For Emma Montgomery, life as the pampered daughter of Manhattan's elite carried the weight of impossible expectations. Groomed from birth to lead her family's corporate dynasty, genuine love seemed an elusive dream amid the superficial trappings of wealth. That is, until a shocking proposal opened doors to an unexpected future. When her father arranges for Emma to enter a marriage contract with James Reynolds, the charismatic heir to a powerful political family, she sees it as an escape from her turbulent past. But neither Emma nor James could foresee the firestorm of passion and betrayal that would be sparked by their convenient union. As the one-year countdown on their sham marriage begins, Emma finds herself falling for James's unexpected depths and charm. But James has his own demons - bound by duty to fulfill his father's Machiavellian ambitions while his own heart belongs to another. As cordial pretenses melt into smoldering intimacy, their worlds collide in a maelstrom of corporate greed, political ambition, and star-crossed desire. In this sumptuous tale of love among New York's upper echelons, Emma and James become delicious pawns in a high-stakes game they never imagined playing. With every blistering secret revealed, every heart-wrenching choice posed, they must decide whether to surrender to the inescapable lure of power and privilege, or burn it all to the ground for a love too intoxicating to deny.
The fancy ballroom at the Metropolitan Hotel was super luxurious, with sparkly chandeliers and gold decorations everywhere. It was the place for rich, important people in New York City to see and be seen. Emma Montgomery walked in on her father's arm, smiling fakely even though she didn't want to be there.
Emma hated these stuck-up high society parties. She couldn't stand having small talk with snobby social climbers while also trying to get potential investors interested in her family's real estate company, Montgomery Corporation. At twenty-five years old, Emma's life path was already set - she was the heir who had to take over the multi-billion dollar business from her father one day, whether she liked it or not.
As always, the ballroom was jam-packed with people dressed up in fancy tuxedos. The air smelled strongly of expensive perfumes, cigar smoke, and desperation from people trying to climb the social ladder. Emma's father was immediately whisked away by a group of rich old men smoking cigars. Emma headed straight for the bar, in desperate need of a drink.
She was sipping her first glass of champagne when her eyes landed on a striking man across the room. Even from far away, his chiseled jawline was captivating, and surprisingly, he flashed her a warm, friendly smile. That couldn't be James Reynolds, could it? The rumors painted the notorious heir to the wealthy Reynolds real estate empire as an arrogant, brooding man. But his welcoming demeanor seemed to contradict those stories.
Intrigued, Emma found herself shamelessly checking him out, admiring the muscles in his chest and the confident power in his stride. She mentally scolded herself. Get a grip, Montgomery. Don't let yourself be charmed by a pretty face.
Emboldened by the man's surprisingly affable smile, she sidled up to order a cocktail. "Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice you from across the room," Emma said with a friendly smile of her own. "I'm Emma Montgomery."
The man's expression instantly morphed into an arrogant sneer, his earlier warmth vanishing in an instant. "Do I look like I care who you are?" he asked in a rude, dismissive tone that left Emma stunned.
So the rumors were true after all. His friendly overture had just been an act. "I...I was just trying to introduce myself," she stammered, thrown by his abrupt shift in demeanor.
"Well, don't bother. Your little Montgomery Corporation is barely a blip on my family's empire," James scoffed derisively. "Now run along back to your little party, little girl."
Emma's mouth dropped open in shock at his outright rudeness. How dare he speak to her that way, after luring her in with that warm smile! The pleasant, welcoming demeanor she'd detected moments ago had been an illusion, a mask he'd dropped to reveal his true arrogant, callous nature.
Before Emma could respond, a familiar voice called out from behind her. "Emma, my dear, there you are."
She turned to find her father, Robert Montgomery, his eyes alight with a mixture of pride and mischief. "I trust you've met James Reynolds?"
Emma nodded, her brow furrowed. "Unfortunately, yes. He's just as rude as the rumors suggest."
Robert let out a hearty chuckle. "Well, you two had best get acquainted. After all, you'll both be getting married very soon."
