She loved her husband. She gave him everything, without hesitation, offering her heart, her soul, and her dreams. But he was nothing but a receiver, never a giver. He took without ever giving back, feeding off her affection and sacrifices. He was selfish, and every gesture she made for him seemed like a mere formality to satisfy his needs. He was never there for her, except when it served him. The only things he offered were confusion. He gave her empty promises, sweet words that rang hollow. He offered manipulation, ideals disguised as his "undeniable love," but in reality, he only loved one person: himself. She adored him, but he saw in her nothing more than a tool to fill his inner emptiness. He had invaded her mind to the point where, when he proposed an open relationship, he made her believe it was her idea, seducing her with subtle words. She wanted to believe him, convincing herself that it was a step of compromise, a sacrifice for the love he claimed to have for her. But deep down, she knew it wasn't what she wanted. She wanted him, and only him. He wanted her, and all the others he could get, all those who would feed his insatiable need for power and domination. But all of that changed when Tobias Wrexler entered their lives. His intense gaze, his silent yet powerful presence, brought a turning point in her life. The shadow of her husband suddenly seemed far less threatening in the light that Tobias brought.
01
2 hours.
I sat there for 2 hours.
I sat there in my lace, rouge red teddy with my garter sitting seductively on my bare thigh and in my black stiletto Christian Louboutin red bottom heels to match. My skin was glossy, moisturized from head to toe, almost patent, but I was ready to glisten from the glow of the orgasms he used to give me. I was ready for the lace to be ripped off my body, beyond repair, only to be left in my garter and my Louboutins. I was ready to be ravished by the man who put that final ring on my finger only five years ago, today.
But that wasn't going to happen-and deep down, I knew it.
I waited and waited, hoping, praying, wishing on stars that probably had long since burned out. I imagined him walking through the double doors of the house we built together, his eyes dark with the same hunger he used to have for me. I pictured him lifting me off my feet, carrying me to the kitchen table to devour the two-course meal I had spent hours preparing, only to then devour me for dessert.
However, that dream shattered when I woke up, still in my ensemble, sitting on the edge of our marital bed in the dark of night. The house was still, save for the sound that ultimately ripped me apart-a hearty laugh, his laugh, followed by the soft giggle of another.
I quickly wrapped my silk robe around my body, the cool fabric sticking to the heated skin that was still embarrassingly primed for him, and silently crept down our grand staircase.
What I was met with wasn't a surprise, but it still chipped at my beating heart every single time.
There he was-Chase.
The man I promised my life to.
The man who now belonged to someone else every night and expected me to pretend it didn't shatter me.
His wedded hand was twisted in a fistful of her red hair-his favorite color. He devoured her lips like they were oxygen and he was suffocating. She clung to him with desperate fingers, and he didn't seem to care that anyone could see, least of all his wife.
I stood there, arms crossed over my chest, clutching my robe tighter, waiting, hoping he would notice me. But, as per usual, he didn't.
I felt a single tear slip down my cheek as the pain I had anesthetized for so long finally woke up again, sharp and all-consuming.
"Chase-" she breathed, gasping as he trailed kisses down her neck to her shoulder.
"Cha-Chase, your wife is here," she moaned, almost embarrassed but too caught up in him to really care.
I felt bile claw up my throat. He slowly looked over his shoulder at me, as if I were nothing more than an inconvenient interruption.
I couldn't even meet his eyes. I felt myself instinctively covering my chest with the tiny silk material wrapped around me, shrinking under his gaze.
"Hey-hey baby, what are you doing up? I'm so sorry we woke you," he said casually, like he was apologizing for stepping on my foot, "I just wanted to spend tonight with my girlfriend, you can go back-"
"You asked her to be your girlfriend tonight?" I felt my voice break, the words tumbling from my lips like shards of broken glass.
He looked startled for a brief moment. Then he placed his hands on my arms, as if that would somehow tether me back to him. "Baby, we-we spoke about this. You said you were okay with this, you were the one who wanted this open relationship so I wouldn't cheat-"
And there it was.
The blame.
The guilt.
The manipulation that he wielded so perfectly.
Yeah. It was my choice.
Serves me right for thinking this would be different.
