紹介
チャプター 1
CHAPTER ONE
Olivia Glass had exactly five and a half minutes to manage an unexpected disaster.
It was seven-thirty p.m. on a Thursday night, and she was in the back of an Uber, on the way to meet her boyfriend, Matthew, for dinner at one of Chicago’s hottest new restaurants. He’d been out of town all week and had messaged her that morning with the invite.
Now she had discovered a massive rip in her pantyhose, just above the knee.
Olivia stared in horror.
The hole in the black nylon was enormous. It was at least two inches across, and was starting to run up her leg.
She had no idea when this could have happened. The pantyhose had been perfect this morning when she’d put them on. Since seven a.m. she’d been in her office at JCreative, the advertising agency where she worked as an account manager, spending most of the day in meetings and teleconferences.
After receiving the surprise invite to the trendy Villa 49 from Matt, she’d realized that she wouldn’t have time to go home and change, and had rushed to the shops during the only free half-hour she had. Panicking because she was running out of time, she’d grabbed something off the rack that was shorter and clingier than she usually wore.
Back at the office, buyer’s remorse had descended, and she’d started to wonder if the dress wasn’t too daring for a thirty-four-year-old woman to wear.
“Age is but a number,” she’d told herself bravely. So what if the dress had been designed for an eighteen-year-old? Although she was a little heavier now, it wasn’t as if she’d been a stranger to the gym since then.
As soon as her boss, James Clark, the owner of JCreative, had left the building, Olivia had changed in the restroom at work. She’d run her fingers through her shoulder-length blonde hair, refreshed her lipstick, sprayed on some perfume, and rushed downstairs to meet her ride.
She hadn’t realized until she saw the damaged pantyhose how pale her legs were. Even though it was the middle of June, she’d been working so hard they hadn’t had a chance to see any summer sun. Through the rip, which Olivia now estimated was about the size of a dinner plate, her skin was blindingly white.
Matt would notice, Olivia knew for sure. He would spot the rip immediately. He was very detail-oriented, which was what made him a highly successful and wealthy investment fund manager. Even though they’d been together for four years, Olivia always tried to look her best for him and make him proud. Her pantyhose disaster would be a publicly embarrassing moment for both of them; the stuff of nightmares.
She had difficult things to confess to Matt during this meal. A wardrobe malfunction would complicate the situation.
For a moment, she considered taking her pantyhose off and arriving bare-legged. She could wriggle out of them in the back of the Uber, and hope that the driver didn’t realize what was happening and give her a one-star rating for using his vehicle as a change room.
She shook her head. Pantyhose removal was not an option. Her legs were positively blue-white, and she already felt self-conscious that this dress was shorter than her usual attire. She needed all the help the black nylon hose could give her.
Briefly, Olivia considered ripping an identical hole in the other leg, before deciding that this was impractical. There was no guarantee it would tear the same way, and in any case, she couldn’t carry it off. She didn’t even feel comfortable wearing ripped jeans.
What to do? The hole was roughly the size of a small car, her destination was now three minutes away, and she had no solutions to her crisis whatsoever.
Then Olivia saw her salvation ahead.
Beyond the next intersection she spotted the signboard for a lingerie and hosiery boutique that looked to be open.
She would ask the driver to drop her there, rush inside, change into a new pair as fast as she could, and call another Uber to take her the rest of the way. She’d be a few minutes late, but at least she’d arrive with a full and undamaged set of clothing.
“Could you please—” Olivia began.
Then her cell phone rang.
Reflexively, she grabbed the call and found herself speaking with James.
“Olivia. Are you still in the office?”
“I’ve just left. Is it urgent? I can check my email immediately.”
Olivia found herself sitting straighter, and she could hear the bright, brisk, professional tone that she instinctively adopted when conversing with her boss.
“Not urgent, but important. We need to meet first thing tomorrow. In the meantime I’ve had some more great feedback on the Valley Wines campaign.”
