palmer toxic childhood

Three days before my marking ceremony, someone set fire to the bridal shop while I was inside trying on my ceremonial dress. Alpha Marcus threw the arsonist into the pack prison, sentencing them to the harshest punishment our laws allowed. I lay in the hospital bed, my body covered in third-degree burns, refusing to wake fully as the reality of my disfigurement sank in. In my semi-conscious state, I heard Marcus speaking with the pack's healing witch. "Alpha, we can still heal her completely with the ancient magic. If we wait any longer, Sarah will bear these scars for life! You just want Miss Rachel to be your Luna at the marking ceremony. This is cruel beyond measure!" "Let her keep the scars. I'll provide for her for the rest of her life, but if she's healed, she'll definitely cause trouble at the marking ceremony." "I promised Rachel that her pup would be welcomed into the pack with full honors. Only when Sarah is completely disfigured will she be grateful enough to raise Rachel's child as her own. The scars are necessary - at least this way, she won't dare mistreat the pup." In the corner of the room, where no one was watching, a tear slid down my burned cheek. So this was the truth. The marking ceremony I'd dreamed of was nothing but a lie. The mate bond I longed for would be my death sentence. If that's how it had to be, I would give him what he wanted.

Layla Nott has been infatuated with Seth Upton since she was a teenager and even willingly gives him her vast inheritance to help him build Upton Group, transforming the Upton family into one of the most prominent families in Yeldon. However, ever since she married into the Upton family, her health has deteriorated. One day, after a visit for medical treatment, she returns home to find Seth fooling around with her stepsister, Sharon Black. Septh's mother, Susan Upton, is at home and clearly condones the affair. After being humiliated by Sharon and Susan, Layla is left shaken by Seth's confession—he has only ever been interested in her wealth and has never loved her. He has even purchased a massive life insurance policy on her and is now waiting for her death to cash in on the payout. Heartbroken by the revelation, Layla feels her life is pathetic. Impatient for her demise, Seth takes her to the rooftop and pushes her off. As she plunges to her death, Layla swears that if she were given another chance, she would exact her revenge and make sure they pay for their betrayal.

Amelia Russo has loved Shawn Butler for many years, but his heart remains steadfast in its longing for his first love. Determined, Amelia gracefully steps aside to make room for that woman.Shawn deludes into believing his happiness lies in Amelia's absence and jolts by an unexpected revelation upon receiving her medical card. "Shawn Butler, as the final days of my life trickle away, I no longer choose to waste my love on you."

Henry Saber's wife finds herself imprisoned—literally—and tortured by his own hands, leading her to give up on their relationship and leave him. However, Henry refuses to let her go, declaring that if she chose to stay by his side, she will stay with him for the rest of her life...

Six years ago, Luke Kranz gave his life to protect Ava Ewing. Ever since, she has carried the weight of both her family and career alone, tirelessly struggling to save enough for her daughter Ellie’s heart surgery. Just when she thought she had no time for anything else, Evan Foster returns after years abroad, reentering her life with unresolved resentment and buried emotions. Unable to let go of the past, he keeps pushing her, testing her boundaries, and stirring up everything she tried to leave behind.

Mira kills her alpha's brother on her 18th birthday. To make matters worse, the alpha is Mira's mate and he witnesses that. Mira is relegated to be a slave and locked in a dungeon. She's in deep distress. Will a visit from the alpha king bring an unexpected turn?

Three years ago, I drugged the mafia heir, Vincent. After that one wild night, he didn’t kill me. Instead, he fucked me until my legs went weak, gripping my waist and whispering the same word over and over: “Principessa.” Just as I was about to propose, his first love, Isabella, returned. To keep her happy, Vincent let a car hit me, had my mother’s heirlooms thrown to stray dogs, and sent me to prison… But when I was finally broken, flying to Boston to marry someone else, Vincent tore New York City apart to find me.

Three years ago, I drugged the mafia heir, Vincent. After that one wild night, he didn’t kill me. Instead, he fucked me until my legs went weak, gripping my waist and whispering the same word over and over: “Principessa.” Just as I was about to propose, his first love, Isabella, returned. To keep her happy, Vincent let a car hit me, had my mother’s heirlooms thrown to stray dogs, and sent me to prison… But when I was finally broken, flying to Boston to marry someone else, Vincent tore New York City apart to find me.

Kyle Cooke believes he and Sara Wood are a loving married couple—five years of marriage as proof of their happiness.However, when he goes to the city hall to replace their coffee-stained marriage certificate, he’s shocked to discover the system shows him as “unmarried,” while Sara’s spouse is registered as another man—Noe Gibson. This discovery unveils a brutal truth: Kyle once caught Sara in an intimate moment with Noe, but she begged forgiveness claiming she was “looking for a stand-in,” even threatening suicide. After learning of her determination to “never let him find out,” Kyle’s heart dies completely. He decides to cancel his domestic identity, change his name, and disappear forever.

Vera Nelson has spent three years as a devoted wife, supporting her husband Jason Ford's rise as a star lawyer. But when his first love, Nia Jones, returns, he begins to neglect Vera's feelings, and distance grows between them. Once a brilliant lawyer herself,Vera quietly walks away and returns to the legal world.When she rises to fame again, Jason finally realizes the legend he's long admired is the very woman who once gave up everything for him.

