Aria Williams never imagined that a single night would change her life forever. Trapped in a loveless, contract marriage with billionaire Dick Porch, she endures his cold indifference and public affairs, all to save her sick mother. Though their marriage is nothing more than a business arrangement, Aria ensures protection during their forced encounters-until one fateful night when something goes terribly wrong. She wakes up naked and sore in her husband's bed-but Dick never came home that night. Then who was with her? When Aria discovers she's pregnant, Dick's fury is unstoppable. He demands answers, and when a DNA test reveals the baby isn't his, he throws her out, disgraced and alone. But what no one knows is that she was already pregnant before that night. As secrets unravel and betrayals mount, Aria must fight to protect herself and her child from the web of deception woven around her. But who can she trust-the husband who abandoned her or the man she never meant to betray?
Your mother needs surgery immediately. Without it, she won't last another month.
The words rang in my ears, and for a moment, I couldn't hear anything else. The soft rustle of the hospital papers in my lap, the faint hum of the machines in the background, even the doctor's voice-all blurred into the background. All I could focus on was the pounding of my heart and the cold, numbing fear creeping up my spine.
I blinked, trying to bring myself back to the room, but the truth settled like a weight on my chest. She wouldn't make it.
I gripped the edge of the chair, my fingers turning white as the air in the room thickened. This wasn't supposed to happen. My mother wasn't supposed to be dying. She had always been the rock I could depend on, and now, the very thing that kept her alive was slipping away.
"Aria?" The doctor's voice pulled me from the depths of my thoughts. "We can arrange for surgery, but it will cost-"
"I can't afford it," I interrupted, my voice catching in my throat.
He hesitated, looking at the paperwork in front of him, as though he was weighing his next words. The silence stretched between us like a chasm, and I could feel it, the looming certainty that there was no way out. No money. No family. No hope.
I swallowed, willing myself to stay composed. But the tears burned at the back of my eyes. How much more could I lose?
I had been juggling jobs for months now, each one barely enough to scrape by, but all I had managed to do was fall further into debt. The hospital bills piled up, insurance barely covered anything, and every time I thought I could breathe, another bill would show up in my mailbox.
I wasn't even sure how I was still standing, how I managed to serve food, clean tables, take orders from impatient customers, and listen to the endless conversations of those who didn't have a care in the world. But I did. I had to.
"Aria, I know this is difficult, but there might be an option," the doctor continued, his voice now low, almost cautious. "I could refer you to a program. It's for families in your situation."
I shook my head, the sting of defeat thick in my chest. Program? More like a charity handout-something I couldn't accept. My mother had always told me to never rely on others. To work hard, push through the pain, and make something of myself.
But now, I was at the mercy of something I couldn't control. And it terrified me.
The restaurant was no better.
Another day, another round of tired smiles and empty interactions. I had just clocked in for the evening shift at the restaurant, my third job this week, and already my feet ached from standing on them all day. The VIP section had been full all night, and the tips had been... well, non-existent for the most part.
My uniform clung to me, sticky with sweat and the remnants of a day's hard labor. I maneuvered through the tables, making my way past white linen and crystal glasses, pretending that the knot in my stomach wasn't growing by the second.
I was doing the best I could, but the weight of it all was pressing down, suffocating me.
As I reached table 7-one of the VIP tables near the window-my heart stopped, and for a moment, everything around me blurred again.
Sitting at the table was a man. Tall, broad-shouldered, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit that screamed money. His eyes, a piercing shade of blue, stared out the window, but I could feel his gaze land on me before I could even take a step closer.
I had seen him before, though I wasn't sure where. There was something about the way he carried himself, the confidence, the power. His presence was overwhelming, commanding.
"Good evening," I said, my voice cracking just a little as I forced myself to smile. "What can I get you tonight?"
He didn't immediately speak, just studied me for a moment, his eyes flicking over me as though he was sizing me up. It wasn't the first time a customer had done this, but there was something about him that made me feel... exposed.
"I'll have the steak, medium-rare," he finally said, his voice smooth, controlled. "And a glass of red wine. Bring me the best you have."
I nodded, biting my lip as I scribbled down his order. The man didn't seem to notice, his attention still on the city lights outside. As I turned to leave, he spoke again.
