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Lyana Solhart, a young woman from a cruel and manipulative family, is forced to marry a man she despises: a ruthless and domineering billionaire, Draven Blackthorn. Having grown up in a hostile environment where she was always underestimated and humiliated, Lyana has learned to hide her true strength and survive in the shadows. Draven, a man known for his immeasurable wealth, his icy charisma and his ruthless methods, agrees to this marriage for an obscure reason, but one thing is clear: he considers her insignificant. However, behind his cold and calculated exterior, he hides deep wounds and a dangerous secret. As Lyana is thrown into a world of dizzying luxury, family rivalries and power plays, she begins to discover that Draven is not the man he claims to be. Why did he really choose her, a woman everyone despises? What role does this mysterious contract play that he seems willing to do anything to protect? Gradually, the tension between them turns into a fierce attraction, but the shadows of Draven's past and the intrigues surrounding their marriage catch up with them. When Lyana uncovers a plot to destroy them both, she must decide: run away and protect her heart or stay and risk her life for a man who could be as much her salvation as her downfall. But is Draven really trustworthy? What truths does he hide behind his icy gaze and crooked smiles? Can Lyana survive in a world where every smile hides a dagger, and every ally could be a traitor?
The fading light of a winter afternoon streamed in through the large windows of the Solhart mansion, casting long shadows on the Persian rugs. Lyana stood straight in the main living room, her hands clenched on the armrests of the chair. Across from her, her mother, elegant but ruthless, observed her with a mixture of impatience and triumph. His father, stoic as always, absentmindedly adjusted his cufflinks. They had just dropped the news like a bomb, shattering the illusion of precarious peace in his already unstable daily life.
"You will marry Draven Blackthorn in two weeks. »
The silence that followed was almost deafening. Lyana felt her heart tighten, her mind desperately trying to grasp the meaning of those words.
" Pardon ? » she finally whispered, her voice trembling slightly despite her efforts to sound calm.
Her mother placed a glass of champagne on a coffee table and stood up, her heels clicking on the marbled floor. "Don't act ignorant, Lyana . This marriage is the best thing that could happen to our family. You should thank us. »
"Thank me? Do you want me to thank those who use me as a bargaining chip? » Lyana 's gaze darkened, her tone becoming sharp. "Why Draven Blackthorn ?" Why me? »
His father, until then silent, intervened with his deep and authoritative voice. " Draven is a powerful man, far more powerful than you or even this family. Their support is crucial to get us out of this financial impasse. You should be honored that he chose you. »
A joyless laugh escaped Lyana . "Chosen? Do you really think a man like him *chose* me? He only saw me as a pawn, a practical solution. Just like you. »
Her mother's face hardened, but she maintained a posture of icy superiority. "It's not about your feelings or what you think. This marriage is recorded. You are a Solhart , and your loyalty to this family comes first. »
Lyana felt a burning anger rise within her, but she refrained from responding, knowing that any resistance would be useless at the moment. However, deep inside her, a promise was born: she would not let herself be crushed so easily.
---
The next day, Lyana was taken to a large hotel in the city to meet Draven Blackthorn in person. She had heard of him: an enigmatic billionaire, renowned for his business genius, but also for his complete lack of scruples. As she got into the elevator that led to the luxurious suite where he was waiting for her, she couldn't help but feel a slight apprehension mixed with anger.
When she entered the room, the first thing that struck Lyana was the coldness emanating from the man sitting by the window. Tall, impeccably dressed in a tailored black suit, Draven seemed to be the epitome of elegance and power. His dark eyes turned towards her, scrutinizing her with an intensity that made Lyana shiver despite herself.
"Miss Solhart . » His voice was low, controlled, but with a hint of sarcasm that did not escape him. "Sit down. »
She hesitated for a moment before sitting down in the armchair opposite him, trying to maintain an air of indifference despite the tumult that was rumbling within her.
