Zhi Yao
11 Published Stories
Zhi Yao's Books and Stories
His Broken Angel's Dying Secret
Romance I was a ghost haunting the halls of Port Sterling High, pretending to be alive. My only goal was to live like a normal teenager, even as the cancer eating me from the inside was a secret I guarded with my life.
Then the school's resident psycho, Bishop Dalton, decided I was his to protect.
He mistook my chemo-induced weakness for fragility and my nausea for nerves. He fought my battles, took detention for me, and glared at anyone who looked at me wrong, ready to tear the world apart for me. He was trying to save me from the monsters he understood, never guessing the real monster was in my own blood.
Then one day, he saw it: the horrific, black-and-purple bruise on my arm from a blown IV.
The fury in his eyes was terrifying. He was ready to kill whoever had dared to touch me. He grabbed my wrist, his voice shaking as he demanded a name. "Who did this to you?"
I couldn't tell him the truth. The pity would have been a sentence worse than death.
So I looked that beautiful, broken boy in the eye and gave him a lie far more cruel. "I did it to myself," I whispered, letting the tears fall.
I watched the fire in his soul die out, replaced by a devastating pity. I had saved my secret, but in doing so, I had just become the tragedy he would try to fix. No Longer April Mayo: Heiress Returns
Billionaires For seven years, I gave up my life as a corporate heiress for a modest house with the man who saved me and our son. I chose love over an empire.
That choice shattered the night he came home smelling of another woman' s perfume. He called his affair a "business merger," but the headlines told the real story. He was choosing power over his family.
His mother summoned us to the family estate only to announce his mistress was pregnant with the "only legitimate heir." In front of everyone, she offered me a job as a maid and said my son could stay on as an adopted orphan.
My partner, the man I gave up everything for, stood by her side and said nothing as his mother publicly erased us from his life.
My five-year-old son looked up at me, his voice trembling, and asked a question that destroyed the last piece of my heart.
"Mommy, if she' s having a baby… then what am I?"
But the final blow came on his birthday. His mistress tricked us into attending their engagement party, where he pushed our son to the floor and denied him. As his family attacked me, my son begged him for help, calling him "sir."
In that moment, the woman he knew died. I took my son' s hand, walked out of that life forever, and made the call to the empire I had abandoned. It was time for the world to remember my real name. The Billionaire's Deadly Embrace
Romance My marriage to Kameron Stephens was perfect. He was handsome, powerful, and utterly devoted to me. Everyone said I was the luckiest woman in the world, and I believed them.
One afternoon, I went to pick up my best friend’s son from kindergarten. But I froze when I saw my husband, Kameron, kneeling to tie the little boy's shoe.
"Daddy, can we get ice cream?" the boy asked.
The word slammed into me. Then a beautiful woman—an old friend he swore was just like family—walked up and kissed his cheek. Kameron wrapped an arm around her waist. A perfect family. My perfect husband, with his perfect secret son.
The timeline clicked into place with cold precision. He had gotten her pregnant years ago, right after I caught them kissing and he begged me to take him back.
All those years I pleaded for a baby, he put me off with sweet excuses, saying he wanted me all to himself. It was all a lie. He already had an heir. I was just a placeholder, a beautiful doll to show off to the world.
That night, I hid in the shadows of our home and heard him on the phone with her.
"Don't worry," he said, his voice cold. "I'll never let Hailey have a child. The Stephens' fortune will all be for Leo."
My world shattered. He had stolen my chance at motherhood and built a family with another woman, while I was left with nothing but a hollow marriage and a legacy of lies. When Obedience Becomes Enslavement
Romance My wedding day was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, a celebration of Mark and me, successful professionals building our dream home.
But the nightmare began the moment his mother, Eleanor, stopped us with a prenuptial agreement none of us had ever discussed.
This wasn't just about assets; it was a contract of enslavement: unconditional obedience to her, living under her "guidance," every penny of Mark's income going to her, and his loyalty to her always, always coming before me.
