A Love Left in Ashes

A Love Left in Ashes

exclusivegmj · Ongoing · 153.7k Words

1k
Hot
1k
Views
303
Added
Add to Shelf
Start Reading
Share:facebooktwitterpinterestwhatsappreddit

Introduction

Aurora Calloway was the wife no one knew existed, trapped in a marriage where love was a distant illusion. But when betrayal cuts too deep, the life she thought she had unravels, forcing her into a battle she never saw coming.

Chapter 1

Aurora's POV

"I don't have a wife."

As though the weight of our vows and the presence of our marriage were nothing more than a gossip to be brushed aside, Cassian's remarks flow naturally from his lips in a smooth, unconcerned tone.

I don't wince. I stay put. I've learnt to remain motionless and invisible. Deep down, though, something breaks—not outwardly or noisily, just a silent, shattering crack in a heart that has been fracturing for two years.

Sharp-eyed and wearing a sleek black dress, the journalist tilts her head slightly. She presses, adjusting the microphone, "Mr. Viero." "Your marriage has been the subject of rumors—"

Cassian's lips form a contemptuous grin that causes rivals to falter and investors to perspire. As he adjusts the sleeves of his fitted suit, he remarks, "Rumors carry as much weight as fiction." "I'm not married to some imaginary wife; I'm married to my work."

The crowd erupts in laughter.

Phantom.

Ghost.

Curling my fingers around the stem of my unopened champagne flute, I take a deep breath. My mask remains in place—a meticulous, honed display of elegant detachment. I ought to be accustomed to this.

This, however, is a new low.

Julian West, the one man in this room who sees too much, laughs quietly next to me. "Brutal," he whispers, pointing to Cassian with his whiskey glass. Despite his humorous tone, there is a severe undertone.

I keep my eyes off of him. "It is merely business." The deception comes easily to me.

Julian spends too much time studying me. With a slightly too-soft voice, he observes, "You're either the most patient woman in the world or the most foolish."

I grin politely at him. "Perhaps both."

The audience parted to make place for Cassian as he strode toward the middle of the ballroom, stepping down from the platform like a king stepping down from his throne. He looks around the room, through me, beyond me, and not a trace of recognition.

The sting shouldn't still be there.

I should give up hope.

However, I do.

And my biggest error was that.

---

Cassian's POV

I sense it as soon as I leave the stage—the change in the atmosphere, the whispers beneath the surface. I don't care, though.

With his trademark smirk, my CFO, Archer Whitmore, murmurs, "Strong statement," as he settles into step next to me.

I hardly give him a look. "That was the reality."

He gives a snort. "Was it?"

I disregard him. I belong to no one in my universe, and perception is power. Even if my father coerced me into marriage, I never had to admit it.

Then someone moves in front of me.

Julian West.

Smug. It's annoying. And overly preoccupied with matters that don't affect him.

Swirling the amber liquid in his glass, he says, "Viero," with ease. "What a statement that was." For a split second, his gaze darts past me.

I stay put.

I don't play games that I don't want to win.

I take a sip of my bourbon and say, "West." "Are you having fun at my event?"

"Very much." Julian's grin widens as he tilts his head. However, I must ask... Who is the woman observing you as if she were debating whether to burn down the entire place if your wife doesn't exist?

Before I can stifle it, a sharp object flickers in my chest. I don't like the way he says it, but I don't make my face readable. As if he perceives something that I do not.

As if he is aware of something I'd rather not acknowledge.

I take a sip of my beverage. "You must be wrong."

Julian shakes his head and laughs. "Maybe." But before he leaves, his eyes stay on the scene a little longer than is required.

And I find that annoying.

---

Aurora's POV

I must breathe.

I leave the ballroom as soon as Cassian's eyes pass me by, as if I were merely a shadow on the edge of his vision. As I enter the balcony, the crisp night air welcomes me, and I clutch the chilly railing, my knuckles whitened.

I removed the mask. Only for a second.

Aurora, take a breath.

It doesn't matter, I tell myself. that when I married him, I was aware of what I was getting into. That long ago, I agreed to the norms of this invisible, quiet life.

