Those Words

I built them up. I gave them everything. And they destroyed me. I thought love meant sacrifice. I thought friendship meant loyalty. But I was wrong. I bankrolled my boyfriend, helping him rise from nothing, believing in his dreams. I took my best friend under my wing, giving her everything she never had. But while I was away, enjoying a much-needed girls' trip—the one she conveniently backed out of—they were busy betraying me in the worst way possible. I found out by accident. A simple call from his phone, meant to tell my best friend I was back, turned into the moment that shattered my world. "My baby." Those words on the screen made my stomach drop. And then I read more. "I’m just after her money. Once I get enough, I’ll leave her. I’m collecting from her and her father. I’ll use her and dump her." Every message felt like a dagger to my heart. The man I loved, the friend I trusted—they had been plotting against me all along. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. I can’t think. I can’t breathe. What do I do? Do I confront them? Do I scream? Do I fall apart? I want to wake up. I want this to be a nightmare. But it’s not. This is my reality. And I don’t know what happens next.

My whole body began to quiver as I looked up at Ryan who wore a smug or was it? I couldn't tell as my vision was blurred with tears. "What is the meaning of this?" I questioned still in disbelief. Where had it all gone wrong??!. "It's exactly what it says in the paper, Ciara" "And what is that?" I stubbornly inquired. It was as if I didn't want to believe what the paper read until Ryan says it. A part of me still wanted to fight for whatever we still had left. But then he'd said it. Ryan had uttered those words I so desperately dreaded," I want a divorce, Ciara" *** Ciara is the heiress to her father's company but she left all of that to be in a contract marriage with Ryan. It was supposed to be a 'no-strings-attached' kind of feeling but, she couldn't help but fall in love with him. Just when she wanted to start a clean slate on their first anniversary, she was handed a divorce paper. Ryan is a billionaire and a man with a hardened heart. He never saw Ciara as something more than just a 'fake wife' who was willing to help him out with a case. Deciding that he had had enough, Ryan hands Ciara a divorce paper setting himself free from her. But on his way to the office of the new investor of his company one day, he is overcomed by a welling shock that the name of his new investor was Ciara. The same Ciara he'd once known. What happens when this two duo meets for the first time since their rough divorce? Find out!

My childhood friend promised to marry me once we came of age — but at my wedding ceremony, he gave my wedding ring to my stepsister, Summer Hugh. At the time, it was Victor Lowell, the fearsome mafia heir, who saved me by publicly announcing he had loved me for years. In the five years we had been married, he would fulfill every wish I had, even those I mentioned offhand. I truly believed I was the center of his world. All that changed when I stumbled across a top-secret folder as I was cleaning his bookshelf. The very first page was a file on Summer, with three red words printed in bold, “Top protection priority.” It was followed by a mission report I knew too well. On the night of the mission, there had been an attempt on my life. My blood had almost run dry before I was saved. When I woke up at the hospital, I found out that I had lost a baby I did not know I had been carrying. I wept bitterly in Victor’s arms, but I did not tell him about the baby. I did not want him to worry about me more. Now, I finally found out — Summer had been attacked that night as well, and Victor’s orders had been: “Save Summer first.” My tears soaked into the paper, smudging his handwriting. “Alright,” I said softly but firmly into the silence. “If my marriage had been a lie all along, I’ll disappear from your life. Forever.”

"Are not you going to spread these pretty legs for me like you did before on our first night?"- his dark eyes spoke as those venomous words fell from his mouth tearing my heart into million pieces, his eyes roaming on my half body ditching every shame. I still didn't make any move, only stood there like a statue, clutching my hands on cloths as if my life depend on it and indeed it was, my eyes again and again filled with tears as I blinked them away, he took his steps closer to me, " What are not my little obedient ?" he again asked , his lucid stare burning my entire being, a smirk making its way onto his lips. His eyes sparkled seeing the uneasiness in my eyes, he loves to witness of my tear, my pain as if it satisfy his inner self, he was a monster in a human form. The chill runs down in her spine, she was feeling her legs are getting weak, he held her jaw roughly with his left hand and pressed himself on her core making her scream in fear, "Ryan..Please..." I try to plead, came it out at whisper, before I can say anything he threw my body on the soft couch bouncing leaving my mind numb, as I heard him spoke "Take off your cloths before I lost my each and every sanity, and believe me if I took lead you will done with your this life." *************** Mature content ahead.

“Be afraid. Be very afraid of yourself, Rhea. You have no idea the amount of destruction you alone can bring upon this earth.” Her words send shivers down my spine. Normally, fear can linger in the presence of someone else; however, I am told to be scared of myself. What possible destruction could I unleash on someone else? “What do you mean by that? Be clear!” I command, desperation drooling off my firm tone. With a deep sigh, she calmly responds, “You will know. Soon you will know everything. The end is near. Very near. And its just the beginning,” Her words are somehow haunting me, giving me the idea that there is no escape. I am surrounded by darkness and every passing moment, it consumes me little by little.

