Fair_Child

When her meticulously crafted marriage to Elijah Rossi shatters on her wedding night with a brutal revelation: "There is no us, Imogen. There never was." 
Imogen is abandoned by her husband and further faces an even crueler twist when her husband refuses a divorce.

With the arrival of Isaac Rossi, Elijah's revenge-driven half brother, Imogen strikes a clandestine deal with her brother-in-law to navigate a dangerous game of deceit, seeking to outmaneuver her indifferent husband. As loyalties are tested, Imogen must decide which brother is right for her. The one she was made for or the one she burns for.

The bride that never was

I sat by Mom's bed, holding her fragile hand in mine. The steady beep of the machines surrounding her was the only sound in the room. I couldn't bear to look at her face, so pale and drawn, so I focused on our intertwined fingers instead.

"I just wanted you to get better, Mom," I whispered, my voice cracking. "I was ready to give it all up, everything, if it meant you'd be okay."

The words hung in the air, unanswered. I don't know what I expected - for her to suddenly wake up and tell me everything would be alright? But she remained still, her chest rising and falling in a slow, mechanical rhythm.

A gentle knock on the door broke the silence. I looked up to see a nurse standing in the doorway, her expression sympathetic.

"Mr. Rossi? The resident psychiatrist would like to see you now, if you're ready."

Rotten fruit 1