Your Majesty

Joanna didn't hesitate to return to the Philippines to fulfill her closest friend's request. Her mission: to seek revenge on the eldest child of the Villa Franca couple. Upon arriving in San Andres, where Hacienda Villa Franca is located, she stayed at a resort for a few nights. The opportunity seemed fitting as the Villa Franca siblings were present. The challenge was that she didn't actually know which of the two handsome men had hurt her friend Ivy, and Ivy never mentioned a name before disappearing from the world. So, Joanna observed discreetly and felt her way through. Until the mischievous-looking guy called his brother 'Kuya' without moving his lips for a smile. The one with the dangerous look, yet so damn gorgeous and hot: Nash Villa Franca. Joanna executed her plan without hesitation... Will she succeed?

"Just stay by his side until he remembers everything." "No. I have money, Ylona. I don't need your money," I told her coldly. "Why are you so hard to get? We need your help because Hercules is finding you! I'm his fiance but he can't remember anything! why does he have to look for you and not me." Frustration filled her face "That's not my problem anymore. If this is all we're going to talk about, I don't want to. I'm leaving," I told them coldly. I stood up and walked towards the door. I was about to go out when I was stunned by what he said. "You don't want? Then just wait, Talitha. Your money will disappear." I clenched my fist because of what he said. I didn't look at them anymore and walked straight out. I didn't pay attention to the way they looked at me. this is the last step I will take again. I traveled again towards La Consalancion because I had a lot left to do. It's been a few days since we talked to Hercules' family. They didn't bother me again and that's a good thing. I followed him with a smile while he smiled as he waved the toy. Caitlin is not here because she has a job at the resort that I also own. After we broke up, I left and started my own business. "You want more?" I asked him smiling. He quickly nodded. "Lithaaaa!!!" I stopped eating Baby Hero when Leon, my gay friend, came. "Why, Leon?" I asked him in wonder "Mrs. Galvez was at the resort. I'm looking for you and have companions, rich people." I felt my heart beat because of what he said. Rich? Maybe it's not them. I took Baby Hero from the chair and lifted him up. "Alright, I'm going. Come with me." Mrs. Galvez is the owner of the land where my resort is located. I just held my breath before I got on Leon's tricycle. In less than a few minutes we arrived. I see Caitlin who is outside the resort and seems to be waiting for someone. when he saw me, his face seemed to light up and he quickly approached me. "Litha, good and here it is. Here are the parents of your ex-husband," he whispered to her. I bit my lip before I gave him Baby Hero. Take care of him first. I first kissed Hero who was now smiling at me. "Mrs. Galvez," I called the lady. It quickly stood up and looked at me. "You're here, Ms. Fernandez. I want to talk to you about the land that you haven't fully paid yet," she said. I didn't look at them and only at Mrs. Just Galvez. "Can you straight to the point, Mrs. Galvez?" He sighed first. "I'm selling it to the Guevara couple." "We have something to talk about, Mrs. Galvez," I said emphatically. "Business is Business, Ms. Fernandez." got up and left so the three of us were left. My fist clenched because of the anger I would feel. Heartless! "What are you doing this to me? You said I don't want to enter your world! Haven't you put me through enough?" I told them without emotion "Even me, I will never let you into my daughter's world, Talitha. But because my daughter needs you, I will do it for her, even though I hate it." "I hate it too, Ylona. I hate it because I became your mother-in-law," I told her without emotion. he quickly looked at me and glared at me. "You hate me but you're here in front of me now and you're forcing your son to care for me?" "Because he needs you, Talitha! I'll pay doub—" I was startled by a small hand resting on my thigh. I looked down and a smiling child was looking at me while he was presenting something. "M-Mom!" "Hero..."

