Shattered Trust

Serena Calloway was the perfect wife—devoted, patient, and hopelessly in love with her husband. She gave Killian Blackwood everything: her heart, her loyalty, and a son who carried his name. But her love, however, was something her husand took for granted. On the night of their anniversary, Serena walks into what should have been a celebration of their love—only to realize the candles, the diamond necklace, the handwritten note… were for someone else. Samantha James. The woman who had supposedly saved Killian, the woman who had snuck her way into their lives with seduction, the woman their own son now called Mommy. And when Serena finally confronts her husband, the man she had built her life with, he looks her in the eyes and asks: “What have you ever done for me?” She's left betrayed, humiliated, and rejected. Killian doesn’t stop at taking her dignity—he takes her company, her son, and the life she worked so hard to build. Left with nothing but shattered dignity and a divorce paper shoved in her trembling hands, Serena makes a silent vow: They were going to r egret this. Six months later, the woman Killian tossed aside walks back into his world—but not as the broken wife he left behind. Serena Calloway is a name whispered in boardrooms, a presence more powerful than he ever imagined. And standing beside her is Damien Knight—his business rival, the man who picked up the pieces Killian so carelessly tossed aside… the man who now owns Serena’s heart. But Killian is not ready to let go. Not when he realizes the truth behind the woman he lost. Not when regret burns deeper than love ever did. Not when Serena’s new happiness feels like his greatest downfall.

A week before our wedding, my fiancee, Lauren Blair, went to the hospital for a prenatal checkup. She was accompanied by her newly hired assistant, Ian Kane. Coincidentally, she ended up being assigned to my clinic. I stood there holding Lauren’s pregnancy report in my hand, staring through the narrow gap in the door at the two of them outside. Ian pulled her into his arms by the waist, confessing with aching tenderness, "Lauren, I love you." "I love you too, Ian. I'm only married to Sam because of the circumstances I’m stuck in, but you've always been the one who holds my heart." I stopped hesitating. I pulled out my phone and sent a message to my father. "Dad, I accept the marriage alliance with Ms. Sheridan. The wedding date can remain. Just change the bride."

“Are you trying to punish me? I…I don't know how many times I can apologize even if it wasn't my fault that I almost—” “I never asked you to. You do whatever you want, Niya, and I really don't care. Neither should you bother with what I do.” “You're hurt. You're hurt, Alex, and you're acting out. Don't worry we could talk this through. This isn't you.” I try to reach him again but he shoots me a deadly glare that pierces through my skin like a dagger. “Sure it is. You've just never seen me like this. You don't know what I look like when I'm not in love with you,” his brows grow together. “Now we’ve had enough of your drama. You'll find the papers and enjoy the party or use the fucking door.” He pulls away and my eyes cloud again. My ears and heart find it hard to process what is actually going on. The looks on their faces tell me it is awfully too late—I have already lost everything. “Niya, careful now,” my grandmother slowly tugs at my arm as if that will somehow make everything better. “We have guests. Don’t cause a scene.” A scene? I have literally just seen a whole movie, ma. ************* My name is Niya Kendrick. I’m 25, an author who once believed she had the perfect life. But how quickly can everything I love be stripped away in the blink of an eye? Or worse, what if the life, the family I’ve cherished has always been a blatant lie, a mere fragment of the truth? Now, I’m awake, and reality is far harsher than any dream.

On my fifth year anniversary, the first two things I receive are two bills for water and electricity. My wife, Whitney Chapman, comes home at a late hour. She's carrying a food container that's filled with food that has gone cold. "Sorry, I was dealing with an extremely difficult client. I can only make it up to you with supper." She puts down the container before walking into the bathroom. While she doesn't reek of alcohol, there's dust coating the hem of her windbreaker. I call Whitney's secretary, only to find out that she has not been to the company today. A second before I end the call, the secretary adds, "By the way, Mr. Spencer, the new warehouse manager, Maxwell Clarke, was also absent from work today." Maxwell Clarke? The illegitimate child who brings nothing but shame to the Spencer family? What a big coincidence… or was it? I quickly contact the property manager of the villa based on the bills I've received. "A father-and-son duo have just moved into the villa last month." The manager then sends the list of inhabitants to me. The name listed is also Maxwell Clarke. This villa happens to be a property my father left for me back when Whitney and I first got married. Since it's too far from the city, I've left it vacant all this time because I wanted to reserve it as a villa meant for vacation purposes. Now, the people I hate are the ones living in that villa.

After my father’s death, I decided to divorce my husband, Captain Marcus Hale, and stay in Pine Ridge Village forever. On the first day, I tricked Marcus into signing the divorce papers. On the fifth day, I handed in my resignation to my old unit at Fort Haven. On the seventh day, I cooked a full table of food and said farewell to all my friends. Frowning, Marcus accused me of making the very meal his childhood sweetheart, Julia Summers, hated. I stood up and raised my glass to toast her. From this day on, Marcus and I would have nothing more to do with each other. Half a month later, I saw Marcus returning from a mission in Pine Ridge Village. Only this time, the country evening breeze brought tears to his eyes.

