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.
"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.
Memory is the currency of power and the compass for basic values in the magical nation of Memoria. Living a modest life, Elara Renard saves rather few memories to benefit her family over her lifetime. Still, her awakening of a long-lost memory revealing an ancient forecast guiding the fate of her planet sets off all the changes. Elara visits Lysander Kane, a man whose memories appear to guide hers. As events transpire, she is juggling the complexity of the prophecy. Taken all together, they draw attention to the horrible and appalling aspects of the memory trafficking operation performed under Memory Enforcement Bureau authority. The developing love between them calls into doubt the dishonest power demanding control over all facet of Memoria's life, therefore undermining society's expectations as well as her own personal issues. If Elara and Lysander want to bring about peace and cherish the memories that define their lives, they will have to negotiate a complicated network of secrets and alliances. Apart from a great sacrifice, political suspense and magical strife would bloom. When one thinks about the force of love, memory, and the never-ending yearning for harmony in a community, "Echoes of Eternity" is an epic fantasy romance of enormous relevance among ideas.
Rose looked at the reports in her hand and was in shock... The reports said that she was one month pregnant, however, how can she get pregnant when she didn't have any man in her life... "Was it because of that dream? Could I get pregnant because I have sex in my dream?" She thought... She didn't have any mental problems, however, except for this she can't able to think about anything... However, she still didn't get out of her surprise when she met the man in her dream... Kevin Davis looked at the reports in her hand and asked, "Is this child mine?" However, Rose didn't answer but asked... "Was that night not a dream?" Kevin was angry because it was his first time and she thinks it was a dream... Kevin forced her to marry him however, Rose didn't want it... She wanted to abort the child but he didn't let her... In the end... Rose agreed to marry him... She looked at Kevin's blue eyes and said, "I will marry you, however, I had two conditions..." "First, after marriage, you can't control my freedom, I still had the right to do whatever I want. Don't worry I won't harm the child." "Second, if I ever found out that you had cheated behind my back then I will leave with my child and you can't stop me..." Both of them got married... However, after she falls in love with him... She found there are hidden secrets in his past...
P-please, I beg you. Come let's go tell Christian I had no hand in whatever happened, p-please." I clutched the lapel of his jacket desperately. "Let's go. You need to tell my husband you were paid." "Young lady, you're harassing me." His tone was cold and his stare granite. But I could care less. "You harassed me first! You had sex with me without my consent, my husband knows and now I'm pregnant with this child he doesn't want. You ruined my marriage! I-I hate you!" ************************************ Caught by her husband with another man on their matrimonial bed the morning after her birthday, Hailey Codza could not defend herself. As though it's not enough, she gets pregnant. Her enraged husband decides to pay her back for her infidelity by having an affair with his ex-girlfriend - Denise Kellers, the family Hailey never knew she had. Losing her family's wealth and company to her husband and his ex (now girlfriend), she is devastated, homeless and penniless as all her credit cards are blocked by her husband. She sees the man who is responsible for her pregnancy. The man she has no idea how he'd found his way to her matrimonial bed - Jared Johnson. Jared is annoyed when this strange woman disrupts his meeting and accuses him of ruining her life, marriage and impregnating her. It affects his business deals and having no choice, he marries her to calm the public whilst engaged to someone else. But he loathes her and allows his family treats her badly. Hailey who has fallen in love with Jared is broken when she can no longer take the humiliation. She signs the divorce papers and leaves, only to arrive six years later to the country as a self-made, secret billionaire and a mother of twins. Now her two ex-husbands are begging to have her back...
The night before her engagement, Valerie was tricked by her boyfriend and stepsister into spending the night with a stranger. After the night together, the man vanished. Later, her boyfriend accused her of cheating, revealing his affair with her stepsister. Pressured by her father, Valerie married an unconscious man in place of her stepsister. Valerie exposed the scheme, sabotaged her father's ambitions, and transformed herself. When her husband woke and chased her to the airport, she calmly refused him, saying, "It's over between us." He held her firmly. "You married me, so you must commit."
For three years, I waited to become the perfect Luna for my pack, to give the Alpha an heir. Three years of lies, of being the outsider in someone else's love story. Three years of grieving the loss of my baby and plotting revenge against the man who disfigured my face and ruined my womb. I had two choices: die at the hands of my own pack or escape and survive. I chose to hide and live. The Lycan King, Fenrir Lycros-the most bloodthirsty, ruthless ruler to ever lead the werewolves with an iron fist-made me his personal maid. It was the most dangerous role I could have, where even the slightest mistake could cost me my life. But no one from my past would think to look for me here. "Always be submissive, don't speak unless spoken to, don't listen, don't see anything, don't disturb the Lycan or you will die," were the simple rules I followed. I thought I was doing well-until one day, the King made me an offer I couldn't refuse. "Do you want me to save those people? Then give yourself to me tonight. Be my woman. I desire you, and I know you feel the same. Just once, Raven, only once..." But it wasn't just once. Passion turned into something deeper, something neither of us could deny. That cold, untamable man had somehow conquered my heart as well. However, when the past returned to haunt me and the truth about my birth came to light, I faced another choice: run from the Lycan King or wait for his mercy. "I'm sorry, but this time, I won't lose my pups again-not even for you, Fenrir Lycros."
I pressed my lips against his and stole his sweet, savory taste, not ready to end the sweet moment. I licked my lips seductively and whispered. "Despite your age, I love you." Sarah was obsessed with the man of her dreams, despite knowing that their love was forbidden and would be disapproved by her father and others. She held onto the many beautiful dreams she had of being with him, wishing for them to come true. She found herself in love with her father's best friend, a very handsome man who had been rejected by his wife. Her desire was to show him what true love really meant. When her father received a job transfer,Sarah saw it as a perfect opportunity to be with him. The situation improved even more when she realized they would be living under the same roof.
Sheila had her back against the wall when her family tried to force her to marry an awful old man. In a fit of rage, she hired a gigolo to act as her husband. She thought the gigolo needed money and did this for a living. Little did she know that he was nothing like that. One day, he pulled off his mask and revealed himself to be the world's top magnate. This marked the beginning of their love. He showered her with everything she could ever want. They were happy. However, unexpected circumstances soon posed a threat to their love. Would Sheila and her husband make it through the storm? Find out!