The Trade

"A web of lies, love, and betrayal—where secrets are born, and destinies collide.” In a world where ambition clashes with loyalty and love battles against betrayal, lives are forever entangled by secrets. Solo Delaney, a gifted designer, seeks a fresh start far from her turbulent past, only to find herself drawn into a web of deception that threatens her newfound peace. Dominic Hale, heir to a powerful empire, is haunted by the woman he threw away to reunite with his first love, unaware she carries the key to his future. Their paths cross again five years later, but schemers lurk in the shadows, fueled by greed and vengeance. Buried truths threaten to surface, Solo and Dominic’s lives spiral into chaos. With lives at stake, manipulations unraveling, and a love that refuses to die, can they overcome the forces determined to tear them apart? Or will the past claim their future forever? Love, betrayal, and secrets collide in this gripping saga, where every choice reshapes destiny.

My fiance's precious childhood crush, Amber Sweeney, was in a political union with the infamous Julian Grant, heir to the Grant family empire and a notorious playboy. Unable to stand the thought of Amber being "sacrificed", Ryan Carter barged into her wedding to stop it. They registered their marriage that day, making headlines across the city. The whole of D.C.'s elite waited to watch me and the Grant family become the city's biggest joke. What they didn't expect was that on the very next day, Julian would roll up to my company in his high-key sports car, leaning against the hood like he had all the time in the world. "Your fiance stole my bride. You'll be repaying that debt by marrying me. Fair trade, right?" I stared at his blazing red hair and wild grin, and smiled back coolly. "Sounds fair to me."

To save the three most important men in my life, I made a deal with the Moon Goddess. Trade my life for theirs. If I could make any one of them truly love me within five years, I'd get to live. But on the final day of the countdown, all three still had negative feelings toward me. According to the rules, I'd failed. My life was about to be erased. "Moon Goddess, could I send one last message? One final try?" Maybe out of pity, she granted me this last attempt. This message was my final shot. I hit the voice button in our group chat, fighting to keep my voice steady. "Could you guys love me just a little? I'm really going to die." After a moment of silence came their merciless laughter. "You'll do anything to compete with Lidia for attention, won't you?" "Cut the lies. This just makes us hate you more." "If you're so desperate to die, then just do it already." Mission failed. I gave them exactly what they wanted. But when I was about to die, they all freaked out.

My wolf went insane after I watched my parents take their own lives right before my eyes. My childhood protector, Alexander, had to hold me every night. The only thing that can soothe my wolf is Alexander's Alpha scent. Later, Sophie, the Beta he cherished, took her own life, leaping from a bridge into the sea. Everyone thought I had pushed Sophie into the sea, so that I could have Alexander all to myself. The warmth Alexander once had for me was gone, replaced by an endless, desolate disappointment. He kept whispering, "Why... did it have to be this way?" But when a vampire’s lethal curse came for me, he still drained his Alpha strength to take the fatal blow. As he lay dying, he used his last ounce of strength to wipe a tear from my cheek. "It was my fault… I spoiled you, Elena. I never should have… brought you into my pack." Alexander's parents, the former Alpha and Luna, called me a cursed Omega. They said I was a calamity, that I was the one who destroyed their proud, noble Alpha son. Consumed by regret, I went to the altar of the Moon Goddess and offered my soul. I begged for a second chance, even if it cost me my soul's eternal peace. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day Alexander discovered my sick obsession with him—my desperate need to claim him as my mate. This time, I would crush every delusional fantasy. My only wish was for him to find his true mate and live a long, powerful, peaceful life. As for me… my life was a price I was willing to pay.

After I help my boyfriend register his company and successfully land his first deal, he finally decides to make our relationship public. But his junior from college, who's always had this weird hostility toward me for no reason, beats me to it by sliding into the seat next to him. She leans against my boyfriend's chest, her voice smug and satisfied. "Didn't you say you'd wait until the company officially launched? So why the rush now?" My boyfriend says nothing. Instead, he hands her a share certificate and announces to the entire room that she's the company's largest shareholder. The room explodes. Everyone starts whistling and cheering them on. The junior takes the opportunity to kick me while I'm down, throwing insults my way. My boyfriend doesn't just fail to stop her. He actually joins in with his own snide remarks. "Sure, you helped me set up the company and brought in our first client, but she's the one who can actually take us somewhere." I don't get angry. I graciously acknowledge the junior's new position. I want to see how far they would get without me, their biggest asset and most valuable connection.

The moment my best friend dashes into the lottery shop ahead of me and rattles off that familiar string of numbers, I know instantly that she has been reborn, too. In my past life, my best friend and I were shortlisted for an interview at a Global 500 company just before graduation. However, there was only one opening available. On the day of the interview, I had a sudden urge to buy a lottery ticket, but as a result, I missed the interview, and my best friend got the job. As it turned out, I won the jackpot, totaling 50 million dollars. After graduation, I lived a carefree life, lounging at home and living off the interest. Meanwhile, after entering the company, my best friend was paid little and got bullied every single day. Eventually, she vented her anger on me and shoved me off a rooftop. I died from the fall instantly. After my death, my boyfriend covered for her, twisting the story to claim that I'd gone mad from idling too long and jumped on my own. The two of them fed on my misfortune, becoming influencers with millions of fans and raking in fortune. When I open my eyes again, I am reborn to the very day I bought that lottery ticket.