Noah Donovan is a man defined by his convictions. A reclusive introvert with an unshakeable disdain for women, he has crafted a life insulated from the chaos and complications that love can bring. But everything changes when Ivy Hart, a vivacious and enchanting woman, enters his life. With a heart full of warmth and resilience, Ivy is unafraid to challenge Noah's convictions. When she boldly confesses her feelings for him, she's met with his indifference and a series of rude yet firm refusals. Her determination to break through his barriers is met with frustration, but she inspires a flicker of curiosity in his hardened heart. As fate intertwines their lives, Noah finds himself drawn into Ivy world.He begins to unravel the reasons behind his deep-seated aversion to women, awakening facets of himself he thought long buried.
The atmosphere in the lavish ballroom was electric, filled with laughter, the sound of clinking glasses, and the soft hum of a jazz band. Crystal chandeliers radiating a warm glow on the elegantly dressed guests mingling beneath their shimmering light. Noah Donovan stood against the wall, his piercing gaze surveying the room with detachment. He loathed these gatherings, where forced pleasantries and fake smiles permeated the air.
His evening had been uneventful, dominated by the customary small talk with people he hardly knew. Until she arrived.
Claire, with her sun-kissed hair cascading down her shoulders and a smile that lit up the room, was relentless in her attempts to engage him. Initially, he had ignored her approach, but her flirty banter and incessant closeness grew more suffocating with every passing minute. As an artist, Noah cherished his solitude-an introvert in a place dedicated to revelry. Claire, however, had decided she was going to draw him out of his shell by clinging to him like a lifebuoy, her laughter ringing in his ears.
"Come on, Noah! Don't be such a sourpuss. Just dance with me!" Claire exclaimed, her hand tightening around his arm as if he might evaporate at any moment.
Noah's jaw clenched. "No,I don't want to dance."
Her face fell momentarily before she forced a smile. "But everyone is watching us! You'll ruin my fun!"
The guests around them began to notice the scene, and whispers started circulating. Noah could sense their curious stares, their judgment resting heavily on his shoulders. He felt the prick of annoyance climb higher with each insistence from Claire, her laughter grating at his nerves. This wasn't just a party; it was a showcase of everything he despised-a display of shallow affection and desperate attention.
Taking a calming breath, he scanned the room for a means of escape, his hand absentmindedly picking up a glass of red wine from a nearby tray. It reflected his mood perfectly-dark, deep, and intoxicating. As Claire kept talking, pulling him deeper into her clutches, the anger that had been simmering beneath the surface began to bubble.
"Can you just let me be for once?" he snapped, feeling the eyes of the room turning toward them.
Her smile faltered, and for a brief moment, a flicker of hurt crossed her face. "Noah, please, I just want to-"
But in a moment of impulsive rage, he raised the glass, the rich crimson liquid glistening under the lights. Without a second thought, he poured the wine directly onto her expensive silk dress, the dark stain blossoming across the fabric like a crimson flower. Gasps echoed around the ballroom, a collective intake of breath that seemed to freeze time.
Claire stood there, dumbfounded, her mouth hanging open in utter disbelief as the soaked fabric clung to her body. Her eyes widened, shimmering with anger and shock. The room fell silent; conversations halted, and eyes widened in disbelief.
Without a trace of remorse, Noah turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Claire, and the bewildered guests, in the aftermath of his calculated embarrassment. A whirlwind of whispers erupted as he vanished into the crowd, the sounds of laughter twisted with the sting of shock.
He mingled with the throng, each step echoing the deliberate dismissal of Claire's attention, knowing intimately that he had crossed a line. Yet, a dark satisfaction smirk kindled within him-the thrill of breaking free from her persistent grasp, however cruelly done.
Noah didn't care about the consequences; the party, now a blur of sound and rage, faded behind him. To Noah, the liberation was worth the price of humiliation he had imposed on another. In that moment, he felt alive in a way that distance from his feelings had never allowed-until now.
When Zora was sick during the early days of her pregnancy, Ezrah was with his first love, Piper. When Zora got into an accident and called Ezrah, he said he was busy, when in actual fact, he was buying shoes for Piper. Zora lost her baby because of the accident, and throughout her stay at the hospital, Ezrah never showed up. She already knew that he didn't love her, but that was the last straw for the camel's back, and her fragile heart could not take it anymore. When Ezrah arrived home a few days after Zora was discharged from the hospital, he no longer met the woman who always greeted him with a smile and cared for him. Zora stood at the top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, "Good news, Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us anymore, so let's get a divorce." The man who claimed not to have any feelings for Zora, being cold and distant towards her, and having asked her for a divorce twice, instantly panicked.
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
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.
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?
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."
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.