Edward married Sophia to fulfill all righteousness and look good in the eyes of the public. But deep down he hates women and their prejudice.
Edward married Sophia to fulfill all righteousness and look good in the eyes of the public. But deep down he hates women and their prejudice.
The sound of glass clinking against polished wood echoed in the grand study, where Edward Blackwell, with his perfectly tailored suit and cold, calculating eyes, stared out at the sprawling skyline of the city below. The lights twinkled like stars-stars he once thought he was above. In the silence of the room, his fingers traced the rim of the glass, as though searching for something to steady the chaos inside him.
Outside, the world adored him-captivated by the genius of his wealth, the sharpness of his mind, and the effortless charm that poured from his lips. He had the empire, the mansion, and the life that others could only dream of. But at the heart of it all, there was something he couldn't shake: a disgust, a loathing of the people who surrounded him, the ones who held his name in reverence. And, most of all, the woman who slept in the bed beside him each night-Sophia, his wife.
She was beautiful. Brilliant, even. She was everything society had told him to desire. But to Edward, she was nothing more than a delicate ornament-her grace, her smile, her intellect all just parts of a perfect façade he had been forced to construct. His father had arranged this marriage, pushing him into it with an iron fist, demanding he marry Sophia to ensure their family's legacy. "A man like you can't afford to be seen alone," his father had said, his voice devoid of warmth, like a machine running on ancient, inherited rules.
In the early days, Edward had believed the marriage would be simple. He would play the part, maintain the image, and walk away when the time came. But he hadn't counted on the growing irritation-Sophia's soft voice in the morning, her quiet suggestions in meetings, the way she tried to carve out a place for herself in a world that had no intention of letting her in. Every word she spoke to him felt like a challenge to his control, every glance a reminder that she was not just a reflection of his success, but a person with thoughts, ambitions, and desires of her own.
And yet, even now, when he knew the truth-that he had never loved her, that he had married her as a means to an end-he still found himself trapped in the gilded cage of their life together. He couldn't divorce her; not yet. The scandal would be too much, the public too unforgiving. So, he tolerated her, his words cutting sharper with each passing day. But in the stillness of the night, when his thoughts ran unchecked, the true ugliness of his soul surfaced: he despised her.
There was a truth he couldn't deny: Edward Blackwell was a man who had everything, and yet, he was terrified of losing it all.
He remembers how it all started.
Edward stands before his father, a towering figure of authority in the opulent study, his polished shoes clicking sharply against the marble floor. The weight of his father's gaze is suffocating, as if every decision in his life has been mapped out long before his birth. The old man's voice cuts through the air, firm and commanding.
"You will marry Sophia Davenport. It's time for us to secure our legacy," his father demands, the words leaving no room for objection.
Edward's stomach tightens, a flicker of rage crossing his face, but he keeps it hidden behind his cold exterior. He can already feel the pressure to maintain his family's public image and status. His father has never understood him, never cared about his desires. Marriage is nothing more than a business transaction-a way to present the perfect image of a successful, upstanding man.
Edward forces a smile, suppressing the anger building in his chest. "Of course, Father. Whatever you say."
The arranged marriage to Sophia, a woman of grace and beauty, will shield him from the whispers of society. But as he stares at the photograph of her in his hands, he feels nothing but disdain. She's just another piece of the puzzle in his carefully crafted life. He wonders if she even knows how hollow it all feels.
He recalls how they met and immediately regrets accepting his father's decision because left for him he wouldn't even think of marriage but it was for the best so he thought.
Being second best is practically in my DNA. My sister got the love, the attention, the spotlight. And now, even her damn fiancé. Technically, Rhys Granger was my fiancé now-billionaire, devastatingly hot, and a walking Wall Street wet dream. My parents shoved me into the engagement after Catherine disappeared, and honestly? I didn't mind. I'd crushed on Rhys for years. This was my chance, right? My turn to be the chosen one? Wrong. One night, he slapped me. Over a mug. A stupid, chipped, ugly mug my sister gave him years ago. That's when it hit me-he didn't love me. He didn't even see me. I was just a warm-bodied placeholder for the woman he actually wanted. And apparently, I wasn't even worth as much as a glorified coffee cup. So I slapped him right back, dumped his ass, and prepared for disaster-my parents losing their minds, Rhys throwing a billionaire tantrum, his terrifying family plotting my untimely demise. Obviously, I needed alcohol. A lot of alcohol. Enter him. Tall, dangerous, unfairly hot. The kind of man who makes you want to sin just by existing. I'd met him only once before, and that night, he just happened to be at the same bar as my drunk, self-pitying self. So I did the only logical thing: I dragged him into a hotel room and ripped off his clothes. It was reckless. It was stupid. It was completely ill-advised. But it was also: Best. Sex. Of. My. Life. And, as it turned out, the best decision I'd ever made. Because my one-night stand isn't just some random guy. He's richer than Rhys, more powerful than my entire family, and definitely more dangerous than I should be playing with. And now, he's not letting me go.
Lyric had spent her life being hated. Bullied for her scarred face and hated by everyone-including her own mate-she was always told she was ugly. Her mate only kept her around to gain territory, and the moment he got what he wanted, he rejected her, leaving her broken and alone. Then, she met him. The first man to call her beautiful. The first man to show her what it felt like to be loved. It was only one night, but it changed everything. For Lyric, he was a saint, a savior. For him, she was the only woman that had ever made him cum in bed-a problem he had been battling for years. Lyric thought her life would finally be different, but like everyone else in her life, he lied. And when she found out who he really was, she realized he wasn't just dangerous-he was the kind of man you don't escape from. Lyric wanted to run. She wanted freedom. But she desired to navigate her way and take back her respect, to rise above the ashes. Eventually, she was forced into a dark world she didn't wish to get involved with.
To most, Verena passed for a small-town clinic doctor; in truth, she worked quiet miracles. Three years after Isaac fell hopelessly for her and kept vigil through lonely nights, a crash left him in a wheelchair and stripped his memory. To keep him alive, Verena married him, only to hear, "I will never love you." She just smiled. "That works out-I'm not in love with you, either." Entangled in doubt, he recoiled from hope, yet her patience held him fast-kneeling to meet his eyes, palm warm on his hair, steadying him-until her glowing smile rekindled feelings he believed gone forever.
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
"Stella once savored Marc's devotion, yet his covert cruelty cut deep. She torched their wedding portrait at his feet while he sent flirty messages to his mistress. With her chest tight and eyes blazing, Stella delivered a sharp slap. Then she deleted her identity, signed onto a classified research mission, vanished without a trace, and left him a hidden bombshell. On launch day she vanished; that same dawn Marc's empire crumbled. All he unearthed was her death certificate, and he shattered. When they met again, a gala spotlighted Stella beside a tycoon. Marc begged. With a smirk, she said, ""Out of your league, darling."
Rejected by her mate, who had been her long-time crush, Jasmine felt utterly humiliated. Seeking solace, she headed to a party to drown her sorrows. But things took a turn for the worse when her friends issued a cruel dare: kiss a stranger or beg her mate for forgiveness. With no other choice, Jasmine approached a stranger and kissed him, thinking that would be the end of it. However, the stranger unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You're mine!" He growled, his words sending shivers down her spine. And then, he offered her a solution that would change everything...
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