From Prison To Power: Rise Of The War Goddess
Scarlett Hayes thought marrying James Whitmore would finally make her family see her as more than a burden.
Instead, it destroyed her life.
Framed for crimes she didn't commit, betrayed by the people she trusted most, and sentenced to prison while pregnant, Scarlett lost everything in a single night.
Then came the cruelest blow of all.
After giving birth in chains, she was told her baby had died.
The people responsible believed she would spend the rest of her life rotting behind bars.
They were wrong.
Five years later, Scarlett returns.
No longer the discarded daughter of the Hayes family. No longer the broken woman they left behind.
Now she is Commander Scarlett Hayes-a decorated war hero, the unseen force behind a global intelligence empire, and a woman powerful enough to make governments tremble.
She comes back for one reason only: revenge.
Her ex-husband, the stepsister who stole her life, and the family who buried her alive are about to learn exactly what happens when a woman with nothing left to lose takes back everything they stole.
But as Scarlett tears through the secrets of her past, one truth threatens to change everything-
the child she mourned for years may not be dead.
And the mysterious man connected to the night that changed her life has been watching from the shadows all along.
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Chapter 2
James looked like he was seconds away from snapping.
"Scarlett... Hayes."
Her name came out through clenched teeth, each syllable heavy with barely contained rage.
Just as he was about to lose control, Sadie reached out and gently tugged on his sleeve.
"James... maybe I should talk to her," she said softly, her voice trembling. "At the end of the day... I'm the one who hurt her first."
The sight of her teary, guilt-stricken face made his chest tighten.
In his eyes, Scarlett had wronged Sadie over and over again-she had even cost them their child.
And yet Sadie had never blamed her.
Instead, she blamed herself-for "taking him away," for everything that had happened.
How could someone be this selfless?
"Please... let me talk to her," Sadie whispered, fragile and pleading.
James hesitated for a moment, then finally stepped aside.
The second she stood in front of Scarlett-
Everything about her changed.
The tears disappeared. In their place came a cold, mocking smile.
"Scarlett, that prison uniform really suited you," she said with a sneer. "Honestly, you should've stayed locked up for life."
Scarlett's eyes narrowed, irritation flickering across her face.
"I'm not in the mood for your games," she said flatly. "But don't worry-you won't have to wait long."
Her lips curved slightly.
"I heard your wedding's in three days. I'll be there."
A brief pause.
"To settle the score."
Sadie's heart skipped.
For just a split second, unease flickered across her expression.
What was Scarlett planning?
But the feeling vanished as quickly as it came.
She scoffed, her gaze full of disdain.
"As if you could do anything," she said with a laugh. "Go ahead. Try."
Her tone sharpened, turning vicious.
"Let me make one thing clear-no matter what you do, you'll always be nothing more than a rat living in my shadow."
"James is mine."
"Your mother? Mine too."
"You've already lost, Scarlett. Completely."
Scarlett looked at her the way someone might watch a clown on stage.
One brow arched slightly, her expression lazy, almost amused.
"Don't you think you're celebrating a little too early?"
"Oh? Still not giving up?" Sadie smirked.
Then, glancing quickly at James-making sure he wasn't watching-
She lifted her hand and slapped herself.
SMACK-
Instantly, her eyes filled with tears.
"I'm sorry, sis!" she cried, her voice shaking. "It's all my fault! I shouldn't have taken James from you! I-I didn't mean to... I just love him too much... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."
Scarlett felt a wave of disgust watching the performance.
And yet-
There were always fools willing to believe it.
James rushed forward, pulling Sadie into his arms.
"Sadie! Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine..." she whispered weakly. "Don't blame her... it's my fault..."
Her trembling voice and tear-streaked face only fueled his anger.
He spun around, glaring at Scarlett, his eyes blazing.
"Scarlett! How can you be this cruel?! If you're angry, take it out on me! This has nothing to do with her!"
Scarlett's gaze drifted lazily toward Sadie.
