

The night before high school graduation, Ethan Luciano pulled me into his bedroom. His hands were rough, his touch demanding, yet my heart overflowed with a decade's worth of unspoken longing. I'd loved Ethan for ten years, and finally, it seemed my silent wishes had come true. Afterwards, as we lay tangled in his sheets, he whispered that he'd marry me after graduation. Once he took over the Luciano family's empire from his father, he'd make me the most cherished woman in the family. I believed him. The next morning, I sat curled up against his bare chest as he casually told my foster brother, Lucas, about us. My cheeks were flushed, and my heart raced, still clinging to the sweetness of the night before. However, then their conversation shifted into Italian. Lucas smirked, leaning back against the doorframe. "Not bad, Young Boss. Your first time, and the school's 'it girl' just threw herself at you. So, how's my little sister taste?" Ethan gave a lazy chuckle. "Looks like an angel, but a freak in the sheets. Who would’ve thought?" The room erupted in low, conspiratorial laughter. Lucas raised a brow. "So, should I call her my little sister or my future sister-in-law?" Ethan’s tone darkened, his arm tightening around my waist for a moment. Then he let out a sigh. "She’s nothing. Just practice," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I’m trying to hook up with the cheer captain, Sylvia Dawson, but I don’t want her thinking I’m clueless in bed. Cynthia Saville’s just a warm-up." He paused. "But don’t tell Sylvia. I don’t need her getting all emotional." They didn't know that I’d spent months secretly learning Italian, preparing for the life I thought I’d share with Ethan. I didn't say a word. Later that day, I quietly withdrew my early decision application to Caltech and applied to MIT instead.

The night before high school graduation, Ethan Luciano pulled me into his bedroom. His hands were rough, his touch demanding, yet my heart overflowed with a decade's worth of unspoken longing. I'd loved Ethan for ten years, and finally, it seemed my silent wishes had come true. Afterwards, as we lay tangled in his sheets, he whispered that he'd marry me after graduation. Once he took over the Luciano family's empire from his father, he'd make me the most cherished woman in the family. I believed him. The next morning, I sat curled up against his bare chest as he casually told my foster brother, Lucas, about us. My cheeks were flushed, and my heart raced, still clinging to the sweetness of the night before. However, then their conversation shifted into Italian. Lucas smirked, leaning back against the doorframe. "Not bad, Young Boss. Your first time, and the school's 'it girl' just threw herself at you. So, how's my little sister taste?" Ethan gave a lazy chuckle. "Looks like an angel, but a freak in the sheets. Who would’ve thought?" The room erupted in low, conspiratorial laughter. Lucas raised a brow. "So, should I call her my little sister or my future sister-in-law?" Ethan’s tone darkened, his arm tightening around my waist for a moment. Then he let out a sigh. "She’s nothing. Just practice," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I’m trying to hook up with the cheer captain, Sylvia Dawson, but I don’t want her thinking I’m clueless in bed. Cynthia Saville’s just a warm-up." He paused. "But don’t tell Sylvia. I don’t need her getting all emotional." They didn't know that I’d spent months secretly learning Italian, preparing for the life I thought I’d share with Ethan. I didn't say a word. Later that day, I quietly withdrew my early decision application to Caltech and applied to MIT instead.
![[ENG DUB] A Heart Divided](https://acfs3.goodshort.com/dist/src/assets/images/pc/common/f901131c-default-book-cover.png)
Minnie Lane and her siblings had always relied on each other since they were kids. But an accident tore them apart, separating them for years. Fifteen years later, her younger siblings have each achieved success in their respective careers, while Minnie, tragically, was sold by human traffickers to Victor Zane in a remote village. Now, her younger siblings are determined to set out on a journey to find their eldest sister and bring her home.

"For ten long years, Cynthia had loved Ethan Luciano in silence. On the night he won the national championship, he finally pulled her into his arms: “I’ll marry you the moment we graduate.” The next morning. What she heard instead was Ethan’s cocky laugh echoing among his teammates: “She was so fucking eager… legs wrapped around me the whole time, telling me she loved me. She’s a good warm-up though. Looks innocent but takes it like a pro. I’m gonna use her a few more times until I get with Sylvia.” In that moment, Cynthia’s world shattered. The boy she had loved for ten years had never loved her back. She was never his future — only his practice."

Seraphina once believed she was the vampire prince Alistair's one true love. Five years ago, he rescued her and declared her his soulmate. But when she was attacked by werewolves while pregnant, he sent all the healers to her stepsister Isabella, who had forged a "life bond" with him, causing her to miscarry. Over five years, he favored Isabella—stealing Seraphina's paintings, giving her the studio key, and planting flowers that Seraphina was allergic to. After the truth came out, she faked her death and escaped under the alias Phoebe Miller. She later became an art restorer, was discovered by gallery owner Julian, and rebuilt her life independently. Isabella died in prison, and Alistair, consumed by regret, became an arbiter. A year later, her Light and Shadow series succeeded, and holding Julian's hand, she finally found a peaceful life.

Seraphina once believed she was the vampire prince Alistair's one true love. Five years ago, he rescued her and declared her his soulmate. But when she was attacked by werewolves while pregnant, he sent all the healers to her stepsister Isabella, who had forged a "life bond" with him, causing her to miscarry. Over five years, he favored Isabella—stealing Seraphina's paintings, giving her the studio key, and planting flowers that Seraphina was allergic to. After the truth came out, she faked her death and escaped under the alias Phoebe Miller. She later became an art restorer, was discovered by gallery owner Julian, and rebuilt her life independently. Isabella died in prison, and Alistair, consumed by regret, became an arbiter. A year later, her Light and Shadow series succeeded, and holding Julian's hand, she finally found a peaceful life.

Three years ago, Dylan Smith, heir to the Cloudrise Group, hid his true identity and chose a life of quiet obscurity at Wendy Lewis's side. In secret, he even used Cloudrise's name to rescue the Lewis family from collapse. His devotion was repaid with betrayal: his fiancée Wendy and her family turned on him, while Frank Lee's schemes left him humiliated and disgraced.No longer willing to stay silent, Dylan returned wielding the full power of both Cloudrise Group and Wilson Group. Calm yet relentless, he exposed Frank's lies and dismantled the Lewis family's deceptions piece by piece.At his side stood Rachel Wilson, the Wilson heiress who grew from a silent protector into his strongest ally. Together, they faced public humiliation, deadly traps, and ruthless battles for power. In this world of shifting loyalties,love and betrayal collide with revenge and redemption.Some rise to reclaim their throne, while others are left to drown in regret and loneliness.

My stepsister falsely accuses me of causing her allergies to act up. My three brothers stuff me into the cramped cellar and chain the door shut. I pound on the door and beg them to let me out. My eldest brother, an outstanding businessman, snaps, "It's bad enough that you keep bullying Lori. How could you make her eat seafood when you know she's allergic to it? Isn't that just murder? Stay in there and reflect on your mistakes!" My second brother, an award-winning singer, and my third brother, a genius painter, scoff contemptuously. "It's unbelievable that someone as evil as you is making excuses to garner pity. You can stay in there and repent for your sins!" After that, they take our shuddering stepsister to the hospital. The oxygen in the cellar soon runs out, and it gets difficult to breathe. Ultimately, I die in there. My brothers only remember me three days later when they bring our stepsister back from the hospital. Unbeknownst to them, I've already died of asphyxiation.