Struggling college student Elena Carter works at a luxury hotel to pay for her seriously ill brother's expensive treatment. When the hotel is rocked by a visit from Adrian Moretti, a powerful and enigmatic mobster, Elena doesn't expect to cross his path. But an unexpected incident puts her directly under his gaze. After accidentally breaking a rare and expensive object in Adrian's suite, she finds herself faced with an ultimatum: pay off an unpayable debt or accept a strange proposition. Adrian offers her a disconcerting choice: sign a contract to become his "fiancée" while he calms suspicions about his business. In exchange, he promises to erase the debt and take care of her brother. But in accepting, Elena enters a world of shadows and danger where she discovers that Adrian is being hunted not only by his enemies, but also by a past that haunts him. Why does he need her? What is behind this contract that seems to bind their lives far beyond the public facade? Between loyalty, secrets and irresistible attraction, Elena will have to navigate a game she does not control, all while protecting her own heart.
The clinking of glasses, bursts of hushed laughter and the constant murmur of social conversations filled the reception room of the Royale Hotel, an emblematic place in the city, popular with the elites. Elena quickly adjusted her black and white uniform in front of a full-length mirror hidden in a staff hallway. His hands were shaking slightly. She had been urgently called to fill a staff shortage at this prestigious event, and the idea of rubbing shoulders with the world's elite still intimidated her a little.
The look of his manager, a nervous man with a bald head, did nothing to ease his tension.
- Elena, he said dryly, tonight you are assigned to the luxury suites. Don't make waves, okay? Tonight's customers are... special people.
She nodded, without asking questions, although the strangeness of her remark aroused her curiosity. She hadn't yet understood why the entire hotel seemed in turmoil. The entire staff was on alert, as if the arrival of a deity or a monster would soon disrupt their routine.
A few minutes later, as she walked down the main hallway to the elevators, a shiver ran down her spine. The rotating glass doors of the main entrance opened, and a wave of silence fell over the assembly. The conversations died away abruptly, leaving only the echoes of footsteps echoing on the polished marble floor.
Adrian Moretti had just entered.
The man was surrounded by men in black suits, their massive build and piercing gaze immediately betraying their function: close security. But it was Adrian himself who hogged all the attention. Tall, his black hair impeccably combed back, he advanced with calculated elegance, a slight, enigmatic smile at the corner of his lips. His steel-gray eyes seemed to peer into every corner of the room, and his tailored suit highlighted an athletic figure that exuded both power and danger.
Elena, petrified, felt her breath catch in her throat. She only knew this man by reputation, but his physical presence surpassed anything she could have imagined. He embodied an almost supernatural authority, an aura that seemed to demand respect and submission.
- Move forward, Elena, a colleague whispered, nudging her lightly.
She pulled herself together and hurried towards the elevator, praying not to meet his eyes. But a tiny, irrepressible part of her couldn't help but want to know more about this man.
Once she reached the suite floor, she set about her task, checking that every detail in the rooms was perfect. She tried to concentrate, but a strange tension in the air made her nervous. Suddenly, she heard voices coming from the next suite.
- Mr. Moretti, your instructions have been transmitted, said a deep, almost robotic voice.
- Perfect, replied a deeper, hoarse voice, imbued with calculated coldness. Make sure no one enters here without my explicit permission.
Elena recognized this voice immediately. Adrian.
She looked away from the closed door, her heart pounding. Why could a simple voice provoke such a reaction in her? She tried to calm her thoughts and returned to her work.
But while she was carrying a tray of appetizers to Adrian's suite, an incident occurred. His hand slipped slightly, unbalancing the tray, and one of the plates hit something placed on a piece of furniture near the door. The sound of shattering glass echoed like an alarm in the silence of the hallway.
Elena, horrified, rushed to pick up the pieces. She realized with horror that it was a finely crafted crystal sculpture that must have been worth a small fortune.
The door to the suite opened suddenly, and Adrian appeared in the doorway, frowning.
