Miguel and Rosario Valiente make the decision to move back to their hometown in hopes of creating a positive atmosphere for their children and ultimately leading a happy and beautiful life. This is especially crucial for their daughter Marissa, who has been battling depression ever since her brother, Juan Valiente, moved away without her. The family believes that once Marissa sees Juan again, she will return to her normal, happy self. However, upon arriving in their hometown, Marissa meets Juan's girlfriend, Daniella Duran, who she inexplicably appears to despise her. Witnessing Marissa's negative behavior towards herself and Daniella, Juan takes matters into his own hands. But what's truly inside Marissa's heart? Find out in this suspenseful and romantic novel.
Marissa stood in their spacious garden, surrounded by flowers. A gentle breeze traced the fence line, causing her sleek black hair to spin and her long-sleeved shirt to tug out. Tugging back her shirt into her black jeans, she smoothed a stray lock from her face, bent down, and plucked a single flower from the ground, admiring its delicate petals in the bright light. It seemed like the final glimpse of this place.
"Marissa... Marissa. Let's go. Everyone is ready for us to leave," her mother, Rosario Valiente, called out.
Rosario's simple blue dress blew in the same breeze that had caught her daughter's hair, almost as if the land was pleading with them to stay and not leave. Walking down the lane toward the garden, she called out once more to Marissa, "Please, come and hop into the car. We'll be leaving soon."
Marissa nodded, her expression concealed.
Ignacio Valiente, the second sibling, leaned against a Hyundai Palisade, puffing on a cigar.
Meanwhile, Carlos, the youngest of the siblings, assisted the servants in loading the luggage into the car's boot.
Miguel drew attention when he came out of the house. Rosario walked over to her husband and rested her head on his shoulder, "I hope Marissa will find peace at the hacienda, like she used to before Juan left. Hopefully, she'll be less stressed there."
Miguel wrapped his arms around her waist. "Don't worry, my darling Rosa. She'll be alright, you'll see," he comforted her, planting a kiss on her head.
"Father, can we leave now so we won't be late?" Carlos inquired, closing the boot and placing his hands on his hips.
"Seems like he's eager to reunite with his childhood sweetheart," Ignacio teased, passing his cigar to a male servant.
Opening the back row door for their parents, Miguel and Rosario settled into the last row of seats in the car. Carlos plopped down next to Marissa, retorting, "So what? Atleast I can keep it in my pants."
Ignacio and the driver sat in the front seats of the car.
* * *
"I can't believe Juan will soon be married! What do you think, Miguel?" Rosario's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "I remember when he was just a child! And now, he's starting a family!" Her eyes sparkled, with excitement akin to a bottle of champagne.
Marissa leaned against the window, tears streaming from her eyes, despite her attempts to wipe them away upon hearing her parents' conversation.
"I genuinely don't understand why someone would commit their life to one person for a lifetime," Ignacio expressed with a tsk.
Carlos lifted his head from his phone. "When you fall in love, you'll discover how special it is to give your heart to someone."
"Who, Danna?" Ignacio guffawed. "What if she's already fucking someone?"
"Can you please keep your words to yourself, big brother?" Carlos pulled on his headphones.
"I really hope returning to the hacienda will change everything," Rosa whispered to her husband, leaning on his shoulder. "I want our children to live peacefully and understand each other."
"I hope so, my dear Rosa," Miguel murmured, his fingers smoothing along her dark hair, so reminiscent of their daughter's. "They need their big brother."
Rosario closed her eyes, feeling comforted by the thought of a brighter future for their family.
* * *
As they approached the hacienda, a parade of animals passed by the windows. The car slowly made its way along the winding path, arriving at the park before reaching the mansion's door. Carlos gently patted Marissa's sleeping shoulder.
Chuckling, he watched as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Sorry to wake you. We're here, and you can finally see your big brother."
