**"The Theater's Curse"** When Lila agrees to plan a wedding at the eerie, century-old Aureum Theater, she expects a challenge-but not one that could cost her everything. As the stormy nights grow longer, Lila uncovers a chilling truth: the Duvall family, owners of the theater, have been cursed for generations, their lives marred by treachery, tragedy, and a sinister bond to the building. Drawn deeper into the mystery, Lila finds herself entangled with Elias Duvall, a man whose charm masks a tormented soul. Their connection sparks with undeniable chemistry, but Elias's secrets threaten to pull her into the same darkness that has consumed his family. As Lila discovers the theater's horrifying legacy-rituals demanding sacrifice and love twisted into power-she must decide whether to trust Elias or confront the curse alone. Armed with fragments of ancient rites and her own courage, Lila hatches a desperate plan to break the cycle. But the Aureum Theater isn't ready to release its hold without a fight, and the price of freedom may be higher than she's willing to pay. Love, betrayal, and the supernatural collide in this gripping tale of one woman's battle to rewrite a haunted destiny.
The candlelight ballroom glowed with the promise of love and perfection, which Lila Mercer had spent her career creating for others but had never dared to pursue for herself. Tonight's event was no exception, another fairy tale woven with silk and gold for a couple whose romance she'd forgotten by morning.
Then he walked in.
Elias Duvall was more than just attractive; he was magnetic enough to stop people in their tracks. His fitted suit clung to his form like a second skin, and his piercing eyes searched the room with a commanding intensity. Then they landed on her.
"Ms. Mercer, I presume?" His voice was velvet-tinted with danger, a subtle threat cloaked in allure.
For a brief moment, Lila's meticulously managed world shifted. Men like Elias were not her clientele; they were someone else's unattainable ideal. Yet here he was, handing her a business card with a mischievous smirk that hinted at something more.
"My fiancée and I have high aspirations. "I've heard you're the only one who can make them happen."
The words should have sent her heart racing, but instead a gentle chill ran down her spine. There was something in his tone that suggested this was no ordinary job.
And for the first time in her career, Lila worried if she was about to enter a love tale from which she would be unable to escape.
Lila accepted the card with practiced grace, concealing the discomfort that prickled at the boundaries of her confidence. Her fingertips brushed against his for a brief instant, but it was enough to send an unwelcome and electric shock through her.
"What kind of ambitious plans are we talking about, Mr. Duvall?" she inquired, her voice firm despite the underlying animosity between them.
Elias leaned in slightly, his smile both charming and sinister. "A wedding that will leave an unforgettable impression. "Something unforgettable."
His words lingered, weighted with double meaning, but Lila dismissed the undercurrent as a product of her overworked imagination. High-profile weddings attracted demanding clients, and she was no stranger to high expectations.
"Unforgettable is my specialty," she said, placing his card into her stylish leather planner. "Why don't you and your fiancée visit me in my office tomorrow? We'll discuss your vision."
"She's... out of town," Elias explained calmly, his demeanor enigmatic. "I'll handle the details for now."
Something about the way he said it-the right balance of detachment and control-set off a caution bell in Lila's head. But business was business, and who was she to disagree when Elias Duvall wanted to pay her excessive fees?
"Very well," Lila replied with a professional smile. "I look forward to hearing your ideas."
Elias' gaze remained on her for too long, the corner of his mouth twisting into a whispered dare.
As he turned and walked away, Lila took a breath. She took a glimpse at the card in her hand, which was embossed, simple, and absurdly expensive. It felt heavier than it should have, as if it held a dreadful secret that could not be named.
For reasons she couldn't understand, her heart quickened-not with joy, but with the silent foreboding of an impending storm she couldn't see.
As Lila inserted Elias' card into her planner, the gentle hum of the ballroom faded into the background. Her mind raced, digesting their brief contact. There was something disconcerting about him-a polished charm that almost appeared manufactured, and eyes that seemed to find secrets rather than simply stare.
She dismissed the concept. Clients, particularly those with large sums of money, frequently exuded quirkiness. Still, the way Elias said unforgettable clung to her like smoke, and she couldn't tell whether it was an invitation or a warning.
The evening went on, with speeches, dances, and toasts. Despite her best efforts, Lila's gaze kept straying toward the door where Elias had vanished.
The next day, Lila sat in her sunlit office, methodically organizing her sample portfolio. She had double-checked her calendar to ensure that her meeting with Elias would be uninterrupted. Nonetheless, her nerves seemed sharper than normal.
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Before she could react, it cracked open, and Elias entered.
He appeared different in the sunlight-no less striking-but the warmth of his fitted charcoal suit couldn't soften the frigid precision in his motions. He held a thin leather folder, which he carefully put on the edge of her desk, almost as if it were a statement rather than a gesture.
"Ms. Mercer," he replied, his lips twisting into the same intriguing smile. "Thank you for meeting on such short notice."
"Of course." Lila pointed to the chair across from her desk, ignoring the flutter in her chest as he sat down. "Should we get started?" Tell me about your wedding vision.
Elias maintained her stare for too long, as if he was choosing how much to say-or withhold. "I'm looking for an event that feels timeless. Something people will discuss for years."
"Timeless," Lila repeated, scribbling the word onto her notebook. "Are there any specific themes? Colors? What venues are you considering?"
"Black and gold," he explained, reclining back in his chair. "A sense of richness, yet understated. The location should be historic, even infamous. "I trust your judgment."