I had just won the Hawthorne Scientific Laureate on the international stage when my father called me back home. "Bring the betrothal gifts to the Hayes family. That childhood engagement should finally be fulfilled." Afraid of getting stuck in traffic, I took my modified motorcycle, carried the national heritage porcelain obtained through generations of the Keane family's military merits, and headed toward their house. Just as I arrived at the community gate, a Porsche suddenly cut across the lane, nearly knocking me over. A heavily made-up woman, Zoey Mercer, stepped out of the car, raised one sharp high heel, and kicked the top box off my motorcycle. "You rode this junk motorcycle yet dared block my way? If you dent my car, your whole family won't be able to afford the compensation!" My heart sank. I quickly opened the case, only to see the entire box of celadon porcelain shattered. "So you’re just some delivery guy. Think this pile of trash is worth even one of my shoes? "You even know whose neighborhood this is? It belongs to Kingshore's Hayes family! My best friend’s family developed this place! Believe it or not, I can have you thrown out right now!" Right then, my fiancee, Lauren Hayes, called me. "Where are you? My friend just messaged me saying there’s a delivery guy causing trouble at the entrance."

In a world where the supernatural thrives, destiny weaves a tangled web. At 13, I unveiled my magical powers, an awakening that birthed both wonder and seclusion. Cast out by Alpha Kevin, of the Shadow Pack at 18, unable to shift, urban life became my sanctuary amidst the storm of confusion. As threats loomed and my powers surged, encounters with a cryptic brown wolf stirred both fear and fascination within me. Little did I know, this enigmatic creature held the key to an unforeseen fate. Captured by hunters, the cruel truth unraveled: I am the last descendant of the Embermoon witches, my kin massacred, my safe haven found within the embrace of Josiah and Trinity Moon. Yet, the tapestry of my past unravels further, unveiling a shocking revelation—the brown wolf, my mysterious companion, is destined to become not just an ally but a mate. The revelation blindsides me, but it's the disclosure that his Godfather of Black Moon was the reason behind my coven's annihilation, that shatters my world. The headmistress's meddling in werewolf affairs that set the wheels in motion. Now, navigating dangerous waters of power and passion, I must confront a fate bestowed to me, tied to the one who both completes and challenges me, as we untangle the threads of a dark conspiracy threatening both our worlds.

When I was born, I was already a certified liar. That's a fact that everyone seems to agree with. The truth is, my mom, who's a scientist, has implanted advanced chips into me and my fraternal twin brother, Ryan Hartwell, when we were still babies. By right, as long as we lie or make mistakes, our mom will receive the devil signal from the chips. Then, she'll administer electrical shocks as a form of punishment. Ryan's chip often transmits the smiley signal. Even if he destroys our mom's research equipment and pins the blame on me, his chip still has the smiley branded on it. Meanwhile, when I reach home ten minutes later than usual because I had to help out a classmate, my chip transmits the scary devil signal. The next thing I know, I've already crippled to the floor from the intense pain caused by the electrical shock. At first, I'll still explain to Mom what happened. But she often exclaims, "Don't think you can pull off clever little tricks just like that gambling father of yours! The chip is ten thousands times smarter than you! The punishments will only be branded into your bones if the pain is searing enough! What I'm doing is saving your life!" After suffering from the pain countless times, I get brainwashed into thinking that I really am a liar and a troublemaker by nature. On the night of Christmas Eve, Mom comes to the attic to tell Ryan to join the family at the table for the Christmas dinner. That's when my asthma suddenly acts up, causing me to stumble and fall to the floor. "I… I can't breathe… Save me, Mom…" But Mom just coldly gazes at the devil signal that she has just received on her phone. Then, she dials the shock value to the maximum. "You don't have asthma at all! Ugh, you're kicking up another fuss just to attract attention! Seriously, you never change your ways!" After that, she takes Ryan's hand and leads him out of the attic. Soon, she slams the door heavily behind her. As I suffer from asphyxiation while on my deathbed, I can't help but think that Mom is right. After all, my chip has just transmitted the devil signal. Maybe the asthma attack really is just a figment of my imagination. I've always been a bad girl who loves lying to others, after all. When Mom finds out that this is the last time I've ever lied to her, she must be really happy, right?

Isabella: Five years ago, I thought marrying Damien Reeds would be my fairy tale ending. I was wrong. He never loved me—I was just a pawn in his family's business deals. When the merger fell through, he threw me away like I meant nothing. He divorced me publicly, in front of over 500 people, then kissed another woman while cameras flashed and I fell apart. What he didn't know was that I was pregnant. I disappeared, gave birth alone, and spent years building a life for our daughter—a daughter he knows nothing about. I became stronger, fiercer, and learned to survive without him. I thought I'd never see him again. Then I walked into a job interview... and there he was. Now he's discovered my secret, and the ruthless CEO who destroyed me wants to claim the child I've protected all this time. Damien: I thought divorcing Isabella was the right choice. My mother convinced me she was unworthy, that Sophia was my true match. For years, I buried whatever I felt under business deals and cold ambition. I told myself I didn't care. I told myself I'd moved on. Then she walked back into my life—confident, successful, and completely out of my reach. The shy girl I once knew is gone, replaced by a woman who looks at me like I'm nothing. And then I saw her daughter. My daughter. The child she kept hidden from me for five years. She says I don't deserve to know her. But I'm not the same man anymore, and I'll do whatever it takes to prove it—I never stopped loving her. Now, with a child caught between them and a past full of betrayal, can two broken people find their way back to each other—or will the truth destroy them both?

"I just want to love my husband every day, even though it seems impossible for him to love me back. We're married, but the painful truth is, Audric doesn't feel the same way about me. How could he ever love me? Especially now, with Ivony, the woman he truly loves, back in his life. She should rightfully be his wife. They'll be a happy family together. And me? I have to step back and distance myself, even though I'm carrying Audric's child from a night he claimed me. I need to move away even though it feels like my soul is being torn apart from the pain."