"Where did that go?" I asked myself again. We're not friends but we're pretty close to each other, and I know he rarely goes out or leaves his office. "Maybe it's just there." I answered myself again and then searched. The whole library is spacious because this school is also large. Some students here are sons and daughters of business tycoons and politics so it's not surprising. I've almost gone around all the bookshelves with their backs to each other but I still don't have mika, so does Arries, it's amazing, especially since I feel different. Girls instinct matches. in the back I could not go so I went there when I heard someone talking, as if whispering. I know Mika and Arries, because I haven't seen anyone else yet and go home, especially since Mika is the only librarian here and I also saw Arries enter here. I was about to turn around to prove that they were when I heard a growl. "Ahh Arries maybe someone will see us here." The woman growled at Arries. My chest throbbed with excitement, "No! This cant be!" My brain objected. Arries was inside and if I'm not mistaken Mika was the woman who moaned earlier. my tears are already dripping, I can't accept, but my mind is trying to focus that it's not them, that other Aries and Mika are inside, but who did I fool? There are no other names for those two here who are our co-teachers, if there is a student it is very impossible. "Ohh shit! I really love you Mika." The man growled. There I stopped sobbing when Aries proved that my boyfriend was doing nonsense right inside the library, he was still the principal but he acted like a pig. I still accept that he hangs out outside but what he does right here inside the school is too much. To hurt myself even more and prove to myself that my boyfriend and my co-staff are doing the miracle, I peeked, I saw that Mika's uniform was almost open as well as Arries who was in a hurry to get down and remove the belt and open the zipper of the dress. I tried not to make any noise, during the time that Arries and I were together I didn't even notice anything strange about him, he was as tender as the first time we were so it was hard to accept for me. We've been together for four years but I think that's not enough when it comes to talking about the flesh. the entire staff as well as the students knew the relationship between the two of us, others were expecting the wedding we were going to but it wasn't. that's why he hasn't processed yet, he already has someone else, I didn't pay attention to that before because maybe he just had a plan but this is the answer. anger took the place of the love I felt here, so I hurriedly took my cell phone to take a picture of them just in case I could use him. To the two of them. It's bad if it's bad but I'm just hurt too. it's a good thing they were so greedy for each other that they didn't even notice my presence, but that's good too. Slowly I took the steps towards the exit door and when I thought I was far away from them I slowly ran out. I don't care if it creates a sound, even if they chase me they won't see me anymore. They are also far from the door so I have a strong feeling that they will not be able to chase me. the gate show is still shedding my tears, it's a good thing the sandal I used is only 2 inches high so it's not hard for me to run. Fortunately, there were no students, staffs, only the guard was there but I didn't pay attention when I heard him greet me. I just wanted to leave, get stuck in that place.

On the first day of school the large gate of Axford University opened early for students required to enter. there are transferees and most are former school students. But all attention was taken away when a young woman got out of an expensive car. "Angel" "Pre am I in heaven yet?" "Shit. She's beautiful!" "The smoothness is damn." "Pres. The student and the transferees are complete, the gate has been closed and they have all been gathered in the auditorium." polite promise of his right hand. He nodded and stood up. He was Devin Lance Hellias .. the President of the Council and known as the King of Axford University because everyone was obedient to him and everyone was afraid to oppose him. he is Ruthless man, a devil one and he don't know the word mercy .. He can kill you in a snap once you break his rules in this school and he don't give a damn if you begged for your life .. But what if this Devil, ruthless man meet the girl named Alliann Leannah De Villa? the Innocent Angel who break the one and only rule of this President? What will happen?

She is Shia Sheridan. She has no dreams. She doesn't know what she wants. No plans for life. But because of a mistake she owned up to, she ended up in a place she despised. The Titan Academy of Special Abilities. A school for those like her with special abilities. A place for extraordinary people she will never be like. Welcome to Academy of Special Abilities. "Because it takes more than power to be special."

"Then who owns you?" he asked, I could feel and smell his hot and fragrant breath. "I-i-it is yo-you sir," my lips parted as he suddenly came closer to me, bringing our bodies closer together, it's too late for me to close my mouth when I feel his lips on mine. when our lips parted, we both gasped, "then stop making me jealous, because you don't want to know what this friend can do to you."

