I was born 10 years after Queen Victoria took the throne, since then my mother tells, or rather imposes, the rules that aristocratic ladies must follow for me and my sister, who was 1 year older. In my house lived my mother Diana, my father Alfred, my brother Oliver, my sister Maya and myself, Grace, as well as the servants who took care of the cleaning and maintenance of the huge house in which I grew up. Maya's wedding, which was arranged by my father so that she would be an exemplary aristocratic lady like my mother as soon as she turned 19, but she didn't look happy at all. Weeks later, the ceremony took place, really beautiful, with roses for both sides of the altar, her future husband Paul waiting with a huge smile beside them and a stunning dress on Maya, but her countenance was still sad. Months after her wedding, Maya's husband decides to visit with her, but she didn't look like my sister anymore, her face was disfigured and her husband seemed enraged. Everyone sat down at the table and Paul began to rant that he had been deceived and that the woman he had been given could not beget decent heirs, since what he had managed to do with much effort had been lost while still in the womb. That same night, Mom enters my room and explains to me that Maya will be returned to our home, but before I can express any kind of happiness, she interrupts me with the sentence, "We have an agreement to fulfill and you will make sure that it is completed. You will marry Paul as soon as you turn 19" and simply walked away. I would not accept to marry that man, I had just turned 18, and I would only have one year to think of a way out of this situation.
It was a normal morning at home, I was woken up by one of the house maids who told me that breakfast would be served in a few minutes and that I should hurry to be presentable as soon as possible. I must admit that it wasn't exactly the easiest thing in the world to dress myself with the huge number of layers of dress, but I preferred to have at least a little privacy in these moments.
As soon as I was ready, I walked down the stairs to the huge dining room, the table was set and my family was sitting waiting for me as they always did, I walked to my usual place that was always next to Maya at the huge dining table, it really seemed to be a normal morning in our house and with all this calmness I couldn't wait for what was coming.
It was a quiet Wednesday morning, after eating my breakfast I was in one of my etiquette classes with my mother, she always made it clear that my daily teachings were something I couldn't escape no matter how hard I tried, "It's your duty as a noble woman and you must always be perfect. In my opinion this was all a big bummer, I never intended to get married in the end, but I was absolutely sure that if I tried to discuss this with my mother, she would tell my father and he would disown me from my own family, he really believed that a woman who could not marry and raise a beautiful family had no value in society and this made me deeply angry.
After my classes I decided to take a walk in the garden of the mansion, it was my favorite area of the house whenever I could try to find a way to escape to this place whenever possible, no matter how angry I got or how sad the people in this house made me feel, the smell of the roses always made me feel better about everything. One of the people in this house who also loved our garden was my brother Oliver, he always made sure that the employees were taking the best care of the garden, always making sure that the soil was fertilized and watered enough so that the roses could always grow healthy and beautiful. When I arrived at the garden Oliver was there, he had a concerned look on his face, the kind of affection I was not used to seeing on his face.
Oliver was a very cheerful man, we had always been very close as children so I always knew when he was sad, which was almost never the case, when he was worried or upset, so as soon as I saw the clear concern stamped on his face, I was afraid of whatever it was.
"Hello!"
"For heaven's sake Grace, don't come in so suddenly, it almost killed my heart!"
"You looked a little worried. So worried that you didn't even notice me coming."
"Perspicacious as always. What are you doing here? Running away from your classes again?"
"This time I was able to put up with all the hassle until the end, so I could come to the garden without carrying any guilt."
"We'll be free of our mother's scolding this time, then."
"Exactly. So, will you tell me why you are so worried?"
"I'm already 23, Dad wants me to marry a woman I don't know."
"An arranged marriage is just like our father. So, what do you intend to do?"
"I don't want to enter into a loveless marriage like this with a woman I don't even know the name of."
"I honestly don't think I have much choice."
"I know that, but what if I'm not able to love her?"
"I know that our father's speech always ends with "Come on, you might end up loving this woman like you did with me and your mother," but I don't think you believe that."
"The truth is that I know I can't love this woman because there is already someone I love."
"Well, try to introduce her to our father, maybe she could be a good suitor and our father will forget about this arranged marriage thing."
"Our father would never accept this person. Now I am stuck in this and have nowhere to run, I am already feeling suffocated with this subject."
I can imagine how he feels, I imagine that the woman who marries Oliver will one day be very happy, he is a handsome man, with his dark wavy hair, his annoyingly perfect chin and his honey-colored eyes, but he has always been a romantic, he always told me that he prayed every day that God would allow him one day to marry someone he really loves, but I guess that in this case God was not able to hear his request in the end. He asked me to be alone in the garden since he needed to think for a while, I told him that he could come to me for advice whenever he needed it, but if what he needed at that moment was to be alone with his thoughts I understood perfectly and I left him alone on one of the benches in the middle of the beautiful garden of red roses.
