Carmela Blake never imagined her life would spiral into chaos. Once a rising fashion designer, her dreams crumble when her family faces financial ruin. To save them, she agrees to a loveless marriage with Damion Blackwood, a billionaire CEO whose icy exterior hides dangerous secrets. To the world, their marriage is a perfect union of power and wealth. But behind closed doors, it’s a battlefield of clashing wills, unresolved passions, and painful betrayals. Carmela soon discovers Damion’s true motives—he’s using their marriage to settle a score from the past
View MoreRobert interjects, his voice firm. “That is absurd, Mr. Ryder. The trust clearly states the funds are to be equally divided between Isabelle and yourself, with her receiving control once the marriage is dissolved.” Damion turns his icy gaze on Robert. “I’ve been the one ensuring this inheritance didn’t fall apart under poor management. Isabelle’s been out of the loop for years. I’ve earned this share.” My hands tremble, and I slam them against the table. “You’re unbelievable! You’ve been using this money to control us, to control me. And now you want ninety percent? No. Absolutely not.” Damion doesn’t flinch, his lips curling into a faint smirk. “Then perhaps you should come by the house tomorrow and finish collecting your things. There’s no need to prolong this any further.” I freeze again, his words slicing through me. Of course—my things were still in his house. Clothes, books, pieces of my life I’d left behind in the chaos of our separation. This was because, I didn’t wa
The rain pounds against the pavement as I stand on the edge of the street, my body drenched and trembling. My phone slips from my numb fingers, hitting the ground with a soft thud. The words from the hospital still echo in my mind: “Your mother has just passed away.” A sob tears through my chest, raw and uncontrollable, blending with the relentless downpour. The world around me feels blurred and meaningless. First Damion, now this—how much more can I lose before there’s nothing left of me? I drop to my knees, the cold water soaking through my clothes as my fingers fumble to pick up my phone. I clutch it tightly, my breaths shallow and panicked. Somewhere in the haze of my thoughts, a sliver of resolve flickers to life. I can’t fall apart here—not in front of Damion’s building, not with Kaia’s smug face probably watching from a window. My mother wouldn’t have wanted me to crumble. I need to go to her—to say goodbye, even if it’s too late. The cab ride to the hospital feels li
The hallway is quiet, the hum of computers and low conversations giving way to the evening exodus as employees file out for the day. The silence stretches, interrupted only by the occasional sound of footsteps fading into the distance. I clutch the strap of my purse tighter, my heartbeat drumming a wild rhythm. Each step toward Damion’s office feels heavier than the last, my nerves tangling into knots. I shouldn’t be here, sneaking past his assistant’s empty desk, but the urgency in my chest won’t let me wait any longer. The golden light of sunset filters through the high windows, casting long, fractured shadows across the polished floor. I reach the door, already ajar, and push it open just enough to slip inside. The sight before me freezes me in place. Kaia stands close to Damion, her smile sharp as she leans toward him, her fingers brushing his tie with the ease of someone who has practiced the gesture countless times. Their faces are inches apart, and the easy familiarit
The hum of the elevator fills the silence between us, a tangible reminder of the chasm that has grown between our lives. We say nothing to each other. The silence is thick, oppressive, almost suffocating. I keep my eyes fixed on the illuminated floor numbers, counting them like seconds ticking down to some inevitable conclusion. Each ding echoes with memories I’d rather forget. Damion stands behind me, his presence looming like a shadow. The air seems to thicken with every passing moment, weighted down by all the words we’ll never say. I want to speak, to break the tension, but my throat is dry, and my palms are clammy with sweat. My heart races, my body betraying the panic I’m trying so desperately to suppress. Suddenly, the elevator jolts. The lights flicker as it slows abruptly, sending me stumbling backward. Before I can regain my footing, strong arms wrap around me, steadying me against the hard line of his chest. His touch burns through the fabric of my blouse, warm and
The sterile smell of antiseptic bites at my nose as I rush down the hospital hallway, my suitcase trailing behind me like a shadow. The weight of last night hangs heavily on my chest, pressing down with every step, threatening to crush me. My mother’s text is etched in my mind, the urgent call pulling me from one heartbreak and into another. When I reach the reception, I spot Dr. Mensah. His expression is grim as he steps out of my mother’s room, and my stomach twists. “Dr. Mensah,” I gasp, my voice thin with exhaustion. “How is she?” He looks at me for a moment, the furrow in his brow deepening. “Isabelle, I’m glad you came quickly. Your mother’s condition is worsening. We need to increase her treatment regimen, but that also means higher costs.” The room tilts, the weight of his words crashing into me. “I understand,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “But what about the funding from my—” I stop, the words catching in my throat. “From Damion? The arrangement we had sh
