In the shadowy underworld of New York City, the mafia reigns supreme. Two powerful families, the Morettis and the Castellanos, have been at war for decades. To broker peace, the heads of the families arrange a marriage between their children: Luca Moretti, the ruthless 35-year-old heir to the Moretti empire, and Isabella Castellano, the innocent 22-year-old daughter of the Castellano patriarch. Isabella, sheltered and naive, is thrust into a world of danger, desire, and dark secrets. Luca, a man hardened by violence and betrayal, sees her as nothing more than a pawn-until her innocence begins to unravel him.
The study was dimly lit, the heavy velvet curtains drawn tightly against the afternoon sun. Isabella Castellano stood in the center of the room, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, her heart pounding so loudly she was certain everyone could hear it. The air was thick with the scent of cigar smoke and expensive whiskey, a reminder of the men who ruled this world-a world she had never wanted to be part of.
Her father, Don Castellano, sat behind his mahogany desk, his expression unreadable. He was a man of few words, but when he spoke, his voice carried the weight of authority. Beside him stood her older brother, Marco, his jaw clenched, his eyes darting nervously between Isabella and the door.
"Isabella," her father began, his tone firm but not unkind. "You understand why this is necessary."
She nodded, though her throat was too tight to speak. She understood, of course. This was about power, about alliances, about securing the future of the Castellano family. But understanding didn't make it any easier to accept.
The door creaked open, and Isabella's breath caught in her throat. He entered with an air of quiet dominance, his presence filling the room like a storm cloud. Luca Moretti. She had heard his name whispered in hushed tones, stories of his ruthlessness, his cunning, his unyielding control over the Moretti empire. But nothing could have prepared her for the man himself.
He was tall, his broad shoulders accentuated by the tailored black suit he wore. His dark hair was swept back, a few strands falling carelessly over his forehead, and his green eyes-sharp, calculating-seemed to pierce straight through her. His jaw was shadowed with stubble, and the faint scar that ran along his cheekbone only added to his dangerous allure.
Isabella felt a shiver run down her spine as his gaze settled on her. He didn't smile, didn't offer a word of greeting. Instead, he looked at her as though she were a puzzle he was trying to solve, his expression unreadable.
"Luca," Don Castellano said, rising from his chair. "Thank you for coming."
Luca inclined his head slightly, his eyes never leaving Isabella. "Don Castellano," he replied, his voice a low, gravelly rumble that sent a strange warmth pooling in her stomach. "I trust we can conclude our business quickly."
Her father nodded, gesturing to Isabella. "This is my daughter, Isabella. She is... agreeable to the arrangement."
Isabella's cheeks burned at the lie. Agreeable? She had been given no choice, no say in the matter. But she held her tongue, her eyes downcast as Luca stepped closer. She could feel the heat of his body, smell the faint scent of his cologne-something dark and masculine, like leather and smoke.
"Look at me," he commanded, his voice soft but firm.
Her heart raced as she lifted her gaze to meet his. His eyes were intense, searching, as though he could see every secret she had ever tried to hide. For a moment, she felt exposed, vulnerable, and she hated it.
"You're younger than I expected," he said, his tone neutral.
"I'm twenty-two," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
A flicker of something-surprise? Amusement?-crossed his face, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. "Young," he repeated, more to himself than to her. Then, turning to her father, he said, "The terms are acceptable. We'll proceed as planned."
Don Castellano nodded, a satisfied smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Good. The wedding will take place in two weeks."
Isabella's stomach churned at the words. Two weeks. In two weeks, her life would change forever. She would belong to this man, this stranger who exuded danger and power in equal measure.
Luca turned back to her, his expression unreadable once more. "I'll see you at the altar," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. Then, without another word, he turned and walked out of the study, leaving Isabella standing there, her heart pounding, her mind racing.
As the door closed behind him, she felt a strange mix of relief and dread. Relief that the meeting was over, dread at what was to come. Luca Moretti was not a man who would be easily swayed, not a man who would tolerate defiance. And yet, as she replayed the encounter in her mind, she couldn't ignore the way her body had reacted to him, the way her pulse had quickened at the sound of his voice.
She was afraid of him, yes. But she was also undeniably drawn to him, a fact that both terrified and intrigued her.
Elena Rossi, a 17-year-old bookworm, has always lived a sheltered life under the watchful eye of her overprotective father. What she doesn't know is that her father, Antonio Rossi, is a powerful mafia boss who has been keeping her in the dark about their family's dangerous legacy. When a rival mafia family threatens to destroy the Rossis, Antonio makes a desperate deal: Elena will marry Luca Moretti, the 28-year-old heir to the Moretti crime family, to secure an alliance. Luca Moretti is ruthless, calculating, and used to getting what he wants. He agrees to the marriage for power, expecting Elena to be a meek, obedient pawn. But Elena's fiery spirit and innocence challenge him in ways he never anticipated. As the two navigate their forced union, they uncover secrets, face betrayals, and slowly fall for each other. When a deadly betrayal puts Elena's life at risk, Luca must choose between the mafia world he's always known and the girl who has shown him a life beyond violence and power. In the end, love triumphs, and they forge a new path together, leaving the shadows of their past behind.
Isabella Bella Moretti, the daughter of a rival mafia family, is forced into an arranged marriage to secure an alliance between two powerful crime syndicates. On the day of her wedding, she discovers her fiancé's brutal betrayal and flees, only to crash into the path of Viktor Sokolov, a ruthless Russian mafia boss with a reputation for being merciless. Viktor, intrigued by her defiance and beauty, offers her a deal: marry him instead, and he'll protect her from her enemies. But as their passionate and dangerous relationship deepens, Bella realizes Viktor's world is far more treacherous than she ever imagined. With enemies closing in and secrets unraveling, Bella must decide if she can trust the man who claims to own her heart-or if he's just another devil in disguise.
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
The day Raina gave birth should have been the happiest of her life. Instead, it became her worst nightmare. Moments after delivering their twins, Alexander shattered her heart-divorcing her and forcing her to sign away custody of their son, Liam. With nothing but betrayal and heartbreak to her name, Raina disappeared, raising their daughter, Ava, on her own.Years later, fate comes knocking when Liam falls gravely ill. Desperate to save his son, Alexander is forced to seek out the one person he once cast aside. Alexander finds himself face to face with the woman he underestimated, pleading for a second chance-not just for himself, but for their son. But Raina is no longer the same broken woman who once loved him.No longer the woman he left behind. She has carved out a new life-one built on strength, wealth, and a long-buried legacy she expected to uncover.Raina has spent years learning to live without him.The question is... Will she risk reopening old wounds to save the son she never got to love? or has Alexander lost her forever?
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."