In Love With My Father's Best
Prologue.
I've loved him as long as I can remember.
Hardin. My father's best friend. The man who seems untouchable, unlovable to every woman. But for me? He's everything.
Thirty-Five. Handsome. Calculating. Billionaire.
And yet, he remains single.
What could I do? I'm just Elena. Twenty-two years old. His best friend's daughter. Someone who shouldn't even think of loving him. So my first love became my hidden secret.
But now? I'm out of college, and I've vowed to chase my dream.
I joined his company, not for work, or for ambition. But for him.
To stay close. To make him fall for me.
Forbidden love is a dangerous game, but I'm willing to take the risk.
Will I succeed?
Will my love break through every rule and boundary?
I don't know.
But I'm ready to find out.
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Chapter 6
[Elena's POV]
His hand shot out, gripping my jaw. It wasn't soft. It wasn't gentle.
Was he trying to scare me?
I didn't give up once I started something.
Just like the night that led to all this.
"Are you sure?" he muttered, his hot breath brushing against my face.
"You're sure you can handle the consequences of becoming my wife?"
"I wouldn't be here if I couldn't," I whispered.
"I want to become your wife, Hardin Kings."
A low smirk curved his lips. "I love that courage of yours."
"I guess you convinced your father, then."
He released me, and a shaky breath left my mouth.
He pulled out his phone and dialed a contact, putting it on speaker.
"Good morning, Mr. Kings," a voice echoed.
"Bring the marriage papers to my office. Now."
"Yes, sir."
Andrew ended the call. Our eyes locked. I smoothed my dress nervously.
He didn't look away. "Are you sure about this?"
"This isn't a marriage, but a loveless cage forever."
My heart skipped. Loveless marriage?
The man I loved wanted a loveless marriage, while I wanted his heart.
I smiled anyway, not letting him sense my racing heartbeat.
Minutes later, the door opened and his lawyer entered, holding a folder, a pen, and two witnesses.
A chill ran through my spine.
"Good morning, sir. I'm here with the witnesses," he said.
Hardin looked at me. "Are you sure?"
"I'm certain," I replied, my lips pressed tight.
"Then we can proceed with the signing," the lawyer said.
Hardin took the folder, flipped it open, and signed without hesitation. Still, I noticed the firm grip he had on the pen.
Then he handed it to me and leaned back in his chair, his sharp gaze fixed on me, forcing my breath into uneven gasps.
If I signed this, there would be no turning back.
Slowly, I pressed the pen to the paper.
My hand trembled.
But I signed.
I had made up my mind.
He gathered the papers and handed them back to the lawyer.
"It will be submitted to the court as a pending request. I'll keep you updated, Mr. Kings."
Hardin nodded. "Thank you."
The door closed behind them.
Now, it was just Hardin and me in the office.
Silence filled the space.
Then reality crashed over me.
I was now Mrs. Hardin Kings.
My dream had come true because of...
One reckless night.
One leaked video.
One forced marriage.
But the real question wasn't how this happened.
The real question was simple.
How do I make Hardin fall in love with me?
How do I make him look at me the way a husband should?
How do I make him choose me... willingly?
I didn't just want his name.
I didn't just want this marriage on paper.
I wanted his heart.
Would I get it?
He didn't blink. He just stared at me.
___
I hadn't told my parents at first. I knew they would disapprove.
"Father, please." I knelt in front of him, holding his hands.
"I promise I'm not forcing myself. I truly want to marry him. Please."
"You can't be happy with Hardin," my father insisted. "He's my friend, and I know him well."
My mother sighed and sat beside him.
"Elena loves Hardin," she said softly.
My father's eyes widened. "Is that true?"
My throat tightened. "Yes."
The room fell silent.
"Do you remember when he saved me from the fire?" I continued softly.
"He was the first person I saw when I woke up in the hospital. I think I started loving him at that moment."
Tears slid down my cheeks. "I know he's cold. But he's not a bad man."
My father looked conflicted, lips tight, fingers tapping the armrest. "Hardin can't fall in love with anyone, Elena."
"I don't care. I love him," I whispered.
After a long silence, my father sighed. "If that's what makes you happy, then I won't stop you."
Relief flooded through me, and I hugged him tightly.
"Thank you, Father."
___
Tonight was different from the others.
The stars in the sky looked brighter than usual, almost like silent witnesses watching over me.
A thrill ran down my spine.
My father had finally given his approval, and Hardin had signed the marriage papers.
