In the dark heart of Everglen, Lyra Blackwood once ruled as a celebrated heiress until betrayal stole everything. Set up by her best friend, disowned by her family, and forced into exile, she's spent years rebuilding her life in shadows, raising her young twins with fierce independence. But when fate pulls her back to the city she once called home, she's armed with one mission: revenge. Her target? The ruthless, possessive Alpha Damien Silverclaw Evergreen's wealthiest CEO, and the man who unknowingly fathered her children. Yet Damien is no ordinary man; he's her fated mate, and his power both tempts and terrifies her. As she edges into his dangerous world, their passion ignites under the guise of a contract marriage, but secrets soon threaten to unravel everything. Now, tangled in a bond she didn't choose, Lyra must decide: is her revenge worth risking her heart? Or will she surrender to the dark allure of the one man who could break her... or save her?
The air inside the ballroom was thick, almost suffocating, as if the weight of old secrets had slipped into the space between laughter and clinking champagne flutes. Lyra Blackwood's fingers trembled around her glass, though she held it firmly, refusing to betray the fury simmering beneath her calm exterior. She smiled tightly, her eyes scanning the crowd, picking out familiar faces, whispers in their gazes. Tonight, they were celebrating her engagement, a promising union of power and wealth. The life she'd been promised, carefully crafted by generations of Blackwoods before her.
Yet something felt wrong. There was a coiled tension in the room that refused to release, like an animal waiting to pounce. She tightened her grip on her glass as her gaze landed on Finn. His easy smile and familiar laugh reached her, the man she'd trusted, loved. But tonight, his face seemed like a mask, one she could no longer read.
"Congratulations, Lyra," purred a voice beside her. She turned, meeting the eyes of her best friend, Sienna. Her silken red dress clung to her frame like sin, a smile curving on her lips with a softness that felt too rehearsed.
"Thank you, Sienna." Lyra's voice was low, her words clipped as she met her friend's gaze. "It means a lot to have you here tonight."
Sienna's fingers brushed over Lyra's shoulder, a touch that once might have felt reassuring. Now, it felt like the brush of a dagger. "We'll toast to you and Finn, then. A perfect match." Her smile tightened, eyes gleaming with something that Lyra couldn't quite place.
Lyra let her gaze drift back to Finn, her fiancé. The man she thought she knew. But the way Sienna's eyes lingered on him, as though he were hers to claim, made Lyra's heart thud with something uncomfortably close to suspicion. She'd heard rumors, whispers of something that didn't add up. Yet she'd brushed them aside, desperate to believe in a future without shadows, without doubts.
Finn looked up, catching her gaze across the room, his smile widening in that way that used to ease her. But tonight, it did nothing. She felt like an outsider in her own life, a puppet dancing on strings someone else controlled. And then he turned, leaning in to whisper something in Sienna's ear, and her friend's laugh floated across the room, brittle and mocking.
Lyra's chest tightened. She felt the first crack. Her world, this future they'd all crafted around her, felt like glass about to shatter.
"Excuse me," she murmured, slipping away from Sienna's touch. Her steps carried her out of the ballroom, the din of music and laughter fading into a distant hum as she found herself alone in a shadowed hallway.
She leaned against the wall, closing her eyes as she drew in a shaky breath. She was letting her mind play tricks on her, she told herself. There was no way-no way-she could be seeing what she thought she was seeing. Finn loved her. He had proposed. They had a future, one that promised security, strength, and everything her family expected.
But then there it was again, that feeling of wrongness slithering through her.
A soft voice broke her thoughts. "Trouble in paradise?"
Her eyes flew open, and there stood a man, lounging against the wall opposite her. Dark-haired, his suit sharp, tailored, but there was an edge to him that felt completely out of place amidst the polished glamor of the ballroom.
"Do I know you?" Lyra's voice was cold, guarded, but he merely smirked, an unsettling glint in his eyes.
"No, but I know you," he replied, his voice smooth as silk yet with a dark undertone. He took a step closer, and she felt an odd rush of... recognition? The air around him seemed to shift, electric, magnetic, drawing her in despite herself.
