Chapter 55 Sarah J Maas

Meine beste Freundin Ada hatte Mitleid mit mir, weil ich seit acht Jahren in Theo verliebt war. Als unsere Wölfe einander als Gefährten erkannten, gab Ada mir einfach ein krafterhöhendes Kraut und schickte mich in Theos Bett. Berauscht von meinem Duft, hat Theo mich wie ein Besessener beansprucht. Als ich am nächsten Morgen aufwachte, erklärte er kühl, dass er der Markierungszeremonie zustimmte. Doch schon kurz nach der Markierung reiste Theo immer wieder zu Rudeln nach Europa und blieb ganze fünf Jahre lang weg. Ich zog unseren Sohn Alex allein groß und wartete im Rudelhaus auf seine Rückkehr. Aber er kam nie zurück und sagte mir nur, dass er keine Welpen möge. Bis zu Alex’ Geburtstagsfeier, als ich ein Video sah, in dem ihm jemand eine Frage stellte: „Theo, was war dein glücklichster Moment?“ Er antwortete gleichgültig: „Letzte Woche in Europa, nachdem ich Marcus ins Bett gebracht hatte, habe ich Claire mit an den Esstisch im Wohnzimmer genommen.“ Zwischen Pfiffen und Jubel wurde mir plötzlich eiskalt an Händen und Füßen. Claire war seine Ex-Freundin, Marcus ihr Sohn. Man erzählte, Theo habe die letzten fünf Jahre mit ihnen in Europa gelebt – also stimmte alles. Mein Herz war vollkommen gebrochen. Ich reichte beim Alpha-Rat die Auflösung der Gefährtenbindung ein und verließ Nordamerika mit meinem Sohn. Unsere Rudelregistrierung ließ ich löschen.

—Señora Sterling, ¿está segura de que quiere terminar con este matrimonio de veinte años y renunciar a la custodia? —Sí. Inicie el trámite. Ya tuve suficiente —respondí con calma por teléfono mientras tallaba una mancha de grasa difícil en la isla de granito. Durante veinte años, me entregué a esta familia. Me hice cargo de las casas, de la educación de los niños y me mantuve al lado de mi esposo, apoyando su ascenso en el sindicato sin quejarme nunca. Pero mi esposo, Alexander, llevó a Chloe, su joven hermana adoptiva, a la entrevista y dijo: —Todo mi éxito se lo debo a mi hermana. Incluso mis propios hijos me menospreciaban; decían que yo era una simple ama de casa, alguien corriente. Se habían aliado con su eterna “tía”, esa mujer que parecía creerse la verdadera señora de la casa. Firmé los papeles del divorcio y me fui, dejándolos para que se convirtieran en la “familia perfecta” que tanto querían. Pero fue entonces cuando todos entraron en pánico…

The boy who made my life hell just became my stepbrother, and now we’re sharing a mansion, a last name, and a hatred so intense it might just burn us both alive. I’m Summer Winters, the scholarship girl who never wanted Crew Ashford’s attention. But after I publicly humiliated Blackwood Prep’s golden hockey captain, he’s made destroying me his personal mission. With the months of psychological warfare, I've learned to survive his cruelty. Then my mother marries his father. Now I’m living under his roof, and Crew’s rage at my presence is suffocating. Behind closed doors, his bullying intensifies, but so does something darker. Something that looks dangerously like obsession. Just when I think it can’t get worse, I meet Gray, Crew’s quiet, artistic brother who sees me in ways that terrify and comfort me in equal measure. And my childhood best friend Tyler? He’s caught between loyalty to me and forces I don’t understand yet. Three boys. Three types of devastation. And secrets buried so deep they’ll destroy us all when they surface. When everything explodes at the championship game, I’ll have to decide: which kind of destruction am I willing to survive? This is a dark reverse harem hockey romance where the line between hate and want is razor-thin, and choosing yourself might be the most dangerous choice of all.

「イヴリン・スターリングさん、二十年の結婚生活を終わらせて、子供の親権も放棄する覚悟はできていますか？」 「はい。手続きを進めてください。もう終わりにします」 私は電話越しに冷静に答えながら、キッチンカウンターの頑固な油汚れをこすっていた。 二十年間、私はこの家族に全てを捧げてきた。 家を管理し、子供たちの教育を担い、夫の出世を陰から支えてきた。文句の一つも言わずに。 だが夫のアレクサンダー・スターリングは、インタビューに義理の妹のクロエを連れて行き、以下のように言った。 「今日の成功は全て彼女のおかげです」 実の子供たちまで私を見下し、「ダサい主婦」と呼ぶ。彼らは事あるごとに、大好きな「クロエ叔母さん」の肩を持つ。その女は今や家の中で十分すぎるほど存在感を示し、まるで自分こそが本当の女主人だと言わんばかりだった。 だから私は離婚協議書にサインして去った。彼らが望む「完璧な家族」になればいい。 だがその後、家族はパニックに陥った……

