

Marcello, the Don of the Valence family, has severe PTSD. He’s cold, and he pushes everyone away. But I can hear his thoughts. I know about the possessiveness hiding under that cold front. When he says, “Stay away from me, I don’t want to see you,” what he’s really thinking is: Lilian, don’t go. Don’t leave me. I really need you. Six years of marriage, and I’m used to him never meaning what he says. But tonight, at the family banquet, his assistant is on his arm again, instead of me. I ask Marcello, “She’s standing where the Don’s wife should be. You got nothing to say about that?” Impatience flashes across Marcello’s face. “You’re twenty minutes late, Lilian. You have no right to question me.” “Either go stand in a corner, or get the hell out of my estate. Now.” A second later, his thoughts crash into me: Lilian. Get mad. Slap her. Scream that you’re my wife. Prove you love me. I need to feel secure. But this time, seeing the smirks on everyone’s faces, I’m just… tired. I take off the diamond ring, the one that marks me as the Don’s wife. “Since there’s no place for me here, let’s get a divorce.” Perfect timing. The hospital is sending me to London for a placement. I leave tomorrow.

Tech genius Jolie Shannon sacrificed her career for her husband Mark Gates, only to be betrayed by his affair — even forced to serve his pregnant mistress. She filed for divorce, reclaimed her pre-marital assets and core patents, causing Mark's company's IPO to fail and driving it to the brink of bankruptcy. Throughout the divorce, she calmly handled insults from his family and gathered evidence step by step. After divorcing, she swiftly married her longtime rival from her youth, Simon Fox. With his support, she returned to the tech industry and staged a dramatic comeback in both career and love, ultimately leaving her ex-husband isolated and disgraced.

Five years ago Melissa Gill and Lewis Sharp share one night together and she vanishes before dawn without a word. Five years later he engineers her return, traps her into signing a three year marriage contract, and makes absolutely clear he has no intention of letting her disappear again. By day he runs cold and sharp, pulling her close enough to make her heart stutter then pushing back just enough to keep her off balance. She carries secrets and guilt she hasn’t found a way to say out loud, and she lets him circle her without quite letting him in. Neither of them calls it love. Both of them know exactly what it is.

On a snowy night in Northville, Riley Zimmer is abandoned by her first love, Logan Hayes, and marries Ethan Quinn, who has secretly loved her for eleven years. After four years of a cold marriage, Logan returns, family pressure mounts, and rumors spread. Riley gradually realizes the marriage was his long-planned way of loving and protecting her. When the truth comes out, she finally runs into his arms and entrusts him with the rest of her life.