Chapter 1 Prologue

"I swear on everything I have, Leylla Monroe... You won't hurt me like this. I won't let you," Vincent said, his voice shaking with anger. She smiled, calm and daring. "It's already happening. You are already having a bittersweet taste of your own medicine, Doctor Vincent De'Lucca." "It will stop!" he shouted, as if trying to believe his own words. "I will stop you and my father, no matter what it takes." He stepped closer, his eyes burning. "And if I can't stop it... I would rather die than have you as my stepmother!" Leylla let out a quiet laugh. It was soft, but cold. Then, she gave him the same look she wore the day she caught him sleeping with her best and only friend. Her voice dropped, sharp and icy. "If that happens, Vincent, I will gladly descend your coffin into the ground myself." _____________________________________________________________________________________________ He had never truly believed in her. Perhaps he never truly loved her, as he claimed. Then he cheated, crushing her heart completely. Lost and broken, Leylla ran into a stranger in the hospital parking lot. One mistake led to a night of wild passion. But the morning after... She discovered that the man she had slept with was none other than her ex's father and the senior surgeon at the hospital. Now her ex would rather die than see her become his stepmother. But his father is ready to lose everything... just to have her. A love once sweet... now poisoned. Two lovers... now enemies. Sweet promises... turned into cruel threats. And threats? They are turning real, one by one. And finally... What happens when revenge tastes better than love?

Elena, as a young girl, was the only survivor of a yacht explosion she and her parents used for a family vacation. She ran from the trauma and relocated to another city, finding comfort in art and honing her artistic skills in the most prestigious art gallery in that city. A perfect career, as an Executive Art Director, but despite all these, her past still haunted her like never before. Then she met Alexander Drake, the son of a billionaire and billionaire himself, whom she fell in love with. But along the line in their love escapades, she discovered that his family was responsible for the death of her parents and the downfall of her family's business legacy.

Aria Lane is desperate. Her little brother needs surgery, and the bills are too much. When she hears about a job that promises quick money, she signs the contract without reading it carefully. She thinks it's for modeling, but unfortunately, it's not. She signed a marriage contract in disguise. Julian Cross, a cold and powerful billionaire, thought he was paying for a fake marriage to a rich woman who could protect his name. Instead, he ends up married to Aria, a struggling waitress. The deal is done. The wedding is public. If they break it, it could ruin Julian's empire and leave Aria worse off than before. Living together is a disaster at first. Julian is cold and angry. Aria is stubborn and full of fire. But the more they fight, the more they can't stay away from each other. Under the anger, a real connection starts to grow. Still, secrets hang between them. Julian doesn't know Aria's hidden link to a tragedy from his past. Aria doesn't know the whole truth about why Julian needed the marriage in the first place. When the lies come out, their fragile trust will break-and only real love can fix what money never could. They signed the contract by mistake. But falling in love might be the real risk.

This is a story about Zoe, who travelled back in to the country after a year of working overseas, to surprise her five-year-old son and her twin sister, Chloe, only to come back and find out that Chloe is now married to the father of her son, using her identity.

He needed a place to stay. She needed the rent. Neither expected to fall in love... especially not with secrets, scandals, and a CEO title in the mix. When Emily Lawson rents out her spare room to make ends meet, the last thing she expects is to land a ridiculously handsome-and frustratingly mysterious-roommate. Nick Hale claims to be taking a break from the corporate world, but Emily quickly realizes he's hiding more than just his last name. What starts as a simple living arrangement spirals into late-night confessions, simmering chemistry, and unexpected feelings. But when the truth about Nick's identity as a powerful CEO comes crashing down, Emily must decide if she can trust the man who turned her world upside down-or walk away before her heart shatters. Love was never part of the agreement... but some contracts are meant to be broken.

Livia Shelby, 19, is forced into marriage with Damian Alexander - a ruthless CEO with a cold heart. Hate simmers beneath the surface, and sometimes it blurs the line between resentment and desire. But what happens when the love that grows between them is bound by a contract... and forbidden to be spoken? Author's Note: This book has been previously published on several platforms. This version is a revised and improved edition.