- What's going on here? he asked in an icy voice.
Elena looked up at him, unable to speak. Her throat tightened under the weight of his piercing gaze.
- I...I'm sorry, sir. It was an accident, she finally stammered, her voice trembling.
Adrian slowly crouched down to pick up a crystal fragment, examining it under the light before settling his gaze on her.
- Do you know what that represents? he whispered, his tone strangely calm, almost dangerous.
She shook her head, tears threatening to spill out.
- A unique work, he said, straightening up, specially commissioned for a collector.
Elena felt an immense weight fall on her shoulders. She knew she could never repay such an item.
- I'll... I'll pay, she stammered.
Adrian looked at her, his expression unreadable.
- Pay ? he repeated with a sarcastic smile. And how do you plan to do that, miss...?
- Carter, she whispered. Elena Carter.
- Miss Carter, he continued, the irony in his voice becoming more pronounced. You work in this hotel. I doubt your salary covers even a fraction of the value of this piece.
Elena lowered her head, ashamed.
- However...
The word hung in the air, and she looked up, surprised. Adrian watched him carefully, as if weighing his options.
- Perhaps there is another solution, he murmured, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Elena felt her heart speed up. She didn't know why, but something in his eyes made her uneasy, as if she were a pawn in a game she didn't yet understand.
- Join me in my suite, he said finally, in a tone that left no room for discussion. We will discuss the terms of your... compensation.
She hesitated, but the authoritarian look he gave her left her little choice. She nodded shyly and followed him inside.
The suite was sumptuous, a mix of elegance and ostentatious luxury. Adrian pointed to an armchair near a large picture window overlooking the city lights.
- Sit down, he ordered.
Elena obeyed, her sweaty hands resting on her knees. Adrian sat down in front of her, his gaze fixed on her, as if trying to read her thoughts.
- Tell me about it, Elena. What is a young woman like you doing in a place like this?
She hesitated, but eventually answered, her voice still trembling.
- I work here to pay my brother's medical bills. He is seriously ill.
A flash of interest crossed Adrian's eyes.
- A noble sacrifice, he murmured. But that doesn't change your debt.
He leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs with natural elegance.
- I'll be honest with you, Elena. You can't pay me back. Not with money, at least.
She felt a shiver of apprehension run through her.
- So...what do you want? she asked softly.
Adrian let a silence settle before answering.
- A deal, he finally said. You will work for me.
- To work ? she repeated, incredulous.
He smiled slightly.
- Not as an ordinary employee. You will be... my bride.
She widened her eyes, convinced she was hearing wrong.
- Your what?
- It's simple, he continued, imperturbably. You will play the role of my fiancee for a while. In exchange, I will take over all your debts, including your brother's medical expenses.
Elena opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. Adrian's smile widened slightly, as if savoring her dismay.
- Think about it, Elena. You don't have many options.
She stared at him, her mind whirling between anger, confusion, and fear. Was this man serious? And why her?
But a little voice in her head whispered to her that maybe she didn't really have a choice.
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?
[Cute Baby + Secret Identity + Powerful hero and heroine!] Caroline loved Damian with all her heart for five whole years. She devoted herself to him and lived humbly for his sake. However, when the couple faced a crisis, she hoped that the news of her pregnancy would fix their marriage, but what she got in return was just a divorce agreement. And to make things worse, while she was about to give birth, she had fallen into someone's trap and her life was in danger. After managing to survive such a harrowing experience, she was determined to cut all ties with the man. Five years later, she re-emerged with her head held high, being the CEO of a famous company. Those who used to bully her now got a taste of their own medicine. And the truth about the past gradually surfaced... Dazzled by Caroline's newfound confidence, her ex-husband wanted to get back together with her, but she just turned a blind eye to his advances. Damian pleaded desperately, "Honey, our baby needs both his parents. Please remarry me!"
"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!
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.
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.
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?
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.