"Will you, Drew Walton, take Lilian Rose Martin, to be your lawful wedded wife, to share your life openly, standing with her in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in hardship and in ease, to cherish and love, now and forevermore?" Lily believed she had no purpose within her family. She had never been treated responsibly and frequently endured physical abuse from her father and other family members. Even the housemaids showed her no kindness, considering her a nuisance. Her value only became apparent when she was forced to marry into the Walton Family. Lily was terrified of Drew, the man she was to marry, but she was bound by her duty as a Martin. On their first wedding night, Drew confessed that he didn't like her. She was unlike the women he typically dated. Who would desire someone with her limited education, slim figure, and unattractive appearance? Nevertheless, she was determined to honor her marriage agreement with Drew rather than return to the Martins, who had mistreated her. [TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains adult language and themes, including graphic violence, explicit content, and instances of violence against women that may be disturbing to some readers. This book is intended for adult readers.]
[This chapter may disturb some readers. A trigger warning is advised.]
LILY'S heart was beating frantically. She was driven by her stepbrother Kenneth to a hotel-based bachelor party for a friend. Even though she was aware of the man's ulterior motivations, she felt compelled to go with him out of concern for her safety.
"I'll kill your precious Manang Puring if you disobey me," she remembers Kenneth's ghostly, demonic smile before he took her to that place.
"Hello, boys!" he said right after they opened the door of one suite.
They discovered four men inside the room.
"Wow, Ken!" One of his friends whistled. "You really brought Lily with you?" At the moment, she was uncertain why his eyes had a reddish hue. She recognized him as Kenneth's best friend, the man who often visited their home. She noticed he would often cast uncomfortable glances in her direction. She also overheard her brother commenting, "She's stupid! Even our father hated the woman. If you want to fuck her, go ahead. She might be of use to you."
"Get inside!" came the stern command from Kenneth. When she hesitated, he pushed her.
"P-please... I want to go home..." Tears rolled down her cheeks as anxiety consumed her. She was filled with fear, fully aware that Kenneth's intentions toward her were always sinister. There were five men in the room, and she could see no one else.
One of his friends stroked her cheek and whispered, "Shhh."
He reassured her, saying, "We won't do anything harmful to you, Lily... We just want to see you happy. You'll enjoy this," in an attempt to ease her anxiety. Her veins filled with revulsion as his finger brushed her cheek.
She noticed one of his friends handing Kenneth a wad of cash. With an authoritative tone, he demanded, "Take off your clothes and start dancing!"
Lily clutched her garments tightly. "No... I-I want to go home."
Turning toward the door, she found one of her stepbrother's friends blocking her path. "Please... let me leave..."
"Tsk! Is this fun for you, Ken? You said she's fun?" said one of the men. With a grin, Kenneth took a seat on a couch.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" one of the men chuckled. "This is the reason why I like her. I can't wait to fuck her cowardly brains out. C'mon, Lily... show us what's behind your clothes."
"No!" she yelled. Her sobs multiplied.
One of them, who is already frowning, said, "Let her go!"
"I won't refund the money if you remove her from here!" Kenneth declared, his eyes narrowing as he advanced toward her. He slapped her forcefully. "What we asked you to do is simple! Why can't you just comply?"
Her hair became disheveled, and her body felt on the brink of breaking. "I'll tell Dad what you've done..."
Kenneth let out a disdainful laugh. "Seriously? When did your dad ever show you affection? He loves me more than he loves you, Lily. You're foolish and worthless! No one cares about you except for me!"
"Go, Lily. Feel free to get out. We will count to ten. Sorry if we catch you outside," The man blocking the door tilted. She could see the excitement in his eyes.
That prompted her to leave the room and sprint down the hallway. She had to leave these beasts behind.
"Run, Lily, run!"
She burst into tears.
"Ten... Nine... Eight..."
She would definitely suffer if they caught her. She was certain that she was in danger, especially in light of the fact that Kenneth's companions were obviously not in their right minds. Perhaps they were under the influence of drugs.
She attempted to open each door one at a time despite her damp cheeks. At this point, that was her only chance for survival. Miraculously, one of them was slightly ajar. She entered without hesitation, but when she saw two nude people engaged in furious sex on the bed, she felt practically sick to her stomach.
