/0/64643/coverbig.jpg?v=63cc61e3eeb10c7c909462e8be7e1802)
Lila Anderson accepts a convenient marriage to the enigmatic and aloof Ethan Cross with the expectation of living a life of solitude and silent sadness. She enters Ethan's world and is thrown into a mystery where love may be both dangerous and seductive. She soon finds out that their contract is more than just a signature on a piece of paper. In the contract signed lies the key to uncover the perilous mystery and past that Ethan cautiously protects from the outside world. Trust is slowly fading and enemies lurk in the shadows. Lila has to decide whether to fight for the love that could eventually save her and Ethan or allow the looming darkness engulf them permanently.
Lila Anderson occupied the elegant although impersonal office, sitting stiffly and staring at the document in front of her. The elegant pen she was holding felt far heavier than it ought to have.
Beside her, her father, Charles Anderson, towered over her, his presence as uncompromising as the circumstances he had forced upon her.
Charles encouraged her, "Lila, this is our only chance of survival," the look on his face caressing the scream of desperation in his voice.
Lila's chest tightened as she attempted to reconcile her emotions, giving a deep sigh. She was not interested in the contract-she didn't want to give herself to a man she knows nothing about, whose stories have been that of unpleasant mysteries.
Ethan Cross was a name that evoked equal great respect, dread, and curiosity, but to Lila, he was little more than a stranger. The things she'd heard portrayed a picture of a cold, calculating businessman who rarely expressed his actual feelings.
Her family had fallen from grace quickly and brutally. The Andersons were once the envy of their peers, with money and influence spanning multiple cities. However, poor investments, a collapsing economy, and a string of terrible occurrences had reduced them to mere shadows of their former selves. Debts accumulated, and creditors hovered like vultures.
Charles Anderson, a proud man, had attempted to preserve their history, but his efforts only served to hasten their demise. The Andersons were on the verge of disaster, and this marriage was their last, desperate hope.
Ethan Cross made an unexpected offer, and the terms were almost too good to be true. Too good, Lila reasoned, because they were. She saw that whatever was beneath the surface of this deal was considerably more harmful than her father was ready to admit.
Lila's mother died when she was still a kid, leaving her to grow up in her father's harsh, emotionless environment. Charles was a businessman; love was not a currency he dealt in. Lila grew up surrounded by icy elegance, learning at a young age that duty came before desire. But she never dreamed that duty would call for a marriage of convenience with a man like Ethan Cross.
She looked at her father, noting that the hard lines on his face had become deeper with anxiety and time. He was a man who had battled tooth and nail to keep their family's status, and the weight of his failures weighed heavily on him now.
Lila experienced a twinge of guilt. She'd never been able to meet his expectations, never been the daughter he expected. This marriage was his final hope, and she couldn't bring herself to end it, even if it meant giving up her own happiness.
Lila's pulse skipped a beat as the office door creaked open quietly. Ethan Cross entered, immediately controlling the room. Tall and immaculately dressed, he emanated a cool, controlled assurance that sent shivers down Lila's spine. His dark hair was nicely brushed, and his piercing grey eyes scanned through the room before settling down on her.
"Lila," he nodded to her, his voice velvety soft but with a sharp edge that pierced the atmosphere. "Mr. Anderson." With deliberate and calculated movements, Ethan moved like a man who was always three steps ahead. He sat down opposite Lila, his eyes never leaving hers.
She sensed the weight of his scrutiny, as though he was evaluating her and determining her value in ways that were beyond her comprehension.
"It's a simple contract," Ethan stated, passing her a second copy. "But there are certain aspects you should be aware of."
Lila reached for the document, her fingers shaking, then stopped and looked at her father. He nodded slightly to her, his face expression vague. Taking a deep breath, Lila opened the contract and skimmed over the legalese that merged into one in her mind.
Everything, including the terms and conditions, and their respective roles under the contract was simply spelt out in details.
But as she approached the finish line, she felt something else that made her heart race. Ethan made a short step forward and remarked in a hushed, almost mischievous tone.
"This is not just an ordinary marriage, Lila. The papers before you contain in them some secret consequences that you'll come to find out later. You don't understand what they are right now, but you definitely will, sooner or later."
As Lila's mind raced, the room looked to shrink, with walls closing in on her.
She looked up at Ethan to see maybe she could grasp a hint of what he meant from his expression, but his face was a mask. She could only see what he wanted her to see.
"What do you mean?" Lila asked, her voice just above a whisper, filled with curiosity.
But Ethan replied, with a small smirk on his face, "All is fine, he winked. All you just have to do now is sign the papers."
Lila grabbed the pen to sign, her hands shaking heavily. Her instincts whispers to her to reject it and flee. But what could she really do? The sense of duty and devotion to family, and the weight of her father's expectations that had clinged on her for as long as she could remember held her back.
She sighed! A feeling of closure washed over her as the drew out the pen to sign. She felt the door to a life she once knew closed, and another where she didn't know will end opened.
After signing the contract, Ethan leaned over the table to retrieve the papers, her father gave a relief sigh.
"Welcome to the family Mrs. Cross", he nodded, with a small grin on his lips that didn't get to his face.
Lila narrowed her gaze on the man that just became wedded to. She couldn't believe what had just happened to her, unable to shake off the ominous feelings that perplexed her. She gnashed her teeth.
Ethan stood up to go away, but hesitated and gave her a look that hinted at things to come-something she wasn't sure she was prepared to face. With a silky as ever voice, he remarked, "Remember, Lila, this is just the beginning."
He then walked away, leaving Lila to bear the consequences of her own choice. She remained bound in her seat for a long time, confused of what to think or say.
What exactly had she consented to signing the contract? What were the hidden meanings underlying the words she hardly knew?
As she sat there, the ink on the contract was still drying, Lila knew her life would never be the same again. She'd entered into a marriage that was far more than a contract. Every step she made drew her deeper into the dark and twisted center of this labyrinth of secrets.
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
"I'm going to tell you what I have in mind," he murmured. "First you're going to strip down until you're completely naked," he whispered against her ear. "Then I'm going to tie you up so you're completely powerless and subject to my every whim." "Mmm, sounds good so far," she murmured. "Then I'm going to insert a plug to prepare you for me. After that I'm going to spank that sweet ass of yours until it's rosy with my marks." She shivered uncontrollably, her mind exploding with the images he evoked. She let out a small whimper as he sucked the lobe of her ear into his mouth. God, she could cum with just his words. She was already aching with need. Her nipples tingled and hardened to painful points. Her clit pulsed and twitched between her legs until she clamped her thighs together to alleviate the burn. "And then I'm going to f**k your mouth. But I won't cum. Not yet. When I'm close, I'll flog you again until your ass is burning and you're on fire with the need for relief. And then I'm going to f**k that ass. I'm going to take you hard and rough, to the very limits of what you can withstand. I won't be gentle. Not tonight. I'm going to take you as roughly as you can stand. And then I'm going to cum all over your ass. Are you ready to be completely and utterly dominated?"
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.
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?