Chapter: 8 - CLUMSY GIRLThe moment Damon Bass locked eyes with me from across the bar, I felt the air shift. Not the fun, flirty kind of shift you get when someone cute notices you. No, this was the kind that makes your stomach flip like you’ve swallowed a live fish. Naturally, I did the only logical thing: I spun around so fast I might have given myself whiplash and stared at Aiden, desperate for a distraction.Aiden, of course, noticed. He noticed everything. His eyes narrowed slightly, his lips curving into a knowing smirk as he leaned back against his chair. "You like him, huh?"I scoffed so hard I nearly inhaled my drink. "No, I don’t. I think he’s a client from work. Not just a regular, though. A VIP. And he’s… odd.""Odd?" Aiden tilted his head, feigning interest."Yes. Odd. Like… mysterious. You know, the kind of odd that’s unsettling and fascinating at the same time." I was rambling. Of course I was rambling. "And I might have shaken his hand when he was just asking for his ID back, which was awkwar
Last Updated: 2025-01-12
Chapter: 7 - DAMON BASSCHERYL’S POVThe next morning I woke up with a slight headache after I had nearly stayed up the whole night drinking beer with Aiden and suddenly I didn’t hate him anymore, the kiss somehow had cushioned the rippling hatred I had felt towards him. It didn’t feel like the air had been sucked from lungs anytime I was in the same room with him and all the memories of the pranks he pulled at me in school weren’t rushing to my head to knock me off my feet. The kiss had definitely played a big factor in my shift of feelings towards Aiden, it replayed in my mind a dozen times since my eyes popped open, the softness of his lips, plump and pink met with the awkwardness, unsuspecting lips of mine. It had definitely caught me off guard, knocked the wind out of the air that it felt stuffy outside. I didn’t expect the raspberry taste of his mouth, I would have expected something more pepper minty, whiskey like or coffee even but not something so sweet – so delicious that I wanted more – I wanted
Last Updated: 2025-01-11
Chapter: 6 - TRUCEIt was a short kiss, but my belly tingled. His lips were as soft as the cloud and it ignited me. I was surprised, but now there was something else.“Cheryl – who’s this?” Marty’s voice came through, his face now puzzled and contorted in confusion.“Aiden Scott, I don’t think we’ve met” Aiden said instead with a steady smile and offering his hands for a handshake which Marty did not take by the way. “Cheryl’s my girlfriend”I nearly choked on my spit, but I managed to keep my cool but only because I was enjoying the look on Marty’s face.“That’s not possible, she’s married to me”“Not anymore as I presume” Aiden said “Last I checked, you starred in a truckload of porn movies, nobody wants to stay married to that”I chuckled silently.“Cheryl is this true?” Marty looked at me now, the panic and anger in his eyes brought instant satisfaction to my stomach and I wanted nothing more than to strike him further, I wanted him to feel a portion of what he put me through, stumbling on those vid
Last Updated: 2025-01-11
Chapter: 5 - FIRST KISSI woke up the next morning in my room, still wearing the clothes I wore the previous night. Soft rays of sunlight streamed lazily through the window and just as I tried to sit up that was when I felt it – a sharp zing slicing through my head, I fell back to the bed immediately. I shut my eyes to ease off the pressure and then it slowly started coming back to me.The previous night.‘Teach me’ I remembered saying to Aiden before I had puked all over his shoes.“Fuck!” I groaned internally. We had been roommates for barely twenty four hours and I had already embarrassed myself and puked on him. This is the reason I get bullied – I was always so clumsy and stupid. Well it was going to be okay, all I needed to do now was to avoid him at least just until I got a new place and then I would never have to see him again.I stood up gently from the bed, putting some slippers on and I walked quietly out of the room. The house was quiet, I wish the air would still even further so I could listen f