"I didn't touch her."
"You're still denying it?!" James snapped, his fists clenching.
Scarlett let out a quiet, almost amused breath.
"I can prove it."
Prove it?
Both James and Sadie froze, confusion flashing across their faces.
How could something like that even be proven?
Before either of them could react-
Scarlett raised her hand.
Then-
CRACK-
Her arm lashed out like a whip.
The impact was explosive.
Sadie spun in place like a top, stumbling in circles before crashing hard onto the ground, limbs sprawled.
Her hair fell into complete disarray.
The right side of her face swelled almost instantly, turning an ugly shade of red.
When she opened her mouth-
Blood poured out.
Along with several teeth.
She looked utterly wrecked.
Sadie stared at Scarlett in shock, her jaw slack.
James stood frozen, his mind completely blank.
No one had expected-
That Scarlett would actually hit her.
And certainly not like that.
In the suffocating silence, Scarlett gave a faint smile.
"See the difference?" she said lightly. "That's what it looks like when I hit someone."
If they insisted on framing her-
Then she'd make it real.
Not just real-
Unforgettable.
James's hands trembled with rage.
"You need to apologize to Sadie!"
Scarlett let out a soft scoff.
"Idiot."
Even after that, he still couldn't tell?
She didn't bother sparing him another glance.
Turning on her heel, she walked away.
"Don't ignore me!" James roared, lunging forward and grabbing for her shoulder.
Scarlett stopped abruptly.
Her eyes darkened.
Cold. Sharp. Dangerous.
Without even turning fully, she shifted slightly-effortlessly dodging his hand.
Then she moved.
Fast.
She caught his wrist, twisted, and-
In one smooth motion-
Flipped him over her shoulder.
James flew through the air in a clean arc before slamming face-first into the ground.
Hard.
A sickening crack echoed.
Blood gushed from his nose.
Sadie's face drained of all color.
She had expected James to defend her-
Not... this.
Her neck turned stiffly toward Scarlett, disbelief written all over her face.
Since when was she this strong?
James staggered to his feet, wiping the blood from his nose.
The way he looked at Scarlett now-
Was pure hatred.
Scarlett casually raised her fist, a wild grin tugging at her lips.
"What? Want more?"
She took a step forward.
James immediately backed away-again and again-putting distance between them.
Scarlett let out a mocking laugh.
"Pathetic."
Humiliation burned through him, but he didn't dare move.
Not after that.
Scarlett turned and walked toward the car parked by the road.
Without looking back, she lifted a hand in a lazy wave.
"See you at the wedding in three days."
She didn't have time to waste here.
There were people she needed to see-
Her adoptive parents.
Her brother.
Five years.
It had been five long years.
"Damn it!"
James ground his teeth so hard it felt like they might shatter.
He had always been the one standing above everyone else-untouchable.
And today?
He had been humiliated like never before.
Not only that-
He was supposed to go to the airport with his father to welcome an important figure.
Instead, he came here to force Scarlett to sign the divorce papers.
And what did he get?
Nothing.
He missed everything.
All because of her.
Scarlett.
His expression darkened.
Fine.
If she wanted to show up at the wedding in three days-
Perfect.
He'd make sure she paid for everything.
But remembering her terrifying strength, his eyes narrowed.
He'd need backup.
This time-
He'd make her kneel.
Beg.
...
Inside the car, Howard glanced at Scarlett through the rearview mirror. She had changed into civilian clothes. Her eyes were closed, resting.
"Where to, Commander?"
"My adoptive parents' place," she replied calmly. "And from now on, call me Boss. I don't want my identity exposed."
"Understood."
Just then-
A child suddenly ran into the road.
"Shit-!"
Howard jerked the wheel sharply.
The car screeched, barely avoiding the roadside barrier.
Scarlett's eyes snapped open, her hand gripping the overhead handle.
"What happened?"
"A kid ran out!"
Without hesitation, she pushed the door open and stepped out.
