Isabella De Luca spent most of her life under the radar, quietly obeying the whims of the powerful maniac that was her father who was a mafia boss. She has always been a little princess in a golden cage. An ominous journey starts after she unwittingly gets the attention of the infamous Alessandro Rossi who is the ruthless and popularly known head of the Rossi family, a rival to the De Lucas family. Alessandro has his own nightmares and enemies who haunt him; he has always had to defend his empire against all odds but nothing could ever have prepared him for the ferocious woman he could not conquer. They end up in a spontaneous hot romance that is unintended. Veils are lifted, secrets of the lovers' past start opening up and this makes Isabella know that their union was never meant to create peace. Is Alessandro just a pawn in someone else's game of power? or is it possible that his motives were much more insidious than just a forced marriage?
The air weighed heavy with what seemed oncoming storm even though the sky seemed to be clear. Isabella lived at the remote heart of the Sicilian country side with her parents where the sky was too high above for anyone to ever see where it ended behind mountains or hills except through climbing on one of them or taking an airplane flying over them. Her father was sitting at one edge of a long wooden table, his big body slightly leaning on the table and his hair seemed to be gradually losing color. The room was gloomy on account of heavy curtain drapes preventing sunlight from getting in.
The room was shadowy, the deep curtains cutting out most of the daylight. It was just how her father preferred it; he liked things in his life to be secret -that was just his character. Isabella sat at the other end of the table, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of her wine glass. Her older brother, Giovanni, stood by the door, his expression hard as granite, arms crossed over his broad chest. The air was thick with tension, and even though her father had called for a "family meeting," she had not yet been told why.
"Isabella," spoke her father, his voice rough like gravel, breaking the silence. His eyes in deep sockets shot in her direction, and she could read a mixture of anger, frustration, and something else-desperation. "You know I wouldn't ask this of you if there were any other way."
Her heart skipped a beat since she had been waiting for this moment ever since the antagonism between her family and their rivalling family – the Rossi's – in the underworld became overtly threatening by the latter's move when it invaded their territory. What was once a De Luca balance of power with Rossi had over recent times shifted further than her father had desired.
She straightened up and looked him in the eye, even though her pulse rate increased. "Ask me what, father?"
Emilio groaned audibly, while Giovanni's jaws tightened, as if he already knew what was coming.
Emilio sighed heavily. Finally, her father spoke, his voice low but firm. "You're going to marry Alessandro Rossi."
The words landed like a hammer blow.
For a very brief moment, Isabella felt quite overwhelmed, leaving her in the state of hearing her breath alone. When it comes to Sicily, just saying the name Alessandro Rossi was a dangerous thing. A man known for the harshness and iron hand he used in ruling over his empire, the head of the Rossi family was a terrible person. For years, he'd been causing problems to her family yet now...he was to become her husband!
She tried to talk but her mouth couldn't say anything meaningful given the fact that her father's command totally confused her.
"Is this meant to be funny?" she asked in a low voice, disbelievingly.
"He's not kidding," Giovanni grumbled by the door in a disappointed tone. His eyes were menacingly black. "It's a treaty-a union. Father and Rossi really shook hands, last night. You're to marry him in two weeks."
To grasp the idea, Isabella first blinked...hard. Her father had always been a good schemer but this-this was not just another move. It was a sacrifice. Her sacrifice.
"I can't," she whispered, though her voice trembled like an old man's. "I won't marry him, he's the devil."
"Fuck no," she said in a pleadingly softer voice than before; still shaky though.
She was angry and tears were welling in her eyes. "You want me to get married to the man who has caused so much loss of blood and so much pain. He is a murderer, papa!"
Emilio's face became stern as his jaws tightened, staring at her. "We are all killers Isabella, there is no innocent person in this world. This is how to stop the massacre and make peace between our families. Do you think I would choose this for you? to hand my daughter to that man?" He faltered a little bit, suppressing emotions. "But we have no other way out."
That portended nothing good for her. The previous year had seen sustained assaults on the De Luca strongholds by Rossi family-and they were also in significant danger of falling out of favor with De Luca business interests as well as the individuals who anchored and invested in them. They managed to keep their rivals at bay for a while, but recently there has been some backslide. Her father must have been at his wits' end to have tried something so desperate.
Giovanni entered, his facial expression somewhat more tender. "Isabella," spoke he in a low tone, "I am not into this myself but we must make this agreement. Otherwise, they will defeat us and demolish whatever remains from our father's life work. Only you can help us settle this".
She stared at her brother, examining his countenance for some hint of reassurance, but found only cold pragmatism. The whole family counted on her for deliverance. They expected her to save them from their travails.
"Do not compel me," she responded, hesitantly but challengingly. "Not in such a manner."
Her father's eyes burned with both anger and hurt, "I am your father Isabella and you will do as I command."
For Isabella, the finality in his words was chilling. Trapped couldn't even begin to describe how she felt. No other fate or option was open to her except to marry Allesandro Rossi if they wanted to survive as a family.
