Novel & Cerita He Loved Me In Her Shadow

By my third month on the job, I discovered that my coworkers had been calling me "the old crow" behind my back. The nickname came from none other than Jace's condescending secretary—because at 32, I was still clutching onto an eight-year relationship that hadn't ended in marriage. I confronted Jace. "Do you know your employees have been calling me the old crow?" He didn't even bother to look up. "That's just Sadie—she speaks her mind and means no harm. You're 32; why get so worked up over what a young girl says?" Then he gave me a faint, mocking smile. "Though honestly, it's a pretty fitting nickname." It felt like a cold hand had wrapped around my heart. So that was it—eight years of my youth, nothing more than a joke to him. I turned and walked away, handed in my resignation, and blocked every way he could reach me. But for the first time, the man who had always seemed so calm and untouchable finally panicked. "Elara," he pleaded, "please come back."

Selena has spent her entire life being overlooked. A plus-size, wolfless omega in a world ruled by strength and status, she learns early that girls like her are meant to settle for less. So when Christopher, the future Alpha, claims her as his mate, she mistakes possession for love and gives him everything—only to discover, on the night before his coronation, that she was never the woman he truly wanted. Humiliated and trapped under Christopher’s control, Selena runs straight into the arms of a dangerous stranger known only as D, a powerful older man who makes her feel desired for the first time in her life. One night changes everything. Because D is actually Denver, the feared Alpha King, and Christopher’s uncle. And once Denver realizes Selena is the same woman he can’t stop thinking about, obsession takes hold. Now caught between the mate who tried to destroy her and the ruthless king determined to claim her completely, Selena is forced into a dangerous world of power, betrayal, and desire where one thing becomes terrifyingly clear: Denver does not let go of what belongs to him.

Elena (21) gets pregnant after accidentally entering the private room of the most powerful and cold-hearted man in the city—Alexander Kingston (28). Drunk and blinded by memories of the woman he once loved, Alexander mistakes Elena for his lost love and spends the night with her. Because of the pregnancy, Alexander is forced to marry Elena—even though he does not want her. Convinced that Elena deliberately trapped him by sneaking into his room, Alexander believes she is nothing more than a gold-digger who used a one-night mistake to secure wealth and status. To him, the marriage is temporary. Once she gives birth to his child, she must leave. “I hate you. A woman like you doesn’t deserve to be my wife. Sign the divorce papers. After you give birth to my child, you will leave this house.” — Alexander Kingston (28) Pregnant and humiliated, Elena realizes she was never a wife in his eyes—only a tool chosen to bear an heir. But what happens when the truth comes out—and Elena was never guilty, never scheming, never trying to trap him? In a cold and unwanted marriage, Elena’s quiet strength and beauty slowly make it impossible for Alexander to ignore his growing feelings. Yet by the time he realizes his mistake… Elena has already given up and walked away. Will Alexander Kingston finally learn the true cost of regret?

After my family goes bankrupt, my younger brother, Simone Novello, is diagnosed with ALS. Just as I think I can't do anything anymore, Don Luigi Sartori decides to propose to me. Five years into the marriage, not only have I obtained all of Luigi's love, but he's also groomed my body to the maximum in bed. Thinking that this is a sign of love from Luigi, I cooperate with him even more passionately in bed. But when I'm delivering wine in a clubhouse one day, I witness Simone, who's supposed to be wheelchair-ridden, chatting with Luigi with a smile while clad in a high-end suit. "Simone, you've been pretending to be afflicted with ASL for five years just to punish Caterina for scolding Maria back then. Now that Maria is in a good mood and plans to return to the country, shouldn't you stop punishing Caterina then?" Simone sneers at Luigi. "I'll have my doctor inform her that I will recover after some time." "ASL is a deadly and incurable disease, you know. How can you possibly recover from it? Will Caterina even believe that excuse?" Simone flashes Luigi a confident smile. "Caterina is stupid, remember? Since when doesn't she believe anything we spout? Anyway, we'll just make it up to her in the future." I lower my head, feeling my tears rolling down my cheeks quietly. The thing is, Simone, there's no more future for me. Your ASL is a lie, but the deadly disease plaguing me is real.

A forbidden romance that feels so wrong but yet, so right. I was supposed to be his perfect wife. His breeding vessel, he'd said. Marcus Blackwell married me with a fake certificate, used my body to get me pregnant, and planned to steal my baby before throwing me away like garbage. So I ran and built an empire. I became everything he said I'd never be. And six years later, I'm back in New York—successful, powerful, untouchable. Until I meet HIM. The dark dangerous man I had a passionate one night stand with weeks ago. The same man who had given me sleepless nights just thinking about him. One night of passion that changes everything, and one problem that might destroy my one chance at happiness: He's my Ex-husband father. His hands gripped my hips as he thrust deeper, his breath hot against my neck. *"This is wrong," I gasped, even as my body arched into him, feeling him deep inside my core. " Ahh fuck,” I cried out loud as he pinched my nipples hard. “You're his father—" “And you're not his wife anymore,” he groaned roughly as his teeth grazed my throat. "You're mine now, and nothing will change that, my little rebel.” His thrust became faster as he pounded into me like an animal. “James!...hmmpph.” *"Scream my name again,” he growled. “Say you're mine!” “I'm yours," I whispered, hating myself for how much I meant it. “I'm so fucking yours, Daddy!” “His smile against my skin was pure sin. "Good girl. Now let me show you what it's like to be worshipped instead of used." James Blackwell doesn't just want revenge on his son. He wants me; Completely, Obsessively, and Permanently. But Marcus isn't done destroying me.

