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Alice's life has been devastated by the betrayal of those she believed to be her allies. Five years ago, her fiancé, in the grip of a professional failure, convinced her to sacrifice her dreams to help him get back on his feet. But her best friend, hungry for glory and power, made a decision that would change their friendship forever, by secretly becoming a surrogate mother. When Alice's fiancé, now at the top of his career, left her, claiming that she no longer met his expectations, Alice, broken, accepted the proposal of the mysterious billionaire, Gabriel Hartman. Known for his coldness and indifference, Gabriel seemed to offer Alice an escape. What she didn't know was that he was the one who had orchestrated her best friend's request for maternity... But what if everything she thought she knew was just a decoy? What if, deep down, the price of her redemption is much higher than she imagined? Can the truth really mend broken hearts, or will secrets destroy everything in their path?
Alice's day had started like any other in recent years: a monotonous routine, marked by lukewarm coffee, uninteresting emails, and a painful absence that she tried to bury under responsibilities. But that morning, as she mechanically opened her phone, a message shattered the illusion of her fragile balance.
**"Ethan and Clara announce their marriage. We hope to see many of you there to celebrate their love!"**
The shock was instantaneous. Her fingers remained frozen on the screen, her breath suspended between two frantic heartbeats. Clara... her best friend. Ethan... the man she had loved more than anything, the one for whom she had sacrificed so much. The betrayal was there, obvious, brutal. Like a blade sinking into a poorly healed wound.
She felt her stomach tighten and had to sit down. For five years, she had tried to forget. Five years of rebuilding her life, of pretending that this story was in the past. But the pain returned with an incredible violence. Her eyes ran over the words of the message again and again, searching for a detail, a clue that would make this announcement unreal.
His phone vibrated again. This time, an unknown email.
**"Private party. Reserved for special guests. Come and discover what the future holds for you."**
The message was accompanied by an address and a name: *Hartman Industries*. A name that was not entirely unknown to him. Gabriel Hartman. The businessman whose name was whispered in the most exclusive circles. Cold, ruthless, elusive.
Why was she receiving an invitation from such a man?
She could have ignored the email, deleted the message, and convinced herself that none of this had anything to do with her. But something inside her refused to move on so easily. A nagging intuition, a presentiment.
She stood up, her gaze fixed on the reflection in the living room window. Her features were tense, marked by that invisible fatigue that only buried pain could cause. Clara and Ethan... together. How long had they maintained this relationship behind her back?
She clenched her fists. Maybe it was time to get some answers.
---
The evening was as elegant as it was exclusive.
In a vast, dimly lit mansion, the guests blended into a sea of luxury and pretense. Alice stood near the entrance, a glass of champagne in her hand, observing this elite she only knew from afar.
Everything seemed unreal. Why had she been invited here?
She walked slowly, trying to decipher the faces around her, when her gaze was drawn to a man at the back of the room. Tall, imposing, dressed in a dark suit tailored to perfection. His features were almost unreal in their precision, his eyes a piercing gray, analyzing his surroundings with a calculated coldness.
Gabriel Hartman.
She knew he had noticed her. He didn't move right away, just staring at her with inscrutable interest. Then, in one fluid movement, he moved toward her, each step measured, calculated.
- Miss Evans.
His voice was deep, calm, imbued with a natural confidence that commanded attention.
- "Do you know me?" she asked, unable to hide her surprise.
- I know a lot of things. You are one of them.
A shiver ran down his spine. This man exuded control, an authority that left no room for doubt.
- Why am I here?
Gabriel gave an imperceptible smile.
- Because you are about to discover truths that have been hidden from you.
She frowned, suspicious.
- Truths?
He gestured towards a more intimate sitting room, inviting her to follow him. After a hesitation, she did so, feeling a strange tension in the air.
The room was isolated from the tumult of the reception, protected by thick curtains and dim lighting. Gabriel sat down opposite her, crossing his fingers with the calculated patience of men who control everything.
- You think you know the story of your breakup with Ethan, he began.
The name Ethan made her flinch.
- He left me because I was no longer the one he wanted, she said bitterly.
- This is the version he led you to believe.
A silence.
She felt her heart racing.
- What are you implying?
Gabriel leaned forward slightly, his steely gaze locked with hers.
- Your friend Clara...she didn't just take your place with Ethan. She was encouraged to do so.
The words clashed in his mind.
- Encouraged?
- Manipulated. Forced, in a way.
His throat tightened.
- What exactly do you expect from me? she said defensively.
Gabriel didn't blink.
- I offer you an opportunity. A way to take back control of your own story.
She stared at him, unable to guess where he was going with this.
- Why would you do that?
A slight smile tugged at his lips.
- Because I'm the man who orchestrated this whole scene.
Alice felt the ground give way beneath her.
- You... what?
- Ethan. Clara. Their union. All of this... it was inevitable. But I sped up the process.
A mixture of rage and confusion boiled inside her.
- Are you playing with people's lives?
- No, I push them towards their destiny.
She stood up abruptly.
- What you're saying doesn't make any sense. What do you expect? For me to thank you?
Gabriel looked at her with disturbing intensity.
- I don't expect anything. I'm just giving you a chance to write the sequel.
Alice was on the verge of leaving.
- Why me?
- Because you have more power than you think.
She gritted her teeth.
- What if I refuse?
Gabriel stood up in turn, imposing.
- So you'll let Ethan and Clara write the end of this story without you.