I looked at Mark, expecting him to laugh, to tear up the papers, to tell her she was insane, but he just stood there, weak and pleading, signing away our entire future.
The joy of the day evaporated, replaced by a cold, heavy dread.
Our honeymoon was miserable, and when we returned, the reality hit me: Eleanor had taken over my master bedroom, the one I designed, and announced she was giving us a measly allowance for our "little expenses."
The mortgage on my house, the one I fully paid for, was over three thousand dollars a month.
That was it.
"You will not control my life. You will not control my finances. And you are not the head of this household," I declared, walking out the door.
I returned to constant oppression, her early morning demands, her judgments about my career, her attempts to control my meals.
Mark, the man I married, just withered under her shadow, a pathetic puppet on his mother's strings.
He didn't defend me, he didn't take a side; he only ever chose her.
The final straw came when Eleanor, in a deranged attempt to secure her grandson' s future (which meant MY house), demanded Mark and I legally adopt my destructive nephew.
She wanted to erase me completely and hand over my future, my property, my identity.
"No," I said, my voice dangerously quiet.
Her face contorted with rage. "I am the head of this family! My son will do as I say, and as his wife, you will too! We are doing this! I've already told Brenda!"
That was the unforgivable line.
I pulled out the divorce petition from my briefcase.
"Here," I said, my voice ringing with authority, "Read this."
Mark's face went pale as he read "PETITION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE."
"Divorce?" he whispered.
"Yes, Mark." I looked at him, at Eleanor, at Brenda. "I am divorcing you. I am done with this family. I am done with your mother's insanity. And I want all of you out of my house. Now."
I walked out of my house, the feeling of liberation washing over me, ready to fight for my freedom. The 21st Birthday Loop
Fantasy For sixteen years, I was a phantom in the Miller house, my entire existence centered on raising Caleb.
My destiny was sealed: on his 21st birthday, I was to become his wife, a debt my family couldn't pay.
In my first agonizing life, that wedding day led to a decade of imprisonment in their dark basement, then a horrific sale to the depraved Scrap Yard Joe, who brutally murdered me and my two young daughters.
But then, a miracle: I jolted awake, it was Caleb' s 21st birthday party again. I was back.
This time, I vowed to escape, coldly telling Caleb the "deal was off." His fury, fueled by his new girlfriend Chloe, erupted. They dragged me to their root cellar, where Chloe actively tried to crush me with cinder blocks.
Escaping a terrifying encounter with Scrap Yard Joe, Chloe's eerie accomplice from my past, I returned to the party only to be publicly framed.
A panicked confrontation led to the tragic, accidental death of Caleb' s mother-a death later revealed to be orchestrated by Chloe' s slow poison. I was beaten, battered, and finally, locked in the basement again as Chloe set it on fire, intending to burn me alive.
Lying amidst the flames, every fiber of my being screamed. Why had my attempt at freedom only resulted in such a brutal, fiery trap? Was this wretched family, and the ghosts of my past, truly inescapable?
Yet, fate had a cruel twist. I miraculously survived, forcing Caleb to believe me dead, consumed by guilt.
He began a meticulous, horrifying revenge on Chloe, mirroring the torment I endured.
Then, in the climax of his depravity, just as he raised a hunting knife over Chloe' s pregnant belly, a scarred, living ghost walked into the room: Me. And his world shattered. The Billionaire Surgeon's Deadly Secret
Sci-fi My wedding was just around the corner.
Instead, I was in a hospital watching my mother, Eleanor, fight for her life.
She'd suffered a massive heart attack, triggered when she found my fiancé and best friend, Sarah, together in my bed.
Doctors said she needed a new heart; I, a perfect match, gave mine without a second thought.
But my mother died, despite my sacrifice.
I woke up with a state-of-the-art artificial heart, enduring a dull, persistent ache that became my constant shadow for seven agonizing years.
