Madison Hartley never expected to inherit her family's struggling business empire at just twenty-four. With debts piling up and no lifeline in sight, she's willing to do whatever it takes to save Hartley Corporation -even if it means marrying Manhattan's most ruthless billionaire. Alexander Grayson is a man who always gets what he wants. Cold, calculating, and irresistibly handsome, he accepts the contract Madison proposes that promises to solve both their problems. For Madison, it's a lifeline; for Alexander, it's the perfect cover for his own hidden motives. But as their fake marriage blurs into something dangerously real, Madison discovers that love may come at a higher cost than she ever imagined. Will she rush her heart to save her legacy, or will the secrets between them destroy everything? In a city where power and passion collide, nothing is what it seems.
The city's skyline, stood against the early morning sky, creating shadows against the growing light. Dawn was creeping in, painting the sky with soft colors like lavender and pink. I could hear the sounds of traffic starting to pick up, the engines humming in the distance as the city woke up.
Inside, my room was still dark, but the sun was sneaking through the curtains, casting patterns on the floor. The room felt quiet, No alarm, just intrusive rays of sunlight creeping through the drawn shades. Blinking away the remnants of a heavy night, a deep, unfamiliar voice shattered my drowsiness. It took moments before I recognized the voice. Damn! I thought I told this asshole to leave before I woke up.
"Good morning, babe." The voice filled the room, blending with the headache I was having. God, I was in no mood for this. A man stood at the foot of the bed, holding out coffee and biscuits he'd procured from the hotel.
"Shit" I muttered, trying to piece together the events of last night while tracing the silhouette of the man before me. He was hot, but I don't do twice. He leaned in planting a kiss on my forehead and I shifted uneasily on the bed as I accepted the coffee with a forced smile, hoping the caffeine might jolt my senses back to reality. The sheets on the bed were a mess, evidence of last night. I groaned. I did not just let a one-night stand sleep over till the next morning!
"Babe, last night was amazing. I love how you sound," he praised, trailing kisses along my neck.
"Mhmm," my response tinged with discomfort, trying to create distance.
"I still remember the sensation from slipping into you. Girl, you make my heart skip beats."
"You're awful in bed, are you aware?" Anything. I need to say something for him to leave. "I mean, just...the worst." I sat up straight, looking straight at him. But it wasn't entirely a lie. His performance failed to meet my expectations.
"What? What do you mean? Did...did I not take you there?" He stood up, glaring at me, his face a mixture of disbelief and offense as he rose from the bed.
"Look what I've stooped to. Having sex with a random stranger who can't even make me cum. Just wow." With the weight of the financial burden on my slender shoulders, I had to work tirelessly day and night to keep the business afloat. But it seems all I was doing was just in vain because I hardly saw results. I barely even have time for myself or any sort of personal affairs, with my main goal of increasing Hartley's cooperation revenue and paying off my family's debt. But then, man was no log.
No matter how hard you work, at some point, you have to crave into nature's call...satisfy your burning desires. Which was what I did. I hit the club as much as I could whenever I had the time, took shots, and always woke up with a new face on my bed. I never repeat sex because some men just want to cling onto you like a leech, and with the way I'm seeing this, this douchebag face wants to ask me to be his girlfriend. Maybe I needed to remind him what I said last night. "What is it you say your name was, again?" I asked him with a sick sweet smile
He paused, a flicker of uncertainty clouding his expression for a brief moment. "It's Darren," he replied, his tone faltering slightly.
"Ah, right. Darren," I echoed, the name hanging in the air as I scrambled to gather my bearings in the room, still in disarray from the night by the way. His name meant little to me, just another addition to the list of forgettable encounters that blurred together in a whirlwind of many hazy nights.
"You know what?" I begin, "Darren, could you do me a favor? Grab me a hot towel, would you? I think I left it in the other room."
His eyebrows furrowed "Sure, I can get that for you."
"Thanks, appreciate it," I say with a forced smile, maintaining an air of nonchalance as I edged towards the bathroom, my heart pounding with urgency. I needed an escape.
With practiced finesse, I rushed into the bathroom and hastily wrapped myself in a bath towel, the cool fabric a welcome shield against the unease that permeated the air. With silent haste, I scanned the room for an alternate escape route. My gaze landed on the window, "ah, great!" I muttered and let out a slow breath, the faint echo of Darren's confusion resonating in my mind.
