marriage first, love second

Dionne is arranged to be married to Xavier, a powerful mafia boss with an unbroken reputation. To the outside world, he's cold, hard, ruthless, and merciless. She's kind, tender-hearted, beautiful, and caring. Given Xavier's reputation, Dionne doesn't want to fall in love, but soon, she learns that even the coldest hearts have a soft spot, and Xavier's just might be her. And although she doesn't like to admit it, hers might be him. Will they ever find love, or will this be a loveless marriage after all? He raises his fist and I could swear I made a whimpering sound. I turn away and I look at the window as Xavier gets quiet. "Dionne." he says, his cold, hard mask still intact. I look at him, not saying anything, and he shifts in his seat, well aware of why I reacted that way. "Who did it?" he asks. I look down at my hands and I don't reply. "Was it those assholes at the university?" he asks, genuinely concerned. "Dionne?" he says, his fingers brushing against my arm. I jump at his contact and suddenly a tear falls from my eyes. "God." he says as I begin to cry. I can tell he's not used to emotion .... "How was your first day sweetheart?" she asks sincerely. "A couple of frats tried getting in her panties in broad daylight and everyone around was gonna let it happen. How's that sound?" Xavier says, obviously still pissed.

Demi menghidupi keluarganya, Kiara rela menyibukkan dirinya untuk bekerja. Usianya sudah hampir menginjak kepala 3. Namun dia sama sekali belum berkeinginan untuk menikah. Gunjingan dari orang-orang sekitar sudah sering dia dengarkan. Tapi tidak ada yang dia pedulikan. Hingga, dia terjebak pada suatu kejadian yang membuat banyak orang salah paham terhadap dia. "errghhh .... Aduuhh, Pakkk," erangku dengan mata sedikit terpejam. Himpitan di kakiku membuat luka yang menganga semakin sakit. Aku menggigit bibir bawahku, jemari di tanganku mencengkeram kursi. Jika bukan karena sedang berada di kantor, tentu saat ini aku pasti sedang menangis. 'brakkkk' Aku pintu ruangan tiba-tiba terbuka. "Apa-apaan ini? Apa yang sebenarnya sedang kalian lakukan di kantor saya, HAH?" Setelah pintu ruangan terbuka, Pak Hans, selaku pemilik perusahaan masuk dengan muka yang merah padam. Merasa berada pada situasi yang tidak aman, badanku mendadak terasa dingin dan juga sedikit begetar. Apalagi, saat ini posisi muka anaknya menempel tepat di tengah-tengah kedua pahaku, sedangkan telapak tangan kanannya tidak sengaja berada di atas bukit kembarku. "Ma-Maaf, Pak. Semua tidaklah seperti apa yang Bapak pikirkan," jelasku dengan suara agak gemetar. "Tidak seperti yang saya bayangkan? Setelah saya melihat dengan mata kepala saya sendiri kalau kalian melakukan tindakan asusila di kantor saya, kalian masih bisa membela diri dan berkata bahwa kalian tidak melakukan apapun? Ck, kalian pikir mata saya buta!" "Pak ... Tapi kami tidak melakukan apapun." "DIAM, JANGAN ADA YANG BICARA LAGI SELAIN SAYA! Dan kalian ..." Pak Hans menunjuk mukaku dan Pak Bima secara bergantian, "harus segera mempertanggungjawabkan apa yang sudah kalian lakukan di ruangan ini!" Kiara tidak pernah membayangkan memiliki suami seperti Bima. Selain dikenal sebagai orang yang memiliki peranggai dingin, Bima juga termasuk salah satu atasan yang galak dan juga tegas. Jadi tidak pernah sekalipun dia bercanda apalagi menggoda Kiara di lingkungan kerjanya. Akankah pernikahan penuh paksaan tersebut akan berakhir dengan bahagia? Ataukah justru membuat Bima dan Kiara saling menyakiti?

BLURB: " Look into my eyes and tell me that you've never loved me before?" Emiliano replied, "I've never loved you and I will never love you so it's best you leave my life and stop pestering me because I have someone I love!" " Let go of me!" " No! You have to donate blood to Rachel, you're our only hope" " How could you want me to donate blood to your lover forcefully!" " You have no choice but to do as I say" What happens when two myriad folks meet?. Rhea, a calm and beautiful young lady with a lot of dreams before she met Emiliano. Everything came crashing down when she heard that she would be getting married to a stranger to strengthen her father's new new project. She couldn't run away because she knew he would take it out on her mother so she was left with no choice but to get married to a monster who used her for his gains. Would she be able to tame him? Would his stepbrother successfully kill him so as to inherit their father's property ?

