She married a stranger to escape her past-only to uncover that his secrets might destroy her future. Callie Reyes thought marrying Theo Halston would be simple. A contract. A chance at stability. Nothing more. But she didn't expect the cold, calculated executive to start unraveling her guarded heart. Theo needed a wife, one who wouldn't pry. What he didn't count on was wanting her. Needing her. Or how much her presence would shake the foundations of the empire he was trying to protect. As secrets from their pasts begin to surface, ones tied to power, family betrayal, and a dangerous legacy. Callie must choose: trust the man she's learning to love, or run before his truth becomes her ruin. But love has never been safe in the Halston family. And Theo's final secret? Could shatter them both.
October in Brookedge was no time for a heatwave, but that didn't stop the sun from rising like it had a grudge, turning the pavement into a skillet by noon. Mornings were the only reprieve, quiet and cool brief pockets of calm before the burn.
Callie Reyes was already in the kitchen, flipping eggs while the rest of the apartment slept.
She slid breakfast onto plates, wiped her hands, and grabbed her envelope, the one with her ID and birth certificate, then slipped out the door without a sound.
Last night's words echoed in her head, still sharp:
"Mia, I'm done playing host. Two grand a month is not charity, but it is not covering her half either. She's practically living here rent-free."
That was her brother-in-law, again. Same fight. Louder this time.
Callie didn't belong there anymore. But leaving without a plan would only make her sister worry.
So she made one. A big one. Marriage.
It wasn't romantic. It wasn't even about love. It was about peace. For everyone.
She had once helped a woman in a parking lot, Mrs. Halston after she had almost fell from the slippery ground. They stayed in touch, and Callie came to know all about her grandson, Theo, a corporate shark who avoided relationships like a second job.
Mrs. Halston had brought it up weeks ago: "You need stability, and my Theo needs someone who won't play games. Think about it."
And now, here she was, at City Hall, breathing hard through her nerves.
''Callie!"
She turned. There stood Mrs. Halston, all smiles, waving like they weren't about to do something absurd. Beside her stood Theo, silent, hands in his pockets, watching her like he was trying to figure out what kind of mess she might be.
"That's him," Mrs. Halston said, proudly. "My grandson. Don't let the scowl fool you."
Callie walked over. Theo was tall, sharp, and gave off the vibe of someone who measured people before speaking to them. She expected someone plainer and definitely less... composed.
He didn't offer a smile, just a small nod.
"Callie Reyes," she said, holding out her hand.
He shook it, firm and quick. "Theo."
She glanced at the modest car behind him. Nothing flashy. Clean and responsible. Not what she expected from someone with an executive title at Cordon Dynamics.
"I told you," Mrs. Halston went on, "he's got a good job, stable, clean..." she elbowed Theo, "...and only slightly allergic to human interaction."
"I'm standing right here," Theo muttered.
Callie tried not to laugh. "It's fine. I'm not great with people either."
Mrs. Halston clapped her hands. "Perfect! Go inside. I'll wait out here."
"It's hot," Theo said. "You should sit in the car."
He opened the passenger door for his grandmother with surprising care. That gesture was simple and unspoken, it told Callie everything she needed to know.
This was definitely not about romance, but neither was she signing up for cold indifference either.
He turned to her. "Let's get this over with."
"Wow," she said. "You sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet."
His mouth twitched. Maybe the closest he ever got to a smile.
Inside, as they waited for the clerk to process their documents, Theo looked at her with those unreadable eyes.
"You're still free to walk away, you know. I won't hold it against you. If this feels rushed, say the word."
Callie folded her arms, steady. "Is this you giving me an out, or hoping I'll take it?"
He didn't answer right away. "Maybe both."
She nodded slowly. "Well... I'm here. Let's just take the plunge."
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."
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
In Lothlann Continent, talent in martial arts won cultivators respect. Darren Chu, a mediocre talent in martial arts, was deemed a loser by everyone. His status changed when a fireball fell from the sky and hit him on the head. He cheated death. Empowered with the ability to assimilate other creatures' talent, Darren sought to better himself and seek vengeance against those who had wronged his family, including his little sister. "You will kneel in front of me one day," swore the future lord of martial arts.
"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.
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
The day Raina gave birth should have been the happiest of her life. Instead, it became her worst nightmare. Moments after delivering their twins, Alexander shattered her heart-divorcing her and forcing her to sign away custody of their son, Liam. With nothing but betrayal and heartbreak to her name, Raina disappeared, raising their daughter, Ava, on her own.Years later, fate comes knocking when Liam falls gravely ill. Desperate to save his son, Alexander is forced to seek out the one person he once cast aside. Alexander finds himself face to face with the woman he underestimated, pleading for a second chance-not just for himself, but for their son. But Raina is no longer the same broken woman who once loved him.No longer the woman he left behind. She has carved out a new life-one built on strength, wealth, and a long-buried legacy she expected to uncover.Raina has spent years learning to live without him.The question is... Will she risk reopening old wounds to save the son she never got to love? or has Alexander lost her forever?