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It's true what they say about marriage: one partner's always happier than the other. ~~~ Julie's world is shattered when her husband, Ryan, reveals that he wants an open marriage. His reason: he needs a child as they've been unable to have one. Julie reluctantly agrees to save her marriage. The next day, Ryan returns home with his secretary, confirming Julie's long-held suspicion that their affair was taking place behind her back. Julie, heartbroken and enraged, seeks solace in a bar, where she meets a fascinating stranger named Luke, who changes the game. Julie confides in Luke over drinks, and he proposes a risky plan: he will act as her "boyfriend" to turn the tables on Ryan. Julie agrees, setting off a chain of events that will challenge everything she thought she knew about love, loyalty, and herself.
~~Julie~~
My husband, Ryan, is standing on the karaoke stage, making a fool of himself. His shirt is unbuttoned halfway, his tie long abandoned, and his cheeks are flushed from too much whiskey.
"And I.........will always love you....." he sings, closing his eyes.
His voice is terrible.
Standing next to him, practically glued to his side, is his secretary, Emily. Her left arm is around Ryan's waist, her fingers lightly grazing his back as she sings along. She's younger than me, at least by half a decade, all wide eyes and perfect curves, dressed in a tight, low-cut dress that makes it impossible to ignore her presence. She leans into Ryan, whispering something in his ear, and he throws his head back, laughing. He looks at her like she's the funniest person in the world.
I've never seen him this happy.
The last time I saw him this happy was on our wedding day, seven years ago. Back then, his eyes sparkled when he looked at me. Now, the light in them has grown dimmer; they're shining for someone else.
Around me, everyone is laughing. It's the company's quarterly review party, and the employees are loose after a few too many drinks, finding Ryan and Emily's performance hilarious. But I know what they're really laughing at. They're laughing at me. The CEO's wife, sitting here while her husband practically gropes his secretary in front of everyone. The whispers, the side glances, they don't even try to hide it.
"Do you think they're going to kiss?" someone whispers behind me.
"Definitely. Bet they'll be doing more than kissing after this," someone else replies, and they both chuckle.
I turn around to look at the people talking. Young, drunk, probably high on weed too. They must be interns. Only people with zero knowledge of the company's hierarchy would make such a statement close to their employer's wife.
Or maybe they just don't care.
The girl, with messy blonde hair and red cheeks, locks eyes with me. "Hi!" she says, a little too loud. "Do you work here?"
Do I work here? My eyes narrow. She's definitely an intern.
She's pretty, the kind of pretty that comes with youth and arrogance. The boy next to her drapes his arm lazily over her shoulders.
I don't respond. I just stare at them, cold and unblinking.
Before I can say something that would make them regret their existence, I hear my name called.
"Julie!" the voice says, drawing my attention.
Even before I turn, I know who it is. Samantha, the vice president of marketing. We both work for Paragon Jewels, Ryan's company, the leading manufacturer of luxury jewelry in North America. Her position is just below mine, so she's one of the few who calls out my name like we're friends, even though we're not.
"Samantha," I reply, forcing a polite smile.
"I didn't know you were here, Julie. I was just telling the marketing team we have to get you involved more!"
"Oh?" I say. "Why's that?"
"Well, you're the head of marketing, and everyone wants to meet you! You're so hard to catch these days. And besides, we never get a chance to chat at work," she says, with an overplayed wink.
Her gaze drifts to the stage where Ryan and Emily are swaying together, sharing the mic, laughing like they're on some private date instead of a work event.
"So, Mrs. O'Brien," she says, smirking, "how are you enjoying the show so far?"
She's mocking me. The fucking bitch.
I force a bright smile. "Oh, it's... fantastic," I say, struggling to keep a straight face. "I'm thrilled to see my husband's hard work is being rewarded with such... dedication from his staff."
The crowd is clapping now, giving Ryan and his secretary a standing ovation. I guess they're done with their nonsense.
But then Ryan speaks into the microphone. "Before we get down, we've got one more song for you!"
More applause. More laughter. And I just want the ground to open up and swallow me.
Samantha looks at me with pity in her eyes. "Well... umm," she says. "I'll catch up with you later."
She quickly excuses herself.
Behind me, I hear those interns whispering again. "Oh, my God. Did you hear what she said? That's Mrs. O'Brien."
I turn to glare at them one last time, and the boy shifts uncomfortably, pulling the girl to her feet. "Let's go," he mutters under his breath, and they stumble away, sneaking a look at me before disappearing into the crowd.
Good. Let them run.
I turn back to the stage, my heart pounding in my chest. Ryan is singing "Everything I Do"-if you can call that singing. Emily is now pressed against him, her hand running up his arm in a way that makes my stomach twist. She's completely shameless, and he's too drunk to even notice-or worse, he doesn't care.
I can't take it anymore.
Without thinking, I push my chair back and stand. My heels click against the floor as I march toward the stage. I can feel the weight of everyone's eyes on me, the whispers dying down as they realize what's happening. They've been waiting for this-waiting to see if I'll crack.
But I don't care. I'm done playing the perfect wife.
