After The Vows Novels & Stories

Zyliah Smith had it all, until betrayal shattered her world. A scandal, a one-night stand, and a secret she never saw coming. Now, six years later, she's back with twin sons and a new name, ready to bury the past. But fate isn't finished with her yet. When the man from that long-forgotten night reappears, wealthy, ruthless, and dangerously captivated, Zyliah is pulled into a storm of old lies, new desires, and a love she never dared to hope for. But the past always has claws. And this time, it wants everything.

When Ivy Moore’s estranged parents die in a suspicious crash, she’s placed in the custody of Victor Maddox, a cold billionaire tied to her through a secret clause in her family’s estate. He doesn’t ask. He commands. Within hours of arriving at his isolated mansion, Ivy is given one choice: sign a 90-day contract of submission or lose everything. No love. No limits. No escape. But Victor isn’t just strict. He’s obsessed. He’s been watching Ivy for years. Now that she’s his, he will never let her go. Every punishment draws her closer. Every rule breaks her open. Every night, she learns what it means to be claimed, used, and owned. She thought she was just a ward. But she’s his obsession. And he’ll destroy them both to keep her.

I was adopted. They were so good to me that every night before I fell asleep, I prayed to grow up healthy and happy in this home. Then Mom got pregnant. I hid under my covers and cried all night, quietly packing the little suitcase I had arrived with. But they didn't send me away. They loved me even more. The day my brother was born, Mom took my hand and gently stroked my head. "Having an older sister," she said, "is why we have a younger brother." Dad lifted me above his head and spun me around laughing. "Lily is our family's lucky star — our most beloved baby!" I finally stopped dreading every single day. I thought I had truly become part of this family. Then my brother snapped my favorite Barbie in half. I pushed him. He stumbled, sat on the floor, stared for two seconds, and burst into tears. Mom panicked, shoved me aside, and pulled him into her arms, asking over and over if he was hurt. Dad came running. He grabbed my shoulders and slammed me against the wall, eyes blazing. "Is this what I raised you all these years for — to bully your brother? Believe me when I say I will send you straight back to—"

I came to Vane Capital to destroy the man who murdered my father’s legacy. But I didn't expect to be caught mid-hack by Julian Vane himself. ​Now, I’m his 'Golden Captive'—blackmailed into a deadly game of corporate espionage. Locked in his penthouse, I’m forced to work inches away from the man I swore to ruin. But as bullets fly and the real traitor emerges from the shadows, I realize that Julian isn't the monster I memorized. He’s a victim of the same conspiracy that crushed my family. ​In a world of blood and binary, the line between revenge and desire is razor-thin. I was the 'Ghost' in his machine, but now, I’m the only one who can keep us both alive. The hunt is on, and this time, we’re taking no prisoners.

Two weeks before I stopped waiting, Ethan Hayes gave my island invitation to another woman. Her name was Mia Lawson. Twenty-six, pretty, soft-spoken, and always close enough to him that people had started pretending not to notice. That night, everyone at our table went quiet. Ethan didn't. He placed the envelope in her hand and said, "You've been working too hard. Take a break." Mia blushed like he had given her roses. I looked at the envelope, then at the man I had waited eight years to marry. That island was supposed to be ours. The beach, the villa, the ceremony site facing the ocean. All of it. Maya gripped my hand under the table and whispered, "Claire, say something." But I only smiled, because if I opened my mouth, I was afraid I would beg. And I was done begging. Two weeks later, on that same island, my phone kept lighting up with Ethan's name. I didn't answer. I was already wearing the white dress he had told me to return.

"I hate you! You are not our mother!" Melissa staggered back, bewildered. " Did... Did you hear him?" She gasped, pointing at their youngest child. Jaden smirked, his head tilting to the side. "Of course, he isn't wrong anyway." She sacrificed everything for him and moved from being the wealthy, respected heiress to a neglected wife of a bankrupt man. Despite Jaden's poor background and past marriage, Melissa stayed with him and his children and helped him build his business back to its feet to the point of raising it to be recognized as her family's rival company. She thought the roses would finally be given to her, she thought Jaden Oscar would love her more than he did when they had nothing, but reality crushed her hopes. Just a few years after her husband's success, he returned home with another woman, whom he claimed to be the children's mother. Melissa was left with nothing, no children, no man to reciprocate her love, no family. Standing alone under the rain with her eyes fixed on a house once called her home, Melissa swore to take revenge on everyone who had hurt her, most especially, her dear husband, Jaden Oscar.

