Compelled by her dad's dilemma and the looming fate of their business, Irene agreed to become Braydon's lover. To outsiders, Braydon seemed invulnerable, yet only Irene was privy to the tempestuous passions he unleashed behind closed doors. Gradually, Irene found herself tangled in the intricate emotional snare Braydon had woven, her heart craving more, only to be shattered by the revelation of his engagement. Devastated, she left and soon encountered Braydon's archrival. It was then that the formidable Braydon confronted the esteemed surgeon Dr. Mitchell, all in a fierce struggle over Irene.
In a hotel room, Irene Dixon perched on the edge of the bed, her head spinning. She clenched her teeth, struggling to maintain consciousness.
Her life had spiraled into chaos when her father was jailed on murder charges, and the shock had triggered her mother's illness, landing her in the ICU.
Amid this turmoil, her father's former allies were twisting the knife. Disregarding her father's significant help in the past, they spread malicious rumors and absconded with the company funds, all for their own gains. Consequently, many business partners were withdrawing, demanding both contract cancellations and damages from the Dixon Group.
Overnight, the Dixon Group was saddled with a debt of 380 million dollars, teetering on the edge of collapse.
Determined not to let her parents' life's work disintegrate, Irene felt compelled to take on the overwhelming challenge. The Dixon Group's salvation seemed to hinge on securing a lucrative deal with the Swan Mountain tourism resort hotel project. However, the project's manager was avoiding her, and without securing the project's initial deposit within three days, the Dixon Group faced bankruptcy.
In her desperation, Irene sought help from her estranged husband, Cade Hudson.
The Hudson Group was a powerhouse in Eimwell, with the Hudson family holding prominence for over a century.
Years ago, Irene's mother had saved Cade's life, prompting Damien Hudson, Cade's grandfather, to orchestrate a marriage between Cade and Irene once they were of age.
Their marriage, however, existed only on paper. They had never held a wedding ceremony nor consummated the union. Cade had departed for business shortly after their marriage and hadn't returned for two years.
Now, desperate for an introduction to the elusive project manager, Irene reached out to Cade, who shockingly proposed that they first consummate their marriage.
Accepting a glass of wine Cade had sent over, Irene took the room key he provided and headed to the designated room, her body strangely warming. She hadn't been intimate with men before and couldn't suppress her nerves.
As Irene waded through a fog of drowsiness, a man approached her. He arched an eyebrow and murmured, "You're quite beautiful, and you have a lovely figure."
Instinctively, Irene leaned into the man's touch, clutching his hand and whispering, "Cade..."
The man's face hardened immediately, and he scoffed. "You're calling another man's name in my bed? Is that appropriate to you?"
Confused, Irene looked up at the man, her thoughts increasingly clouded. Yet, when she saw him moving to leave, she impulsively reached out and clung to him from behind, pleading, "Don't go!"
The man paused, turning to face the drunk Irene. Her delicate features and half-lidded eyes, highlighted by a faint blush at their corners and an unintentionally alluring look, stirred a sense of familiarity in him. He gazed at the strange woman before him, who had somehow found her way into his room, and a fleeting memory crossed his mind, but before he could focus on it, he felt her grip tightening around his waist.
The man chuckled and said, "Alright. Just don't regret this later." With that, he embraced her, gently pinched her chin, and their lips met as they fell onto the soft bed.
As he thrust into her aggressively, the sharp, woody aroma of his cologne filled the air, and her grip on his robe tightened as she let out a soft moan.
The sound she made served as a catalyst, drawing out a stronger reaction from him.
He released her, gazing down at her now tousled appearance, then removed his robe and tossed it aside.
Slowly, he pushed his shaft deeper inside her for a few more inches.
A pained groan escaped Irene as tears began to gather in her eyes.
As the man propped himself up by resting his muscular arms near Irene's face, she caught his hands, her voice breaking as she implored, "Please... Be gentle..."
"Okay," he whispered, lightly kissing her lips before lifting her legs across his arms.
Their shadows entwined endlessly in the dimly lit room.
Irene chewed on the blanket's edge, her tears saturating the pillow beneath her. Overwhelmed by a confusing fusion of pain and novel pleasure, panic surged within her.
Lifted abruptly, Irene clung to the man, her cries echoing in the room.
As time seemed to stretch indefinitely, he eventually released her, panting heavily. When he turned her to face him, he discovered she had fainted. He tutted, carefully wiped away a tear from her eyelashes, and tasted its salty bitterness. "Did it hurt that much?"
