Anniversary Stay

On our fifth anniversary, I came across the Instagram page of a stranger named Serena Reed. The girl lay sideways on a hospital bed, her bandage-wrapped hand intertwined with a man's larger hand. On the man's ring finger was a moonstone ring, with Vincent Carter's name and my own name clearly engraved on the band. Below the photo, the girl had written: "It's just a tiny scratch, but he was so worried he insisted I stay in the hospital. Being loved like this feels incredible!" An hour earlier, Vincent had apologized to me over the phone. "Nina, there's an urgent matter with the patrol team. Don't wait for me for dinner. When I come back, I'll bring you a gift." He was not coming home for our anniversary because he was with another woman. I silently melted down the moonstone ring and sent it to Vincent as a gift. Then I packed all my belongings, including the pup in my womb, and left the Shadow pack quietly, never to return.

Five years. That's how long Alina Hayes has been Mrs. Daniel Blackwood—in name only. Their arranged marriage gave her a title, a mansion, and a son to love. But her billionaire husband? He's never shared her bed, remembered their anniversary, or looked at her like a wife. When Clarissa Sterling—Daniel's first wife, the woman who abandoned them—returns, everything Alina built crumbles. His mother wants her gone. High society whispers. And Daniel? He won't fight for her. Alina faces an impossible choice: stay invisible in a loveless marriage, or walk away from the only child who's ever called her "Mom."

Dr David Neill is a successful l psychiatrist who only treats the richest people, he is also struggling to deal with the disappearance of his son 8 years ago. On the anniversary of his sons disappearance he gets into a drunken accident and is ordered to provide the local police department with counselling services to the officers and victims of crime. While serving his time, he gets involved in a case of a missing young girl. He assists Detectives Tasneem Daniels, the youngest detective in the department. She is as tough as nails, many mistake her beauty for weakness and John Kani, a mild mannered older detective with many years of experience and the case takes them deep into the underbelly of the city where they must use all their skills and experience to solve the case and stay alive.

At the Brooke family’s grand 25th anniversary, Nina Brooke’s life changed in one reckless night. She gave herself to a stranger only to discover he was her stepsister fiancé. To protect their names, Ethan Voss and Nina buried the truth. But secrets don’t stay buried. Weeks later, a pregnancy test exposed the lie Nina thought she could hide. Clara made sure the entire family knew–humiliating Nina for carrying a child out of wedlock. But what no one expected? The child in Nina’s womb wasn’t just anyone’s. He belonged to Ethan Voss—the man promised to her sister. Now the question isn’t how far Nina will fall… It’s what happens when the truth explodes.

My live-in husband used my family’s influence to climb all the way to the position of Deputy Fire Chief. Throughout our five years of marriage, he has stood me up on every anniversary by using work as his excuse. This year, he finally agreed to celebrate our anniversary with me. But he only did so out of guilt. He had manipulated me into staying abroad to handle matters for him, which made me miss saying goodbye to my sister while she was dying in childbirth. The dinner was just his way of pretending to be sorry. As our dishes were served, my husband saw a news report about a fire at a top-tier postpartum care center downtown. He immediately ditched me and rushed to the scene. The fire station headquarters was just one block over! And he had specifically taken leave that week. I accidentally answered a call on his personal phone, and that was when I realized why he had been away from me most of the time. This man would not even buy me a cheap birthday gift, yet he had spent a packet to book a stay at a postpartum center for his mistress! I had to see for myself what kind of woman would have him so spellbound. I was determined to make him pay back every single item he had gotten from the Grant family, with interest.

During their anniversary dinner, Sabrina is about to reveal her pregnancy to her husband, Craig, when Emily, his girlfriend, who disappeared years back walks into the place. Emily's arrival after many years of absence made a turn of events on Sabrina's anniversary dinner and marriage in the space of 24 hours!

Elara Smith spent years of her life devoted to a man who doted on her and swore she was his everything. But on their anniversary, her world collapsed. Alexander Sterling dumped her for her own best friend—a woman from a wealthy family. Heart broken and left with nothing, Elara disappeared without a trace. Six years later, she returns as a successful, high-stakes lawyer sought after by the city's elite. Alexander is desperate to win her back, claiming he never wanted her gone in the first place. But Elara has built a wall between them. Now, she faces a choice: succumb to his charms or stay focused on her quest for revenge. As old secrets are told and the lies finally unfold, a bigger truth waits in the shadows. How will Alexander react when he finds out the two little angels she returned with are actually his?

"I marked her... to protect my title. But I left the one who owned my heart behind." Sienna loved Alpha Ryder with her whole soul, even if their bond wasn’t fated. On the night of her wedding anniversary, her world shattered: betrayed by her husband, drugged. Someone saved her, unbeknownst to her, he was Alpha Ryder. And their path shouldn't have met. Now, Ryder must mark another, Renna, the manipulative she-wolf chosen by the elders. With blackmail, lies, and political pressure mounting, Sienna becomes nothing more than a pawn. Left with no name, no power, and no home, Sienna is forced to stay in the Alpha’s house as a servant... while her once-lover sleeps beside another. But Sienna is not broken. She is watching. She is waiting. And when the time comes... they’ll all regret what they did to the Alpha’s forsaken bride.

I've been married to my Mafia Boss husband for 15 years. When we first got married, he couldn't even afford a ring, but I didn't care; I loved him. I hid my identity. I secretly used my family's influence to help him build his empire from scratch, and I even bore him two children. His adopted sister always mocked me, calling me an old-fashioned housewife and saying I wasn't good enough for him. To avoid embarrassing him, I always endured it. Until our 15th anniversary, because both me and his adopted sister wore red dresses, he told me to stay in the kitchen: "Sofia's right. That red doesn't suit you. Don't come out until the banquet actually ends. Stay in the kitchen. I don't need the Dons from New York seeing you and getting the wrong impression." I was completely heartbroken and didn't argue anymore. I dialed a number I hadn't made in 15 years: "Principessa?" "It's me," I said, my voice steady. "Tell those old fossils on the Council... Isabella Corleone is coming home."

I've been married to Derek Gunther for many years. Every anniversary, he tells me the airline scheduled him for a flight, then sends an expensive pair of earrings to smooth things over. But on our ninth anniversary, I accidentally overhear him joking with his friends. "Derek, you spend every anniversary with Ivy—and Sienna still hasn't caught on?" "No wonder she can't get pregnant. After all, you give all to Ivy." Derek exhales a stream of smoke and says, "Ivy gave up everything to be with me. I owe her a real home. As for Sienna, I stopped loving her after she miscarried. When the time's right, I'll file for divorce. It's unfair, sure—but I'll make it up to her with money." What Derek doesn't know is that he won't get that chance. It's on our anniversary that I'm diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer. Since he stopped loving me long ago, I'm ready to walk away on my own terms. Derek, from now on, we're done.