– Sra. Sterling, a senhora tem certeza de que está pronta para encerrar este casamento de vinte anos e abrir mão da custódia? – Sim. Dê entrada. Acabou. – Respondi calmamente ao telefone enquanto esfregava uma mancha teimosa de gordura na ilha de granito. Durante vinte anos, eu dediquei tudo de mim a essa família. Administrei a casa, cuidei da educação das crianças e permaneci ao lado do meu marido, apoiando sua ascensão no sindicato sem jamais reclamar. Mas meu marido, Alexander, levou sua jovem irmã adotiva, Chloe, para a entrevista, dizendo: – O sucesso que tenho hoje é todo graças à minha irmã adotiva. Até meus próprios filhos passaram a me menosprezar, chamando-me de dona de casa comum e grosseira. Eles formaram uma aliança com a "tia" sempre presente – a mulher que achava ser a verdadeira senhora da casa. Assinei os papéis do divórcio e fui embora, deixando que eles se tornassem a "família perfeita" que tanto sonhavam. Mas foi então que a família entrou em pânico…

My Alpha mate Kieran’s new assistant was his childhood friend. She kept using work reports as an excuse to flirt with Kieran. Kieran yelled at her and said that if it weren't for their childhood friendship, he'd kick her out of the pack immediately. I was his one true mate. But just days later, he put his childhood friend Meredith's name on my life's work - my breakthrough research on silver poisoning treatment. When I confronted him about it, he just brushed it off, telling me to think about the bigger picture. At the annual Healer Excellence Awards ceremony, Meredith wore a designer gown and walked on stage as the chief healer to accept the award. Kieran sat in the audience, leading the applause for her. All the camera flashes and congratulations became a joke at my expense. The next day, as I was about to board my flight overseas, Kieran rushed to the airport like a madman to stop me. His eyes were bloodshot as he gripped my wrist: "I was just having fun with Meredith. You're the only Luna of this pack. But if you really leave like this, I'll have you removed from the pack healer registry." His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I spoke each word deliberately. "Kieran, you're way too full of yourself." After landing, I dialed another number: "Alpha Garrett, let's begin the plan to establish the new healing center."

Una semana antes de nuestra Ceremonia de Marcaje, en la fiesta de un amigo de Ethan Stormwind, le dije que quería romper con él. Al escucharme, todos se rieron, pues sabían que durante los últimos seis años, mi objetivo en la vida había sido convertirme en su Luna. ¿Por qué querría romper con él si solo faltaba una semana para la ceremonia? Incluso Ethan pensó que estaba siendo irrazonable, y me cuestionó: —¿Solo porque el día de nuestra ceremonia tengo que llevar a Selene al curandero para que le hagan una revisión, estás haciendo un berrinche y quieres romper conmigo? Después de una breve pausa añadió: —Los dos somos adultos, ¿puedes comportarte de manera más madura? Podrías reprogramar la ceremonia. ¿Por qué insistes en ese día en particular? No tengo tiempo para tus escenas de celos. Asentí en silencio. Sí, algo tenía que cambiar, pero no era la fecha de la ceremonia, sino él. Yo iba a aceptar ser marcada por alguien más.

***MAFIA'S VICE SEQUEL*** What is a queen without her king? Historically speaking, more powerful. The Dragonetti's have fallen in New York, but Sienna has made certain her family rose from the ashes in Italy. After Dante's demise, she's put her everything into the Dragonetti name and made it one to be feared again, despite her heartbreak and yearning for her only love. As tensions mount and she starts losing more of her humanity, a ghost from her past shows up, and her world comes crashing down. Could Dante be alive after all these years? And if so, why is he out to kill her? In this sequel to Mafia's Vice, two Mafia worlds intersect with one thing on either family's mind: Revenge against Allesio Speranzini.

"You’re making a mistake," James smirked, lounging beside Chloe. "You’ll never find someone better than me." Betrayal shattered Sarah Winters’ world. She thought she had it all until she walked in on her fiancé tangled in bed with her best friend. Humiliated but determined, she refuses to be a victim. If James and Chloe think they’ve won, they’re about to be proven wrong. Elliott Remington is a billionaire CEO, ruthless in business, and completely uninterested in love. Under pressure to marry, he needs a wife to silence his father and secure a critical deal. Sarah needs power, status, and a way to erase the sting of betrayal. They signed a contract for marriage. One year. No emotions. Strictly business. But playing pretend isn’t so simple when lines begin to blur. As jealousy ignites, hidden pasts unravel, and unexpected feelings surface, Sarah and Elliott find themselves trapped in a game where the biggest risk isn’t losing control. It’s falling for each other. And when the truth about Sarah’s past comes to light, the stakes become even higher. Revenge brought them together. Love was never part of the plan. But when the contract ends… will they be able to walk away?

Sarah is a lonely and depressed girl, daily fighting the battles of life to survive in a toxic surroundings. On a regular night she witnessed a murder, she escaped from there and from eyes of the killer but destiny played a very cruel game with her. Sarah's father forced her to marry a man whom she haven't even seen before. Forcefully and helplessly she went to aisle but the ground beneath her feet slipped away when she saw the groom, he was the same killer. Xavier king, The cruel and heartless mafia married a girl whom he haven't seen before neither he showed any interest in his newly wed bride. But when he finally saw her face, he lost it. "Destiny has given me a very deserving chance and this time you are the one who will bleed, my beautiful wife..." He said as hatred and anger boiled within him. Will Sarah understand the reason behind Xavier's behavior? Why Xavier wants to destroy her? Will they fall in love or the hatred will be carried on to the end? Will Xavier make Sarah's life worst which is already ruined by her depression and loneliness? Welcome to the journey of two wounded souls...