Julian, the renowned cardiothoracic surgeon who performed the transplant, became my 'savior' and then my husband, showering me with concern.
Then, a whispered conversation cut through the silence of his study, turning my world upside down.
I overheard Julian confessing everything: he orchestrated my mother's illness and death to steal my healthy heart, not for her, but for his beloved stepsister, Chloe.
He even admitted he saw me as a mere 'vessel,' a backup plan for Chloe's well-being.
The woman now living with my original heart, Chloe, later gleefully admitted she was the one who engineered my mother's heart attack.
The realization was a punch to the gut, a burning injustice that consumed me.
My seven years of suffering, my mother's death, my shattered life – all for a manipulative scheme.
My body was failing, but my spirit, fueled by rage and a cold, clear determination, ignited.
I would not just survive; I would expose them, reclaim my life, and ensure they paid for every single beat of pain they had inflicted. The Betrayed Heiress's Comeback
Fantasy I woke up with a gasp on the day of my debutante ball, the most anticipated event of the Texas social season.
My eyes snapped open to the familiar silk canopy, but a strange, phantom pain still clung to my last breath.
My custom-designed gown, perfected over months with the couturier, was gone from its stand.
This void, this seemingly small act, brought a cold dread, sharp and entirely too familiar.
Because in my previous life, this "missing" dress was the very first tiny crack, the prelude to a cascade of betrayals.
I remembered Savy' s brazen appearance, her stolen spotlight, her smug face, Brent' s weak compliance, Grayson' s cruel dismissal.
Their collective treachery had led to my father' s "accidental" death, my shocking disinheritance, a hellish rehabilitation facility, and my own lonely, mysterious end.
They thought they had won; they thought they had erased me for good.
The sheer, agonizing injustice of their victory, the vivid memories of my suffering, burned hotter than any fire.
How could I have let them destroy my family, my legacy, my very self, without a fight?
But they didn't know I was back.
I had reawakened on this pivotal morning, carrying every single agonizing memory of their deceit and my demise.
This time, there would be no panic, no helplessness, only a chilling, absolute resolve to reverse my tragic fate.
I was Aurora Sterling, and I was taking my life back, one strategic move at a time. The Price of Ambition
Modern Seraphina Vance, a brilliant CEO, seemingly had it all: a thriving biotech AI company, Aethelred Innovations, and a profound partnership, personal and professional, with Elias Thorne, her innovative CTO. They were Silicon Valley' s golden couple, their shared dream, "Project Chimera," almost like their child.
But a brutal corporate storm threatened everything. A hostile takeover loomed, only to be miraculously averted by Julian Croft, a charismatic consultant who resurfaced from Seraphina' s past.
Overwhelmed by gratitude, Seraphina succumbed to Julian' s elaborate deception: a tearful confession of a fake terminal illness. To repay this manufactured debt, she embarked on a horrifying charade, feigning a breakdown. She sidelined Elias, abandoned their "child" project, and cruelly tormented her loyal assistant, Ms. Albright, all to appease Julian.
Elias, her genius partner, watched, heartbroken, as the woman he loved became a cold stranger, destroying their shared legacy. How could she so easily sacrifice their trust, their vision? Why this sudden, brutal detachment? The betrayal cut deep.
Then, he overheard her: her "breakdown" was an act, her cruelty a calculated deception for Julian. The truth was a physical blow. The next morning, a resignation letter on her desk, Elias vanished, leaving Seraphina to face the shattering collapse of her empire, and the love she' d so carelessly discarded. The Billionaire's Bet
Romance Scarlett Morgan, a college student, lived paycheck to paycheck, working miserable jobs.
For a year, she played the ultimate fangirl, utterly devoted to arrogant football captain, Blake Cunningham.
Every demeaning errand, every public snub, she accepted with a forced smile.
It was all part of a twisted, high-stakes bet against her childhood rival, Julian Vance.
The Christmas Gala, the bet's deadline, had arrived.
Scarlett, homemade cake in hand, prepared for the final act: a public "love" confession to Blake.
