The Girl Who Wouldn't Break

The Girl Who Wouldn't Break

Lionello Chagnot

5.0
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For three years, I existed as a quiet shadow in Ethan Hayes' s glittering New York world, always present, always available, my life a series of unspoken duties. Each one was a sacred notch on a silent, relentless tally, a life-debt I, Willow Miller, was bound to repay stemming from a long-forgotten act of kindness. But on a brutal winter night, amidst a biting New York blizzard, Ethan' s words cut deeper than the wind: "Scarlett' s back. Not some... substitute." He didn't just dismiss me; he dragged me into his penthouse, then publicly offered me to his business partner, Liam Donovan, with the chilling disdain one reserves for an unwanted stray, before ordering me to "get lost and never bother him again." I stood freezing, enduring every cruel word, every public humiliation, every demand – from wading into an icy river for a worthless charm to being paraded as a scapegoat at a society gallery. Why, you ask, would anyone endure such degradation, such ceaseless torment, for a man who clearly saw me as nothing more than an implement, a disposable stand-in? It wasn't love or devotion, but a binding promise rooted in my secluded Meadowbrook community' s oldest laws: a life-debt, the "Hundred Favors," owed for a simple sandwich given to a starving traveler years ago. Completing this impossible count was my only path home, the sole way to break free from this gilded cage and reclaim my true self. Now, with 97 favors behind me, just three stood between me and my freedom, forcing me to wonder if his next cruel demand would finally shatter me, or if I would endure and return to the home I so desperately yearned for.

Introduction

For three years, I existed as a quiet shadow in Ethan Hayes' s glittering New York world, always present, always available, my life a series of unspoken duties.

Each one was a sacred notch on a silent, relentless tally, a life-debt I, Willow Miller, was bound to repay stemming from a long-forgotten act of kindness.

But on a brutal winter night, amidst a biting New York blizzard, Ethan' s words cut deeper than the wind: "Scarlett' s back. Not some... substitute."

He didn't just dismiss me; he dragged me into his penthouse, then publicly offered me to his business partner, Liam Donovan, with the chilling disdain one reserves for an unwanted stray, before ordering me to "get lost and never bother him again."

I stood freezing, enduring every cruel word, every public humiliation, every demand – from wading into an icy river for a worthless charm to being paraded as a scapegoat at a society gallery.

Why, you ask, would anyone endure such degradation, such ceaseless torment, for a man who clearly saw me as nothing more than an implement, a disposable stand-in?

It wasn't love or devotion, but a binding promise rooted in my secluded Meadowbrook community' s oldest laws: a life-debt, the "Hundred Favors," owed for a simple sandwich given to a starving traveler years ago.

Completing this impossible count was my only path home, the sole way to break free from this gilded cage and reclaim my true self.

Now, with 97 favors behind me, just three stood between me and my freedom, forcing me to wonder if his next cruel demand would finally shatter me, or if I would endure and return to the home I so desperately yearned for.

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Other books by Lionello Chagnot

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Shattered Symphony: The Genius Lady Shines Again

Shattered Symphony: The Genius Lady Shines Again

Modern

5.0

Jacob's voice was terrifyingly calm at the scene of the crash. He wasn't looking at me. He was looking at the gurney being rushed past us. He was holding her hand. Not mine. My right hand was a mangled, swelling mess of flesh, throbbing with blinding agony. Blood soaked my white blouse, turning it a heavy crimson. I tried to show him, whispering that I thought my bones were crushed. He didn't even blink. He just kept pace with the doctors swarming around Cassandra. "She has a head injury, Alexia," he said, his voice tight with a panic he never felt for me. "We have to prioritize. You know how fragile she is. We need you to be strong right now." Because of his "priority," I missed the critical window for surgery. My fingers, once capable of spanning octaves and dancing through concertos, healed into stiff, alien claws. The grand piano in our living room became a coffin for my dreams. For three months, I lived as a ghost in my own home. I watched Jacob comfort Cassandra through her minor headaches while ignoring my ruined nerves. I watched him let her take credit for my music, steal my son's affection, and finally, crush my late mother's locket under her heel with a smile. When I confronted him, he only checked to see if she had twisted her ankle. That was the moment the silence broke. I realized I wasn't his partner; I was just collateral damage. So, when the Vienna Conservatory called offering a position, I didn't ask for his permission. On the night of their engagement party, while fireworks exploded for them outside, I packed a single suitcase. I left the signed divorce papers next to his medical negligence report on the counter, unlocked the door, and walked into the night. I was done waiting for him to choose me.

