Login to ManoBook
icon 0
icon TOP UP
rightIcon
icon Reading History
rightIcon
icon Sign out
rightIcon
icon Get the APP
rightIcon
Love After The Lie

Love After The Lie

Gavin

5.0
Comment(s)
51
View
11
Chapters

For three years, I'd worn the shroud of a grieving widow, clinging to the memory of my hero firefighter husband, Mark, who supposedly died saving lives. Every diner shift, every sniff of stale coffee, was a testament to my struggle, ensuring our son Leo had shoes on his feet, his father's heroism the only legacy I could offer. But on the third anniversary of the fire, a single overheard sentence ripped my world apart: "You took his name, Mark! What about Olivia? What about your own son, Leo?!" My Mark, the man I'd cried myself to sleep mourning, the brave dad Leo revered from faded photos, was alive. He hadn't died a hero; he'd faked his own death, letting us believe he was gone, letting me struggle alone, all while living a comfortable lie under his late twin brother's identity. The grief I'd carried, the unwavering loyalty I'd sworn to a memory, transformed into a searing, white-hot rage. He wasn't just a liar; he was a coward who chose debt and another family over his own flesh and blood. Three years of my life, a cruel, elaborate joke, built on his monstrous deceit. I stumbled away from that house, away from that lie, knowing one thing with absolute clarity: I wouldn't waste another day on a ghost. It was time to burn down the past and build a truth for Leo and me, even if it meant setting fire to everything I once held sacred.

Introduction

For three years, I'd worn the shroud of a grieving widow, clinging to the memory of my hero firefighter husband, Mark, who supposedly died saving lives.

Every diner shift, every sniff of stale coffee, was a testament to my struggle, ensuring our son Leo had shoes on his feet, his father's heroism the only legacy I could offer.

But on the third anniversary of the fire, a single overheard sentence ripped my world apart: "You took his name, Mark! What about Olivia? What about your own son, Leo?!"

My Mark, the man I'd cried myself to sleep mourning, the brave dad Leo revered from faded photos, was alive.

He hadn't died a hero; he'd faked his own death, letting us believe he was gone, letting me struggle alone, all while living a comfortable lie under his late twin brother's identity.

The grief I'd carried, the unwavering loyalty I'd sworn to a memory, transformed into a searing, white-hot rage.

He wasn't just a liar; he was a coward who chose debt and another family over his own flesh and blood.

Three years of my life, a cruel, elaborate joke, built on his monstrous deceit.

I stumbled away from that house, away from that lie, knowing one thing with absolute clarity: I wouldn't waste another day on a ghost.

It was time to burn down the past and build a truth for Leo and me, even if it meant setting fire to everything I once held sacred.

Continue Reading

Other books by Gavin

More
She Saved His Empire, He Broke Her Heart

She Saved His Empire, He Broke Her Heart

Short stories

5.0

For five long years, I was Jane Doe, Alexander Sterling' s quiet, unassuming assistant, secretly working tirelessly to save his company from the brink of collapse. I poured my life, and even our family' s legendary Westbrook Star diamond, into the anonymous investment that kept him afloat, all for the man I deeply loved. Day in and day out, I remained by his side, hoping he would finally see past the "Jane" I presented and recognize the woman who sacrificed everything for him. But then, Isabelle Vance, all wide eyes and soft sighs, arrived, and suddenly, I was invisible, my every effort unacknowledged, my devotion unseen. His attention, his genuine laughter, the warmth I once cherished, was entirely for her, the new favorite who simply had to ask. I watched silently as Isabelle and her cruel assistant mocked me, sabotaged my work, and ultimately framed me for a ridiculous attack, turning him completely against me. In a horrifying public spectacle, Alexander, blinded by Isabelle' s lies, ruthlessly fired me, branding me a dangerous troublemaker without a second thought. Left bleeding on the sidewalk after his security guards physically coerced me out, my reputation was systematically shredded, every sacrifice I had made for him now spitting in my face. The ultimate betrayal left me numb, the years of silent devotion to a man who couldn't see me crushing my spirit beneath the weight of his callous disregard. Wasted years, unacknowledged love, and now, public humiliation – the bitter taste of utter betrayal mingled with the cold drizzle on my face, solidifying my decision. Yet, a strange clarity settled over me as the five-year term for the Westbrook Star ended. Jane Doe was dead, irrevocably gone. As the Westbrook Star returned to my possession, a cold, unyielding fury replaced the pain, signaling Seraphina Westbrook was finally coming home, ready to build a new life with the steadfast Ethan Hayes and leave Alexander Sterling to the bitter regret he so richly deserved.

Not Your Diner Girl Anymore

Not Your Diner Girl Anymore

Short stories

5.0

For two years, I, the quiet girl from the town' s greasy diner, nursed a secret, pathetic crush on Ethan Hayes, our school' s golden boy and star quarterback. He embodied everything I admired, a perfect hero from a storybook. Then, one day, I collapsed at a noisy pep rally, and when I came to, he was kneeling beside me, offering a hand, his voice laced with concern. But a chilling, disembodied voice pierced my mind – his actual thoughts: "Ugh, she' s always staring. So clumsy. Probably smells like that greasy diner her parents own." The boy I' d idolized, the kind, perfect Ethan, was instantly replaced by a sneer I hadn't seen but had devastatingly heard. His disgust became a physical weight, overshadowing the relentless bullying from Brittany, his queen-bee friend, which he passively allowed. The final blow came when I was publicly accused of cheating on an exam, and he, the one person who knew Brittany' s true intentions, remained a shameful, silent observer. How could my hero be such a snob, such a coward, letting me be publicly ridiculed and unjustly branded a cheat? The overwhelming unfairness of it all ripped through me, leaving me shattered and utterly alone. But in that deepest pit of humiliation, a scorching resolve ignited within me. I decided then and there to turn all that pain into raw fuel, to outwork everyone, especially him, and secure my escape to a future where my worth wasn' t dictated by their petty judgments.

The Heiress's Second Chance At Revenge

The Heiress's Second Chance At Revenge

Short stories

5.0

I grew up spoiled, flying first class and dreaming of million-dollar handbags. But for once, I wanted a "real American experience," something my elite family would scoff at. So, I booked a Greyhound bus ticket, planning to save a fortune and prove I wasn't just a pampered rich kid. Then the nightmare jolted me awake, cold sweat gripping my back. It wasn't a dream; it was a memory. A grim, horrifying memory of that other life where my simple act of kindness on this very bus led to unspeakable horrors. I saw her again, "Mama" Darlene, with her sickeningly sweet smile and homemade cookies. I remembered the darkness that followed, waking up in a filthy room, my money gone. I remembered Cletus, Darlene' s son, dragging me into the mountains, bringing me to a shack. The things he did to me, the pain, before they left me for dead in a ditch. To be here again, reliving the beginning of that hell, felt like a cruel joke. Why was I given this second chance, only to endure the terror of knowing what was coming? My stomach clenched as I saw Mama Darlene, already beside my seat, her repulsive grandson pawing at my backpack. Was this nightmare destined to repeat, or could I break free? My hands trembled, but my mind was crystal clear. This time, I was awake. And this time, I was ready to turn their game into my personal battlefield. I grabbed my phone, and with a cold resolve, started calling in favors that would turn their Appalachian nightmare into theirs.

You'll also like

Chapters
Read Now
Download Book