Emilia Hayes had it all-a thriving career, a fiancé who adored her, and a future full of promise. But when a tragic accident robs her of her memories, she wakes up in a hospital to find herself engaged to Julian Cross, a cold and enigmatic billionaire she doesn't remember. Julian claims they were once deeply in love, but something doesn't add up. As Emilia pieces together fragments of her past, she discovers a twisted web of secrets, betrayals, and hidden dangers. Torn between trusting the man who says he loves her and the nagging feeling that he's hiding something, Emilia must uncover the truth before it's too late. Because in the game of love and deception, her heart may be the ultimate pawn.
A sharp, rhythmic beeping pulled Emilia Hayes from the depths of unconsciousness. The air smelled sterile, laced with the faint scent of antiseptic and something metallic-blood? Her body ached, every muscle stiff as if she had been in a battle she didn't remember fighting.
Her eyes fluttered open, and blinding white light forced her to shut them again. A dull pounding throbbed in her skull. Where was she?
Slowly, she turned her head to the side, her fingers weakly gripping the stiff bedsheets beneath her. Machines surrounded her, their screens flickering with numbers she couldn't comprehend. An IV was taped to her arm. The realization hit her in waves. A hospital. She was in a hospital.
Panic coiled in her chest. She tried to sit up, but a gentle yet firm hand pressed against her shoulder.
"Easy, sweetheart."
The deep voice sent a shiver down her spine. It was warm, intimate, yet completely unfamiliar.
She forced her eyes open again, blinking away the blur. A man sat beside her bed, his sharp blue eyes watching her with an intensity that made her breath hitch. His dark hair was neatly styled, his chiseled jaw tense as if he had been clenching his teeth for hours. He was breathtaking-hauntingly so.
But she didn't know him.
"Who..." Her voiceHer voice cracked, weak from disuse. She tried again. "Who are you?"
The man's expression didn't flicker. If anything, something unreadable passed through his gaze.
His fingers flexed against the bed frame before he spoke.
"Emilia," he said, his voice softer now, as
if he were choosing his words carefully.
"Emilia, it's me. Julian."
The name meant nothing. It rang hollow in her mind, an empty echo with no memories attached.
She licked her dry lips, trying to push through the fog in her head. "I... I don't know you."
Something flickered in his eyes-pain? Frustration? It was gone before she could be sure.
Julian leaned forward slightly, his presence overwhelming. "You were in an accident," he said slowly, watching her reaction. "A car crash. You hit your head, and you've been unconscious for three days."
An accident. A car crash.
Emilia closed her eyes, willing her mind to cooperate, but it was like reaching into a void. No images, no sounds, no sensations-just an aching emptiness where her memories should have been.
Her fingers curled into the sheets. "I... I don't remember."
Julian exhaled, as if he had expected this but still hated hearing it. "The doctors said you might have memory loss. But they also said it should come back with time."
She opened her eyes again, searching his face. "Who are you to me?"
A muscle in his jaw ticked. Then, after a beat, he said, "I'm your fiancé."
The words hit her like a punch to the chest.
She stared at him, her heart pounding. "No... that can't be right."
But Julian didn't flinch. He simply reached into his pocket, pulled out a small velvet box, and flipped it open. Inside sat an engagement ring-simple yet elegant, a gleaming diamond set in platinum.
"This is your ring," he said, his voice firm but laced with something deeper, something vulnerable. "I gave it to you a year ago."
Emilia's breath came short and shallow. None of this felt real. She didn't remember him. She didn't remember their engagement.
She didn't remember anything.
Panic rose in her throat. She looked down at her hands, as if they belonged to a stranger. Her fingers trembled. "I don't-"
Julian reached for her hand, his touch warm and familiar-too familiar for a man she had no recollection of. "Emilia, please. Just breathe. I promise, we'll figure this out."
She wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust the steady strength in his voice.
But something deep in her gut twisted.
Something told her that Julian Cross was hiding more than he was saying.
Emilia's breath came fast and uneven. The walls of the hospital room seemed to close in, the beeping of the machines growing louder, sharper.
She willed herself to remember-anything. The way Julian's fingers lightly traced over her knuckles, the way his gaze burned into hers as if willing her to remember him. But there was nothing. Just an empty void where her past should have been.