"When do you plan to sign?" He asked while seriously looking at the divorce papers, I stared at it before sitting in front of him. "Is Azi really gone? Are you really just going to throw everything away?" I bit my lower lip to stop myself from sobbing. Tears came to my eyes one after the other, but I immediately wiped them away. "I don't love you anymore, let's not torture ourselves Jade, let's finish thi—" "I'm Preg—" I cut him off but I was immediately stunned when the door opened.

A Man with a power a r*thless Ceo can make a bunch of people kneel from him, a Man with a cold personality a heartless indeed His name is Gabrielle Aziel Hebrew. ..girls are ready to kneel just to have s3x with him but this is one other girl who caught his attention this girl has an innocent face who just Be his personal maid and when that day happened everything have changed in just a blink of an eye Gabrielle started to own Elianor what will happen to Elianor when the or so known Ruthless and powerful Ceo is obsessed on her what would she do?

"Akijiro Hades Lawliet is the SSG President of L University, not because of his family's influence but because of his intelligence. People find him very intimidating. He has these emotionless black eyes that people can't look at directly. No one has dared to cross the line. Even though they find him scary, most of the girls find him very attractive. But none of them have tried to flirt with him. Then one day, a woman named Athena Caprice Sullivan entered the University. She has these innocent looks, creamy white skin, long brown hair, heart-shaped lips, a pointed nose, and brown eyes that caught his attention. He found himself becoming obsessed with her, stalking and punishing men who look at her, touch her, or claim to own her. "The moment you stepped into my territory, you became mine. No other man will cross your mind.”"

Meet Lily Rojas A smokin' hot bikini model with a sexy Colombian accent. Daring and provocative. She's adored by men and hated by women. Lily is engage to marry her famous actor boyfriend, Dylan Cooper. But how come another man claims as her fiancé too? Who is Lily Rojas? Is she hiding her true identity? Meet Xander Valiente The gorgeous Italian billionaire that claims Lily as his missing fiancé. He believes that Lily is Mia Stewart - his very demure, conservative and innocent long lost love. Xander is a desperate man. He won't give up until Lily admits that she is Mia. He is willing    to do anything and give everything just to have her back in his arms. How sure is he that Lily Rojas and Mia Stewart are the same person? Both women speak in different accent. Lily is liberated while Mia is conservative. And most of all, Lily doesn't recognize Xander. She claims that it's the first time she set eyes on him. Is she lying or not? Find out in this new funny love story of Lily – Xander – Mia.    

Meet Athena and Carter A story between two mortal enemies. From the first moment their eyes met, they disliked each other immensely. It was HATE AT FIRST SIGHT. They could not stand the mere sight of each other, even being in the same room, the tension was overwhelming, like a grenade of smoke suffocating them. But what is the core of this hatred? Do they really hate each other? Or they are just pretending to play the silly hating game to hide their true feelings.

Claire Olsen had a great crush on Zion Petrakis since the first time she laid eyes on him. But Zion had his eyes glued at the school's 'It girl' Maddie Jennings. Claire couldn't compete with Maddie who was every boy's dream girl in school. She hid her feelings for Zion and just satisfied admiring him from afar. But a series of events led Claire closer to Zion in Senior High and that made her feelings for him intensified- growing from infatuation to love. She tried to act normal and fought hard to hide her feelings when they were together. At some points, she avoided him, but the more barrier she put between them, the more he barged into her ordered life.

Emerald did not want anything to do with Harry Allen again. He broke her heart when she was young. But, when he offered for her to make a crown for the Queen of England, she immediately accepted. The Queen's crown would be the highlight in her first jewelry exhibit.  But things did not turn out according to her plan. Her life turned upside down when she went with Harry in England. The more it became chaotic when she met Prince Philip, the next in line King.

