"Falling for the Empire" follows Elara, a woman thrust into a world of betrayal, power, and revenge. After a violent confrontation with the man who betrayed her family, Elara finds herself claiming the empire she never wanted but is destined to rule. As she navigates the treacherous waters of her newfound power, the lines between love, loyalty, and vengeance blur. With every move, she risks losing herself-but the empire demands a price. Will Elara embrace the darkness within, or will it consume her?
Elara Monroe had never believed in fairytales, not really-not after her father walked out, her mother broke down, and her ex-fiancé sold her secrets to the tabloids. But Adrian Cross had changed that.
Or so she thought.
The ivory silk of her designer gown clung tightly to her skin. The cathedral was full-press, celebrities, investors, everyone. This wasn't just a wedding. It was the wedding of the year.
But the groom was nowhere to be found.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she held the bouquet. Five minutes. Ten. Twenty. Then her maid of honor, Savannah Leigh, leaned in with too-smooth lips and whispered, "Maybe he realized you were never really enough."
Something in Elara cracked. But she didn't break. No tears. No begging. Just silence, sharp and cold.
She stepped away from the altar.
Murmurs filled the pews.
"Elara..."
"Is she leaving?"
"He didn't even show?"
She turned to the crowd and smiled. Poised. Regal. "Thank you all for coming. The wedding is canceled. Drinks are still on me."
Then she walked down the aisle-not toward a man, but toward her future.
Because if Adrian Cross could vanish without a word, then he wasn't a man worth loving.
---
One year later...
She stood at the rooftop bar of the Empire Lounge, staring out at the city skyline. Stronger. Smarter. Successful.
"Elara Monroe?" a voice behind her said.
She turned-and froze.
There he was.
Adrian Cross.
Alive.
Taller. Harder. Shadows beneath his eyes. A faint scar traced the line of his jaw.
"I came back for you," he said.
Before she could answer, a gunshot rang out-shattering the wine glass beside her.
Adrian grabbed her arm. "Get down!"
"You were about to cum in me." I said and sat up. That's when I felt a stinging pain across my ear as my hand caressed my face, then the realization hit me- he had slapped me, Lee had just slapped me. #Sex. Lies. Money. Power. *** Jessie, after finding out her fiance had married another woman, decides to have a one-night stand with his uncle, only to find herself married to him. But despite being married to his uncle, she was still attracted to him, so she started secretly seeing him. Well, the uncle wasn't willing to give her up now, not after he vowed to always be by her side; now she had two men fighting for her. And the woman her ex-fiance married wasn't just going to give up on him. Will Jessie realize old flames can never be and live a peaceful life with her new billionaire husband, or will Jade succeed in winning her back?
Five years ago, Alessia La Rosa's life took a drastic turn when, suffering from memory loss, she wed to Dominic Carter under her grandfather's mysterious arrangement. But their marriage was a facade, bringing her only humiliation and heartache as Dominic showed no love, and she couldn't conceive. Upon discovering Dominic's infidelity, Alessia sought liberation through divorce. Yet, fate had more in store for her. Five years later, spurred by an anonymous email hinting at her lost child's whereabouts, she returns to the city with her twin babies in tow, determined to uncover the truth. As she navigates the tangled web of her past, a surprising twist awaits. Dominic, upon meeting her again, finds himself drawn to the woman she has become, unaware of her true identity as his former wife. Little does he know, the woman he's falling for is not only his ex-wife but also a powerful Doctor and Master Hacker.
"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."
Iris grew from an orphaned child to the adopted daughter of the Stewart family at age ten, finding warmth in her nominal uncle Vincent's kindness. Seven years later, she became his secret lover. When Vincent's engagement was announced, gossip spread about the notorious playboy CEO finally settling down. But only Iris knew the extent of his cold, two-faced nature. Iris fell for Vincent and, through tears, begged, "Marry me," only to be met with his frosty refusal. Defeated, she accepted a lawyer's proposal, sparking public excitement. Then, on her wedding day, Vincent pleaded desperately, "Don't marry him…"
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
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."