Mafia Billionaire Riven Blackwood has a score to settle with his rival Julian Styles- the man who almost ruined his family's business in the past- and what other way to get his revenge than to seduce Julian's sister, Hazel? He believes that using her as a pawn will provide him the closure he seeks. Yet, as he gets to know Hazel, he finds himself getting obsessed and possessive of her. Hazel Styles longs for freedom from her controlling stepbrother, Julian, and is determined to pursue her own passions but just like everything in her life, it's almost impossible. Then her life takes a complicated turn when she encounters Riven, the man linked to her family's past tragedies. A man determined to possess her body and soul. Despite trying her hardest to resist him, Hazel soon discovers that staying away from Riven is increasingly difficult. As their lives intertwine, heightened by a lurking stalker whose obsession reflects the grip others have held over Hazel, the stakes rise. Will their love be enough to overcome the secrets and lies surrounding their relationship Or will Riven's consuming fixation on Hazel ultimately lead to their undoing?
HAZEL STYLES POV
"This is not working"
I glanced up from my food, my eyes widening a bit as my gaze met those of Liam.
"What are you talking about? Don't you like the food pairing" I asked, my hands trembling a bit as I pointed to the food on the table. I knew he hated whatever I liked but I was starving and also a bit anxious so I'd ordered most of my comfort food.
"What do you think? Did you have to get all these dishes? You're always ordering like you're trying to add more fat to those you already have"
My brows furrowed. "I just saw my therapist yesterday and he told me I was underweight... That's why I ordered..."
"How could I forget," he said cutting me off with a roll of his eyes, "the baggage you have is endless. Aside from being an artist who doesn't have a career, you also have unresolved childhood trauma. Oh, Your brother is also out to get you." He let out an exasperated sigh. "Do you know how exhausting you are"
His words hurt but I was already used to them, besides he didn't really mean them. Whenever he was stressed out, he tended to say hurtful things. It was just the way he was wired.
I forced a smile to my lips as I dropped the fork. "I'm sorry. Next time, I won't..."
He let out an exhausted sigh, then held my gaze. "There won't be a next time, Hazel"
His words hit me like a freight train and I froze. "What... What are you talking about"
He sighed, then dragged his hand through his hair. There was a block of ice lodged in my throat and it intensified the longer I waited for him to say something.
Lena had said he was going to propose today because it was so out of character for him to invite me for dinner, but now, as we sat in the beautiful restaurant with all my favorite food, I couldn't help but feel like it was the opposite.
Liam let out a rough exhale, then leaned forward. "Are you really that dumb... I mean everyone says it, but I thought they were exaggerating"
My hands trembled and I squeezed them into fists "What? Why are you..." I stuttered and he scoffed as he cut me off.
"God, I don't even know how I put up with you. Three years of my life freaking wasted. Do you know that every little thing you do annoys me to death? Are you really that oblivious"
My stomach churned making it difficult to breathe. I felt both hot and cold. "Is this some sort of a prank... If you're trying to scare me before you propose..."
"Propose" he got out, his tone incredulous. "You thought I was going to propose to you?" He said then scoffed. "Do you think you're worth it? I am Liam Hex, heir to the Hex family fortune. Did you seriously think that I was going to settle for a nobody like you"
My eyes felt hot. I glanced around, noticing the gaze of the other diner that was now on us.
"Liam," I got out as the heat in my heart bubbled over. It burned so hotly that it was difficult to breathe. I clenched my fist harder and then took a deep breath to calm myself. The tears that had filled up my vision threatened to fall. "Can we talk outside at least"
He smirked, then leaned toward me. "We have nothing to talk about. This relationship is over" he got out curtly, his eyes emotionless. "I brought you here to break up with you. Aren't I just the gentleman huh"
My vision swirled as the heat in my chest churned. It was so painful, I could barely speak. "You said you loved me. You promised that you were going to stay by my side and that nothing would ever come between us"
He was looking straight into my eyes and the cocky look on his face as he laughed had the pain in my chest intensifying.
"All empty promises that anyone with sense would have seen through. I thought I could get something out of you since Julian Styles is your brother, but turns out he doesn't even give a shit about you since you choose to rebel against his wishes. You are useless to me so why should we continue this relationship... You barely even let me touch you"
"Bastard" I gasped out, a single tear trailing down my cheek.
