What Once Was Hers Novels & Stories

He said fondly, "When have I ever refused you anything that you liked?" I watched as the gift my mother had left me was handed over to Nicole, and my chest heaved. My eyes turned red with anger. That was a family heirloom that my mother had given me before she died. Once, when Jasper's company had run into financial troubles, I had had no choice but to sell the emerald pendant to help him get through it. He had once sworn to me that once the company got back on track, he would get the emerald pendant back for me.

"Not of you. Of me. Of the part of me that still wants to control things. That still thinks if I don't have my hands on everything, I'll lose it." She went to stand beside him. "I know." "He's still in there. The old Alexander. He's quieter now, but he's still there." She took his hand. "He's in me too. The woman who was afraid of everything. She's still there. But she's not who I am anymore." He turned to face her. "Who are you?" She thought about it. The woman who had fled with nothing. The woman who had painted her way back to herself. The woman who had learned to trust again.

Not⁠ because‍ the pas‌t disap‍peared. But beca⁠us‍e it no lon⁠ger ca‌rried her. At the doorway she paused⁠. ‌L‌ooked back once. Ju‍st once. Enou‌gh to acknowledge⁠ it. Then she said quiet⁠ly “I’m not her an⁠ymore.” And she left‌. The do⁠or closed behind her. Outside the a‌ir felt dif‌fer‌ent. Cleaner.‌

SUMMER'S POV The car finally stopped in front of a pair of towering iron gates. As they slowly opened, my breath caught. The Hart Estate. I hadn't been here in years. Every flower. Every tree. Every stone pathway held memories of the girl I used to be. The girl who dreamed of becoming one of the youngest CEOs in the country. The girl who had built Hart Global with her grandmother's guidance. The girl who gave everything up... For love. The front door opened before I could reach it. An elderly woman stood there. Elegant. Graceful.

The girl who once carved my heart in half—and now lived down the hall from the woman I was trying to convince was mine. Hell had officially unpacked its bags.

She wasn't a queen, and she wasn't a savior. She was a sister who had run out of patience. And as they turned the corner into the historic lanes of the city, she heard the first, deep note of the black song beginning to echo from the vaults beneath the Bank of England. The harvest had begun.

"I said get out!" Once the door clicked shut, I walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the Manhattan skyline. I looked toward the direction of town, four hours drive to where the Hale estate sat. A year ago, Sarah was nothing but a boring wife I had lost interest in. Now, she was playing Chess with my bank account, and she was winning.

He was ready to do everything to protect her. ... A shrill scream echoed round the small cottage as a vase was thrown against the wall. It smashed to pieces, the glass shards scattering all over. Another vase followed and smashed against the wall, again followed by a furios scream. It was Cara. She just received the news that Henry had found his mate, and it was the same girl she had seen in the castle the last time she was there. The girl was to be crowned his Supreme Luna, a position that belonged to her alone.

I looked my feel, stared and absorbed the perfection that was her till she was complete out of sight. I would let her go…for now. But I was coming back for her and I would make it clear to her who she belonged to. Me.

Hera’s POV The moment my feet landed on the creek's building, I felt a shiver of satisfaction and fulfillness ran down my spine. I had unfortunately returned from the dead, and this time, I would surely make them all suffer dearly for forgetting me. The grand hall was just exactly as I had left it. Extravagant, polished, luxurious a place of absolute power. But it no longer belonged to me. It had already become Artemis Vincent’s playground or should I call it toy house. That crazy woman had replaced me, stolen what has been rightfully mine, and even had the guts to make Aiden my fiance, fall for her.