Olivia felt her heart sink as the Uber accelerated past the boutique. Her only chance had gone. Now they were heading into West Loop, the area characterized by its juxtaposition of old and new—low brick buildings and glass-clad skyscrapers, fine restaurants lining the streets, and a notable absence of any underwear stores.
She was going to arrive at Villa 49 in precisely two minutes with a hole in her pantyhose the size of the International Space Station, and there was nothing she could do about it.
“I’m glad the campaign’s going well,” she said.
“I’ll be sending you an email later, with details about your bonus. You’re going to do extremely well out of this.”
The cab swerved to pass a bus, and Olivia’s purse tipped onto its side. The contents fell out and scattered over the seat.
“You know who Des Whiteley is?” James continued.
“I think I’ve seen him copied on emails,” Olivia said, making a desperate grab for her perfume atomizer as the cab zigzagged again.
“He’s the CEO. The chief executive officer.”
“Of Valley Wines?” she asked.
“No, no. Of their holding company, Kansas Foods. He asked me to pass on his personal congratulations to you. Sales are through the roof.”
“That’s amazing.” Olivia stretched over to reach her wallet, her lipstick, and a rogue Kleenex.
Her eyeshadow, the small compact she always carried with her, was under the Kleenex.
The color was Shimmering Charcoal.
It gave Olivia an idea.
She opened the box and rubbed her finger over the eyeshadow. Then she rubbed it over her exposed leg.
Success. Shimmering Charcoal turned her skin pantyhose-colored. It camouflaged the damage so that it was almost undetectable.
“I told him that your approach to this campaign epitomized our company’s values,” James continued. “Methodical and organized.”
“Organized,” Olivia repeated, scooping up another finger full of eyeshadow.
“Creatively disciplined and results-oriented.”
“Results-oriented,” Olivia echoed in agreement, rubbing the charcoal powder into the gap.
“Planning for every eventuality,” James said.
“Absolutely. Planning.”
She should color in a wider area, Olivia decided, as the pantyhose might shift when she walked, or the run might travel higher. Carefully, she eased her finger under the nylon.
“We’ll speak tomorrow. I’ll be in the office at seven a.m., so let’s start then. We’ll need at least two hours set aside. We’ll have a short one-on-one briefing, and then a group meeting in the boardroom.”
What could it be about? Olivia wondered.
“I’ll see you there,” she said, and he disconnected.
Olivia closed the compact and put it back in her bag.
The success of the campaign had surprised everyone, herself included. As the only woman on the senior executive team, despite her years of hard work, she’d been used to applauding while others’ achievements were lauded. She’d never thought it would be her turn to head up a runaway success. In a way, this campaign had felt a lot like camouflaging the damage to her pantyhose.
She felt as if she’d gotten lucky while winging it, and didn’t really deserve it, or even want it at all.
“You said something?” The Uber driver interrupted her thoughts, glancing back at her. “You were going to ask me a question, then your phone rang.”
“Oh. No, it’s all right now. I thought I needed to stop earlier, but it turns out I didn’t.”
He nodded. “You mentioned Valley Wines. You work for them?”
“Not directly,” Olivia said. “I work for an agency that handles their account.”
“Are they any good? My wife likes one of the California brands. I can never remember the name, but it’s got a pretty label. We haven’t been able to find it recently so I told her she should try another.”
Olivia felt a stab of guilt. Shelf space was limited, and the gains made by Valley Wines meant other brands had lost out.
For a moment, she considered giving a standard response that the wines were great, and his wife must definitely try them. Then she decided not to. After all, she and the Uber driver were strangers, and it was always easier to be honest with strangers.
“My personal opinion?” she said. “Don’t touch Valley Wines. They’re horrible, cheaply made, and not worth the money.”
They had arrived. The cab stopped outside Villa 49.
“Thanks for the advice,” the driver said. “We’ll look for a different wine.”
“You’re welcome. Thank you for the ride.” Olivia climbed out.