Emma nearly choked on her cocktail. "Married? To that arrogant jerk?" She whirled on James, eyes blazing. "Over my dead body!"
James looked equally appalled. "There's no way in hell I'd marry some spoiled, daddy's little princess like you," he spat out venomously.
"How dare you!" Emma shrieked, causing partygoers to turn at the commotion. She fought the urge to slap that smug look right off his face.
Her father frowned. "Now, now, children. No need for hostility. I've orchestrated this merger to join our companies. You'll be married!"
Anger bubbled within Emma. To be forced into this against her will was appalling.
Just as she opened her mouth to protest further, a familiar figure caught her eye - Mark, her ex-boyfriend who had cheated on her with her best friend Amanda.
A tidal wave of hurt and humiliation crashed over Emma as she watched them strolling hand-in-hand, acting every bit the happy couple without a care in the world. She had finally started to piece her life back together after their devastating betrayal, but the sight of them together so brazenly reopened those still-fresh wounds.
Hadn't she suffered enough at their hands? The lies, the months of being made a fool of right under her nose? Emma had loved Mark with every fiber of her being, and had pictured growing old together after marriage. Only to have her heart shattered into a million jagged pieces when she discovered his sordid affair with Amanda - her supposed best friend.
The anger, the pain, the gut-wrenching devastation she'd endured...Emma had never truly healthily dealt with those emotions before trying to move on. So to have Mark and Amanda's indiscretion shoved in her face so publicly at this high society event, a place where reputations and public perception meant everything, felt like the ultimate insult.
How dare they flaunt their happiness after destroying her so completely? I haven't done a damn thing to get back at the people who ruined me, and they dare to parade around their affair like this, humiliating me even further in front of everyone?
A white-hot rage unlike anything Emma had ever experienced blazed through her veins. Without a second thought, she whirled around and grabbed James Reynolds, the man she had just declared she'd rather die than marry. She crushed her lips against his in a heated, desperate kiss, pouring every ounce of her hurt, her anger, her overpowering need for vengeance into that scorching lip-lock.
It was a vicious punishment - both for Mark witnessing his ex-girlfriend desecrating her virtue with another man, and for James getting a taste of his own arrogant medicine after the dismissive way he'd treated her moments before.
At first, James went stiff with shock. But then his hands seized her waist, pulling Emma flush against his solid frame as he started devouring her mouth with bruising force. It was a filthy, punishing kiss, all teeth, and desperation, but the illicit thrill jolted through Emma like an electric shock.
When they finally broke apart, Emma turned to see Mark's face contorted with rage before he stormed off, Amanda hurrying behind. A vicious rush of satisfaction swelled in Emma at destroying his smug calm.
She turned her fiery gaze back to James, boldly meeting his smoldering whiskey eyes. "You're welcome," she breathed her voice a mixture of disdain and challenge, before striding away and leaving him stunned.
Ava Taylor was born into an extremely wealthy New York family, but endured a miserable childhood witnessing her parents' toxic, loveless marriage. Eventually going into business herself, she swore off romance after seeing how it destroyed her mother. Liam Parker had a vastly different upbringing, having to hustle on the streets of Brooklyn just to survive until a teacher helped him turn his life around and earn a scholarship to an elite university. When Ava and Liam first meet at a Manhattan bar, she's initially put off by his brash advances. But Liam's charisma and seeming depth intrigue Ava enough to let down her guard. However, unbeknownst to her, Liam is perpetrating an elaborate lie - he accepted a dare from friends to try making a wealthy woman like Ava fall for him, just to win a lavish vacation. Using coaching from a friend, Liam completely constructs a fake persona of a sophisticated, successful businessman to woo Ava with extravagant dates and an air of wealth. She becomes smitten, convincing herself to keep things casual to protect her heart. Just as guilt is threatening to make Liam confess, a bombshell emerges - Ava will only inherit her father's fortune if she marries before age 27 in six months. Desperate, she propositions Liam to enter a marriage of convenience, offering him $10 million from her inheritance. Despite knowing it's wrong, Liam's greed and faint hope of somehow earning Ava's love override his conscience. They hastily marry under false pretenses of his lies. But Ava's unhinged ex soon begins sabotaging their union, revealing Liam's deceptions as part of a larger, murderous scheme to inherit Ava's fortune himself. When the truth finally explodes, Ava is devastated by Liam's betrayal. However, Liam proves his feelings became real when he risks his life to protect Ava from her psychopathic ex's attack. In the traumatic aftermath, they're able to rebuild from honesty, cherishing the profound connection that improbably bloomed from deception.
