Novels by Margaret Mark

House of CardsJulian had always believed his empire was indestructible. He had built it on precision, ruthless ambition, and the kind of unflinching confidence that made lesser men bow to him. But now, as the lawsuit with Camille began to dominate headlines, the foundation of his empire began to tremble.It started with whispers. A few anonymous leaks to the press. A rumor that his empire wasn’t as solid as he claimed. Journalists began digging into contracts, acquisitions, and financial filings. Then the shareholders—those same men who had once praised his brilliance—started making calls he wasn’t invited to join.By the third week of the lawsuit’s publicity, the market had already shifted against him. His company’s stock dipped six percent in a single day. By Friday, it had plummeted ten.Julian stormed into the boardroom, eyes blazing. His executives sat stiffly, avoiding his gaze. He slammed his hand on the table. “Cowards,” he hissed. “One woman makes an accusation, and you all

The LawsuitThe summons landed on Julian’s mahogany desk like a dagger driven into wood. He stared at the crisp white envelope, the seal of the court glaring at him like an accusation. For a man who had built empires, fought hostile takeovers, and dismantled competitors without flinching, this was the first time his hands trembled while holding a single sheet of paper.Camille had sued him.Not for money. Not for breach of contract. But for coercion.The word alone was enough to make his chest tighten. In the court of law—and worse, in the court of public opinion—it was poison. He thought back to the moments they had shared, the nights of passion that blurred with fury, the fragile vulnerability in her eyes when she believed him. Somewhere in that tangled history, she had decided he had forced her into a cage. And now, she was fighting to prove it.Julian rose from his chair and paced the office, his jaw clenched. “Coercion,” he muttered, tasting the word as if it were ash. “She think

Breaking PointCamille’s heart hammered against her ribs as she stumbled out of the powder room. Vivian’s words clung to her like smoke, poisoning her thoughts: This empire will burn. No amount of perfume or polished marble could mask the stench of betrayal. She needed air. She needed truth. She needed Julian.The ballroom lights glared too brightly, the chatter too loud, every face a mask of greed and deceit. Vivian’s laughter followed her like a shadow, echoing in her head. Camille barely noticed when Julian’s hand touched hers, steadying her.“There you are,” he murmured, concern flickering across his handsome features. “I was beginning to worry.”Camille stared at him, her throat tightening. How could she tell him? How could she describe what she had seen, Vivian’s lips pressed against Adrian’s, their whispered conspiracy? She opened her mouth, but the words tangled. Instead, all she managed was, “We need to talk. Alone.”Julian’s eyes narrowed. He read her expression, and somethi

The Betrayal KissCamille had never liked attending the high-society galas that Julian thrived in. The endless chatter of investors, the forced smiles of socialites, the glint of champagne glasses raised in hollow toasts—it all felt like a play where she didn’t belong. But tonight, Julian insisted she accompany him. “It’s important,” he had whispered as he fastened her diamond bracelet. “The Thorne deal is almost finalized, and we need to show unity.”Unity. The word lingered in her mind long after Julian had disappeared into a circle of men in tailored suits. Camille drifted through the ballroom like a shadow, smiling when necessary, nodding politely, but her heart wasn’t in it. She only wanted air.The balcony offered that reprieve. She stepped outside, letting the night wind tease her curls, the cool breeze brushing away the suffocating perfume of the ballroom. She leaned against the railing, eyes wandering across the skyline glittering with ambition. For a moment, she could breath

Chains ReforgedThe moment the two men in black suits stepped inside, Camille’s pulse quickened. Their presence filled the room with a cold, heavy weight that settled over her shoulders like iron shackles. Julian didn’t even look at her for permission—he just issued orders, his voice clipped and final.“These are your guards. From today, you don’t move without them.”Camille’s lips parted, but no words came out. She watched the men exchange curt nods before retreating to the hallway, their silence even more menacing than words could have been. They weren’t there for comfort, not even for show. They were watchers.“Julian, this is too much,” she said, her voice shaking. “I don’t need guards. I don’t need to be shadowed like a prisoner.”He poured himself a drink, his hands steady now, as though dictating her every step restored the control he had lost in the boardroom. “This isn’t a prison, Camille. This is protection. You’re too valuable to me to risk losing.”She felt her chest tight

The Business WarJulian had always been the man in control—the kind of CEO whose decisions could shift the market overnight. But this time, the storm wasn’t his to command. The rival company’s attack was vicious, calculated, and relentless. Headlines screamed betrayal. Stocks dipped. And the vultures of the business world circled like they had smelled blood.Camille watched him pace the length of the office, his phone glued to his ear as one call blurred into another. His jaw was set, his voice sharp, each order clipped with the kind of rage only fear could birth. She had seen him angry before, seen him break deals with the snap of a pen, but this was different. He was unraveling, thread by thread.“Pull the board members into an emergency meeting. I want loyalty tested. Anyone wavering—we cut them loose. No hesitation,” Julian barked, slamming the phone shut before snatching up another.Camille tightened her arms around herself, the silence of the room buzzing with unspoken tension.