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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?
The low hum of New York City traffic filled the air as Mia Brooks locked up her flower shop for the night. The scent of roses and lilies still clung to her fingertips, a stark contrast to the suffocating weight of the debt hanging over her head. She pulled her coat tighter against the chilly autumn breeze and let out a long breath.
Tomorrow, the bank would officially repossess Bloom & Ivy.
The reality settled like a stone in her stomach. She had tried everything-discounts, promotions, even begging her landlord for an extension-but nothing had worked. The bills had piled too high, the debts too deep. All she had left was a handful of wilted daisies and an eviction notice.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Unknown Number.
Mia hesitated before answering. "Hello?"
A smooth, commanding voice met her ear. "Mia Brooks?"
Her grip on the phone tightened. "Who's asking?"
"I'm calling on behalf of Xavier Harrington. He wishes to meet with you. Tonight."
Mia nearly tripped over her own feet. Xavier Harrington? The Xavier Harrington? The billionaire tech mogul whose name was practically engraved on half the skyscrapers in Manhattan? Why the hell would someone like him want to meet her?
She swallowed. "There must be a mistake. I don't-"
"No mistake." The voice remained impassive. "Mr. Harrington will see you in one hour. I'll send a car."
The line went dead before she could protest.
Mia stared at her phone in disbelief.
This had to be a prank. Or a scam. Or something equally absurd. But a flicker of curiosity wormed its way through her skepticism. She had nothing left to lose-what was one mysterious meeting compared to the ruin already looming over her?
An hour later, she found herself stepping into the sleek interior of a black Bentley.
The driver didn't say a word as the city blurred past in streaks of neon and steel. Mia's fingers curled into fists in her lap, her mind racing through every worst-case scenario.
By the time they pulled up in front of a towering glass skyscraper, her pulse was a hammer against her ribs.
The elevator ride to the penthouse felt endless. The doors slid open to reveal a breathtaking office-floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the glittering city, a sleek mahogany desk, and walls lined with books that looked untouched. The air smelled of expensive leather and something darker-power.
And then she saw him.
Xavier Harrington stood by the window, his back to her. The city lights cast long shadows over his broad frame, the sharp cut of his tailored suit doing nothing to soften the intensity that radiated from him. When he finally turned, Mia's breath caught.
He was gorgeous-all chiseled angles and dark intensity. But what stole her attention was the scar that slashed down his left cheek, a mark that only added to his air of untouchable authority. His icy blue eyes locked onto her, assessing, calculating.
"Mia Brooks." His voice was rich, smooth, but laced with something unreadable.
Mia lifted her chin. "That's me. And you are?"
The corner of his mouth twitched, not quite a smile. "You know exactly who I am."
She crossed her arms. "I know of you. I don't know why I'm here."
Xavier studied her for a long moment before gesturing toward the chair in front of his desk. "Sit."
Mia hesitated, then sank into the plush leather, keeping her posture rigid.
"You own Bloom & Ivy," Xavier said, settling into his own chair.
Her stomach twisted. "Not for much longer."
"I know." He steepled his fingers. "Which is why I'm making you an offer."
Mia frowned. "An offer?"
His gaze didn't waver. "Marry me."
Silence.
Mia blinked. Did he just say...
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me." Xavier's expression remained unreadable. "A marriage. In name only. A contract between us."
Mia let out a sharp laugh. "You can't be serious."
"I don't joke."
Her heart hammered. "Why the hell would you want to marry me?"
Xavier leaned back in his chair, watching her. "I need a wife. You need money. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement."
Mia gaped at him. "You need a wife? You're a billionaire. I'm sure women are lining up for the job."
His jaw tightened. "This isn't about love. It's about business. I'm finalizing a deal that requires me to present the image of stability. Investors prefer men with a family."
She shook her head, still trying to process. "And you picked me why?"
"You have no ties to my world. No ulterior motives. You're drowning in debt, which means you have incentive to uphold the contract."
Mia let out a breathless laugh. "So you want a desperate woman."
"I want a woman who understands the terms."
She stared at him, searching for any sign of amusement. But Xavier Harrington didn't look like a man who ever joked.
"I'd pay off your debts," he continued. "Settle your financial problems. And when the contract ends, you'll walk away with a generous settlement."
Mia's pulse pounded. The logical part of her screamed to run. This was insane. This was dangerous. But then she thought about her shop, her mother's legacy slipping through her fingers.
And she thought about what it would mean to be free.
Still, she forced herself to keep her voice steady. "And what do you expect from me in return?"
Xavier's blue eyes darkened.
"You'll be my wife. In public. You'll attend events, play the role." He paused, letting the weight of his next words settle between them. "And in private, you'll belong to me."
Mia's breath caught.
His meaning was crystal clear.
He wasn't just asking for a contract marriage.
He was demanding everything.
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.
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?
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?
“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?”
Bailey seems to be never destined to fit in, a little geeky, but under it all, a hidden beauty that so many seem to miss, but still not what her pack Alpha is looking for in a fated mate... so he is determined to reject her and make her life hell. Bailey, knowing her life will likely never be the same focuses on what she can control, her future, and heads off to study; becoming a teacher. Asher is the Beta of Autumn Valley Pack, a neighbouring pack. A broken man having suffered the loss of his mate after a rogue attack, Asher is slowly crumbling. Falling to pieces. A shadow of his former self, and not a man that anyone wants to be around anymore... Until, Autumn Valley Pack require a new teacher, and Bailey finds herself there and pushed together with the Beta. Is there a connection building or is that in their imaginations? And what will happen when Bailey's mate comes back to claim what is his?
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."
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."
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
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!"