Her dad was a playboy with a string of mistresses who left her mom when she was five. Her bestfriend got jilted by her playboy boyfriend after he was busted hooking up with different girls. Her favorite celebrity couple broke up due to the same reason... and she herself experienced being cheated by her first love. She lost her trust on men. She thought they're all the same, polygamous by nature. They could not stick to one woman. She would rather be an old maid and live with a cat than bear the burden of having a playboy husband. But it only took one night and a few shots of tequila to change her opinion of men. She was dazzled, swirled in euphoric ecstasy and swept off her feet like that in a fairytale movie. She met a guy she thought was very different from all the other men. A real life prince charming! Too bad, the man was Daniel Monteiro. The biggest player in the planet who doesn't hook up with a girl twice. Like a mouse trap, Kate falls for the playboy's game.

I was known as the Miss Prim and Proper of our university. Always wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, or a skirt that is always below the knee in length. My hair was always tied up, and I never wore bangs. Bangs are just too much of a nuisance on the face, especially when they hit the eyes.I always carry books with me. Especially when I'm inside the university. I earned respect from the teachers because of that. Also, I was always at the top of the class. So I take care of my title of Miss Prim and Proper. Because that's the only way I get respect.Many were annoyed, but nobody dared to oppose me. Why? Because I am the best friend of the most beautiful and hottest girl at the university.    Artemis Gallagher.She has the power, the beauty, the fame, the money, and whatnot. She's like the epitome of beauty. Many men admire her but cannot form a bond because of her two brothers. She was the only girl of the Gallagher siblings, so it would be terrible if her brother could protect her.And since Artemis is my friend, no one tried to fight with me, even though many were jealous. Many girls want to take my place, but they can't do anything.

“Damn! Don't force me to get mad, Lea! Or I could drag you out to this place and lock you again inside our house!” he said. We almost met each other's eyes. I feel like I want to be happy with what he has to say now. "In our house?" I was blown away by what he said. "When I decide to leave you and out of that place, its not my house anymore!" I said "Really? Your still my wife and you can't even do about it! If I say, you would do it!!” his voice echoed in the hallway. All of the people and employees were looking at us. Damn this! he was making a scene here. Is he out of his mind?? Ts “Correction! I'm no longer your wife!” I emphasized the word 'Wife' "And don't make a scene here Mr. Montecillo. I can make our partnership in our company would be inoperative if you touch even a single hair of me!” I warned him that makes him stop. I just secretly smiled because I could see him blushing with anger in front of me. I also see that his fists are clenched. Ts "Go on, try me Mr. Montecillo!” I challenged him, and he still stood in front of me and looked at me intently. "Well, see you around Ex-husband" I smirked at him and left him dumbfounded and annoyed.

As I lay on the floor of our manor, bleeding out from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, I used my last ounce of strength to call my husband, Cole. I begged him for help, my vision blurring. But the only thing I heard was the clinking of champagne glasses and his mistress's giggle in the background. "Stop the drama, June," Cole snapped, his voice cold. "We're about to go on stage. Don't call again." He hung up, leaving me to die alone on the Persian rug while he accepted an award with another woman on his arm. I woke up in the hospital days later. My baby was gone. They had removed my fallopian tube. Cole finally arrived, smelling of expensive scotch and his mistress's perfume. He didn't hug me. He didn't cry. Instead, he leaned over my hospital bed, pressing his knee into the mattress until my fresh stitches tore open and bled. "You embarrassed me by calling an ambulance," he hissed. "My mistress, Alycia, says you're faking it. Clean yourself up." He left me bleeding again to go announce a $10 million donation to Alycia's "groundbreaking" medical research. I stared at the TV screen, numb. The research Alycia was taking credit for? It was mine. I wrote that patent years ago under a pseudonym. They thought I was just a poor, orphan housewife who needed Cole's money to survive. They had no idea I was actually a billionaire scientist hiding my identity. I pulled the IV needle out of my arm. A drop of blood fell onto the divorce papers I had been hiding. I didn't wipe it off. I signed my name right over it. Then I walked into the bank, reactivated my dormant account with $128 million, and bought the penthouse directly overlooking Cole's house. The mourning widow is dead. The avenger is born.

