these silent woods

Aurora “Rorie” Montgomery never expected to wake up married to a billionaire, but when she impulsively takes the place of an heiress forced into an arranged marriage, she finds herself trapped in a world of power, contracts, and ruthless business deals. Nathan Westfield, CEO and notorious workaholic, agreed to marry for convenience—not love. His only conditions? His wife must be discreet, loyal, and provide a future heir. Rorie has secrets. Nathan has rules. And neither of them expected to actually want this marriage to work. From the moment she steps into Nathan’s world, Rorie challenges him at every turn. She’s nothing like the obedient wife he anticipated, and she refuses to be a silent player in his life. But when Nathan discovers her true identity, instead of walking away, he protects her—publicly and mercilessly shutting down anyone who dares to question her place at his side. As past betrayals resurface and enemies threaten to unravel their carefully crafted arrangement, Rorie realizes the greatest danger isn’t losing her secret—it’s losing her heart. Because somewhere between the heated arguments, the stolen glances, and the moments where Nathan looks at her like she’s his entire world, she starts to wonder… What happens when a marriage built on lies starts to feel real? Perfect for fans of slow-burn romance, enemies-to-lovers tension, and billionaire love stories with high stakes and sizzling chemistry, The Last Minute Bride is a tale of deception, power, and a love that refuses to be just another deal.

In the heart of Cedar Grove, shadows conceal more than secrets— they whisper truths. Dr. Isla Rivers never thought she'd return to her small hometown, let alone to the clinic her father built. But after his mysterious disappearance, Isla steps into his shoes, seeking solace among furry patients and the echoes of a life she left behind. The quiet town holds more than nostalgia, though. Strange sounds haunt her clinic, shadows stretch unnaturally, and whispers from her childhood dreams beckon her toward the unknown. When a journal marked with her father’s enigmatic crescent moon symbol appears, Isla is thrust into a world she never imagined—one where werewolves roam the woods, a prophecy threatens to unravel reality, and her own bloodline holds a secret more powerful than she’s ready to face. Guided by a cryptic stranger named Astra and an unwelcome connection to Luca Moreau, the brooding alpha of the local pack, Isla must confront the truth about her father’s disappearance, her heritage, and the prophecy that ties her fate to the Crescent Moon pack. But as passions ignite and dangers close in, Isla must decide who to trust and what sacrifices she’s willing to make—for love, for family, and for the truth that could reshape both the human and werewolf worlds forever. Welcome to Cedar Grove. The wolves are waiting.

Amelie DaVinci never expected to be stolen from the altar. One moment, she was walking down the aisle. The next, her stepbrothers stormed in, guns drawn, tearing her from the life she never wanted. Luca, the cold and ruthless leader, plays mind games that blur the line between cruelty and seduction. Matteo teases her with whispered promises of pleasure and pain. And Nico, the silent one. As a mafia war ignites and betrayals cut deep, Amelie faces an impossible choice—fight back or surrender to the dark temptation of the men who refuse to let her go. Escape is impossible. Betrayal is inevitable. And surrendering to the darkness might be her only way to survive. Amelie knew she shouldn’t be anywhere near them. But here she was, trapped between Luca and Matteo, with Nico watching from the armchair. Matteo’s fingers brushed against her waist. “You know,” he murmured, “you keep running, but you always end up right back here. With us.” Amelie swallowed hard. “This is a mistake.” Luca hummed in amusement. “Then why haven’t you stopped us?” His fingers wrapped around a loose strand of her hair, tugging lightly. “Or better yet, why haven’t you stopped yourself?” She shivered. “We shouldn’t be doing this,” she whispered, but it lacked conviction. Nico finally moved, his gaze locking on hers. “Then walk away,” he said. “If that’s what you really want.” Amelie’s breath hitched. Her body betrayed her, leaning slightly into Luca’s touch, into Matteo’s warmth. Matteo tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. “That’s what I thought.” His lips hovered over hers. “We’re not the ones keeping you here, Amelie. You are.” This was dangerous. It was reckless. But she knew she was already theirs.

Ayla Stormbringer was never meant to survive. Born an omega, abandoned by her father, and cast aside by her pack, she knew only cruelty and pain. Sold to Alpha Asher as a second wife, she hoped for security but found herself bound by a contract—one that tied her fate to a comatose Luna and an Alpha who would never love her. But fate had other plans. A forgotten power stirs within her, an ancient prophecy whispers her name, and in the depths of the forbidden woods, she crosses paths with Lycan King Slade. A warrior bound to a throne, a beast burdened by war, and a man who—against all odds—sees her worth. When betrayal shatters her last illusion of safety, Ayla is thrust into a world of Lycans, hidden legacies, and a war waiting to erupt. As she uncovers her true destiny as the Promised Luna, the price of her power becomes clear: blood, love, and a choice that will shape the fate of an entire kingdom. The moon goddess has spoken. The world is watching. And Ayla? She's done being powerless.

Maria Stone felt she had everything, love and the man she thought loved her by her side. But everything came tumbling down when he threw the divorce papers at her. She had to leave and when she came back five years later. She wasn't alone; her triplets were also with her, and she was ready to give love a chance. Not to him but to someone else. But when he came begging, she told him.  “I have moved on, and I have my kids and I. So, bye, billionaire ex-husband”. In an instant, Maria's life changed; the man she thought loved her, Ethan Woods never loved her in the first place. He was only with her to pass the time and to gain his inheritance.  After the 3-year contract ended she was hoping that the unborn child would bring them together and he would love her again but she got the shock of her life when she got back home to give him the good news, there professing his love for another woman was Ethan and the woman was no other person but her cousin who was his college sweetheart but kept it away from Maria. The truth was that they had been dating secretly without her knowing.  As if that wasn't enough, he threw the divorce papers at her and asked her to sign them. Maria tried to leave because there was no use staying back. But Ethan and Susan couldn't let her; she had to suffer all through her days of pregnancy until she gave birth through forced labor. Her heart shattered into thousands of irreplaceable pieces when her aunt told her that Ethan had finally married her cousin Susan.  With the pain and betrayal in her heart, she left the city never to be seen again.

On the day of the company's annual gala, my CEO husband suddenly assigned me an unexpected business trip. The plane had barely touched down when I received a call from his young assistant. Before I could utter a word, her voice came through, "Matty, did you send Daphne on that business trip just so we could spend more time together?" And then, as if to hammer the nail deeper into my heart, I heard his unmistakable tone—light, indulgent, full of affection, "What do you think, silly girl?" Her laughter rang out before she teased, "Then tonight, let's try something new. I promise you'll be satisfied..." The call ended amidst a swirl of suggestive murmurs. Staring at my phone, I waged a silent war with the pain gripping my chest. Again and again, I dialed his number, each attempt met with either silence or the cruel finality of his phone being switched off. Finally, I let out a bitter laugh, tucking the phone away as if to bury the wound it carried. From that moment on, I resolved—no more questions, no more efforts to understand this man who had once been my whole world. But fate has its own irony. Later, it was he who came back, pleading, begging me to love him again.

Adeline has been in love with Blake Rhodes for as long as she could remember-twelve years of silent yearning turned into three loveless years of marriage. She has always wanted him to return her love. However, Blake's heart is clouded by manipulation and misunderstandings, with the shadows cast by Adeline's half-sister Rebecca. Unknown to Blake, it is not Rebecca who is dying but Adeline. Adeline has stage four cancer, a secret she holds tightly, even as Blake is forcing her to give her blood-and a kidney-to save Rebecca. So, while Rebecca is faking being ill for Blake, Adeline keeps the pain to herself and silently suffers by sacrificing all her possessions for the man who doesn't perceive her value.

Sabrina is disappointed and heartbroken when she catches her fiance Kyler and her best friend, Charlotte engaged in a 'love workout' on his bed. As if that were not enough, her stepsister tricked her into the woods where she pushed her off a cliff and left her for dead. Surviving and reaching home, she's disowned by her father with accusations of being a slut and selling company secrets to their rival. Locked out of her home in the cold rain, she decides to get wasted at a hotel bar— a decision that would fetch her twins and a gorgeous CEO.

Rhea Morreti, the female lead and the daughter of a Sicilian gang member; was meant to be a silent spy and was planted in the Vitale family to dismantle them from within, under the guise of an arranged marriage with Adriano Vitale, the son of a rival gang leader. But when her own brother, Dante, exposes her to further his own agenda, she becomes the scapegoat for a war she never planned to fight alone. Marked for execution, she barely escapes with her life—only to return stronger, deadlier, and carrying a secret that could shake the very foundation of their world. Even though Adriano Vitale never wanted the marriage, he didn’t want Rhea dead, especially since they had fallen for each other. Yet, when she disappears in a hail of bullets, presumed gone forever, he buries the past and focuses on the war threatening to consume his empire. That is, until she returns, not just as the woman he once knew, but as a force of vengeance, standing at his side against their common enemies. Dante, on the other hand, had spent years hiding a secret that fueled his ambition and his hatred for his family. As alliances shift and the truth unravels, Rhea and Adriano must navigate a treacherous world of lies, deception, and deadly rivalries. But the question remains. “With enemies lurking in the shadows and betrayal at every turn, will they uncover the truth before it’s too late, or will their unknown enemies destroy them before they get their revenge?”

Viviana Bellini was a free spirit who loved unconditionally and thought she had found her prince charming who was a mafia until he slept with her supposed best friend and cast her away, now that she is betrayed she swears to return and get her revenge but on reaching her home, she finds out that she had been arranged to a cold mafia don. But instead of staying in the house like the good wife her father wanted her to be, Viviana decided to go into the wild. Raffaele Conte was a man who was cold, calm and a silent assassin who could get blood on his face without even batting an eyelash, he never smiled and he never cried, people called him the cold sculpture until he met Viviana who seemed to show him another color that is not black. But Viviana is not all that meets the eyes and Raffaele has his own secrets. Would these two people navigate into a love unquenchable when the secret is revealed? Or will their various quests tear them apart and make them enemies?