I close the door to our—no, his—bedroom, the sound echoing through the empty halls like the final note of a funeral march. The weight of the evening presses down on me, suffocating and inescapable. My fingers tremble as I reach for the suitcase at the foot of the bed, the one I hadn’t touched since our honeymoon. How ironic that it would be the last witness to this chapter of my life. The room still carries traces of us: the silk sheets tangled from restless nights, the scent of his cologne lingering in the air like an uninvited memory. Every detail feels like a cruel joke, mocking me with what I’ve lost. I stand in the center, numb, trying to process what just happened downstairs. Kaia’s mocking smile, her possessive arm around Damion’s waist, the way he didn’t even flinch when she kissed him in front of everyone. It wasn’t just betrayal—it was annihilation, a public declaration that I was nothing. I sit on the edge of the bed, my hands fisting the fabric of my dress, now w
SynopsisIsabelle Everett's perfect life crumbles when her billionaire husband, Damion Ryder, serves her divorce papers on their anniversary. Betrayal, heartbreak, and deceit propel her into a six-year journey of self-discovery.Now, with secrets exposed and old flames rekindled, Isabelle must choose between the man who broke her heart or her high school sweetheart, the one who's always loved her but has an ulterior motive. Will forgiveness transform their lives, or will the past destroy their future?Chapter 1 “I have something for you,” Damion says, his voice cutting through the chatter and laughter surrounding us. I turn to face him, my heart skipping a beat. The celebration is grand—golden lights casting their warm glow, guests mingling, a symphony playing softly in the background. But none of that matters now. All I see is Damion, holding an envelope with a look so unreadable it sends a chill down my spine. “Happy anniversary,” I whisper, forcing a smile, hoping for even a f
The rain outside had calmed to a soft mist by morning. The filtered gray light from the clouds pushed through the tall hospital windows, casting a pale silver glow across the quiet room.Damion lay in the bed, awake, staring at the ceiling—not lost in some supernatural war anymore, not caught between life and death—but present. Real. Human.Carmela sat beside him, her fingers gently tracing over his as if grounding herself in the truth. For the first time in what felt like forever, there were no rituals, no keys, no curses. Just breath. Just stillness. Just them.“You haven’t said anything in a while,” she murmured.“I’m afraid if I speak too soon,” he said, his voice hoarse but steady, “it might all disappear.”She smiled softly. “You’re not dreaming.”“Feels like I am.” He turned his head to look at her. “You’re here. And I’m not… cursed or possessed or running through a forest like a lunatic.”She chuckled—just a little. “No. Just emotionally wrecked, mildly traumatized, and defini
The rhythm of the monitor pulsed like a heartbeat through the stillness of the hospital room. Outside, the storm that had brewed during the ritual faded to a gentle drizzle, raindrops whispering against the windowpane like prayers carried on the wind.Carmela didn’t move. Couldn’t. Her fingers hovered in the air inches from Damion’s cheek, breath caught in her lungs like a balloon never released. She had heard him—his voice, rough and weak, but real. Alive. Her name had formed on his lips like a promise remembered.He blinked slowly, lashes heavy, as though dragging himself up from the depths of a different world.“Carmela…” he whispered again, eyes unfocused.She fell to her knees beside the bed, the tears already flooding her cheeks before she realized they’d started. “I’m here,” she breathed, catching his hand, cold and limp but tethered to hers now. “You’re here. You’re really here…”Lucas stirred on the other side of the room, still weak from his earlier injury. He rubbed the bac
“Lily, stop joking. The guy I had a one-night stand with, can’t possibly be my groom.” Carmela Blake paced her bedroom, the soft fabric of her wedding dress swishing with each nervous step. Her phone was pressed to her ear, and her best friend’s panicked tone did little to soothe her nerves. “Carmela, I’m fucking serious!” Lily’s voice was sharp. “You, think about it for me; tall, gray eyes, ridiculously rich and insanely hot. That’s Damion Blackwood from head to bottom. How many men like that do you think exist?” Carmela’s stomach flipped, knowing what her best friend was saying was true. “It’s just a coincidence,” she said weakly, though her voice wavered. “I mean, I didn’t even get his name that night, so…” “Exactly! You didn’t get his name, and now you’re marrying a guy who fits perfectly to the description. Now, tell me if that’s not suspicious.” Carmela stopped pacing, her fingers in between her teeth’s, she sank onto the edge of her bed, her gaze drifting to the glitterin...
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