She forced herself to look at him again. His face was unreadable, though a flicker of something-desperation?-lingered in his eyes.
"If we were engaged," she said slowly, "then why don't I feel anything for you?"
Julian flinched, just slightly, but it was enough.
Emilia wasn't sure why she said it, but deep down, she expected to feel something-a rush of familiarity, a sense of safety, love, anything. But instead, all she felt was a growing unease.
Julian's grip on her hand tightened just enough for her to notice before he let go. His lips pressed into a thin line.
"You've been through trauma," he said carefully. "Your emotions need time to catch up. But trust me, Emilia-we were happy."
The words should have reassured her. They didn't.
She glanced down at the engagement ring still sitting in the open box. It was beautiful, expensive, something she might have once dreamed of wearing. But now? It felt foreign.
Julian reached out and gently tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. It was a tender gesture, but instead of comfort, it sent a chill down her spine.
"You don't have to force yourself to remember everything right away," he murmured. "Just trust me. I'll take care of you."
A part of her wanted to believe him. Wanted to lean into the warmth of his words.
But another part of her-the part that felt like it had been screaming from deep inside the fog of her mind-was telling her to run.
She didn't know why.
She just knew that something about Julian Cross didn't feel right.
And if she wanted the truth, she would have to find it herself.
There are three unbreakable laws in the kingdom of Ravaryn: 1. Never touch a Blood Alpha their bite is a death sentence. 2. Never enter the Eclipsed Woods those who do are never seen again. 3. Never, under any circumstances, fall in love with a monster. Celeste Vail has spent her life following the rules. As the daughter of a Beta wolf, she knows her place obedient, unseen, and destined to mate for duty, not love. But when she finds a wounded wolf in the forbidden woods on the night of the Blood Moon, everything changes. Because this is no ordinary wolf. This is Ronan Duskbane the exiled Alpha of the Bloodmoon Pack, the most dangerous werewolf clan to ever exist. Cursed with a bloodthirst that even his own kind fears, Ronan has been hunted for years. He should have killed Celeste the second she touched him. Instead, he marked her. Now, their souls are bound in a way that defies every law of their kind. Celeste is his, and Ronan will burn the world to keep her. But as war looms and Celeste's own hidden powers awaken, one question remains: Did she save a monster, or did she just doom them all? .......
In a world where fate determines mates, Aria Sinclair never expected her destined bond to bring her anything but pain. Marked by tragedy and scarred both inside and out, she has spent years hiding from the past until the day she crosses paths with Alpha Kade Blackwood, the ruthless leader of the Blood Moon Pack. The moment Kade lays eyes on Aria, he knows she is his mate. But she is terrified of him of all Alphas. Broken and unwilling to trust, Aria does the unthinkable: she rejects him. Yet, Kade refuses to accept her rejection. His wolf craves her, his soul calls for her, and he will stop at nothing to uncover the truth behind her pain. As danger looms and enemies from Aria's past resurface, Kade vows to protect her even if it means breaking her walls and forcing her to accept the bond she's so determined to escape. But when secrets unravel and betrayals come to light, will Aria find the strength to let love in, or will she run once more, leaving behind the mate who swore to never let her go?
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
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.
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
"Miss Brown, I am the butler here at your service," the butler replied. "My master wants to buy the baby in your belly." "What?!" Does that mean the abortion didn't take place? Did they kidnap her from the operating table just to buy the baby? But why her? "You..." Alice was about to ask a question, but the man in front of her calmly continued, as if he had expected her question, "You're pregnant with his child, and he needs a child. That's all I can tell you." Alice was forced to sign a surrogacy contract and eight months later gave birth to two healthy babies. Fortunately, the man was unaware of her daughter's existence. It wasn't until five years later that fate brought them together again...
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
Elin spent twenty years deeply loving her husband, finally marrying him just as she'd always dreamed. But reality shattered her illusions—he wasn't the man she believed. Instead, he callously destroyed her family, crushing her heart beyond repair. At her lowest point, Ruben, equally betrayed that night, approached her steadily. "Marry me, Elin. I'll help you take revenge." Yet, after their wedding, she quickly discovered he was dangerously unpredictable. "I made a mistake. Let's divorce..." Ruben slid his arm possessively around her waist, whispering a chilling promise, "Only in death."