There it was again: the undercurrent of something unsaid, something worse.
"Infamous?" Lila arched her brow, attempting a light tone. "That's an unusual choice for a wedding."
Elias maintained a constant smile. "The best incidents are those that foreshadow a story. Even if the story is not completely told."
The words hung between them, heavy and mysterious. Lila hesitated, her pen hovering over the page. For a moment, she wondered if she was being sucked into something much bigger than a wedding.
"Well," she finally responded, maintaining a professional tone, "I'll write a proposal based on what you've said. When can I anticipate to meet with your fiancée to finalize the details?"
Elias' eyes deepened and his smile sharpened. "Soon," he answered, lowering his voice slightly. "She is... specific. But I am convinced she will approve of your effort."
The way he said special drove shivers down Lila's spine. She nodded, concealing her discomfort with a rehearsed smile.
As Elias stood to leave, he stopped at the door. "Oh, and Ms. Mercer," he said, glancing back, "take your time. "The best things are always worth the wait."
When the door shut behind him, Lila exhaled, realizing she had been holding her breath. The room felt colder, and for the first time, she regretted accepting this client.
She realized deep down that this was more than just a business. It was personal. And it was risky.
The next several days were a blur of study, phone calls, and site visits, but Lila couldn't shake her mounting unease. Every decision she made for Elias' wedding felt weird, like if unseen forces were driving her in a direction she couldn't see.
Even the places she scouted appeared to meet his mysterious requirement for "infamy." The first was a massive Gothic palace that previously belonged to a scandal-ridden entrepreneur. The second is an abandoned theater with a tragic history. Both seemed better suited to ghost stories than love stories.
When she explained her findings to Elias at their next meeting, his reaction was both unnerving and predictable.
"The theater," he remarked, his voice quiet and serious as he looked over the photphotographs she had shot. "It has resonance. "This is the place."
Lila tilted her head. "Resonance? Most clients would describe it as eerie.
He smiled, a familiar spark of enjoyment in his eyes. "Eerie is simply a matter of perspective, Ms. Mercer."
She made a note, but did not respond. Something about this man always made her feel unbalanced, as if she were walking a tightrope without knowing how high the stakes were.
One week later, Lila was finalizing the guest list Elias had provided-a small, select group of individuals, some of whom she recognized as high-profile socialites. As she went over the details, a sleek black envelope slipped through the mail hole in her office door.
She frowned and put down her coffee to recover it. The mail included no postage, only her name in gorgeous, embossed lettering. Inside came an invitation on rich cardboard with gold lettering.
You're cordially welcomed to an evening of festivity and discovery.
Date: This Saturday.
Location: The Aureum Theater.
Dress Code: Black and Gold.
Her heartbeat skipped. Elias had not mentioned hosting an event prior to the wedding, and the phrase "revelry and revelation" read like a riddle rather than an invitation.
She dialed his number instantly. He picked up on the second ring.
"Lila," he murmured, his voice warm but inscrutable. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I just received this," she added, holding the card so he could see it through the phone. "What is this event?" "I thought we were still in the planning stage."
Elias chuckled, his voice silky but lacking of genuine humor. "Consider it a preview. "A chance for you to see the venue in action and meet some of the players involved."
"Players?" she said, her discomfort increasing. "Elias, if this is some kind of publicity stunt-"
"Relax, Ms. Mercer," he said, his voice slightly deeper. "You are my guest of honor. I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable".
She opened her mouth to respond, when the line went dead.
Amelia Ceston thought her professional life at Bellucci Enterprises couldn't get any more complicated. Managing the demands of Jason Bellucci the impossibly handsome, calculating CEO was already a full-time challenge. But when Jason makes her a shocking proposition, everything changes: pose as his girlfriend to make his billionaire ex jealous and win back a business deal gone sour. Reluctantly stepping into the role of Jason's partner, Amelia enters a world of glittering galas, whispered scandals, and simmering tension. The lines between their professional and personal lives blur as their staged affection begins to feel dangerously real. Each stolen glance and forbidden touch ignites a passion neither can deny, threatening to destroy the careful barriers they've built. But Jason's ex isn't just jealous-she's vengeful. Determined to ruin Jason's life and any chance of happiness he might find, she sets her sights on Amelia. What began as a simple deal spirals into a battle of wills, loyalty, and desire. In a game where hearts and fortunes are on the line, can Amelia and Jason survive the fire or will their growing bond be the one thing they're both forced to sacrifice?
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
"I've warned you from the beginning. Don't marry him, but you won't listen." She stood close to me and smiled with concern. "You are not a woman worthy of a man as handsome, rich, smart, and virile as Blaze." My whole body trembled at her words. "Have you no shame?" I asked in a quivering voice. "Take a good look at yourself, Heather." She looked at me in the mirror. "You can't even look at your ugly face. Do you think Blaze can endure a lifetime of looking at that face?" Heather Bailey had a surprise from her husband that night: a divorce agreement. After a year of marriage and facing ups and downs, she couldn't believe Blaze intended to divorce her. But she was devastated when she saw him gazing lovingly at another woman because that person was closest to her. Shortly after she put her signature on their divorce papers, shock waves caught her up. Her flower shop was severely burnt, beyond repair. Her father's company collapsed, and her parents blamed her. She struggled to rebuild her life from the ground up and became more successful than ever. Having many customers who came from influential families, she started her action against Blaze. She won the very thing he wanted. But that was just the beginning.
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."