The concern I had for Oliver's happiness was clear to me, but there was nothing in my power that I could do to help him now, so until I thought of a solution I should let him calm down a bit, I decided to go to the big library of the house since it was my second favorite place in the house to relax, on the way I heard a female voice calling me, as soon as I looked back I saw Maya at the end of the hall waving to me. Maya was a year older than me and I imagine that soon she would have the same concerns as Oliver about his marriage, not that one day she might lack suitors since Maya was one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in my life. She had long, wavy, silky blonde hair that went all the way down to her hips but was always held back by an extravagant hairstyle that made her even more beautiful, she always wore blue dresses since it was her favorite color, and she always had a beautiful smile on her face, Maya was never a vain woman but her extremely white skin was as perfect as porcelain and her face didn't even need any make-up at all, it seemed to look rosy and angelic, my mother always told me that I should mirror Maya to be a beautiful aristocratic lady, but for me she was an example of beauty and altruism that I made sure to follow.
"I was looking for you, it's strange that you're not in the garden as usual."
"I'd like to stay there for a while, but Oliver said he wanted to be alone."
"I guess he's preoccupied with the details of his arranged marriage."
"So, you've heard?"
"You have no idea how much the maids in this house like to gossip among themselves."
"I wonder how much they must talk then."
"I understand Oliver's concern, he's always been against arranged marriages, but just like death it's not something he can escape."
"Our father could at least listen to his only male child."
"He was always very strict. Oliver's marriage also worries me since I will be 19 next year and our mother will remind me of my duties as a woman."
"Yes, soon after you I will be the one who will have to get married. This is very unfair; I hope at least I can find someone I love and our father will approve until then. Maybe I'll be luckier than you and Oliver."
"And who wouldn't want to be the suitor of a beautiful woman like you?"
These words brought me no comfort, the fact that I was apparently beautiful indicated that my father could trade me like cattle to men twice my age without any problem, my beauty at that moment brought me more fear than anything in this world.
Maya and I walked together to the library, spent the whole afternoon talking about everyday things and drinking tea, stopping only at lunchtime and saying goodbye at dinner time. I always spent most of my time alone as much as I loved my brothers, I always made sure to never give up my peace and quiet for anything in the world, so I always took some time to be alone during the day, in this time I read and acquired some hobbies like sewing or embroidery, I always wanted to learn fencing but my mother was extremely against it so I managed to learn just before I was fifteen until she found out I was learning with my brother on the sly, after that time I never insisted on another attempt.
After finishing some embroidery and reading a bit I decided to turn in and sleep, I lay in my bed with no guilt on my conscience, although I was still concerned about the happiness of all my family members the day had been productive and enjoyable. I lay comfortably on my bed and slept peacefully minutes later, the next morning I was woken up by the same old maid, I thank her after she tells me that I should hurry or I would miss my breakfast, her face had a countenance a little out of her usual, but I thought it was something in my head and went back to my normal routine. After getting ready I went downstairs towards the huge dining table, as soon as I arrived, I realized that Oliver was not present along with the rest of the family, I asked my father the reason for my brother's absence but he just told me that Oliver had to go to the house of his childhood friend David, apparently Oliver was still not completely resigned to his arranged marriage and sought refuge and advice from his good friend and confidant since childhood yesterday evening.
With this information I was able to eat my morning coffee more peacefully, until the moment when my peace came to its bitter end.
Alitta had always had terrible luck in love, she had always seen her friends, family and acquaintances find their predestined partners, but it seemed that her turn would never come. Without hope, one lonely night, she threw herself into the arms of an unknown man, everything went well, but what she didn't expect was that this unimportant night would bear fruit. The pregnancy was becoming more and more apparent, the discovery that the father of her child was the alpha of her pack was a great shock. She now had a choice in her hands: give up her baby or flee with her child to face everything that was to come alone.
I lived my whole life normally without even knowing the secret of my lineage. The next thing I knew, I was being dragged into a clan. The people in this clan aimed to keep an almost instinctive pack of wolves alive. They told me that I was part of this bloodline, something I could never have known because I was nothing more than a miserable orphan until they found me. I found myself at the start of a dangerous yet exhilarating journey.
I dedicated my whole life to God, I was always focused on my duties and my virtue, at least until the day I met him. That wasn't a part of the great church I had known before, curiosity led me deeper into what seemed to be a dungeon, and that's where I found him. Something wicked chained up, sealed in that frightening place. His name was Amon, the evil being who had dragged me into sin, made me give myself over to him, the being who had introduced me to lust.
