Chapter 3 A Deal with the Devil

⚠️Warning: Not suitable for young readers or sensitive minds. "Aria!" She flinched like the word was a weapon. "Get your useless ass out of bed. Now." Her heartbeat skittered. She forced her feet to the floor, the wood cold against her soles, and opened the door carefully and quietly, as if noise alone might trigger another blow. Gregory Morgan stood at the end of the hallway, shoulders slumped, beer bottle dangling from two fingers. His shirt was stained, his breath thick with the sour stench of cigarettes and last night's liquor. His hair stuck out at odd angles, and his eyes were two pits of resentment waiting for something to strike. He turned toward her and sneered. "Look at you," he said, gesturing with the bottle like she was some pathetic joke. "Barely awake, barely alive. I swear, every day with you feels like a punishment from God." Her throat tightened.

(Trigger warning: this book has some elements of dark romance with an unhinged ML) "Would you give me your surname or better take mine then? Will you be the lucky man?" I blurted out having no idea of what I was saying. My head was already in the clouds and blinded by his smile. It calmed the storm in my mind. He laughed. Those dark abysses were truly alluring when they sparkled. His fingers grazed my cheeks, wiping off my tears, before cupping them in his callous palms. "If you love my surname so much." A foolish smile graced my lips, oblivious of the fact that he wasn't joking. "You can't back down now, hubby. You just got a wife." I thought I lost everything when I walked away from Sinclair. I never imagined I'd end up as Alaric Von Duvall's wife. ******* Her life was written in stone. A perfect life one she always dreamt of. Everything Cassandra wanted was within reach until one night revealed the love she'd trusted was a lie. Betrayal and deceit from those she trusted the most made every belief she had crash down. What she didn't expect was to stumble into a stranger's arms, into his bed and wake up married. Alaric gave her what she thought she wanted; now she can't take it back. One reckless mistake became a wedding vow. Now she's trapped inside Alaric's empire of lies. Married to a stranger who knows more than he's letting on He's dangerous. He's charming. And in front of everyone, he claimed her as his . Caught between Sinclair's obsession, Alaric's shadowy intentions, and her family's betrayal, Cassandra doesn't know if this marriage will be her downfall... or her salvation.

I stepped out of the bedroom, sleep having abandoned me. I needed something-anything-to silence the noise inside me. But I wasn't alone. He was there. Standing in the dark, by the window... The top buttons of his shirt undone, a glass of whiskey between his fingers. He turned to me slowly. "Couldn't sleep?" I nodded, my voice barely a whisper. "I don't want to sleep." He took a step. Then another. Until he was right in front of me-close enough for the heat of his body to kiss my skin. He said, "You know you're playing with fire, don't you?" I looked into his eyes-those eyes that shattered all my defenses. And I whispered, voice trembling, "I'd rather burn... than stay this cold." I don't know who moved first. All I know is that suddenly, I was in his arms. Surrounded by his breath. And in that moment-I forgot my name, my marriage... everything. He leaned in, his breath rough against my ear. "I'm your husband's father... this is wrong." Then after a beat, "But I want it to happen." --- I married him to escape the pain. But my heart only beat for one man-his father. I thought marriage would bring peace. A shelter from a bleeding past. But I didn't realize I was stepping straight into the storm. A storm named Leonardo Ricardo. A man who knows no mercy. A man who never accepts defeat. And worst of all? He's my husband's father. His eyes trap me. His voice chains me. And his touch... His touch brands me with sin. What happens when a woman shifts from obedient wife to prey caught between two flames? One gave her his name. The other stole her soul. Forbidden Romance · Age Gap · Family Drama · Steamy · Dark Passion