Her tears dampened his earlier enthusiasm and passion. The man stood up and walked to the bathroom.
The sound of water cascading in the bathroom filled the otherwise quiet room as Irene laboriously pried her eyelids open. She was anxiously awaiting a definitive response from Cade.
Fighting through her discomfort, Irene rose from the bed, her feet touching the chilly floor, and leaned on the table for support as she moved toward the bathroom door. Just then, her phone began to ring. The screen showed Cade's name.
Confusion washed over Irene. Cade was supposed to be in the shower. Why would he be calling her now? Uneasy, she answered the call. "Cade, I've complied with your request. When are you going to hold up your end?"
Cade's voice, full of mockery, came through the speaker. "When did I ever say I'd help you? I only told you to meet me at the hotel, and I'd consider it."
Irene's grip on the phone tightened. "And? Have you decided?"
"My decision is no," Cade responded crisply.
"You're going back on your promise?" Irene's face grew stern.
"You sound upset. But remember, you're my wife. Isn't it my right to have sex with you?" Cade's laugh had a biting edge. "Oh, and I forgot to mention something. The man with you last night wasn't me."
Irene's breathing grew rapid, her voice shaky. "What do you mean? This shouldn't be joked about, Cade."
Still laughing, Cade retorted, "I'm quite serious. It wasn't me with you last night."
Irene's phone slipped from her trembling hand. She stooped to pick it up, but before she could, a shadow fell over her.
Irene looked up to see the man who had stepped out of the bathroom. He was shirtless, scratches visible on his chest.
It was blatantly obvious now. Cade had tricked her. He had feigned a desire to be intimate with her, but in reality, he had sent her to another man's bed.
Jemma’s dad was jailed, and her friend betrayed her, leaving her desperate for the President’s help. While pleading her case, she unexpectedly spent a night with a mysterious man she knew nothing about. She discovered he was actually the President she sought, but he hated her and another woman had assumed her identity. Undeterred, Jemma overturned her father's conviction, thrived in many industries, and became a foreign President’s sister. Elites vied for her favor. When the truth emerged, the President regretted his deeds and claimed she was his only love, but Jemma said, “Sorry, I’d stay single.”
While Sienna reached the pinnacle of her success, Julian remained the forgotten son of his family, the one who had secretly stolen her first kiss in the shadows of the night. As Sienna hit her darkest moment, Julian returned home, leaving his life behind, only to witness her tears glistening in the moonlight as she reluctantly accepted another man's proposal. When Sienna needed Julian more than ever, he had risen to a position of power and had become her most steadfast pillar of support. "Please marry me." There was no one else in the world who could love Sienna as deeply as Julian did.
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”
Working during summer vacation, a strange customer threw hot milk tea at me and even damaged the machines in the store. The milk tea shop sided with the customer and even took all of my wages to compensate for the damages. When I went to argue about it, I was crushed into minced meat by a large truck on the way. Opening my eyes again, I found myself back at the moment when the customer threw milk tea at me.
After five years of marriage, my husband is always absent on my birthday. No gifts, no blessings. He said, "I've given you the money, buy whatever you want." But he started preparing for Fiona's birthday half a month in advance. He said, "She's different, she only has me." As the sole survivor of a unexpected fire, he has been heartbroken for over a decade. Watching Fiona in Moments holding a cake and kissing his face. I slowly commented. 【Just this useless person, I'm giving him to you.】
In an effort to save his girlfriend's life, Randall's right hand was severely injured, rendering him disabled for life. Unexpectedly, what he got in return was betrayal: his girlfriend left him for his best friend! Just as he felt that his world was falling apart, he met a man who changed his life—the legendary Dr. Stewart Tran. Randall not only became a disciple of this world-renowned doctor but also inherited the man's insane wealth. That was how Randall started fighting back, defeating anyone who got in his way—and ultimately, living his legendary life.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
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?
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.
Melissa could tolerate being deceived and humiliated, but being framed was a different story. Three years of marriage was less important in her husband’s eyes than a teardrop from his other woman, Arielle. Finally, on a rainy day, she was ruthlessly abandoned. Five years later, Melissa showed up with her adorable twins. She became world-famous in the medical field. That was when her ex-husband, Everett, came crawling back, asking her to help cure Arielle... "Hey, old man, if you want to talk to my Mommy, you have to pass my test first." Melissa’s young son, Merrick, raised his chin proudly. ‘Old man?’ Everett checked himself carefully. Did he look that old? “Daddy, you really are very old..." Lindsey, Merrick’s twin sister, said with a pout.