/0/73742/coverbig.jpg?v=b33aaa452dbab2d57160f02a707fcb2e)
Aurora Scott's life has never been fair. Born into poverty, burdened by a sick mother she couldn't save, and cursed with a gambler father who saw her as nothing more than collateral. But her true nightmare begins when he sells her–to a wealthy old man who strips her of her last shred of freedom. Just when all hope is lost, Grayson Moore steps in. Powerful. Cold. Untouchable. But he doesn't save her out of kindness. He doesn't rescue-He Claims. Now trapped in his world, Aurora is nothing more than a pawn in his dangerous game of vengeance. Grayson took her for one reason–to destroy the man who ruined his life. But the longer she stays, the more she unravels the darkness within him, stirring a need he never wanted to feel. She was meant to be his weapon, not his weakness. Love was never part of the plan. Now, Grayson stands at a crossroads: hold onto his revenge and risk losing her forever... or surrender to the one thing he swore he'd never need. Her.
The morning sun barely pierced through the dusty window of a cramped, one-room apartment. Aurora sat at a small wooden table, staring at the meager breakfast before her with a single piece of bread and a cup of watered-down coffee. Her stomach twisted with hunger, but food was the last thing on her mind.
From the worn-out couch in the corner, soft, ragged breathing filled the silence. Her mother, Maria, lay motionless, her pale face glistening with sweat. The coughing fits had worsened overnight, and even in sleep, she looked like she was in pain.
Aurora wiped her tired eyes and stood, her shoulders slumping under the weight of exhaustion. She was tired... tired of everything.
Life had been cruel to her since childhood. She had grown up in a poor family, with a sickly mother and a father addicted to gambling. Every time he lost and fell into debt with loan sharks, she was the one forced to clean up his mess. She had no choice. If she refused, he would beat her.
Since junior high, she had supported both her family and her education by taking on whatever jobs she could find, working day and night. But after completing her first year of college, she had been forced to drop out. Her mother's illness had worsened, and no matter how hard she worked, it was never enough to cover their growing expenses.
What a life...
She was only nineteen, yet it felt as if she had lived ten lifetimes, carrying burdens far heavier than she could bear.
With a deep sigh, she grabbed her worn-out bag. The word tired wasn't in her vocabulary. She had to go to work-- another long shift cleaning tables, scrubbing floors, and inhaling the greasy scent of fried food awaited her.
Just as she reached for the door, it slammed open.
Her father, Felix, stumbled in, reeking of alcohol and cigarettes. His clothes were wrinkled, his eyes bloodshot, and his pockets jingled with loose change.
"Where's the money?" he slurred, his greedy gaze scanning the room.
Aurora's fists clenched. This worthless man was the biggest burden in their lives. "I don't have any. I used it to buy Mom's medicine."
Felix sneered. "Medicine won't fix her. What I need is a little luck tonight. If I win big, we'll be living in a mansion by morning."
There it is again. His favorite lie.
"You said that last time. And the time before that," Aurora said coldly. Even if she wanted to give him money, she had nothing left.
Felix scowled and yanked at her bag. "Don't lie to me, girl."
Aurora clutched it back, her patience snapping. "There's nothing!" she shouted, her voice raw with frustration.
His hand came down hard across her cheek. A sharp sting spread through her face, and blood trickled from the corner of her lips. But she didn't cry. She had long since stopped crying for him. She had become immune to his beatings.
"Useless brat," he spat before stumbling back out onto the streets.
Aurora exhaled shakily and turned to her mother, who stirred slightly from the noise. She have to be strong. Not for herself, but for her mother.
____
That night, Aurora returned home, her body aching from hours of scrubbing dishes. But the moment she stepped inside, dread wrapped around her like a vice.
Maria was gasping for breath on the floor, her frail hands gripping the leg of the table.
"Mom!" Aurora rushed to her side, panic tightening her throat. She quickly lifted her up.
Maria's eyes barely opened. "I... I can't breathe..."
Aurora's mind spiraled into chaos, but there was no time to think. She grabbed her mother's weak frame and half-carried her outside, desperately flagging down a passing cab.
"Please, take us to the hospital!" she begged, tears threatening to spill as she waved at an empty taxi.
The driver hesitated. "You got money?"
Aurora's heart sank. "I'll pay later, I swear!"
The driver sighed and unlocked the door. "Get in."
____
Grayson Moore sat in the backseat of his black Maybach, his fingers tapping idly against the leather armrest. Through the tinted window, he watched her.
Aurora Scott.
He had spent years searching for her. One year had passed since he finally tracked her down, confirming her identity. And for that entire year, he had watched.
He knew every detail of her miserable life. The pitiful one-room apartment, the endless cycle of menial jobs, the sick mother clinging to life, and the father who gambled away whatever scraps she managed to earn. He had seen her struggle, seen her endure, seen her refuse to break no matter how many times life tried to crush her.
Tonight was no different.
