Plot Twists Short Stories & Mistress Family Emotions Novels

My stepsister Victoria had fastened my sapphire cufflink to her bracelet and was about to become the Donna of the Corleone family when the most feared Don in Europe called a halt to the wedding. His voice was cold and low. "You're not the one I'm marrying. How could I ever fail to recognize the person who saved my life? The moment I first laid eyes on her, everything about her was burned into my memory." "Victoria, who are you really?" An uproar swept through the hall of European elites. Victoria tightened her grip on the sapphire cufflink, fighting to keep her trembling voice steady. "Caine, are you sure you haven't made a mistake?" Of course she hoped he was wrong. Ten years ago, in that suffocating cellar, the person who pulled him out of the grip of his claustrophobia and saved his life was me. The person who smashed the lock open until my hands were covered in blood was me. The person whose hand he'd pressed that sapphire cufflink into, the one he'd made the focus of his lifelong devotion, was me too. But just days ago, my stepmother Camilla had pinned me to the ground, ripped the cufflink away from me, and shoved it into Victoria's palm. She told me. "Elena, your sister is prettier and has a better personality. If she marries the Don, our Santini family can finally rise to power." In my last life, I believed their lies. I was locked in a cramped servant's room, watching Victoria take credit for what I had done and become the most glamorous Donna in all of Europe. Later, terrified the truth would come out, Victoria and my own father tied me up in the basement. Then she drove a knife straight through my heart. As I drew my last breath, the sapphire cufflink that should have been mine was still glittering from the bracelet on her wrist. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the exact moment they stole my keepsake. This time, I contacted that terrifying Mafia Don before anyone else could. I swore to take back everything that belonged to me.

Liam Brooks and his older twin brother, Noah, looked exactly alike, but their lives couldn't have been more different. Noah was the CEO of Brooks Group. Liam was an ordinary office worker. All because Liam was the son his family had cast aside. We met when neither of us had much, supported each other through the hard times, and eventually married. During our three years of marriage, Liam kept telling me he could never measure up to his brother or give me a better life. He was afraid I'd look down on him. I told him I didn't care if we lived in a rental apartment forever, as long as our hearts were together. He gave me all his money and all his love, and I thought that was what happiness looked like. Then, by accident, I found his other phone. It was the latest iPhone. On it, another woman called him "sweetheart" and "Noah", and complained that the newest designer bag still hadn't arrived. I didn't know why she was calling him Noah, but I knew one thing: Liam had lied to me. He'd enjoyed a better life all along. He'd simply left me out of it. If his heart had already strayed, it was time to leave a marriage I'd been the only one believing in.

My twin sister and I were born with the same face and nothing else in common. Elara was gentle enough to step around an ant. I was vicious. Cross me and I'd take your skin off and never lose a night's sleep over it. The year we came of age, the Crown Prince chose Elara. But the old court held that royal twins brought ruin. If Elara was to be Crown Princess, I had to die. So our parents wept and begged me to drink a death-simulating draught and disappear forever. Before I left, I made three demands. First, my Shadow Guard would pass to Elara. Second, she'd have a dowry worthy of a princess and a wedding no one could sneer at. Third, if the Crown Prince ever wronged her, they'd bring her home. They swore to all three. They told me that once I was gone, Elara could take the throne beside him without a whisper against her, and never want for anything again. I drank the draught and rode north to the frontier. I thought one life of mine was a fair price for a lifetime of hers. Three years later, pain tore me out of sleep. Twins share what the other feels. Something had happened to Elara. I rode for the capital through the night, and my sister was gone. A woman I'd never seen was being crowned Empress in her place. And our parents sat below the dais, smiling. Three years, and they'd forgotten one thing. Elara was the only one who ever kept me on a leash. And she wasn't there anymore.

On the day my uncle, Steve Chapman, showed signs of heart failure, my mother, Irina Cress, drugged my father, Sean Chapman, and placed him on the surgery table. His heart was taken by force and transplanted into Steve, which extended Steve’s life for an additional 10 years. I left home after that incident and studied hard. I eventually earned admission to a medical research university because I ranked first in my class. After 10 years, I developed an artificial heart and became a sought‑after expert in the medical field. Many people came to me and hoped to be placed on the list for an artificial heart. My assistant, Lewis Henderson, handed me the latest list of applicants. Steve’s name appeared at the top. I raised my pen and drew a line across his name. “This person is not approved. Put him on the blacklist.”

For the third time, Mom complains that the fridge isn't cooling properly. I know she's waiting for me to offer to buy a new one. Mom's always saying I'm the one holding this family together. She constantly reminds me that my younger sister, Celia Kessler, only makes 2,000 dollars a month and can't be expected to help. So everything falls on me. When Mom says her bedroom is too hot, I grit my teeth and buy her a new air conditioner. When Dad complains about his constant neck pain, I scrape a living for a month so I can afford a neck massager for him. Last year, I even paid for most of the renovations on the house, scrimping and saving to cover the cost. I've been working for five years and make 8,000 dollars a month. But by the end of every month, I don't even have 500 dollars left. Seeing that I'm not going to say anything, Mom slams her fork down on the table and shoots me a glance. "They say you have kids so someone will take care of you when you're old. Guess I wasn't that lucky!" My chest tightens, and suddenly the food in my mouth is hard to swallow. I'm about to say something when the front door opens. Celia calls out cheerfully, "Mom, I got paid almost 10,000 dollars! You and Dad don't need to give me the usual 4,000 this month!" I look up, stunned. Celia walks in carrying the latest tablet, and my boyfriend, Bryan Alston, is right behind her. He told me he had a client meeting today. That's when I realize where the money has really been going. Every month, I give Mom an extra 5,000 dollars for household expenses, and she's been giving most of it to Celia. Everyone depends on me, but somehow I'm the one who has the least.

After a wild month of partying across half the world, I unexpectedly found out that I was pregnant. I flew home overnight to surprise my husband, only to find a new nanny had moved into our house. Before I could say a word, she slapped me across the face. "What's a vixen like you doing here?" she snapped, fierce and full of herself. "Get out! This is my daughter's house! Out, out, out!" My hand froze halfway to dialing 911. I shot back instead, "Who's your daughter?" She settled onto the leather sofa I'd bought, crossed her legs smugly, and said, "My daughter is Paige Griffin, and her husband is Bradley Ford, Morlene City's hottest new rising star. Did you hear that clearly, or are your ears just for show?" My head started buzzing. I looked down at the wall-sized print of my wedding photo with Bradley and let out a bitter laugh. If her daughter was Bradley's wife, then who did that make me? Me, the proud daughter of Morlene City's richest man, had been reduced to being someone's mistress?

After we got married, my husband, Mason Callahan, handed over his debit card and told me to treat myself, no limits. Then his mom ended up in the hospital. The second he asked me to transfer the money for her treatment, I told him that there was none left. He flew into a rage. "I give you ten grand a month! How the hell can you have zero dollars left? "I said you could treat yourself, but you actually blew through every cent? You didn't save a dime? God, how did I end up marrying such a wasteful woman?" I didn't bother arguing. I simply asked for a divorce.