"Whatever you say, love. Oh, and you should take your leave now, my real date is here" he said and my gaze jerked up to his as he stood up.
Sweet-scenting perfume wafted up to my nose as someone came to stand beside me.
"Liam" she chirped, then threw her arms around him, before they proceeded to kiss.
I watched, frozen and shell-shocked. I was having a fucking nightmare. It had to be. There was no way this was real.
"You said it was only going to take ten minutes. Why is she still here" the girl whined and Liam's gaze moved to mine.
"What are you still doing here, Hazel? I told you to leave. We are done. I want nothing to do with your sorry ass anymore"
I slowly got to my feet, my heart pounding in my ears. My fingers closed around the glass on my table. I yanked it up and threw the content in his face.
There were no words left to say. There was only rage burning and chopping away at my heart. It was vicious. Liam had ripped out my heart in the most vicious way and I just couldn't let it go.
Liam gasped, his expression aghast as he took in the red wine dripping down his crisp white shirt.
My hands moved and I hit him over and over again. My scream of rage filled up the restaurant as Liam tried to restrain me while I struggled against him.
"Enough of this madness!" He roared and pushed me hard. I fell on my ass, my tailbone tingling in pain. I gazed at him dazedly as he towered over me.
Where the hell had I gone wrong? How the hell did I go so low only to end up being treated like shit. All the shit I took from him and this was how I got paid back. Why.
"You fucking crazy psycho. Do you want to get arrested? I thought the Styles had more dignity. If you don't want this published in the news, I suggest you fucking behave" he threatened because he knew how Julian would react if I got into a scandal
I couldn't breathe. "You have no right to treat me this way. All I ever did was love you... How dare you do this to me"
"You're worthless, Hazel. This is exactly what you deserve, so deal with it" he said, turned to the girl, and took her hand. "Let's get out of here before this lunatic does something crazier"
They both turned to leave, the sound of their footstep trampling what was left of the pieces of my heart.
I got to my feet. "A lunatic huh" I muttered as my hands grabbed the vase on the table next to me. "I'll show you how crazy I can get," I said, turned, and sent the vase hurtling.
My eyes widened, a gasp escaping my lips as I reached out to stop what I knew could not be undone.
The vase crashed against his face. But it wasn't Liam's face.
It was the one man everyone feared. The man Julian warned me to stay away from. The man I loathed with a passion ever since the night of my tenth birthday.
Riven Blackwood.
Celine Herrera has always had to fight her stepsister, Delia, for everything she'd ever wanted from a young age. So, she isn't surprised when Delia demands to be given the family company that Celine had worked to build all her life. Since she's not the favorite of her grandfather, Delia is once again going to get what she wants. But this time, it's on a condition: whoever gets married first and gives birth to a child gets the company. Celine Herrera is ready to do whatever it takes to have the one thing that brought her true happiness. So she seizes the opportunity and, when she crosses paths with one of the most feared and ruthless men to ever exist, she does not hesitate to propose a contract marriage. She gets what she wants, but what she doesn't know is that Belshar Nessar Abed only agreed to her terms for one reason: revenge.
Pushed off the cliff by her step-sister, Eve Knew no life other than pain and betrayal, and as she plunged to her death, she swore she was going to make all who hurt her pay. Years later, she's back with a new face and a new name and there's only one thing on her mind. Revenge and she was going to get it, no matter what it took. But she is not the only one with a thirst for vengeance... Raphael Batista was framed for Eve's alleged suicide and he knew exactly who framed him and was going to make them pay, his revenge was also going to extend to anyone who tried to help them out, even if the person was a woman who made his blood burn with fierce passion and reminded him a lot of Eve who was supposedly dead. There is no going back for them, or is there, especially when the truths are coming out to light and their antagonist is someone who would do anything, even kill to keep what they'd taken.
