/0/43400/coverbig.jpg?v=f1a3104c4d0b04d09e7295b515c1378d)
He had a heart covered with ice, but for her, he'd burn himself to ashes... and the world under her feet. *** Beckett Clainfer wanted to find his parent's murderer. With that in mind, he endured every pain for the pleasure that's about to come - Reputation, wealth, and a drug den that suffices his needs and luxuries. However, when Vivianne entered his life, everything went chaotic. He sinfully fell in love with her when he should have never been involved with her in the first place... Especially when she wanted him dead more than anyone else. He's willing to do anything to save her, and he was willing to cross the line as he joined Foedus Corporation in Agrianthropos City for her. But could he find salvation in Hell? *** Vivianne Allamino had been suffering throughout her life. Being forced to take over their illegal family business in leverage to her mother's safety scared the shit out of her. Since childhood, she was trained... and was controlled like a mere puppet. And now, she was done tolerating all this shit. She just wanted everything to end. Now, she tried to kill him. But the cold-hearted billionaire wanted to save her. Could he?
Year 2014
Los Angeles, California
It was gloomy and quiet when Beckett arrived at their house with his brows furrowed. His parents, whom he expected to welcome him, were not there, despite informing them earlier that he would be coming home from Italy for their semester break.
"Ma? Pa?" Beckett called out in a slightly louder voice, but his voice only echoed throughout the place. "Rosie? Nicholas?" he called out to the workers, but no one answered him.
He grew more puzzled, but a smile crossed his face as he thought that maybe they wanted to surprise him.
"If you want to surprise me, I'm here. You can come out now," Beckett said, laughing lightly. He walked towards the stairs to go to his parent's room. "Ma-"
But he immediately stopped when he saw the drops of blood on the floor. When he looked at the stairs, he cursed as he saw traces of blood there as well, as if someone had dragged a body upstairs.
His entire body froze, and his heart started beating faster. He quickly ran up the stairs, and fearlessly opened the door to his parents' room.
He no longer cared if there was a dangerous person in that room or if they would kill him when they saw him.
His intuition told him that something bad happened... and he hated how his intuitions were mostly accurate.
"Ma!" Beckett called out again, and his jaw almost dropped at what he saw.
His parents were lying on the floor. Even from a distance, he could clearly see the stab wounds on their bodies, and the blood flowing towards him.
He didn't need to check whether they were dead or not-they were.
They weren't even breathing when he arrived. With the number of stab wounds his parents had, he was certain that whoever did this to them harbored a great deal of anger.
Beckett, as slowly as he could, walked forward until he reached his parents. He was sweating cold and trembling all over.
But he didn't let those emotions stop him. He still wanted to see his parents and hug them for the last time... despite them being lifeless.
But as he got closer to his parents, tears began to stream down his face. Beckett wasn't accustomed to violence. It was his first time seeing blood and such a horrific murder, but he never uttered a single word.
He never shouted or stumbled again.
Beckett knelt beside his mother, not even minding the blood sticking to his skin. He gently brushed his hand over her lifeless eyes, closing them, as tears fell onto his hands.
"Whoever did this to you two, I'll make sure to find them," Beckett declared.
But in the midst of the silence, he heard a faint noise outside their house. It sounded like a whistle, so he quickly stood up and looked out the window.
There, he saw a shirtless man walking in their garden as if nothing had happened. He had a knife in his right hand, playing with it in his other hand as he walked.
Beckett could only clench his fists in response as his voice almost left his throat. He was catching his breath when the man suddenly stopped walking and looked in his direction.
"More... More..." Beckett muttered, waiting for the right moment to memorize the face of his parents' murderer and drag him into the depths of hell.
He was about to see him in just a moment. Just a little longer...
"Fuck!" he cursed as he hit his head against the window.
He opened his eyes and met the gaze of his manager, Fiona, who was looking at him with a furrowed brow. He avoided her gaze before looking out the window again.
"Damn it," he added before massaging his temples.
He didn't realize that he had dozed off in the van while they were on their way somewhere. He had just come back from France for a photoshoot, and now he had another scheduled event upon his return. That's why he hadn't fully recovered from the trip yet.
"Are you alright?" Fiona asked. There was concern in her tone. "Another bad dream?"
Beckett simply nodded and didn't say anything. His head was still hurting slightly. It wasn't the first time he had dreamt of that incident.
After that event, he never had a good sleep. He had been sleep-deprived for almost seven years. Beckett felt like he was just a dead man walking. If it weren't for his desire to catch his parents' killer, he probably would have followed them as well.
"This is why I don't like sleeping. Fuck," Beckett muttered and snapped his neck.