Wedding Night Nightmare

Wedding Night Nightmare

Modern

5.0

The scent of champagne and wedding cake still clung to me, a sweet echo of the vows I' d just taken. But the sweetness turned to ash as I walked into my new home, only to find my sister-in-law, Brittany, smugly claiming our master bedroom. My husband, Ethan, stood by, silent and useless, as his mother, Martha, joined in, demanding deference from me, the "newcomer." They claimed this house, this life, everything, was owed to them for their past "sacrifices" for Ethan, who now suggested we sleep on the living room couch to "keep the peace." This wasn' t peace; it was an insult, a blatant attempt to strip me of my dignity on my own wedding night. I felt a cold wave of realization wash over me-the man I married wouldn't even stand up for me in our own home. My heart sank with disappointment, his family' s accusations painting me as an ungrateful usurper. I was an outsider, being put in my place, my privacy violated, my very presence mocked. "She wants our room," I finally said, my voice thick with unshed tears, the injustice of it all bringing me to the brink. Just then, Ethan' s brother, David, walked in, demanding an explanation, a flicker of hope amidst the chaos. But before he could truly intervene, Brittany, enraged by his questioning, lashed out, smashing a vase and screaming about the "debt" Ethan owed them. It wasn't about respect; it was about possession, about an imagined claim on my husband and everything I owned. "If I can't have this room, then nobody will," she shrieked, destroying our wedding photos, proving this was a deliberate act of malice, not just a petty squabble. Then, she grabbed a heavy sculpture, threatening to "redecorate" my face, while my husband stood frozen, paralyzed by fear. In that moment of his cowardice, my love dissolved, replaced by a chilling resolve. This wasn't a family dispute; it was a home invasion. I pulled out my phone, dialing 911, my voice steady as I reported the destruction and the threat. I called my cousins for backup, ready to face the music. "This is my house," I declared, holding up the deed with only my name on it, "You are trespassers." The police were on their way, and I was not going to break.

My Tormentor, My Husband

My Tormentor, My Husband

Romance

5.0

The day I was supposed to marry Daniel Miller, my world shattered. A truck, later reported stolen, ran my parents' car off the highway, killing them instantly. Hours later, my pregnant sister-in-law, Sarah, received a chilling call, her husband, my brilliant brother Mark, framed for selling company secrets. The shock sent Sarah into miscarriage; she lost baby Lily. Mark was dragged away in handcuffs, his hands, which wrote code like poetry, brutally broken. My family was systematically destroyed, Daniel Miller, my fiancé and his boss, pulling every string. Desperate and broken, with a severely injured leg, I crawled through the rain and mud to the secluded mansion of Ethan Hayes, a reclusive tech prodigy and a ghost from my past. He was my only hope. He agreed to help, to clear my family's name, but at a price. "Marry me." I swallowed my confusion and despair, the memories of rejecting him years ago, and said, "I will." Our courthouse marriage was cold, sterile, devoid of love. That night, in his vast, empty mansion, he asserted his dominance with a cruel intimacy that left me bruised and shattered, not an act of passion, but conquest. The next morning, the news hailed Daniel Miller as a hero, promoting him to Chairman of the Board for "exposing" Mark, painting my family as villains. Trembling, I turned to Ethan. "You saw this? You knew this would happen? You promised you would help me." His cruel smile sent shivers down my spine. "Why would I help the family that destroyed my sister?" My mind reeled. He accused my family of ruining his sister Anna' s life, of orchestrating a scandal that led to her infertility. His eyes burned with hatred. "You think I married you for love? I married you so I could have you right where I want you. You are going to pay for what your family did to Anna. Your family was corrupt, and they got what they deserved." My savior had become my tormentor, and I had walked straight from one monster into the arms of another. Hope died.