Kayla stood outside the CEO suite, holding a custom suit for her fiancé, Brennon. They had spent seven years building a tech company from a freezing garage into a billion-dollar empire. But through the cracked door, she heard the breathy laugh of Evelin, the newly hired director. Then came Brennon's low, careless voice. "The wedding's a PR milestone for the IPO, nothing more." Kayla's blood turned to ice. "She's comfortable. Makes sense on paper," Brennon continued. "But you, Evelin. You understand ambition." The betrayal hit her like a physical blow. She had written the core code that made him a billionaire. She had stayed up until 4 AM debugging while he slept on a futon. Now, he was mocking their relationship to his mistress and handing over her life's work to a woman who couldn't even read a data log. Seven years of loyalty, reduced to a PR stunt. She didn't cry. Instead, a cold, violent clarity washed over her. Why should she let him keep the crown she forged? Without a word, she pulled the three-carat diamond off her finger and dropped it into her bag. She walked out of the building, drafted her resignation, and accepted a VP position at his biggest Wall Street rival. It was time to show Brennon what happened when the real genius behind his empire decided to tear it down.

I was once the heiress to the Solomon empire, but after it crumbled, I became the "charity case" ward of the wealthy Hyde family. For years, I lived in their shadows, clinging to the promise that Anson Hyde would always be my protector. That promise shattered when Anson walked into the ballroom with Claudine Chapman on his arm. Claudine was the girl who had spent years making my life a living hell, and now Anson was announcing their engagement to the world. The humiliation was instant. Guests sneered at my cheap dress, and a waiter intentionally sloshed champagne over me, knowing I was a nobody. Anson didn't even look my way; he was too busy whispering possessively to his new fiancée. I was a ghost in my own home, watching my protector celebrate with my tormentor. The betrayal burned. I realized I wasn't a ward; I was a pawn Anson had kept on a shelf until he found a better trade. I had no money, no allies, and a legal trust fund that Anson controlled with a flick of his wrist. Fleeing to the library, I stumbled into Dallas Koch-a titan of industry and my best friend's father. He was a wall of cold, absolute power that even the Hydes feared. "Marry me," I blurted out, desperate to find a shield Anson couldn't climb. Dallas didn't laugh. He pulled out a marriage agreement and a heavy fountain pen. "Sign," he commanded, his voice a low rumble. "But if you walk out that door with me, you never go back." I signed my name, trading my life for the only man dangerous enough to keep me safe.

I woke up on silk sheets that smelled of expensive cedar and cold sandalwood, a world away from my cramped apartment in Brooklyn. Beside me lay Ezra Gardner-my boss, the billionaire CEO of Gardner Holdings, and the man who could end my career with a snap of his fingers. He didn't offer an apology for the night before; instead, he looked at me with terrifying clarity and proposed a cold, calculated business arrangement. "Marriage. It stabilizes the board and solves the PR crisis before it begins." He dressed me in archival Chanel and sent me home in his Maybach, but my life was already falling apart. My boyfriend, Irving, claimed he had passed out early, yet his location data placed him at my best friend's apartment until three in the morning. When I tried to run, I realized Ezra was already ten steps ahead, tracking my movements and uncovering the secret I'd spent twenty years hiding: my connection to the powerful Senator Grimes. I was trapped between a CEO who treated me like a line item on a quarterly report and a boyfriend who had been using me while sleeping with my closest friend. I felt like a pawn in a game I didn't understand, wondering why a man like Ezra would walk up forty flights of stairs on a broken leg just to make sure I was safe. "Showtime, Mrs. Gardner." Standing on the red carpet in a gown that cost more than my life, I watched my cheating ex-boyfriend's face turn pale as Ezra claimed me in front of the world. I wasn't just an assistant anymore; I was a weapon, and it was time to burn their world down.