But an enraged Tiffany Hayes, Blake's childhood friend, suddenly attacked.
Tiffany, seeing Julian's protective move, smashed a cake onto his face.
As the university clock chimed midnight, shattering the ballroom's silence, Scarlett's control snapped.
A year of feigned adoration and silent suffering boiled over.
The carefully constructed "simp" mask crumbled.
This was now about every insult, every patronizing glance, every humiliation she had endured.
How dare they treat Scarlett Anastasia Morgan, a hidden heiress, with such contempt?
Fueled by simmering fury, Scarlett unleashed a shocking public retaliation.
The game was over, but the real reckoning had just begun. The Last Call: From Star to Scapegoat
Sci-fi My life was a blueprint for success.
Ethan Miller, a rising star in architecture, about to claim the American Horizon Architectural Prize, surrounded by my loving sister Ashley, my beautiful fiancée Victoria, and even my adopted brother Jason.
But one call, one dark warehouse, shattered it all.
Ambushed, my hands crushed, my career obliterated, I woke to a nightmare.
My own sister and fiancée, the women I trusted most, confessed to orchestrating the brutal attack to clear the path for Jason’s success.
They abandoned me in an earthquake, then left me for dead on an exploding yacht, all while publicly slandering my name to cover their tracks.
The betrayal was a pain far deeper than any broken bone, a horrifying injustice that twisted my soul.
Why them? Why Jason? Why this absolute destruction of my life?
But just as despair threatened to consume me, a mysterious offer emerged: "reforging" through Phoenix BioGenesis.
I accepted, not for healing, but for a chilling rebirth, returning as a ghost of my former self, a silent observer ready to meticulously dismantle the lives of those who thought they had won.
This time, the masterpiece would be my revenge. Taste The Flavor Of Love: You Bring Out The Best In Me
Romance He grew up without knowing how food tastes like, but a dish changed his life forever. As the flavor of her cooking spread in his mouth, his heart started to beat for her as well. He had secretly harbored feelings for this lady, and for the past three years, had watched her bloom into a wonderful actress. However, he just watched silently as the woman he adored, fell in love with another man. In a twist of fate, an agreement bound them together. Was this pure coincidence, or was this written in the stars? As their paths inevitably intertwined, would she turn a blind eye to his love, or would she realize that her heart longed for his? You might like
While I Was Bleeding Out, He Lit Lanterns For Her
Katie Oettgen As I lay on the floor of our manor, bleeding out from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, I used my last ounce of strength to call my husband, Cole.
I begged him for help, my vision blurring.
But the only thing I heard was the clinking of champagne glasses and his mistress's giggle in the background.
"Stop the drama, June," Cole snapped, his voice cold. "We're about to go on stage. Don't call again."
He hung up, leaving me to die alone on the Persian rug while he accepted an award with another woman on his arm.
I woke up in the hospital days later. My baby was gone. They had removed my fallopian tube.
Cole finally arrived, smelling of expensive scotch and his mistress's perfume. He didn't hug me. He didn't cry.
Instead, he leaned over my hospital bed, pressing his knee into the mattress until my fresh stitches tore open and bled.
"You embarrassed me by calling an ambulance," he hissed. "My mistress, Alycia, says you're faking it. Clean yourself up."
He left me bleeding again to go announce a $10 million donation to Alycia's "groundbreaking" medical research.
I stared at the TV screen, numb. The research Alycia was taking credit for? It was mine. I wrote that patent years ago under a pseudonym.
They thought I was just a poor, orphan housewife who needed Cole's money to survive.
They had no idea I was actually a billionaire scientist hiding my identity.
I pulled the IV needle out of my arm. A drop of blood fell onto the divorce papers I had been hiding.
I didn't wipe it off. I signed my name right over it.
Then I walked into the bank, reactivated my dormant account with $128 million, and bought the penthouse directly overlooking Cole's house.