My dream was about to become reality.
Once the court finalized everything, I would move into Hardin's mansion, and everything would eventually fall into place.
I closed my eyes, inhaling the fresh night air drifting through my open window. My hands rested slightly on the frame.
Could I really smile after such a terrible journey?
"Hi!"
The sudden voice startled me.
I recognized it immediately.
Chelsea. My second friend. When had she come back? She hadn't been in town for a while now.
I turned around to find her standing there with a wide grin.
She smiled, her arms wide open.
"Chelsea!" I squealed, jumping into her arms.
She laughed and hugged me tightly.
"I missed you, Chin-Chin," she teased, using the nickname she gave me.
"I missed you too, Tomato," I replied, using her nickname too.
We broke apart, still smiling.
"When did you get back?" I asked.
"Just minutes ago. I rushed here first. Are you okay?" she said.
I knew what she meant. She'd heard the news.
"You heard about it too?" I asked as I sat down.
"Of course, Tomato. It was everywhere. I was so worried. I called you, but you didn't answer. I had no choice but to come back home." She sat beside me.
"How did it happen? I know you loved Hardin, but I didn't expect it to happen like this."
"I didn't plan it either," I admitted. "It was my first day at work. I got caught in the rain. He found me and took me to his place until it stopped. And then..."
I paused, avoiding her gaze.
"And then?" she pressed.
"I couldn't deny my feelings any longer," I muttered.
Her eyes widened. "You... started it?"
I lowered my head. "I tried to stop myself, but I failed."
"Gosh!" she gasped.
My cheeks burned red.
"Aww!" Chelsea groaned dramatically and pinched my cheeks teasingly. I scoffed.
"But if it happened inside his mansion, how did it get out?" she asked suddenly, her tone turning serious.
I looked at her. The mood shifted instantly.
"I don't know," I admitted.
"If it wasn't Hardin..." she trailed off.
"Then who else was there that night in the mansion?" she asked quietly.
A chill crept up my spine.
Yes.
Who was the third person in that mansion?
And what did they want?
I swallowed hard.
Then she whispered, "What if Hardin did it?"
I froze.
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9.7
Luna Elena Frost was never chosen, only assigned.
Bound to Alpha Alaric Ashbourne through a cold contractual marriage, she endures three years as a Luna in name only. He never comes home, never defends her, and never looks at her, while his heart belongs to another woman.
At his grandmother's funeral, Alaric publicly dissolves their marriage, humiliating Elena before the entire pack. In that moment, she finally understands the truth. She was never wanted.
But the Moon has not abandoned her.
A forgotten night resurfaces. Her long-silent wolf begins to awaken. And secrets buried within her bloodline start to surface, drawing danger from every direction.
Cast out by the pack that once used her, Elena must flee, survive, and uncover her true power.
Only then does the Alpha realize his mistake.
By the time he turns back in regret, the Luna he rejected may already be gone forever.
9.5
In the glittering shadows of New York City's elite, impoverished artist Elena Vasquez clashes with the enigmatic billionaire tycoon Alexander Hale. What begins as a chance encounter in a rain-soaked alley spirals into a whirlwind of passion, betrayal, and redemption. As Elena fights to reclaim her stolen dreams, Alexander's guarded heart unravels, forcing them to confront family secrets, corporate intrigue, and the ruthless divide between their worlds. Will their forbidden love survive the storms of jealousy, scandal, and loss, or will it shatter like the fragile art that brought them together? Shattered Canvases is a steamy billionaire romance that explores the raw edges of desire and the healing power of vulnerability.
8.9
I returned to New York for my welcome-home party, expecting a warm embrace from Edwin, my devoted fiancé of twenty years.
Instead, his first words to me were a cold, public warning to stay away from his new girlfriend, Kacy.
He stood in my family's hotel, shielding a girl I had never even met, and painted me as a vicious, jealous bully.
"She is very sensitive, Kaitlyn. Her background is tough. Please, be gentle with her. Don't upset her."
He humiliated me in front of our entire elite circle, allowing them to mock me as the aggressive, discarded ex while he carried her away like a fragile princess.
For twenty years, I had been his loyal shadow, fixing his mistakes and loving him unconditionally.
I couldn't understand how decades of deep devotion could be instantly erased by a few crocodile tears and a manipulative damsel act.
He was absolutely certain I would throw a tantrum, cry, and eventually crawl back to beg for his attention.
