"In a small, traditional town, Emma Stonewell's life is meticulously mapped out-an arranged engagement to a wealthy man and a future defined by expectations she never chose. But when she meets Matthew, a kindhearted farmhand with dreams of his own, her world is thrown into turmoil. Torn between the life she's been taught to want and the passionate, forbidden love she finds in Matthew's arms, Emma must defy her family, societal expectations, and her fears to pursue the life she truly desires. As whispers of their romance spread, Emma and Matthew must navigate a world determined to keep them apart, discovering that true love often demands the ultimate sacrifice. In a story of resilience, love, and defiance, will their love survive the weight of tradition?"
Chapter 1: The Unspoken World
The town of Marlow was a place steeped in tradition, bound by unspoken rules that governed the lives of those who lived within its borders. The cobblestone streets were lined with old stone houses, their windows adorned with thick drapes that rarely parted to let in the sunlight. The townspeople, much like the homes they lived in, were closed off, watching, but rarely speaking of things that truly mattered. The unspoken world was the most powerful one here.
Emma Stonewell had lived her entire life in Marlow, never questioning its silent rules, not even noticing them. At twenty-three, she had already accepted the future that was expected of her: marriage to James Thornton, the son of the town's most respected family. Their engagement had been arranged by their parents when they were just children, and though Emma did not love him, she felt no need to protest. Love was not a luxury people in Marlow pursued-it was more of an inconvenience.
But everything changed the day she met Matthew Rivers.
Matthew was an outsider. He had come to Marlow to help restore the old bridge that had been damaged in last winter's flood. With tousled dark hair, intense blue eyes, and the kind of smile that spoke of freedom and adventure, Matthew was unlike anyone Emma had ever known. He moved through the world as if it owed him nothing as if he owed it nothing in return. He was free in a way Emma had never realized one could be, and from the moment she saw him, something deep within her shifted.
Their first encounter was brief. She had been walking by the river, enjoying a rare moment of solitude when she stumbled across him fixing the bridge. He was shirtless, sweating under the late summer sun, his muscles taut as he worked. Emma had frozen in place, not out of shock but something else, something unfamiliar that stirred deep inside her. For a moment, he didn't notice her standing there, but when he finally did, he flashed her a grin that made her heart skip a beat.
"Afternoon," he said casually, as though it were perfectly normal for a stranger to appear in her quiet world.
"Good afternoon," she replied, though her voice wavered slightly. She felt foolish standing there, watching him as if she'd never seen another person before. But in truth, she hadn't seen anyone quite like him.
Their meeting ended there, a simple exchange of pleasantries before Emma continued her walk, her heart racing for reasons she didn't fully understand. She told herself it was nothing, a fleeting moment of curiosity that would pass. But as the days wore on, she found her thoughts drifting back to him. She found reasons to walk by the river more often, hoping to catch another glimpse of him at work.
It wasn't long before Matthew noticed her visits. One afternoon, as she walked by the bridge, he called out to her.
"You're not from here, are you?" he asked, teasingly, though she could tell he already knew the answer.
She stopped, her face flushing. "Of course, I am. I've lived here all my life."
He raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "Strange, I've never seen anyone from this town take walks by the river. They're too busy hiding behind those thick walls."
She opened her mouth to protest, but the words stuck in her throat. He wasn't wrong. Marlow was a town built on secrets, hiding behind propriety and tradition. She just hadn't realized how much until this moment.
From that day on, their meetings became more frequent. Emma would come to the river, and Matthew would be there, always with a smile, always ready to talk. Their conversations started innocently enough-discussions about the weather, the work he was doing, little things that meant nothing on the surface. But as the weeks passed, their talks grew deeper. He told her about the places he'd seen, the adventures he'd had, and the life he lived outside the constraints of Marlow. In return, Emma found herself sharing parts of her life she had never spoken of to anyone. She spoke of her engagement to James, of the life that had been planned for her, and the quiet dissatisfaction that gnawed at her whenever she thought of it.
"Do you love him?" Matthew asked one afternoon, his eyes locking onto hers in a way that made her breath catch.
Emma hesitated. "I don't know," she admitted softly. "I don't know if I even know what love is."
Matthew's expression softened, and for a moment, there was silence between them. The river flowed gently beside them, the wind rustling the leaves of the trees, but Emma could feel the tension between them building like a storm on the horizon.
"Love isn't something you plan for," Matthew said after a long pause. "It's not something you choose because it's convenient or expected. It just... happens."
Emma looked away, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew what he was saying, and she knew it was true. But what could she do? Her life was already set. Her future had been decided long before she had even understood what it meant.
"I can't," she whispered, more to herself than to him. "I can't just.... change everything."
Matthew reached out and gently touched her hand, sending a jolt of electricity through her. "Sometimes," he said quietly, "the hardest thing isn't making the change-it's admitting that you need to."
As his words settled into her heart, Emma felt something inside her break open. For the first time in her life, she realized that the future she had always accepted was not the only one available to her. But even as the possibility of another life took root in her mind, she knew the road ahead would not be easy. For in Marlow, love like theirs was forbidden.
And the shadows of that forbidden love would soon begin to fall over them both.
Iris grew from an orphaned child to the adopted daughter of the Stewart family at age ten, finding warmth in her nominal uncle Vincent's kindness. Seven years later, she became his secret lover. When Vincent's engagement was announced, gossip spread about the notorious playboy CEO finally settling down. But only Iris knew the extent of his cold, two-faced nature. Iris fell for Vincent and, through tears, begged, "Marry me," only to be met with his frosty refusal. Defeated, she accepted a lawyer's proposal, sparking public excitement. Then, on her wedding day, Vincent pleaded desperately, "Don't marry him…"
"I, Riccardo Saviano, future Alpha of the Grey Shadow Moon Pack, reject you, Artemisia Guerrieri, Daughter of Alpha Franco of the Blood Moon Pack, as my mate and future Luna." One single sentence. One stupid single sentence was all it took to disintegrate my life. And the day of my birthday, on which this sentence was audaciously uttered to me, I lost the love of my life, my future mate, and my wolf, all at once. As I'm still assembling the pieces of my shattered heart years later, there they come. Like lightning out of a crystal blue sky. My Mates. But wait... If I am mated to triplets, how come I'm about to be mated to 5 gorgeous men? *** TW: explicit and foul language; spicy content; explicit sex scenes ***
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.