The mourning widow is dead. The avenger is born. Flash Marriage To My Best Friend's Father
Madel Cerda I was once the heiress to the Solomon empire, but after it crumbled, I became the "charity case" ward of the wealthy Hyde family. For years, I lived in their shadows, clinging to the promise that Anson Hyde would always be my protector.
That promise shattered when Anson walked into the ballroom with Claudine Chapman on his arm. Claudine was the girl who had spent years making my life a living hell, and now Anson was announcing their engagement to the world.
The humiliation was instant. Guests sneered at my cheap dress, and a waiter intentionally sloshed champagne over me, knowing I was a nobody. Anson didn't even look my way; he was too busy whispering possessively to his new fiancée. I was a ghost in my own home, watching my protector celebrate with my tormentor.
The betrayal burned. I realized I wasn't a ward; I was a pawn Anson had kept on a shelf until he found a better trade. I had no money, no allies, and a legal trust fund that Anson controlled with a flick of his wrist.
Fleeing to the library, I stumbled into Dallas Koch-a titan of industry and my best friend's father. He was a wall of cold, absolute power that even the Hydes feared.
"Marry me," I blurted out, desperate to find a shield Anson couldn't climb.
Dallas didn't laugh. He pulled out a marriage agreement and a heavy fountain pen.
"Sign," he commanded, his voice a low rumble. "But if you walk out that door with me, you never go back."
I signed my name, trading my life for the only man dangerous enough to keep me safe. One Night With My Billionaire Boss
Nathaniel Stone I woke up on silk sheets that smelled of expensive cedar and cold sandalwood, a world away from my cramped apartment in Brooklyn.
Beside me lay Ezra Gardner-my boss, the billionaire CEO of Gardner Holdings, and the man who could end my career with a snap of his fingers.
He didn't offer an apology for the night before; instead, he looked at me with terrifying clarity and proposed a cold, calculated business arrangement.
"Marriage. It stabilizes the board and solves the PR crisis before it begins."
He dressed me in archival Chanel and sent me home in his Maybach, but my life was already falling apart. My boyfriend, Irving, claimed he had passed out early, yet his location data placed him at my best friend's apartment until three in the morning. When I tried to run, I realized Ezra was already ten steps ahead, tracking my movements and uncovering the secret I'd spent twenty years hiding: my connection to the powerful Senator Grimes.
I was trapped between a CEO who treated me like a line item on a quarterly report and a boyfriend who had been using me while sleeping with my closest friend. I felt like a pawn in a game I didn't understand, wondering why a man like Ezra would walk up forty flights of stairs on a broken leg just to make sure I was safe.
"Showtime, Mrs. Gardner."
Standing on the red carpet in a gown that cost more than my life, I watched my cheating ex-boyfriend's face turn pale as Ezra claimed me in front of the world. I wasn't just an assistant anymore; I was a weapon, and it was time to burn their world down. He Thought I Was A Doormat, Until I Ruined Him
SHANA GRAY The sterile white of the operating room blurred, then sharpened, as Skye Sterling felt the cold clawing its way up her body. The heart monitor flatlined, a steady, high-pitched whine announcing her end. Her uterus had been removed, a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding, but the blood wouldn't clot. It just kept flowing, warm and sticky, pooling beneath her.
Through heavy eyes, she saw a trembling nurse holding a phone on speaker. "Mr. Kensington," the nurse's voice cracked, "your wife... she's critical." A pause, then a sweet, poisonous giggle. Seraphina Miller. "Liam is in the shower," Seraphina's voice purred. "Stop calling, Skye. It's pathetic. Faking a medical emergency on our anniversary? Even for you, that's low." Then, Liam's bored voice: "If she dies, call the funeral home. I have a meeting in the morning." Click. The line went dead.
A second later, so did Skye. The darkness that followed was absolute, suffocating, a black ocean crushing her lungs. She screamed into the void, a silent, agonizing wail of regret for loving a man who saw her as a nuisance, for dying without ever truly living.