Draven stared at her for a moment in silence, as if weighing each word before speaking. "You know why you're here, I suppose." »
Lyana raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Because my family sold their daughter to you to settle their debts? »
A slight smile appeared on Draven 's lips, but he failed to soften his icy expression. " Sold ? No. I would rather say that it is a mutually beneficial exchange. You gain my protection and a life of comfort. And me... I earn what I need. »
She felt her anger rising. "And what exactly do you get?" A compliant wife? »
Draven leaned forward slightly, his eyes darkening further. "Don't confuse this marriage with romance, Miss Solhart . This is an agreement. You will play the role I assign to you, nothing more. »
Lyana 's heart sank, but she refused to show any weakness. "What if I refuse? »
A tense silence ensued. Draven finally stood up, a cold smile on his lips. "You will not refuse. Because you know, just like me, that your parents won't give you a choice. And because, unlike them, I don't have the habit of failing. »
These words sounded like a threat, although no direct aggression came through in his tone. Lyana understood that she was facing a man used to getting what he wanted, no matter the cost.
---
Later that evening, Lyana was going through the marriage contract in her room. The pages were filled with complex legal terms, but one detail caught his eye: a mysterious clause mentioning a particular condition.
She frowned, rereading the cryptic lines. The clause stipulated that in the event of premature breakdown of the marriage, a colossal sum would be paid to an organization whose name was unknown to him. Why such a clause? And why would an outside organization be involved in their union?
She felt a cold sweat running down her neck. Something was wrong with all this.
A quiet knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts. She sat up, surprised, and opened it to find a maid holding a tray with an envelope on it.
"This is from Mr. Blackthorn , miss. He insisted that you read it before the night was over. »
Lyana took the envelope, a strange feeling knotting her stomach. When she opened it, she found a handwritten note, in elegant and firm handwriting:
"Don't try to understand yet. Everything will be explained to you in due time. In the meantime, respect your role and do what is expected of you. We both have a lot to lose. - Draven Blackthorn . »
She clutched the paper between her fingers, her eyes glistening with frustration. Did this man really think she would meekly comply with his demands?
No. If Draven Blackthorn wanted to play this game, she was ready. But she would play by her own rules.
Under the gaze of a fallen mafia, Elvie, a young woman with a troubled past and victim of a brutal ex, seeks to rebuild her life. Working as an assistant in the villa of the Corleone, an influential crime family, she tries to avoid conflict with the three Corleone brothers, all as dangerous as each other. But everything changes when Adriano, the eldest brother and heir, breaks his arranged engagement to embrace the war between enemy families and must quickly remarry. Cold and calculating, he sees Elvie as a simple piece in his game. For her, he is just another nightmare to flee. But as they interact, appearances crumble and unexpected bonds are forged. As her ex resurfaces, Elvie will have to choose between her new life, her secrets and the growing violence that threatens everything she has rebuilt.
Alice's life has been devastated by the betrayal of those she believed to be her allies. Five years ago, her fiancé, in the grip of a professional failure, convinced her to sacrifice her dreams to help him get back on his feet. But her best friend, hungry for glory and power, made a decision that would change their friendship forever, by secretly becoming a surrogate mother. When Alice's fiancé, now at the top of his career, left her, claiming that she no longer met his expectations, Alice, broken, accepted the proposal of the mysterious billionaire, Gabriel Hartman. Known for his coldness and indifference, Gabriel seemed to offer Alice an escape. What she didn't know was that he was the one who had orchestrated her best friend's request for maternity... But what if everything she thought she knew was just a decoy? What if, deep down, the price of her redemption is much higher than she imagined? Can the truth really mend broken hearts, or will secrets destroy everything in their path?