On a bright and sunny winter day as Alyssa was staring out of the balcony window when her husband Noah Macari's Black Maybach pulled in the driveway. She was excited to see her Husband was home early so she ran down the stairs excitedly to greet her husband Noah when suddenly his sister Nancy Macari stepped out of the study in front of Alyssa and asked her "why was she was in a hurry"? Before Alyssa could speak the front door opened and Noah walked in with a indifferent look on his face as he looked at his wife Alyssa and then Nancy greeted her brother "Hello Noah, you're home early today". Noah greeted his sister with a smile and said "Grandpa Zach called me home early to prepare for a dinner party for a guest that arrived from abroad". Alyssa stood there without saying a word but confusion written all over her face. Nancy smiled at her brother and stepped aside so he could go up the stairs and get ready for dinner. Alyssa was not informed of this special guest from abroad and she felt the need to get some fresh air and walked out back to the Koi pond. Upstairs Noah Macari just came out of the shower and was getting dressed in a dark black suit with a nice dark gray undershirt made his dark hazel eyes shone and damp tousled black hair would make any woman stare in awe at him. Suddenly a loud shrieking scream comming from out back got everyones attention and everyone ran out back to see what what was going on. The Butler was pulling the beautiful actress Chloe, Noah's brother Braxton Macari's wife from the pond. Chloe was shivering from the cool winter breeze and being soaked from the water saying "Alyssa just tried to end my life why did she push me into the pond"? The maid was helping Alyssa out of the pond and didn't say a word. Alyssa looked up and saw Noah comforting Chloe his brother Braxton's wife and giving her his coat. While Noah was walking the hysterical Chloe inside to the warm mansion he quickly glared at his wife Alyssa and she stood there freezing and felt the maid ushering in go inside and warm up. Alyssa took a warm shower and when she got out Alyssa wrapped herself in her pink fleece bathrobe drying her hair on her way out to the bedroom to grab clothes from her closet. Noah was sitting on the bed and did not look her his wife in the eyes and said "old man Macari wants to see you in the study once you're dressed" then he stood up and walked out of the room. Alyssa looked at Noah's retreating back and said in a low voice "I didn't push Chloe into the pond". Noah stopped turned around and looked at Alyssa indifferently and turned back around and proceeded down the stairs. Once Alyssa was dressed in her warm pajamas she went down to the study to meet with old man Zach. When Alyssa walked into the study, old man Zach was sitting on a chair while Noah was standing near the doorway. Old man Zach Macari was furious and thew a book at Alyssa, which barely missed hitting her head and fell to the ground behind her. Old man Zach Macari yelled "I do not know why Noah married someone like you and who do you think you are throwing your brother in law's wife Chloe into a pond"? Old man Zach said to Alyssa "since you were never taught manners you will be taught in the Macari residence, you will kneel in this study until morning". Without another word old man Zach Macari opened the office window and let the winter breeze in and made the room cold with the breeze blowing in directly on Alyssa. Her pajamas did not keep the chill from reaching her skin she looked up at her husband Noah who did not say a word and suddenly the doorbell rang. Old man Zach said to Noah "our guest from abroad must be here let's welcome our guest and go eat" Noah walked out behind his grandpa without even glancing at his wife Alyssa and followed to greet their guest. When their butler opened the door stood a beautiful woman who was in her early 20's wearing a red haute couture dress, black coat, and her loose beach wave curls just screamed how she was from an influential family. Old man Zach greeted the woman "hello miss McCormick, long time no see". She stepped into the mansion and said to Zach "no need to address me so formally our family's have known each other a long time, just call me Nicole" with a bright smile. Nicole turned to Noah and went to give him a hug and said to him "long time no see and still as handsome as ever with a seductive laugh". Noah spoke to Nicole and said "long time no see miss McCormick". Nancy came running to the door and gasped and squealed "Nicole it's really you! It's been forever! Come let's eat dinner and let's catch up, I believe our cook as prepared someone your favorites from the past". Alyssa was kneeling in waiting for Noah to come and find out what happened, but he did not show up. Alyssa started to feel light headed and was shivering cold from the wind blowing in on her and her long wavy brunette hair was still damp from earlier and couldn't feel her knees she ended up passing out.

Some cages are lined with silk. Some chains are dipped in gold. But they still hold you captive. Nineteen-year-old Cassia Hale becomes the sixth bride of billionaire Killian Thorne, not out of love, but as payment for her father's gambling debts. One threat against her fifteen-year-old sister. One signature. And her life as she knew it is over. Thrust into a mansion with five other wives, Cassia quickly learns she's different. Killian doesn't just want her, he's obsessed. She's the only one he intends to legally marry, the only one who can give him an heir, the only one who matters. But in a house where wives compete for survival and a mysterious fortune lies buried beneath the gardens, being the favorite makes her the biggest target. Isla, the cunning queen bee, sees Cassia as an existential threat. Nessa, the jaded rebel, warns her to run while she can. Vera drowns in forbidden love with a servant. Mira watches everything with calculating eyes. And sweet, kind Thalia hides the most dangerous secrets of all. When groundskeeper Dash offers Cassia escape and what seems like genuine love, she's torn between the monster who owns her and the man who might save her. But as drugged seductions, calculated betrayals, and murders disguised as accidents tear through the mansion, Cassia discovers the other wives aren't her only problem. Someone is systematically eliminating the competition. Bodies are disappearing. Lies are unraveling. And Killian's dark empire, built on weapons dealing and blood money is more dangerous than she ever imagined. As Cassia falls pregnant and the mansion descends into chaos, she must navigate deadly games where jealousy kills and trust is fatal. One by one, the other wives fall, exposed, destroyed by their own schemes, until only one question remains: Will Cassia become another casualty? Or will she claim her crown as the only woman fierce enough to stand beside a monster and transform him into a king? From captive to queen. From six brides to one. This is the story of how Cassia Hale became Mrs. Thorne and survived to rule his empire. A dark, intensely erotic romance about power, obsession, and choosing love with your eyes wide open. ⚠️ Trigger Warnings: Forced Marriage/Captivity Dubious Consent (initial encounters) Sexual Content (explicit, intense) Violence Emotional Manipulation Power Imbalance (age gap, wealth gap, power gap) Threats to Family Members (Lila) Dark Themes (obsession, possession, control) Death (side characters) Psychological Intensity Potentially Triggering Romance Dynamic

Angela Celeste secretly has a crush on her hot and sexy boss, Xander Whithold. He is the dream of every high-class woman in New York. Everyone in New York knows Xander as the god Adonis. As his secretary, Angel doesn't have the guts to cross the line. She will only admire Xander from afar while working as his secretary. But things change so fast when they accidentally run into each other at the club. Xander sees Angel in a different form. She doesn't look like Ms. Celeste, his very formal secretary at the office. Angela shows a different side of herself; wild, passionate, and sexy. He can't control his possessiveness towards Angela when a stranger approaches her. Xander grabs Angela's hand and kisses her. Impulsively, he tells the man that Angela is his girlfriend, while Xander has a fiancée who has been engaged to him since he was a child.