Luca Moretti, a feared and respected mafia boss, has spent his life upholding the power and legacy of his family. But when he meets Elena Vasquez, the daughter of his greatest enemy, everything changes. Drawn into a forbidden love, Luca finds himself caught between his ruthless world and the woman who makes him question everything. As tensions rise between their families, he must decide: will he betray his bloodline for love, or will he sacrifice his heart to remain the king of the underworld? A dark, moody city skyline at night, with a man in a tailored black suit standing in the foreground. His face is partially shadowed, showing only a glimpse of a sharp jawline and piercing eyes. In his hand, a single red rose drips with blood. Behind him, a woman in a red dress stands at a distance, her face unreadable. The atmosphere is tense, with a stormy sky hinting at the danger and passion ahead.
Chapter 1
The Encounter
The ballroom was alive with music, laughter, and the clinking of crystal glasses. A chandelier bathed the room in golden light, casting long shadows across the polished marble floor. Luca Moretti stood at the edge of the room, watching the crowd with the quiet intensity of a predator surveying his territory.
Dressed in a tailored black suit, he exuded power. People knew who he was, even if they pretended not to. His family controlled half the city, and his name was spoken in hushed whispers, always laced with fear. He had built an empire on blood and loyalty, and he had no intention of letting anyone threaten that.
Yet, for the first time in years, Luca felt something stir in him-something unfamiliar and dangerous.
His eyes had locked onto a woman across the room. She stood near the grand staircase, her dark red gown hugging her curves, her dark hair cascading over one shoulder. She wasn't just beautiful; she was mesmerizing. There was an elegance to her, but also a quiet defiance in the way she held her head high, her deep brown eyes scanning the crowd with curiosity rather than intimidation.
Then she turned, and their eyes met.
Luca felt the air shift. He had spent years perfecting the art of control, of remaining unreadable. But in that moment, something cracked.
And then he realized who she was.
Elena Vasquez.
The daughter of his greatest enemy.
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?
"Is it considered betrayal to develop feelings for your best friend's boyfriend? What about when fate intervenes, and he turns out to be your destined mate? You might think it's luck and thank the moon goddess for such a twist of fate. That's what I believed until the love of my life uttered those dreaded words: 'I want a divorce!' As I stared at the pregnancy test in my hands, I realized it was better to keep my secret to myself. My name is Violet, and this is my story."
When Corynn mustered up the courage to tell Elliot about her pregnancy, she unexpectedly found him gallantly helping another woman from his car. Her heart sank as three years of effort to secure his love crumbled before her eyes, compelling her to leave him behind. Three years later, life had taken Corynn down a new path with someone else, while Elliot was left grappling with regret. Seizing a moment of vulnerability, he pleaded, "Corynn, let's get married." Shaking her head with a faint smile, Corynn gently replied, "Sorry, I'm already engaged."
When Zora was sick during the early days of her pregnancy, Ezrah was with his first love, Piper. When Zora got into an accident and called Ezrah, he said he was busy, when in actual fact, he was buying shoes for Piper. Zora lost her baby because of the accident, and throughout her stay at the hospital, Ezrah never showed up. She already knew that he didn't love her, but that was the last straw for the camel's back, and her fragile heart could not take it anymore. When Ezrah arrived home a few days after Zora was discharged from the hospital, he no longer met the woman who always greeted him with a smile and cared for him. Zora stood at the top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, "Good news, Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us anymore, so let's get a divorce." The man who claimed not to have any feelings for Zora, being cold and distant towards her, and having asked her for a divorce twice, instantly panicked.
Due to the plight of her family, Phoebe had no choice but to embark on the path of selling herself. In an accident, she had a tangled night with Alexander. Everything began to derail, and even if she fled to the ends of the earth, she would still be found by him and entangled... *** Phoebe screamed in frustration, "What do you want from me?" What was this supposed to be? He raised an eyebrow wickedly. "What do I want? You'll find out soon enough." With that, he hoisted her up and carried her back into the office. The door slammed shut with a kick, and he cleared the desk with a sweep of his arm before laying her down on it, his body pinning hers in place, completely trapping her in his grasp. Every cell in his body was telling him he wanted her. He wanted to claim her again. This time, there would be no escape for her-he wouldn't let her slip away. Never again. If he had suffered for five years, then this woman wouldn't get off easily either!
After three years of loveless marriage, Kira was slapped with divorce papers. She has shown him her unrequited love throughout her entire marriage with him, but he decided to turn blind eyes all because of his lover. Distraught and heartbroken, Kira choose to sign the divorce papers with bitter heart. But then and there, she promised herself that when she's back, he will come crawling to her, but she will make him pay for hurting her. Join Kira as she transform to a wealthy heiress and soared as the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar empire, a remarkable healer and make her ex-husband pay!