Last Updated: 2024-12-15
Chapter: 4 - TEACH MEI had already downed my second glass when I began to fill the floozy effects of the bitter booze. Don’t get me wrong, I had gotten drunk or more likely tipsy, a few cans of beer, few glasses of wine but never the vodka and tequila kind, I always liked to keep it clean and a bit classy.But this was a different kind of drunk, I could feel the room spinning around and my tongue felt kind of loose, kind of sour and although it wasn’t a feeling I hated yet, it was different.I flashed my attention back to the group as they bickered on and on, and I tried to blend in, bob my head to the beat of the music in the background, nod my head to my conversations and maybe chuckled every bit now and then. I thought I was getting away with it until I heard Anika call my name.“That reminds me Cheryl, you got married didn’t you, you made this big fuss about it on social media” then I saw her eyes flicker to my finger where I had gotten rid of the ring, and my fingers lay empty.“What happened?” she a
Last Updated: 2024-11-18
Chapter: 3 - GOOD GIRL“Hello Tiny” I heard the voice before I saw the face and it felt like I had been transported back in time, to where I was still in high school, and this voice taunted me all through. I paused, stepping back a little and I saw his face – I took a sharp intake of breath. It was him quite alright – Aiden Scott.“What – what are you doing here?” my voice came out squeakier than I intended it to be and I cleared my throat.“It’s my house silly – turns out you’re my roommate” he flashed a smile and I felt my stomach churn. He stretched upwards to retrieve the pots and placed them in the sink “I shouldn’t have kept them so far away – anyways what are you making cus I’m starving tiny”I couldn’t breathe – I placed a hand over my chest and my heart beat felt off the charts. It was him – and he hadn’t changed at all. He still had the sharp jaw with his reckless blue eyes, I could still feel his wicked charm ricocheting off him and he still had the face that looked like it was carved specially b
Last Updated: 2024-11-18
A Deal With My Billionaire Husband
“Rule No. 1 – sex is off the table”
He looked at me, a certain darkness clouding his eyes that only brewed lust and desire “Don't worry doll, I'm not going to touch you, not unless you beg me to”
Five years ago, Helena De Luca is divorced by her husband, Dante D'angelo, when his high school sweetheart returned and claimed his heart. Now, Helena’s back, not for rekindled romance but for survival. Her family's empire is under siege, and the only way to protect it is to strike a dangerous deal with the man she once called her own.
Dante agrees to help—but there's only one way: a fake marriage. Helena's reluctance turns to desperation when the rival gangs close in, forcing her to accept. She sets one rule—no falling in love. The stakes are high and complications arise in the form of Dante's manipulative cousin Matteo, who's determined to tear them apart to have Helena for himself no matter what it takes.
To make matters worse, Dante’s first love is back, determined to destroy Helena's life and claim Dante for herself.
Their worlds entangle, a dark sinful attraction festering between Dante and Helena and getting caught in a dirty game of lust, dark desires tainted with betrayal and manipulation. Would Helena be able to withstand the demands of falling for a man as dangerous or would she give in to the pressures of those who want them apart?