Zoe's dreams of marriage are shattered when she catches her fiance in a compromising situation with his best friend. Devastated, she seeks to recover what she has lost. That's when an enigmatic man, a warm billionaire named Maxime Delacroix, offers her an unexpected solution: a loveless marriage, a contractual alliance with the aim of destroying his ex's career. Although reluctant, Zoe accepts, ready to do anything to get revenge. But as their relationship grows, Zoe realizes that the stakes are more complex than she imagined. Between revenge and a budding passion for this distant man, she finds herself torn between her desire for justice and her budding feelings. How far will she be willing to go to get revenge without losing everything in the process?
Lily thought she had a simple life, surrounded by her adoptive parents in a small town. But everything changed the day she learned that her real parents were industrial tycoons and that she had a twin brother, heir to a family empire. Welcomed into a world of luxury, she found herself facing a reality very different from the one she knew. Her brother, a cold and ambitious man, had always hated her. "You're just an intruder, Lily," he told her. But another secret resurfaced: a mysterious businessman claimed that Lily was the rightful heir to a huge hidden fortune. "It's time you knew the truth," he told her. Between betrayals and revelations, Lily must choose between wealth and family loyalty.
Lara Sanders and Ethan Cole had been together for five years, but Lara had never been his priority. Ethan, obsessed with his work, did not see the soul of the woman he had married. Lara had tried to rekindle the flame, but in vain. She had had enough. One day, she left everything: the house, the promises, and Ethan. Years later, Lara reappears. She has become a successful entrepreneur, an icon of the business world, and no one recognizes her anymore as the fragile young woman she once was. Far from the shy and discreet Lara, she is now a queen of industry, admired and respected. At a public event, a journalist asks her: "Lara, you are the most influential businesswoman of the moment. What is the key to your success?" Lara, with a mysterious smile, answers: "Never let a man define you. Take charge of your life. » The next day, to everyone's surprise, Ethan appears at Lara's door. The man she thought had been forgotten, who had let her go without a glance, returns with a surprising proposition: "Lara, I made a mistake. Can we start all over again... Together?"
Luca Moretti, an influential businessman, is forced to marry Amélie Lefevre, a woman he considers a simple family obligation. Already in love with another, he vows to make Amélie's life hell so that she will ask for a divorce. However, he does not know that Amélie is hiding a secret that could change his life forever. Behind her calm facade, Amélie is much more determined and intelligent than he thinks. What will happen when Luca finds himself caught in his own game? Will he succeed in breaking their union or will he succumb to the hidden truth?
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!”
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.
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
Trigger warning!!! Intended for mature readers who enjoy morally complex, slow-burn, poseesive, forbidden, dark romance that pushes boundaries. ***EXCERPT*** Blood everywhere. Trembling hands. "No!" My eyes blurred. His lifeless eyes stared back at me, his blood pooling at my feet. The man I loved-dead. Killed by the one person I could never escape - my stepbrother. *** Kasmine's life was never hers to begin with. Kester, her stepbrother, controlled and monitored her every move. At first, it was all sweet and brotherly until it began to turn into an obsession. Kester was the Alpha, and his word was law. No close friends. No boyfriends. No freedom. The only consolation Kasmine had was her twenty-first birthday, which was supposed to change everything. She dreamt of finding her mate, escaping the sickening control of Kester, and finally claiming her own life. But fate had other plans for her. On the night of her birthday, not only was she disappointed that she wasn't mated to the love of her life, but she found out that her mate was none other than him - Her tormentor. Her stepbrother. She'd rather die than be mated to a man whom she had known as her big brother all her life. A man who would do just anything to make sure she was his. But when love turns to obsession, and obsession turns to blood, how far can one girl run before she realizes there is nowhere else to run to?
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
Her fiance and her best friend worked together and set her up. She lost everything and died in the street. However, she was reborn. The moment she opened her eyes, her husband was trying to strangle her. Luckily, she survived that. She signed the divorce agreement without hesitation and was ready for her miserable life. To her surprise, her mother in this life left her a great deal of money. She turned the tables and avenged herself. Everything went well in her career and love when her ex-husband came to her.