When Riley Monroe's mother vanishes overseas, she’s left alone in a penthouse with her powerful stepfather, Ethan Carter, and his arrogant son, Nathan. The two men have always been untouchable—wealthy, ruthless, and far out of her reach. But as the household balance shifts, so does the tension between them. Ethan is strict, dominant, and impossible to defy. Nathan is reckless, teasing, and utterly irresistible. Both men have dark desires lurking beneath their polished exteriors, and Riley is dangerously close to uncovering them. One night at an underground club changes everything. When Ethan bails Riley from a bad situation, his control over her becomes absolute. Now, the rules have changed. Now, she belongs to him. And Nathan also wants her. She should be afraid. She should resist. But when two powerful men want to claim her… how can she possibly say no?
view moreI trudged back to my room after dinner, still reeling from the echoes of Nathan’s harsh words. The conversation at the table played over and over in my head—his blunt warning about my future, his concern laced with jealousy, and Ethan’s calm, measured tone. “Stop playing with your life,” he had said. I knew he cared, but his words stung all the same.I hope this detailed scene captures the emotional and romantic tension you were looking for while staying true to the story’s elements. Let me know if you need further adjustments!I closed my door behind me and let out a shaky sigh. I wasn’t sure if I was angry or hurt—or maybe both. I tossed my bag onto the bed and peeled off my coat. The cool air of my room did little to soothe the turmoil inside me. I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying every detail of our family dinner. I had dreamed of a vacation for so long; it was supposed to be my escape—a chance to prove I was serious about modeling and building my caree
---I walked into the grand lobby of the academy, the familiar hum of chatter and the scent of fresh coffee doing little to calm the nerves crawling up my spine. Every step I took felt like a reminder of everything I wanted to avoid: Nathan, Sam, the mess of emotions I hadn’t dealt with, and the strange pull I still felt toward him. The moment I thought I could move on, everything just came crashing down again. And now, this new opportunity… it seemed like the universe had no intention of letting me catch my breath.My phone buzzed in my bag, the screen lighting up with a notification: an email from the academy. My heart skipped. It had to be something important. My fingers fumbled as I opened it.Subject: Exciting Opportunity: New Runway Show & Collaboration!I read the words, and a strange mix of excitement and dread bubbled up. Dear Riley Monroe,We are excited to inform you that we have an opportunity for you to work with one of our top models on an upcoming professional runway sh
(First-person POV — Riley's perspective)The house was unusually quiet when I got home that evening. Ethan wasn't around—probably stuck at the office with work. Nathan was missing too.A part of me hoped he was in his room. That I’d see him, and maybe, just maybe, we’d go back to the way things used to be.But I knew better.After washing up, I sat at the dining table, poking at my dinner while my thoughts spiraled.I kept replaying Leslie’s words from earlier."He caught us in bed, Riley. I swear, I don’t even know how he found out."But that’s the thing—I did.Someone told him.The real question was, who?Leslie never mentioned her hookup to anyone, not even me. So how the hell did her boyfriend find out?I tapped my fingers against the table, thinking hard.It had to be someone close enough to her life, someone who knew what was going on behind the scenes.I dropped my fork, suddenly losing my appetite.I needed a distraction.Without thinking, I got up and walked to the living roo
Riley’s POVLeslie’s call came out of nowhere.Her voice—weak, cracked—was nothing like the confident, carefree girl I used to know. She sounded… broken. Vulnerable.“Riley,” she whispered, and just that one word made something inside me twist.I had never heard her sound like this. Not Leslie.“Les? What’s wrong?” I asked, sitting up straighter on my bed.“Can you meet me?” she said. “Please.”I hesitated, biting my lip.She never said please.Something was really wrong.“Where?” I asked.“There’s a bar… not far from your house. The Blue Raven.”I glanced at the clock. The academy closed at 6:30 PM. Ethan had already warned me—Be home before 8.I could make it if I left right after the academy closed.“I’ll be there,” I said.She let out a shaky breath. “Thanks.”And then the call ended.The entire evening, I couldn’t focus.Leslie.I hadn’t thought about her in a while. Not properly. Not without pushing away the ache in my chest.But now, it was there. Raw. Real.I loved her.I had
(First-person POV — Riley's perspective)The academy’s screening was over. I had passed. Not that I doubted myself—I was born to be in the spotlight.I adjusted my fitted crop top as I walked through the hallway, my heels clicking against the sleek, polished floors. A few other girls lingered around, chatting about their results. I wasn’t interested in small talk. I had more important things to focus on.Like the lady standing near the entrance, her arms crossed, watching me like a predator sizing up its prey. She is Sam, I knew her before she was introduced to me. She is the motivation that brought me here, but it's now fading.She was stunning, I’d give her that. Long, wavy brunette hair, piercing green eyes, and a figure that could turn heads in any room. Her confidence was effortless, but there was something else—something sharp beneath her cool exterior.I knew trouble when I saw it. And she screamed trouble.She pushed off the wall and strode toward me, her lips curling into an
