
Sleeping With Secrets
Ekridah Éster · Ongoing · 108.7k Words
Introduction
Born into filth and abuse, Valencia Raine is nothing, and she has nothing except a burning hunger to disappear. She would do anything to escape the life she knows and be reborn into wealth and fortune.
So, when a dark offer comes her way, a million dollars on the line, she has to bury her morals so she can bury her past.
In a new city, with a bank account full of money, she is reborn as the untouchable Kendall McCarthy. At the top of the social ladder, with connections Valencia could only dream of, Kendall makes her dreams come true.
No one will ever know she was once a muddied and blood-splattered girl, picked up from an alley.
Except Lucien Sinclair.
The danger surrounding the man is far greater than she'd ever planned for.
Not only is he wealthy and powerful, he's also her best friend's father and a man who'd seen her when she was still Valencia.
Expecting him to remember and expose her as the fraud she was, Kendall is surprised to be welcomed into his family instead.
Lacking love and warmth for most of her life, her admiration for Lucien turns into a raging crush, and eventually the scandalous obsession becomes mutual, turning into a sizzling affair.
But Lucien hates liars.
And now, Kendall's past is catching up to her. Worse, the man who gave her this second life is Lucien’s deadliest enemy, and he wants her back enough to use blackmail.
With every lie unraveling, Kendall must face the truth:
The past doesn’t stay buried.
And love can’t save you when you're sleeping with secrets.
Chapter 1
“A million dollars. Just one night.”
Every word dripped with temptation, slithering into her mind and withering her every moral until all she could think about was the money.
She needed it.
She’d finally run away. After sixteen years of enduring abuse at the hands of her drug-addicted parents, Valencia Raine finally gathered the courage to flee.
They’d always tainted her life like a stain on a white shirt, making her ashamed of them wherever she went. There had been no escape for her. At school, she’d been an outsider, unable to make friends because everyone knew how messed up her family was. It didn’t matter to them that she was the smartest in class; that just made her more of a freak, apparently. When she tried to get part-time jobs, it was either her parents showing up to make a scene or the loan sharks they’d borrowed money from showing up to harass her. Every dollar she saved was taken from her, leaving her helpless.
Last night had been the final straw. The house, already cold because of all the broken windows, had been raided by thugs. Valencia had been dragged out of bed by the collectors.
Screams and gunshots had filled her ears as she was dragged through the dark. When she’d been brought to the living room, she’d been pushed to her knees in front of her parents, who, bleeding and bruised, had avoided her gaze.
“I told you, didn’t I?” the man sitting on the sofa had said. “Give me my fucking money. Or I’ll have your daughter tricking more than a circus clown.”
The combined effect of being jolted awake and having a gun pointed to her head had given her shivers, making her entire body tremble with suppressed panic.
With wide and desperate eyes, she stared at her parents, waiting for them to do something, to save her.
With a crooked smile, her father had looked at the loan shark. “R-right. Man, w-we’ll trade her,” he’d desperately offered, twitching feverishly.
Valencia had gone cold.
“Oh, yeah?” the collector had said, his eyes glimmering. “You think this little bitch is worth all the drugs and money you motherfuckers took?”
“She can be!” her mother had said, clinging to her husband. “Th-think about it. She’s sixteen, they’ll feast on her! If you keep her working f-for you for a few years, she could make you twice as much money!”
The collector had slowly turned his gaze over to Valencia, then, meeting her gaze.
A pale, gaunt face was what he saw. Her haunted green eyes stared at him, not a sound coming out of her mouth as tears streamed down her face.
He saw the fresh and old bruises on her body, and it was obvious to him. She had no value. Her parents would probably give her out for half a line of coke. He’d scoffed.
“Take her.”
A terrified whimper had left Valencia’s mouth, her face twisting with fear as hands grabbed her, tugging her to her feet.
“N-no, wait…” she’d cried.
“Shh!” her mother had hissed. “Just do it, or we’ll die. What’s the big deal about sex?!”
“Please!” Valencia started screaming then, digging her heels into the carpet. “Take the money! They have money!”
“Wait.” The collector raised a hand.
The thugs paused.
Breathlessly, she broke out of their grips and scrambled against the wall.
“Money?” the collector tilted his head, turning to stare at her parents. “Money?”
Bucky and Didi were clutching each other, desperately avoiding the man’s eyes as they glared at their daughter.
“Ahaha, she’s just a stupid little bitch, don’t listen to her!” her father had hissed, saliva spraying past his cracked lips as his bloodshot eyes glared at Valencia.
“This morning, they robbed a convenience store a few streets away,” Valencia said shakily. “There’s a loose brick behind the bathroom sink, they put the cash in there.”
“Shut the fuck up!” Didi screamed, jumping up to leap at her daughter, but was held back by one of the thugs, who shoved her to her knees.
The collector looked at one of his men and nodded. The man rushed off to the bathroom.
Once they’d found the money, the situation de-escalated. It wasn’t even close to paying the magnitude of debt the two had, but it was enough to let them live another night.
