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Lucas Sterling has everything money, power, and a reputation as the city's most eligible bachelor. But behind the charm and billion-dollar smile lies a man scarred by betrayal and convinced love is nothing more than a liability. Emily Harper is his complete opposite a spirited schoolteacher with a passion for helping others and no patience for arrogant playboys like Lucas. When fate throws them together, sparks fly, and Lucas finds himself captivated by the one woman who refuses to fall for his charm. As Emily challenges Lucas to confront his demons, a shadow from his past resurfaces. Isabella Royce, his cunning ex-lover, is determined to reclaim him at any cost even if it means destroying everything Lucas holds dear. Can Emily's love tame the heart of a man who's built walls around it? Or will Isabella's schemes shatter their fragile bond before it has a chance to bloom?
The low hum of chatter filled the grand ballroom of the Sterling Hotel, a glittering expanse of crystal chandeliers and opulent decor that whispered money and power in every corner. Lucas Sterling leaned against the marble bar, a glass of bourbon in hand, his posture effortlessly commanding. The sharp lines of his tailored midnight-blue suit molded to his frame, drawing the gaze of women across the room like moths to a flame. He noticed, of course. He always noticed. But tonight, their interest barely registered.
"Mr. Sterling, will you be gracing the dance floor tonight, or are you content to haunt the bar like a ghost of bad decisions?"
Lucas turned his head lazily to see his best friend, Nathan Caldwell, smirking at him. Nathan's gold cufflinks caught the light as he reached for his own drink.
"Haunting sounds about right," Lucas replied dryly. "Dancing's a waste of time."
Nathan arched a brow. "You mean spending five minutes charming some heiress isn't worth your effort? Are you feeling unwell?"
Lucas smirked but didn't answer. His eyes scanned the room, landing on a sea of polished socialites laughing over champagne flutes. He knew every name, every motive. Their smiles gleamed too brightly, their words dripped with calculation. He knew the game, and he played it better than anyone. But tonight, he was bored of it.
"Sterling," Nathan said, drawing his attention back, "you really should get out of your head. Or at least look like you're having fun. It's your family's charity gala, after all."
Lucas's jaw tightened at the mention of his family. "Fun," he echoed flatly. "Right. Let me just fake a smile and pretend this isn't the hundredth event this month where people clap themselves on the back for writing checks."
Nathan sighed but didn't push further. "Suit yourself." He downed his drink and wandered off toward the dance floor, leaving Lucas alone with his thoughts.
And that's when he saw her.
She stood near the far end of the room, partially hidden by a towering arrangement of white orchids. Her dark green dress was simple, modest compared to the other women draped in diamonds and sequins, but somehow, it was more striking. The fabric hugged her curves delicately, the color deepening the warm undertones of her fair skin. Her hair was pinned back loosely, with a few curls escaping to frame her face. She wasn't looking around the room for attention. In fact, she seemed to be actively avoiding it.
Something about her stillness, her quiet confidence, pulled at Lucas like gravity.
Emily Harper shifted awkwardly on her heels, holding a glass of sparkling water like it was her lifeline. She didn't belong here, and she knew it. The room was too glossy, the people too polished. She felt like an imposter in her off-the-rack dress, but her friend Melanie had insisted she come.
"Networking, Em," Melanie had said. "You're always talking about getting funding for your community programs. This is where the money is."
Emily sighed. She hated these events. The conversations felt as fake as the designer handbags draped over the arms of some of the women here. But she'd promised Melanie, so here she was, trying not to trip over her own feet.
"Are you lost?"
The deep, velvety voice startled her. Emily turned to see a man standing a few feet away, his head tilted slightly as he studied her. He was taller than she'd expected, his dark hair swept back with just the right amount of messiness. His eyes-piercing and unreadable-were locked on hers.
"I-what?" she stammered, clutching her glass tighter.
His lips curved into a faint smile. "You look like you're trying to blend into the wallpaper. Just wondering if you wandered into the wrong party."
Emily's cheeks flushed. "I'm not lost. And I wasn't blending into anything."
"Of course not," he said smoothly, though the amused glint in his eyes suggested otherwise.
"Do you always approach strangers with unsolicited observations, or am I just lucky?" she shot back, raising an eyebrow.
