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firstlove

The Duke’s Bargain

“What did you say?” Félix asked. She repeated, “Name your price.” “What is that supposed to mean?” His voice had tapered off with an unreadable emotion that got her weak in her knees, but she held out her chin. “Didn't you once offer to pay me off? Now, make me an offer I cannot refuse. Otherwise, I will go in there"—she gestured toward the Ball—"and make everyone think you dragged me out here to take advantage of me. I know exactly what that would do to your reputation.” “Say. That. Again,” Félix said through gritted teeth as he inched closer to her. ====================== She hadn’t meant to upset him or, worse, blackmail him. She didn’t even know who he was; she only knew he looked important because of how regally he stood in the moonlit dark. Estella was the baron of Cleverdale’s youngest, born into a hard life and always kept on her toes. Her stepsisters hated her. The baroness loathed her. And her father, the only one she called family, shattered her heart when he sold her to Viscount Alistair Ravensdale to cover up his misdeeds. The night of Lady Agatha’s ball, she seized her chance and ran straight into … Duke Félix of Chateaûbriant. In the dark, he mistook her for Princess Coralie, his fiancée, and kissed her. When the moon revealed her face, something about her stuck with him. He couldn’t shake the image of her running wildly or how she smelled like white lotus with hardcore roots. But when she threatened his reputation, he refused to play along. She returned to her world of cruel sisters and an unwanted engagement. What she hadn’t prepared for was the Duke arriving at her doorstep, making two outrageous claims. One. He was the Duke of Chateaûbriant. And two. She had stolen something valuable from him that night. What had she stolen without knowing it? Or worse, what could he possibly demand as repayment? ✯Like it? Add to Library!
Nancy_Jim · 78k Views

The SHEWOLF & The LAST HE-DRAGON

"Sometimes letting go of the one you love with all your heart can be the right thing to do," he said bitterly as he let go of my hand and took a step back. "No," my voice broke in-between as tears threatened to fall. But he simply offered a sad smile and I could see the pain in his eyes. It was heart wrenching. "Your mate needs you, Ingrid," he sadly reminded me as he further distanced himself away but I didn't bother looking at my mate who was obviously waiting for me to come to him. "NO, I WANT ONLY YOU!" I screamed and the atmosphere shifted drastically as he suddenly froze in place. And seeing his reluctance, I finally said those words I have always held back until now... "I love you and only you." ~ Ingrid Dolph, a lowly she-wolf happens to be in her ripe age of locating her mate. And it was during this time that the rumor about a dragon egg spread like wildfire and everyone was asked to hunt for it. Whoever finds it will have a greater share and unbelievable privileges. Excited for the hunt, Ingrid takes part in it with the motive of finding it and bargaining for its blood and scale. And as fate would have it, she didn't just find it but that same dragon turns out to be her mate.... But, who said it's a MUST to end up with a mate or soulmate? Who made the rule that your life MUST be tied to a selected person when you have the choice to be with the person you truly love and choose by yourself? Fueled and influenced by the mate pull, Ingrid's mind is clouded with her mate but initially before even meeting him, she encountered someone who she genuinely fell in love with without knowing it until it was nearly too late.....
FaeyVor5651 · 33.3k Views