"You're new here," he observed.
I glanced back at him, confused. "Yes, sir. I've been here for a few weeks."
He looked me up and down, almost imperceptibly, as though he was weighing something in his mind. "You're working yourself into the ground. What's your name?"
"Aria," I said, the edges of my smile faltering slightly. There was something about the way he was looking at me that felt both intriguing and unsettling.
"Aria," he repeated slowly, like he was savoring the sound of it. "You look like you have a lot on your plate."
I didn't respond immediately. What could I say? Everyone had something weighing on them. But I was barely holding on.
The man set down his glass of wine, his fingers lightly tapping on the edge of it. "Tell me something, Aria. How far would you go to save your mother?"
The question startled me. I looked at him, narrowing my eyes, trying to gauge whether he was serious or just another arrogant, rich guy looking for a thrill.
But his eyes, intense and calculating, told me he wasn't joking.
"I'll do anything," I whispered, before I could stop myself.
"Anything, huh?" His lips curled into a slight smile, and for the first time, I felt the faintest stir of hope-hope that maybe, just maybe, I could finally catch a break.
He leaned forward, his voice low but filled with power. "Marry me," he said. "And I'll pay for your mother's surgery. All of it."
I froze, not sure if I had heard him correctly. Marry him? The billionaire I had just served food to?
He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping the rim of his glass again, his gaze never leaving mine. "It's a simple deal, Aria. You get what you need to save your mother, and I get a marriage contract. No strings attached."
I couldn't breathe. My heart hammered in my chest, the weight of the offer crashing down on me. I had no choice. No options left. My mother would die without the surgery.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "What's the catch?"
His lips twitched in amusement. "There's no catch. Just a contract."
I stood there for a long moment, the noise of the restaurant fading into the background. This was it. This was my chance. I had no choice but to say yes.
My hand trembled as I reached for the pen.
I signed away my future, my freedom-everything I had ever known-just to save my mother.
And just like that, my life changed forever.
Captured and taken as a slave by the notorious Alpha King, Aria's life seems destined for misery. But as she becomes entangled in a web of intrigue, forbidden desire, and brutal politics, she discovers her connection to the ruthless ruler may be more than just fate. As tensions between humans and Lycans escalate, Aria must choose between loyalty, love, and survival. Will she remain the Alpha King's slave, or will she break free from his dark world to forge her own destiny?
Blurb: Margaret, the ambitious new CEO of her family's failing company was faced with a choice to marry a ruthless billionaire or lose everything . Instead, she forced Emily, her mistreated maid, who looks just like her, to take her place. As Emily pretends to be Margaret, Jonathan marries her, unaware of the switch. Over time, Emily discovers shocking secrets, including that she is Margaret's long-lost twin, switched at birth. As the truth comes closer to being revealed, Emily must face betrayal, manipulation, and danger, all while finding her own path to love and redemption with Jonathan.
BLURB: Nicole Stanton, the world's richest young woman, ended her three-year marriage to the powerful CEO, Eric Ferguson, for one reason: her family's billion-dollar fortune. When their divorce hits the headlines, rumors swirl about her dating life. To the public, she's the ultimate catch, but behind closed doors, Nicole still harbors feelings for her ex-husband-a man she left behind to chase her dreams. Eric, now a successful entrepreneur, wants to move on, but he can't shake the love of his life. When fate forces them together again in a high-stakes business merger, the tension between them is impossible to ignore. Both have secrets they've been keeping from each other, and the emotional baggage from their past threatens to tear them apart. Can they rebuild their relationship, or will old wounds keep them from reigniting the flame of the love they once shared?
Emma Parker, a hard-working cleaner in a Dallas hotel, never imagined her life would change dramatically after one fateful, drunken encounter with ruthless billionaire Alex Cardwell. That single night of passion leads to an unexpected pregnancy, thrusting her into a world of luxury, deception and betrayal. As Alex struggles with a failing marriage with a manipulative Victoria, his life begins to unravel as Emma's pregnancy threatens to expose the cracks in his carefully controlled life. Torn between the simple life she's always known and the dangerous seductive pull of Alex's world, Emma must decide who to trust. With enemies closing in and dark secrets coming to life, the stakes couldn't be higher. Can Emma protect herself and her child from the forces trying to destroy them? Can she navigate these treacherous waters? Will love triumph, or will their buried past tear them apart forever?