Vesper's marriage to Julian Sterling was a gilded cage. One morning, she woke naked beside Damon Sterling, Julian's terrifying brother, then found a text: Julian's mistress was pregnant. Her world shattered, but the real nightmare had just begun. Julian's abuse escalated, gaslighting Vesper, funding his secret life. Damon, a germaphobic billionaire, became her unsettling anchor amidst his chaos. As "Iris," Vesper exposed Julian's mistress, Serena Sharp, sparking brutal war: poisoned drinks, a broken leg, and the horrifying truth-Julian murdered her parents, trapping Vesper in marriage. The man she married was a killer. Broken and betrayed, Vesper was caught between monstrous brothers, burning with injustice. Refusing victimhood, Vesper reclaimed her identity. Fueled by vengeance, she allied with Damon, who vowed to burn his empire for her. Julian faced justice, but matriarch Eleanor's counterattack forced Vesper's choice as a hitman aimed for her.

The sterile white of the operating room blurred, then sharpened, as Skye Sterling felt the cold clawing its way up her body. The heart monitor flatlined, a steady, high-pitched whine announcing her end. Her uterus had been removed, a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding, but the blood wouldn't clot. It just kept flowing, warm and sticky, pooling beneath her. Through heavy eyes, she saw a trembling nurse holding a phone on speaker. "Mr. Kensington," the nurse's voice cracked, "your wife... she's critical." A pause, then a sweet, poisonous giggle. Seraphina Miller. "Liam is in the shower," Seraphina's voice purred. "Stop calling, Skye. It's pathetic. Faking a medical emergency on our anniversary? Even for you, that's low." Then, Liam's bored voice: "If she dies, call the funeral home. I have a meeting in the morning." Click. The line went dead. A second later, so did Skye. The darkness that followed was absolute, suffocating, a black ocean crushing her lungs. She screamed into the void, a silent, agonizing wail of regret for loving a man who saw her as a nuisance, for dying without ever truly living. Until she died, she didn't understand. Why was her life so tragically wasted? Why did her husband, the man she loved, abandon her so cruelly? The injustice of it all burned hotter than the fever in her body. Then, the air rushed back in. Skye gasped, her body convulsing violently on the mattress. Her eyes flew open, wide and terrified, staring blindly into the darkness. Her trembling hand reached for her phone. May 12th. Five years ago. She was back.

I sat on the edge of the examination table, the crinkle of the sanitary paper sounding like thunder in the sterile room. The doctor didn't even look at me as he confirmed the news: the pregnancy was over. My husband, Keyon, didn't answer my call. He just sent an automated text: "In a meeting." When I returned to our cold mansion, I found his iPad glowing with a message from his "muse," Katina. He was throwing her a secret gala tonight-on our third wedding anniversary. He told her he couldn't wait to escape the "boring" and "draining" atmosphere I created at home. Keyon didn't stumble in until 3 AM, smelling of Katina's perfume with a smear of red on his collar. When I handed him the divorce papers, he laughed in my face. He called me a "glorified housekeeper" with no skills and no future, promising I'd be back in three days begging for a subway ticket. He even bet his friends ten thousand dollars that I wouldn't survive a week without his name. He had his assistant cancel my credit cards and block my gate access before I even reached the end of the driveway. He wanted me to starve. He wanted me to crawl. He sat in his office, mocking the "desperate" woman who pawned her three-million-dollar wedding ring for scrap metal just to pay for a meal. I stood on the rainy curb, watching the man I had protected for three years treat my life like trash. He didn't know about the ultrasound I just threw in the bin. He didn't know that while he was calling me "dull," I was the one secretly writing the code that kept his billion-dollar empire from collapsing. As I slid into a cheap Uber, I opened a hidden, encrypted app on my phone. The screen refreshed to a dashboard for an account Keyon didn't know existed. The balance was ten figures long-the accumulated wealth of "Solaris," the world's most elusive tech genius. Keyon thinks he just evicted a parasite, but he's about to find out he just declared war on the only person who can hit "delete" on his entire life.

