Finding Hope Where Heartbreak Once Lingered
For three years of their secret relationship, Claire was sure Carsten would never let her down.
But she overestimated herself and underestimated the hold his first love had on him.
Three years of devotion ended with him suggesting she marry someone else, saying, "In six months, after your divorce, I'll marry you."
Heartbroken, Claire walked away and vowed to never betray her new husband.
What started as an arranged marriage blossomed into something real.
Carsten, desperate, searched endlessly for her-only to be met by a nobleman who protected Claire and their unborn child, telling him to let go.
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Chapter 2
"Of course I am!" said Claire. As she noticed the man's attitude ease just a fraction, a faint spark of confidence reignited within Claire.
She held his eyes steadily, refusing to waver. "After tonight, Logan and I will be formally engaged. It's only natural that we grow closer… and understand each other better."
Under the moonlight, she looked into his eyes—dark, unfathomable, like an endless sea at midnight. "Let us leave at once," she ordered sharply, "or else—ah!"
Before the threat could leave her lips, powerful hands dragged her from the vehicle and slammed her back against the car door.
"Claire!" Danny shouted as he rushed forward—but Jackson reacted instantly, restraining him and forcing him flat against the asphalt.
"You bastard! Let her go!" Even with his face crushed against the pavement, Danny glared viciously toward the man, roaring his fury.
The man's body heat and unfamiliar scent surrounded Claire. Panic flooded her as she pushed against his chest. "What do you think you're doing?!"
Sensing the tension and fear trembling through her, the man's sharp, slanted eyes narrowed. He slowly raised her chin with one long finger, his movements deliberate. "Do you know how to please a man?"
Her heart pounded violently, yet she forced steadiness into her tone. "I strongly suggest you release me—immediately—or else…"
Before she could complete the warning, the man dipped his head and seized her lips in a domineering kiss.
His aggressive intrusion left Claire's thoughts completely blank. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she froze, too shocked to even resist.
When he finally withdrew, his voice was laced with ridicule. "You don't even know how to kiss?"
The sound of a sharp slap rang through the night the moment his words fell.
Jackson, still pinning Danny to the ground, froze in disbelief, his eyes widening.
He had followed the man, Logan, for almost five years… yet this was the first time he had ever seen anyone dare to slap him. And to think it was done by a woman who looked so delicate.
The force of the blow sent Logan's head jerking sharply to the side. "That was daring," he remarked coolly.
"That was your punishment for crossing the line," Claire said firmly, withdrawing her burning hand. "If you let Danny go and allow us to leave now, I'll act as though this never occurred. But if you refuse… I'll report everything to Logan personally—and believe me, he won't let this slide."
Logan released a low, mirthless chuckle. "You've never even met Logan," he said coolly. "What makes you so certain he'd stand up for you?"
"Of course I have met him!" Claire snapped, frowning deeply. "How else would we be engaged if we hadn't? He fell for me at first sight—that's why he insisted on a swift engagement. He promised to protect me, cherish me, and never allow anyone to wrong me."
She lifted her chin, staring up at the towering man with fierce resolve. "You'd better release us immediately—because once he turns his fury on you, no one will be able to protect you."
Despite her confident tone, her clenched fists betrayed the tension coursing through her.
A heavy silence hung in the air for several agonizing seconds. Then, Logan's lips curved into a faint smirk. "Jackson," he said calmly, "escort them back."
...
Thirty minutes later, Claire was helping Danny into the restaurant lobby when they were promptly intercepted by Harold Dale and Ivy Dale—Danny's parents.
"What happened?" Ivy hurried toward them, concern carved deeply into her expression as she grasped Danny's free arm. "Where have you been? Just look at yourselves!"
Danny clenched his teeth, hesitation flickering in his eyes. "I didn't want Claire to marry that bastard, so I…"
"It was my suggestion," Claire interrupted softly, stepping in to protect him. "I asked Danny to take me out for a short drive. He stumbled while getting out of the car—that's all that happened."
"A drive?" Ivy's face instantly hardened. "You could have gone for a drive any day! Why pick tonight of all nights?"
She pivoted toward Claire, her tone edged with unmistakable disapproval. "How could you act so carelessly at such a critical moment? Every guest has already arrived! If you had failed to appear, what would people have thought of the Dale family?"
Claire bowed her head slightly. "I'm sorry. This was my fault."
"Claire, why are you taking the blame?" Danny protested anxiously. He couldn't stand watching her shoulder the blame alone. "This was obviously my—"
"That's enough," Harold snapped, casting a sharp glance at his watch. "The engagement ceremony is about to begin. This is no time to argue over details."
He motioned briskly toward a nearby staff member. "Escort Danny to tend to his injuries and help him change into suitable clothing."
"Claire," he continued, "go backstage and touch up your appearance."
Claire nodded, only to see a tall figure dressed in black step out at that moment. "I'll escort her," the man said calmly.
It was Carsten.
Claire pressed her lips together before falling into step behind him.
That evening, he was dressed in a custom-tailored suit. The sharp cut emphasized his wide shoulders and slender build. An unmistakable air of noble detachment clung to him. Refined, remote, and impossibly out of reach.
There had been a time when merely seeing Carsten—even from behind—had been enough to steady her heart.
She had imagined their engagement ceremony and wedding more times than she could count.
Yet tonight, she stood on the brink of a new chapter of her life—and he was not the man beside her.
"We've arrived."
His low voice snapped her back to the present. Only then did she notice they had stopped outside the backstage dressing room.
"Thank you," she said quietly as she stepped into the room.
The door closed softly with a muted click.
"Claire." Before she could sit down, Carsten reached out and seized her wrist. His brows knit tightly together. "Why did you return?"