I climb the steps to the stage, each footstep feeling heavier than the last. Ryan doesn't notice me at first, too lost in his drunken performance, but Emily spots me and her smile falters. Good.
"Ryan," I say. "We're leaving now."
Ryan looks at me, surprised. "Why?" he slurs, still holding the microphone. "The party's just getting started."
I grit my teeth, my fists clenched. "Let's go. Now."
"Julie, come on," he says, sounding annoyed now, as if I'm the one ruining his night.
I can't help it. Something inside me snaps.
Without another word, I turn and walk toward the back of the stage. The technical operators sitting in the booth look up as I approach, their faces going pale.
"Who's in charge here?" I ask.
They all point to a man standing near the soundboard, holding a half-eaten donut. His eyes widen as he sees me.
"Mrs. O'Brien," he stammers, quickly setting the donut aside. "Is there something-uh-something I can do for you?"
"Shut it down. All of it," I say. "The party's over."
He blinks, not sure if I'm serious, but one look at my face and he scrambles to obey. His hands fly across the controls, and within seconds, the speakers cut out with a harsh screech. The lights dim. The music dies. Silence falls over the room like a heavy curtain, and all that's left is the sound of my heels as I walk back to center stage.
Ryan is standing there, his microphone useless in his hand.
"Julie, what the hell?" Ryan mutters.
I meet his eyes, feeling the weight of everything I've been holding in for too long. "You've had your fun," I say quietly, but with enough steel in my voice that it stops him from saying anything else. "Now it's over."
I don't wait for a reply. I grab his arm and start leading him down the stairs.
Ryan stumbles slightly, caught off guard by my sudden forcefulness. His eyes flick to the crowd, scanning their faces for something, maybe support, validation, but all he finds are wide eyes and muted whispers. Everyone's too shocked, too entertained by the unfolding drama, to come to his defense.
The whispers start immediately. I hear snatches of conversation as we pass. Let them talk. Let them laugh.
Ryan's too drunk to fight me, too embarrassed to protest. For once, he's the one who's quiet, and I'm the one in control.
Justin, Ryan's bodyguard/chauffeur, sees us coming and is already moving into action. He steps forward, opening the back door of the car without a word.
Ryan mumbles something under his breath-maybe an apology, maybe an excuse-but I don't stop. I don't even look at him. I tighten my grip, forcing him into the backseat with a firm push, and he collapses into the car.
"Take us home," I say, climbing in behind Ryan. Then I slam the door shut.
Mia's life is spiraling out of control. Abandoned by her mother, bullied mercilessly at school, and thrown into a household of four dangerously attractive stepbrothers, she's desperate to find her footing. "You look absolutely edible," Sean growled, his eyes devouring her. Mia felt a rush of heat between her thighs "Oh, you think so?" she purred, turning to face him. She reached out and traced her fingers along the ribbon that wrapped around his waist. "Well, I've been waiting for this all day. And I'm starving." Sean's smile grew into a predatory grin. "Then let us feast," he said, and in a flash, the ribbon fell away, exposing his rock-hard length. He stepped closer, and Mia felt the warmth of his breath on her face as he whispered, "You're going to take every inch of us tonight, aren't you?" With Rolex's teasing smirk and Sean's quiet, hot stares, Mia doesn't know where to turn-or who to trust. Every glance, every touch leaves her breathless, confused, and craving more than she should. Will Mia survive their games, or will she lose herself in a dangerous world of secrets, seduction, and forbidden desire? One house. Four brothers. Endless temptation.
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
After five years of marriage, my husband is always absent on my birthday. No gifts, no blessings. He said, "I've given you the money, buy whatever you want." But he started preparing for Fiona's birthday half a month in advance. He said, "She's different, she only has me." As the sole survivor of a unexpected fire, he has been heartbroken for over a decade. Watching Fiona in Moments holding a cake and kissing his face. I slowly commented. 【Just this useless person, I'm giving him to you.】
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
Billionaire Bennett Graham urgently needed a wife to close a business deal but his fiancée wasn't ready to tie the knots yet. So his grandmother picked the most unassuming maid for him. Everything was supposed to go incredibly well, and all he had to do was wait until he divorced her a year later. But after seeing Maliyah's ocean eyes.it wasn't looking simple anymore. *** Before I could get her up, it was as if she felt the light and an uncomfortable sound came out of her mouth. "Uh-huh..." She raised her hand to cover her eyes. But I didn't have time to wait for her to wake up, so I told her to "Get Up." My voice seemed to scare her, and her light-fearing eyes suddenly widened and she kept moving to the corner. The only voice in the quiet art room was her fear-filled voice, "No...please...go away...don't come close to me." She was afraid of me? I hadn't even spoken to her before, what was she afraid of? This was definitely not going to work, I couldn't talk to her if she couldn't calm down. Then I moved closer to her, my hand on her trembling shoulder, and I whispered soothingly "Calm down.I'm not going to hurt you.I'm not going to hurt you."I assured and then she moved her hair away from her face as if to stare at me properly. Our eyes met.It was that moment. It felt as if I was enchanted for a moment. Those ocean eyes were the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen.