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Cassie Monroe never imagined she'd find herself in a high-stakes game of power and money - or that she'd be the one for sale. When her struggling boutique faces bankruptcy, Cassie has no choice but to accept a once-in-a-lifetime offer: a marriage of convenience with Dominic Blackwell, a ruthless billionaire who could save her business with a single signature. The deal is simple: a year-long marriage to help Dominic secure a vital business merger, and in return, financial freedom for Cassie. But there's nothing simple about the magnetic, enigmatic Dominic. Beneath his cool exterior lies a man with secrets as deep as his pockets, and Cassie can't decide if she's his savior or his pawn. As their arrangement blurs the line between business and pleasure, Cassie finds herself falling for the man she's supposed to be pretending to love. Just when she thinks she's seen beyond Dominic's façade, a hidden truth shatters her trust: Dominic orchestrated their entire meeting, knowing more about her past than she could have ever guessed. Was she chosen for this arrangement because of fate, or because of a carefully plotted plan?
The rain beat against the glass windows of Cassie Monroe's boutique like an uninvited guest demanding entry. Inside, the shop was quiet, save for the rhythmic tick of an antique clock that Cassie had found at a flea market in Brooklyn. It was supposed to be a good-luck charm - a reminder of the early days when she first opened her little store on a shoestring budget. Now it only seemed to mock her with every tick, counting down the minutes to the inevitable end.
Cassie swept her fingers through her long, damp hair, pulling it into a loose bun as she looked at the shop floor. The racks of dresses and tailored blazers, once proudly displayed in bright, colorful arrangements, now seemed like ghosts of a dream she was no longer sure she believed in. She'd built this place from scratch, pouring in every dollar she had and countless hours of work. But it wasn't enough. The bank's warning letter was still crumpled in her purse, the ink smeared from the rain she had walked through earlier.
The sound of the front door creaking open pulled her from her thoughts. Cassie turned, expecting a rare customer on such a stormy afternoon. Instead, a tall man stepped inside, shaking raindrops from his dark, tailored coat. His presence was commanding, as if the very air in the room shifted to accommodate him. He wasn't someone she recognized, but there was an air about him - the kind of man who seemed out of place anywhere but the boardroom of a Manhattan skyscraper.
"Can I help you?" Cassie's voice was even, professional, masking the unease she felt.
He met her eyes with an intensity that almost made her flinch. His hair was slicked back, dark with rainwater, and his jaw was covered in a slight shadow of stubble, as though he'd been too busy conquering the world to bother shaving that morning. She couldn't place his age - early thirties, perhaps. He was handsome, but it was the cold sharpness in his gaze that caught her off guard. He was looking at her as if he already knew her, as if he'd been searching for her.
"I'm here for you, actually," he said, his voice smooth, like expensive whiskey.
Cassie's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly masked her surprise with a raised eyebrow. "For me? I think you have the wrong shop."
He stepped closer, pulling a card from his coat pocket and placing it on the counter between them. She glanced down at the name embossed in gold: Dominic Blackwell. The name struck a distant chord, something she'd seen on the news or in a magazine, tied to business deals and billion-dollar investments.
"Cassie Monroe," he said, more a statement than a question.
She met his gaze again, trying to decipher what he wanted from her. "That's right. And you are...?"
"Someone who can offer you a solution to your problem," Dominic replied, the corner of his mouth lifting in a slight, almost predatory smile.
Cassie felt a flash of irritation. She didn't like being cornered in her own space, especially by a man who looked at her like she was just another acquisition. "I don't have a problem," she lied.
"Is that so?" He leaned against the counter, his eyes never leaving hers. "You owe the bank two hundred thousand dollars. Your landlord has given you notice to vacate unless you come up with the back rent in the next thirty days. And your last sales report showed a thirty percent drop in revenue compared to this time last year."
Cassie's stomach twisted, her carefully constructed mask cracking just a bit. How did he know all this? And why was he telling her?
"You've done your homework," she said, her voice colder now. "But that doesn't explain why you're here."
Dominic straightened, brushing a raindrop from the sleeve of his coat. "I have a proposition for you. One that could solve all your financial issues."
Cassie crossed her arms, trying to keep her expression neutral. "I'm not interested in whatever you're selling."
He laughed then, a low, rich sound that seemed to fill the entire room. "I'm not selling anything, Ms. Monroe. I'm offering you a deal."
"And what kind of deal requires you to dig into my personal life?" She hated how defensive she sounded, but the walls were closing in on her, and she didn't know how to stop them.
Dominic moved closer, lowering his voice as if they were sharing a secret. "The kind that could change your life. Marry me, Cassie."
Cassie's breath caught in her throat. She stared at him, expecting a punchline that never came. He wasn't joking. His eyes held hers, serious and unyielding.
"Excuse me?" She finally managed, the word coming out like a hiss.