"You're Lyra Blackwood," he continued, as if testing her name on his tongue. "The heiress everyone whispers about. The one they say is finally getting her happily ever after."
His gaze met hers, unyielding, piercing through the mask she'd carefully crafted. She felt bare, exposed. "And you are?" she asked, fighting to keep her tone steady.
"Just a friend," he replied, though the glint in his eyes suggested otherwise. "Or maybe more of an unexpected guest."
She crossed her arms, unwilling to be toyed with by some arrogant stranger. "Do you have a name, friend?"
"Damien." His voice was a soft murmur, yet it resonated, curling around her like smoke. "Damien Silverclaw."
The name made her pause. Everyone knew of the Silverclaw family-a name steeped in mystery, whispered in the kind of stories no one wanted to believe. And here he was, standing before her, a living legend cloaked in shadows.
"What are you doing here, Damien?" Her words were bold, but her pulse betrayed her, beating wild and fast.
He shrugged, his gaze never leaving hers. "Maybe I was just curious. About you, about tonight... the way you're standing here, away from your own engagement party." His voice lowered, a dark edge creeping into it. "It makes one wonder, doesn't it? If there's something you're running from."
Lyra felt her breath hitch, her defenses wavering. He was close now, too close, his scent filling her senses-woodsy, earthy, wild. She took a step back, but his gaze held her, unrelenting.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Her words were barely a whisper.
"Don't you?" He leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. "I think you do, Lyra. I think you're beginning to see that not everyone around you is who they seem."
She flinched, his words cutting deeper than she wanted to admit. Before she could respond, he pulled back, a ghost of a smile on his lips.
"Enjoy your night," he murmured, stepping away, his eyes lingering on hers for a heartbeat longer than necessary. And then he was gone, leaving her alone in the shadows, the weight of his words pressing on her like a curse.
As she re-entered the ballroom, she caught sight of Finn and Sienna again, standing too close, their heads tilted together, whispering. Her stomach twisted painfully, the echoes of Damien's words gnawing at her mind.
Steeling herself, she walked toward them, her heart pounding. "Finn, can I speak with you?"
Finn looked up, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before he nodded. "Of course. Sienna, excuse us?"
Sienna's gaze lingered on Lyra, her smile almost pitying, before she melted back into the crowd.
"What's wrong, Lyra?" Finn asked as they stepped into a quieter corner. His tone was soft, the kind of voice he used when he was humoring her, and it made her skin crawl.
"What's going on between you and Sienna?" she asked bluntly, her voice low.
Finn's eyes widened. "What? Lyra, that's-"
"Don't lie to me." Her voice was firmer than she felt, her body trembling with barely-contained rage. "I've seen the way you look at each other, the way she-"
"You're being paranoid," he interrupted, his voice laced with irritation. "Sienna's been my friend as long as she's been yours. Don't start inventing things."
"Inventing things?" She laughed bitterly. "I'm not blind, Finn. I know when something isn't right."
His jaw tightened, a flash of anger in his eyes. "This is why I didn't want to do this tonight," he muttered under his breath.
Lyra's blood went cold. "What do you mean, you didn't want to do this?"
Finn's gaze met hers, hard, unyielding. "Maybe it's you, Lyra. Maybe you're the problem. Always suspicious, always assuming the worst."
Her heart felt as though it was being torn in two. The man standing before her wasn't the man she thought she knew. She'd seen glimpses of this before, hints of a cruelty that had seemed so out of character. But now, with Damien's words echoing in her mind, it all came crashing down.
"You don't love me," she whispered, the realization hitting her with brutal clarity.
Finn said nothing, his silence louder than any confession. And then, as if in slow motion, he turned and walked away, leaving her alone in a room full of strangers, her world fracturing around her.