fate: maybe I know you

Lost Echoes: A Past That Won’t Stay Buried... I wasn’t always this cold... Once,, I smiled more often,, laughed at little things,, and believed in forever... But that version of me was buried beneath the ruins of a past , I never truly recovered from. Now,, I am Rimi—the CEO of Mirain Company,, the number one cosmetics brand in the country... To the world,, I am composed,, elegant, and ruthlessly efficient... People see me as cold, unapproachable. A queen encased in ice... But behind that polished mask,, there's a side only one person ever got to see—a side that giggles,, pouts,, clings,, and melts like a kitten seeking warmth. That side was for him... Kai... He was my best friend., My confidant.. The boy who used to tease me with that crooked smile and hold my hand when I cried... We were young,, maybe too young to understand the depth of what we felt,, but it was real... I loved him—I loved Kai with all the pieces of my innocent heart,. And maybe... just maybe, he loved me too... But we were cowards, both of us. We never spoke our truth,, never crossed that fragile line between friendship and something more... And then—everything shattered... The night my world fell apart,, I lost everything. My parents died in a brutal accident,, leaving behind nothing but silence and ashes... I waited for Kai... I waited for him to show up, to hold me and promise it would be okay. But he never came. No calls. No letters. No goodbye... He vanished.,, Just like that, the boy I loved disappeared,,. I was sixteen , hollow and numb,, drowning in grief and abandonment. But fate didn’t completely abandon me. A kind family—old friends of my parents—took me in. They gave me a home, love,, and warmth I never thought I’d feel again. They never treated me like a burden... They loved me like their own, and I promised myself I'd make them proud... So,, I rebuilt myself from the ashes... I buried my pain, my past, and the girl I used to be. I studied hard,, graduated with honors,, and took over my father’s legacy—Mirain Company... Under my leadership,, we soared to new heights,, becoming the top cosmetics brand in the country... I had everything—power, respect,, success. But love?? I stopped believing in it. Until he walked in... It was at my best friend’s wedding,, a day filled with laughter, champagne,, and memories. And there he was,, standing across the ballroom—sharp suit,, intense gaze,, and a presence that made my heart forget how to beat. For a split second,, I thought it was Kai. My breath hitched... My world tilted. My past clawed its way back to the surface... But his name was Adrian... Adrian Knight—the CEO of Queen Company,, our fiercest rival. The second most successful cosmetics brand,, always trying to outshine us. We were competitors. Enemies,, even. But none of that mattered when our eyes met. He looked at me like he knew me... Like he saw through the layers I had so carefully built over the years., And I hated that. I hated how my heart stuttered. I hated how my legs wanted to walk toward him... I hated that he looked so much like Kai,, and yet was nothing like him... Adrian was confident,, charismatic,, with a gaze that seemed to strip me bare... And I… I was supposed to be the composed one... The ice queen. But around him,, I couldn’t hold that façade. He made the forgotten girl inside me stir again—the one who wanted to be held,, loved,, cherished... I told myself it was just resemblance... Just a cruel trick of fate. But my heart didn’t listen... Maybe I was falling... Falling for a man who looked like my past,, but felt like my future... And it scared me... Because if Adrian was a second chance... was I brave enough to take it??? Or would he leave me broken,, just like Kai once did??? I didn’t have answers. Only questions,, memories, and a heart that refused to stay silent anymore... And deep down,, beneath the frost,, I could feel the warmth return. Maybe... just maybe,, this was the beginning of
writertushu · 18.4k Views

Passport Hearts

When a burned-out marketing executive trades her corner office for a one-way ticket to Europe, she never expects to fall for the cynical travel blogger who keeps showing up at every stop. Juno Sinclair had it all figured out—until she walked out of a Chicago boardroom mid-presentation and bought a EuroRail pass instead of groceries. Armed with nothing but a backpack, her best friend Carmen's unsolicited advice, and a dangerous lack of plans, she's determined to find herself somewhere between Paris croissants and Barcelona rooftops. Enter Leo Moretti: sardonic Italian travel blogger, professional heartbreaker, and the last person Juno should trust with her fragile post-corporate soul. He's documenting Europe's hidden gems while nursing wounds from his own spectacular breakup, and he has zero interest in playing tour guide to another lost American tourist. But as their paths cross from smoky Parisian jazz bars to candlelit Roman trattorias, the chemistry becomes impossible to ignore. Between Leo's knowing smirks and Juno's fierce vulnerability, something real begins to bloom—until ghosts from Leo's past surface in Prague, forcing Juno to confront her deepest fear: that she's just another stop on someone else's journey. From the bohemian cafés of Montmartre to the sun-drenched cliffs of Santorini, Passport Hearts is a witty, emotional love letter to second chances, the courage to start over, and the people who teach us that the best destinations are the ones we choose together. Sometimes the journey finds you. Sometimes you have to fight for the destination. Perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Emily Henry—a romantic comedy that will make you book your next adventure and believe in love that's worth the risk.
Access_to_universe · 5.8k Views