Dear Readers, thank you so much for picking up The CEO's Unwanted Wife. Every read, every comment, every minute you spend with Ivy's story means a lot to me. This is not just ink on virtual paper—it's a storm of pain, passion, betrayal, secrets, and survival. Ivy Sterling is not flawless; she is real. She bleeds, she falls, she questions everything. But she also rises, and I hope that in her, you find a reflection of your worth and resilience. This story will take you through twists you won't anticipate and truths that cut deep. Buckle up—because behind every brutal heartbreak throbs a heartbeat, and behind every villain is a deeper story. I'm so grateful you're on this ride with me. Let's cry, scream, love, and heal with every chapter. With my entire heart, Elian Grey. P.S. Don't forget to comment, your words fuel the fire behind every chapter!.
RaineThe world had stopped revolving.Rain no longer fell but hung suspended midair, individual droplets sparkling like crystal beads suspended in an unseen net. My hair whirled around me in slow motion, strands caught halfway in a whip. Roman's coat was frozen in its curve, locked in mid-sway, his smile carved into a weapon.And his voice— his voice was no longer coming out of his mouth anymore. It was everywhere. It crept under my skin, down the length of my spine, around the fist that gripped the coin."Make your wish, Raine."The ridged metal cut deeper into my palm. My heart thudded against it, frantic, feral, as if my body knew what my mind still could not yet recognize: that this choice was no easy one.Cassian's frail but unmistakable voice cut through like a thread of light.Raine."Where is he?" My own voice broke on the silence, rougher than I meant it to be. "What did you do to him?"Roman's stiff body did not move an inch, but the air around me seemed to vibrate with the
RaineThe blackout took over everything.Not just the lights — the hum of the air vents, the beeps of the monitor, even the muffled hospital sounds beyond the walls, all gone. The darkness wasn't empty; it was suffocating, consuming my sense of direction and courage.And in it, a hand wrapped around mine."Raine," a voice whispered. Close. Too close.It wasn't the name that sent a shiver down my spine. It was the shape of the voice around it — too soft to be Roman's usual bite, too near to be someone else's… or maybe my head was playing tricks on me.I tried to pull away, but the grip only tightened. "We don't have time."My head reeled for a reference point — footsteps down the hallway, the location of the bed, the location of the door—nothing but suffocating darkness.The faintest metallic clink sounded in my ears — a coin hitting tile, then coming to rest somewhere at the foot of the bed. My breath hung."Where are the lights?" I bellowed, attempting to keep my voice calm."They'll
RaineMy eyes were fixed on the coin cycling through Roman's thumb and index finger. It was quiet, a mere flash of silver light reflecting off the cold fluorescents of the room every half-second. The constant rhythm was hypnotic — constant, like him.“I see you're awake," he murmured. The coin hovered there in mid-spin, as though arrested between worlds, and clattered into his palm with a finality that made my stomach twitch.I strained upright too hard, the room whirling around me. The IV tugged at my arm, reminding me I was stuck. "Where's Cassian?"Roman leaned back in his chair, the very picture of ease and dominance. "Alive, for now.""For now?" My voice cracked on the second word.He shrugged, as if discussing the weather. "He's stubborn. Always has been. But he got beaten pretty badly by that water, and by his own choices."I fought to keep my level tone. "Where is he?""That," he said, leaning forward so that nothing stood between us, "depends on how this conversation goes."I
RaineThe voice came out of the shadows like it had been meant to be there. Smooth, confident, and enraging."Miss me?"Roman Creed stepped out into the dim emergency lighting as he had just wandered off on a stroll and not down a ladder into the stench of the underground. His coat—midnight black, styled to perfection that was worth more than most paid in a year's rent—was open to reveal a dark waistcoat and a watch that flashed in the shadows. The rot and damp stench didn't even venture close to him.Cassian shifted behind me, his weight a stubborn burden on my shoulder. His eyes cracked open a little to identify who had spoken, and I felt him stiffen, his breath snagging against my neck.The stranger who had brought us here shifted position—measured, protecting—moving silently between me and Roman's shifting form.I shoved my voice firm, even as something in my chest had started doing an impertinent flutter. "Roman. Of course. Because nothing says perfect timing like you showing up
RaineThe ground shook beneath my feet.Not a gentle quiver—this was a raw, heavy shiver that shook right up to the top of my spine and slammed my teeth together. The walls of the alley groaned, dust spilling from cracking brick as if the very city itself was damning us to run.But we couldn't.In front of us, the stranger was already fighting with the SUV men, battling like they were bred to the chaos—each glint of their knife precision, each swing lethal. Behind us, more boots approached closer. The trap was closing, and I was in the center of it all, supporting Cassian on one arm and holding the stranger's coin in the other.Thirty seconds. That's how long they'd given me.Cassian shifted against my back, his breath tickling my neck. "Raine….""I'm here," I breathed, but my gaze was roving over the alley, hunting for any potential exit. Fire escape? No. Too open. Side door? Locked up tight with chains. Dumpster? Too big to be pushed out of the way in time.The rumble grew louder. A
Raine"Time's up."Those words cut through me like a bullet.The stranger's grin never faltered as the first of the pursuers hit the ground, boots crashing on the tunnel floor in a metallic boom that ricocheted through the cramped space. The man's gun was already drawn, his trigger finger wrapped around the hilt, his eyes locked not on me—but on Cassian.I edged sideways, turning my back to shield him. My blade was in my fist, but my mind was running faster than my hand. Any wrong step, and Cassian would be dead.The stranger glanced over my back, then back at me, as calm as if we were not on the brink of violence. "If you want him to live, you'll come with me. Both of you."The second attacker hit the ground, followed by a third. All armed. All advancing.I could hear my own heartbeat drumming in my ears, muffling everything else. I clutched onto Cassian harder, my hand gripping him tighter as I felt the uneven rise and fall of his chest against mine. Every one of his breaths was too