Aria Kensington has always been the forgotten one the illegitimate daughter of a powerful family, overshadowed by her perfect sister and despised by her stepmother. When her long-time boyfriend betrays her for her sister, Aria's world shatters. But the real blow comes when she's forced into an arranged marriage with a man she's never met a cold, reclusive billionaire rumored to be disabled. Damon Blackwood is no ordinary billionaire. His disability is a ruse, and beneath his icy exterior lies a man who controls an empire built on secrets and power. When Aria is thrust into his world, she becomes more than just his wife she becomes his obsession. Trapped in a marriage of convenience that feels more like a gilded cage, Aria soon discovers the dark side of Damon's love. As their fiery passion ignites, she must decide whether to embrace the man who claims her body and soul or risk losing herself in his dangerous game. In a world where love is power and trust is a luxury, can Aria break free of the chains that bind her or will she fall deeper into Damon's seductive grip?
Lily Tang once believed that love could conquer anything-even a cold, indifferent husband. Bound by a contract marriage to Daniel Zhang, the powerful CEO who barely acknowledged her existence, Lily spent three silent years devoted to a man who never looked her way. But when his first love returned, Daniel didn't hesitate. He brought her into their home and left Lily with nothing but a divorce contract and a shattered heart. Determined to start fresh, Lily walked away, hiding the one secret she carried: she was pregnant with his child. Now, five years later, Lily is back in Shanghai, no longer the timid wife but a successful CEO with a confidence that turns heads and a little boy who looks just like his father. When their paths collide at a high-stakes business event, Daniel is struck by her transformation-and the child by her side. Haunted by the past, Daniel is desperate to win back the woman he lost. But Lily is no longer willing to be his second choice. This time, she's fighting for herself, and she's not letting her heart be broken twice. In a world where power and passion clash, will Daniel prove himself worthy of a second chance, or will he lose her forever to the life she built without him?
When Lila Monroe's ex-boyfriend, Julian Sterling, announces his engagement, she drowns her sorrows at an upscale bar, waking up in a stranger's bed the bed of none other than Ethan Sterling, her ex's ruthless and dangerously alluring brother. Lila's life takes a devastating turn when her father is imprisoned, his fate orchestrated by Julian's cruel schemes. With no one else to turn to, she strikes a risky deal with Ethan. He'll save her father and restore her family's honor, but only if she agrees to a marriage of convenience...and an heir. Caught between her lingering heartbreak and Ethan's intense, possessive nature, Lila must navigate a world of betrayal, passion, and family secrets. Yet the more she resists Ethan, the more undeniable their attraction grows, sparking a dangerous game neither is prepared for. But when she discovers she's carrying his child, Lila must decide if she's willing to risk everything even her heart for a man who may only see her as a pawn in his deadly rivalry.
A sudden twist of fate connected Helena to a prominent and influential person. To onlookers, she appeared as a naive bimbo. In truth, she was a top-tier specialist, shrouded in layers of hidden identities. Charlie declared, “She’s quite delicate and easily hurt. Cross her, and you’re crossing me.” The elite families, outwitted by Helena's prowess, kept these truths from him. Helena eventually broke free from Charlie, sending him on a frenzied worldwide hunt. To him, she was a bird with dazzling wings, and his goal was to help her reach new heights.
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."
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"
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."
"I've warned you from the beginning. Don't marry him, but you won't listen." She stood close to me and smiled with concern. "You are not a woman worthy of a man as handsome, rich, smart, and virile as Blaze." My whole body trembled at her words. "Have you no shame?" I asked in a quivering voice. "Take a good look at yourself, Heather." She looked at me in the mirror. "You can't even look at your ugly face. Do you think Blaze can endure a lifetime of looking at that face?" Heather Bailey had a surprise from her husband that night: a divorce agreement. After a year of marriage and facing ups and downs, she couldn't believe Blaze intended to divorce her. But she was devastated when she saw him gazing lovingly at another woman because that person was closest to her. Shortly after she put her signature on their divorce papers, shock waves caught her up. Her flower shop was severely burnt, beyond repair. Her father's company collapsed, and her parents blamed her. She struggled to rebuild her life from the ground up and became more successful than ever. Having many customers who came from influential families, she started her action against Blaze. She won the very thing he wanted. But that was just the beginning.