A contract for two: An Ashwood's bride
Halo Remington has spent her entire life in the shadows of her perfect twin sister, Scarlet, the golden child, the chosen one, the family's heiress. No one ever sees Halo, and that’s just the way her family prefers it. Until Talon Ashwood walks into their home with a contract and a choice that was never meant to be hers.
Talon needs a bride, quickly. His father had made it clear, no marriage, no inheriting the Ashwood empire. Choosing Scarlet should be simple, expected. But when a single glance at an old portrait reveals a hidden twin, Talon makes a last-minute decision that shatters the room’s expectations. He no longer wants the golden daughter. No, he wants the quiet lamb hidden in the shadows.
Pulled from her place behind the closed doors of her room, Halo is thrust into a deal she never saw coming. Marry him, and she would finally be free of her family’s control. Walk away, and she would remain unseen and unwanted, a ghost in her own life and a shadow in the footsteps of her sister.
After coming to a decision and going through with it, Halo steps into a world of power, deception, and an attraction she never anticipated. But as secrets unravel and ruthless tactics ensue, Halo realizes that this marriage harboured far more than just a business deal. It was the cost of being chosen by an Ashwood.
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Chapter: TriggerAs he said it, two officers came through the side corridor dragging a stretcher between them. A bloodied body lay on it, a white sheet already stained crimson around the head and chest. The sight hit hard.Halo turned away immediately. Talon instinctively reached out and covered her eyes with his hand."Don’t look.""What the hell is this?" Talon questioned.The detective pressed his lips together. "That’s one of the kitchen staff. The Chestnut haired girl.""What?" Talon narrowed his eyes. "She’s dead?"The junior detective, Kevin, stepped forward. "We had finished basic interrogation with her. She was quiet yesterday. But this morning, she came in ready to talk. She was very nervous, shaking even. Said she had something to confess, but not in front of everyone. We pulled her into one of the private rooms. She kept glancing at her phone. Then it rang.""She picked it?" Talon asked."She did," Kevin nodded. "We didn’t stop her. We thought it was a family member. It lasted maybe thirt
Last Updated: 2025-05-19
Chapter: A station turn It was morning.Halo blinked, and for a second, she forgot where she was.Then she felt an arm slung around her waist. And someone was breathing near her neck.He was still asleep. Or so she thought.He clung to her like a child would a stuffed toy, face buried softly against the back of her shoulder. Peaceful. Really peaceful.This....was definitely the first night they'd shared a bed. Properly.She didn't move for a moment, unsure if to.Then, slowly, she turned her head, just slightly.And then she caught him staring."You’re awake," she said."I was about to say the same thing." His voice was rough with sleep. "But yeah.....I have been awake a bit. I just didn’t want to move."She didn’t answer that.He stretched a little, still holding her. "Wanna go downstairs? Maybe grab some breakfast?"Halo raised a brow."You spoon me all night and think food is the next logical step?"He smirked. "A man’s gotta eat."She rolled her eyes, but she was already sitting up."Fine. But I'm not ma
Last Updated: 2025-05-09
Chapter: Sleep-grindingHalo hadn't felt anything like this before, she had a mini crush once, so she wasn't a stranger to the feeling of desire.But this......was on a different scale.They had said their goodnights and gone to bed, keeping whatever unfinished conversation for the morning to come. But it wasn't till her eyes snapped open in the middle of the night that she felt someone grinding against her."Sshhh, turn wifey." He whispered as his hips worked quickly against hers.How could she go back to bed like this,His lips were caressing and kissing away at her neck. She was trying to reel in her gasps, feeling weak at the knees."Talon.....what are you doing?""Isn't it obvious?" He cocked a brow, "getting some friction." She felt his palm cover the top of her mounds and she sprang up. That action made Talon to roll over the bed in shock, his mouth was wide and his eyes were apologetic."Shit, I didn't.....I thought -"All this while, he had thought that he was in a dream, he didn't realize he wa
Last Updated: 2025-05-03
Chapter: Resisting Shortly after Halo left, the back door creaked open again. Karina slipped inside, her jacket slung over one shoulder and a smirk playing on her lips. "Forgot something," she purred, closing the door behind her. Talon didn’t argue. He was too conflicted. When Karina approached him, he let her touch him, let her kiss him. But as her hands roamed, Talon found himself holding back. His mind wasn’t on Karina. It was stuck upstairs, behind a locked door where someone he had left upstairs was pretending not to be hurt. After a few strained minutes, Talon pulled away. "You should go," he muttered, standing up and grabbing her jacket from the chair. Karina sighed dramatically but didn't argue. She took the jacket, gave him a lazy wink, and slipped out the door without a word. The house fell quiet again. Talon stood there, his hands clenched, before forcing himself eventually to move. He walked upstairs, every step feeling heavier than the last. He hesitated outside the doo
Last Updated: 2025-04-28
Chapter: Blowing steamHalo had found a spare nightwear and fallen asleep in the guest bedroom, expecting to return home later. However, Talon had insisted on spending the night. The new mobile phone Talon had purchased for Halo sat on the bedside table, and Halo had punched in her parent's numbers, accidentally flashing Scarlet instead. When Scarlet called back, her tone was far from happy.As Halo glanced over at Talon, she noticed he was stirring in his sleep. His hands were clasped over his chest, and his knees were drawn up to his torso in a fetal position. Suddenly, Halo heard rushed panicked breaths from Talon, and she was immediately alarmed.She went to his side and lightly shook his shoulders.Talon's green eyes blinked open, glazed over with unshed tears."Are you crying?" She realized it was a stupid question as soon as she saw the tears. Talon stood up from the bed, moving the sheets aside, and muttered, "I'm fine, go back to bed."Halo's confusion and worry grew. "I can't go back to bed, Tal
Last Updated: 2025-04-26
Chapter: ToughIt didn’t take long.By the time the afternoon sun started dipping into early evening, Chief Rawley arrived with two patrol vans, three officers in dark blue uniforms, and a notepad already filled with scribbled questions.Talon stood at the front door, waiting. Zorro lingered behind him, arms folded, his expression tight. Halo stayed inside the living room, seated, hands clasped together, her gaze flicking between the door and the hallway.Chief Rawley stepped forward. “Mr. Ashwood.”Talon nodded. “Thank you for coming.”The officers moved around the perimeter, entering the kitchen and back corridors. The staff were already lined up in the service hallway, murmuring nervously among themselves. The butler stood straight and sharp.The cook who’d peeked out earlier was pale, avoiding everyone’s gaze.“Your report said murder,” Rawley said under his breath as he stepped aside with Talon. “We’ll need the doctor's findings in full before making this official.”“Doctor Greg is ready to coo
Last Updated: 2025-04-20
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