Lucas chuckled, a deep sound that seemed to vibrate through her chest. "You're lucky," he said. "I don't usually waste my time on strangers."
Her eyes narrowed. "Well, don't let me keep you, then."
For a moment, he was caught off guard. Most people either tried to impress him or melted under his charm. But this woman was glaring at him like he'd interrupted her personal space. He liked it.
"Lucas Sterling," he said, extending a hand.
Emily hesitated before shaking it. His grip was firm but not overbearing. "Emily Harper," she replied.
"Emily Harper," he repeated, as if testing how her name felt on his tongue. "So, what brings you to this... glamorous gathering?"
"Networking," she said honestly, though the word tasted bitter. "I work in education, and my programs could use funding. My friend thought this would be a good opportunity to meet... generous people."
"Generous," Lucas said with a hint of sarcasm. "Interesting choice of words."
"It was either that or rich and self-congratulatory," she said, her lips quirking up in a reluctant smile.
Lucas laughed-a genuine, unguarded sound that made her heart skip. "Fair enough. And how's the networking going?"
"Not great," she admitted. "Turns out I'm not very good at pretending to be impressed by people."
His smile widened. "You might be the most interesting person in this room."
Emily rolled her eyes. "You don't even know me."
"I know enough," he said simply.
She studied him for a moment, trying to gauge his intentions. There was something magnetic about him, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. But she also knew men like him didn't belong in her world.
"And you?" she asked, crossing her arms. "Why are you here if you clearly hate it so much?"
Lucas's expression flickered briefly, almost imperceptibly. "Obligation," he said. "My family's name is on the invitations, after all."
"Ah," Emily said. "The burden of being a Sterling."
"You have no idea," he said, his voice laced with both humor and something deeper.
For a moment, they just looked at each other, the noise of the room fading into the background.
"Well," Emily said finally, breaking the silence, "I should get back to pretending I fit in here."
Lucas's gaze lingered on her. "I have a feeling you'd fit in just fine if you stopped trying."
And with that, he walked away, leaving her standing there, her heart inexplicably pounding.
A cold-hearted billionaire. A headstrong florist drowning in debt. A contract that binds them in a marriage of convenience-with no room for love. Xavier Harrington is a man who controls everything-his business, his reputation, his emotions. When a billion-dollar deal requires him to appear as a devoted husband, he does what he does best: he makes an offer no one can refuse. Mia Brooks never imagined she'd sign a contract to be a billionaire's wife, but with her flower shop on the verge of collapse, she has no choice. The rules are simple-no feelings, no attachments, and absolutely no falling in love. But behind Xavier's icy demeanor lies a scarred past and a desire he can't control. And behind Mia's defiance is a heart that refuses to be tamed. As passion blurs the lines of their arrangement, secrets surface, enemies close in, and a betrayal from the past threatens to destroy everything. When the contract ends, will Xavier let Mia go... or will he risk everything to make her stay?
Sebastian Hale is a man who gets what he wants-until his father, Gregory Hale, threatens to destroy everything he's built unless he agrees to a marriage of convenience. Trapped in his father's ruthless game, Sebastian's only option is to marry Ivy Collins, a fiery journalist with secrets of her own. For Ivy, the marriage is a means to an end. Marrying Sebastian gives her access to the Hale family empire-and the chance to expose their darkest secrets. But what begins as a cold business arrangement soon ignites into a fiery passion neither of them can resist. As the lines between love and betrayal blur, Ivy discovers the truth about Sebastian's family, including a devastating secret that could destroy them both. With Gregory pulling the strings, Ivy and Sebastian must decide whether to fight for each other-or lose everything in the process.
Grace Parker has dedicated her life to helping others, but when her nonprofit is on the verge of collapse, she's forced to strike a deal with the last man she ever wanted to rely on: Sebastian Cole. Cold, calculating, and devastatingly handsome, Sebastian offers to save her charity but only if she agrees to play the role of his fiancée in a high-stakes business negotiation. What starts as a business arrangement quickly spirals out of control when a single night of passion leaves Grace with a life altering secret. As their fake relationship begins to feel all too real, Grace and Sebastian are drawn together by more than just their shared goals. But standing in their way are Sebastian's manipulative ex, Natasha Blake, and his ruthless rival, Henry Adler, who will stop at nothing to destroy everything Grace and Sebastian have built. When lies, betrayal, and secrets threaten to tear them apart, Grace and Sebastian must confront their deepest fears and decide if the love they've found is worth fighting for.