Until she died, she didn't understand. Why was her life so tragically wasted? Why did her husband, the man she loved, abandon her so cruelly? The injustice of it all burned hotter than the fever in her body.
Then, the air rushed back in. Skye gasped, her body convulsing violently on the mattress. Her eyes flew open, wide and terrified, staring blindly into the darkness. Her trembling hand reached for her phone. May 12th. Five years ago. She was back. His Twisted Game, My Dangerous Love
Elroy Notman Vesper's marriage to Julian Sterling was a gilded cage. One morning, she woke naked beside Damon Sterling, Julian's terrifying brother, then found a text: Julian's mistress was pregnant. Her world shattered, but the real nightmare had just begun.
Julian's abuse escalated, gaslighting Vesper, funding his secret life. Damon, a germaphobic billionaire, became her unsettling anchor amidst his chaos.
As "Iris," Vesper exposed Julian's mistress, Serena Sharp, sparking brutal war: poisoned drinks, a broken leg, and the horrifying truth-Julian murdered her parents, trapping Vesper in marriage.
The man she married was a killer. Broken and betrayed, Vesper was caught between monstrous brothers, burning with injustice.
Refusing victimhood, Vesper reclaimed her identity. Fueled by vengeance, she allied with Damon, who vowed to burn his empire for her. Julian faced justice, but matriarch Eleanor's counterattack forced Vesper's choice as a hitman aimed for her. After Divorce: My Arrogant Ex Regrets Calling Me Trash
Sea Jet Aurora woke up to the sterile chill of her king-sized bed in Sterling Thorne's penthouse. Today was the day her husband would finally throw her out like garbage. Sterling walked in, tossed divorce papers at her, and demanded her signature, eager to announce his "eligible bachelor" status to the world.
In her past life, the sight of those papers had broken her, leaving her begging for a second chance. Sterling's sneering voice, calling her a "trailer park girl" undeserving of his name, had once cut deeper than any blade. He had always used her humble beginnings to keep her small, to make her grateful for the crumbs of his attention. She had lived a gilded cage, believing she was nothing without him, until her life flatlined in a hospital bed, watching him give a press conference about his "grief."
But this time, she felt no sting, no tears. Only a cold, clear understanding of the mediocre man who stood on a pedestal she had painstakingly built with her own genius.
Aurora signed the papers, her name a declaration of independence. She grabbed her old, phoenix-stickered laptop, ready to walk out. Sterling Thorne was about to find out exactly how expensive "free" could be. My Husband's Blindness, My Sweet Revenge
Winnie Suchoff The roasted lamb was cold, a reflection of her marriage. On their third anniversary, Evelyn Vance waited alone in her Manhattan penthouse. Then her phone buzzed: Alexander, her husband, had been spotted leaving the hospital, holding his childhood sweetheart Scarlett Sharp's hand.
Alexander arrived hours later, dismissing Evelyn's quiet complaint with a cold reminder: she was Mrs. Vance, not a victim. Her mother's demands reinforced this role, making Evelyn, a brilliant mind, feel like a ghost. A dangerous indifference replaced betrayal. The debt was paid; now, it was her turn.
She drafted a divorce settlement, waiving everything. As Alexander's tender voice drifted from his study, speaking to Scarlett, Evelyn placed her wedding ring on his pillow, moved to the guest suite, and locked the door. The dull wife was gone; the Oracle was back. HIS DOE, HIS DAMNATION(An Erotic Billionaire Romance)
Viviene Trigger/Content Warning:
This story contains mature themes and explicit content intended for adult audiences(18+). Reader discretion is advised.
It includes elements such as BDSM dynamics, explicit sexual content, toxic family relationships, occasional violence and strong language.
This is not a fluffy romance. It is intense, raw and messy, and explores the darker side of desire.
*****
"Take off your dress, Meadow."
"Why?"
"Because your ex is watching," he said, leaning back into his seat. "And I want him to see what he lost."
