Experience the heat of desire, the sting of betrayal, and the triumph of love as you follow the enthralling tale of the Don and his beloved Thalia. Don't miss out-start reading now and immerse yourself in this scorching story of forbidden love and redemption
Standing sentinel at my office window, silhouetted against the renaissance splendor of Florence, I indulged in a moment of quiet triumph. A sinuous wisp of cigar smoke curled languorously into the air, a silent partner to my introspection. Commanding the room's attention was my latest acquisition, "Eternal Echoes" by Antonio Russo, a vibrant chaos contained within a frame that challenged the viewer to look deeper, to find order in the abstraction.
Indeed, the canvas swirled with hidden meanings, its forms and figures teasing the eye, inviting a closer look. A spectral figure at the center seemed almost alive, a perpetual motion captured in silver, beckoning the onlooker to explore the depths of their own uncharted imaginations.
This artwork, a masterful symphony of colors-deep, introspective blues yielding to the vivacity of reds and oranges-had eluded me for over two years. But determination has always been a trademark of mine, irrespective of whether it concerned the ruthless world of finance or the pursuit of fine art. Flown in from Italy, this soul-stirring masterpiece now hung in my domain, a memento of the land of my birth and of the achievements my wealth could secure.
My contemplation broke at the intrusive creak of the door, a herald of the impending tempest. Antonella, my former wife, with the swift and commanding entrance of one accustomed to upending tranquility, stepped into the room. Her entrance, as swift and inevitable as a winter storm, bore down upon me before I could even see her face.
"Dominic Angelo Romano, where is my damn check for this month?" she barked, her tone slicing through the smoky calm with the precision of a knife. Each word was steeped in frustration, a reminder of the continuous grievances she paraded before me.
I faced her calmly, a counterbalance to her tempest. I interlocked my fingers and allowed them to rest upon the desk-a monument to the wealth I'd accumulated. This ritual was familiar, as if the desk itself provided strength, reinforcing the foundation of the empire I built and the image I maintained.
"Antonella, darling," I began, my voice dripping with feigned tenderness, "rest assured, the check is navigating its way through the serpentine channels of financial institutions. But would you care for a drink in the meantime?" Behind me, an anthology of aged spirits caught the light, a shimmering testament to my lavish lifestyle.
Yet, her scornful gaze cut through the pretense. She declined my offer with a controlled poise and strode with measured steps to the chair before my desk-as if every action was yet another move in our endless chess game.
"I'm not here for your theatrics," she replied coolly. "This is about Micola. She requires more than the empty gestures of an absentee father. She needs you, Dominic."
Her words lingered between us, suspended in the stillness of the room. Antonella had always possessed a cutting clarity, seeing through my defenses to the man beneath-the man who had once captivated her with passion and now provoked her with absence.
"Antonella," my voice softened, revealing an unexpected seam of vulnerability. "My dedication to my ventures is unwavering, but perhaps misplaced where Micola is concerned. She is more than an heiress to my fortunes, she is our child-flesh of our shared flesh-and deserves not to feel like an afterthought."
We sat in contemplative silence, weighing the gravity of acknowledgment and the paths it might pave. "Tell me then," I implored, leaning forward with genuine urgency surfacing in my usually steady tone. "What does she require of me as her father-beyond the trappings of wealth and prestige?"
Antonella's expression shifted subtly, laden with a cautious hope mingled with lingering doubts. Slowly, carefully, we began to unravel the intricate knot of our disrupted family tapestry, seeking amidst the discord a way forward, for the child we both cherished in the raw heart of our conflict.
"Now, please, enlighten me-what does our daughter truly need from me?" I asked, eager to bridge the chasm that material abundance could never span, to reclaim a bond frayed by time and neglect, and to offer more than the hollow echoes of a distant, wealthy patriarch.
Holden Sterling, CEO of Sterling Grand Hotels, meets Eriola Coleman, an architect with a troubled past and a talent for innovation. Drawn to her brilliance, Holden wants her for a new hotel project. However, Eriola's history is entangled with the rival Covington family, who seeks to control her. As Holden falls for Eriola, he's torn between love and loyalty, knowing their connection could spark a battle with dangerous consequences.
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
Sheila had her back against the wall when her family tried to force her to marry an awful old man. In a fit of rage, she hired a gigolo to act as her husband. She thought the gigolo needed money and did this for a living. Little did she know that he was nothing like that. One day, he pulled off his mask and revealed himself to be the world's top magnate. This marked the beginning of their love. He showered her with everything she could ever want. They were happy. However, unexpected circumstances soon posed a threat to their love. Would Sheila and her husband make it through the storm? Find out!
Elin spent twenty years deeply loving her husband, finally marrying him just as she'd always dreamed. But reality shattered her illusions—he wasn't the man she believed. Instead, he callously destroyed her family, crushing her heart beyond repair. At her lowest point, Ruben, equally betrayed that night, approached her steadily. "Marry me, Elin. I'll help you take revenge." Yet, after their wedding, she quickly discovered he was dangerously unpredictable. "I made a mistake. Let's divorce..." Ruben slid his arm possessively around her waist, whispering a chilling promise, "Only in death."
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!"
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.
Sandra Hill, the long-lost real heiress of the Hill family, was shunned by her own kin. Instead of embracing her, they bestowed their affection upon an impostor. They even arranged her to marry a vegetative man in place of her so-called “sister”. Sandra sneered, refusing to put up with this humiliation, cut off ties with the Hill family immediately and ran into the flash marriage with Wesley Cooper, her unconscious billionaire husband. With her incredible medical skills, she defied the odds and revived him. Little did she expect that her husband spoiled her with all his love... A medical genius, a computer prodigy, a national treasure in painting, and a racing legend... Her husband revealed her various identities, leaving the Hill family regretful. Her father came pleading, "It's Dad's fault. Please come back." Her mother wept, "Mom will protect you from now on. Please come back." Even her five brothers knelt before he, begging for forgiveness. Yet, Sandra's smile held a hint of mockery as she vowed, “Never!”