Charles Smith Rdr2

On the day that was supposed to be my wedding—the bride wasn’t me. The ceremony I’d waited for five years for turned into a joke when Valentina, my sister, walked down the marble aisle in a white wedding dress. Her arm was linked with Luca’s — the man who was supposed to be waiting for me at the altar. “I’m sorry, Bianca,” she said softly. “But you are no longer the bride today.” Then she touched her stomach, eyes gleaming with triumph. “I’m pregnant with Don Romano’s child.” Her words detonated inside my skull, and the whole world went silent. As if afraid I wouldn’t believe her, she lifted something glossy up towards the light. A black-and-white ultrasound image. It read clearly: Gestational age — 12 weeks. My eyes burned, tears stinging as I turned to Luca, desperately searching for anything—a denial, an explanation, regret. Instead, he only sighed, weary and resigned. “Bianca, I’m sorry.” he said helplessly. “Valentina doesn’t have much time left. This wedding… it was her last wish.” “I’ll make it up to you,” he added. “We can have another wedding later.” My father, Moretti, stood behind him, wearing the same stern expression he’d worn my entire life. I have never seen him smile at me, not even once. “Bianca,” he said sharply, “Your sister is dying. Let her have this.” My brother nodded without saying a single word, as if that was enough to be a solid answer. All my life, they had chosen her—her tears, her whims, her needs—over mine. Today was no different. Something inside me quietly cracked. Fine. If no one in this family cares about me, I’ll leave.

The day I signed the divorce papers, I voluntarily gave up custody of my daughter. Because that day, in the courtroom, she clung to her father’s neck, sobbing with all the fury a six-year-old could muster: “You don’t even love me… do you? If you leave Daddy, I’ll stay with him… and you’ll be all alone forever!” In my past life, I had ignored her childish threats. I fought tooth and nail for her custody. I poured every ounce of myself into raising her. And yet… she spent her entire life hating me. Not once did she ever call me “Mom” until the day I died. On her wedding day, she even invited her father’s mistress to the stage to give a speech of thanks. Now, opening my eyes again, seeing that same cruel little face staring back at me, I simply nodded. “I don’t care.” After all… I never wanted a daughter like her anyway.

When you are growing up adults usually tell you that you can be whatever you want to be, right?! I was told I would be a starving artist if I became what I wanted to be. I let their words become me. All their words. I let them dictate the person I became. I kept the real me to myself after so many years of their hatred for that person. I let little bits of my soul break away and die to keep their torment to a minimum. I learned to not rock the boat, just keep my head down and do as I was told. I was the party crasher on their life that never left. Until I shocked them when I did. Out on my own, I wasn’t as strong as I thought I was. I settled for the first “nice guy” to come along. That quickly fizzled out after a shotgun wedding. After a year alone I met Prince Charming #2 at a backyard BBQ. I didn’t know my jerk radar was still broken. Then out of nowhere, the one I had always thought was a jerk turned out to surprisingly be my Prince Charming. Being the man, I need in my life. He became everything I needed, and everything I didn’t know I wanted. Allowing me to grow and blossom as a person which inspires him to do the same. And we live happily ever after.

Sophia Walsh thought she had it all: a husband who loved her, a home, and the possibility of a happy family. But on her wedding anniversary, her dreams are shattered when Ryan accuses her of cheating, fueled by his conniving friend Lana. The tragedy culminates in the death of Sophia's baby, which leaves her humiliated and shattered. Just as Sophia reaches the lowest point, Landon Sullivan—a man she never expected—arrives to reveal the truth: she is the rightful heiress of the powerful Sullivan family. With a new-found strength and resources, Sophia gets ready to rise from the ashes and take revenge on the people who wronged her. But with great power comes great danger. As Sophia settles into her new identity, she must determine whether revenge is worth the cost-or if she can find peace in reclaiming her life on her terms.