For a fleeting moment, Marissa's face lit up with excitement like a scientist who had found a cure for polio. But her expression quickly fell as memories of her mother's words about Juan, his impending marriage, and his new family returned. She couldn't forget what her mother had said about Juan's upcoming marriage and the possibility of a new family, and these thoughts overshadowed her joy at seeing her big brother at the hacienda.
Ignacio opened the car door and walked straight towards the mansion with his hand in his trousers pocket.
Marissa and Carlos got out of the car, and Rosario took Miguel's hand and got out of the car with grace.
"I can't believe I dozed off," Rosario admitted, feeling Miguel's support as she stepped out of the vehicle.
An elderly woman stood at the entrance with a playful glint in her eye, followed by three maids as the driver opened the car's trunk.
"Welcome home, Mr. Miguel, Mrs. Rosa, and children," she greeted.
"Thank you, Margarita. How have you been?" Miguel inquired.
"Thank you, Margarita," Rosario added.
"I've been quite well," Margarita replied, her cheeks blushing red like a rose.
"Hello, Margarita. I hope you're taking good care of everyone in the mansion?" Carlos inquired, though his eyes were fixed on a girl among the maids.
"Of course, Sir Carlos," Margarita beamed in response.
The maid dipped her head shyly and then lifted it with a modest smile. Carlos's grin widened, eliciting a blush and a flutter of lashes before she lowered her head again.
"Danna, could you bring my luggage to my room, please?" Carlos tossed his hair and offered a coy smile to Danna. "It's the blue one."
Marissa headed towards the car's boot, intending to carry her own light pink luggage, but Danna swiftly intervened. "You don't need to worry, Miss Marissa. We'll take your bags to your room."
"Thank you," Marissa mumbled.
Marissa walked into the house, stepping past her family and the staff. The old walls of the hacienda spread wide, like the flower garden she had just left. With a grimace, she took out the flower she had picked earlier, lamenting its simple beauty against the thick velvet opulence of the chairs, couches, and curtains around her. The only thing that stood out was a painting of flowers and horses on the walls.
After examining the handcrafted rug in front of the fireplace, Marissa wandered into the entryway and ultimately came onto the well-known stone staircase and hallway that led to the dining room. From her last visit, everything appeared to be the same.
"I hope I'll find a second life here," Marissa confessed to her flower. "I just miss -"
"Marissa!"
She heard her name from the lips of the person she had longed to see most in the world. Tears streamed from her eyes as she slowly turned, catching sight of him standing at the entrance.
He appeared like a dream. His handsome, open face beamed with a deep-set smile as he repeated, "Marissa."
With a big smile on her face and tears still streaming down, she ran to hold him tightly. She seemed afraid that if she didn't cling hard enough, the dream would break and he would disappear. Shaken by the sudden outpouring of emotions, she whimpered, "Big brother, I missed you so much." After the years apart, she had felt so empty and yearning. At that moment, it became painfully clear how much she wanted him.
He wrapped his arms around her, planting a kiss on her silky smooth hair. "I missed my adorable little sister, too."
A lady walked in and stood beside Juan. "Hey, Marissa, right?"
Glancing up at the woman in front of her, Marissa saw that she had golden-brown hair pulled back into a taut ponytail, gorgeous brown eyes hidden beneath a vintage cowboy hat, and loose black trousers that were paired with a brown short-sleeve shirt. Marissa's mind immediately labelled the woman as the enemy.
Marissa brushed away her tears and pulled away from the hug. Narrowing her gaze, she studied the woman in front of her, feeling something strange about her.
"My name is Daniella Duran, and I'm Juan's girlfriend," Daniella said, smiling as she extended her arm for a handshake.
"Is it considered betrayal to develop feelings for your best friend's boyfriend? What about when fate intervenes, and he turns out to be your destined mate? You might think it's luck and thank the moon goddess for such a twist of fate. That's what I believed until the love of my life uttered those dreaded words: 'I want a divorce!' As I stared at the pregnancy test in my hands, I realized it was better to keep my secret to myself. My name is Violet, and this is my story."
"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!
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
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."
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.