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Lily Hartman has spent her entire life in the shadow of her older sister, Alana the golden child who always gets what she wants. Including Adam Westbrook, the brooding billionaire Lily once loved in secret. Five years after Adam and Alana's picture-perfect wedding, their marriage is falling apart, and fate forces Lily back into Adam's world when they're caught in a high stakes real estate deal. Determined to take back what was stolen from her, Lily embarks on a dangerous game of revenge. But what begins as a calculated seduction spirals into something much deeper when she finds herself pregnant with Adam's child. Torn between loyalty to her sister and the desire to claim the man she's always loved, Lily is forced to make a choice one that will change all their lives forever. As family secrets unravel, and Adam's dark past comes to light, Lily realizes the stakes are higher than she ever imagined. In a world where betrayal runs deep and love is never easy, will she risk it all for the man who was never meant to be hers?
The rain came down hard against the sleek glass windows of the Hartman family estate, the steady patter filling the silence of the room. Lily stood near the grand fireplace, her back stiff, eyes trained on the flames that danced and flickered, casting long shadows across the high ceilings and marble floors. The fire was too warm for her, too suffocating, but it was nothing compared to the tension rolling off her mother as she paced behind her.
"I just don't understand why you can't let things be," her mother, Evelyn Hartman, snapped, her heels clicking with each angry step. "Your sister's life is already complicated enough without you dragging this out."
Lily didn't flinch, though she wanted to. The weight of her mother's words pressed against her spine, heavy and unrelenting. She could feel Evelyn's eyes burning into the back of her head, sharp and accusing. It was always this way-Alana was the star, and Lily the inconvenient afterthought.
"I'm not dragging anything out," Lily replied evenly, keeping her voice calm. "It's a business deal. Nothing more."
Evelyn's scoff was loud enough to echo in the vast room. "You think I'm a fool? You think your sister won't see right through this? She knows how you've always felt about Adam."
The mention of his name caused a tight knot to form in Lily's chest, one she fought hard to swallow down. Adam Westbrook-tall, dark, and far too handsome for his own good-wasn't just a business partner now. He was her sister's husband. The man who had been off-limits the moment Alana had set her sights on him, even though Lily had met him first.
"Whatever happened between Adam and me was a long time ago," Lily said, her tone clipped. "We're both professionals. I'm not going to jeopardize this deal over some... ancient history."
Her mother stopped pacing, her voice lowering as she spoke. "This isn't just about a deal, Lily. This is about your sister's marriage. Her life. If you make things complicated for her, if you let those old feelings show, it will destroy everything."
Lily finally turned to face her mother, her eyes hard. "What about my life, Mom? Does that matter at all?"
Evelyn's lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes narrowing in a way that made Lily feel small. "You know better than to ask that. This family-your sister-needs stability right now. Adam is everything to Alana, even if they're going through a rough patch. You need to stay away from him. Focus on the work."
Lily's heart twisted painfully in her chest. Alana's perfect life, her perfect marriage, was always the priority. Even if it was all a facade. She had watched them from the sidelines for years, watched the cracks in their relationship deepen, but no one ever spoke of it. To everyone else, Adam and Alana were the golden couple. To Lily, they were a constant reminder of everything she could never have.
"I'm only focusing on the work," Lily said softly, though the lie tasted bitter on her tongue.
Evelyn didn't seem convinced, but she didn't push further. She simply turned and walked toward the door, her back straight, her presence commanding as ever. "Good. Keep it that way. And remember, this is about the family's future. Don't make a mistake you'll regret."
As the door closed behind her mother, Lily exhaled slowly, her hand gripping the mantel for support. The heat from the fire was unbearable now, but she couldn't seem to move away. Her mother's words echoed in her mind, louder with each passing second. Don't make a mistake you'll regret.
But the truth was, Lily was already living with the regret. She had been living with it for years.
Adam Westbrook had once been hers-if only for a fleeting moment. It had been years ago, back when they had first met, long before Alana had swooped in and claimed him for herself. Lily had fallen hard and fast, unable to resist the pull of his charm, his confidence, the way his dark eyes had seemed to see straight through her. For one glorious summer, they had been close-too close. And then, in the blink of an eye, everything had changed.