She was thinking very fast on how she could escape. There was just simply no way she would manage it without destroying her family.
Mixed emotions of fear and anger were causing a lot of pain in her chest. "When am I meeting him?"
"Tomorrow,¨ Giovanni answered in a monotone voice. "At noon," he added.
Under the table, her hands balled into fists. Less than twenty-four hours from now. She did not have much time before meeting the man who would determine what becomes of her life. Less than a day before seeing Alessandro Rossi, her nightmare of many years.
In addition, she would marry him.
---
The night was hazy, restive thoughts and feelings colliding and co-mingling like whirlwinds in Isabella's mind. There was no sleep for her tonight as she lay on her bed, looking at the ceiling, replaying her father's words. Tomorrow she would face the man who was about to plunder everything from her. Tomorrow she would become a pawn in the deadly game of mafia politics.
She permitted herself one instant of fragility within her poorly lit room. Her tears made their way down her face and she wiped them off in fury. She could not be weak at present. Not when everything in her life was at stake.
The first light of dawn crept through the windows, and at this moment Isabella realized that she could not escape this. She was going to confront her destiny no matter what, even though it was frightening.
As the sun positioned itself high in the sky, she found herself inside the lavish entrance hall at De Luca Estate with her heart thudding violently against her chest wall while she stood there motionless. She was wearing an uncomplicatedly elegant black gown; her hair was a straight black cascade of dark rigolets with a soft touch upon her back. Her face was all blank, hiding agitation on the inside with a neutral expression.
The sound of crunching tires could be heard on the gravel outside, and Isabella's breath caught in her throat as the front doors creaked open to reveal Alessandro Rossi, flanked by two of his men. Far taller than she would have thought, Alessandro held the space before him with an air of peril. His suit fitted impeccably; nonetheless, this stood in sharp contrast to the frosty solemnity behind his dark eyes. Her world stopped when his gaze met hers. Alessandro Rossi turned out to be every bit as frightening as people had claimed he was in the rumours. Finally, it was Isabella's time to face him.
With a slow, deliberate stride, he approached, his lips curling into a dangerous smile. "Isabella De Luca," he said, his voice low and smooth, like velvet over steel. "It's a pleasure to finally meet my future wife."
Her stomach turned over as she gazed into his eyes. It suddenly hit her that things wouldn't be the same for her anymore.
Isabella De Luca spent most of her life under the radar, quietly obeying the whims of the powerful maniac that was her father who was a mafia boss. She has always been a little princess in a golden cage. An ominous journey starts after she unwittingly gets the attention of the infamous Alessandro Rossi who is the ruthless and popularly known head of the Rossi family, a rival to the De Lucas family. Alessandro has his own nightmares and enemies who haunt him; he has always had to defend his empire against all odds but nothing could ever have prepared him for the ferocious woman he could not conquer. They end up in a spontaneous hot romance that is unintended. Veils are lifted, secrets of the lovers' past start opening up and this makes Isabella know that their union was never meant to create peace. Is Alessandro just a pawn in someone else's game of power? or is it possible that his motives were much more insidious than just a forced marriage?
Young Prince Kael feels unsatisfied in his routine training and tasks to become King. Unbeknownst to him, fate has a different plan for him. Follow the Prince of prophecy as he races against time to face the dark Lord Malakar and save the kingdom of Eryndor from impending doom
In the heart of a city ruled by power and fear, the De-Rossi family stands as an unshakable force. Led by Vince De-Rossi , they've weathered countless storms, but nothing could prepare them for the arrival of a shadowy assassin known only as The Ghost. Hired by their sworn enemies, the Giovannis, The Ghost is a phantom of death, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake and turning the De-Rossi family's world into a deadly game of cat and mouse. As alliances crumble and betrayal lurks around every corner, Vince must navigate a labyrinth of danger, using every resource at his disposal to protect his family from an unseen enemy. But The Ghost is more than just a hired gun-he's a force of nature, a relentless predator who knows no fear and has no limits. In a tale of loyalty, vengeance, and survival, the De-Rossi family is pushed to their breaking point. With their lives hanging by a thread, they must confront the darkest shadows of their past and face an adversary who knows their every move. As the clock ticks down and the final confrontation looms, Vince and his brothers must decide how far they're willing to go to protect what's theirs-and if they're ready to pay the ultimate price. In this explosive mafia thriller, trust is a luxury, and survival is the only option. The battle for the city is over, but for the Rossi family, the war has just begun.
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"
Natalie used to think she could melt Connor’s icy heart, but she was sorely mistaken. When at last she decided to leave, she discovered that she was pregnant. Even so, she chose to quietly leave his world, prompting Connor to mobilize all of his resources and expand his business to a global scale—all in a bid to find her. But there was no trace of Natalie. Connor slowly spiraled into madness, turning the city upside down and leaving chaos in his wake. Natalie finally surfaced years later, with wealth and power of her own, only to find herself entangled with Connor once again.
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."
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
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.
"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!