With her wardrobe disaster under control, it was time to think about what she wanted to say to Matt.
“I’m sure this will come as a shock to you, but I’m really unhappy.”
That was going to be her starting point.
Mulling over what she should say next, Olivia walked into the restaurant.
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令嬢は離婚を機に大富豪への道を歩む
「瀬央千弥、離婚して」
周りの連中はこぞって彼女を嘲笑った。あの瀬央様がいなくなったら、御影星奈は惨めな人生を送るに決まっていると。
ところが実際は――
財閥の名家がこぞって彼女を賓客として招き入れ、トップ俳優や女優が熱狂的なファンに。さらに四人の、並々ならぬ経歴を持つ兄弟子たちまで現れて……。
実家の御影家は後悔し、養女を追い出してまで彼女を迎え入れようとする。
そして元夫も、悔恨の表情で彼女を見つめ、「許してくれ」と懇願してきた。
御影星奈は少し眉を上げ、冷笑いを浮かべて言った。
「今の私に、あなたたちが手が届くと思う?」
――もう、私とあなたたちは釣り合わないのよ!
離婚後、奥さんのマスクが外れた
彼は言った。「彼女が戻ってきた。離婚しよう。君が欲しいものは何でもあげる。」
結婚して2年後、彼女はもはや彼が自分を愛していない現実を無視できなくなり、過去の関係が感情的な苦痛を引き起こすと、現在の関係に影響を与えることが明らかになった。
山本希は口論を避け、このカップルを祝福することを選び、自分の条件を提示した。
「あなたの最も高価な限定版スポーツカーが欲しい。」
「いいよ。」
「郊外の別荘も。」
「わかった。」
「結婚してからの2年間に得た数十億ドルを分け合うこと。」
「?」
裏切られた後に億万長者に甘やかされて
エミリーと億万長者の夫との結婚は契約結婚だった。彼女は努力して夫の愛を勝ち取りたいと願っていた。しかし、夫が妊婦を連れて現れた時、彼女は絶望した。家を追い出された後、路頭に迷うエミリーを謎の億万長者が拾い上げた。彼は一体誰なのか?なぜエミリーのことを知っていたのか?そしてさらに重要なことに、エミリーは妊娠していた。
君と重ねた季節
彼の心の中で、彼女は卑劣で恥知らずな、愛を奪った女でしかなかった。彼は自らの最も冷酷無情な一面を彼女にだけ向け、骨の髄まで憎む一方で、心に秘めた女性にはありったけの優しさを注いでいた。
それでもなお、彼女は十年間、ただ耐え忍びながら彼を愛し続けた。やがて彼女は疲れ果て、すべてを諦めようとした。だが、その時になって彼は焦りを覚える……。
彼女が彼の子をその身に宿しながら、命の危機に瀕した時、彼はようやく気づくのだ。自らの命に代えてでも守りたいと願う女性が、ずっと彼女であったことに。
離婚後、ママと子供が世界中で大活躍
本来の花嫁である義理の妹の身代わりとして。
2年間、彼の人生で最も暗い時期に寄り添い続けた。
しかし――
妹の帰還により、彼らの結婚生活は揺らぎ始める。
共に過ごした日々は、妹の存在の前では何の意味も持たないのか。
離婚後つわり、社長の元夫が大変慌てた
彼女は心を殺して、署名した。
彼が初恋の相手と入籍した日、彼女は交通事故に遭い、お腹の双子の心臓は止まってしまった。
それから彼女は全ての連絡先を変え、彼の世界から完全に姿を消した。
後に噂で聞いた。彼は新婚の妻を置き去りにし、たった一人の女性を世界中で探し続けているという。
