Tangled Hearts : A Contract Marriage Tale

It's already 7:40 a.m. in the morning, and the sun was glittering, displaying the beauty of the earth. In the little sunshade tree, the birds were singing. The flowers are already rising, about to show their true colours. I, who was still on the bed, "Ouch… this hurts…" I muttered, applying more cream to soften it. I arranged my tie to be in line with my little rumpled suit which i was putting on. The door swung open, revealing my sister Evelyn—my blood sister and my best friend. "You're still here?" she asked. I was shocked, and in haste, I tried to grab some files and my office bag. "Your phone has been ringing in the dining room, where you left it since you finished your breakfast," my sister said, standing in the doorway. "Excuse me, please." I hurriedly passed through the door, rushing out on my way to the office. Luckily, my Uber driver was already waiting for me to show up. I checked my watch, it was already 15 minutes past 8 a.m. I remembered what my boss told me at closing time yesterday. "Tomorrow, I'm having a meeting with my managers, and as my personal assistant, I would like you to document and keep records of the meeting. Be here on time. Mr. James, be here on time, I repeat, be here on time." His words kept ringing in my head, knowing that I was late and aware of what my boss is capable of. I had witnessed him let go of many staff for going against his rules. "Ah, I don't want to be fired," I muttered to myself. He warned me, my boss warned me. "Driver, please move faster, please, I'm already late." Now in the office, I didn't even bother to greet anyone. I moved straight to my office, dropped off my files and bag. I had no time to wipe the sweat off my face, and in a rush, I headed to the head office, which is my boss's office. I entered Mr. Ethan's office, and the Glory of the space immediately struck me. He stood at the window of his skyscraper company building, gazing out at the cityscape, his back to the door. His sleek, modern office was a testament to luxury and power, with polished marble floors, rich wood panelling, and elegant furnishings. Luxurious materials adorned every surface, including marble, granite, marquetry, and other precious materials that added to the opulent atmosphere. The room was a masterpiece of design, with every detail meticulously crafted to exude wealth, sophistication, and refinement. (Not my first time, just wanted to let you know how wealthy Mr Ethan is.) Mr. Ethan's confident stance at the window, his back to the door, commanded attention and respect, his authority and leadership palpable in the way he stood, surveying his domain. The overall effect was awe-inspiring, a true reflection of the billionaire's success and status. "Hi, good morning, boss," I greeted. For a few seconds, there was no reply. Inside me, I knew I had failed to adhere to the rules and regulations, so I just stood there, bracing myself for the repercussions. "Mr. James, why do you keep failing to follow the simple rules I've given you? I called, but you didn't pick up. You're just com

It took only a second for a person's world to come crashing down. This was what happened in Hannah's case. For four years, she gave her husband her all, but one day, he said emotionlessly, "Let's get divorced." Hannah's heart broke into a million pieces as she signed the divorce papers, marking the end of her role as a devoted wife. Within Hannah, a strong woman awakened, vowing never to be beholden to any man again. Embracing her new life, she embarked on a journey to find herself and command her own destiny. By the time she returned, she had experienced so much growth and was now completely different from the docile wife everyone once knew. "Is this your latest trick to get my attention?" Hannah's ever-so-arrogant husband asked. Before she could retort, a handsome and domineering CEO pulled her into his embrace. He smiled down at her and said boldly to her ex, "Just a little heads-up, mister. This is my beloved wife. Keep off!"

My world revolved around Jax Harding, my older brother's captivating rockstar friend. From sixteen, I adored him; at eighteen, I clung to his casual promise: "When you're 22, maybe I'll settle down." That offhand comment became my life's beacon, guiding every choice, meticulously planning my twenty-second birthday as our destiny. But on that pivotal day in a Lower East Side bar, clutching my gift, my dream exploded. I overheard Jax' s cold voice: "Can't believe Savvy's showing up. She' s still hung up on that stupid thing I said." Then the crushing plot: "We' re gonna tell Savvy I' m engaged to Chloe, maybe even hint she' s pregnant. That should scare her off." My gift, my future, slipped from my numb fingers. I fled into the cold New York rain, devastated by betrayal. Later, Jax introduced Chloe as his "fiancée" while his bandmates mocked my "adorable crush"-he did nothing. As an art installation fell, he saved Chloe, abandoning me to severe injury. In the hospital, he came for "damage control," then shockingly shoved me into a fountain, leaving me to bleed, calling me a "jealous psycho." How could the man I loved, who once saved me, become this cruel and publicly humiliate me? Why was my devotion seen as an annoyance to be brutally extinguished with lies and assault? Was I just a problem, my loyalty met with hatred? I would not be his victim. Injured and betrayed, I made an unshakeable vow: I was done. I blocked his number and everyone connected to him, severing ties. This was not an escape; this was my rebirth. Florence awaited, a new life on my terms, unburdened by broken promises.

For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, “Either you or the baby survives!” Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, “I’m sorry, men no longer interest me.”

Being second best is practically in my DNA. My sister got the love, the attention, the spotlight. And now, even her damn fiancé. Technically, Rhys Granger was my fiancé now-billionaire, devastatingly hot, and a walking Wall Street wet dream. My parents shoved me into the engagement after Catherine disappeared, and honestly? I didn't mind. I'd crushed on Rhys for years. This was my chance, right? My turn to be the chosen one? Wrong. One night, he slapped me. Over a mug. A stupid, chipped, ugly mug my sister gave him years ago. That's when it hit me-he didn't love me. He didn't even see me. I was just a warm-bodied placeholder for the woman he actually wanted. And apparently, I wasn't even worth as much as a glorified coffee cup. So I slapped him right back, dumped his ass, and prepared for disaster-my parents losing their minds, Rhys throwing a billionaire tantrum, his terrifying family plotting my untimely demise. Obviously, I needed alcohol. A lot of alcohol. Enter him. Tall, dangerous, unfairly hot. The kind of man who makes you want to sin just by existing. I'd met him only once before, and that night, he just happened to be at the same bar as my drunk, self-pitying self. So I did the only logical thing: I dragged him into a hotel room and ripped off his clothes. It was reckless. It was stupid. It was completely ill-advised. But it was also: Best. Sex. Of. My. Life. And, as it turned out, the best decision I'd ever made. Because my one-night stand isn't just some random guy. He's richer than Rhys, more powerful than my entire family, and definitely more dangerous than I should be playing with. And now, he's not letting me go.

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.

She spent ten years chasing after the right brother, only to fall for the wrong one in one weekend. ~~~ Sloane Mercer has been hopelessly in love with her best friend, Finn Hartley, since college. For ten long years, she's stood by him, stitching him back together every time Delilah Crestfield-his toxic on-and-off girlfriend-shattered his heart. But when Delilah gets engaged to another man, Sloane thinks this might finally be her chance to have Finn for herself. She couldn't be more wrong. Heartbroken and desperate, Finn decides to crash Delilah's wedding and fight for her one last time. And he wants Sloane by his side. Reluctantly, Sloane follows him to Asheville, hoping that being close to Finn will somehow make him see her the way she's always seen him. Everything changes when she meets Knox Hartley, Finn's older brother-a man who couldn't be more different from Finn. He's dangerously magnetic. Knox sees right through Sloane and makes it his mission to pull her into his world. What starts as a game-a twisted bet between them-soon turns into something deeper. Sloane is trapped between two brothers: one who's always broken her heart and another who seems hell-bent on claiming it... no matter the cost. CONTENT WARNING: This story is strongly 18+. It delves into dark romance themes such as obsession and lust with morally complex characters. While this is a love story, reader discretion is advised.