The killers slowly filed out of the house, and, trailing behind, the collector had stared at Valencia for a long time. With a lopsided smile, he’d then walked to the door. “Next time, kid.”
She’d been trembling violently when he’d left, the promise of those last three words leaving her cold. She knew what he meant. Next time, there wouldn’t be a secret stash of cash to save her. Next time, he would be leaving with her as payment. It was only a matter of time before she fell into his hands.
Bile rose up her throat, but before she could even calm herself down, a stream of curses shattered the silence, and a heavy fist slammed into her nose.
Blood sprayed out as she crashed onto the floor. They weren’t done.
“I’ll kill you!” her father raged, beating any part of her his fists could reach.
Valencia covered her face with her arms as she usually did, quietly crying as she was beaten.
Behind him, she could hear her mother cheering him on, begging him to kill her.
Pain exploded throughout her body, making her dip briefly into unconsciousness. The blows came endlessly, Valencia thought she would die.
“We gotta go!” Bucky was hissing, making his wife jump up and start grabbing their few things. While she was packing, he started pacing, throwing up random things as he searched for something. “I’m gonna teach this brat a lesson,” he growled. “Didi! Where’s the fucking wrench?!”
“I don’t know!” Didi yelled back, grabbing her needles so they could run. If the dealers came back, they were dead.
When Valencia’s eyes briefly opened, her blurry vision only allowed her to see for long enough to understand what her father was doing. He was looking for a weapon to finally kill her. She knew he was high, he would probably do it.
When he swore and disappeared into the bathroom, Valencia pushed herself onto her knees. If she stayed here any longer, she would die.
She started crawling, pushing herself toward the door. The stench of urine and smoke clung to the peeling wallpaper like mould. She tasted blood and rot. Her blood.
“Where’s the fucking gun?” Bucky was muttering in the bathroom. “Didi?!”
“I don’t know!” she screeched back from the bedroom.
Gritting her teeth against the pain exploding through her body, Valencia grabbed the wall and pulled herself to her feet, limping toward the door.
She was dizzy, her vision was blurry and every inch of her hurt, but somehow she got outside.
“Where the fuck did she go?” she heard her father growling inside the house.
Desperation fuelled her steps, and she pushed herself to run, feeling every sharp prickle of the gravel beneath her bare feet as she limped through the dark night.
She wanted to sniffle but knew it was better to let the blood out than take it back in where it could clot. The cold air iced the tears she cried, drying them on her face. She didn’t know where she was going, she just knew that she had to get away. She had to escape, not just her parents, not just this house, or this town, but her life. She had to escape Valencia Raine and all the curses that came with being her. What was the point of being such a pathetic girl? A girl so unloved and without value? Someone they could throw away like a broken crack pipe or toss around like an old shoe. It was a worthless life to live.
So, what else could she do? What could she do when she was being offered the deal of a lifetime? Or rather, of a brand new life?
Last Chapters
You Might Like 😍
The mafia princess return
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother
"What is wrong with me?
Why does being near him make my skin feel too tight, like I’m wearing a sweater two sizes too small?
It’s just newness, I tell myself firmly.
He’s my boyfirend’s brother.
This is Tyler’s family.
I’m not going to let one cold stare undo that.
**
As a ballet dancer, My life looks perfect—scholarship, starring role, sweet boyfriend Tyler. Until Tyler shows his true colors and his older brother, Asher, comes home.
Asher is a Navy veteran with battle scars and zero patience. He calls me "princess" like it's an insult. I can't stand him.
When My ankle injury forces her to recover at the family lake house, I‘m stuck with both brothers. What starts as mutual hatred slowly turns into something forbidden.
I'm falling for my boyfriend's brother.
**
I hate girls like her.
Entitled.
Delicate.
And still—
Still.
The image of her standing in the doorway, clutching her cardigan tighter around her narrow shoulders, trying to smile through the awkwardness, won’t leave me.
Neither does the memory of Tyler. Leaving her here without a second thought.
I shouldn’t care.
I don’t care.
It’s not my problem if Tyler’s an idiot.
It’s not my business if some spoiled little princess has to walk home in the dark.
I’m not here to rescue anyone.
Especially not her.
Especially not someone like her.
She’s not my problem.
And I’ll make damn sure she never becomes one.
But when my eyes fell on her lips, I wanted her to be mine.
Alpha Of Glass And Gold
Four years later, Levi Kingston, the ruthless Alpha who traded his pack for power and built an empire in glass and gold, returns with a proposition that reopens every wound she buried.
A ninety-day marriage contract.
His terms: protect her twins from the enemies his rise created.
Her condition: never fall for him again.
She’s human, or at least that’s what she tells the world. He’s the heir to the city’s hidden packs, a man forged in dominance and secrets. Between them lies a history of rejection, desire, and a bond that refused to die even when they did.
In a world where loyalty is currency and love is leverage, Aurora must decide whether to guard her heart or the truth that could bring Levi Kingston’s entire empire to its knees. proposition that reopens every wound she buried.
Alpha, Billionaire, Strong FL, Fated Mates, Rejected Mates, Secret babies, Twins, A Marriage of Convenience,
To protect what’s mine
Bound by the Dragon Mafia
The head chef looked like he was silently praying for death.
