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On the cusp of their anniversary, Sophia Blake senses the widening gap between her and her billionaire husband, Julian Sterling. What she thought was the pinnacle of love and security reveals itself as a fragile dream. When she stumbles upon questionable dealings and deep-seated betrayal, it ignites her resolve to break free. In her quest to redefine herself, she embarks on creating a visionary tech startup-"InnoBliss." Meanwhile, Julian struggles to reconcile professional obligations and the emotional distance that has hardened around his heart. A cunning rival emerges, tangling them further in corporate battles. But from heartbreak's embers arise second chances-if both can confront buried feelings, unearth honest intentions, and decide what truly matters.
"Do you ever wonder, Sophia?" Nathan Clarke's voice cut through the air like a knife's edge. " Does he even notice you anymore?"
Sophia Blake tensed her fingers on the stem of her champagne flute as she froze. She looked at her husband, Julian Sterling, and the shiny marble underfoot felt suddenly wobbly. He shone in the light from the enormous chandelier across the room in his well-fitting suit, a tall, graceful, and influential figure. Isabella Caldwell stood by his side, wearing burgundy in a way that demanded attention.
Isabella touched Julian's forearm while Sophia took a deep breath. Although it appeared to be a public declaration, it was a casual, private gesture. Julian took no action.
Instead, at Isabella's whisper, he tilted his head and nodded.
Then Julian's eyes met Sophia's for a moment. Her heart stupidly believed that he would excuse himself and approach, causing her breath to catch in her throat. His gaze swiftly returned to Isabella, but he remained silent.
Beside her, Nathan chuckled yet sharply. That clarifies my query.
Above, pieces of the chandelier glinted on the polished marble-like shards of glass. The clinking of crystal glasses and the murmur of talk around her sounded like a distant roar, mocking her silence.
She spoke calmly and sweetly, even as a knot formed in her breast, "Not everyone craves the spotlight, Nathan."
"No," said Nathan, his smile widening. "However, not everyone finds being invisible enjoyable either."
Sophia's eyes returned to Julian, and her lips tensed. The golden cage that had previously felt like a haven was being created by the weight of her three-year marriage. It was meant to celebrate Sterling Enterprises' most recent success. Still, it served as a reminder of everything she had lost, including her voice, her dreams, and her position in Julian's world.
"Once more, Sophia, lingering at the edges?"
Her thoughts were interrupted by Edward Sterling's well-known, commanding voice. With his silver hair shining in the chandelier light, Julian's father looked as commanding as ever. He looked at her scornfully, his eyes opaque, then turned to Isabella and Julian.
Sophia smiled emotionlessly and said, "I would rather watch."
Edward's eyebrows went up. "A Sterling bride should be by her husband's side rather than becoming just another wallpaper."
The remark made her cheeks boil, but she remained calm. "Julian appears to be busy."
With contempt, Edward remarked, "He's doing what's necessary for the company." "You ought to follow suit."
Edward turned and rushed toward a group of investors before Sophia could reply, leaving her standing with a tight stomach.
Sophia looked back at Julian, still paying close attention to Isabella's speech. Leaning closer, she could hear Isabella's words reverberating throughout the room. The merger of Sterling Enterprises and Caldwell Holdings might redefine the market. Do you disagree?
Julian's businesslike smile remained fixed as he nodded. "It's a possibility worth investigating."
Sophia gripped her glass of champagne tighter. That smile was one she knew. Years before, when he was still attracted to her, he had given her the identical one. It was now only available to Isabella, investors, and anybody else who wasn't her.
Sophia caught a glimpse of Nathan observing the talk from the corner of her eye, his smile always present. His eyes shifted to her, and he made a fake salute with his glass. The gesture was hurtful, but she didn't want to acknowledge it.
When the sight became unbearable, Sophia fled the crowd. She sought refuge in a peaceful alcove close to the magnificent windows. She could see the city skyline ahead of her, its lights gleaming in the darkness. As the music from the gala faded into the background, she stopped to gather her breath.
She started thinking about InnoBliss. Her escape, her dream, the tech concept she had worked on many nights. The notes she took late at night as Julian worked on Sterling Enterprises and the designs on her laptop had gone unnoticed. Edward, too? He would chuckle at the idea, seeing it as insignificant compared to the Sterling legacy.
An insatiable longing throbbed in Sophia's breast. She had waited so long for acceptance, affection, and her voice to be heard. But as she stood alone in the darkness of her husband's world tonight, she realized that waiting was no longer an option.
The ovation increased as Julian concluded his succinct message and the overhead lights went dark, signaling that the evening was ending. Sophia moved lightly but deliberately in the direction of the exit. Before she could get too far, Julian caught her.
"Going?" he asked in a slightly annoyed tone. "The press will be here soon. You must accompany me.
Sophia responded calmly but firmly, "I've done my part." "You were busy tonight, and I'm not needed now."
Julian's mouth clenched. "Theatrics are not necessary at this time."
Edward appeared behind him, his presence as dominant as ever. He asked coldly, "Does a Sterling bride act like this?" "These are not trivial instances. Your absence has a detrimental effect on Julian.
Sophia's heart pounded, and her hands shook slightly. For years, she had avoided controversy because she preferred to be quiet rather than argue. But something exploded inside her.
She said, "Mr. Sterling," in a voice that was shaking yet determined. "That the business had a successful evening makes me very happy. But I can't do this anymore.