"I told you to consult a doctor. You're wealthy anyway, and if you tell the higher-ups, they might even cover the expenses for you," Fiona said, thinking that Beckett was just reluctant to see a doctor because of the costs.
That annoyed Beckett, but he let it slide.
"No need. I can handle this alone," Beckett answered, and the headache subsided after a few seconds. "My schedule is also full. Aren't I packed with engagements?"
Although hesitant, Fiona nodded. She knew Beckett was right. He was one of the highest-earning talents at Syneverse Entertainment, and his projects were lined up left and right.
After a while, the car stopped. Beckett was puzzled to see that they were in front of the Grand Arena and that there were many reporters outside.
"Wait, where are we?" Beckett asked, furrowing his forehead. "Aren't we going to another photoshoot?"
"It's an awards show. Hello? Earth to Beckett?" Fiona snapped her fingers at him. "You're receiving an award for your first movie. With Jerusalem McBride, remember?"
"Ah." Beckett grimaced.
He remembered everything. He was going to receive an award today, and it was supposed to be with Jeru, one of his newest friends in the modeling industry. However, Jeru had something else to take care of and couldn't attend.
If he had any other choice, he wouldn't go here either. But the management pushed him to attend, especially since it was his first acting award, and he wouldn't do it again. Heck, he preferred smiling for the camera rather than pretending to love someone when it wasn't the case.
He grabbed the bottled water on the side before speaking. "I'll go out now."
"Wait, just like that?" Fiona said, reaching out to hold his arm as if trying to stop him.
Beckett nodded. "Why?"
"Did you forget about your scandal? Wait a moment." Fiona pressed something on her tablet. "Everyone, secure the place. Beckett Clainfer will walk the red carpet in a few minutes."
Beckett raised an eyebrow and waited until Fiona received a call. It was evident on his face that he was getting impatient.
Fiona looked at him closely before speaking.
"About the rumors circulating about you and Yanna... You didn't do it, right?" Fiona asked hesitantly. Her headache was starting to worsen. "You weren't labeled as the Nation's Perfect Guy to get involved in this mess."
"Of course not. Why would I have sex with a married woman?" Beckett replied, raising an eyebrow. "Our relationship is purely business. We just want to promote our movie together. That's all."
"Okay then," Fiona sighed. "Wait for a few minutes. We're just preparing the guards for your entrance."
Beckett simply nodded, and his hand went to his lips. He played with his lower lip using his fingers as he remembered the term, Nation's Perfect Guy.
His fans and the reporters were the ones who gave him that title. There hadn't been any substantial evidence against him, no matter how heavy or light the accusations were.
However, the rumors are true.
Beckett really slept with his leading lady days ago, especially since Yanna was the one who initiated it.
He didn't care if she was married or anything. As long as she moans and shivers under him, he wouldn't care about the consequences. Besides, he had people ready to clean up all his mess.
He isn't the Nation's Perfect Guy. Beckett just conceals all his wrongdoings.
At Fiona's cue and with Beckett's approval, his bodyguards opened the door. Chaos erupted as all the reporters suddenly saw him walk out and step onto the red carpet.
The guards stood by his side, protecting the great Beckett Clainfer from anyone who could harm him. While walking, the reporters bombarded him with questions.
"What can you say about the rumors circulating about you and Yanna Methias?"
"Is it true that something is going on between you and Yanna despite her being married?"
Beckett wanted to smack their faces so badly, but he maintained his composure. "I already answered that days ago. We only have a casual relationship."
Yanna always gave the same reason too. She knew what would happen if she spoke up. It would surely ruin her career and her family.
The reporters continued to ask him, but he didn't answer any further. He smiled pretentiously and waved his hand at the cameras, but his movement came to a halt when he heard something.
A whistle. The same whistle he heard seven years ago.
"Where was that?" Beckett asked his bodyguard, surprising the latter. "The whistle. Where did it come from?"
The bodyguard's brows furrowed, but he didn't answer. He didn't understand what Beckett was talking about because of the noise in the area; he hadn't heard any whistle.
But Beckett was certain of what he heard. It wasn't a part of his hallucination.
Beckett's gaze roamed around the area. The fake smile on his face disappeared. He desperately tried to find the person who made the whistle, but he found none.
'Why am I hearing it here?' Beckett asked himself. 'Does he know me?'
Suddenly, he snapped out of his thoughts when he realized that he was in the middle of the red carpet. He continued walking as if nothing had happened, and only one thing was on his mind as he did so.
'I promise to find you wherever you are, so I can kill you with my own hands.'