A small boy lay on the ground ahead, struggling to push himself up.
He looked about four or five years old.
"Hey-are you okay?" she asked, hurrying over and helping him to his feet.
Then-
She froze.
The boy's face...
Why did he look so much like her?
The child's eyes widened.
He stared at her, bright and clear.
For a few seconds, he said nothing.
Then slowly, uncertainly-
"...Mommy?"
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7.4
In a city where data is power and truth is a weapon, some secrets are worth killing for.
Mara Quinn is a ghost in the system, an underground journalist known only as Cipher, feared by corporations and hunted by those with everything to lose. When she breaches a classified network inside Axiom Industries, she uncovers something no one was meant to see: ORACLE, a predictive AI capable of shaping human behavior on a global scale.
She expects retaliation. She doesn't expect Kael Draven.
Cold, brilliant, and untouchable, Kael is the architect behind Axiom's empire, and a man who doesn't make threats he can't execute. Instead of silencing Mara, he offers her a choice: work under his watch, or disappear from existence entirely. Trapped inside his glass fortress known as The Spire, Mara is pulled deeper into a world of surveillance, manipulation, and power plays that stretch far beyond anything she imagined.
But ORACLE isn't just a tool, it's already been used. Governments have fallen. Empires have shifted. And someone else is pulling the strings.
As a rival syndicate closes in and a hidden war erupts across the city, Mara and Kael are forced into an uneasy alliance, one built on intellect, suspicion, and a dangerous, undeniable pull neither of them can ignore.
Because in a world where every move is predicted...
the only thing more dangerous than control is feeling.
And the system is already watching.
7.7
Rory stood on the witness stand, forced by her father into an impossible choice: secure her dying mother's medical funding, or save her innocent boyfriend.
She looked Corbin right in his trusting eyes and lied to the court, testifying that he was the one driving the car during the fatal hit-and-run, sending him to a maximum-security prison for ten years.
The betrayal destroyed him. Corbin's father died of a heart attack upon hearing the guilty verdict. Six years later, Corbin returned as a ruthless billionaire and systematically blacklisted Rory from every job in the city. He cornered her into singing at his private club, humiliating her by forcing her to drink scotch—knowing she was severely allergic—and making her throw away his promise ring just to earn a stack of cash.
"Remember this moment. This is only the beginning."
She endured his cruel revenge because she was hiding a desperate secret: she was raising his five-year-old daughter, Willa. But when Willa's congenital heart defect suddenly worsened, requiring an impossible one-million-dollar surgery, Rory realized Corbin's calculated blockade had left her completely trapped with no way to save their child.
Staring at the sterile hospital walls, the last shred of her guilt burned away, replaced by a cold, hard resolve. He had destroyed her career and backed her into a corner, but he was the only one with the money. Wiping her tears, Rory turned and headed straight for Vance Tower.
9.6
My world revolved around Jax Harding, my older brother's captivating rockstar friend.
From sixteen, I adored him; at eighteen, I clung to his casual promise: "When you're 22, maybe I'll settle down."
That offhand comment became my life's beacon, guiding every choice, meticulously planning my twenty-second birthday as our destiny.
But on that pivotal day in a Lower East Side bar, clutching my gift, my dream exploded.
I overheard Jax' s cold voice: "Can't believe Savvy's showing up. She' s still hung up on that stupid thing I said."
Then the crushing plot: "We' re gonna tell Savvy I' m engaged to Chloe, maybe even hint she' s pregnant. That should scare her off."
My gift, my future, slipped from my numb fingers.
I fled into the cold New York rain, devastated by betrayal.
Later, Jax introduced Chloe as his "fiancée" while his bandmates mocked my "adorable crush"-he did nothing.
As an art installation fell, he saved Chloe, abandoning me to severe injury.
In the hospital, he came for "damage control," then shockingly shoved me into a fountain, leaving me to bleed, calling me a "jealous psycho."