However, something feels different tonight.

Something breaks a little more inside of me.

"Aurora."

The voice is silky and deep. Additionally, Cassian does not own it.

I turn to see Julian standing a few steps away, his face impassive as he watches me. Even though his drink is half-empty and his tie is a little loose, the way he looks at me is not casual.

"Julan, what do you want?" With a firm voice, I ask.

He looks at me, then gives me a little, regretful smile and shakes his head. "I could pose the same question to you."

I don't respond. Because, in all honesty, I no longer know.

Julian looks down at the city lights as he rests against the railing. With a calmer tone, he states, "You have two options." "Remind him of your true identity or remain in the background and allow him to erase you entirely."

My heartbeat quickens. "And why are you concerned?"

He pushes a hand through his dark hair and lets out a long laugh. "Because, Aurora." His voice falters a little. "A ghost is helpless. A woman scorned, though? That is an extremely powerful force.

Something else, not dread, sends a chill down my spine.

Something that is perilously near temptation.

I start to reply, but before I can do so, I tense up at the sound of footsteps.

Cassian.

Before I even turn, I am aware of it.

His face is unreadable as he enters the balcony, but his presence is commanding as usual. His gaze darts from Julian to me. "Am I disturbing someone?"

Julian remains still. doesn't turn away. "Not at all. All I was doing was talking to Aurora.

Although Cassian's tone remains neutral, his eyes become more intense. That's intriguing. I had no idea my wife and my rival were talking about anything.

My wife.

The words ought to have some meaning. However, they are completely meaningless in light of what he said tonight.

Julian just grinned. "Verio, there are a lot of things you don't know." Pulling his cuffs straight, he pushes off the railing. "But I guess that's the result of ignoring what's directly in front of you."

Cassian clenches his jaw.

I'm left alone with the one man I shouldn't still want when Julian gives me one more glance before leaving.

We both remain silent for a long time.

Cassian then looks at me, his eyes unreadable. "Avoid getting close to him."

I laughed softly and without humor. "Cassian, are you finally admitting that I exist?"

His jaw tightens, but he remains silent.

He doesn't, of course.

Because only when it suits him does Cassian Viero speak.

And I've finally realized tonight that I need to stop waiting for him to notice me if I want to be seen.

I'll need to get him to see me.

In one way or another.

Last Chapters

You Might Like 😍

The Lycan Prince’s Puppy

The Lycan Prince’s Puppy

1.8m Views · Ongoing · chavontheauthor
“You’re mine, little puppy,” Kylan growled against my neck.
“Soon enough, you’ll be begging for me. And when you do—I’ll use you as I see fit, and then I’ll reject you.”


When Violet Hastings begins her freshman year at Starlight Shifters Academy, she only wants two things—honor her mother’s legacy by becoming a skilled healer for her pack and get through the academy without anyone calling her a freak for her strange eye condition.

Things take a dramatic turn when she discovers that Kylan, the arrogant heir to the Lycan throne who has made her life miserable from the moment they met, is her mate.

Kylan, known for his cold personality and cruel ways, is far from thrilled. He refuses to accept Violet as his mate, yet he doesn’t want to reject her either. Instead, he sees her as his puppy, and is determined to make her life even more of a living hell.

As if dealing with Kylan’s torment isn’t enough, Violet begins to uncover secrets about her past that change everything she thought she knew. Where does she truly come from? What is the secret behind her eyes? And has her whole life been a lie?
Surrendering to Destiny

Surrendering to Destiny

326.4k Views · Completed · Allison Franklin
Catherine is not only a rogue half-breed, she is also the result of mate-bond infidelity, was abandoned as a baby and, to top it off, she can only shift during the full moon. When Catherine left the only pack she'd ever known in order to escape the new alpha, the last thing she expected was to find her mate... let alone for him to be the mouth-watering, heavily tattooed, lead warrior of the most feared lycan pack on the continent.