Allison fell in love with Ethan Iversen, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Moonlight Crown pack. She always wanted him to notice her. Meanwhile, Ethan was an arrogant Alpha who thought a weak Omega could not be his companion. Ethan's cousin, Ryan Iversen, who came back from abroad and was the actual heir of the pack, never tried to get the position nor did he show any interest in it. He was a popular playboy Alpha but when he came back to the pack, one thing captured his eyes and that was Allison.
Caught in a web of betrayal, Nicole's life shatters in a single evening when her mother-in-law, Veronica, sets her up in an elaborate scheme. Blindsided, Nicole faces her husband Taylor's cold rage as he casts her out of his life and home, accusing her of infidelity and theft. As she tries to defend herself, her best friend, Sarah, adds another blow by denying their loyalty. "Please, Taylor, you have to believe me!" Nicole pleads, her voice breaking, but his icy response is a dagger to her heart. "I don't hate you, Nicole," he sneers. "I despise you." When Nicole reveals she's pregnant, she hopes for compassion, but it only fuels Veronica's determination to rid the family of her. After signing the divorce papers, a dejected Nicole wanders alone, where a brutal attack leaves her bleeding, helpless, and desperate to protect her unborn child. Six years later, Nicole returns from the ashes to inflict seven times the pains upon those who humiliated her and left her to die. "I'll make them pay so dearly that they'd regret ever been born!" She declares. This is a story of romance and revenge you don't want to miss!
Trigger warning!!! Intended for mature readers who enjoy morally complex, slow-burn, poseesive, forbidden, dark romance that pushes boundaries. ***EXCERPT*** Blood everywhere. Trembling hands. "No!" My eyes blurred. His lifeless eyes stared back at me, his blood pooling at my feet. The man I loved-dead. Killed by the one person I could never escape - my stepbrother. *** Kasmine's life was never hers to begin with. Kester, her stepbrother, controlled and monitored her every move. At first, it was all sweet and brotherly until it began to turn into an obsession. Kester was the Alpha, and his word was law. No close friends. No boyfriends. No freedom. The only consolation Kasmine had was her twenty-first birthday, which was supposed to change everything. She dreamt of finding her mate, escaping the sickening control of Kester, and finally claiming her own life. But fate had other plans for her. On the night of her birthday, not only was she disappointed that she wasn't mated to the love of her life, but she found out that her mate was none other than him - Her tormentor. Her stepbrother. She'd rather die than be mated to a man whom she had known as her big brother all her life. A man who would do just anything to make sure she was his. But when love turns to obsession, and obsession turns to blood, how far can one girl run before she realizes there is nowhere else to run to?
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.
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."
P-please, I beg you. Come let's go tell Christian I had no hand in whatever happened, p-please." I clutched the lapel of his jacket desperately. "Let's go. You need to tell my husband you were paid." "Young lady, you're harassing me." His tone was cold and his stare granite. But I could care less. "You harassed me first! You had sex with me without my consent, my husband knows and now I'm pregnant with this child he doesn't want. You ruined my marriage! I-I hate you!" ************************************ Caught by her husband with another man on their matrimonial bed the morning after her birthday, Hailey Codza could not defend herself. As though it's not enough, she gets pregnant. Her enraged husband decides to pay her back for her infidelity by having an affair with his ex-girlfriend - Denise Kellers, the family Hailey never knew she had. Losing her family's wealth and company to her husband and his ex (now girlfriend), she is devastated, homeless and penniless as all her credit cards are blocked by her husband. She sees the man who is responsible for her pregnancy. The man she has no idea how he'd found his way to her matrimonial bed - Jared Johnson. Jared is annoyed when this strange woman disrupts his meeting and accuses him of ruining her life, marriage and impregnating her. It affects his business deals and having no choice, he marries her to calm the public whilst engaged to someone else. But he loathes her and allows his family treats her badly. Hailey who has fallen in love with Jared is broken when she can no longer take the humiliation. She signs the divorce papers and leaves, only to arrive six years later to the country as a self-made, secret billionaire and a mother of twins. Now her two ex-husbands are begging to have her back...