Celeste Leblanc, the daughter of the richest man in the city, has ordered a custom-fitted ring worth a billion dollars according to my finger size. She claims that she will marry the person who can wear it perfectly. In the first time loop, George Braun, the fake heir, secretly enlarges the ring so that he can marry Celeste. She responds by slapping him to the point he's all bruised and battered. "You're not the one!" In the second time loop, my adopted brother, Roger Braun, loses 30 pounds in one go so that he can marry Celeste. She responds by pushing him down the stairs. "You're not the one either!" In the third time loop, my stepfather, Edgar Braun, grits his teeth and makes up his mind. He slices the flesh off his finger so that he can wear the ring properly. Celeste chuckles coldly at the sight. She orders her bodyguards to drown Edgar in a bathtub immediately. In the fourth time loop, everyone is left without a choice. They're so frightened that they deliver me into Celeste's hands. I put on the ring. It fits my finger perfectly well. The entire family heaves sighs of relief. But the moment Celeste sees me, she draws out a blade and stabs me to death. "You're not the one too! Where the hell is my fated husband?" In the final time loop, when Celeste tells her secretary, Donny Griffin, to bring the ring over, all of us claim that we can't wear the ring at all. But Donny shoots us a weird look. "Ms. Leblanc has already made it clear that one of you is the ring's owner."

Shadow Stalker and Isabella Romano were the best of friends until one fateful day when they watched their peaceful village ruthlessly attacked by a savage pack. In the aftermath that followed, one experienced the death of a parent, the other disappeared off pack lands without a trace, and when they finally reunite years later, sparks fly, hearts break, passions smolder, and one wolf's betrayal could spell the end of life as they know it. Warning: This series is copyrighted under New Zealand law. All works related to The Fated series belong solely to Venom01. Any attempt to list any part of this on a website under a different name will result in prosecution.

I loved Clara deeply. When she was in danger, I didn't hesitate to save her, even at the cost of my own life. The incident left both my legs broken and confined me to a wheelchair, but she promised we'd marry once she passed her medical boards. To help her focus on her studies, I worked tirelessly, wheeling myself around day and night to make ends meet. But behind my back, she rekindled her relationship with Caleb Carter, her childhood sweetheart. One day, I found her in his arms, laughing and happy. I confronted her, demanding to know why she'd betrayed me. She responded by shoving me to the ground, treating me like I was worthless. Then she pulled a scalpel from her medical bag, her hands steady as she held it over my chest. "Caleb needs a heart transplant to live," she said. "Please, help me one last time."

After his sister Isabel’s death, Zander Stone returns to New York to take over Stone Holdings and uncover the truth behind the accident. He learns that Ivy Ellis, Isabel’s best friend, was driving that night. When Ellis Exchange faces bankruptcy, Zander exploits their desperation and coerces Ivy into a secret contract marriage. As they live together, resentment gives way to attraction and eventually genuine love. But after they spend the night together, Ivy discovers that Zander married her to punish her. Heartbroken, she distances herself. The public begins digging into the marriage, and the investigation reveals that Isabel’s brakes were sabotaged by an enemy from Zander’s past. Overcome with guilt, Zander spirals into depression. Ivy chooses to stay and help him heal. Zander apologizes and returns control of Ellis Exchange to her family. When Ivy learns she is pregnant, they decide to build a real future together. But Zander’s enemies return, placing Ivy and their unborn child in danger. After nearly losing her, Zander confronts his past once and for all. Ivy gives birth, and they finally find the peace they fought so hard to earn.

At our wedding, my husband, Justin Garner, pushes me—three months pregnant—toward our enemies as an apology in order to save his foster sister, Clara Garner. "This is my sincerity. You can do whatever you want with her." I don't cry or make a scene. I quietly follow the enemies away. That's because in my previous life, I had traded all my wealth for freedom and returned to Justin's side. In the end, I was forced to drink drugs and lost my unborn baby, suffering for three days and nights. "Justin, those 'enemies' were people you hired to act, and Maxine didn't even lose her innocence. Why did you have to get rid of the baby?" Clara asks. Justin coldly laughs. "If you're acting, you have to make it look real." I died full of hatred. When I wake up again, I choose to let those people take me away. Three years later, when I arrive at a banquet on the arms of my new lover, Justin goes mad, grabbing me and demanding, "Maxine Preston, where is our child?"