How could the man I loved, who once saved me, become this cruel and publicly humiliate me?
Why was my devotion seen as an annoyance to be brutally extinguished with lies and assault?
Was I just a problem, my loyalty met with hatred?
I would not be his victim.
Injured and betrayed, I made an unshakeable vow: I was done.
I blocked his number and everyone connected to him, severing ties.
This was not an escape; this was my rebirth.
Florence awaited, a new life on my terms, unburdened by broken promises.
8.4
Kenzie, the former leader of the Aegis Alliance, opened her eyes to find herself reincarnated as a freezing, abandoned infant in a wet cardboard box.
She was rescued from the rain by Devin Ayers, a ruthless billionaire, and rushed to a private hospital, but a deadly threat was already waiting for her.
The ER doctor, Desiree Dillon, approached her with a syringe. Through a sudden burst of telepathy, Kenzie read the doctor's dark thoughts. Desiree wasn't trying to cure her fever. She deliberately ignored the safe dosage, drawing a lethal amount of Diazepam to permanently silence the crying baby and disguise it as sudden infant death.
"This will make it all go away," Desiree smiled gently, the needle glinting as it moved inches from Kenzie's arm.
Trapped in a weak, paralyzed three-month-old body, Kenzie couldn't run, fight, or even speak. She could only watch the poison inch closer.
How could she survive death only to be assassinated in a hospital bed by a corrupt doctor? She used to command armies. The sheer injustice and terror of dying completely helpless in this tiny body ignited a blinding rage inside her.
Refusing to be a victim again, Kenzie pushed her newborn brain to its absolute limit and unleashed a desperate telepathic scream directly into the billionaire's mind.
"Poison! She's trying to kill me!"
Devin, who had been looking away, suddenly froze, his icy gray eyes locking onto the doctor's wrist.
7.7
Five years ago, Zaria Blackthorne lost everything. Framed as a traitor's daughter, she watched her parents die, was betrayed by her fated mate, Callum Nightbane, and cast into prison-only to be saved by a monster who wanted to ruin her. That night, she should have died. But fate had other plans.
Now, she's back. No longer the naïve girl who once begged for mercy, she has been reborn as Celeste Draven, the temptress of Nightbane Academy. With a new identity, a rare bloodline that makes her irresistible, and a body forged for seduction, she is ready to dismantle the lives of those who betrayed her-one sinful encounter at a time.
But revenge comes at a cost.
Three powerful men are obsessed with her and they are a tool in her revenge games and then she realised the deeper she played, the harder it becomes to keep the men in control.
And what do you think will happen when the truth comes to light, and she discovered she was being played herself? Will she sacrifice her love for vengeance or allow her enemies to burn and claim the throne for herself?
Dive into this story of betrayal, revenge, reverse haram, and obsession, where no man actually owns Zaria Blackthorne.
9.3
WARNING!! THIS STORY CONTAINS A LOT OF MATURE THEMES, ELEMENTS OF HARDCORE BDSM, PRAISE KINKS, SLUT-SHAMING KINKS, AND DEGRADATION KINKS. READ WITH CAUTION.
(BOOK ONE OF THE DELUCA KINGS SERIES)
Serena would do anything to uncover the death of her parents, including sleeping with the most dangerous man in New York, Nero DeLuca. And he knows this, so he strings her along so he can see how far she's willing to go.
***
"Get on your knees," Nero said.
"Excuse me-"
"You're my submissive, and you exist for the sole purpose of my pleasure. I don't tolerate defiance. When I say get on your knees, you get on your knees."
"Yes," I replied as I got on my knees, hating how much his commanding tone turned me on.
He put his finger under my chin and lifted it so I could look at him.
"Yes, what?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good girl. Now get on the bed and show me that beautiful cunt. I want to see what it looks like before I destroy it with my cock. Tonight, the whole of New York will know you belong to me. I'll not take anything less than you screaming my name, and by the time I'm done with you, you'll feel me between your legs for a week."