The pain he felt gave him the pleasure of living afterward. He made the pain his fuel to continue surviving, ensuring that he would find his parent's killer.
But what he didn't know was that the person was right there, in the same place as him, silently watching him until Beckett entered the Grand Arena.
Samantha Colline De Jesus lived a simple, happy life. She had a loving older brother, a kind best friend, and a carefree life. But everything changed the moment she crossed paths with a stranger one rainy evening-a moment sealed by a kiss she never saw coming. That kiss unraveled secrets she never imagined existed, stirring memories she thought she'd never have to face. As the rain poured down, so did the walls she had carefully built around her heart. And how do you move forward when one fleeting moment redefines everything you thought you knew?
"Do you want to play a game with me?" Ash asked, leaning forward as he caressed my chin. I raised an eyebrow. "A game?" "A love game..." He placed his lips on my ear, slightly licking my earlobe. "Whoever falls in love first, loses. If you're really confident that you won't fall for someone like me, then play the game with me." Ash bit my ear, and a pool of hits struck my body. "What can you say, Miss good girl? Are you in?" **** Sapphire only wanted peace. She did her best to become a wallflower so no one would notice her. She avoided everyone, especially Ash Cassius Coleman, the son of the owner of the University where she was studying. She hated Ash, his guts, his frequent make-outs with different girls...And that hatred caught Ash's interest. Suddenly, the rebel billionaire came into her life, wanting her to fall in love with him. But does Ash really like her? No. He was just challenged and curious as to why his charms didn't seem to affect Sapphire at all. And that was the reason why he decided to ask her to play a game. A love game.
Everyone knew Cinderella and her story. She lived a vicious life when her divorced parents needed to work in the Royal Palace and left her alone. Her stepmother and her two stepsisters did nothing but mistreat her, not until that party happened. A fairy grandmother, a dance, and a fallen shoe. Cinderella and the prince were married and lived happily ever after. Or... did they? What would happen if the princess everyone adored throughout their life was the antagonist everyone would hate if they only knew? What if the beloved princess... is the true villainess?
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!
Once upon a time, there were two kingdoms once at peace. The kingdom of Salem and the kingdom of Mombana... Until the day, the king of Mombana passed away and a new monarch took over, Prince Cone. Prince Cone, has always been hungry for more power and more and more. After his coronation, he attacked Salem. The attack was so unexpected, Salem never prepared for it. They were caught off guard. The king and Queen was killed, the prince was taken into slavery. The people of Salem that survived the war was enslaved, their land taken from them. Their women were made sex slaves. They lost everything, including their land. Evil befall the land of Salem in form of Prince Cone, and the prince of Salem in his slavery was filled with so much rage. The prince of Salem, Prince Lucien swore revenge. 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳 Ten years later, thirty-years old Lucien and his people raided a coup and escaped slavery. They went into hiding and recuperated. They trained day and night under the leadership of the fearless and cold Lucien who was driven with everything in him to get back their land, and take Mombana land too. It took them five years before they ambushed and attacked Mombana. They killed Prince Cone and reclaimed everything. As they screamed out their victory, Lucien's eyes found and pinned the proud princess of Mombana. Princess Danika. The daughter of Prince Cone. As Lucien stared at her with the coldest eyes anyone can ever possess, he felt victory for the first time. He walked to the princess with the slave collar he'd won for ten years rattling in his hand as he walked. He reached close to her and with a swift movement, he collared her neck. Then, he tilted her chin up, staring into the bluest eyes and the most beautiful face ever created, he gave her a cold smile. "You are my acquisition. My slave. My sex slave. My property. I will pay you in spades, everything you and your father ever did to me and my people." He stated curtly. Pure hatred, coldness and victory was the only emotion on his face. .
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
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."
Their marriage was nothing but for the benefit of the two families. He could choose anyone to be his bride, but the moment he laid his eyes on her, he knew she was the one he wanted. However, their marriage didn't last for a long because of her indifference. Until the moment he signed the divorce agreement, he finally witnessed her true colors. It turned out that she also took advantage of him. Their divorce was not an end but the start of the real love game.
Angus Smith is the most powerful president who controls the national economy, while Tammy Wood is a seriously disfigured lady who was exiled by her family. However, she had been loving him for over 15 years since she met him at the age of 5. Thus when he proposed a marriage, she was so happy that she expected a new life. However, the truth was that their marriage was totally a plot. Upon the truth being revealed, Tammy was almost torn to pieces and escaped from him with their baby. Four years later, she was stopped by Angus as soon as she came back. It seems that Angus has regretted what he had done. So he just holds Tammy in arms tightly and decides to love her forever and ever!