My brother-in-law is my mate

Watching my husband shamelessly dance with his lover in public was beyond humiliating. Byron was indirectly declaring that our marriage was over. Before we arrived at the party, he had killed me with his words. “Tonight, I will inform my dad about our divorce. It's a shame I let you carry the Campbell surname for five years. I can’t wait to stop seeing your fat, ugly face." Now, from the second-floor balcony, I watched him hold his lover's waist, locked in a passionate dance like actors in a romantic movie scene. I blinked back my tears with the back of my palm. Beyond the disrespect, Byron was going to fight dirty to take our four-year-old son from me. “You’re useless to him,” Byron had said more times than I could count, “You've got no status in the society. I’m the better parent, and when I take full custody, Valen will have a new mom who will treat him better than you ever could.” My mind raced for a way out. Running away with my son seemed like the only option, but how? I

After stumbling back home, barefoot and drained, I could finally breathe. The five-minute walk felt like a marathon as I clutched my heels. My feet throbbed with every step on the cold pavement, but the relief of escaping that hellhole was worth the discomfort. To my surprise, the nanny had brought my son home earlier than expected, and he was fast asleep in his SpongeBob pajamas. Relief flooded over me as I stood at my son’s room door, watching the rise and fall of his chest. His face looked peaceful, and his dark curls tousled on the pillow. Valen was a smaller version of Byron, except that he had my cornflower blue eyes and the little birthmark on his nose, which was a signature of my side of the family. I stood leaning against the doorframe, wrestling with the bleak reality. Life as a rogue with a child? That was a nightmare waiting to happen. I wanted so much more for Valen than the scraps I had to offer. What kind of mother would I be to ruin his life? I couldn't give hi

I felt acute distress as I fiddled with one of my son's LEGOs, watching him play in his toy room. My entire body felt stiff, and a deep soreness settled into my muscles from Byron's maltreatment. This was becoming unbearable, and my mind spiraled into irrational thoughts. My heart craved a break out of this abusive hellhole I called a marriage. I needed to escape from the cycle Byron had trapped me in. I had found my mate. It was supposed to cause a lining of hope for me. My mate would never treat me like Byron did, and something in me believed he would cherish and save me from this misery. But, of course, the universe had played a cruel joke. My mate was Byron's brother. Just my rotten luck. If only Alex had more power than Byron. If only he could crush Byron under his heel and rescue me, take Valen, and give us a new life. But my hope was a mocking fantasy. Apart from Valen, my life was a miserable, twisted mess. There was nothing good or remotely interesting about it. The onl

Alex Valen liked me. The innocence in his wide eyes tugged at something in me, and transferring my hatred for Byron onto him felt downright cruel. Despite his young age, the questions he fired at me were sharp and beyond his years, piquing my fascination more with each word. Alexis watched silently until the nanny called for Valen to take a nap."I don't want to sleep. I want to stay with Uncle Alex," he whined, flashing a cheeky smile. “You have the same name as Mommy. Alex and Alexis.”My breath hitched as Alexis leaned forward for her son. Her milky boobs made my boner unbearable. "Come on, honey. You need to go," she mildly scolded her son.Valen glanced my way. His eyes pleaded for rescue and hoped I’d intervene. When I didn’t, his face fell. "Will you come visit us again?" he asked, hope lingering in his voice.I nodded with a soft grin. "Yeah, buddy. You’ll be seeing more of me."Then I saw the slight panic across his mother's face and chuckled. Married or not, she was my m

Alexis Byron's voice echoed in my mind all night. Sleep eluded me as I tossed and turned in bed. Restless, I headed to the terrace. A hammock stretched out in the cool night air, inviting me to sink into its gentle sway. I kicked off my flip-flops and wrapped a blanket around myself, staring at the twinkling stars. The wind brushed softly against my skin, and the quiet of midnight wrapped me in its calm embrace. I sipped a glass of orange juice, letting the tangy flavor soothe my throat. After a sip, I held the glass up to catch the moonlight.My thoughts spiraled. Could Alex be a murderer? The question ate at me. The Moon Goddess couldn’t possibly be that cruel, could she?Of all the mates in the world, she stuck me with a murderer. What kind of sick joke is this? Not just a murderer—he killed a woman because she told him no.How could someone so vile be my soulmate? Was the Goddess out of decent options? Had the list run dry, so she thought, Hey, let’s throw the broken woman a ps