She stood by the roadside, arms wrapped around her frail mother, her slim frame barely able to support the weight. The desperation in her eyes was something he had witnessed countless times before, yet she still didn't fall to her knees.
Grayson remained motionless, his expression cold and composed.
Most people in her position would have surrendered to fate. Some even begged, stolen, or sold themselves to survive. But Aurora? She still fought. Even now, when the world had left her with nothing.
A slow tension coiled in his chest.
He could end her suffering with a single command. One call, and she'd never have to scrape by again. But that wasn't why he was here.
He wasn't her savior.
He was the man who had been watching. Waiting for the right time.
With a slow, calculated movement, he shifted his gaze to the driver.
"Drive."
The Maybach pulled away, slipping into the darkened streets of Harford. But even as the city blurred past, Grayson knew one thing for certain..
This wouldn't be the last time he saw Aurora.
Not by chance.
And certainly not by accident.
___
The hospital was bright, sterile, and cold. Aurora clutched her mother's hand as doctors rushed her onto a stretcher, wheeling her away into the unknown.
Minutes passed. Then hours. Aurora sat in the waiting room, staring at the cracked tile floor, her hands gripping her knees. She didn't know what to do. She felt hopeless. Powerless. Fate had been so cruel to her.
Finally, a nurse approached. "Are you the patient's daughter?"
Aurora shot up. "Yes! Is she okay?"
The nurse hesitated. "She's stable for now, but she needs immediate treatment. The doctor will only proceed once the payment is arranged."
The words struck like a knife to the gut. She had no money. Not a single cent.
"How much?" she whispered.
The nurse handed her a paper. The numbers blurred in her vision instantly. It was more money than she had ever seen in her life.
"We need a down payment by tomorrow, or we'll have to discharge her."
Aurora's knees nearly buckled. "No... Please, she'll die if you send her home!"
"I'm sorry," the nurse said softly before walking away.
Aurora stood there, her world crumbling around her.
No money. No options. No way out.
Alexander Harris has always been cold and indifferent–a ruthless CEO who values power over love. Haunted by his past and allergic to a woman's touch, he vowed never to fall for anyone-until he met Everette Carson. From the moment their paths crossed, Alexander was drawn to her in a way he couldn't explain. When his grandmother threatens to hand over 15% of the company's shares to his despised father unless he marries, Alexander sees an opportunity. Everette's bold defiance intrigues him-making her the perfect candidate for a marriage of convenience. Silencing his grandmother and putting Everette in her place? It's the perfect plan! But what starts as a calculated move quickly spirals into dangerous territory. Everette's warmth begins to melt the ice around his heart, stirring memories of a mysterious girl from his past-the only person who ever touched his soul. When the truth behind their first encounter is revealed, Alexander realizes their connection was no coincidence-it was Fate. Just as love begins to bloom, dark secrets unravel, hidden enemies rise from the shadows and betrayal strikes-determined to tear them apart. When Everette walks away, Alexander's desperation cracks through his icy facade. "If you leave me today, you will never see me again in this lifetime!" His voice was raw, and when she didn't stop-he pulled the trigger. The gunshot shattered the silence, but the pain that followed was far greater... After Everette left, the memory of that moment etched itself into Alexander's soul, haunting him even after six long years. Now, fate has brought her back to Summerville-to where it all started. Will their story finally have a different ending-or are they destined to fall apart once more?
"Please trust me, I didn't do anything." "I don't believe you. I am rejecting you as my Queen and giving you the punishment of death." Alina was living outside her pack for five years. Her parents didn't try to contact her and always ignored her. Her best friend convinced her to go back to their pack and she agreed. But she had never imagined what was waiting there for her. She never thought she would meet her mate and had to face betrayal from everywhere. She had to pay for the crime which she never committed. Aaron Robertson is the king of Lycans. He is a very dominant and powerful King who not only rules Lycans but also rules other ranks of werewolves. Everyone is afraid of Lycans and he is the king of them. But who knew that he would get a mate who was just a simple Omega with no powers and strengths? He called her weak all the time but little did he know that his weak Omega would give him the biggest betrayal of his life for which he had to give her the sentence of death.
He told her to call him Daddy. Not because he earned it, but because he fucking owned her. The moment she signed that contract, she stopped being a woman with dignity and became his filthy little plaything. His holes to use. His mess to ruin. He didn't just fuck her, he rewired her. Stripped her clean of boundaries and filled her with sin. Every punishment made her scream. Every game dragged her deeper into his twisted world. And the way he praised her... Good girl. She should've run the first time he said it. But Daddy doesn't let his toys leave. He breaks them until they beg to stay. ** Mia's life changed the night she let a stranger ruin her. One night. She never expected to see him again. Until she walked into her new job... and her boss turned around. Ace.Her one-night sin in a thousand-dollar suit. Only this time, he wasn't asking her to be his assistant. She was to be his wife.
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."
Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!
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?
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..." But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"