"I stood at the edge of my heart and watched him choose her. In the end, I was not the one he needed. I was simply the one he settled for." - Noelle ~~~~~~~ I thought I was the one he loved. But a few days before our wedding, I saw him in a way I never had before. His eyes softened as he spoke to her. His first love, and the very woman who had left him in pieces. Heartbreak was something I knew too well. And as I watched the love he still held for her in his eyes, I realized what I had to do. I couldn't marry a man who wasn't truly mine. With no means to cancel the wedding and lacking the courage to confront him, I made a desperate choice to leave. I painfully gave his first love my treasured engagement ring thinking it was for the best and the only way to free myself. But when he saw that ring on her finger, the fragile world I had tried to escape began to shatter. His obsession to find me and bring me back ignited a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
Chapter 1: Equal Fervor
Noelle's eyes fluttered open when the warm glow of the morning light spilled through the partially drawn curtains. The room felt warm, safe and comforting which she hadn't felt in weeks. As her senses slowly returned, she became aware of the quiet, steady rhythm of breathing beside her. And when she turned her head, her gaze landed on Adrian.
He slept on his side, facing her with his amber eyes hidden under his long lashes. In sleep, his face appeared softer, more masculine, without the sharp, confident charm that tended to enthrall the cameras. Her lips curled into a slight smile as warmth filled his chest. It had been too long since she'd caught him this way-calm, peaceful, and home.
Carefully, Noelle moved under the blankets, not wanting to wake him. The smooth cover fell from her shoulders, and she sat up, pushing her dark hair behind her ears. The slight pain in her limbs reminded her of how intimate Adrian had been when he came home last night. Embarrassment flushed up her cheeks as she looked down at Adrian, remembering the way he'd clung to her so tightly, so desperately, as if afraid she'd disappear if he released her.
He had come back from abroad after a month of working on his much-awaited project. And when he'd opened the door last night finally, fatigue carved out his chiseled features but it had soon given way to something more basic. Adrian missed her too intensely and his need for her was overwhelming. So on that very night, he didn't allow her to sleep.
Noelle chuckled softly at the memory. She gently bit on her lip and rose from the bed. The cold air that kissed her bare skin sent a shiver down her spine. She quickly bent to pick up her discarded black silk lingerie from the floor and slipped it on. The smooth fabric hugged her form as she adjusted the straps over her shoulders. Her reflection in the mirror caught her attention, and she smoothed her hair, attempting to tame the wild strands that stood as evidence of their night together.
She looked back at Adrian, who was blissfully still asleep with his arm flung across the bed she had vacated moments before. Her heart swelled at the sight of him and she couldn't help but smile. He looked so serene, so far removed from the man who was always in the public eye.
Noelle decided to prepare breakfast for him. It was the least she could do after the exhausting schedule he'd endured-and, of course, the way he'd made sure she felt just how much he'd missed her.
She moved quietly out of the bedroom. She proceeded to the kitchen, keeping her hair tied in a loose bun as she walked past the living room. All was quiet and still.
She then went to the fridge and looked in at its contents as she had a sudden idea. She would cook his favorite pancakes with fresh strawberries and crispy bacon on the side. As she pulled out the ingredients, her smile grew. Adrian needed a warm, home-made meal after the stressful month he'd been having. And really, she wanted to see that smile of his when he bit into it for the first time. It had been too long since she'd seen him happy and relaxed.
As she started whisking the batter, she couldn't help but let her mind wander. She remembered all those late-night texts that were never quite enough, all those video calls that finished too soon, all that longing she'd felt every time she saw his face plastered on billboards or magazine covers. And now that he was finally home, lying peacefully in their bed, it all seemed almost unreal.
Her cheeks flushed as she recalled the way he'd greeted her last night, the intensity in his gaze as he crossed the threshold and swept her into his arms. There had been no need for words, his actions had said everything.
Noelle chuckled to herself while pouring the batter into the pan.
When the pancakes started to sizzle and their golden tops slowly bubbling towards perfection, Noelle's eyes were glued on to regulating the heat so that they do not burn. She did not catch the light footsteps drawing near, or the soft breathing of the man standing behind her. It was only when two firm, warm hands encircled her waist that she startled with a jump causing her heart to miss a beat.
The grip was tight but soft, and so familiar. A smile pulled at her mouth even before she could turn her head.
"Whose woman is this?" Adrian's deep voice rumbled in her ear, in playful teasing and unmistakable possessiveness. The heat of his breath tickled her skin as he leaned in, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to the curve of her neck. A pleasant shiver coursed through her and her body reacted to his touch almost immediately.
Noelle smiled gently. "Yours, Mr. Blackwood," she said, leaning back into his arms with her full hand reaching up to lie across his.
The simplicity of those words set something in Adrian on fire and the restraint he had so diligently held in check since waking up, dissolved. His amber eyes darkened with desire as he turned off the stove with one hand. Before Noelle could even think about his next action, he quickly spun her around to face him.
Without hesitation, Adrian swept her up in one effortless movement, her legs encircling his waist as if nothing could be more natural. Noelle breathed in sharply, her arms going around his neck for balance, but the shock gave way to laughter in quick succession.
"You startled me," she managed to say, her words breaking off into a soft moan as Adrian's lips found hers.
With one arm holding her up and the other wrenching the spatula out of her hand, Adrian tossed it on the counter with a careless flourish. His lips took hers in a kiss that was far from tender. It was ravenous, wild, and seething with the raw intensity of a man starved of her for too long.