Lilia was the eldest daughter of a cruel king, known for his conquests coming from the blood of innocents, he ruled his entire kingdom with a firm hand and tyranny. One afternoon the palace was invaded by men without coats of arms, only mercenaries murdered the king, when taken hostage Lilia discovers that all this betrayal was organized by her sister Elise, in an attempt to take the throne of her late father. With no male children to claim the throne, the only thing stopping Elise from being queen was her older sister, a sister she would eliminate without a second thought. Lilia fled when she had the chance but had the misfortune of being captured by the army of her father's rival kingdom, when she was taken to the palace she was soon recognized, again she was preparing to face death. Luckily for her, the news of the king's death had already spread, along with speculations of betrayal, she begged him not to kill her, said she would like to take back her father's throne. Now Lilia sought revenge, she would not leave her sister on the throne for long, and for that she would do everything.
"I want you to be mine, I want you to assure me that your body is mine alone." Anthony's voice sounded hoarse, making me recoil like a helpless animal in front of a predator. When I first met him, he was just a regular customer at the nightclub where I worked. He had a reputation for being very generous and cordial with the staff, as well as being too handsome a man to need to pay for a woman's company. After my first month with him, he started coming to the club more and more often. Everything seemed to be going well, until the night Anthony requested my company as usual, when he was informed that I wouldn't be available at that time, Anthony simply stormed into the room, dragging one of my regulars out straight away. Before I could even shout at him, Anthony kissed me, as if he depended on it to live. Now he was holding my wrists against the wall as he spoke those words, asking me to be his alone, asking no one else to touch me, even though this was my job.
Ellie had a perfect life, her family was of the highest rank, a perfect lineage, an example to be followed by the whole pack. But in a single day everything collapses in front of her, Ellie was betrayed and abandoned, unfairly judged and executed by her own family. The gods have given her a second chance, a chance to be reincarnated before everything goes to hell. A last chance to survive.
My family was on the poverty line and had no way to support me in college. I had to work part-time every day just to make ends meet and afford to get into the university. That was when I met her—the pretty girl in my class that every boy dreamt of asking out. I was well aware she was out of my league. Nevertheless, I mustered all my courage and bravely told her that I had fallen for her. To my surprise, she agreed to be my girlfriend. With the sweetest smile I had ever seen, she told me that she wanted my first gift for her to be the latest and top-of-the-line iPhone. I worked like a dog and even did my classmates’ laundry to save up. My hard work eventually paid off after a month. I finally got to buy what she wanted. But as I was wrapping my gift, I saw her in the dressing room, making out with the captain of the basketball team. She then heartlessly made fun of my inadequacy and made a fool out of me. To make things worse, the guy whom she cheated on me with even punched me in the face. Desperation washed over me, but there was nothing I could do but lie on the floor as they trampled on my feelings. But then, my father called me out of the blue, and my life turned upside down. It turned out that I was a billionaire's son.
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
Scarlett was left betrayed and broken beyond repair when her best friend Megan set her up with the male escort who stole her virginity...Or at least, that's what she thought he was. There was something odd about the strong and strikingly beautiful man that she spent a night with. Despite the pure hatred she felt for him, the deals he ended up offering wasn't one she could refuse. Scarlett always thought she'd marry her soulmate but turns out, that won't be the case for her. But could her mysterious husband make his way through her broken heart and fix it? It's hard to imagine but love has funny ways to manifest in places where it's least expected....
Eight years ago, she thought he was a Money Boy at the club, and accidentally had a one-night stand with him because she was framed by her stepsister. Is $100 enough to buy a Money Boy for one night? The next morning, she casually dropped $100 and ran away. Eight years later, she returned with her genius son. Little did she expect to be "deceived" into the Noblefull Group by her beloved son. Her immediate boss turned out to be Mr. $100 from eight years ago! ... "Bad girl, how dare you humiliate me eight years ago, this time you will pay the price!" "Bad girl, one billion dollars, I buy your whole life!" "I just want to be a secretary. You already have several lovers. You are not my type." "But, I only have feelings for you, only love you." However, their relationship was not smooth. Due to a property dispute, his brother deliberately caused a car accident in an attempt to kill her and their son. Due to past grievances of the previous generation, his father held deep hatred towards him and sent assassins to kill them. There were also plots and attempts on their lives orchestrated by his girlfriend. On top of that, they faced oppression from rival factions of the mafia... This is a romantic novel about a billionaire and his secretary, involving several generations of love, hatred, and complicated relationships, and also involving the mafia, revenge...
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
Eight years ago, Eleanor was a pampered and arrogant young heiress, while Andreas was just a nameless talent from a humble background. Although she had taken him in, she never treated him with any warmth. Their fates flipped, and now Andreas was a business titan feared by all, while Eleanor wallowed in shame and despair after her fall from grace. Upon their reunion, he pinned her with a venomous glare and declared, "It was my hatred for you that drove me into becoming what I am today."