With her heart pounding in her ears, Sophia turned and walked away before either man could say anything. There was a lingering sense of Julian's dissatisfaction, and she felt burdened by Edward's criticism.
Sophia paused at the top of the marble steps outside, the chilly night air filling her lungs. The city lights reflected off the concrete below, lighting the way ahead. For the first time in years, she felt clear.
Whispering to herself, "I can no longer remain invisible," she said.
"InnoBliss is more than just a fantasy. It's how I escape.
She looked back, half expecting Julian to follow. However, he didn't. Instead, she saw Isabella's triumphant smile as they merged with the crowd, Nathan's derisive look, and Edward's shadow close to the doorway.
Sophia's resolve stiffened as she looked back toward the city. She would prove herself to the world if Julian didn't think she was valuable. Tonight, she would battle for herself as much as for her goals.
Change was coming. And she wouldn't wait any longer.
Savannah Carlisle was marrying a billionaire heir for security, or so she thought. Yet on her wedding night, she finds herself waking next to the wrong twin - and her signature is already tied to the Pennington dynasty's deepest secrets. Now imprisoned in a mansion of lies, Savannah learns that she's been seeded with an heir long before she says, "I do." Her womb isn't hers. Her name has been rewritten. And the man who really possesses her is ringless - he wears her silence. By then, with a fabricated contract, a lost memory, and a media empire built on illusion, Savannah must untangle a legacy where love is leverage, and escape may cost everything, including the child she didn't sign up to bear.
"I was raised to be a queen. But I was sold to be a concubine." Lois Frazer was born a member of House Valtara and grew up believing the throne was her birthright. But on the day of her coronation, Steve Reynolds, a former childhood friend and avowed protector, turns brother with a bloodless coup. Instead of killing her, Steve holds Lois in the palace - but not as a queen. He demotes her status by calling her a concubine, a trophy to be bent to his will and make his claim. But Steve's perverse kind of devotion conceals a deeper, ambivalent hunger - he doesn't just want her throne; he wants her. Unwilling to give up, Lois engineers her own resurrection to power, forging flimsy alliances and using even her captor's affections against him. In a kingdom swirling with political turmoil, forbidden desires and shifting loyalties, will Lois win back the crown - or will she ruin herself and the man who betrayed her?
Vesper Bloodmoon is a princess hidden away from her own kingdom, cursed with the mythic power of the Devouring Moon, the goddess that devours the wolf gods themselves. Both feared and shunned, she is reduced to secrecy until her father's death launches a maelstrom of political ambition, divine wrath and romantic entanglement. As the kingdom's devoted High Priest, Draven Nightfang knows the gods' laws better than anyone, and when he learns the truth about Vesper, their bond could shatter aeons of divine dominion or unleash a fierce power beyond anyone's control. In a world of worship, war, and fate, their love crucibles the one hope-or the final curse-to swallow gods.
"You left us," muttered Lucas, his eyes ablaze with betrayal and fury. "You should have stuck with us." As she stood there in the moonlit clearing during the Bonding Ceremony, her heart broke, and Lucas chose the other girl, casting Anya aside, forever forsaken. Her heart was aflame with pain and resilience as his words resounded through her. The Blackwood Pack was paralyzed by terror as evil Alpha, Elias of Shadowfang, unleashed evil to destroy their beloved home. In the chaos, Anya discovered her unique powers shining like a beacon. Driven to flee her splintering household, Anya sets out for Hidden Sanctuary, a mystical realm of refuge and knowledge. She meets Caleb, a noble warrior of the neutral pack with a mysterious past and a secret ambition. Anya and Caleb try to figure out what they want from each other as they expose secrets that could break their reality, even though they don't completely trust each other. Anya's most trusted confidantes, including her closest friend Lila, betray her, risking their mission. Anya digs into her ancient lineage and the prophecy inextricably tied to her fate. Both occur simultaneously, and both conclude the world. As Elias' wrath intensifies and the fate of every werewolf pack lies in the balance, Anya must harness her power, foster deep bonds, and face her darkest demons. Anya and Caleb have a life-defining decision: will love prevail over the ultimate sacrifice as the final battle approaches? Will Anya overcome her rejection and lead her people to victory, or will betrayal and war swallow them both?
Lyra, the mortal researcher, hopes her life will run out, so she presents the enigmatic Dragon King Kael as a sacrifice bride. Instead, she discovers that Kael intends not to let her escape; her blood carries the key to an ancient curse that seals dragons to death. Lyra had to choose between the human kingdom that turned on her and a celestial revolution designed to wipe out the planet. Either she would become a puppet in their hands or revolt against gods and dragons to help define her own fate.
Learning about a magnificent, magical treasure, Ethan Draycott-a spiteful tech millionaire with a secret heart-accidentally summons forth Seraphina, the dethroned and cursed queen of the fairies. Having to stay in his universe until she finds her "true love," Seraphina hates depending on Ethan. But when two worlds meet, Ethan's commercial sense and Seraphina's lost magical skill present an interesting team-building challenge. Negotiating corporate backstabbing and the resurgence of long-standing magical enemies, the two learn perhaps that love is the strongest skill of all.
"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.]
"Is it considered betrayal to develop feelings for your best friend's boyfriend? What about when fate intervenes, and he turns out to be your destined mate? You might think it's luck and thank the moon goddess for such a twist of fate. That's what I believed until the love of my life uttered those dreaded words: 'I want a divorce!' As I stared at the pregnancy test in my hands, I realized it was better to keep my secret to myself. My name is Violet, and this is my story."
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?