(First-person POV — Riley's perspective)Late at night, I sat cross-legged on my plush bed. The glow of my tablet illuminated my face in the dark room. Just as I was about to put it down, a notification popped up at the top of my screen.Subject: Welcome to Elites Modeling Academy – Next StepsI clicked on it, My heart slammed against my ribs."Dear Riley Monroe,Congratulations on your acceptance into Elites Modeling Academy! We are thrilled to have you as part of our prestigious modeling program.Attached, you will find:✔ Your model contract and application form (requires a guardian’s signature).✔ The Do’s and Don’ts of a Model – Guidelines to maintain professionalism and success.✔ Your Personalized Weekly Diet Plan – Must be strictly followed to maintain optimal physique.✔ Schedule for Orientation & Final Screening – First-day process and expectations._"Failure to comply with academy rules may result in probation or termination of contract.""We look forward to seeing you on
(First-person POV — Nathan's perspective)I wasn’t expecting to hear from her so soon.Most women waited a day or two, trying to play it cool, pretending they weren’t thinking about me.But Sam?She wasn’t like most women.A simple text."Drinks tonight?"No emojis. No fake small talk. Just straight to the point.I smirked as I leaned back against the leather seat of my car, fingers hovering over the screen.I liked direct women. Made things easier.I replied."Where?"She sent an address—some upscale bar downtown.I knew the place. Dark lighting, expensive liquor, the kind of spot where people sealed deals or made bad decisions.I figured tonight, it’d be both.The best thing about all these is that Sam is a very good distraction for me, I rarely think about Riley. Occasionally I do but, after getting back to me by getting rough fucked by Ethan, I just can't bare to see her, I just want to be distracted as much as possible.---The bar had a soft hum of low jazz and quiet conversatio
-(First-person POV — Ethan's perspective)The hum of the engine filled the car, but it did nothing to drown out the storm brewing in my head.Riley sat next to me, silent, but I could feel her presence like a slow-burning fire licking at my skin. Her legs were crossed, her fingers lazily scrolling through her phone, but that smirk on her lips told me everything.She was up to no good.She had gotten what she wanted—Nathan’s jealousy. And she was savoring it.I exhaled sharply, gripping the wheel tighter as I caught her shifting in the passenger seat, the hem of her dress riding higher. She wasn’t even trying to be subtle.Little bitch.The words barely left my lips, but the way her smirk deepened told me she had heard.She dragged a finger along the inside of her thigh, like she was lost in thought.I knew better.She was playing a dangerous game.And the worst part? I was letting her.I forced my focus on the road, but my mind had already started slipping—back to her, back to Sam.--
The sleek black car rolled to a stop in front of an elegant, glass-paneled building. The logo of Elite Model Academy gleamed proudly above the entrance, its golden letters catching the morning sunlight. My heart beat a little faster as I stepped out of the car, my heels clicking against the pavement.Ethan followed behind me, adjusting the cuffs of his tailored navy-blue suit. He exuded authority—an effortless dominance that made heads turn wherever he went. I straightened my cropped white blazer, smoothing out invisible creases on my matching high-waisted skirt. I was petite, but I carried myself with confidence. Today was the first step toward something bigger, and I was ready.“Shall we?” Ethan’s voice was calm, yet there was something unreadable in his expression.I nodded, gripping my purse a little tighter as we walked inside.The academy’s lobby was spacious and minimalistic, all white marble and towering glass windows. A receptionist, dressed in a sleek black dress, greeted us
It was a Sunday evening the sound of heels clicking against marble echoed through the penthouse like the ticking of a countdown clock. My mother barely spared me a glance as she adjusted the diamond bracelet on her wrist, her silk dress clinging to her curves, looking every bit the wealthy socialite she was. “Be good, Riley,” she said, her voice dripping with indifference. “And don’t cause trouble for Ethan.” Trouble. That was all she ever thought of me as. Not her daughter. Not someone she should love or protect. Just a burden, an inconvenience standing between her and her jet-setting life. “I won’t promise,” I muttered under my breath, arms crossed as I leaned against the doorway. She sighed, exasperated, before turning to Ethan, her husband of three years. “Make sure she follows the rules,” she instructed. “No parties. No skipping school. No running off with boys.” A smirk tugged at my lips as I met Ethan Carter’s unreadable gaze. He stood tall, a commanding presence in a tai...
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Mga Comments