Icarus Laughed

Five rounds of interviews, and I finally landed an offer from Gauthier Corp—earned it fair and square. I told Yvette Klutz, my girlfriend. Dumb move. She reported me behind my back and got me dropped. "Kevin's freaking out about not landing a job, so I gave him this one. Just shoot out a few more résumés. It's only a few days." Right. Kevin Hardwick got the job and a full-on welcome parade. I laughed—dry, dead inside—then called my sister, the CEO. "Haisley, think our company needs a new executive assistant?"

I was reborn on the day my sister, Tilda Wright, and I had to pick our husbands. That was when I realized I could hear people’s thoughts. I heard Tilda say, [This time, I’m gonna make sure I grab the best husband first.] Then, just like that, she rushed over and took the sweet guy I had married in my last life, while I ended up with the abusive man who used to beat her every day. I laughed to myself. Did she really think the guy I married before was some perfect gentleman?

Lucy Castle was once labeled the ugly duckling of her school. After a humiliating one-night stand with the school’s golden boy, Richard Oxford, her life crumbled. He denied ever knowing her, mocked her in front of everyone, and left her broken. Five years later, Lucy returns—no longer the timid girl they once laughed at, but a confident, breathtaking fashion designer taking over the industry. When her path crosses with Richard again, he seeks closure and forgiveness. Now the tables have turned—but can she truly resist the man who once broke her?

"What is your name, little flame?" The young man asked, crouching down before the stubborn 4 year old. "Miwa... Iretomiwa." She answered with a dazzling smile. "Miwa... Iretomiwa...a beautiful name... what does it mean?" The young man asked tenderly and the little girl grinned. "...that you're in luck... because it means blessing has come to you..." The little girl replied in a childish teasing voice, the young man threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Blessing has come to me?...Miwa... Iretomiwa...my blessing." The young man whispered in a loving tone. **Cover art does not belong to author, all credits go to the original artist**

In the days leading up to her wedding, Laura went out to celebrate her bachelorette night with her sister and a few close friends. They laughed, drank, and danced until everything blurred. When she finally came to, her head pounding, she found herself in a hotel room beside a man she had never seen before. Panic shot through her. She grabbed her things and fled without looking back. But by the time she made it home, her father already knew what had happened. The wedding was called off, and Laura was thrown out of the house. From that moment on, her life took a turn she never could have imagined.

On our wedding day, my fiancée humiliated me in front of everyone. She postponed the ceremony, not for an emergency, but to throw a lavish wedding for her childhood friend's pet hamster. Dressed in my tailored suit, I got shoved off the stage and was laughed at by everyone. My mom couldn't take the humiliation. Her heart gave out, and no ambulance could save her. Days after we buried her, my fiancée reappeared, demanding that I donate a kidney to that friend. The surgery nearly killed me, leaving me broken and betrayed. It prompted me to end things with her. She spiraled into regret, tormenting herself to win me back.

On the day of our wedding, Liam Hopkins’ childhood sweetheart stood by the bridge, threatening to take her own life. The moment he hung up the phone, he was ready to leave. Desperately, I clung to his sleeve. “Liam, if you walk out that door, it’s over between us!” “Diana! This is a matter of life and death. I’ll marry you, but don’t make a scene!” With those words, he turned and rushed away, leaving me standing alone. Determined, I spun around and completed the wedding vows with another man. But later, he dared to ask why I didn’t wait for him. I laughed coldly. “Belated love? It’s cheaper than dirt.”

At Smith family mansion, Camille and her mother Dorca were enjoying their expensive wine as they laughed heartily, it had been easy getting rid of that pest from their lives. " Mother you should have at least accompanied dad to her daughter's wedding," Camille said as she broke into laughter. " Oh dear, you know that I can't allow myself to get embarrassed in front of everyone, I can't have myself associated with Samantha marrying that old fool, it would be a disgrace to our family," Dorca replied sipping her wine ceremoniously. " Why were you at my wedding?" Eliot asked, the question Samantha had dreaded the most.

I was the fat girl, the nerd who everyone bullied just for the fun of it. They even nicknamed me 'the ugly duckling.' They threw things at me, hurled insults at me and laughed at me. My parents choose my sister over me every time. My crush, Ashton Hill even humiliated me in front of the whole school. But I rose above it. I turned the pain into purpose—the humiliation into power. Now, the ball is in my court and I am about to make the game as hard as it can get for every single person who ever tainted me. Especially Ashton Hill! Everyone was about to know what regret meant because I would make sure to teach them a lesson they never forget!

My boyfriend's childhood friend got knocked up. To save her rep, Quentin Palmer married her. When I asked what that meant for me—and our baby—he stayed ice-calm. "Rainee's not like you. I'm all she's got. She wouldn't survive the gossip." Like I had anyone else? Like I wasn't carrying his baby too? Later, while people laughed behind my back about the "fatherless" kid I was having, Quentin just stood there—next to Rainee, silent. That's when it hit me—love comes with a pecking order. So I ended the pregnancy. Gave up my baby... all so he could play the hero for her.