"Fuck! Who are you?" asked the man with a broad body.
She was about to open the door so she could leave once more when she realized that there were wolves outside the room waiting to devour her.
"Hmm... Sir, you didn't tell me that you requested a threesome," the woman said flirtatiously, grabbing a cigarette off the nightstand.
"Shut the fuck up! Damn it!" He clenched his teeth. Standing up, the man headed in her direction while wearing a menacing attitude. Her eyes widened in fear, especially when he approached her naked. His hard and tall masculinity was clear in her eyes. She understood that since she was the one who had unexpectedly entered the room, she had no reason to be terrified of him.
"I'll call the police!" he threatened.
Lily was going through a lot of emotions when her vision went completely black, and she passed out. She stumbled and landed in his arms.
"Did you ever, even once, imagine yourself loving me?" Sarah posed a hopeful question to Philip. “Don’t make me laugh, Sarah. Everything between us has been purely about pleasure and business.” Sarah had harbored feelings for Philip ever since she first saw him in a sports magazine. When his fiancée abandoned him at the altar to elope with another man, Sarah selflessly offered herself as a replacement bride to spare his embarrassment. After enduring three years of a loveless and toxic marriage, Sarah finally summoned the courage to divorce Philip, who was still pining for his former fiancée. She vowed to herself that she would find another man who would love, trust, and worship her like a queen. This is what she sought if she were to marry a second time. A year later, their paths crossed again. Philip confronted Sarah in a ladies’ restroom, demanding, “Do not let other men touch you!” Sarah remained indifferent; her demeanor noticeably changed. “And what if I do?” she retorted. Philip’s tone grew menacing, “You won’t like what I’d do.” Unfazed, Sarah shot back, “Mr. Cornell, I’ve never liked what you’ve done, even in the past. There’s nothing new about that, and please stop whining like a baby,” before turning and walking away, disdainfully leaving him behind.
For years, Erin has grappled with guilt since her high school classmate passed away. Under the influence of the friends she trusted, Daryl was challenged, resulting in his tragic demise. Seven years later, Erin did not expect that fate would punish her further. In her stepfather's will, he decided that all their wealth would go to the Arvesso family, the same family that had lost a member before. Erin now found herself caught up in this arrangement. Perhaps that was her punishment—to be the wife of Orion, someone who harbored intense resentment towards her. She believed he would let go of the past once they were married. However, it turned out that before becoming her husband, he had played the role of a protective brother. He agreed to the marriage to torment her.
My name is Katia, and I am just trying to survive until my fated mate arrives. Which may be easier said than done. Rejectection is the last straw. Whispering my acceptance of his rejection. I run through the pack house, out across the manicured lawn into the forest. "I'm sorry, my sweet girl," I say to my wolf. I'm sorry you have been stuck with me and have had to suffer everything I have. She whispers," it's not your fault, Katia. We came to a cliff with a waterfall. The hurt keeps pounding at me. I need it to stop. My sweet girl, and I just want peace, I keep running and leap off the cliff. Spreading my arms wide, with tears streaming down my face, I fall, not making a sound, waiting for sweet oblivion where we feel nothing ever again. "I love you, my sweet girl! Until we meet again, "My wolf replied just before we hit the water, "I love you too, Katia. I have never regretted a moment with you." The Snow Moon pack is having their last barbecue of the summer next to the waterfall on their land. The adults are laughing and joking while watching the pups play. The alpha, beta, and gamma are swimming with some of the older children and playing a game of Marco Polo. Someone yells, "Oh my goddess, someone just jumped over the waterfall!" Everyone is frozen as they watch what looks to be a child falling arms spread wide, no one makes a sound. The small body hits the water like a plane crashing into the side of a mountain. The alpha, beta, and gamma, spring into action, swimming towards the area the person went under. The alpha is screaming his wolf is going crazy repeating, "Find her. Find her...find her!" They dive and the beta surfaces with a small person in his arms. Alpha takes the girl from his beta, laying her on the ground. The men are shocked by what they see. She is covered in scars and injuries. Her body is twisted and broken. The Beta asks, "Who could have done this to someone so defenseless?" Alpha drops to his knees, repeating, "MATE...MATE...MATE!"
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."