I loved this man with everything in me. I loved him so much that I let him talk me into an arrangement that broke me piece by piece. I agreed because the alternative-losing him-seemed worse. But now, I realized that maybe losing him would have been mercy compared to the slow death of our marriage.
I felt their eyes on me, burning holes into my soul. I couldn't let her see me like this-weak, broken, betrayed.
Without another word, I fled to our room and slammed the door behind me.
I slid down the heavy wood, my knees giving out as tears flooded my face.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid," I whispered harshly, hitting the back of my head softly against the door with each word. My sobs were so violent that they shook my body, years of swallowed pain spilling out all at once.
Then I heard it-loud footsteps rushing toward me, then a single heavy thump as Chase slammed his hand against the door.
"Please open the door, please, beautiful," he pleaded.
That single word.
It could unravel me in seconds.
Beautiful.
Chase always knew how to get to me. Even when everything else crumbled, he made me feel beautiful. He whispered it into the darkness when I cried about my body. He murmured it into my hair when the world was too cruel. He said it like it was a truth no one else could take away.
And hearing it now, layered with enough love and desperation to sound almost convincing, I hated how badly I still wanted to believe him.
I pressed my forehead against the door, my tears soaking into the wood.
"I'm sorry, baby," he continued on the other side, his voice cracking. "You know I love you more than anything. You know you're my world. Please don't shut me out."
I squeezed my eyes shut, letting more tears fall.
Because part of me still wanted to believe him.
Part of me still wanted to throw the door open, leap into his arms, and forget the girl with the red hair ever existed.
But the other part-the part that was growing louder and angrier every day-knew better.
Still, the war raged inside me. Love and pain tangled together so tightly I couldn't tell where one ended and the other began.
I stayed on the floor, silent. Listening to him breathing heavily on the other side, waiting.
Waiting for me to forgive him like I always did.
Waiting for me to choose him over myself.
Again.
But tonight, for the first time, I didn't know if I could.
She was barely twenty years old when her heart was shattered by the man she thought she could love, a man who, out of spite and a thirst for revenge, left her in pain. He hated her for a crime she didn't commit, a crime she didn't even know about. The pain was unbearable, the betrayal devastating. Five years later, Ana was no longer the fragile, vulnerable young woman she once was. She had grown, matured, and built a strength she never knew she had back then. Life had changed her; she no longer believed in love or the goodness of men. She had learned not to let her emotions control her. Yet, when Devin reappeared, her balance faltered. He had returned, determined to finish what he hadn't been able to do before: his revenge. His dark, cold eyes exuded an icy hostility, but Ana knew he was no longer the man he once was. The Devin of today was more cynical, more ruthless. Still, she couldn't ignore the lingering attraction she had always felt for him. Devin, for his part, bore the scars of a life marked by betrayal and pain. Since the age of fourteen, revenge had become his only obsession. Fate had driven him to hate the daughter of the man who had destroyed his family. But when he crossed Ana's gaze again, he realized that the war he had waged against her could destroy both of them. Could their love be possible, or would the past be too heavy to bear?
Bronte was the beloved girl of everyone, always smiling and full of life. Her popularity made her an essential person in everyone's eyes. Yet, there was one exception: Blake. This arrogant bad boy, with his messy hair and piercing gaze, didn't even seem to notice her. But that was before her parents went to Africa. Forced to leave for several weeks, they entrusted Bronte to Blake. Upon her arrival, Bronte felt like an intruder in his world. Their first interactions were cold, marked by endless pranks and arguments that never seemed to end. Yet, behind Blake's attitude, Bronte sensed something deeper, a secret he hid carefully. Over the days, their relationship slowly began to change. Despite the provocations and tensions, an attraction started to form between them. Blake couldn't admit it, but it was clear that Bronte was no longer just the neighbor.
"Look at yourself in the mirror, little bun. You're still shivering under my touch, so excited, so pitiful..." His voice was low, teasing, as he stroked her cheek, his fingers trailing down to her trembling neck. "Let go of me, you bastard!" She struggled, trying to twist away, her hands pushing against his chest. "What did you do to the divorce paper?!" He smirked, not even flinching at her resistance. "It wasn't a divorce paper, baby." He leaned in closer, his breath warm against her ear. "I changed the contract." Her eyes widened, confusion flashing in her gaze. "What do you mean-?" "In the end," he whispered, "you belong to me, and only me." His fingers brushed over her lips as he held her in place, savoring her resistance, knowing all too well how much she wanted to escape. But it didn't matter. She was already his, and the paper proved it. There was no going back now.
He swept my sweat-drenched hair off my neck, pressing his lips against my ear. His hot breath made me shiver, and every vibration of his voice left me breathless. "You're not the first to try to seduce me," he whispered, his warm breath grazing my skin. "But you're my favorite." His eyes locked with mine, piercing and intense, before he slowly pulled me away. I watched him take my red lace thong, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. A wave of desire overwhelmed me, mixed with a strange sense of defeat. I hadn't expected this, nor the palpable tension that had settled between us. And now, I'm an intern for Cole, the writer of the steamiest novels I've ever read. All of this is more real, more intense, and most of all, more dangerous than I could have ever imagined.
Jack had just arrived in town, a cold breeze following him, signaling the arrival of winter. The first snowflakes danced in the air, covering the streets with a white blanket. Summer, on the other hand, hated this season. Every year, she dreaded the cold, the gray skies, and the early darkness. But that day, something changed. When he walked into her café, an unusual shiver ran down her spine. The man with silver hair and icy blue eyes, as cold as the winter sea, seemed to bring a breath of fresh air with him. But there was something else, something captivating in his presence, a mystery that Summer didn't yet understand. Jack, with his calm, frosty demeanor, knew how to bring the chill, almost as if he could make the air feel sharper. Yet, soon, she would discover that beneath that apparent coldness, he had the power to ignite a fire inside her. A fire she never imagined could exist.
Maddison Holt, the youngest and only female alpha in North America, took her father's place after his death and her mother's illness. She's always believed a mate would be a weakness. However, her mate is the killer who slaughtered her father. Jay Pierce, the most feared alpha in history, is the devil himself-handsome but merciless. Maddison wants nothing to do with him, but he intends to make her submit. A power struggle where only one rule exists: one of them must yield. The war between Maddison and Jay begins.
Desperate to handle her grandmother's towering medical bills, Gianna agreed to a contract marriage with Tristan, the enigmatic man she'd once shared a one-night stand with. She assumed they'd fulfill each other's needs and dissolve the arrangement once the terms expired. Unbeknownst to Gianna, this marriage was a dream Tristan had clung to for ten relentless years. Certain she was just filling someone else's role, Gianna prepared to leave when that other woman returned. But Tristan, his eyes burning with unspoken emotion, seized her trembling hand and declared, "You’re mine. Now and always."
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."
Kara Martin was known as Miss Perfect. She was a beauty with good personality and successful career. Unfortunately, her life changed at one night. She was accused of adultery, losing her job, and abandoned by her fiance. The arrogant man who slept with her did not want to take responsibility. He even threatened to kill her if they met again. What's worse, Kara was pregnant with twins and she chose to give birth to them. Four and a half years later, Kara returned to work at a large company. As the secretary, she would frequently face their notorious CEO. Kara thought it wouldn't be a problem, but as it turned out ... the CEO was the father of the twins!
Dear readers, this book has resumed daily updates. It took Sabrina three whole years to realize that her husband, Tyrone didn't have a heart. He was the coldest and most indifferent man she had ever met. He never smiled at her, let alone treated her like his wife. To make matters worse, the return of the woman he had eyes for brought Sabrina nothing but divorce papers. Sabrina's heart broke. Hoping that there was still a chance for them to work on their marriage, she asked, "Quick question,Tyrone. Would you still divorce me if I told you that I was pregnant?" "Absolutely!" he responded. Realizing that she didn't mean shit to him, Sabrina decided to let go. She signed the divorce agreement while lying on her sickbed with a broken heart. Surprisingly, that wasn't the end for the couple. It was as if scales fell off Tyrone's eyes after she signed the divorce agreement. The once so heartless man groveled at her bedside and pleaded, "Sabrina, I made a big mistake. Please don't divorce me. I promise to change." Sabrina smiled weakly, not knowing what to do...
For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, “Either you or the baby survives!” Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, “I’m sorry, men no longer interest me.”
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"