Adam had chosen Alana.
Lily could still remember the look in his eyes the day he had told her. The regret, the hesitation, the unspoken apology. But he had made his choice, and Lily had been forced to step aside, forced to watch from the sidelines as her sister married the man she loved.
Now, years later, she was being pulled back into his orbit, whether she wanted it or not. The business deal between Adam's real estate empire and the Hartman family's holdings was too important to ignore. And as much as she wanted to keep things professional, she knew it was only a matter of time before old feelings resurfaced.
The sound of her phone vibrating on the coffee table pulled her out of her thoughts. She reached for it, glancing at the screen. Adam's name flashed across it, and her heart skipped a beat.
Taking a steadying breath, she swiped the screen and brought the phone to her ear. "Adam."
"Lily," his voice was deep, smooth, and it sent a shiver down her spine. "I was hoping we could talk about the terms before the meeting tomorrow. There are a few details I'd like to go over."
Lily's pulse quickened, but she forced herself to remain calm. "Of course. We can meet in my office tomorrow morning."
There was a pause on the other end, the kind that made her stomach tighten. "Actually, I was thinking we could meet tonight. Somewhere private. There's too much at stake to leave this to the last minute."
She hesitated, her mind racing. Meeting him tonight? Alone? The last time they had been alone together...
"Lily?" Adam's voice broke through her thoughts. "Are you still there?"
"Yeah," she said quickly, her voice steadier than she felt. "Tonight's fine. Where do you want to meet?"
There was another pause, and she could almost hear the smirk in his voice when he replied, "I'll send you the address. Seven o'clock. Don't be late."
The line went dead before she could respond, leaving her staring at the phone in her hand, her heart racing. This wasn't just about the business deal. She could feel it. Adam wanted more than just a professional conversation.
And God help her, she wasn't sure she had the strength to resist him.
-
The address Adam had sent her was for a private suite in one of the luxury hotels downtown, a place where discretion was guaranteed. As Lily stepped out of the elevator and into the lavish hallway, she felt a familiar unease settle over her. This was dangerous. She should have refused. But it was too late to turn back now.
The door to the suite was already ajar when she reached it, and she pushed it open, stepping into the dimly lit space. Adam was standing by the window, his broad frame silhouetted against the city skyline, hands in his pockets, his posture relaxed.
For a moment, she couldn't move. The sight of him took her breath away, just as it always had. His dark hair was slightly tousled, his jawline sharp, and when he turned to face her, his eyes locked on hers with an intensity that made her knees weak.
"Lily," he said softly, his voice like velvet. "I'm glad you came."
She swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay composed. "I'm here for the deal, Adam. Nothing more."
He smirked, stepping closer. "Is that what you're telling yourself?"
Her pulse quickened as he closed the distance between them, his presence overwhelming. "This isn't... We can't do this."
"We're just talking," he said, though the way he looked at her told her otherwise. "I've missed you, Lily."
Those words were like a knife to her heart. She had dreamed of hearing them for years, but not like this. Not when he was married to her sister.
"Adam, don't," she whispered, taking a step back, but he followed, his hand reaching out to gently touch her arm.
"Tell me you haven't thought about it," he said, his voice low. "Tell me you haven't thought about what it would have been like if things were different. If I'd chosen you."
Her breath caught in her throat. She had thought about it-every day for the last five years. But she couldn't admit that. Not now. Not when everything was so complicated.
"You didn't choose me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You chose Alana."
Adam's jaw tightened, his eyes darkening. "I made a mistake."
The words hung in the air between them, heavy and dangerous. Lily's heart pounded in her chest, every instinct screaming at her to walk away, to end this before it spiraled out of control. But she couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. All she could do was stare up at him, her body betraying her mind as she ached for his touch.
"You shouldn't have called me here," she said, her voice trembling. "We shouldn't be doing this."
Adam's hand slid up her arm, his fingers brushing against her skin in a way that sent a shiver down her spine. "But you came."