His Best Friend, His Betrayal

His Best Friend, His Betrayal

Modern

5.0

The drive to my best friend Mark' s father' s 60th birthday party felt good, the kind of easy trip you take to see family. My wife, Sarah, was supposed to be in London for a work conference, nursing a sprained ankle. But when I stepped inside, my eyes scanned the crowd, and there she was, kneeling in the center of the living room. She was participating in a formal tea ceremony, dressed in a beautiful silk dress I' d never seen. "What a good, respectful daughter-in-law!" Mark' s aunt boomed, praising her. "Mark, you found a real treasure." My heart hammered against my ribs as I saw her, my wife, here, being celebrated as his wife. The whiskey bottle in my hand suddenly felt heavy and cold. Sarah' s eyes locked with mine across the room, her polite smile vanishing, replaced by pure panic. She rushed towards me, pulling me into a quiet hallway. "Liam, what are you doing here?" she hissed, her voice frantic. "Last I heard, you were in London with a sprained ankle," I retorted, my voice dangerously low. She claimed Mark' s father had terminal cancer, and she was just "helping" fulfill his dying wish to see Mark settled. "You' ll lend me your wife, right? We' re best friends, you wouldn' t mind, would you?" Mark asked, joining us, his tone infuriatingly casual. The sheer audacity, the betrayal, stole my breath. My wife, my best friend. "A few days?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Is that all? I guess his dying wish doesn' t include seeing his grandkids, then. Or do you think he' ll live long enough for you two to pop one out?" The smile vanished from Mark' s face, and Sarah' s eyes widened in horror. The casual charade was over. The real party was just beginning.

His Greed, Her Unwavering Resolve

His Greed, Her Unwavering Resolve

Modern

5.0

I was finally moving on, closing a chapter on five years in an apartment with a view that made you feel on top of the world. My cleaner, Mr. Henderson, a man I' d always treated more than fairly, was the only loose end left to tie up. But when I told him I was leaving, expecting understanding, he demanded his "retirement" from me, then a monthly allowance, and finally, my entire apartment. The audacity was breathtaking; he, a contract cleaner, thought he was entitled to my property. I fired him on the spot, but his malevolent glare on the way out promised this was far from over. Dismissing his threats as the ramblings of a frustrated man, I focused on my move, only for him to return days later, feigning apology with pastries, then attempting to scam me for a fictitious $200 cleaning supply bill. I exposed his lie, paying him the true $20 he grudgingly admitted to, but the look of pure hatred he gave me as I handed back his "peace offering" pastries sent a shiver down my spine. He was a common thief, and my generosity had only fueled his delusion. Then, through a new cleaning service, he appeared again, forcing his way into my home, his eyes greedily scanning my belongings. He tried to steal a bottle of expensive bourbon right in front of me, then threw a rage-filled tantrum, destroying my property as he left. I was left shaking with white-hot rage, certain this man, consumed by entitlement, would not stop until he got what he wanted from me. I tried one last time to hire a professional, reputable cleaning service, explicitly requesting they not send Henderson, but he showed up anyway, smugly demanding a $300 cancellation fee. I confronted him, threatening to call his manager, and watched him crumble, begging me not to, pleading about his family. I called his manager anyway, and Henderson was fired. But then I learned he was actively spreading malicious lies about me in the neighborhood, trying to ruin my reputation. The true scope of his vindictiveness, his desire to destroy me, chilled me to the bone. Then, making a final check of my supposedly empty apartment, I found a stranger asleep in my master bedroom. My apartment, my sanctuary, had been invaded, and the squatter, trembling before me, mumbled about renting from "a guy online." But when I mentioned Henderson, his face went white, confirming my gut feeling: this was another one of his schemes. The police arrived, including an officer, Sarah, who seemed to know Henderson and sided with him, dismissing the break-in as merely a "civil matter," insisting I'd have to formally evict the man. Her smug nod to Henderson as they left, leaving me powerless and violated, made me question everything. Why was she protecting him? That's when it hit me: The "cop" siding with the crook, Kevin's "curiosity" about my finances, the endless pressure from Henderson – it couldn't be a coincidence. I had to dig deeper; this was more than just a landlord-tenant dispute, it felt like a conspiracy, and I sensed Sarah was a critical piece of the puzzle I was determined to solve.

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He Thought I Was A Doormat, Until I Ruined Him

He Thought I Was A Doormat, Until I Ruined Him

SHANA GRAY
4.7

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.

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