"You know, Madison," he began tentatively, his voice carrying a weight of vulnerability, "last night wasn't just a casual thing for me." It was moments like these I despised. Moments where a man sleeps with you once and finally decides he's in love with you. It was moments like these when the weight of my responsibilities collided with the hollow encounters I sought in an attempt to escape the suffocating grasp of reality. I couldn't afford to handle love and Hartley Corps. I mean, I don't even know if I can love again after all that I've gone through. So when I see the men I sleep with start developing these feelings, oh boy do I peel and free myself from the tangled web of obligations,
Meanwhile, Darren's footsteps echoed outside the bathroom door, his muffled voice calling out, "I found the towels, but I'm not sure which one you wanted. Or...how you want them either"
Panic surged within me as I glanced back at the window, contemplating my next move. Should I or should I not? And what are the pros and cons that if I should maybe take a wrong step and slip or fall, I won't break my neck, my hands, or any other important part of my body, get bedridden for years, and maybe worse fade scenario, I die.
Carmen Wade thought she had it all-a perfect job, a loyal best friend, and a husband she adored. Everything was perfect! But her world shatters the night she discovers her husband's ultimate betrayal with her best friend, Millie. Fearing Carmen will expose their affair, the two decide to kill her, forcing her into an oncoming truck. She bleeds to death. But when Carmen opens her eyes, she's no longer in her own world. She's been reborn as Lady Daphne Vasquez-The infamous villainess from her favorite fantasy novel, destined to meet a brutal end in the hands of her fiancé. Determined to change her fate, Carmen (now Daphne) shocks the kingdom by first calling off her engagement with Lord Michael Ruiz, who bears an uncanny resemblance to her treacherous husband, Cody Wade. Her actions draw the attention of King Rafe Crowe, a powerful ruler from a neighboring land who becomes suspicious of Daphne's sudden transformation. As Carmen navigates a world of greedy nobles and magic, she must use her knowledge of the story's end to outsmart those who would see her fall, including her former fiancé and the heroine of the novel-who eerily mirrors Millie. But her greatest challenge may be resisting the charm of King Rafe, whose keen eyes seem to see right through her facade and changing the narrative of the story she once knew it's end. In a world where allies and enemies blend together, Carmen's second chance at life becomes a high-stakes game of survival, vengeance, unexpected romance and avoiding a dark prophecy.
"I Love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul" There is no greater atrocity than falling in love with your younger sister's husband. When Nayan agrees to move in with her younger sister, Naomi, to assist during the final month of her pregnancy, she devotes herself to caring for her soon-to-be-born niece. However, after the baby is born, Naomi begins to act irresponsibly, frequently going out and returning late at night, leaving her newborn at home for Nayan to care for. Despite initially being unprepared for this role, Nayan steps up to take responsibility for her niece and, in the process, inadvertently falls in love with Naomi's husband.
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
When Serena finds herself mated to her oppressor, she knew she was one of the few wolves that the moon goddess hated. She has resolve, bring down her old mate and make sure everybody pays for what they have done to her. Lycan king Ardan has to find his mate before he turns thirty and time is running out. He feels betrayed when his mate turns out to be a lowlife omega who was rejected by her first mate for infidelity. Ardan would rather die than go within an inch of Serena but mate bonds have a way of bringing even he strongest of men to their knees, and Ardan will not be an exception.
"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."
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?
Brenna lived with her adoptive parents for twenty years, enduring their exploitation. When their real daughter appeared, they sent Brenna back to her true parents, thinking they were broke. In reality, her birth parents belonged to a top circle that her adoptive family could never reach. Hoping Brenna would fail, they gasped at her status: a global finance expert, a gifted engineer, the fastest racer... Was there any end to the identities she kept hidden? After her fiancé ended their engagement, Brenna met his twin brother. Unexpectedly, her ex-fiancé showed up, confessing his love...
Loraine was a dutiful wife to Marco since they got married three years ago. However, he treated her like trash. Nothing she did softened his heart. One day, Loraine got fed up with it all. She asked him for a divorce and left him to enjoy with his mistress. The elites looked at her like she was deranged. "Are you out of your mind? Why are you so willing to divorce him?" "It's because I need to return home to get a billion-dollar fortune. Besides, I don't love him anymore," Loraine replied with a smile. They all laughed at her. Some believed that the divorce affected her mentally. It wasn't until the next day that they realized she wasn't fibbing. A woman was suddenly declared the world's youngest female billionaire. It turned out to be Loraine! Marco was shocked to the bone. When he met his ex-wife again, she was a changed person. A group of handsome young men surrounded her. She was smiling at them all. The sight made Marco's heart ache severely. Putting his pride aside, he tried to win her back. "Hello, love. I see that you are a billionaire now. You shouldn't be with suckers who just want your money. How about you come back to me? I'm a billionaire too. Together, we can build a strong empire. What do you say?" Loraine squinted at her ex-husband with her lips curled in disgust.