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Chapter: 99 - IN TWO DAYSChapter: The Weight of Leaving“Leave?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. The word tasted foreign on my tongue. “What do you mean, leave?”Matteo stood in the doorway, his tall frame silhouetted by the dim light filtering in from the living room. His expression was guarded, but I could see the tension in the way his hand repeatedly ran through his hair. “It’s not safe here anymore. Not for us. Not for Ava. The leaks, the attempts on my life… it’s escalating. There’s someone behind it, and I don’t think this is a war I’m ready to take. Not anymore.” He paused, his voice softening. “Especially now that I have people to consider—you and Ava.”The words hung in the air like a weight pressing down on my chest. I gripped the edge of the kitchen counter for support, feeling as though the ground beneath me had shifted. “Matteo, this is our home,” I said, my voice cracking. “It’s Ava’s home. We can’t just—”“We can,” he interrupted, his tone firm but not cruel. His dark eyes locked
Last Updated: 2024-12-16
Chapter: 98 - WE NEED TO LEAVEHELENA’S POVFEW YEARS LATERIt was more than two years later, and I was still married to Matteo D’angelo, in fact we had a little girl now – Ava D’angelo and she was a splitting image of her father, they had the same piercing look, beautiful clear blue eyes but at least she had my hair.It was almost peaceful these past years, although I spent half of it looking over my shoulder thinking someone was going to sneak up behind me and press a cold hard pistol to my back, of course that never happened, apart from the few hiccups with the cartel and the company which by the way Matteo shielded me from – like I said it was almost peaceful but I could feel it in the air, like a smoke without fire, something was brewing and I could sense it. Matteo seemed more tense than usual, sometimes he went to bed still fully clothed, he mumbled in his sleep which wasn’t unusual but this time was different, he kept saying a name – Venza.The sky was a soft watercolor of blues and whites, with the occasio
Last Updated: 2024-12-15
Chapter: 97 - NEW KINGLeadership wasn’t something you chose—it was something thrust upon you. After Dante’s death, it became clear who the next king of Algreen Cove was. The whispers had already started during the wedding reception, even as the gunfire echoed and the blood of Dante's last ploy stained the marble floors.Paulo had made his stance clear long ago. “I’m not cut out to lead,” he’d told me. And I believed him. Paulo was loyal, ruthless when necessary, and dependable in the trenches, but he didn’t have the vision or the temperament to run the cartel. That left the mantle of leadership squarely on my shoulders, a weight I had carried before I even realized I was strong enough to bear it.Two days had passed since the wedding. Two days of waking up beside Helena, the woman who had brought light back into my life in ways I hadn’t thought possible. She was mine now—my wife, the mother of the child growing inside her. I had her in my arms every morning, her soft brown eyes meeting mine as sunlight spi
Last Updated: 2024-12-12
Chapter: 96 - HE DID ITHELENA’S POVA month later, it was my wedding day—a day I once thought I’d never experience again. Yet here I was, standing in the grand chapel with its towering stone walls, ancient wooden pews, and arched ceilings that seemed to stretch toward the heavens. The air was thick with the scent of lilies, and the soft hum of the organ echoed through the sacred space.Despite the joy and the wealth surrounding me, the past weeks had been tense. Every moment felt borrowed, every shadow held the potential for danger. Dante’s ghost lingered, not in whispers or memories, but in the palpable fear that someone, somewhere, was still following his orders. And yet, amidst it all, Matteo remained steadfast, his presence like a beacon guiding me through the storm.The flowing wedding dress hugged my body, a delicate lace overlay cascading down to the floor. Pearls lined my hair, glimmering like tiny moons against the soft waves. My hand instinctively rested on my abdomen, where a barely-there bump he
Last Updated: 2024-12-11