Dario berbisik menyebut namanya 999 kali dalam tidurnya. Namun, tak pernah menyebut namaku. Lima tahun aku memberikan segalanya untuk Dario Mahardika, pewaris salah satu dinasti mafia terkuat di Aropa. Aku mengubah rumahnya menjadi rumah yang hangat, mengingat setiap detail cerobohnya yang terlewat, bahkan meninggalkan mimpiku menjadi seniman, dengan harapan bahwa suatu hari, dia akan memilihku. Namun, setiap kali Arisa muncul, kesetiaan Dario bergeser padanya. Malam itu, ketika kuah sop yang panas melukai lenganku, dia segera melindungi Arisa dari goresan yang nyaris tak meninggalkan bekas. Di depan umum, pandangannya tak pernah tertuju padaku, selalu mengarah kepada Arisa. Aku hanya istri di atas kertas, tetapi bukan dalam kenyataan. Jadi aku pergi. Hanya dengan sebuah koper, surat cerai yang dia tanda tangani tanpa sadar, dan sebuah rahasia yang tak pernah kuberi tahu padanya, yaitu aku sedang hamil tiga bulan. Saat dia sadar, semuanya sudah terlambat. Perceraian itu nyata. Berkas klinik itu nyata, dan ketika dia menyadarinya, aku sudah lenyap. Sekarang, pria yang dulu menguasai kota dengan dingin itu menghancurkan dunia untuk menemukanku. Dia punya tentara, uang, dan seribu permintaan maaf yang tak pernah dia ucapkan saat aku masih menjadi istrinya. Namun, aku bukan lagi wanita yang memohon kasih sayang. Aku seorang ibu. Seorang seniman. Seorang pejuang. Pertanyaannya bukan apakah Dario bisa menemukanku. Akan tetapi, apakah ketika dia berhasil, aku akan membiarkannya kembali ke kehidupan yang pernah dia hancurkan.

“Any conversation we're going to be having is going to be in the four corners of my wall and after that, I'd love and appreciate it if you forgot my name, home address and social security number— if you have that, of course.” “Cute,” he laughs and then winces when I open the drink can with a pop. I raise a brow at him, urging him to continue and then take a sip of my drink as I wait patiently. “ Contrary to what you may think, I'm not here to hurt you or whatever it is you're thinking —” “No shit.” “I'm here to offer you a deal. One I know you wouldn't be able to refuse.” “Sure, Professor Xavier.” This is getting fun and it's the most fun I've had in a few days. “Marry me.” ********** I had a one night stand with a handsome, enigmatic stranger. It was drunk decision; one I promised myself never to indulge in. Putting aside my regret, I continue with life and the trials it keeps throwing my way. As a girl used to surprises, what I don't expect is seeing this stranger from months ago at my doorstep and offering me a deal I can't seem to refuse: a marriage contract in exchange for my biggest wishes to be fulfilled.

I joined the Order of Valhalla Bridge because it was simple; they get the jobs; they send you your assignment, and once completed you get paid. That's exactly how this assignment was supposed to go. Just somewhere along the way, the web became so tangled. One slip messed up everything, now my target has turned into the hunter, intent on making me his prey. Determined to take what he thinks is his. Why would he think I was his Bride? They ordered my team to track him down, recover what was stolen, and kill him. Yet I reacted to his touch. If The Order found out, I would be dishonored. Now I am stuck between a possessive Alpha obsessed with a new toy, a vampire who thinks me his bride and a Berserker intent on winning me. What could possibly go wrong?

Ben has just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. When strange things start happening, he assumes it's the quirkiness of an old house. Because ghosts don't exist, right?

Samantha's life changed instantly when her abusive husband tried to kill her after she filed for divorce. She fled for her life with her mother to a small town to hide from Jonathan. Unknown to her that this town was far from normal, it was filled with supernatural creatures powered by the moon. She had a one night stand with a guy, not knowing he was a Werewolf and was engaged to be married soon. They fall in love and struggle to maintain peace between the humans and the werewolves. Tragedy strikes as a significant person in town is killed and war breaks amongst them. What will happen when Beatrice and the other wolf pack find out that their alpha fancies a human? Would Samantha be safe in that town or would her husband ever find out where she is hiding now?

"He vowed never to love her. Now he’ll stop at nothing to reclaim her.” When ruthless billionaire Adrian Blackwood and a sharp witted journalist Elena Carter find themselves entangled in each other's arms, they had an intoxicating one night stand that leads to a scandal that threatens to tear their world down. Their solution was straightforward: a marriage of convenience. No love. No strings attached. Nothing but cold, calculated damage control. Elena is faced with emotional neglect in a marriage that seems to slowly tear her apart. When framed for betrayal, Elena was sent packing and unknowingly to her she was pregnant. A secret she had kept hidden from Adrian. Four years later, fate draws them back into each other's lives. Adrian, colder and more commanding than ever before, discovers the truth: Elena is more than just a ghost from his past. She’s a mother. His child's mother. And the child she’s fiercely protecting bears his storm-gray eyes. Now, the CEO who once said love was a weakness is tearing the world apart to reclaim what is his. But Elena is no longer the woman he abandoned. Rising from the ashes of their failed marriage, she has created a life—and a legacy—that refuses to submit to his demands. But as explosive secrets resurface and old enemies emerge, Adrian and Elena are forced to play a deadly game in which the stakes are higher than pride or passion. Someone wants Elena destroyed. Someone wants Adrian broken. And their daughter's life is on the line.