"Gabrielle" I shouted and she cut me off. "I own your body, your mind, and your soul. Do you understand? Get back to your desk right this moment and I'll forgive what you just said" she ordered, and I knew some men who would have cowered at that threatening tone, but not me. I was flattered that she was dead set on having me, but her threats were all empty. "No, I won't, and I am done with this Gabrielle. Nothing you say or do is going to change my mind" I turned away from her and made to open the door when I heard a familiar click behind me. I whipped around to face her, cautiously taking a step back as my eyes took in the gun in her hand that was aimed directly at my head. My heart skipped in my chest. Now there was clear evidence that she was indeed connected with the Mafias. If she killed me, there was a pretty chance my body would never be found, but then, April could follow it up, and with her dedication, she'd find something. The chances were slim tho. Would she shoot me or not? Her eyes looked dead, decided, but there was also fear lurking within their grey depth, she didn't want to shoot. I called her bluff, pushing the door open. She pulled the trigger. ****** A forbidden love story between a Mafia Don and an undercover cop... A. Dangerous. Love.
Caught in a web of lies and deceit, Sybil Eagan is left at the altar by the only man she has ever loved. Moving on isn't as easy as she thought, but she perseveres, and when she finally decides to open her heart to love again, the man who left her down the aisle comes back into her life, and no, he doesn't want a second chance. He wants revenge. Angelo was devastated to learn of Sybil's betrayal and in anger decided to punish her by leaving her on the altar. He has no plans of getting in touch with her until they meet again, and he sees her in the arms of another man. He's convinced himself he hates her, but he just can't let go of her and be happy with someone else, especially when he's still in pain. He will do everything to destroy this happiness to find his peace. They're not the only ones out for revenge, and as the web of lies tightens, they both sink into a reality where they could both end up dead. In the face of such opposition, will love triumph, or will hate eventually prevail?
After years of suffering at the hand of her bullies, Brea Larson is determined to do whatever it takes to feel again even if it meant she had to kill to get it, and that's exactly what she set out to do when she falls in love with her former bully's fiancé, Ryder. Following through with her plans she persuaded them to spend the weekend in the woods. Her intentions; were to seduce and make Ryder her own while keeping the girlfriend occupied with someone else. Brea's scheme doesn't go as planned as they come across a group of Mafias who were about to carry out an execution. Brea is terrified, especially when she meets the gaze of their leader, Nicolai Fernandez. He is pure evil embodied. Unable to escape, they are given an ultimatum to run for their lives by an hour. If caught, the men had the right to do with them as they pleased. Will Brea manage to flee from the clutches of a man determined to possess her? Will she be able to escape a man so obsessed; he'd rather see her dead than away from him or will she be entrapped in his dark and deadly possession?
Vega Romeo is the live life, screw the rest type of girl. she is pretty content to just go with the flow until she is dared by her best friend to join in on a bet to make billionaire Zach Dante hers. Vega sees Zach Dante as a playboy with no feelings and so she agrees to play him. Vega would do anything to win, even if it meant hurting the one she's come to love. Competing against the other girls is not a walk in the park but Vega had already invested a lot to stop. Except lying came with consequences. And those consequences are more than she expected. But what happens in the past stays in the past right? That might be what Vega thinks, but it is not the same for Zach who bore most of the burn of the scandal. With bitterness In his heart, Zach bids his time in plotting his revenge and after five years, he's back. He's back and he wants nothing more than to destroy the woman who shattered his heart.
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.
Rejected by her mate, who had been her long-time crush, Jasmine felt utterly humiliated. Seeking solace, she headed to a party to drown her sorrows. But things took a turn for the worse when her friends issued a cruel dare: kiss a stranger or beg her mate for forgiveness. With no other choice, Jasmine approached a stranger and kissed him, thinking that would be the end of it. However, the stranger unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You're mine!" He growled, his words sending shivers down her spine. And then, he offered her a solution that would change everything...
Three years ago, the Moore family opposed Charles Moore's choice to marry his beloved woman and selected Scarlett Riley as his bride. Charles didn't love her. In fact, he hated her. Not long after they got married, Scarlett received an offer from her dream university and jumped on it. Three years later, Charles's beloved woman fell terribly ill. In order to fulfill her last wish, he called Scarlett back and presented her with a divorce agreement. Scarlett was deeply hurt by Charles's abrupt decision, but she chose to let him go and agreed to sign the divorce papers. However, Charles seemed to delay the process deliberately, leaving Scarlett confused and frustrated. Now, Scarlett was trapped between the consequences of Charles's indecision. Would she be able to break free from him? Would Charles eventually come to his senses and face his true feelings?
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!