"It's a business arrangement," he continued, his tone calm, like he was discussing the weather. "A marriage of convenience. In exchange, I'll clear your debts, pay off your landlord, and provide you with a financial cushion to rebuild your business."
Cassie's laugh was sharp and humorless. "You can't be serious."
"I am," Dominic said simply. "And you should be too. You're drowning, Cassie. I'm offering you a lifeline."
"A lifeline that comes with strings," she snapped back. "Why would I ever agree to something like this? You don't even know me."
Dominic's smile faded, replaced by something darker, almost haunted. For a brief second, Cassie thought she saw a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. "On the contrary, Ms. Monroe, I know more about you than you think. I've watched you fight to keep this business afloat, seen the sacrifices you've made. I know you're strong, resilient, and that's exactly why I chose you."
"Chose me?" The words felt wrong, like she was an item picked off a shelf.
"Yes," he said, taking a step closer. "Because I don't want just any woman standing beside me. I want someone who won't break under pressure. Someone who can play the part and hold her own in my world."
Cassie shook her head, the reality of the situation sinking in like a stone in her chest. "This is insane."
"It's practical," Dominic countered. "We both get what we need. You get financial freedom. I get the stability I need for a crucial merger."
Cassie opened her mouth to argue, but the words wouldn't come. Because as much as she hated it, he was right about one thing: she was drowning. The bills were piling up, and the future she'd worked so hard for was slipping through her fingers.
"You have one week to decide," Dominic said, turning to leave. "Think about it, Cassie. And when you realize you don't have a better option, you know where to find me."
With that, he was gone, leaving her standing alone in the silence of her empty boutique, her heart racing and her mind spinning.
What kind of man walks into a woman's life and offers marriage like it's a business deal?
And what kind of woman would ever say yes?
Cassie didn't know the answer. But as she looked around her beloved shop, the one she'd built with her own two hands, she realized she might not have the luxury of saying no.
Tessa Maddox never imagined she'd trade her passion for social work for the cold, ruthless world of corporate finance. But when a scandal forces her to leave everything behind, she takes a job as the personal assistant to Adrian Steele New York's most feared and untouchable billionaire. Adrian is a man who controls everything and trusts no one. He built his empire with ruthless precision, hiding his secret philanthropic work behind an ironclad reputation. Love is a distraction he can't afford until Tessa storms into his life with her fiery defiance and a body that tempts him to break all his rules. Their chemistry is undeniable. Their connection? Forbidden. But when Adrian's vengeful ex-fiancée, Bianca Castello, sets out to destroy him, and Tessa discovers a shocking truth that could cost him everything, she's forced to make an impossible choice protect the man she's falling for or walk away before she loses herself in his world. He claimed her with a single touch. But in a world where power is everything, will love be enough to keep them together?
A prophecy foretold his rise to power. A dark witch vowed to claim him. A seer with untapped magic held the key to his fate. Talon Wildshadow was born to rule an alpha with unmatched strength, haunted by a destiny that could either make him the most powerful werewolf in history or lead to his downfall. Cold, ruthless, and unyielding, he has spent his life resisting fate... until her. Serena Evermore has always been different. Raised among humans, she never understood the visions that haunted her dreams or the strange pull she felt toward the moonlit forest. When she crosses paths with Talon, she sees flashes of a future she cannot escape a love as fierce as it is dangerous, a war between packs, and a dark force that seeks to tear them apart. But they are not the only ones bound by destiny. Helena Darkmoon, a powerful and cunning witch, has spent years plotting to make Talon hers. She will stop at nothing to eliminate Serena and ensure the prophecy unfolds in her favor even if it means using forbidden magic to bind Talon to her forever. As passion ignites and betrayals unfold, Serena and Talon must fight against fate itself. But when a deadly truth is revealed one that could destroy them both will their love be strong enough to rewrite destiny, or will they become pawns in a game designed to break them?
In the shadowed canals of Venice, where power and betrayal go hand in hand, Isabella Frost is forced into a dangerous pact to save her family from ruin. An arranged marriage to the infamous Noah Bennett, the ruthless mafia king, is her only salvation and her greatest curse. Noah is as lethal as he is captivating, a man who holds the city in his iron grip and hides his pain behind a mask of control. To him, Isabella is a pawn in a high stakes game of vengeance and dominance. But the more he tries to keep her at arm's length, the more she unravels the man beneath the monster. As passion ignites between them, secrets long buried rise to the surface. Isabella discovers her family's dark connection to the tragic past that fuels Noah's thirst for revenge, forcing her to choose between loyalty and the dangerous love she can't deny. But in a world ruled by blood and betrayal, love is a double edged sword, and the lines between savior and destroyer blur. When the truth comes to light, will Isabella and Noah survive the ultimate betrayal or will their love burn them both to ashes?
