Terrified of loss, Xavier convinced himself that happiness was never meant for him. Instead, he chose misery, pushing everyone away- including Lena, whose warmth and innocence threatened the walls he had built. From the moment he saw her smile, he made it his mission to drive her away, yet she kept slipping through the cracks of his defenses. When Lena uncovers the pain that shaped him, her gentle persistence urges Xavier to confront his past and embrace life once more. Just as hope begins to take root, his darkest fears resurface, threatening to tear them apart. Now, Xavier must decide- will he let his past define him, or will he fight to keep the love he never expected to find?
Xavier's POV
The world had a cruel way of reminding me that happiness was never meant for me. It dangled in front of me like a mirage, only to vanish the moment I reached for it. That's why I stopped chasing it. That's why I built walls high enough to keep everyone out.
The soft murmur of laughter echoed across the event hall, grating against my nerves. People smiled too easily, oblivious to how quickly joy could be ripped away. I stood in the corner, nursing a glass of whiskey, my grip tightening as my gaze settled on the one person who never failed to get under my skin.
Lena Whitmore.
She was across the room, radiating warmth, drawing people in without even trying. Her golden-brown hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, her emerald-green dress hugging her frame in a way that made it impossible to look away, and then there was her smile-too damn bright, too damn real... That smile was a problem.
It wasn't the kind of rehearsed expression people wore in rooms like this. It wasn't fake or laced with ulterior motives. It was pure, unguarded, and dangerously close to shattering the walls I had spent years fortifying.
A sudden burst of laughter from her direction had my jaw clenching. Her hand brushed against some guy's arm-some asshole who didn't deserve her attention. My fingers curled around my glass, the urge to walk over and rip her away from him clawing at my insides... Ridiculous.
Lena had no idea what she was doing- how her kindness was a weapon I wasn't prepared to fight against. Every damn time she tried to get close, I had to remind her that I wasn't the kind of man who could offer her anything good.
I drained the rest of my drink and set the glass down with more force than necessary. It was time to remind her again.
Lena's POV
The air in the ballroom buzzed with lively conversation and clinking glasses, but my attention flickered toward the man standing in the corner. Brooding, distant, and utterly infuriating- Xavier Sinclair... He was watching me... He always did.
The weight of his gaze sent a shiver down my spine, but I refused to let it shake me. Instead, I kept my focus on the conversation in front of me, forcing a smile as Nathan, my colleague, continued rambling about some upcoming business deal.
Xavier had been pushing me away for months, making it painfully clear that whatever connection simmered between us was one-sided. But I wasn't stupid. I saw the way his eyes darkened whenever another man got too close. I noticed the way his jaw tightened, how his fists clenched when I laughed too easily in someone else's presence.
He felt something. He just refused to acknowledge it.
"Lena?" Nathan's voice pulled me back to the present. "You okay?"
I forced a polite nod. "Of course."
A flicker of movement caught my eye. Xavier was making his way toward me, cutting through the crowd with that predatory grace he carried so effortlessly. My pulse stuttered, but I held my ground, refusing to let him see how much power he had over me.
"Excuse us." His deep voice sliced through the conversation as he stepped beside me, his presence overwhelming. Without waiting for permission, he grabbed my wrist-firm, but not rough-and pulled me away.
"Xavier," I hissed, glancing back at Nathan, who looked more confused than offended. "You can't just-"
"I can," he interrupted, leading me down a quieter hallway, away from the crowd. "And I did."
He didn't stop until we reached a secluded alcove near the balcony doors. Releasing my wrist, he turned to face me, his stormy-blue eyes burning with something I couldn't quite name.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I demanded, refusing to let him intimidate me.
His lips pressed into a thin line. "What are you doing?"
A humorless laugh bubbled up in my chest. "Enjoying myself at an event. You should try it sometime."
"That guy-Nathan," he practically spat the name. "You were too close to him."
My brows shot up. "Excuse me?"
His fingers curled into fists at his sides. "You heard me."
Anger simmered beneath my skin, mixing with something dangerously close to hope. "You don't get to dictate who I talk to, Xavier. You don't want me, remember? You've made that painfully clear."
His jaw worked, a storm brewing behind his eyes. "That's not-" He exhaled sharply, shaking his head as if battling himself. "I'm not good for you, Lena."
Something in his voice cracked at the end, and it was enough to make my heart ache.
"That's not your choice to make," I whispered, stepping closer. "You don't get to push me away and then act like this when someone else gives me attention."
His breath hitched, his hands twitching like he wanted to reach for me. For a fleeting moment, I thought he might.
Then, just like that, the shutters slammed down.
"You deserve better," he said, voice tight. "Stay away from me, Lena."
And just like that, he walked away, leaving me standing there with a hollow ache in my chest.
Xavier's POV
The second I turned away, regret sliced through me like a dull blade.
Every part of me wanted to go back, to pull her into my arms and erase the hurt I had caused. But that would be selfish.
Lena wasn't meant for someone like me. She deserved light, laughter-things I had no idea how to offer.
I told myself it was for the best.
Then why did it feel like I had just lost the only thing that ever made my world a little less dark?
After a wild night at a college party, Delilah wakes up with a hazy memory and a terrifying thought- she might have hurt someone. Desperate for answers, she tracks down the only person who seems to know what really happened: Theo, the university's star hockey player. But instead of finding trouble, she discovers something unexpected- Theo had actually saved her that night. Relief quickly turns into something more. There's an undeniable pull between them, a chemistry that sparks with every interaction. As they navigate late-night conversations, playful banter, and moments that make her heart race, Delilah realizes that this connection is deeper than she ever expected. Follow Delilah and Theo as they move from teasing flirtation to something real- something that just might last forever.
For years, 24-year-old Lily Harrington has endured life as the executive assistant to Damian Caldwell, the insufferably perfect 28-year-old Vice President of Caldwell Enterprises. With his impossible deadlines and complete lack of empathy, Damian has made every workday a battle. The only thing keeping Lily in this relentless job is the marketing manager promotion she's been chasing for years. When a make-or-break presentation for a high-profile client looms, Lily sees her chance to finally prove her worth. She just never expected that a business trip to Paris would be the turning point that changes everything.
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.
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. .
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."