Chapter: 95 - THE TRUTHTwo weeks passed since the night I stared at that little plus sign, and my world tilted on its axis. I'd managed to keep it to myself, burying the secret beneath a mask of normalcy. But today, as I stood in Vivianna’s hospital room, staring at her tiny, pink-faced daughter lying peacefully in the cot, I felt the weight of my silence crushing me.The words tumbled out before I could stop them. “I think I’m pregnant.”Vivianna whipped her head around, eyes wide in disbelief. “What do you mean you think you’re pregnant?”I sighed, wringing my hands together. “I am pregnant.”“For Dante?” she asked, her voice sharp and her gaze piercing.“No,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “Matteo.”The name felt fragile in my mouth, as if saying it out loud might shatter something. Vivianna’s shock melted into something softer, though her brows still knit together.“And you ended things with him again because...?”“It’s complicated,” I said, pacing the room on quiet, restless steps. “Do you think
Last Updated: 2024-12-10
Chapter: 94 - NO NOHELENA’S POVThe letter felt heavier in my trembling hands than it had any right to. I unfolded it slowly, the familiar scent of Dante—smoky, musky, and utterly suffocating—seeping out from the paper as if he had intended for it to linger. His handwriting sprawled across the page in bold, unapologetic strokes, commanding attention even in death.Helena,If you’re reading this, it means I’m dead.Congratulations. Or condolences. Whichever fits your mood better. If it’s Matteo who pulled the trigger—or ordered it—then he’s as much a fool as I’ve always thought him to be. But don’t think for a second that my death gives you freedom. You’ll never have freedom, not from me.Do you really think I’d allow you to be with him? Not in life, and certainly not in death. No, my darling, I’ve thought this through. I’ve ensured that if you ever dare to pursue a life with Matteo, there will be consequences. Dead men don’t just roll over, Helena, especially not me.I hired someone—a shadow, let’s call
Last Updated: 2024-12-09
Chapter: Chapter 111Immediately, Emily made her way to Hatton Tech and went straight to Jackson’s face, she barely knocked before she pushed the door open and coming face to face with Jackson and her heart stopped, almost forgetting how much impact he had on her. She saw the look of shock on his face, she didn’t think she’d be seeing him for a while, not after he had brutally ended things with her.“Emily” he called and she walked into his office, straight to his table and she slammed the pen recorder before him, ignoring the rapid pounding of her heart.Jackson looked from the recorder to her fatigued face, confusion clouded his eyes and he hoped for more words from her but Emily didn’t say a word instead she clicked play and fast forwarding the recording to the particular part she wanted him to hear.“Did you plan Jackson’s kidnap and also try to kill my baby?”“Jackson knew – ”At that point, she clicked it shut and looked into his eyes now, the pain doubling in her chest from what she perceived to be
Last Updated: 2024-04-26
Chapter: Chapter 110Emily stood outside the door to Ethan’s pent house while she rang the doorbell twice. It was impossible to explain how she felt but a seething anger was very much at the top of the list. She was very sure of how bedraggled she looked, her hair was tied back in a messy ponytail while she still had on the clothes from the previous days, her eyes had dark circles and she was very much tired but there was one thing she understood, Ethan was indeed the enemy and Ethan was the only reason why she would never be happy.Her head raged with thoughts that felt strange to her, evil thoughts that came from the anger that festered within and she needed to let it out, whichever way possible.Soon enough, the door sprung open and she came face to face with indeed Ethan’s handsome face. He was dressed casually in sweat pants and a t shirt, his hair ruffled like he had just rolled out of bed and his eyes roaming her as he took her in.“If you’re here to ask for forgiveness, you’re a few months too lat
Last Updated: 2024-04-26
Chapter: Chapter 109Emily’s world was shattered, her eyes were swollen shut from crying all night from Jackson stomping on her heart in the least way that she expected. Her hands went up to necklace dangling freely on her chest and she wanted nothing more than to throw it off as far as possible but she held unto it, remembering Jackson’s words to her No matter what happens between us, you’re always going to have my heart – and truly she always wanted to have his heart.Her frail fingers tightened around the pendant as she felt the tears fall freely from her eyes, the pain radiating all over again. Her mind went over the times they spent together, the way he held her stare and captivating her with his charming eyes. His daring kisses in public – at the red carpet and every single place to let every one know that he was in love with her and she relished in the thoughts while she sat in her mother’s hospital room as the woman laid unconscious on the bed. Emily held unto her mother’s hands, cold and clammy