Raven Dark has spent years clawing her way to the top in the cutthroat world of tech, but her ultimate goal has always been revenge. Matt Hank-the arrogant billionaire CEO of Hank Tech Industries-is the man she blames for her family's ruin. Ruthless, charming, and infuriatingly handsome, Matt is everything she despises... and everything she secretly desires. When a high-stakes project forces Raven and Matt to work together for 365 days, their explosive rivalry takes an unexpected turn. Heated boardroom battles give way to smoldering stolen moments, and the line between enemies and lovers blurs dangerously. But as Raven uncovers a shocking truth about her past, her carefully constructed plans begin to unravel. With both their careers and hearts on the line, can Raven and Matt trust each other enough to survive the betrayals threatening to destroy them
When high-powered attorney Bella Castillo crosses paths with ruthless billionaire Damon Westwood at a glittering charity gala, the sparks are instant and undeniable. Bella knows better than to fall for a man like Damon, he's everything she despises: arrogant, entitled, and used to getting whatever he wants. But when a lucrative deal forces them to work together, their steamy chemistry becomes impossible to resist, blurring the lines between business and pleasure. Bella is determined to keep her heart locked away, but Damon is a man with secrets, and one slip could shatter the illusion of his perfect life. As Bella uncovers the cracks in Damon's empire, she faces an impossible choice: expose the truth and risk losing the only man who's ever made her feel this alive, or protect his darkest secret at the cost of everything she's built. In a world where money can buy almost anything, can love survive when the lies come crashing down?
Blurb: The Villainess In a world ruled by moonlight and dominance, Caroline Lockwood was born a noblewoman but became nothing more than a pawn in a ruthless game of power. Trapped as the unwilling lover of Kai Alexander, the alpha who despises her, she endures his cruelty and hatred, her heart broken time and time again. When she finds herself pregnant, she clings to a fragile hope that the child might thaw his icy heart. Instead, her hopes are shattered as Kai beats her until she loses the baby, leaving her with nothing but an unquenchable thirst for revenge. But Caroline is not as weak as she once seemed. Faking her death, she vanishes into the shadowy depths of the forest, emerging as a vengeful specter. She builds her own rogue army, transforming from a submissive victim into a feared predator. Her new mission? To hunt and destroy the very male werewolves who once hunted her. Now, she is the villainess in her own story, and the hunt has begun. As she returns to confront Kai, secrets unravel and truths long buried come to light. The alpha who once hated her might have hidden his true feelings behind a mask of cruelty. But is it too late for love when blood has already been spilled?
Anabel found out she was pregnant and dialed her husband's number to share the good news to him. They have been married for two years without a child. Desmond's mother had been accusing her of being barren and unproductive. When the call was picked, she was flabbergasted and broken. She was hearing a loud moan of feminine voice. "Ohh! Yeah! Don't stop fucking me! Fuck me harder baby!" accompanied with sound of skins slapping against the other. She went home to confront her husband and end up receiving a divorce paper. Desmond divorced him for a lady his mother was rooting. Few months later when he found out that his ex-wife is a billionaire heiress and she is pregnant with twins, he went crazy!
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."
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
Carrying a child left Adeline trapped in marriage to the ruthless and unhinged Waylon, and everyone doubted she'd survive to see the baby's first breath. Filled with dread but determined, she carefully won him over and soon became his lethal obsession. Yet on the day she planned to escape, Waylon drove their car to a cliff's edge, foot hovering over the gas. "I'm sorry, love—did you just say divorce?" His fingers skimmed her cheek, his tone a deadly whisper. "Defy me, and you pay." Later, drenched in blood and rain, he knelt before her, trembling, and pleaded, "Tell me how to keep you here."
Chandler Su who had cheated by her boyfriend then got drunk at a bar. To take revenge, she grabbed a man randomly and took him to the room. After a crazy night, Chandler found the strange man was a super handsome guy the next morning. Shy and shocked Chandler run away after leaving 150 RMB and scorning the man of his poor bed skills. However, she never thought the story would become so dramatic as the next day, she found out that the new coming president of her company was exactly the man she slept the last night! Worse than that, this new boss seemed very narrow-minded as he asked Chandler to come to his office on the first day.
"Mr. Evans, please maintain some dignity. Don't forget I'm your brother's wife!" Having caught her husband and best friend together in the bed, Elena wanted nothing more than to exact revenge on the people she once called family. She refused to be a pitiful divorcee and vowed to make everyone who had once looked down on her beg for forgiveness. And to start with her newfound freedom, Elena indulges in a one-night stand with a stranger. However, what was meant to be a fleeting escape turns into a nightmare when she learns that the stranger is none other than her husband's older brother! Would Elena be free from the shackles of her marriage? Or would the mysterious stranger make her life a living hell since he seemed to have a personal vendetta against his family? [The story is 18+ and involves mature content.]