While I Was Bleeding Out, He Lit Lanterns For Her

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.

Romance Crime Revenge Pregnancy Enemies to Lovers Pregnancy Personal Growth

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Chapter 1

Lyra's POV

I woke up with the dawn, feeling a surge of energy and determination. I had a long day ahead of me, and I was ready to tackle it head-on. First things first, I needed to get cleaned up. I headed to the bathroom, the cool water refreshing my skin as I washed away the sleep. After my bath, I made my way to the training grounds. The familiar scent of sweat and earth greeted me as I arrived. I was no stranger here; in fact, I was a regular. The pack warriors knew me, and they knew not to go easy on me. I was the alpha's daughter, after all, and I had a reputation to uphold.

As I began to warm up, a few of the pack warriors approached me. "Hey, Lyra! Ready to get your butt kicked?" one of them joked.

I rolled my eyes good-naturedly. "Bring it on, Liam. I'm not going down without a fight."

Liam, a tall, muscular warrior with a mischievous grin, chuckled. "We'll see about that."

We sparred for a while, our movements swift and precise. I was determined to prove myself, to show them that I was more than just the alpha's daughter. After a few rounds, another warrior, a quiet, brooding man named Thane, approached us. "Lyra, can I have a word with you?"

I nodded, curious. "What's up, Thane?"

Thane hesitated, his eyes scanning the surrounding area before focusing on me. "I'm still sad about what happened at the mate ceremony. I was really hoping you'd find your mate."

My heart ached at the mention of the ceremony. I had been hoping to find my mate too, but it hadn't happened. "Yeah, me too," I admitted. "But it's not the end of the world. I'll find my mate when the time is right."

Liam nodded in agreement. "You will, Lyra. And when you do, we'll be here to support you."

I smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards my fellow warriors. "Thanks, guys. That means everything to me."

Thane spoke up again. "We were all rooting for you, Lyra. We wanted to see you happy."

I felt a lump form in my throat at their kind words. "I appreciate that, Thane. It means a lot to me."

We continued to spar and train, our movements fluid and synchronized. I felt alive, connected to my pack and my purpose. As the morning wore on, I knew I had to wrap it up. I had to get back to the pack house, clean up again, and change into fresh clothes. I couldn't show up to the rest of my day looking like I just rolled out of the training grounds.

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