Graham MacTavish wasn't prepared to find his mate in the small town of Sterling that borders the Blackmoore Packlands. He certainly didn't expect her to be a rogue, half-breed who smelled of Alpha blood. With her multi-colored eyes, there was no stopping him from falling hard the moment their mate bond snapped into place. He would do anything to claim her, protect her and cherish her no matter the cost.

From vengeful ex-lovers, pack politics, species prejudice, hidden plots, magic, kidnapping, poisoning, rogue attacks, and a mountain of secrets including Catherine's true parentage there is no shortage of things trying to tear the two apart.

Despite the hardships, a burning desire and willingness to trust will help forge a strong bond between the two... but no bond is unbreakable. When the secrets kept close to heart are slowly revealed, will the two be able to weather the storm? Or will the gift bestowed upon Catherine by the moon goddess be too insurmountable to overcome?
A pack of their own

A pack of their own

873.4k Views · Completed · dragonsbain22
Being the middle Child ignored and neglected, rejected by family and injured, She receives her wolf early and realizes she is a new type of hybrid but doesn't know how to control her power, she leaves her pack with her best friend and grandmother to go to her grandfather's clan to learn what she is and how to handle her power and then with her fated mate, her best friend and her fated mate little brother and grandmother start their own pack.
Letting Go

Letting Go

355.3k Views · Completed · Becky j
Molly's life was perfect. She was married to her high school sweetheart, surrounded by her friends and family and she was looking forward to the future. But that all ends one tragic night when her whole world is turned upside down.
That fateful night leads to Molly and her best friend Tom holding a secret close to their hearts but keeping this secret could also mean destroying any chance of a new future for Molly.
When Tom's oldest brother Christian meets Molly his dislike for her is instant and he puts little effort into hiding it. The problem is he's attracted to her just as much as he dislikes her and staying away from her starts to become a battle, a battle that he's not sure he can win.
When Molly's secret is revealed and she’s forced to face the pain from her past can she find the strength to stay and work through the pain or will she run away from everything she knows including the one man who gives her hope for a happy future? Hope that she never thought she would feel again.
The Badass Mafia Princess and Family

The Badass Mafia Princess and Family

175.5k Views · Ongoing · Tonje Unosen
Betty have been living a lie for as long as she can remember. She have been abused by her parents her whole life, even though she is a broken and abused girl in her own home. Outside of those four walls she is a force to be reckoned with! She is not afraid to do what she need to stay alive!
The Alpha's Hunt

The Alpha's Hunt

150.5k Views · Ongoing · Ms.M
Every girl at the age of eighteen, if left unmated, is volunteered for the Alphas Hunt. Hazel is no exception and also the only one who sees it not as a chance to find a strong Alpha to take care of her, but rather as a ceremony that strips you of your free will and sends you out into the woods to be hunted like a deer.

If she is claimed she will be his. If she is not, she will return in shame and be shunned from her pack.
Hazel knows the ways of the Alphas, being the daughter of a Beta, but what she doesn't count on is the presence of the Lycan King. The leader of all is participating in his first-ever hunt, and she is his prey.

Warning: This book contains a LOT of mature content such as strong language, explicit sx scenes, physical and mental abuse, BDSM, etc.*
The Alpha King's Human Mate

The Alpha King's Human Mate

463.1k Views · Ongoing · HC Dolores
“You must understand something, little mate,” Griffin said, and his face softened,

“I have waited nine years for you. That’s nearly a decade since I’ve felt this emptiness inside me. Part of me began to wonder if you didn’t exist or you’d already died. And then I found you, right inside my own home.” 

He used one of his hands to stroke my cheek and tingles erupted everywhere. 

“I’ve spent enough time without you and I will not let anything else keep us apart. Not other wolves, not my drunken father who’s barely holding himself together the past twenty years, not your family  – and not even you.”