I regressed to the day I auctioned for the school idol’s sugar baby agreement after her family went bankrupt. This time, I chose to stand by and watch coldly, rather than saving her… Because after I saved her last time, she was forced to marry me due to the rumors spreading at the auction. For the eight years we were married, she made me keep my distance from her. At the same time, she gave her old flame my company and my assets, even bearing him three children. When Gwen Hughes kicked me out of the house, she sneered at me. “It’s all your fault! You acted holier-than-thou, buying out my contract and spreading rumors so I had no choice but to marry you! If it weren’t for you, Ivan and I wouldn’t have missed each other for all these years!” After that, I died in agony. Now that I had regressed, I would not interfere in their lives again.

(A REWRITE OF TANGLED WITH THE MAFIA KING) "I am married!" I spat into his face. "You can't just walk in here and spew nonsense just because I am carrying your baby." His smirk returned, and I realised that I had made a mistake that day. That day, I thought I was getting into bed with a gentle soul. But this man in front of me has the darkest of auras. It is the kind that makes it hard to look away or slam the door in his face. So, when he took another step closer, I could barely move. Then, he said, "I don't care if you are married. Now that I've seen you, coming with me is undebatable." ~~~ One reckless night in Venice with a dangerously attractive stranger was supposed to be Carrie’s final act of rebellion before an arranged marriage. By morning, she left satisfied. Two weeks later… she’s pregnant. With her furious father forcing her into marriage and giving her one week to find the baby’s father, Carrie begins a desperate search for the mysterious Alessandro. But the man she’s looking for isn’t just a charming Italian businessman. He’s heir to a ruthless empire. A man who rules with fear. And he has his own reason for needing a wife— fast. When their worlds collide again, it won’t just be about one night. It will be about power. Danger. Protection. And a love neither of them planned.

Trapped in a loveless, tyrannical marriage to ruthless billionaire CEO Damon Cross, Emma Walker endures the whispers of admiration from outsiders, who believe she is the envy of the city. They see her glittering life—the mansions, the diamonds—but none can imagine the cruelty she suffers behind closed doors. Damon treats her as his possession, a mere maid in his palatial home, caged and stripped of dignity. Then, an unexpected event brings Jake Carter, her high school sweetheart, back into her life. Now a powerful entrepreneur, Jake is not only Damon’s business rival but Emma’s last hope for freedom. As Damon’s control tightens, Emma faces an impossible choice. Will she risk everything for a second chance at happiness, or will the chains of her marriage prove unbreakable? As Emma’s journey unfolds, she is plunged into a world of betrayal, suspense, and passion. In this high-stakes love triangle, the lines blur between true love and obsession, freedom and bondage. Can love save the day, or will Emma be bound by her vows forever?

I was the person Henry Johnson, the head of the San Nello mafia, loved more than anyone else. He loved me with absolute devotion. During our three years of marriage, he spoiled me endlessly and treated me like a princess. Yet this same man, who claimed to love me so deeply, divorced me three times, each time for the sake of his childhood sweetheart. The first time, intimate photos of them at the airport went viral. That very night, he placed the divorce papers in front of me. "Selena," he said, "Melanie's father once saved my life. I can't allow her to be condemned as a homewrecker. Let's divorce for now. Once this storm passes, we'll remarry." With my heart in pieces, I signed the papers and prepared to leave. However, at the airport, Henry stopped me. He broke down in front of me and begged, "I've already taken care of the media. Melanie has gone abroad again. I've repaid everything I owed her family. Please don't leave. Let's get married again." His tearful pleas softened my resolve. That was the first time I forgave him. The second time, he came to me looking utterly worn out. "Melanie was implicated by her boyfriend and ended up in prison," he said. "I need to bail her out as her spouse. Once she's free, we'll remarry right away." I believed him. That time, he kept his promise. He returned and remarried me. The third time, he lowered his head and hesitated, unable to look me in the eye. "Melanie is about to give birth," he said. "An unwed pregnancy would destroy her modeling career. I have to help her. This will be the last time. Once the child is settled, we'll remarry. I promise this will never happen again." I looked at him for a long time. In the end, I answered softly, "Okay." However, on the day we were meant to register our marriage again, I never appeared. Any love I still had was worn away bit by bit. In the end, I left for good, taking with me not only a broken heart, but also the unborn heir he would never know.