Trapped in a marriage she never wanted, Lily Hart is thrust into the cold, calculating world of billionaire CEO Adrian Blackwood. He married her only to claim her father's company, and his resentment is as intense as his possessiveness. Behind his mask of power and wealth, Adrian harbors a dark affection for his mistress, Celeste. a beauty with a vengeful soul and her sights set firmly on destroying Lily. In Adrian's world, love is as elusive as freedom, and for Lily, it's nowhere to be found. She's nothing but a pawn, forced to endure his cruelty and trapped in a twisted game of control and desire. But as the walls close in and secrets unravel, Adrian's indifference begins to shift into something else, something possessive and obsessive that even he can't deny. Lily must find the strength to survive in a world built to shatter her and face the question: will she ever escape Adrian's ruthless grasp, or will she be forever bound to a man who will do anything to keep her?
Emilia Rosemont never expected her life to turn into a gilded cage. Forced into a marriage with billionaire CEO Alessandro DiLaurentis, she becomes a pawn in a twisted game of family legacy and cruel ambition. For Alex, the marriage is nothing more than an obligation one he despises and resents. His heart belongs to another, and he doesn't hide his disdain for the wife he was forced to marry. Trapped in his world of wealth and power, Emilia endures his coldness, his cruelty, and the haunting knowledge that her husband will never love her. But as Alex's possessiveness grows, so does his conflicted desire, leaving Emilia ensnared in a web of hate, obsession, and forbidden attraction. With his seductive mistress, Vanessa, pulling the strings from the shadows, Emilia realizes that escape might be impossible. In this dark billionaire romance of love and betrayal, Emilia must find the strength to survive a man who both despises and craves her, in a world where everyone has a price and love is the ultimate sacrifice. Will she ever be free, or is she destined to remain the Surrogate Wife forever?
Sophia Russo never imagined she'd be standing on the auction block, her future sold to the highest bidder to save her mother's life. But when desperation drove her to a world of danger and dark desires, she came face to face with Dante DeLuca Milan's ruthless Mafia King. Cold, possessive, and unstoppable, Dante didn't just buy her freedom; he claimed her soul. Trapped in his luxurious mansion, Sophia vows to escape and protect her heart from the man who controls her every move. Yet, with every heated glance and forbidden touch, she finds herself drawn deeper into his world of power and seduction. Two years later, just when she's ready to break free, Sophia becomes a pawn in a deadly mafia war. Dante will risk everything to save her, but as the past unravels, shocking secrets surface forcing Sophia to question whether she can ever truly escape him... or if she even wants to. In this high-stakes game of love and danger, is it better to run from the devil or fall for him completely?
To the public, Arabella was Owen's trusty secretary who catered to all his needs and served as the primary blood donor of his beloved, who was in a coma. Behind closed doors, she was Owen's submissive wife. Arabella was quiet and obedient, and she endured every humiliation without a word of protest. Rumored to be a neat freak, Owen had tossed the last woman who had dared to kiss him into the river. Yet he pinned Arabella against the wall and demanded, "Give me a child, and I’ll let you go!" Arabella pushed him away and flashed him a cold smile. "You are not worthy!"
"You're my wife in name only, on paper only. My heart and love will never be yours." Edward made it clear to Daisy that she was nothing to him. They were both victims of family greed -- the marriage was arranged for them. Six years passed. She remained quiet, gaining a reputation in the army as a tough-as-nails colonel. When she walked into his life again, Edward fell in love with this woman, unlike any he had known. She surprised and delighted him. But will Daisy take him back? Can their son keep them together? Can the rift between them be healed? Pick this one up and find out!
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
Eliza Greer was abandoned by her mother, raised in an orphanage, and sold to the Burns family at 19. Even though she marries Mason Burns, the other people in the Burns family look down on her for her poor identity and want to try every way to bully her. Unexpectedly, they all failed. Eliza's hidden identities are gradually revealed in one incident after another, which astonishes everyone.
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!”