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In the affluent coastal town of Riverview, Riverview High School stands as a beacon of privilege and prestige. However, beneath its polished exterior lies a dark secret that continues to haunt the institution years after a tragic event changed it forever. Alex Torres a new student with a mysterious past, is thrust into the complex social hierarchy of Riverview High. As she navigates the treacherous waters of power and influence, she finds herself drawn into the orbit of James Star, the charming yet ruthless student council president, and his rebellious confidant, Lily Rose, an enigmatic artist with secrets of her own. When Detective Megumi begins investigating the school's sordid history, Alex's own past becomes intertwined with the unraveling mystery. Shocking revelations emerge, unveiling a hidden society within the school, a dark secret about the founding family, and sinister motives that put Alex and her newfound friends in grave danger. As the stakes escalate, Alex must confront not only the demons of her own past but also the powerful forces that threaten to tear Riverview High apart. With the help of her allies, including the wealthy and influential Julian Styles, she races against time to uncover the truth behind the school's tragedy and bring redemption to those who have suffered in silence. In this fast-paced thriller, where privilege and power collide with redemption and truth, Alex must navigate a labyrinth of lies and deception, facing insurmountable odds to expose the dark heart of Riverview High and embrace her own destiny.
Chapter 1:
The sleek black Mercedes S-Class purred through the grand wrought-iron gates of Riverview High, the prestigious ivy-covered buildings emerging into full view like gothic monarchs surveying their impeccably manicured domain. Alex Torres felt her stomach knot with a potent mix of nerves and determination as she peered out the tinted window, taking in the sprawling emerald lawns and meticulously landscaped gardens that seemed to stretch eternally towards the glistening ocean on the horizon.
This elite private school represented a new chapter in her life, one brimming with uncharted possibility but also fraught with risk. Riverview was a world away from the shadows, unanswered questions, and tormented memories of her past that still haunted her daily like persistent phantoms. Yet there was an enigmatic, nearly magnetic pull about this place that had gnawed at Alex relentlessly until she could no longer resist its siren call. If she was ever to unravel the tangled web of her fractured history and confront the truth she'd been desperately seeking, it seemed fated to begin within these hallowed halls.
As the luxurious town car rolled to a smooth stop, Alex drew in a steadying breath. She knew transferring to Riverview was a gamble, perhaps even foolish given the secrecy and peril surrounding her previous life. But the prospect of finally laying her demons to rest made the plunge into this cloistered realm of wealth, privilege, and societal influence worth the uncertainty.
Offering her thanks to the driver, Alex slipped out of the car and onto the sun-dappled cobblestone drive, the crisp ocean breeze whipping tendrils of her long chestnut hair across her face. She drank in her new environment with a furrowed brow, unable to shake the ominous undercurrent flowing just beneath the surface of Riverview's immaculate facade.
The rolling emerald quads and lush gardens were pristinely manicured, practically glowing with the affluence of the school's old-money patrons. Stately brick buildings exuded an aristocratic air of history and tradition, their Gothic spires and arched windows like unblinking eyes hinting at the countless secrets kept locked away over generations. Oak trees as ancient as the Founding Fathers stood as silent sentries, their gnarled branches extending crooked fingers as if beckoning one closer to unveil the institutionalized skeletons in their closets.
Despite the picturesque beauty surrounding her, Alex's instincts screamed at her to keep her guard up. There was something not quite right, a malevolent specter lingering behind the gleaming veneer. She could sense it in the way the other students seemed to prowl the grounds in packs, their gestures and whispers guarded, frequent glances cast over their shoulders watchful and calculating. At Riverview High, it appeared that no one's intentions were transparent as they let on.
Clutching the strap of her well-worn backpack tighter, Alex headed towards the main administrative building - an imposing edifice of weathered stone that practically oozed institutional power and privilege. She knew all too well the importance of treading cautiously in this insular world where status was akin to a capital offense and scrutinizing gazes silently judged your every move. Like the building tension in the coiled metal of a tightly wound spring, she could feel the threat ready to unleash at even the slightest misstep.
But Alex Torres was no stranger to seeing beyond carefully constructed facades and walking the precarious line between what was brazenly visible and what skulked in the shadows. Her time had finally come to unearth the long-obscured truth, no matter how deeply buried or heavily fortressed it may be. Steeling her resolve, she ascended the granite steps and crossed the threshold into the sanctum of Riverview High, leaving the innocence and naivete of her former life behind for good.
The story centers around two characters - Logan Westbrook, the heir to a powerful real estate dynasty, and Ava Campbell, the daughter of a wealthy family with a steel empire. Logan is portrayed as a driven, ruthless businessman whose sole focus is securing his family's legacy at any cost. He develops an intense, passionate attraction to Ava, who represents the ideals of ethical urban development and progressive social change that clash with Logan's cutthroat methods. Logan's older brother Marcus tries to use Logan's infatuation with Ava as a psychological weapon against him in their battle for control of the family business. This leads to a violent confrontation between the brothers, during which Logan brutally assaults Marcus, driven by a protective rage over Ava's involvement. Meanwhile, Ava returns home to Pittsburgh, where her father, Harrison Campbell, tries to convince her to take over the family's steel empire and use its resources to pursue her urbanist vision on a grand scale. Ava is torn between her passion for ethical development and her family's legacy. The story explores the tension between Logan's single-minded ambition and Ava's more idealistic principles, as well as the weight of familial expectations and legacies. It appears to be setting up a conflict between Logan's ruthless business practices and Ava's desire to use her family's resources for positive social change.
"I heard you're going to marry Marcelo. Is this perhaps your revenge against me? It's very laughable, Renee. That man can barely function." Her foster family, her cheating ex, everyone thought Renee was going to live in pure hell after getting married to a disabled and cruel man. She didn't know if anything good would ever come out of it after all, she had always thought it would be hard for anyone to love her but this cruel man with dark secrets is never going to grant her a divorce because she makes him forget how to breathe.
Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
The day Lilah found out that she was pregnant, she caught her fiancé cheating on her. Her remorseless fiancé and his mistress almost killed her. Lilah fled for her dear life. When she returned to her hometown five years later, she happened to save a little boy's life. The boy's father turned out to be the world's richest man. Everything changed for Lilah from that moment. The man didn't let her experience any inconvenience. When her ex-fiancé bullied her, he crushed the scumbag's family and also rented out an entire island just to give Lilah a break from all the drama. He also taught Lilah's hateful father a lesson. He crushed all her enemies before she even asked. When Lilah's vile sister threw herself at him, he showed her a marriage certificate and said, "I'm happily married and my wife is much more beautiful than you are!" Lilah was shocked. "When did we ever get married? Last I checked, I was still single." With a wicked smile, he said, "Honey, we've been married for five years. Isn't it about time we had another child together?" Lilah's jaw dropped to the floor. What the hell was he talking about?