••••*••••*••••*
Meadow Russell was supposed to get married to the love of her life in Vegas. Instead, she walked in on her twin sister riding her fiance.
One drink at the bar turned to ten. One drunken mistake turned into reality. And one stranger's offer turned into a contract that she signed with shaking hands and a diamond ring.
Alaric Ashford is the devil in a tailored Tom Ford suit. Billionaire CEO, brutal, possessive. A man born into an empire of blood and steel.
He also suffers from a neurological condition-he can't feel. Not objects, not pain, not even human touch.
Until Meadow touches him, and he feels everything. And now he owns her. On paper and in his bed.
She wants him to ruin her. Take what no one else could have. He wants control, obedience... revenge.
But what starts as a transaction slowly turns into something Meadow never saw coming.
Obsession, secrets that were never meant to surface, and a pain from the past that threatens to break everything.
Alaric doesn't share what's his.
Not his company.
Not his wife.
And definitely not his vengeance.
Neglected Wife: Hidden Heiress's Cold Revenge
Da Lanlan I stood in the pouring rain at my father-in-law's funeral, the heels of my black pumps sinking into the mud. I was Mrs. Vargas, the wife of New York's most powerful billionaire, yet I was standing at the edge of the crowd like a forgotten statue.
Ten feet away, under the dry shelter of the family tent, my husband Hayes held another woman against his chest. It wasn't me he was whispering comfort to; it was Felicity, his late brother's widow and childhood sweetheart.
The humiliation didn't end at the cemetery. Hayes moved Felicity and her son into our home, relegating me to the guest wing while she took over the primary suites. He watched silently as her son smashed the only photograph of my deceased parents, then demanded I apologize for "scaring" the boy with my reaction. When Felicity's negligence ruined a twelve-million-dollar family heirloom, Hayes had the audacity to ask me to use my own savings to buy her a "consolation" engagement ring. He treated me like a parasite, never realizing I was a brilliant scientist with a hidden fortune and three patents to my name.
I realized then that our three-year marriage was a hollow farce. Hayes had never even touched me, claiming he wanted to "remain pure" for his memory of Felicity. I was nothing more than a business merger, a smudge on the lens of the perfect family portrait he was building with another man's widow.
The breaking point came during a lethal blizzard. Hayes promised to accompany me to my family's mandatory gala-a tradition where my absence meant a death sentence. But at the last second, he stood me up to stay home and tend to Felicity's stubbed toe. Left alone to face the wrath of the Santos Matriarch, I was forced to kneel in the freezing snow as punishment until my lungs began to fail and my vision blurred.
Just as the darkness started to take me, a black Maybach smashed through the iron gates. My exiled brother, the man the world calls "The Wolf," stepped out of the storm to reclaim what Hayes had discarded. Hayes thought I was a helpless doll who couldn't survive a day without his trust fund, but he's about to find out what happens when you let a Santos daughter freeze. Reborn Rich, My Vengeance Rises
Rabbit My husband, Ethan Vance, made me his trophy wife. My best friend, Susanna Thorne, helped me pick out my wedding dress. Together, they made me a fool.
For three years, I was Mrs. Ethan Vance, a decorative silence in his billion-dollar world, living a quiet routine until a forgotten phone charger led me to his office.
The low, feminine laugh from behind his door was a gut-punch; inside, I found Ethan and Susanna, my "best friend" and his CMO, tangled on his sofa, his only reaction irritation.
My divorce declaration brought immediate scorn and threats. I was fired, my accounts frozen, and publicly smeared as an unstable gold-digger. Even my own family disowned me for my last cent, only for me to be framed for assault and served a restraining order.
Broke, injured, and utterly demonized, they believed I was broken, too ashamed to fight. But their audacious betrayal and relentless cruelty only forged a cold, unyielding resolve.
Slumped alone, a restraining order in hand, I remembered my hidden journal: a log of Ethan's insider trading secrets. They wanted a monster? I would show them one. 
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