"Will you, Drew Walton, take Lilian Rose Martin, to be your lawful wedded wife, to share your life openly, standing with her in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in hardship and in ease, to cherish and love, now and forevermore?" Lily believed she had no purpose within her family. She had never been treated responsibly and frequently endured physical abuse from her father and other family members. Even the housemaids showed her no kindness, considering her a nuisance. Her value only became apparent when she was forced to marry into the Walton Family. Lily was terrified of Drew, the man she was to marry, but she was bound by her duty as a Martin. On their first wedding night, Drew confessed that he didn't like her. She was unlike the women he typically dated. Who would desire someone with her limited education, slim figure, and unattractive appearance? Nevertheless, she was determined to honor her marriage agreement with Drew rather than return to the Martins, who had mistreated her. [TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains adult language and themes, including graphic violence, explicit content, and instances of violence against women that may be disturbing to some readers. This book is intended for adult readers.]
[This chapter may disturb some readers. A trigger warning is advised.]
LILY'S heart was beating frantically. She was driven by her stepbrother Kenneth to a hotel-based bachelor party for a friend. Even though she was aware of the man's ulterior motivations, she felt compelled to go with him out of concern for her safety.
"I'll kill your precious Manang Puring if you disobey me," she remembers Kenneth's ghostly, demonic smile before he took her to that place.
"Hello, boys!" he said right after they opened the door of one suite.
They discovered four men inside the room.
"Wow, Ken!" One of his friends whistled. "You really brought Lily with you?" At the moment, she was uncertain why his eyes had a reddish hue. She recognized him as Kenneth's best friend, the man who often visited their home. She noticed he would often cast uncomfortable glances in her direction. She also overheard her brother commenting, "She's stupid! Even our father hated the woman. If you want to fuck her, go ahead. She might be of use to you."
"Get inside!" came the stern command from Kenneth. When she hesitated, he pushed her.
"P-please... I want to go home..." Tears rolled down her cheeks as anxiety consumed her. She was filled with fear, fully aware that Kenneth's intentions toward her were always sinister. There were five men in the room, and she could see no one else.
One of his friends stroked her cheek and whispered, "Shhh."
He reassured her, saying, "We won't do anything harmful to you, Lily... We just want to see you happy. You'll enjoy this," in an attempt to ease her anxiety. Her veins filled with revulsion as his finger brushed her cheek.
She noticed one of his friends handing Kenneth a wad of cash. With an authoritative tone, he demanded, "Take off your clothes and start dancing!"
Lily clutched her garments tightly. "No... I-I want to go home."
Turning toward the door, she found one of her stepbrother's friends blocking her path. "Please... let me leave..."
"Tsk! Is this fun for you, Ken? You said she's fun?" said one of the men. With a grin, Kenneth took a seat on a couch.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" one of the men chuckled. "This is the reason why I like her. I can't wait to fuck her cowardly brains out. C'mon, Lily... show us what's behind your clothes."
"No!" she yelled. Her sobs multiplied.
One of them, who is already frowning, said, "Let her go!"
"I won't refund the money if you remove her from here!" Kenneth declared, his eyes narrowing as he advanced toward her. He slapped her forcefully. "What we asked you to do is simple! Why can't you just comply?"
Her hair became disheveled, and her body felt on the brink of breaking. "I'll tell Dad what you've done..."
Kenneth let out a disdainful laugh. "Seriously? When did your dad ever show you affection? He loves me more than he loves you, Lily. You're foolish and worthless! No one cares about you except for me!"
"Go, Lily. Feel free to get out. We will count to ten. Sorry if we catch you outside," The man blocking the door tilted. She could see the excitement in his eyes.
That prompted her to leave the room and sprint down the hallway. She had to leave these beasts behind.
"Run, Lily, run!"
She burst into tears.
"Ten... Nine... Eight..."