Noelle dissolved into him. Her hands threaded through his hair as she kissed him in return with the same passion. The aroma of pancakes and strawberries wafted around them, but it was the intoxicating scent of Adrian that overwhelmed her senses.
"Adrian," she whispered against his mouth when they finally parted for air. Her cheeks were flushed, and her dark eyes shone as she looked up at him. "The pancakes."
"They can wait," he whispered, his forehead against hers as a lopsided smile pulled at his lips. "I've missed you too much to worry about breakfast at the moment."
Noelle rolled her eyes but couldn't conceal the smile that crossed her face. "You're insatiable," she teased.
Adrian grinned, his palms gliding up to her waist as he drew her near. "Only with you," he breathed.
Noelle's breath stuck in her throat as Adrian's fingers pushed aside the flimsy fabric of her thong as the chill of the kitchen brushed over her exposed warmth. Her hips arched automatically towards him as his thick, hard length thrust into her with a slow, measured ease. The feeling was electric and a sharp gasp left her lips as she felt him fill her to the hilt, stretching her in the most decadent fashion. Her fingers grabbed a fistful of his hair, nails scraping against his scalp as she held on tight with her legs wrapping around his waist to pull him deeper.
Adrian growled, low in his throat. His hands stayed clamped on her hips with a possessive intensity as he started to thrust. Each one was slow and deep and the friction made waves of pleasure move through Noelle's body. Her head fell back and a soft moan escaped her lips as she felt him strike that spot inside of her that made her toes curl. The smell of pancakes and strawberries was in the air, but it was overwhelmed by the heavy scent of their sweat and desire. The room was filled with the ragged breathing of the two of them and the slick, wet sounds of their bodies coming together.
"Adrian," Noelle whimpered, her voice trembling with need as she rocked her hips against his, meeting each thrust with equal fervor. Her breasts pressed against his chest while the thin fabric of her lingerie did little to hide the hard peaks of her nipples as they rubbed against him. She could feel the heat building inside her, a coil tightening in her lower belly with every movement of his hips. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, leaving faint red marks as she held on with her body trembling to the intensity of the pleasure coursing through her.
Adrian's lips found hers once more, his kiss ravenous and insistent as he consumed her moans. His hands shifted from her hips to her ass, squeezing the tender flesh as he raised her a little, altering the angle of his thrusts. Noelle screamed out, her body curving as he struck that place once more, the pleasure so exquisite it was almost too much to bear. Her nails tore down his back, leaving delicate red streaks in their path as she held on tight, her body shuddering on the brink of release.
"Fuck, Noelle," Adrian snarled against her lips, his voice hoarse with need as he sensed the walls of her vagina contract around him. His strokes grew stronger, more insistent as the sound of flesh slapping against flesh echoed through the room. He sensed the contraction of her vagina around him, her breathing short, desperate gasps as she approached her orgasm. His own was building and the tension in his groin near to agony as he pounded into her unrelentingly.
Noelle's body stiffened, her spine curving as the coil within her snapped. Her orgasm overwhelmed her in waves of unadulterated bliss.
"Adrian!" She called out his name, her voice cracking as she came and her walls thudding around him in rhythmic contractions. Adrian moaned with his own release close on its heels as he buried himself deep within her, his hips jerking as he spilled himself into her with a low, satisfied groan.
They remained for a while like that. Their bodies stuck together, their breathing entwining as they descended from the rush of their mutual pleasure. Noelle's legs shook as she slowly untangled them from his waist, her body still sensitized from the aftershocks of her climax. Adrian's forehead was pressed against hers, his breathing still unsteady as he softly kissed her mouth, his hands drifting to hold her face.
"Breakfast can definitely wait," Noelle whispered with a gentle, pleased smile creeping onto her face as she gazed up at him. Adrian laughed. His hands at her waist tugged her towards him, his lips touching hers in a gentle kiss.
"I finally know my place, Your Majesty. And that is not in your arms." - Isabel Archer "You shall not leave my side, Isabel. You are bound to me, body and soul." - King Lucian Devereux ~ Isabel is a commoner who has become a maidservant at the palace. Despite her status, the king, Lucian Devereux, falls in love with her, and she becomes his secret lover. But as their relationship flourishes, a rumor begins to spread that the king will marry a princess from another kingdom. As Isabel confronts Lucian directly, he confirms the gossip. She pleads with him not to marry the princess, but he rejects her plea, explaining that the marriage is for the kingdom's benefit. Heartbroken, Isabel who was only a mere servant, watches the man she loves marry another woman. When the new queen becomes pregnant with the king's child, the pain becomes unbearable. Isabel decides to leave the palace for good, hoping to forget the pain. But can she truly escape the grasp of the powerful and possessive king who notices her absence and begins to search for her?
"I'm a man and I want a child. If you can't give me that, then shut your mouth and just let me be." -Zachary Salazar "I need an heir, so if you're carrying my child, of course I'll take responsibility. But only if..." - Maximilian Klein ~ Evangeline who was diagnosed with infertility after marrying Zachary Salazar, discovers her husband's infidelity with her best friend, and is now expecting. And when she finally filed for divorce, it did not go as planned. Her husband refuses to let her go. But her problem does not end there as she ends up pregnant from a one night stand, and later on she discovers, that even her own brother was frightfully obsessed with her. How will she deal will all this chaos lurking in her life?
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."