Ex-Wife's Comeback: My Husband Failed to Kill Me
Description
Karen Kane had it all: wealth, status, and the love of a powerful husband-until a betrayal left her for dead. Surviving an explosion orchestrated by her husband, Richard Hollaway, and her adopted sister, Selena, Karen is forced to rise from the ashes with a new name, a new face, and a burning desire for revenge. Under the alias Karen Walters, she infiltrates her own family's company, shocking Selena with her uncanny resemblance to the woman she helped destroy. Armed with secrets from her late grandmother, Karen plays a dangerous game of deception, pitting Selena against the boardroom and Richard against the ruthless Darius Bennetti, a mafia boss with his own reasons to dismantle Richard's empire. But alliances with men like Darius come at a price. Their partnership is fraught with tension and mutual suspicion, as Darius uncovers fragments of Karen's past and demands the truth about who she really is. As the lines between enemy and ally blur, Karen must navigate a treacherous web of lies, uncover hidden truths about her family's legacy, and confront a choice her grandmother once warned her about: power or trust. One misstep could cost her everything-including the chance at a new life she never thought she wanted. How far will you go to take back what's yours? And at what cost?
Chapter 1
Nov 6, 2025
The sterile smell of antiseptic hit Karen’s nose before her eyes even opened. The faint hum of machines blended with the steady beep of a heart monitor, each sound sharp and unrelenting.
She stirred, her body screaming in protest. Pain flared across her chest and ribs, jagged and unrelenting, like shards of glass buried beneath her skin. Her right leg felt heavy and immovable, the sensation muted but unmistakable—plastered, likely broken. Bandages were wrapped tightly around her arms, and she could feel the weight of more on her shoulder and the side of her face. Every shallow breath sent a stab of pain through her torso, as if her lungs were struggling to expand beneath the weight of her injuries.
Karen’s eyelids fluttered open. The room swam into view, a pale, sickly green ceiling blurred at the edges. She turned her head slightly, groaning as the motion pulled at stitches somewhere along her neck. Her reflection stared back at her from a cracked mirror on the opposite wall: a face she barely recognized, swollen and marred with bruises, a livid red gash running down her cheekbone.
“Where…” Her voice was barely audible, a raspy whisper. Her throat felt raw, as if she’d been screaming.
Memories clawed at the edge of her mind, fractured and jagged. Flames. The sound of an explosion. Heat so intense she could feel her skin blistering. Karen’s breathing quickened as the images became clearer.
The room around her disappeared, replaced by the darkened corridors of her home. She’d been heading to the garage that night. Her heels clicked softly on the marble floor, her keys jingling in her hand. Richard had insisted she meet him there—his tone smooth but unyielding, the way it always was when he wanted something.
She remembered entering the garage, the oppressive smell of gasoline mixed with something sharper, more acrid. Her steps faltered when she saw the shadows in the corner, a figure stepping out of the darkness.
Selena.
Karen’s stomach twisted at the memory of her sister’s smirk, the faint smell of perfume mingling with the fumes. She opened her mouth to ask what Selena was doing there, but before the words came, she heard the distinct click of a door locking behind her.
And then, Richard’s voice. Cold. Calculating. “You should’ve stayed out of it, Tori.”
A flash. The spark of something igniting. Karen barely had time to scream before the explosion tore through the garage. The world became a blur of fire and shrapnel. She remembered the force throwing her back, the searing pain as flames licked her skin.
Karen gasped, her body lurching upright in the hospital bed. Her ribs screamed in protest, her head swimming. She reached for her bandaged arm, her fingers trembling. Her skin beneath the gauze felt tender, burned, like it would split open if she moved too quickly.
Her breathing came in short, sharp gasps. She couldn’t shake the image of Richard’s face as he walked away, his dark eyes devoid of remorse. Selena had been smiling as the flames consumed everything behind her.
Karen’s heart pounded, her anger a lifeline against the rising tide of panic. They’d left her for dead. They hadn’t just betrayed her—they’d tried to erase her entirely.
The door creaked open, and Karen’s head snapped toward the sound. A tall woman stepped inside, her silhouette sharp against the dim light. Her long gray coat and precise movements were out of place in the dingy hospital room. She carried herself with the authority of someone who rarely answered questions but always asked them.
“You’re awake,” the woman said, her voice calm but not warm. She glanced briefly at the machines before her gaze settled on Karen. “Good. That’s progress.”
Karen swallowed, her throat burning. “Who…” Her voice cracked, weak and hoarse. “Who are you?”
The woman stepped closer, pulling a chair beside the bed. “Dr. Evelyn Hart,” she said, her tone as measured as her movements. “Let’s just say I’m the reason you’re not lying in a morgue right now.”
Karen’s brows furrowed. “What—what happened to me?”
Evelyn’s gaze didn’t waver. “You were in an explosion. A bad one. By all accounts, you shouldn’t be alive.” She leaned forward slightly. “But someone wanted you to be.”
Karen blinked, trying to process her words. “What do you mean, ‘wanted me to be’? Who?”
Evelyn smiled faintly, but it wasn’t reassuring. “That’s something you’ll need to figure out for yourself. For now, focus on getting better. You’ll need your strength.”
Karen struggled to push herself upright, ignoring the sharp pain in her ribs. “No. You don’t get to walk in here and drop cryptic hints like that. Tell me the truth—who would want me dead?”
Evelyn straightened, her expression unreadable. “More people than you realize. But only one person made sure you didn’t stay that way.”
Karen’s heart pounded in her chest. “You’re not making any sense! Just tell me—”
Evelyn held up a hand, her tone softening just enough to sound almost kind. “Trust me, Karen. You’re not ready to hear it yet.” She turned and started toward the door. “And one more thing—don’t contact anyone from your past. Not yet. It’s not safe.”
“Wait!” Karen called, her voice raw and desperate. “Why save me? Why do you even care?”
Evelyn paused in the doorway, her back to Karen. “Because you’re not finished yet.”
The door clicked shut, leaving Karen alone with her thoughts.
Her mind churned, replaying the explosion again and again—the fire, the pain, the look on Richard’s face. The way he’d walked away without a second glance.
Karen’s fingers dug into the thin blanket covering her lap. If Richard thought she was dead, he was in for a surprise.
Ex-Wife's Comeback: My Husband Failed to Kill Me
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