The bride that never was
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 thing about 'Like things'
IMOGEN'S POV
I found my father sitting on the curb across the street, his shoulders slumped, eyes vacant. The smell of smoke clung to my clothes as I sank down beside him. The air was thick with the remnants of the fire, and the acrid scent burned my throat.
"How are you?" My voice came out rough and scratchy.
Dad turned slowly, his face streaked with soot. His eyes were distant. "I'm fine," he said, the words hollow. "Nobody meant for this to happen. It just... did." He looked back at the smoldering ruins of the clinic. "At least no one died. The women from the maternity wing promised not to press charges." A faint, almost ghostly smile tugged at his lips. "We have to focus on the positives."