Bethany Carter CEO of Carter Group is powerful, beautiful, confident, dedicated, and a competent leader who was indestructive until her brother Nathanial Carter went into the world of drugs and different scandals that destroyed their family's reputation and pushed the family corporate empire to bankruptcy. For her to get back on her feet and be the best in the business after the scandals she has to partner up with someone in the shadows but of great caliber, then she meets Levi Gomez, he is everything she needs for her company, a man of few words but when he he did choose to utter words it carried power As they worked together love, betrayal, and hard choices got in the way. Love In The Shadows is a story of love, navigating love and betrayal, revenge, power, family bonds, and secrets.

“I’m sorry Quinn, but I; Jeovanni Lum rejects you; Quinn Felon as my mate. You’re no longer Luna of this pack, nor are you my fated mate. Accept my rejection.” His words awakened the pain within Quinn, and she fell to her knees, crying out when it became too much to bear…she didn’t want to, but if she didn’t accept his rejection, she’d die. “I…I Quinn Felon a-accepts your rejection…I am no longer Luna, nor am I your fated mate.” It was hard to say the words because these words were never ones she thought she’d ever have to say… ~ Quinn Felon was at the very pique of happiness when her life started to crumble apart. Her mate whom she had spent three long and blissful years with suddenly didn’t seem to love her anymore. He became distant and cold, and soon Quinn found the reason behind his change…it was because he was courting her sister…her sweet and innocent omega sister; Delilah. She had predicted that he’d choose Delilah, but what she hadn’t foretold was being rejected and banished in front of the whole pack in the middle of her mate’s and her sister’s mating ceremony.

During the Labor Day team retreat, I had booked out the entire top floor of the Grand Summit Hotel. Yet, when my fiancee, Serena Wagner, found out, she was enraged. "Matthew Grant, are you out of your mind? Spending over 800,000 dollars to rent a place for one day? Since you're so rich and have nowhere else to splurge, just let me help you spend it!" Then, she called over our intern, Dylan Foster. She pointed at him and started yelling at me. "He only makes 6000 a month as an intern. Why don't you give him this money instead?" I looked at my colleagues standing nearby, their faces clearly uncomfortable. I replied calmly, "His salary isn't low compared to industry standards. Besides, the team-building budget belongs to everyone. Why should I give it all to him?" However, the moment those words left my mouth, Serena exploded. "I'm your finance director and your future wife! Of course, I get to control where your money goes. If you don't agree, then let's call off the engagement!" With that, she stormed off with Dylan. I silently picked up a bottle from the floor and poured myself three glasses. The first glass was for her, for being with me through the first half of my life. The second glass was for me, for having a clear conscience in this relationship. The third glass was for both of us. I wished us well as we parted ways and moved on with our separate lives.

At the annual company raffle, I had barely stepped onto the stage when my supervisor, Lily Smith, pressed a crumpled slip of paper into my palm. "A special reward for our top salesperson," she chirped. "Go ahead, open it. Let everyone see." Under the eager gaze of the crowd, I unfolded the note. Written in messy handwriting were the words: Clean the company toilets for three days. The room erupted in laughter. Lily folded her arms, cocked her head, and smirked at me. "Nice, right?" she said. "Everyone knows those sales of yours came from sleeping with old men. Dirty money. To keep things fair, the others get a break, and you pick up a little extra work. You don't have a problem with that, do you?" The laughter surged again, nearly lifting the roof. From the side of the room, my boyfriend, Seth Hoffman, the company's CEO, watched everything unfold. As usual, he said nothing in my defense. They all thought I would fall apart, cry, or make a scene. Instead, I simply gave a calm nod. The very next day, the company was hit with over three hundred property cancellations. Its cash flow collapsed overnight. That was when Lily and Seth rushed to me, demanding I go plead with the buyers. I smiled and said, "No thanks. I wouldn't want to help the company recover and end up with strong numbers again. That might make everyone even more uncomfortable."

On Christmas Day, I put on a reindeer-themed lingerie set, ready to spend an unforgettable night with my CEO boyfriend. Noah Levine eagerly unbuttons my top, kissing my body with feverish intensity. Just then, his phone rings. He answers impatiently. "What is it?" A sweet voice comes through from the other end, speaking in Farylian. "Noah, what time are you coming tonight? I have a Christmas present for you." Hearing those words, my eyes fly wide open. That woman is my younger sister, Heidi Miller. Noah's expression turns serious, like he's handling a work call. He responds in Farylian. "What present?" The voice on the other end laughs softly. "The present is me, wrapped head to toe in red ribbon. Come over and help me unwrap it. I can't wait anymore." That night, Noah doesn't touch me. He helps me dress, kissing my cheek with reluctance. "Work call. Something urgent at the company I need to handle. We'll pick this up another time. "Remember to wear this outfit next time, though. It's very enticing." His lie sounds calm and natural. He clearly assumes I don't understand, but I know Farylian. I hear everything crystal clear. I pretend to nod calmly. After he leaves, I accept the company's overseas assignment. In three days, I'll vanish completely from his world.