But he was wrong.
He didn't know that Everett Rowe, a billionaire tech mogul, had been patiently waiting five years to marry me.
He also didn't know that during my three years abroad, I wasn't just studying art—I became "K.B.", the ruthless Wall Street predator who could swallow his family's empire whole.
I calmly pulled out my phone, ignored the mocking whispers around me, and typed a single message to Everett.
"Yes. I'll marry you."
7.2
I was securing the diamond clasp of my necklace when the security monitor blinked to life, revealing my husband burying his face between his assistant's thighs.
Just an hour later, Dante Moretti stood by my side at the Gala, playing the part of the devoted Capo, while his mistress smirked at me from across the room in a dress that screamed for attention.
I wanted to leave. I had packed my bags, ready to disappear.
But then the doctor told me the news: I was six weeks pregnant with the Vitiello-Moretti heir.
I thought the baby might save us. I thought it would stop the madness.
I was wrong.
When his mistress accused me of betrayal to cover her own tracks, Dante didn't listen to his wife. He listened to the woman warming his bed.
In a blind rage, the man who swore to protect me struck me down.
I felt the sharp, tearing pain in my abdomen before I even hit the stone floor.
As blood stained my pristine white dress, I realized he hadn't just broken his vows.
He had killed our unborn son.
So, when the opportunity came to detonate the gas line and fake my own death, I didn't hesitate.
I let the world believe Seraphina Moretti died in that explosion.
Ten years later, I returned to a city that thought I was a ghost.
I dismantled his supply lines, froze his assets, and watched his empire crumble piece by piece.
And when he was finally on his knees in the rain, broken and destitute, I stepped out of the shadows.
I didn't come back for his money.
I came back to hand him the ultrasound photo of the child he murdered.
"Hello, Dante."
9.3
She was never supposed to be the bride.
Lila Hart has always lived in her older sister's shadow, Evelyn, the perfect daughter, the favorite, the one chosen to marry Adrian Blackwell, the cold, powerful billionaire heir who controls half of Manhattan. But forty-eight hours before the wedding, Evelyn disappears. No explanation, No goodbye. Just a single warning: "Don't let him find out what I did."
Now the Hart family is about to lose everything, their reputation, their company, their future, unless Lila steps into the role her sister abandoned.
So Lila becomes the replacement bride
A marriage born out of duty for her... and pure anger for him.
Adrian doesn't want a wife, He wants answers. And he's certain Lila knows more about Evelyn's disappearance than she claims. They swear they'll keep their distance, No love,No trust, Just a contract neither of them asked for.
But the night of the wedding, a violent warning arrives, proving Evelyn didn't run away, She was taken. And whoever has her... wants Lila next.
Now Lila is trapped in a marriage built on secrets, hunted by enemies she can't see, and falling for a man she was never supposed to love.
Because the most dangerous place for her... might be right beside her husband.
7.2
I lay in the hospital bed, every breath feeling like I was inhaling wet concrete. My husband, Trent, stood by the window, more interested in his reflection in the glass than his dying wife.
My sister, Cristi, sat nearby, complaining about how the rain would ruin her expensive shoes on the way to the car.
Trent walked to my bedside and brushed a finger against my oxygen tube.
"The liver failure is aggressive," he whispered. "But we expected that, didn't we? After all those 'vitamins' you've been taking."
I tried to scream, but my vocal cords were paralyzed. Cristi just giggled, telling me not to struggle because they needed my trust fund voting power by midnight. They held up a Do Not Resuscitate order and told me my hand had "signed" it with a little help.
"You were a depreciating asset, Cleora," Trent said, his lips cold against my forehead. "Now, you're finally liquidated."
As the darkness swallowed me, I saw flashes of my life—my mother’s suspicious car crash, my stolen sketchbooks, and the bitter almond taste in my morning juice. I died in a state of pure, helpless rage, realizing I had been murdered by the only people I ever loved.
How could they be so heartless? How could I have been so blind to the monsters living in my own home?
Then came the sensation of falling.
I sat up with a gasp, my lungs burning with fresh, salty air. The hospital was gone. I was in a luxury stateroom on our family’s charity cruise, three years before my death. I was alive, healthy, and back at the beginning.
When a blood-stained billionaire named Clemente Pennington walked out of the suite's bathroom, I didn't run. I looked him in the eye and realized that this time, I wouldn't be the one liquidated. I was going to make them pay for every drop of poison they ever fed me.