A Stolen Past Novels & Stories

"From the man who trusts you to be his head of security. Shawn, my father gave you a place in his company, treated you like one of his own. And you stole from him?" "Yes," I say. "I did. And I am ashamed of it." "And you are still working for him." Her voice doesn't rise. It stays completely level and somehow that is worse than shouting. "I can't believe you stole from the man who saved you." "I did." "Are you serious right now." "Stella—"

"It's complicated. The circumstances of my life, the identity I'd built..." "You mean the stolen identity," Sienna interrupted. "The fabricated history. The lies you told to wealthy people who believed you were someone you're not." "Survival," Serena said, some steel entering her cultured voice. "Everything I did was survival. You don't know what I went through before..." "Before you were adopted by a working-class family who loved you and you robbed them and ran?" Sienna's anger was building, hot and sharp. "Before you stole identities and money and built a life on other people's pain?"

I whispered, I felt like I was sweating inside of this one, and I felt like I had been wearing it for a while, I needed to feel clean. “I will get the water- no, get a maid,” I whispered cutting him off, Liam didn’t say anything, as he headed into the bathroom. The maid, did one if then drug his men, is that why they all passed out while we were there, it didn’t make sense to me as to why anyone would want to do that, why would they want to hurt someone like Ollie, was it for his father, because of what Liam has done? I know no mafia king has a good past, everyone has done horrible things, things that they wish they didn’t have to do, things that they can’t go back from.

"You don't want to believe me? Fine, then don't. Do what you want. It can't be any worse what they'd do if they ever find me." "Who are 'they'?" "Foster parents," I lied outright. "I stole their money and fled away." "Where are you from?" "Boston." He retreated his hands, and I saw the flame of anger burning slight dimly now. "And why did you steal and run away?" "They were rich and cruel. Something you people have in common," I sneered. "So, I took their money and fled. I wanted to become something, and if I stayed back, I would have been nothing but a maid."

(Flash Forward — The Marking Ceremony) The world came apart when the Mark seared itself into my skin. It was supposed to belong to her — to Helena. The jewel of the Hollow. The wolf-bred beauty upon whom every hopeful glance was fixed. Yet it was me, Ilia, kneeling upon the sacred stone, breath shaking, as burning light surged through my shoulder. The room blurred with flame and mist, and the silence was absolute except for the sound of my own breath and the low, disbelieving growl that rose from the throat of the Alpha himself.

It’s because you were unfaithful in our relationship, because you were never fully committed to love. [I can't accept betrayal, nor can I forgive the pain you caused me. So please, don't come looking for me. Don't disturb my life. If you really care about me, disappear from my world.] After reading the letter, he was heartbroken. He realized it was truly over between us. He left my place in a daze, looking completely hollow as though his very soul had been drained. He recalled his past actions, wishing that he could go back in time to undo everything and kill himself, the man who had betrayed his wife. Nevertheless, the world offered no such remedy. He had lost me and the future we could hav

The officer closed his notebook, his expression turning stern. "Wayne Whitmore, you're suspected of identity theft, assault, and multiple other criminal offenses. You'll need to come with us for questioning." Standing off to the side, Travis finally understood what had happened. He shot to his feet and pointed at Kelsey in disbelief. "So when you told me your cousin was paying for our honeymoon, you meant you stole the money from your own family?" Panic flashed across Kelsey's face. She grabbed his arm. "Honey, let me explain..."

Inside lay the broken half of a jade pendant. The break matched, exactly, the pendant I'd lost the year I was fifteen. Julian said, "When the warehouse caught fire that day, my right shoulder was crushed." "Hospital records, fire reports, police statements. I have all of it." "Adrian, that debt of gratitude you've been living off all these years—you stole it." Mrs. Locke shrieked, "Impossible!" "Adrian would never do such a thing!" Mara scoffed beside her. "He framed a dead man. What's stealing a little gratitude to him?"

"Didn't you say my mom scraped together fourteen thousand three hundred dollars for you? Where's the money?" His lips moved, but nothing came out. "Spent it all?" He dropped his head. "You had a lot to say before. Said I lost to you, said you won. What about now?" He was on the ground, sobbing so hard he could barely breathe. "Nathan, I was wrong... So wrong... I shouldn't have stolen your money, shouldn't have taken your scholarship... Just let me off..." I stood up and looked at him. "Kevin, the problem isn't that you stole my money or took my scholarship. The problem is you thought the world would always be on your side. The problem is you thought my parents would always have your back. T

The bankruptcy of a thief's soul isn't exposed when they are caught clutching the stolen wealth of your present; it is laid bare when they scream into the silence of your home, demanding payment for an imaginary childhood debt that was never owed. When the mask of a duplicate completely shreds, they stop trying to defend their digital crimes and instead drag the ancient, rotting comparisons of the past into the light, completely blind to the reality that their dark obsession has turned them into a ghost clawing at a life that will never be theirs.