His eyes were shadowed with conflicting emotions. "You had an opportunity to vanish. To walk away from everything. So why did you choose to come back?"
Claire turned to look directly at the man she had loved in silence for three long years. The same man who had promised her a future—over and over again. In a calm, unwavering voice, she replied, "Because I made a promise to your parents. And I will never become someone who breaks her word—like you did."
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8.7
Lina Carter was just a waitress trying to make ends meet. On the other hand, Alexander Knight was a billionaire who would do anything to safeguard his empire. When he proposes a deal for her to be his fake girlfriend, it seems straightforward, he act like she loves him, stick to the rules, and walk away with a nice payday. No feelings involved. No strings attached. No room for error.
But as they share fake kisses, those moments turn into lingering glances. What starts as cold, business-like orders shifts into a quiet sense of protection. Suddenly, the line between pretense and reality begins to blur.
Then, out of nowhere, his ex-fiancée reappears-gorgeous, ruthless, and hell-bent on ruining Lina's life. When the truth about their arrangement comes to light, Lina finds herself publicly humiliated, tossed aside as if she never mattered at all. She walks away with her pride shattered, but her heart still whole.
Now, the man who once paid her to pretend is realizing he wants her for real. But some betrayals cut too deep... and some love stories start with a lie that's just too painful to forgive. She was brought in to act. He ended up falling for her for real.
7.4
Briony was devastated when her boyfriend proposed to her best friend in front of her. Not only was she betrayed, but she was also publicly humiliated.
Five years later, she became popular after writing her heartbreaking love story into a novel. Her ex-boyfriend was offended. When he condemned her, she swore she would have nothing to do with him anymore.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Briony accidentally hit a child with her car, who turned out to be the son of Alexander, her ex-boyfriend! As punishment, she was forced to be his nanny until his cast arm healed.
What would happen next? Could she endure the torture from the ex who secretly still wanted her?
8.1
When the private elevator pinged. That was the moment Eleanor's two-and-a-half years as a billionaire's perfect fake girlfriend abruptly ended.
Julian was terminating her services early because his real first love was moving into the penthouse tomorrow.
His assistant stood by the marble counter, bracing for a screaming match. He handed over a brutal non-disclosure agreement.
He slid a five-million-dollar check across the table, fully expecting her to cry, beg, or throw the money back in his face.
"Miss Palmer... Giselle is moving in tomorrow," he warned.
Instead, Eleanor calmly borrowed his Montblanc pen, signed her name three times without hesitation, and slipped the money into her planner.
"Congratulations to Mr. Caldwell-Prentice on finally getting what he wants," she smiled flawlessly.
They all thought she was just a high-end, emotionless mercenary who felt absolutely nothing for the men she served.
They didn't know she was actually Cara Love, the last surviving heir of the ruined Love Foundation, living under a fake name to avenge her dead father.
For years, she swallowed her burning hatred, playing the perfect emotional substitute to buy dark web intel and hide her unnatural, rapid-healing body from a ruthless medical syndicate.
But now, a tech billionaire client had just uncovered her true identity, and her burner phone flashed with a terrifying emergency alert.
The syndicate had found her.
Eleanor grabbed her suitcase and ordered the private jet back to New York.
The facade was over; it was time to face the deadly storm.
8.6
Kim had thought she could live without Ari. Without the laughter, the late night talks, the quiet warmth of someone who felt like home. But Ari returned changed, apologetic and impossible to ignore. Loving her once nearly Kim. Loving her again might just heal her. Some loves never really end...they just wait.
8.7
My Obsession
8.7
Power. Desire. Blood.
Lauretta Owens has everything-money, beauty, and power that makes even Alphas step back. As CEO of LuneArt Studios, she rules her world with poise and precision. But beneath her confidence lies a secret hunger-to have a little baby of her own though she doesn't care about men or relationships.
One wild night in Manhattan changes everything when she meets Savior Hunt-a devastatingly handsome stranger whose aura screams danger and dominance. Neither of them knows that their encounter will awaken an ancient feud buried in blood.
Lauretta is the daughter of a banished wolf family. Savior is the only heir of the pack that destroyed them.
When passion turns to obsession, and obsession turns to destiny, both must face the truth: they were never meant to love each other... yet they can't stay away.
Torn between duty and desire, loyalty and love, they risk everything to be together-even if it means defying the moon itself.
My Obsession is a dark, seductive werewolf romance filled with explosive chemistry, pack politics, and forbidden passion.
Two powerful souls. One cursed bond.
And a love so dangerous, it could start a war.
8.0
For five years, my husband kept me in a dog cage because he believed I murdered his fiancée, my stepsister Kinsley.
He stripped me of my dignity, my name, and my humanity, all to avenge a woman who wasn't even dead.
When Kinsley finally returned, alive and smiling, I thought my nightmare was over.
Instead, she framed me again.
Right in front of Courtland, she pushed my little brother down the stone steps of the estate.
I held my brother's broken body in the rain, screaming for help.
But Courtland just stood there, shielding Kinsley under his umbrella, looking at me with cold indifference.
He chose the monster over his wife.
That night, I realized love wasn't enough to save me.
So, I stood on the edge of the hospital roof and let gravity take me.
I wanted him to mourn. I wanted him to suffer. I wanted him to burn.
Three years later, at a gala in New York, the Ice King dropped his champagne glass.
He stared at me—the woman in the red dress, the fiancée of his rival.
I looked him dead in the eye and smiled like a stranger.
He cornered me later, his voice trembling with rage and obsession.
"Death is the only divorce in my world, Anastasia. And you are still very much alive."