Last Updated: 2024-04-25
Chapter: Chapter 108Later that night, Jackson stood in front of the Hatton family home as he watched Ethan drive into the building. He stood still, his face void of any emotion whatsoever as he waited for Ethan to highlight his car and walk up to him. He could smell the cockiness from where he stood, and the dirty smirk that was plastered on Ethan’s face as he made his way over to Jackson.“Hello brother” he greeted with a simple wave “How about we go inside for a drink?”“I don’t think that’ll be necessary” Jackson responded, his expression hard and stoic which was just a front for the deep sadness that festered within him.“Fine” Ethan shrugged in response “I didn’t plan on staying that long anyways, so what’s it going to be brother?”Jackson remained silent as he fought to say the next words but Ethan was impatient “Which is it going to be?”“You can have Emily, I don’t want her. She’s your wife after all but I’m going to keep my inheritance. Father chose me for a reason and I’m going to respect his d
Last Updated: 2024-04-23
Chapter: Chapter 107Billionaire Heir Jackson Hatton accused of sexual assaultThe walls began to cave in and Jackson’s world began to spin as he read the headline repeatedly till the words began to dance before him.“Shit! Shit!” he cursed underneath drawing Anita’s attention to him and she gave him a look“What’s wrong?” she asked but Jackson sprang up immediately and walked out of the emergency room, immediately he called Ethan and he picked on first ring.“Let’s talk” he said into the receiver “Meet me at the house in a few hours” and he ended the call immediately.**Meanwhile Emily still felt shattered while she sat next to her mother who still laid unconscious and had IV’s running through her vein with the automatic beeping of the heart monitor interrupting Emily’s thoughts but she held her mother’s hands tightly until the doctor walked in.“You must be Emily” he said as Emily stood up to shake his hands “Mr. Brown explained – ”“Is she going to be alright” Emily cut in immediately and the somber l
Last Updated: 2024-04-21
Chapter: Chapter 106The silence stood awkward between the brothers for a few seconds, neither willing to speak first but Ethan still had that cocky smile plastered on his face while Jackson couldn’t believe his ears.“What are you on about now Ethan?” Jackson broke the silence first, his demeanor was calm but he was seething inside“You heard me brother, I killed the story and now you owe me. So you have two options, give back everything you’ve taken from me, my wife inclusive or you face the consequences and maybe subsequently a judge for sexual assault, it’s your choice really because at the end of the day everything comes back to me”“You’re insane Ethan” Jackson scoffed.“Right” Ethan said “So what’s it going to be?”“I’m not doing either of that, so you can go to hell”Ethan laughed this time but he wasn’t done “Fine, you’re stubborn but I’ll give you a better offer. You pick between your inheritance and my wife”“Get out of my office Ethan, don’t you have better things to do?” Jackson pointed at t
Last Updated: 2024-04-21
Chapter: CHAPTER 97The first thing I noticed when I woke was the glaring white of the ceiling tiles above me. My head was pounding, a dull throb that matched the steady beeping of the heart monitor beside me. My left arm felt like it was on fire, the sharp ache traveling all the way up to my shoulder with every shallow breath I took. I turned my head slowly, grimacing at the tug of the IV taped to my hand, and tried to sit up.“Jessica!”The voice startled me. Before I could move any further, someone was by my side, their hands hovering as if afraid to touch me. Blinking against the bright overhead lights, I finally focused on the face leaning over me.Parrish.His dark hair was disheveled, as though he’d run his hands through it a dozen times in frustration. His sharp features looked haggard, the stubble on his jaw more pronounced than usual. His eyes—those piercing, intense eyes—were clouded with an emotion I couldn’t immediately place. Worry? Guilt?I stiffened, the tension in my body making my arm th
Last Updated: 2024-12-19
Chapter: CHAPTER 96PARRISH’S POV“Here’s spider” I called in a dramatic tone and entering the scene right on time from where I had watched it all unfold. My chest still tightened and a surge of anger rush through my veins when I saw Jessica’s hands saely tucked in that guys hold. I didn’t really know who he was but apparently he owned the restaurant Jessica worked in, how convenient was it? Even when I had walked in to the ceremony and seen him pull her protectively to his side, his suddenly meeting mine and smirking at the obvious annoyance that struck across my face. I could smack him, fly to him with my fist itching to push his proud jaw but I managed to hold myself back. I knew why I was here and it wasn’t for a bloody fundraiser, I wasn’t even invited but this was the only chance I had to save her – the love of my life from what Mr. Venza and my father were planning.How did I find out? It was an easy sunny day and I had decided it was a good day to finally accept my father’s invitation to the gold
