From the moment she was born, Camilla has been bound to Damien Russo, her fate sealed as a peace offering for her parents' hidden sins-a dark secret everyone refuses to reveal. A fierce rebel at heart, Camilla relentlessly seeks to break free from the gilded cage he has created for her. But as she delves deeper into the truth of their union, she uncovers a chilling reality: escape is impossible, and the grip of Damien Russo is inescapable. In a world where love and power collide, can she find a way to reclaim her freedom, or is she forever trapped in his world?
Camilla's POV
"Miss Camilla, Young Master Russo has arrived." Leslie said.
"Let him wait..... I'm busy." I responded to her nonchalantly.
"Your father has requested that you meet with him immediately, Miss. He won't be pleased if the young Master gets upset." She said calmly.
I let out a frustrated sigh, paused my actions and turned towards her.
"Alright Les, I'll be down in a minute."
She bows her head slightly and leaves the room.
Leslie was my personal maid. She's more like a sister to me but always insisted on using formal terms when addressing me.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, I dropped my brush and proceeded to my wardrobe to get an outfit.
I'm almost tempted to go out to meet the asshole in my current outfit just to spite him but I know my father would literally have a stroke if he heard about it.
Angry and feeling defeated, I opted for the dress I had on the last time he was here. I put on my flats and gave my painting one last look before heading out.
The house was lively as usual with everyone going about their respective duties. I headed to the library to pick out a book I would use to keep myself busy and also picked one with the title "The Art of Smiling" for him.
Exchanging pleasantries with some staff on my way down, I headed towards the music room.
He stood by the window at the far end of the room, gazing out of the window with his hands in his pockets.
Damien fucking Russo. My betrothed and worst nightmare.
He's alert of my presence. I know from the way he turns his head slightly from my footsteps.
I don't even know why they force us to do this. Our encounters have never been pleasant.
Deciding against paying him any attention or even bothering to make small talk, I took a seat by the piano and started reading. Seeing as it was the only thing I could do to keep myself company.
No one was allowed near us during these sessions.
I read for about thirty minutes before Damien moved away from the window and settled on the sofa by the wall, making himself comfortable. Looking as stoic and unbothered as usual.
Picking up the book I had picked out earlier, I tossed it at him. It landed on his lap.
"What the fuck is this?"
"A book. It's meant for reading." I casually said.
He took a look at the title and his face contorted even more. He moved his gaze towards me immediately.
"The art of smiling. Do take your time to read it. It'll do you a lot of good." I said smugly.
If looks could kill, I'd be dead, buried and forgotten from the way he looked at me.
"Where did you pick this up?" He asked.
"Uhh, the library?"
His expression changed to a smug one.
"Wasn't there one on hygiene and the importance of wearing clean clothes?"
My jaw dropped.
"Fuck you Russo!"
He didn't say anything but maintained his smug expression.
"You know what? I didn't see one, but, I did happen to see one on sleazy bastards who forcefully claim girls." His demeanor changed.
"Watch your mouth Moretti."
"Watch yours" I threw back.
He let out a sigh, tossed the book aside and leaned back on the sofa.
Feeling frustrated, I dropped my book and started loudly playing off key on the piano.
"Cut it out." He said.
I continued my actions.
"Moretti!"
I kept going.
He stalked towards me and grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the piano and towards him.
"I said cut it out."
"You don't get to tell me what to do. You don't own me." I retorted.
"Not yet but we'll see about that in two years."
"Fuck you."
"Such vile words from pretty lips." He scoffed. I tried to ignore the fact that he called my lips pretty.
"I would never marry you. I'm going to find a way out of this." He scoffed.
"You think I want to look at you, more less marry you?"
Ouch. My pride.
"You disgust me." He said slowly, disgust laced in his tone.
That hurt.
I tried to keep my tears at bay and maintain eye contact with him. I didn't want him to see me cry.
He let go of my arm as if it disgusted him and used the wipes on the table to clean his hand and fingers.