Clark Bellevue has spent her entire life as the only human in the wolf pack - literally. Eighteen years ago, Clark was the accidental result of a brief affair between one of the most powerful Alphas in the world and a human woman. Despite living with her father and her werewolf half-siblings, Clark has never felt like she really belonged in the werewolf world. But right as Clark plans to leave the werewolf world behind for good, her life gets flipped upside down by her mate: the next Alpha King, Griffin Bardot. Griffin has been waiting years for the chance to meet his mate, and he's not about to let her go anytime soon. It doesn't matter how far Clark tries to run from her destiny or her mate - Griffin intends to keep her, no matter what he has to do or who stands in his way.
The Wolf Prophies

The Wolf Prophies

200.4k Views · Ongoing · Catherine Thompson
Lexi has always been different than others. She is faster, stronger, can see better and heals quickly. And she has an odd birthmark in the shape of a wolf's paw. But she never thought of herself as special. Until she gets close to het twentieth birthday. She notices all of her oddities get stronger. She knows nothing about the super natural world or mates. Until the birthmark starts to burn. Suddenly she finds herself involved with werewolves that think she is the prophesied one that is supposed to unite the packs against a vampire that wants her dead. She has to learn how to handle her new powers as well as not one but two mates. One wanted to reject her because he thought she was human. The other accepts her completely. The prophecy says she has to have both. Wha twill she do. Will she accept both or reject one and hope for a second chance mate? Will she be able to handle shifting and her powers before it is too late?
From Substitute To Queen

From Substitute To Queen

154.3k Views · Completed · Hannah Moore
For three years, Sable loved Alpha Darrell with everything she had, spending her salary to support their household while being called an orphan and gold-digger. But just as Darrell was about to mark her as his Luna, his ex-girlfriend returned, texting: "I'm not wearing underwear. My plane lands soon—pick me up and fuck me immediately."

Heartbroken, Sable discovered Darrell having sex with his ex in their bed, while secretly transferring hundreds of thousands to support that woman.

Even worse was overhearing Darrell laugh to his friends: "She's useful—obedient, doesn't cause trouble, handles housework, and I can fuck her whenever I need relief. She's basically a live-in maid with benefits." He made crude thrusting gestures, sending his friends into laughter.

In despair, Sable left, reclaimed her true identity, and married her childhood neighbor—Lycan King Caelan, nine years her senior and her fated mate. Now Darrell desperately tries to win her back. How will her revenge unfold?

From substitute to queen—her revenge has just begun!
I Am His Wolfless Luna

I Am His Wolfless Luna

305.3k Views · Completed · Heidi Judith
Ethan's fingers kept rubbing back and forth on my clitoris, while his penis kept jumping inside my body. Every joint on my body is sore and screaming for the next orgasm. All too quickly, I feel that electric tension winding tighter, a mounting pressure that threatens to shatter me. My hips lift involuntarily, urging him to continue his exploration, silently pleading for the release I’m so close to tasting.

Ethan also kept emitting deep roars in my ear, 'Damn... I'm going to cum... !!!' His impact became more intense and our bodies kept making slapping sounds.

"Please!! Ethan!!"


As the strongest female warrior in my pack, I was betrayed by those I trusted most, my sister and my best friend. I was drugged, raped, and banished from my family and my pack. I lost my wolf, my honor, and became an outcast—carrying a child I never asked for.

Six years of hard-won survival turned me into a professional fighter, fueled by rage and grief. A summons arrives from the formidable Alpha heir, Ethan, asking me to return as a wolfless combat instructor for the very pack that once banished me.

I thought I could ignore their whispers and stares, but when I see Ethan's emerald-green eyes—the same as my son’s—my world tilts.
Healing His Broken Luna....

Healing His Broken Luna....

94.8k Views · Completed · Jcsn 168
Do you believe in Myths? Just when she thinks it can't get any worse, it does. Lucy lost everything four years ago in a rogue attack. She's been abused, starved, rejected, and broken. As her eighteenth birthday approaches, strange things start to happen, things that only happen once every century. She finds friendship in the most unlikely place and escapes to find her true self with the help of the most dangerous Alpha. Warning: This werewolf trilogy is not intended for anyone under the age of 18 or anyone who doesn't enjoy a good spanking. It will take you on adventures around the world, make you laugh, fall in love, crush your heart and possibly leave you drooling.