Last Updated: 2024-12-15
Chapter: CHAPTER 95The bell tower chimed, cold breeze blew and my exposed skin swelled with goosebumps. I tried to find any point of escape but from the looks of it there was no way I was going to outrun any of these hard looking men without either getting gunned down, or getting grabbed immediately because I wasn’t covering any reasonable distance in these heels. Why did I choose to wear these length on a day that I knew that my life was most likely going to be in danger. I knew it, I called it, I senses it but still I was the most unprepared for it. But another note, what could I have done to prevent it?‘Maybe stay at home’ a tiny voice sliced through my ears and I rolled my eyes at my own thoughts. What if whoever it was came to find me at home and I was home alone with no one to protect me, no one but my fragile self who couldn’t even kill a roach.“What’s going on?” I manage to croak out to Matteo who even seemed as confused as myself, but he pushed me conveniently behind me and he stood tall to f
Last Updated: 2024-12-12
Chapter: CHAPTER 94The second rose weighed heavily on my mind while I sat numbly in the cab home. As soon as I stepped inside my apartment, I placed it next to the bouquet from the previous morning. The fresh bloom stood out starkly against the older flowers, both beautiful and unsettling. Why did I bring it home with me? I wasn’t sure but somehow it felt like a puzzle itching to be solved, it felt like someone was baiting me, setting an obvious trap and hoping that I was stupid enough to fall.I sat at my kitchen table with both notes laid out in front of me. The first note, with its chilling message—"Don't think I've forgotten about you, Miss Jessica Peters"—and the second, more elegant but equally cryptic—"See you at the fundraiser."The handwriting on the first note was more refined, with graceful loops and flourishes, while the second note was plain, almost hurried. Despite their differences, both notes carried a similar weight, a sense of being watched, of someone out there knowing more about my l
Last Updated: 2024-12-11
Chapter: CHAPTER 93Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you Miss Jessica Peters.The words seemed to echo in the silent room as I read the words over and over again in my head, trying to fix the invisible dots together. Who could have sent this? I turned the card over a few times and when no clue was forthcoming to my brain, I took the bouquet inside and I dropped it on the counter in the kitchen.The next day, I got ready for work, slipping on a pencil gown and tying my hair up in the sleekest ponytail my hands could do, a little red lipstick and a dab of sultry perfume adorning my neck and wrist. Walking into the restaurant that morning, it was still quiet and devoid of patrons giving us time to put everything together and prepare for the day. The familiar scent of rich sauces and freshly baked bread reached my nostrils as I made my way to the kitchen.But as I moved through the kitchen, I felt the tension immediately. There was Matteo, at the counter, reviewing a file and I paused. What was he doing here
Last Updated: 2024-12-10
Chapter: CHAPTER 92JESSICA’S POVThe cold night’s air felt like a splash of cold water on my face, the street light cast long shadows on the pavement where we stood and it created a cinematic glow that only heightened the gravity of the vengeful kiss I shared with Matteo.I reached up, my fingers trembling slightly as I touched Matteo’s face, drawing him closer to me. His lips were soft and surprisingly gentle when they met mine. At first, it was slow – tender and a careful dance of sweetness that contrasted sharply with the whirlwind of conflicting emotions that I was feeling at the moment. But the tenderness didn’t last – the kiss deepened. Matteo’s hands sliding around my waist, pulling me dangerously close. The sweetness gave way to growing hunger, a wild intensity that made my heart race and my breath catch in my throat, although the fire that burned inside of him probably stemming from lust and desire, but mine burned from a place of anger and revenge.His kiss was no longer gentle; it was fervent
Last Updated: 2024-12-09
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