I rushed forward. “Amara. Stop traumatizing these poor people.”
She spun around, delighted. “Sera! Good, you’re here. Taste this. It’s missing despair.”
The chef’s face morphed into existential crisis.
I grabbed her arm. “Put the spatula down.”
“But—”
“Down.”
With exaggerated offense, she dropped the spatula and muttered, “Fine. But if no one here has artistic vision, that’s not my fault.”
She went undercover to expose a mafia empire.
He offered her thirty nights to save her life.
When investigative journalist Seraphine Vale steps into the glittering underworld ruled by billionaire crime lord Dante Vescari, she thinks she’s chasing a story about missing women and corruption.
Instead, she uncovers a secret older than blood—an empire built on fire, sin, and dragons.
Bound to Dante by a forbidden pact, Seraphine finds herself caught between fear and desire, truth and temptation.
Each night pulls her deeper into his world of power, passion, and danger…
and closer to the monster hiding beneath his perfect skin.
Thirty nights. One bond.
And a love that might just burn the world to ash.
Soulbound Mark
Elena is a witch who adores flowers and plants, possessing a gentle kind of magic that is tied to nature. She leads a quiet life with her family—until one day, the peace is shattered. After a ruthless vampire kills her parents to obtain their magic, she barely escapes and is forced to go into hiding.
From that moment on, she lives in constant fear and does all she can to avoid vampires, afraid that her past may catch up with her one day.
However, Elena can’t escape her fate, and it leads her straight into the arms of yet another vampire. Their encounter throws her life into disarray—not only is Ryder her enemy, but he is also her destined soulmate.
The Missing Mafia Princess and her CEO Mafia Don
The Spy Who Left
"I still can't believe she actually did it. Aria Hart, filing for divorce. Who saw that coming?"
"How long do we think it'll take before she comes crawling back?" Another voice joins the conversation.
"Three days," Victoria declares. "Five at most. She has no money, no skills, no family. Where's she going to go?"
When Aria Chen divorced billionaire Leon Hart, New York's elite sneered, betting she'd crawl back within days. She never did.
Three years later, the world is rocked when Dr. Aria Vale, CEO of a revolutionary cybersecurity empire, steps into the spotlight. The mysterious genius who built a billion-dollar company from nothing is none other than Leon's discarded wife, the woman everyone thought was just a pretty ornament.
Now, every powerful man wants the queen Leon threw away a renowned scientist seeking partnership, a financial titan proposing an empire, and an actor offering devotion. Each sees the brilliance Leon ignored.
Then Leon discovers the truth: Aria's sacrifices, her secret double life, and the daughter she's been raising without him. For the first time, the man who once took her for granted must fight for her love. But can he compete with men who valued her from the beginning?
A story of love, betrayal, and power where the king must kneel before the queen who never needed saving.
The Hunter and The Hunted
Mihai’s hand slowly slides up my stomach, his fingers wrapping around my neck as he cuts of my ability to breathe, black spots clouding my vision, and yet, I am not afraid. I want more. I want everything that he can give to me.
He slowly inserts a third finger, the intense fullness that I feel teetering me over the edge of a cliff I cannot even see, and then he sucks and pulls at my clit. Sparks erupt throughout my body, the orgasm shaking my soul, and destroying what was left of my resistance.
She was the Daughter of a Hunter, he was one of the creatures that her family had sworn to destroy, what could possibly go wrong?
When their worlds collide, who will be left standing, will it be the hunter or the hunted, and which is which?
The Unwritten Princess
My name is Mia, and everything I touch is dying.
The flowers beneath my mother's window turned black overnight. The herbs I gathered at dawn rotted in my hands. When the court wizard finally told me the truth—that someone cursed me, that my presence would kill everyone I love—I realized the prophecy everyone believed was never meant to save the kingdom. It was meant to destroy me.
So I ran. Not to fulfill some destiny, but to survive it.
Now I'm traveling with a hunter who lost his companions to the same curse I carry, chasing fragments of a prophecy the Fae sing differently. An elf took a baby from the palace the night I was born. And somewhere between the lies I've been told and the truth I'm hunting, I'm starting to suspect: What if I'm not the princess from the prophecy at all?
Game of Destiny
When Finlay finds her, she is living among humans. He is smitten by the stubborn wolf that refuse to acknowledge his existence. She may not be his mate, but he wants her to be a part of his pack, latent wolf or not.
Amie cant resist the Alpha that comes into her life and drags her back into pack life. Not only does she find herself happier than she has been in a long time, her wolf finally comes to her. Finlay isn't her mate, but he becomes her best friend. Together with the other top wolves in the pack, they work to create the best and strongest pack.
When it's time for the pack games, the event that decides the packs rank for the coming ten year, Amie needs to face her old pack. When she sees the man that rejected her for the first time in ten years, everything she thought she knew is turned around. Amie and Finlay need to adapt to the new reality and find a way forward for their pack. But will the curve ball split them apart?