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?
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”
Elisa watched as the most important people in her life showered the evil imposter-The fake heiress, with love. Elisa, the lost daughter of one of the most wealthiest family was found 18 years later and was brought back to her rightful home. However, someone had already taken her place. A fake heiress, the pampered little princess. Her coy acting and innocent façade made Elisa's real mother love her more than Elisa, her real daughter. That made Elisa, though, the true daughter end up as an adopted child. "Elisa, could you try not to appear in front of her too much as it could trigger her insecurities." Her parents had told her because of the fake heiress. "Elisa, You've taken everything away from her. Why can't you give her a little more?" Her fiancé had ordered her. Because of an unfortunate accident plotted by Isabelle-The fake heiress, Elisa was sent to prison and her family cut ties with her without a second thought. Four years, after much torture which led to her being crippled and blind on one eye, she was released, but got hit by a truck. While laying on the pool of her blood, she wanted to question, Why? Why had they all treated her so cruelly, while they love Isabelle unconditionally? She badly wanted to rip off Isabelle's mask of innocence, to reveal the fake, manipulative woman beneath. She was full of hatred. But after her death, she woke up back to when she was 18 years like all that happened were all nightmare. She was elated. She was reborn to re-live all that had happened in her last life, but now, her mission was to reveal mask beneath that woman and make everyone that made her suffer in her past life pay. It was her time for revenge! And definitely, she won't mess this up!
She thought she was the love of his life, and he became the love of her life that fateful day she had seen him at the pack's party. Selene Grace was only a replica of Alpha Leo's real mate, and when he spotted her, Leo immediately claimed her as his Luna in order to suppress the rumors of him being mateless. Being unable to conceive turns Selene's marriage into a nightmare, and as if that wasn't enough, Alpha Leo finally reunites with his long time lover and mate, rejecting a pregnant Selene as a result. 5 years later, Selene, a now successful doctor, receives an invitation to the moon shadow pack in order to rid the pack of a deadly disease which has struck it. Will Selene return back to the pack which had caused her so much pain, and what would she do when she realizes that she is mated to the Alpha who had betrayed her in the past?
When Corynn mustered up the courage to tell Elliot about her pregnancy, she unexpectedly found him gallantly helping another woman from his car. Her heart sank as three years of effort to secure his love crumbled before her eyes, compelling her to leave him behind. Three years later, life had taken Corynn down a new path with someone else, while Elliot was left grappling with regret. Seizing a moment of vulnerability, he pleaded, "Corynn, let's get married." Shaking her head with a faint smile, Corynn gently replied, "Sorry, I'm already engaged."
Five years ago, Alessia La Rosa's life took a drastic turn when, suffering from memory loss, she wed to Dominic Carter under her grandfather's mysterious arrangement. But their marriage was a facade, bringing her only humiliation and heartache as Dominic showed no love, and she couldn't conceive. Upon discovering Dominic's infidelity, Alessia sought liberation through divorce. Yet, fate had more in store for her. Five years later, spurred by an anonymous email hinting at her lost child's whereabouts, she returns to the city with her twin babies in tow, determined to uncover the truth. As she navigates the tangled web of her past, a surprising twist awaits. Dominic, upon meeting her again, finds himself drawn to the woman she has become, unaware of her true identity as his former wife. Little does he know, the woman he's falling for is not only his ex-wife but also a powerful Doctor and Master Hacker.