Falling Hard
Ezekiel is a ruthless billionaire, known for his charm, arrogance, and a long trail of broken hearts. Love, to him, is a game—one-night stands, no strings attached, and women begging for his attention. But when a critical merger threatens his empire, Ezekiel needs a wife—fast. Not a socialite or a gold-digger… someone quiet, obedient, and easy to control.
Enter Isla Ramirez, a struggling waitress buried in debt, desperate to save her sick younger brother. When Ezekiel offers her a cold, cutthroat contract—marry him for a year in exchange for a fortune—she has no choice but to accept. She signs her life away, thinking she’s nothing but a pawn in his game.
But nothing is simple with Ezekiel. Their marriage begins with venomous fights, cold glares, and unbearable tension. He drags her into his dangerous world of power plays and brutal secrets, expecting her to break. Yet Isla doesn’t bow—she bites back. Her defiance ignites something primal inside Ezekiels: obsession.
What starts as a business transaction turns into a searing, forbidden attraction. Ezekiel’s dark desires and possessive nature clash with Isla’s stubborn spirit. He hates her… but craves her. She fears him… but aches for him. Every stolen glance, every sinful touch, pulls them deeper into a wicked game of lust and power.
With enemies lurking in the shadows and secrets threatening to destroy them both, Ezekiel finds himself torn between his playboy past and the woman who challenges him like no one ever has. In a world where love is weakness, can a contract marriage built on lies turn into something dangerously real… or will it consume them both?
In this dark, steamy romance, hearts will break, rules will shatter, and love might just ruin them.
Baca
Chapter: Chapter 21: Dangerous LiaisonsThe wine in Ava’s glass shimmered under the chandelier’s dim light as she traced its rim with a crimson-painted fingertip. She sat in a private lounge of a luxurious hotel in Manila, dressed in a silk black dress that clung to her body like a secret. The man sitting across from her watched her in silence, his fingers steepled together, eyes sharp beneath the expensive cut of his suit.Mr. Ricafort.They hadn’t spoken in years. Not directly. Not since Ezekiel Veylin had swept Isla into his world and turned the tables on both of them—leaving Ava abandoned in a love story she never got to finish, and Ricafort outplayed in a business empire he once nearly controlled.Ava finally broke the silence. “So,” she said, voice silky, “you finally called.”Ricafort gave a cold smile. “Because it’s time. You and I—we want the same thing.”She raised an eyebrow. “Do we?”“You want him to suffer,” Ricafort said, pouring himself a drink without asking if she wanted more. “And I want to take back every
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-07-26
Chapter: Chapter 20: The Woman From His PastThe sound of heels echoed through the marble lobby of Whitlock Industries, drawing curious glances from employees and executives alike. The woman walked with confidence—long legs in a designer suit, lips tinted in a striking red, and a look in her eyes that didn’t waver.She looked like she belonged there.But she didn’t.Not anymore.Ezekiel’s eyes snapped to the security feed in his office just as her face came into view. His stomach sank. Ava.She hadn’t changed. Still composed. Still beautiful in that calculating, ice-and-fire kind of way. And now—uninvited—she was walking straight into the empire he had rebuilt from the ashes of betrayal.He stood abruptly, jaw clenched. Isla had just left for a board meeting down the hall. He had seconds.But he was too late.The elevator doors opened, and Ava stepped into the executive floor like she had every right to be there.And Isla was the first to see her.Isla paused in the hallway, holding a folder against her chest, confused by the wo
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-07-25
Chapter: Chapter 19: Secrets UnveiledThe car rolled to a stop in front of a secluded estate, hidden deep within the countryside on the outskirts of the city. Tall iron gates stood like silent sentinels, and security cameras tracked every movement. Isla’s fingers clutched her purse tightly on her lap, her heart beating faster than she wanted to admit.Ezekiel leaned across the console and gently touched her hand. “They’re not enemies,” he said in a calm voice. “They’re my people. And now, they’re yours too.”She swallowed, eyes flickering to the vast mansion beyond the gates. “You’ve been keeping them a secret from me all this time.”“I had to,” he said softly. “Not to protect myself… but to protect you.”Before she could reply, the gates opened smoothly, and the car advanced down the long driveway lined with tall cypress trees. The estate itself was modern and imposing—glass, steel, and stone woven into a fortress-like design that screamed power and secrecy.Two men waited by the front entrance.The taller one, lean and
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-07-25
Chapter: Chapter 18 – Shadows Between Us The late afternoon sun barely filtered through the tinted windows of the Whitlock Industries penthouse office. Isla sat at the long mahogany table, hands clenched beneath the polished surface. She had called this meeting. She needed answers. The numbers weren’t adding up—and worse, neither was Ezekiel’s behavior.Ezekiel arrived fifteen minutes late, sharp in a navy suit, his cold gaze skimming over her like a businessman greeting a stranger.“You wanted to talk?” he asked, voice flat, controlled.She forced herself to breathe evenly. “Yes. About the missing figures from the Ricafort merger. And why Mikaela’s name keeps appearing in the communications log between departments that are supposed to be sealed off.”His jaw tightened. “You’ve been digging.”“You’ve been hiding,” she fired back.There was a flicker—almost guilt, almost anger—before he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. “You don’t trust me anymore?”“I want to. But how can I when you keep me out of everything impo
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-07-24
Chapter: Chapter 17 – The Breach Between Us The lights of the city flickered through the tall windows of the penthouse, casting fractured reflections on the glass table where Isla sat, unmoving. Her tea had long gone cold, untouched. She was waiting—waiting for Ezekiel to come home.And when the elevator doors finally opened with a quiet chime, her breath caught.He stepped in, tall, powerful, but his features sharp with fatigue and tension. He was dressed in his signature black suit, the collar of his shirt undone, revealing the faint mark of a bruise just beneath it. Isla’s heart ached at the sight, but she kept her voice steady.“You’re late.”“I know,” he said, shrugging off his jacket. “Ricafort’s claws are deeper than I thought. The board’s split. He’s bribed two major shareholders to stall the merger.”Isla stood up slowly, walking toward him. “You haven’t come home on time in four days. And you barely look at me when you do.”His jaw tightened. “This isn’t about us, Isla. This is business. I warned you—Ricafort doesn’t
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-07-23
Chapter: Chapter 16: Ricafort’s Flashback – The Perfect Betrayal Years before Isla Valencia ever walked into Ricafort’s office with those fire-lit eyes, before Ezekiel Veylin became his personal nightmare, there was only one plan in Ricafort’s world—domination. And it began with betrayal. He poured himself a glass of scotch, the amber liquid swirling like liquid gold, and stared out over Manila’s business district from his penthouse suite. Back then, he was the rising king, playing both friend and predator. Whitlock Industries was his hunting ground, and Isidro Valencia was the perfect fool. Isidro was weak—always desperate for validation, always hungry for deals he could never control. Ricafort made him feel important, invited him to luxury golf clubs, whispered about impossible profits, and filled his head with dreams of expanding Whitlock’s hold across Southeast Asia. All lies. Ricafort smirked at the memory of Isidro’s wide-eyed gullibility, how easy it was to plant seeds of greed. “This is how you secure Isla’s future,” Ricafort would
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-07-22
Masuk