On my eighteenth birthday, the High King summoned the heirs of the four great clans—the Vampires, the Werewolves, the High Serpent Clan, and the Merfolk. He laid their portraits before me and said, "Choose one to be your bondmate." I did not hesitate. I pointed to Damon—the werewolf with no noble bloodline, born in a forgotten corner of the realm. The entire court erupted in disbelief. Everyone knew who I used to love. Alpha Iris—the heir of the most powerful Lycan bloodline. For seven years, I chased him with blind devotion. No matter how harshly he treated me, I never gave up. I confessed to him over and over, sometimes right in the royal court. I even performed a blood-binding ritual—slitting my wrist—to earn the right to marry him. In my previous life, I got what I wanted—I married him and we performed the mate bonding ceremony. With that union, he inherited the High King's resources and rose to become the ruler of all four clans. However, what I did not expect was that after our wedding, he turned around and marked my adoptive sister. My parents were furious and sent her away. From that day on, Iris hated me with a vengeance. He surrounded himself with women who all looked eerily like her. One by one, they came—each more vicious than the last. With his silent approval, they tore me down, piece by piece, until I was nothing more than a joke—no longer the queen I once was. The suffering pushed me into severe depression. Only suppressants keep my wolf form from spiraling out of control. Until one day, my medication was replaced with a slow-acting poison. He was the one who did it. I died alone, locked away in the cold palace, a child still growing inside me. However, fate gave me another chance. In this life, I would not make the same mistake. When the High King once again asked me to choose a partner for the marriage alliance, I chose Damon—the one no one ever noticed—without even blinking.

Just because I forget to bring my mate's lover back—leaving her alone in the wilderness for three hours—he flies into a rage and throws me into an abandoned well in the desolate countryside. "You need to experience the torment that Belinda was put through." The well is deep and narrow, forcing me to curl up in my wolf form. I struggle to breathe. I plead for mercy and beg for forgiveness. However, all he does is tell me off icily. "Stay there and repent for your sins. You'll only understand the dignity required of a Luna once you learn your lesson from this." He orders his men to seal the well with a large boulder. I let out anguished howls and roars as I claw my way upward. However, I only fall back down over and over again. The walls of the well are covered in my claw marks. I continue like this until I can't make a sound through my parched throat. … Half a month later, my mate's heart softens when he sees the birthday gift I've prepared in advance for him. He decides to end my punishment. Unbeknownst to him, worms and snakes have already gnawed my body beyond recognition at the bottom of the well.

Trusting a scumbag, Shannon Clarke not only lost her baby but was also forced to donate her cornea to her husband's first love. The constant heartbreak woke her up. Shannon: "Let’s... get a divorce!"

I went to pick up my older brother who was out at a gathering. That was when I overheard him ask Nathan, "Haven't you been dating someone? It's been so long, and I still haven't met her." I suddenly tensed up. Nathan and I had been together for three years, but we had always kept it a secret, so no one knew. Nathan replied lazily, "She's not my girlfriend, just a pastime. It's not like I plan to marry her." I clenched my fists and pushed the door open without hesitation.

Kyle Cooke believes he and Sara Wood are a loving married couple—five years of marriage as proof of their happiness.However, when he goes to the city hall to replace their coffee-stained marriage certificate, he’s shocked to discover the system shows him as “unmarried,” while Sara’s spouse is registered as another man—Noe Gibson. This discovery unveils a brutal truth: Kyle once caught Sara in an intimate moment with Noe, but she begged forgiveness claiming she was “looking for a stand-in,” even threatening suicide. After learning of her determination to “never let him find out,” Kyle’s heart dies completely. He decides to cancel his domestic identity, change his name, and disappear forever.

Abbie Lanes married Noah Gray three years ago. In the first year, he took one of her kidneys; in the second, he made her leave with nothing; and in the third, he sent her to prison. Four years later, she's finally released, hoping to start anew far away from Noah. However, fate has other plans, as she crosses paths with him once again while working.

Vera Nelson has spent three years as a devoted wife, supporting her husband Jason Ford's rise as a star lawyer. But when his first love, Nia Jones, returns, he begins to neglect Vera's feelings, and distance grows between them. Once a brilliant lawyer herself,Vera quietly walks away and returns to the legal world.When she rises to fame again, Jason finally realizes the legend he's long admired is the very woman who once gave up everything for him.

My twin sister and I marry twin brothers from a powerful mafia family. She marries the elder, Leo Smith, a federal judge. I marry the younger, Sam Smith, a surgeon. While I'm hospitalized for a high-risk pregnancy, I'm abducted by criminals demanding ransom. They use my phone to call Sam 32 times, but every one goes unanswered. Enraged, one of the abductors beats my stomach with a baseball bat to vent his anger. I try desperately to protect my unborn child, but I lose the baby anyway. Finally, the abductor calls Sam one last time. This time, he answers, only to snap, "Annie almost miscarried. I was just taking her for a checkup. Can you stop calling and trying to get my attention?" With no ransom coming, the furious abductors tie me up and throw me into a swimming pool. Then, they leave. Just as I'm about to take my last breath, my sister arrives and pulls me out. Seeing me almost dead from the miscarriage, she calls Leo in a panic. But all she gets is a cold answer. "Currently punishing the man who nearly caused Annie Morgan's miscarriage. Do not disturb." She tries to call the police, but her phone dies. With no other option, she drives me away herself. On the way back, a sudden blizzard hits, and a landslide blocks the road. The car breaks down. We're trapped and shivering in the cold. Thankfully, a forest patrol finds us just in time. We survive. When we wake up in the hospital, the first thing that comes to us is that we have to get divorced!