She would definitely suffer if they caught her. She was certain that she was in danger, especially in light of the fact that Kenneth's companions were obviously not in their right minds. Perhaps they were under the influence of drugs.
She attempted to open each door one at a time despite her damp cheeks. At this point, that was her only chance for survival. Miraculously, one of them was slightly ajar. She entered without hesitation, but when she saw two nude people engaged in furious sex on the bed, she felt practically sick to her stomach.
"Fuck! Who are you?" asked the man with a broad body.
She was about to open the door so she could leave once more when she realized that there were wolves outside the room waiting to devour her.
"Hmm... Sir, you didn't tell me that you requested a threesome," the woman said flirtatiously, grabbing a cigarette off the nightstand.
"Shut the fuck up! Damn it!" He clenched his teeth. Standing up, the man headed in her direction while wearing a menacing attitude. Her eyes widened in fear, especially when he approached her naked. His hard and tall masculinity was clear in her eyes. She understood that since she was the one who had unexpectedly entered the room, she had no reason to be terrified of him.
"I'll call the police!" he threatened.
Lily was going through a lot of emotions when her vision went completely black, and she passed out. She stumbled and landed in his arms.
"Did you ever, even once, imagine yourself loving me?" Sarah posed a hopeful question to Philip. “Don’t make me laugh, Sarah. Everything between us has been purely about pleasure and business.” Sarah had harbored feelings for Philip ever since she first saw him in a sports magazine. When his fiancée abandoned him at the altar to elope with another man, Sarah selflessly offered herself as a replacement bride to spare his embarrassment. After enduring three years of a loveless and toxic marriage, Sarah finally summoned the courage to divorce Philip, who was still pining for his former fiancée. She vowed to herself that she would find another man who would love, trust, and worship her like a queen. This is what she sought if she were to marry a second time. A year later, their paths crossed again. Philip confronted Sarah in a ladies’ restroom, demanding, “Do not let other men touch you!” Sarah remained indifferent; her demeanor noticeably changed. “And what if I do?” she retorted. Philip’s tone grew menacing, “You won’t like what I’d do.” Unfazed, Sarah shot back, “Mr. Cornell, I’ve never liked what you’ve done, even in the past. There’s nothing new about that, and please stop whining like a baby,” before turning and walking away, disdainfully leaving him behind.
For years, Erin has grappled with guilt since her high school classmate passed away. Under the influence of the friends she trusted, Daryl was challenged, resulting in his tragic demise. Seven years later, Erin did not expect that fate would punish her further. In her stepfather's will, he decided that all their wealth would go to the Arvesso family, the same family that had lost a member before. Erin now found herself caught up in this arrangement. Perhaps that was her punishment-to be the wife of Orion, someone who harbored intense resentment towards her. She believed he would let go of the past once they were married. However, it turned out that before becoming her husband, he had played the role of a protective brother. He agreed to the marriage to torment her.
For the whole 17 years of her existence, Alana did not know the word freedom and happiness having been confined in the basement of her family's house accused of killing her own mother. She's beaten, cursed at, and barely survived from crumbs of food thrown at her. She thought this is her final destiny and has accepted the bitter fate of her life not until the night of her 18th birthday, a mysterious alpha appeared at her door telling her that she is the long-lost daughter of the alpha king and claiming her as his mate he's been looking for several years now.
"Mr. Evans, please maintain some dignity. Don't forget I'm your brother's wife!" Having caught her husband and best friend together in the bed, Elena wanted nothing more than to exact revenge on the people she once called family. She refused to be a pitiful divorcee and vowed to make everyone who had once looked down on her beg for forgiveness. And to start with her newfound freedom, Elena indulges in a one-night stand with a stranger. However, what was meant to be a fleeting escape turns into a nightmare when she learns that the stranger is none other than her husband's older brother! Would Elena be free from the shackles of her marriage? Or would the mysterious stranger make her life a living hell since he seemed to have a personal vendetta against his family? [The story is 18+ and involves mature content.]
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
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!"
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."