My Ex-Husband, You Will Never Hurt Me Again

It was finally here. My first wedding anniversary with the love of my life. Butterflies twisted and flowed in my stomach, doubling with every thought of him. A soft reddish blush walked slowly over my cheeks as I toweled off my damp hair, enjoying the excitement bubbling inside me. I hurried through styling my hair and getting dressed, but not without care. I always made sure to look my best, and today was no exception. I chose the best dress in my closet.. a deep green gown. Bruce's favorite color. I took a quick quick look out the window, my eyes scanning the empty driveway. Bruce wasn't here yet. My heart sank for just a moment, but the excitement quickly took over again. He'd be here soon, I told myself. Turning back inside, I headed to the living room to check on the gifts I'd prepared. Everything was exactly how I'd planned it.. the cake perfectly boxed on the coffee table, the wrapped gifts arranged neatly beside it, and the handwritten letter sitting on top. As I chan

Ryan DeMarco's POV I paced back and forth in the living room, my nerves tight as I quickly looked at my phone. The call had dropped again. I had been trying to reach my informant in New York, but the connection kept cutting out. We had been talking earlier, but I hadn't understood half of what he was trying to say. Something about my mother's enemies . It was all jumbled . Frustration clawed at me, each unanswered ring adding to the growing tension in my chest. What the hell was going on? Just as I was about to toss my phone onto the couch in annoyance , the screen lit up. A call. I snapped it up instantly. " Ryan ," the voice said, barely a second after the line connected . "Talk to me," I mumbled , running my hand through my hair, still pacing . "It's about your mother's enemies , Ryan ," the voice continued, the extreme importance clear in every word. "You must act fast. The one they call the intelligent director is in New York as we speak." My heart skipped a b

I clicked to control the tears streaming uncontrollably from my face as we rushed through the halls of the prison. Every step felt like a weight pressing down on me, each thought of Jonas increasing the fear of a terrible happening coiling in my stomach. "Bruce ... Bruce has my son," I cried, the words spilling from me as I paced Mrs. Janet's room. Mrs. Janet remained weirdly and unpleasantly composed , her eyes sharp, calculating , almost as if she were studying me. "He has your son, and you're crying?" she asked, her tone cutting through the air. "Girl, do you understand Bruce doesn't even know you're out of here? He thinks you're my late daughter, and that you handed your son over to her." I nodded , the weight of the fake image we'd created settling in. But I couldn't stop shaking with fear and emotion. "I don't know what to do, Mrs. Janet ," I choked out. "I'm scared . He wants to meet up with Elena Maxwell , but you know that's not possible. I can't..." "Relax, Elen

I sat on the edge of the bed and held the blanket tightly around my shoulders.The room was calm, except that to push the weak air air against the windows.I fell asleep but not good.Everything still felt. Very unknown.I spent years learning how to mix, how I became Elena Maxwell. But in Ryan's house, surrounded by people who went with a calm purpose and unspecified rules, I felt like an intruder.The property was nothing that I expected.It wasn't cold or furious. The halls were rolled with paintings, as they were not just for the show. The air took the scent of wood and somewhat unconscious spicy, maybe out of the kitchen.It was a house, but it wasn't mine.I harassed the blanket and stared at the door. Living here was about to feel safe, but it was made me reminded of how I was doing.I let a breath go out, I didn't even know I was holding. "My baby, just a little more time. Mom will come for you, right? Mrs. Janet assured me that Ryan would help. But last night he wasn't cur

The soft hum of an incoming notification pulled Sophie from restless sleep. She blinked, groggy, her body still adjusting to the unfamiliar bed. The room was quiet except for the occasional rustle of leaves outside the window.She reached for the phone on the nightstand, rubbing her eyes as she squinted at the screen. 1 New Email – Becca.Her stomach tightened.Sitting up, she opened the email, scrolling past the formalities. Becca never wasted time on pleasantries when it was something serious.Subject: Urgent – What You Need to KnowBruce isn’t working alone. He has deeper ties to the underworld than we thought. There’s someone else.. someone big.. who wanted Elena Maxwell gone. The real Elena had a vendetta against Bruce before she died, and it wasn’t just personal. She had information on him. Information that could have ruined more than just his business.We don’t know the full extent yet, but I’ve attached files from Janet’s contacts. Be careful. There’s more at play than just B