What’s your name?” His deep voice resonates in her ears and he eyes her with interest. “H-Halsey S-Scott!” She manages to say. “Is that girl looking at us?” He tilts his head to indicate his ex-girlfriend who’s glaring at them. “Yeah…” “Good.” Without another word, he kisses her on the lips. A kiss which sealed their fates. One kiss from the school’s bad boy and it was over for her. Ever since her parents died, Halsey Scott prefers to live a quiet life. Shy and quiet, Halsey is only free around her best friend, Lincoln Wright, the school's rising basketball player. But what happens when she catches the eye of the notorious bad boy? Nathan Jacobs doesn't believe in love. He only cares about his popularity and is a bully. Harboring an intense hatred towards Lincoln, Nathan will do anything to hurt his rival. And the only way to hurt Lincoln, is to crush Halsey's heart. Initially scared of Nathan, Halsey soon finds herself torn between her loyalty to her best friend and her dangerous attraction for the bad boy. What will happen when Nathan's plans are revealed? Will he succeed in breaking Halsey's heart? Or will the bad boy finally fall in love?

"You know the rules Noah". Drew says, clocking the gun in my face while smirking at me. "If you can't pay me before the deadline. I take away the one good thing you love dearly. But in your case, the two good things you love dearly" I've always had my life planned out for me, race, skip classes, race again. My whole life centered around illegal street racing because I loved it and also had a huge debt left to me by my father that I needed to pay. And Drew, my boss, leader of a notorious gang, Snakes and Ladders, was a man of rules. But I also had my own rules. Never fall in love or hold anything dear because in a snap of a finger Drew could take it all away from me. But that was until a hazel eyes brunette helped me treat my wounds from a racing accident. And a green-eyed little girl a female version of me, appeared on my doorstep claiming to be my daughter. Hi, Author here. You can follow my page on Facebook for updates and fan arts@Chimdi Jane Samuel Reach out on Twitter @janelovescoding and Instagram @chimdi_jane_samuel This book HAS NOT been published anywhere else apart from GoodNovel so if seen elsewhere please report to me or send an email @ janesamuel308@gmail.com

One kiss with the bad boy was all it took for both of them to fall for eachother. When Lydia Hayes, Worthington's sweetheart joins a party and better yet gets to kiss her frenemy, Blake Parker, unwanted feelings start blooming in both their hearts. Sparks fly and happiness engulfs them with an astonishing amount of drama.

Knox Callahan, Crestwood High golden boy and hockey captain… my biggest tormentor. All it had taken was one clumsy spill in biology class to make me his favourite target. And there is no escaping him, no matter how hard I fight back. Then the decision that changed everything came. "Annalise, I got married. We are moving," mom said. And the new house? It turned out to be Knox's. Because somehow, while I was busy surviving him, his father had been out there and managed to steal my mother's heart before secretly marrying her. And now the boy who made my life hell was now my stepbrother but there is nothing remotely brotherly about the way Knox looks at me. Or even the way his hands would slide up my skin each time he was near me. It is quite hard… keeping up appearances and pretending the tension suffocating every room that we both happened to step into doesn't exist. The more we share the same space, the harder it becomes to remember why I should stay the fuck away from my new stepbrother. And Knox? He doesn’t even try.. He corners me and touches me at every opportunity in ways that can never be mistaken for anything innocent. The darkness I once feared resided inside of him begins to feel dangerously like something I really crave. But I am a good girl. And good girls shouldn't want their stepbrothers. Yet I am running out of reasons to resist.

You think medical school is all anatomy labs and stethoscopes? Yeah, me too. That's what I signed up for. Instead, I got her. Or maybe, I got them. Orientation day. First hour. I was just trying to survive the college officer's speech about not doing drugs. Then the door opened. Three guys who looked like they bench-pressed fun. And a girl with the face of a doll and a voice that could make you forget your own name. Amaye. I had a boyfriend named Donald who was supposed to be in Europe, but he only called when I was about to make bad decisions. And I kept making them. Seven years of medical school. Seven years of tests, assignments, deadlines, and the hottest friend group on campus. I thought I was becoming a doctor. Turns out I was becoming something else entirely. This is my story. Or maybe it's a confession. I haven't decided yet. But I wrote it all down because someone needed to see med school through a different lens. I didn't see it through a lens. I lived it. #medical chaos #reverseharem #girlpower

I was nineteen the first time Cole Whitfield broke me. Not with cruelty. With a single word. Why. Not did you — why. Like the answer was already settled and he just wanted the story to make sense. I told him the truth anyway. He said nothing that mattered. So I picked up my bag, walked out of his apartment, and decided that a man who trusted a rumor over two years of me wasn’t worth a correction. I spent the next two years becoming someone I actually liked. New city. Graduate program. A published paper with my name on it. I was done with Cole Whitfield in every way a person can be done. Then I walked into Seminar Room 114 and he was sitting right there, gray eyes already on the door, like some part of him knew. I sat down. I opened my notebook. I did not look up. Here’s the thing about studying how people form beliefs: you understand exactly why he believed it. That doesn’t mean you forgive it. That doesn’t mean two years of silence disappear because he’s learned how to look at you like he’s sorry. He wants a conversation. I want my degree. But the campus is small, the seminar table is round, and the boy who broke my heart at nineteen is doing everything right at twenty-one — and I’m starting to understand that composed isn’t the same thing as healed. I hate that I still know the exact sound of his voice.

How rich can a person be? My wife is incredibly rich. People call her "The Queen of Cloudridge" because nearly half the city's properties are owned by her. We've been married for five years, and every time she goes out to meet her first love, she transfers a property to my name. By the time I have 99 homes in my name, she suddenly notices that something has changed. I no longer cry, beg, or ask her to stay. I simply choose the finest mansion in all of Cloudridge, bring the property deed with me, and wait for her to sign it. She signs the papers, and for the first time, she softens. "When I get back, let's go watch the fireworks together." I quietly tuck the agreement away and hum in response. But I never tell her what she's really signed this time. It's not a property deed. It's our divorce agreement.

When the criminal tortured me to death, I was three-month pregnant. But my husband Mark - the city's most prominent detective - was at the hospital with his first love Emma, accompanying her for her medical checkup. Three days ago, he demanded me to donate my kidney to Emma. When I refused, telling him I was two months pregnant with our child, his eyes had turned cold. "Stop lying," he had snarled. "You're just being selfish, trying to let Emma die." He pulled over on the dark highway. "Get out," he ordered. "Walk home since you're so heartless. " I stood there in the darkness and was kidnapped by the vengeful criminal, whom Mark had once imprisoned. He cut out my tongue. With cruel satisfaction, he used my phone to call my husband. Mark's response was brief and cold: "Whatever it is, Emma's medical checkup is more important! She needs me right now." The criminal let out a dark chuckle. "Well, well... Seems like the great detective values his ex's life more than his current wife's." When Mark arrived at the crime scene hours later, he was horrified by the brutality inflicted on the corpse. He angrily condemned the murderer for treating a pregnant woman so cruelly But he didn't recognize that the mutilated body before him was his own wife - me.

On my son’s birthday, my husband had asked his first love to pick our son up from our home. While I stubbornly refused to let him go, a huge fire broke out in the hallway during our standoff. I was struck by falling debris, and blood started streaming from my head. However, my son was unharmed as he lay beneath me. My husband, who was a firefighter, came forward to rescue us. But he handed the only gas mask he had to his first love. “Miss Leia has a weaker constitution. Dad, please get her out first. Mom, wait for the other firefighters to save you!” I watched them leave with a faint, bitter smile. It appeared that they had both forgotten my severe asthma and the fact that I would die without a gas mask.

On New Year's Eve in the seventh year of our marriage, we're about to celebrate the holidays with a grand meal when my daughter, Piper Gallagher, drags my wife, Renee Fielding, out of the house. "Hurry up, Mom! Mr. Thomas is already urging us! He doesn't like waiting, you know!" At first, I'm stunned. Thinking that Piper is just joking around, I ask with a smile, "Who's this Mr. Thomas that you're talking about?" But Piper's soft and sweet voice plunges into my heart like a blade after I hear what she says next. "Well, Mr. Thomas is Mom's boyfriend! I can call him Tommy, too!" Renee's explanation is lodged in her throat. So, she decides to come clean about her affair instead. "The truth is, it's rather boring, spending the holidays with you every year. Besides, I've lost all love for you now that seven years are up. If you think this marriage still works, then I'll stick around. If not, we can get a divorce." The sudden bombshell leaves my mind completely blank. I can only look at Piper subconsciously. She doesn't show any affection to me, like she did in the past. Instead, she just hides behind Renee while mincing her words quietly. "I wanna be with Mom and Mr. Thomas." That night, Renee and Piper welcome the brand new year amid the fireworks and laughter. I, on the other hand, can only stare at the feast on the table on my lonesome, which has gone stone cold. Their words keep buzzing in my ears, tormenting me ruthlessly to the point that I can't sleep a wink at all. The next day, Renee and Piper go home reluctantly at noon. "Have you thought things through? If you plan on sticking around, then don't ask any questions. I don't want you kicking up a ruckus from now on, either. In the future, I'll introduce you to Thomas." It's then that I finally make up my mind. "Let's get a divorce, then."

I waited ten years to get married to Emily Stanton. We had applied for a marriage license seven times, and seven times it had been called off. In our circle, we were the golden couple. She had sold her own blood to help cover my hospital bills, and I had stood by her side as she built the Stanton family empire from nothing. On our tenth anniversary, I brought up the idea of finally having a wedding ceremony and making things official again. She just rubbed her temples and tossed her blazer aside. "We'll talk about it later. We've been together this long—why are you still hung up on something like this?" The words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat. Does every great love eventually fade into something ordinary? The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Then her phone buzzed with a notification. Against my better judgment, I picked it up. The contact name on the screen was impossible to miss: Honey. [Baby, when are you coming home? Jamie says she misses Mommy.] A storm of emotions crashed over me. That's when I discovered Emily Stanton had another WhatsApp account. The woman in those posts was nothing like the one I knew. At the top was a wedding photo—the two of them beaming, radiant. Tucked among the roses she'd received yesterday was a brand-new diamond ring, hidden between the petals. The water in the bathroom stopped. I clenched my fists. Then I forwarded the guy's WhatsApp info to my assistant. [Look into him.]

On New Year's Eve, I went to court for the last time. The judge asked if I still wanted to file for custody of my daughter. I shook my head and said, "I'm here to withdraw my case. I'm going to stop fighting for custody anymore. I agree with the divorce." Vivian and I had been married for nine years, and the divorce had dragged through six hearings. I spent six New Year's Eve in court. There had been no joy, only hysterical accusations. I was tired. My daughter was tired, too. So, I finally stopped holding on. I had already booked my flight home for the year.