Sharon_Adetan

At fifty, Emily Wilson never imagined starting over.
She gave her life to her husband and raised two grown sons—only to be cast aside like she never mattered. Betrayed by the man she trusted for decades, humiliated by his young mistress, and abandoned by her own children, Emily is left with nothing but a suitcase and heartbreak.

With nowhere to go, she leans on her bold, divorced best friend, who drags her to the big city to start fresh. There, Emily learns how to laugh again, find a job, dress for herself—not for anyone else—and slowly rebuild the woman she once was.

But just when she thinks life has given her all it can, he walks in.
Zayn Callahan — 25, rich, powerful, and emotionally shut down. A man with money but no warmth. Women want him for his name. He wants nothing—until he meets her.
Emily, with silver in her hair and sorrow in her eyes, is everything Zayn never expected to crave. And for Emily, Zayn is a dangerous temptation… young enough to be her son, yet looking at her like she’s the only woman left in the world.

Can two broken hearts heal each other, or will the world around them tear it apart before it begins?

This is not just a love story.
It’s a second chance. A defiance of age. A reminder that it’s never too late to be seen, desired, and truly loved.

From Housewife to Heiress

At His Penthouse – AloneWith Whiskey

Later that night, Zayn sat shirtless in his penthouse office, the skyline glittering beyond the glass walls. A crystal glass of aged whiskey sat in his hand as classical music hummed in the background. His laptop glowed with blue light as financial reports loaded on the screen.

His phone buzzed. He answered without looking. "Eliot."

His assistant's voice came through, crisp and loyal. "Yes, sir?"

"In one week's time, I want the interviews arranged. For the personal caregiver position."

Eliot hesitated. "A caregiver, sir? For...?"

"To cook, arrange my suits, keep my apartment in order, and ensure I don't pass out drunk from skipping meals again. Not a nurse. A professional. Quiet. I want someone real."

"Got it, sir. I'll begin screening applicants tomorrow.""Got it, sir. I'll begin screening applicants tomorrow."

He was done pretending that cold hotel food and silence felt like peace.

Not even two minutes later, his phone rang again.

He groaned, took one last sip of whiskey, and answered. "Yes, Mother."

"ZAYN CALLAHAN! Have you lost your mind?!"

He closed his eyes. "Good evening to you too."

"You broke off your engagement? Do you have any idea how humiliating this is for the Navarro family?"

"I don't care! That girl is your only chance at stability. You're too busy for real love! This marriage was your responsibility."

"I am not marrying someone who disgusts me, just because you want a business alliance."

There was silence on the other end, and then a sharp, bitter scoff.

"You'll ruin yourself," she whispered.

Zayn stared out at the city. "Then I'll ruin myself in peace. Don't worry—I'll bring home a wife soon. One you won't expect."

"You... will?" Her tone changed instantly. Hopeful. Desperate.

"I will," he said softly. "But she won't be for you."

And with that, he ended the call.Later, as Zayn undressed and pulled a T-shirt over his head, a quiet message arrived from his father.

[Dad]: Your mother told me what happened. I won't say much. Just—be smart. And be safe. You always land on your feet.

Zayn smiled faintly. His father was a cold man, always quiet, always standing in his wife's shadow. But every now and then, he sent messages like this.

He lay back on the bed, arm draped across his face.

"I don't want to do this anymore," he whispered into the silence. "I don't want fake love. I don't want this life."

His mind flashed to nothing in particular—just a strange warmth in his chest, a sense that something real might exist out there. He just hadn't found it yet.

With that strange thought, Zayn Callahan fell asleep, the empty space beside him colder than ever.

CHAPTER 12