Trigger/Content Warning: This story contains mature themes and explicit content intended for adult audiences(18+). Reader discretion is advised. It includes elements such as BDSM dynamics, explicit sexual content, toxic family relationships, occasional violence and strong language. This is not a fluffy romance. It is intense, raw and messy, and explores the darker side of desire. ***** "Take off your dress, Meadow." "Why?" "Because your ex is watching," he said, leaning back into his seat. "And I want him to see what he lost." ••••*••••*••••* Meadow Russell was supposed to get married to the love of her life in Vegas. Instead, she walked in on her twin sister riding her fiance. One drink at the bar turned to ten. One drunken mistake turned into reality. And one stranger's offer turned into a contract that she signed with shaking hands and a diamond ring. Alaric Ashford is the devil in a tailored Tom Ford suit. Billionaire CEO, brutal, possessive. A man born into an empire of blood and steel. He also suffers from a neurological condition-he can't feel. Not objects, not pain, not even human touch. Until Meadow touches him, and he feels everything. And now he owns her. On paper and in his bed. She wants him to ruin her. Take what no one else could have. He wants control, obedience... revenge. But what starts as a transaction slowly turns into something Meadow never saw coming. Obsession, secrets that were never meant to surface, and a pain from the past that threatens to break everything. Alaric doesn't share what's his. Not his company. Not his wife. And definitely not his vengeance.

I stood in the pouring rain at my father-in-law's funeral, the heels of my black pumps sinking into the mud. I was Mrs. Vargas, the wife of New York's most powerful billionaire, yet I was standing at the edge of the crowd like a forgotten statue. Ten feet away, under the dry shelter of the family tent, my husband Hayes held another woman against his chest. It wasn't me he was whispering comfort to; it was Felicity, his late brother's widow and childhood sweetheart. The humiliation didn't end at the cemetery. Hayes moved Felicity and her son into our home, relegating me to the guest wing while she took over the primary suites. He watched silently as her son smashed the only photograph of my deceased parents, then demanded I apologize for "scaring" the boy with my reaction. When Felicity's negligence ruined a twelve-million-dollar family heirloom, Hayes had the audacity to ask me to use my own savings to buy her a "consolation" engagement ring. He treated me like a parasite, never realizing I was a brilliant scientist with a hidden fortune and three patents to my name. I realized then that our three-year marriage was a hollow farce. Hayes had never even touched me, claiming he wanted to "remain pure" for his memory of Felicity. I was nothing more than a business merger, a smudge on the lens of the perfect family portrait he was building with another man's widow. The breaking point came during a lethal blizzard. Hayes promised to accompany me to my family's mandatory gala-a tradition where my absence meant a death sentence. But at the last second, he stood me up to stay home and tend to Felicity's stubbed toe. Left alone to face the wrath of the Santos Matriarch, I was forced to kneel in the freezing snow as punishment until my lungs began to fail and my vision blurred. Just as the darkness started to take me, a black Maybach smashed through the iron gates. My exiled brother, the man the world calls "The Wolf," stepped out of the storm to reclaim what Hayes had discarded. Hayes thought I was a helpless doll who couldn't survive a day without his trust fund, but he's about to find out what happens when you let a Santos daughter freeze.

I stumbled into the wrong hotel room while drunk and accidentally lost my virginity to a stranger in the pitch black. I fled at dawn, hoping to erase the painful mistake. But when I went to a private clinic for a checkup, the "doctor" who walked in and locked the door was him—Cain Reed, a billionaire who coldly declared my body was now his "responsibility." When I tried to escape, he cornered me in the parking garage, threw me into his bulletproof Maybach, and locked me inside his high-security Tribeca penthouse. He had already investigated my entire life—my abandoned childhood, my dead grandmother, my student loans. "You took my first time, and I took yours," he whispered, pinning me against the glass. "You belong to me now." He demanded my complete submission, threatening to stalk my job and my apartment if I dared to run again. I was terrified and suffocating. Why me? Out of all the women in New York, why was this ruthless, powerful man so dangerously obsessed with a nobody who made a drunken mistake? His possessive need felt like drowning, a gilded cage I would never escape. I couldn't let him consume me. Pretending to surrender, I negotiated a public date and watched his luxury car drive away. Then, I pulled out my phone and texted an old college acquaintance. If Cain Reed wanted to control my life, I was going to create a "serious boyfriend" to fight back.