“I don't know Stella! I'm just not in love with you anymore!” “No, no you can't do this Antonio,” she shook her head. Antonio Dante had fallen out of love. His own mistake. He leaves her. His own regret. Now he wants her back. He needs her. But she is gone. Far out of his human reach. "I gave you one simple fucking job! Find her!" It's too late.

22 years old Zara Klein was forced to marry, and produce an heir for 41-year-old Kai Adler, who has three months left to live; to save her father's company from bankruptcy. She had to keep up with Kai's inhumane treatment, got with his child and quietly anticipated his death. But their lives took a drastic turn when Kai miraculously got cured of his illness.

I knew there was no escaping it. My father’s sins would be my undoing. He was a wicked man, feared and hated by many, and now that he was dead, the weight of his crimes had fallen squarely on me. I didn’t even have the chance to grieve—or to breathe—before his Beta dragged me away from the south, from everything I’d ever known. I was supposed to be their Alpha. That was my birthright. But it didn’t matter. The pack had other plans for me, and being their leader wasn’t one of them. My father’s Beta delivered me to the northern Alphas, the very men who despised my father the most. And that’s when I learned the cruelest truth: they were my mates. But they didn’t want me. Warning: This is a reverse harem mild dark romance filled with intense emotions and themes that are not for the faint of heart. Read at your own risk. (This is an edited, well-structured version of the First Edition Scarlett) *******

Karena mengira Dean sungguh ingin membuat Mike dan Ana--orang tuanya-- senang, tanpa pikir panjang, Siera menerima lamaran pria itu, meski mereka baru berkenalan. Siapa sangka, beberapa jam setelah resmi menjadi istri, Siera baru mengetahui bahwa pernikahan itu hanya sebuah alibi. Alat Dean untuk menutupi hubungannya dengan sang kekasih. Bahkan, Dean sudah tinggal serumah dengan kekasihnya itu selama tiga tahun. Lalu, apa yang akan terjadi pada hidup Siera dan Dean setelah pernikahan itu?

Angkasa adalah anak dari seorang pengusaha terkaya di negaranya. Perusahaan Ains-soft yang telah di dirikan oleh kakeknya puluhan tahun silam. Wajah tampannya membuat dirinya sangat digilai oleh kaum wanita. Namun ia telah memilki kekasih yang berprofesi sebagai model. Perjanjian keluarganya di masa lalu membuatnya terpaksa untuk menikahi wanita yang baru dikenalnya dan terpaksa harus meninggalkan kekasihnya. Rachel adalah seorang gadis yang sangat ceria. Terlahir dari keluarga yang biasa saja. Kecintaannya terhadap seni, membuat Rachel memiliki cita-cita untuk menjadi seorang pelukis profesional. Namun di tengah perjalanannya ia harus menghadapi kenyataan pahit untuk menikah dengan seorang pewaris Ains-Soft. Dan karena krisis ekonomi yang dihadapi keluarganya membuat dia tak bisa menghindari pernikahan itu. Bagaiamanakah kisah rumah tangga mereka yang berawal dari sebuah perjanjian orang tua? Bertahankah mereka hingga akhir dalam lika-liku perjalanan pernikahan yang tidak di dasari dengan cinta?

Life stopped for Arielle seven years ago when her childhood lover Zachary left her life. It was a mutual break up but little did they know that life had other plans for her. Seven years later, Arielle is a successful writer with dozens of bestselling books under her belt. Her father has found a potential match for her. However, when she is left at the altar once again by the second man she trusted, Zachary is back to pick up her broken pieces. Everything changed when Zachary asked for Arielle’s hand in marriage at the same altar where she was left. Years have passed, but his feelings are the same, and this time he refuses to let her go. This time he had to make her realise that they are made for each other and he was a fool to let her go once upon a time. Join Arielle and Zachary’s journey to read their second-chance romance.

Since childhood, Astin Kier Hernandez has loved Laura Miller. But it was a one-sided love. Laura never had feelings for him. Still, he didn’t give up; he guarded her closely all through college. Out of gratitude to his family, Laura agreed when he proposed in front of their parents. He knew she wouldn’t refuse because of gratitude to their family. He thought he was the happiest man that day. He was wrong. Laura admitted she already had a boyfriend, Gael. But Astin didn’t allow the wedding plans to be canceled. Learning this, he rushed to set the wedding date. On their wedding day, Laura didn’t show up, and that was his first heartbreak. One-sided love is torture. For months, he disappeared from everyone’s radar, leaving behind his comfortable life. To forget, he joined the military, spending four years in training. After that, his team was deployed abroad on their first mission, which lasted longer than expected. Eight years is a long time, so he returned to the Philippines. He and Laura crossed paths once again. But he was no longer the Astin who was hopelessly in love with her. How many women had he left heartbroken whenever he was reassigned to a different place? But how could he now avoid the woman who did nothing but apologise and try to win him over every day? And how long could she endure his cold treatment?