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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.

Romance Crime Revenge Pregnancy Enemies to Lovers Pregnancy Personal Growth

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In a dimly-lit hotel room...

Rena Gordon passionately kissed the handsome stranger.

Earlier tonight, her ex-boyfriend, Harold Moore, announced his engagement—with another woman. Rena was so devastated that she got drunk at a bar. Under the influence of alcohol and the strange man's charm, she somehow ended up here.

Now that Harold was marrying a rich girl regardless of his four-year relationship with her, then she could also indulge herself a little, right?

Just as the man was pulling her clothes off, Rena leaned on the man's shoulder and forgot herself, murmuring, "Harold!"

The man stopped abruptly, and the lust in the atmosphere instantly dissipated.

The next second, the lights were flicked on.

The bright light made her squint, but when her eyes finally adjusted to the light, she saw the man's face clearly.

It was Waylen Fowler—the most sought-after lawyer across the country. He was very famous in law circles, and he was an elite with countless assets.

But most importantly, he was the future brother-in-law of Harold, who had just betrayed her.

Rena sobered up instantly.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She almost had sex with the brother of her very rival in love!

Waylen also pulled away from her.

Leaning against the wall, he lit a cigarette. After taking a long drag, he looked her up and down and said playfully, "Very interesting, Miss Gordon."

He flicked the ash off his cigarette and asked with a faint smile, "What were you thinking about just now when you kissed me? Did you want to have sex with me to make Harold jealous?"

Obviously, Waylen also recognized her now.

Rena couldn't pretend that she didn't know this man.

After all, Waylen was famous. She just didn't recognize him earlier because of the alcohol.

She knew that she couldn't afford to offend such a big shot, so she lowered her head and apologized meekly. "I'm sorry, Mr. Fowler. I drank too much."

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