Lily's resolve wavered as his touch ignited something inside her, something she had buried long ago. Every rational thought screamed at her to push him away,
Dominic Westwood is a man with one goal revenge. Cold, calculating, and ruthlessly wealthy, he's spent years plotting against the man responsible for his sister's death: a corrupt politician who has evaded justice for too long. To take down his enemy, Dominic needs the perfect pawn. Enter Lila Harrington. Lila, a kind-hearted wedding planner, never imagined her life would spiral out of control. But when Dominic buys her family's debt, she's forced into a marriage of convenience to save them. Trapped in the cold, glamorous world of the billionaire, Lila must navigate her new reality married to a man who views her as nothing more than a means to an end. What Dominic didn't expect was for Lila to challenge him at every turn. Her warmth begins to thaw his icy heart, and soon, his carefully laid plans unravel as his need for revenge collides with an unexpected desire to protect her. But as Lila uncovers Dominic's dark past and the deadly game of revenge he's playing, she finds herself caught between two powerful men one who seeks to control her and one who might just destroy her. In a world where love is the ultimate risk, will Lila and Dominic find redemption in each other, or will their dangerous secrets tear them apart forever?
Seraphina Everhart has always played by the rules. As the brilliant executive assistant to the enigmatic billionaire Cassian Ashford, she's kept her head down, focused on her career, and never let anyone get too close. But when a forbidden attraction between her and Cassian begins to ignite, Seraphina finds herself tangled in a web of desire and secrets she never saw coming. Cassian Ashford is a man with everything-wealth, power, and control over his world. But his biggest secret could destroy everything he's built. As the hidden heir to a fortune he's sworn to reject, he's lived his life under an assumed identity, shielding himself from the truth that could tear his empire apart. And Seraphina? She's the one person who could unravel it all. As passion collides with deception, Seraphina and Cassian must navigate a dangerous dance of power, trust, and betrayal. Will their undeniable chemistry be enough to overcome the secrets that threaten to destroy them both? Or will the truth drive them apart forever?
When fiercely ambitious investment banker Sophia Hale is assigned to investigate the shadowy finances of billionaire Lucas Grant, her mission is clear: expose his empire's secrets, make her career, and finally put her family's painful past behind her. But Lucas is not just another arrogant CEO; he's charming, calculating, and dangerously irresistible. Their fiery encounters blur the line between ambition and attraction, leaving Sophia questioning what she's truly after, victory or him. Just as her investigation reveals Lucas's ties to a tragedy that shattered her family, she finds herself tangled in a dark web of power plays and betrayals. Now, Sophia must make a choice: expose the man who might be her enemy, or risk everything for the one man she's ever truly wanted. But as desire collides with danger, one thing becomes clear, falling for Lucas Grant could be the ultimate twist of her karma.
Veronica Jones thought she could handle the shadows, thought she could expose the truth behind her father's death without falling victim to the monsters who lurked there. But when her search leads her straight into the path of Archie Lodge the city's most feared mafia lord her plan unravels. Archie is as ruthless as he is possessive, a man who controls everything and everyone in his world. And once he sets his sights on Veronica, he'll stop at nothing to keep her close. Drawn to Archie against her better judgment, Veronica finds herself caught in a brutal game of power, seduction, and survival. What starts as hate burns into something darker, something she can't shake no matter how hard she tries. But Archie's world comes with secrets and a danger that doesn't forgive, and the deeper she falls, the harder it becomes to break free. With her heart in one hand and her freedom in the other, Veronica must decide face the fire and risk losing everything, or escape and leave the only man who's ever set her soul ablaze.
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."
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
Due to the plight of her family, Phoebe had no choice but to embark on the path of selling herself. In an accident, she had a tangled night with Alexander. Everything began to derail, and even if she fled to the ends of the earth, she would still be found by him and entangled... *** Phoebe screamed in frustration, "What do you want from me?" What was this supposed to be? He raised an eyebrow wickedly. "What do I want? You'll find out soon enough." With that, he hoisted her up and carried her back into the office. The door slammed shut with a kick, and he cleared the desk with a sweep of his arm before laying her down on it, his body pinning hers in place, completely trapping her in his grasp. Every cell in his body was telling him he wanted her. He wanted to claim her again. This time, there would be no escape for her-he wouldn't let her slip away. Never again. If he had suffered for five years, then this woman wouldn't get off easily either!
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"