A tear slipped out and soon I was full on crying. I was such a cry baby and I hated it.
He looked unbothered about me and resumed his position by the window.
I pulled myself together and got some wipes to clean my face.
"If you're done with your performance, listen and listen good." He casually said. His gaze trained on the window.
"I would be leaving for Italy for two years."
"What has that got to do with me?" I asked, my voice hoarse from crying.
"I'm giving you your freedom. Go out, learn, have fun, live the life you've always wanted."
"How kind and generous of you." I said sarcastically. He ignored me.
"I would return in time for our wedding after which you would leave with me."
"What part of 'I am not going to marry you' don't you understand?" I asked.
"We both know you don't have a choice." He turned towards me. "I can as well claim you. Leave with you right now to Italy and keep you by my side if I so desired to."
"My father would never allow it."
"Your father doesn't have a say in what I do with you." He replied amusedly.
"I own you Moretti. The sooner you understand that, the better it'll be for you."
That's all I have been told since I was ten. Dad has refused to give me a valid response as to why he had to sign my life away to this monster.
"You're an asshole." I said annoyed.
"I've been called worse." He shrugged.
He walked towards the table at the corner and poured himself a drink.
"Take the opportunity I am giving you Moretti. You're a wise girl."
He downed the liquid at once and set the glass down before glancing at me.
"Two years and then you're mine." He said and walked out of the room.
Sarah's father was accused of treason and executed alongside his wife as punishment, her sister had also mysteriously disappeared and was feared dead. She was shunned, ridiculed, bullied and mistreated by her own kind as punishment for being spared. With her days filled with scornful glares and harsh words, and Lucia, the Alpha's betrothed ensuring she was always on the edge of despair, she longed for a day where she would be free from the pack's cruelty. Fate seemed to smile at her when Alpha Killian, the Alpha King pays a visit to her pack, they end up becoming mates and she leaves her old pack. However, in Alpha Killian's pack, she comes to learn about a shocking truth and revelation about her sister's disappearance and her father's supposed betrayal which leaves her both stunned and devastated.
When Tasha agrees to embark on a vacation with her friend, she doesn't expect that it would end with her getting pregnant for Mathew Williams, a man older than her and whom she barely knows, neither is she prepared for the changes it brings to her life. Her pregnancy leads to her forced marriage with Mathew whom she just met, putting her in a situation she desperately seeks a way out of. How does she navigate her new life? What happens when her sister in law does everything to make sure she loses her baby or worse ends up dead? Would she succeed in her quest for freedom or will she fall for him after learning about the circumstances surrounding her forced marriage?
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
"You're mine, little puppy," Kylan growled against my neck. A soft gasp escaped my lips as his lips brushed my skin. My mind screamed at me to push him away-the Lycan Prince who had humiliated me again and again, but my body betrayed me, leaning into him before I could stop myself. He pressed his lips against mine, and his kiss grew more aggressive, more possessive as I felt my legs weaken. What was I doing? In a split-second, I pulled away and slapped him hard across the face. Kylan's eyes darkened, but the smirk on his lips exposed his amusement. "You and I both know we can't fight this, Violet," he said, gripping my wrist. "You're my mate." "And yet you don't want me," I replied. "You told me you were ashamed of me, that l'd never be your queen, that you'd never love me. So please, accept my rejection and let me go." "Never," he whispered, his grip tightening as he pulled me closer. "Soon enough, you'll be begging for me. and when you do-I'll use you as I see fit and then I'll reject you."
Kara Martin was known as Miss Perfect. She was a beauty with good personality and successful career. Unfortunately, her life changed at one night. She was accused of adultery, losing her job, and abandoned by her fiance. The arrogant man who slept with her did not want to take responsibility. He even threatened to kill her if they met again. What's worse, Kara was pregnant with twins and she chose to give birth to them. Four and a half years later, Kara returned to work at a large company. As the secretary, she would frequently face their notorious CEO. Kara thought it wouldn't be a problem, but as it turned out ... the CEO was the father of the twins!
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!