再会の日、彼は彼女を車に押し込み、跪いてこう言った。
「もう一度だけ、チャンスをください」
サヨナラ、私の完璧な家族
癌だと診断され、私が意識を失っている間に、あの人たちは私を置き去りにして、あの女とお祝いのパーティーを開いていた。
夫が、あんなに優しげな表情をするのを、私は見たことがなかった。双子が、あんなにお行儀よく振る舞うのも。――まるで、彼らこそが本物の家族で、私はただその幸せを眺める部外者のようだった。
その瞬間、私は、自分の野心を捨てて結婚と母性を選択したことを、心の底から後悔した。
だから、私は離婚届を置いて、自分の研究室に戻った。
数ヶ月後、私の画期的な研究成果が、ニュースの見出しを飾った。
夫と子供たちが、自分たちが何を失ったのかに気づいたのは、その時だった。
「俺が間違っていた――君なしでは生きていけないんだ。どうか、もう一度だけチャンスをくれないか!」夫は、そう言って私に懇願した。
「ママー、僕たちが馬鹿だったよ――ママこそが僕たちの本当の家族なんだ。お願い、許して!」双子は、そう言って泣き叫んだ。
離婚当日、元夫の叔父に市役所に連れて行かれた
令嬢の私、婚約破棄からやり直します
婚約まで二年、そして結婚まで更に二年を費やした。
だが長谷川冬馬の心の中で、彼女は幼馴染の市川美咲には永遠に及ばない存在だった。
結婚式の当日、誘拐された彼女は犯される中、長谷川冬馬と市川美咲が愛を誓い合い結婚したという知らせを受け取った。
三日三晩の拷問の末、彼女の遺体は海水で腐敗していた。
そして婚約式の日に転生した彼女は、幼馴染の自傷行為に駆けつけた長谷川冬馬に一人で式に向かわされ——今度は違った。北野紗良は自分を貶めることはしない。衆人の前で婚約破棄を宣言し、爆弾発言を放った。「長谷川冬馬は性的不能です」と。
都は騒然となった。かつて彼女を見下していた長谷川冬馬は、彼女を壁に追い詰め、こう言い放った。
「北野紗良、駆け引きは止めろ」
転生して、家族全員に跪いて懺悔させる
婚約者にも妹にも裏切られた私。
さらに悲惨なことに、二人は私の手足を切り落とし、舌を抜き、目の前で体を重ね、そして私を残酷に殺したのです!
骨の髄まで憎い...
しかし幸いなことに、運命の糸が絡み合い、私は蘇ったのです!
二度目の人生、今度は自分のために生き、芸能界の女王になってみせる!
復讐を果たす!
かつて私をいじめ、傷つけた者たちには、十倍の報いを受けさせてやる...
捨てられた妻
自己発見の旅は、彼女をパリという活気溢れる街へと導いた。偶然の出会いを重ねるうちに、カリスマ的で自由奔放なアーティストと親しくなり、その人物は彼女が今まで知らなかった情熱と芸術と解放の世界へと導いてくれる存在となった。
物語は、臆病で見捨てられた妻から、自信に満ちた独立した女性への彼女の変貌を美しく描き出す。指導を受けながら、ロクサーヌは自身の芸術的才能を発見し、キャンバスを通じて感情や願望を表現することに心の安らぎを見出していく。
しかし、彼女の変貌の噂がロンドン社交界に届き、過去が彼女を追いかけてくる。ルシアンは自分の過ちの重大さに気付き、離れていった妻を取り戻すための旅に出る。物語は、捨て去った過去の生活と、今や大切なものとなった新しい自由の間で揺れ動く彼女の姿を予想外の展開で描いていく。
三年続いた結婚生活は離婚で幕を閉じる。街中の人々は、裕福な家の捨てられた妻と彼女を嘲笑った。六年後、彼女は双子を連れて帰国する。今度は人生を新たにし、世界的に有名な天才医師となっていた。数え切れないほどの男性たちが彼女に求婚するようになるが、ある日、娘が「パパが三日間ずっと膝をついて、ママと復縁したいってお願いしているの」と告げる。













