He left me to die. She took my place. Now I'm back and I'm done playing nice. Marie Duclair survived a brutal kidnapping, only to return and find her husband of seven years courtside with her identical twin sister on live TV. She walks away from her marriage, her company, and everything she built... straight into the arms of her dangerous ex: Xavier Randle, a mafia Capone who's always wanted her. But nothing is simple in this new world. His assistant turns up dead. His secret wife shows up with a child and threats for her. And Marie discovers the truth: she was never disabled, just drugged and lied to. Now she's done begging and Done breaking. Her sister wants her dead. Her family wants to use her. And Xavier wants her... forever. But forever comes with blood, betrayal and one hell of a diamond ring. This time, Marie's not the victim. She's the queen
Chapter 1
RAGE
The attorney didn't flinch when she rolled into his office. Maybe he'd seen women in wheelchairs, but she doubted he'd ever seen one asking for both a divorce and a corporate resignation in one breath.
"Mr. Shepard," she said, her voice steady, "I need you to prepare two documents for me. A divorce agreement. And a clean break from Willoughby Holdings."
"You're not just his wife," the attorney said cautiously. "You're his Corporate Liaison. Stepping down could trigger investor concern."
She smiled tightly. "Let them be concerned. I'm not interested in covering for a man who covered for my sister while I nearly drowned."
His brows lifted. "Marie... does Finn know?"
She didn't answer. But she remembered the cold Atlantic waves swallowing her whole last month-how the kidnappers threw her overboard after no one responded to the ransom calls.
Not a single call answered.
Not even from her so-called husband of Seven years.
The kidnapping had happened exactly one month ago. She was abducted on her way home, and despite countless attempts by her captors to reach him, Finn never picked up. Frustrated, they took her wheelchair and dumped her in the ocean like a liability. If not for a passing yacht full of college kids on spring break, she would've been another body lost at sea-unnoticed, unmissed.
That night, at the hotel where the yacht docked, she saw it. A billboard:
Her husband, courtside at a basketball game, with a woman who looked exactly like her laughing, holding hands, smiling at the camera.
"The Willoughbys," the caption read.
That image broke her.
Not just her heart but the last trace of hope she'd carried for their marriage.
Seven years.
Seven years of unrequited love. Of sacrifice. Of silence.
All shattered by a tabloid photo of Finn coddling her twin sister.
Finn had never even been seen in public with her. He claimed it was for her own protection that the press would be too cruel. And the world only knew he married one of the Duclair twins. It was Martha's face they recognized, Martha he'd proposed to.
But when Martha eloped with a richer man weeks before the wedding, it was Marie who stepped in. She took Martha's place.She played the role.
And because Marie couldn't walk like Martha, he kept her hidden.
She had endured everything until this. This betrayal was the line she would no longer cross.
"It doesn't matter, Mr. Shepard. I'll expect the necessary papers in 24 hours. And I'd appreciate if it stayed between us," she said, locking eyes with him.
Very few in their world even knew Finn married the disabled twin. And with their seven-year anniversary approaching, she figured divorce papers were the perfect gift.
Not that he'd care.
That evening, as she rolled into the sprawling mansion, a strange feeling bloomed in her chest-freedom. For once, the cage felt less suffocating.
She had spent years trying to win Finn's heart. The mansion was luxurious, but it had never been a home. It was a glossy cage, and she had tried-God, she had tried-to earn his love.
In her first year of marriage, she saw how stressed he was with the company. So, she enrolled in online courses strategic management, corporate communications and graduated top of her class.
She helped him clean up several PR disasters and handled delicate partnerships.
He offered her the title: Executive Corporate Liaison.
But even then, he insisted she stay remote.
"Don't come to the office," he had said. "You'll attract attention we don't need."
Still, she worked. Behind the scenes. Quietly irreplaceable.
Every merger, every clean media win had her fingerprints all over it.
Just last week, he called her out of the blue.
"We need a counterattack PR piece before dawn. I don't like our family business trending on the tabloids."
The "business" he referred to?
Martha, half-naked in a yacht party video with some foreign investor.
Most tabloids thought she was Mrs. Willoughby. And Finn needed Marie to clean up his real love's mess.
"I'm already working on it," she replied. "But I need to eat first."
She wheeled toward the kitchen only for Finn to stop her.
He placed a firm hand on her shoulder and spun the wheelchair back toward the dining room.
"I ordered your favorite pineapple pizza. It'll be here soon. Keep working on the press draft," he said, lifting her out of her chair and settling her at the table.
He folded the wheelchair and set it aside.
It would've looked romantic... if it wasn't so clinical.
Finn never touched her unless it was work-related.
And pineapple pizza? That was Martha's favorite.
Marie was allergic.
She said nothing. Crawled across the floor after he left and dragged her chair back up, quietly returning to her side of the house before her allergy arrived in a cardboard box.
But as she reached the hallway, she heard his voice echo through the silence.
"Martha, just say the word. Move in. You're the one on the documents... the press. You're my only love."
Then, after a pause:
"I don't care about Marie. She repulses me. I only keep her around so I can have you. Forget Marie. No one cares."
The call ended.
Marie closed the door quietly behind her, tears pouring silently down her face then She pulled out her phone.
Unblocked the number she had sworn never to call again and Tapped it with trembling fingers.
He picked up on the first ring.
"Xavier," she whispered, "I need you."
Chapter 1 RAGE
06/06/2025
Chapter 2 LONGING
06/06/2025
Chapter 3 HUMILIATION
06/06/2025
Chapter 4 DESPAIR
06/06/2025
Chapter 5 BELONGING
06/06/2025