His heart was pounding.
She didn't want to be that broken woman running away from her past. But could she trust this man?
Gabriel handed him a card.
- Think about it.
She took it, hesitant.
- If you decide to accept... come to this address tomorrow evening.
Without another word, he left the room, leaving her alone with a decision that might change everything.
Under the gaze of a fallen mafia, Elvie, a young woman with a troubled past and victim of a brutal ex, seeks to rebuild her life. Working as an assistant in the villa of the Corleone, an influential crime family, she tries to avoid conflict with the three Corleone brothers, all as dangerous as each other. But everything changes when Adriano, the eldest brother and heir, breaks his arranged engagement to embrace the war between enemy families and must quickly remarry. Cold and calculating, he sees Elvie as a simple piece in his game. For her, he is just another nightmare to flee. But as they interact, appearances crumble and unexpected bonds are forged. As her ex resurfaces, Elvie will have to choose between her new life, her secrets and the growing violence that threatens everything she has rebuilt.
Zoe's dreams of marriage are shattered when she catches her fiance in a compromising situation with his best friend. Devastated, she seeks to recover what she has lost. That's when an enigmatic man, a warm billionaire named Maxime Delacroix, offers her an unexpected solution: a loveless marriage, a contractual alliance with the aim of destroying his ex's career. Although reluctant, Zoe accepts, ready to do anything to get revenge. But as their relationship grows, Zoe realizes that the stakes are more complex than she imagined. Between revenge and a budding passion for this distant man, she finds herself torn between her desire for justice and her budding feelings. How far will she be willing to go to get revenge without losing everything in the process?
Lily thought she had a simple life, surrounded by her adoptive parents in a small town. But everything changed the day she learned that her real parents were industrial tycoons and that she had a twin brother, heir to a family empire. Welcomed into a world of luxury, she found herself facing a reality very different from the one she knew. Her brother, a cold and ambitious man, had always hated her. "You're just an intruder, Lily," he told her. But another secret resurfaced: a mysterious businessman claimed that Lily was the rightful heir to a huge hidden fortune. "It's time you knew the truth," he told her. Between betrayals and revelations, Lily must choose between wealth and family loyalty.
Lara Sanders and Ethan Cole had been together for five years, but Lara had never been his priority. Ethan, obsessed with his work, did not see the soul of the woman he had married. Lara had tried to rekindle the flame, but in vain. She had had enough. One day, she left everything: the house, the promises, and Ethan. Years later, Lara reappears. She has become a successful entrepreneur, an icon of the business world, and no one recognizes her anymore as the fragile young woman she once was. Far from the shy and discreet Lara, she is now a queen of industry, admired and respected. At a public event, a journalist asks her: "Lara, you are the most influential businesswoman of the moment. What is the key to your success?" Lara, with a mysterious smile, answers: "Never let a man define you. Take charge of your life. » The next day, to everyone's surprise, Ethan appears at Lara's door. The man she thought had been forgotten, who had let her go without a glance, returns with a surprising proposition: "Lara, I made a mistake. Can we start all over again... Together?"
Luca Moretti, an influential businessman, is forced to marry Amélie Lefevre, a woman he considers a simple family obligation. Already in love with another, he vows to make Amélie's life hell so that she will ask for a divorce. However, he does not know that Amélie is hiding a secret that could change his life forever. Behind her calm facade, Amélie is much more determined and intelligent than he thinks. What will happen when Luca finds himself caught in his own game? Will he succeed in breaking their union or will he succumb to the hidden truth?
For three years, Althea lived in the shadow of an arranged marriage with Damian Crowe, a billionaire as ruthless as they are insistent, known for his dark things and his absolute control over the elite. This marriage, designed by their families to unite two dynasties by the decline, quickly turned into a nightmare. Ignored by Damian, and closely monitored by his allies, Althea has discovered a world of unavowable secrets and questionable transactions. One night, she comes across compromising information that could ruin Damian and her whole family. Realizing that she is only a pawn in their game, she disappears without warning, leaving behind an empire in danger and a man plagued by her own demons. When Althea resurfaces three years later, she was unrecognizable: independent, formidable and armed with a infallible strategy to undermine the power of Damian. In parallel, it becomes the target of the rivals of the latter, who see in it the key to destroy the reign of the Crowe. But Damian did not say his last word. Torn between his desire to reconquer and the fear of the truths that Althea could reveal, he embarks on a battle where love and destruction are intertwined. Does Althea play a vengeance game, or is it about to overthrow a world that she has sworn to never suffer?
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
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."
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."
"You're mine, little puppy," Kylan growled against my neck. A soft gasp escaped my lips as his lips brushed my skin. My mind screamed at me to push him away-the Lycan Prince who had humiliated me again and again, but my body betrayed me, leaning into him before I could stop myself. He pressed his lips against mine, and his kiss grew more aggressive, more possessive as I felt my legs weaken. What was I doing? In a split-second, I pulled away and slapped him hard across the face. Kylan's eyes darkened, but the smirk on his lips exposed his amusement. "You and I both know we can't fight this, Violet," he said, gripping my wrist. "You're my mate." "And yet you don't want me," I replied. "You told me you were ashamed of me, that l'd never be your queen, that you'd never love me. So please, accept my rejection and let me go." "Never," he whispered, his grip tightening as he pulled me closer. "Soon enough, you'll be begging for me. and when you do-I'll use you as I see fit and then I'll reject you."
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..." But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"
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!"