The CEO's Forbidden Wife
Kathalina Ruiz never believed in fairy tales. Her mother's dying wish bound her to enigmatic CEO Thirdie Stone in an arranged marriage she accepted out of duty, not romance. Yet somewhere between quiet nights and fragile smiles, Kathalina fell deeply for her distant husband only to keep her love locked away, too afraid it would never be returned.
For three years, their marriage balanced on politeness and silence. Then one stormy afternoon shattered it all. Kathalina walked into Thirdie's office and found another woman-half-naked-sitting on his lap. Without demanding an explanation, she signed the divorce papers he placed before her, his gaze as cold as the ink that sealed their separation. What she never knew was that Thirdie's betrayal was a lie... a desperate act to protect her from the dangerous threats circling his empire.
Heartbroken and grieving, Kathalina fled abroad. From the ashes of her pain, she rebuilt herself into a celebrated jewelry designer, admired for her elegance and independence. But fate had other plans. Years later, her mother's lawyer makes a revelation she has inherited a vast fortune and controlling shares in Stone Corporation. The life and the man she tried to escape are waiting for her return.
Back in the city where it all began, Kathalina comes face-to-face with Thirdie once more. Old wounds resurface, secrets linger in every shadow, and danger draws closer than ever. Now, she must decide to protect her heart from the man who once broke it or uncover the truth he buried......a truth that could change everything she thought she knew about their past.
A story of love, sacrifice, and second chances, The Stones We Keep asks.....is it ever too late to believe in a love that never truly died?
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Chapter: Chapter 30: The Key from the PastKathalina rolled onto her side, hugging the pillow tightly against her chest as though it could protect her from the storm of emotions swirling inside. Her heart was restless. Thirdie’s words from earlier kept echoing, pulling her between anger, confusion, and a longing she hated to admit.After a while, she sat up with a sigh. I need to clear my head. She dragged herself to the bathroom and turned on the shower. The warm water cascaded down her skin, soothing her body but not her thoughts. She pressed her palms against the cold tiles and closed her eyes.When she stepped out of the bath, drying her hair with a towel, she heard a voice from outside her room.“Kath… are you asleep?”Thirdie.Her heart skipped, and for a second, she thought of staying quiet, pretending she was sleeping. She didn’t want to face him. Not yet. But she also knew she couldn’t keep running from this. With a deep breath, she opened the door.Thirdie was standing there, tall and composed, but his eyes searched
Last Updated: 2025-09-04
Chapter: Chapter 29: Unraveled ThoughtsWhen they entered the villa, the tension between them didn’t fade. If anything, it thickened like heavy air pressing down on both of them. Neither spoke at first. Kathalina walked into the living room and sat down, trying to keep her face calm. Thirdie followed quietly, his eyes on her, but he didn’t sit too close.For a moment, silence stretched between them just the ticking of the old clock on the wall and the faint hum of the evening outside.Then Nana Maring passed by, her warm smile breaking the stillness.“How was the tour to the farm, Kathalina?” she asked kindly.Kathalina forced a small smile, her voice steady though her heart was still restless.“It was okay, Nana. The farmers were so kind and welcoming. I also paid the bills for the fertilizer and the workers’ salaries. I’ll settle the tax for the farm tomorrow.”Before Nana could reply, Thirdie’s deep voice cut in. “No need. I already asked Finn to handle it as soon as possible.”Kathalina turned her head slightly, surpris
Last Updated: 2025-09-04
Chapter: Chapter 28: No Matter What It TakesKathalina's breath hitched, her chest tightening as his words sank into her. For so long, she had convinced herself that he had never loved her.... that all those cold silences, all those lonely nights, were proof that she had been nothing to him. And now... he stood before her, confessing everything she had once begged to hear.Her eyes stung with unshed tears. She shook her head, her voice unsteadily, almost breaking."How... how can you be so sure, Thirdie?" she whispered. "How can you say you'll stay by my side now, after everything? You thought I'd moved on, that I was still single, and you left me with nothing but questions and pain. How do I know you won't walk away again?"The words trembled out of her, sharp and fragile at once. She hugged her arms around herself, as if to shield the storm inside her.Inside, though, her thoughts whispered what her lips could not I never moved on. I never loved anyone else. I'm still alone. Still waiting, even when I swore I wouldn't.Her eye
Last Updated: 2025-09-03
Chapter: Chapter 27: Between Silence and SunsetThe sun was already lowering, its golden light spilling over the rows of fields as Kathalina and Thirdie started their walk back to the villa. The air smelled of fresh soil and strawberries. Behind them, Jeff had stayed at the strawberry farm, laughing with the farmers as he promised to bring some baskets back with him when they returned to the city.Thirdie walked quietly beside Kathalina, his hands tucked into his pockets, his gaze occasionally dropping to the path but always drifting back to her when she wasn’t looking. The sky above them was painted with hues of orange and pink, and the breeze carried a soft chill that made the moment feel delicate, like it could shatter if someone spoke too loudly.They passed farmers still bent over their work, and Kathalina greeted them with a warm smile, waving occasionally. Thirdie gave polite nods, his usual stoic aura softening in her presence. Every so often, their shoulders brushed lightly as they walked close together on the narrow path.
Last Updated: 2025-09-03
Chapter: Chapter 26: Roots Beneath the SoilThe sincerity in his tone caught her off guard. She lowered her gaze, lashes veiling her eyes, and quietly slipped into her room. The wooden door closed softly behind her, but her chest still stirred with unsteady rhythm. A moment later, she heard another door across the hallway open and then shut again with a muted thud.Now only a wall stood between them, thin enough that if Kathalina pressed her ear against it, she might have caught the faint sound of his breathing or perhaps nothing but silence. Thridie had always carried silence with him, not empty but heavy, like a stone settled in a river.Kathalina sat on the edge of her bed, her hands pressed tightly in her lap. Her gaze wandered up to the wooden ceiling. Sleep should have been easy, her body was tired from walking the farm all afternoon, yet her mind refused to rest.It was strange. Unnerving, even.Thridie had once been cold. Distant. A man of few words and fewer gestures, so unreachable she had convinced herself long ago s
Last Updated: 2025-09-01
Chapter: Chapter 25: Unbroken TiesA ripple of laughter spread among the farmers, good-natured and teasing. Kathalina lowered her gaze to hide her embarrassment, wishing the ground would swallow her whole.Beside her, Thridie didn’t laugh, didn’t even flinch. He only lowered his eyes for a moment, the corner of his mouth tightening, as though holding back words he wouldn’t allow himself to say. Without missing a beat, he continued passing out the envelopes, his voice was steady as he thanked each farmer in turn as if the question had never been asked.It wasn’t until a small boy tugged at his sleeve that he paused. The child tilted his head curiously and asked in all innocence,“If you’re not Madam’s husband……are you her boyfriend then?”A few chuckles rose from the crowd. Thridie crouched down to meet the boy’s small height, his expression softening. He shook his head gently.“No, little one. I’m not her boyfriend.”The boy’s face fell in disappointment.“But… why not? You two match each other.”Thridie’s lips curved f
Last Updated: 2025-08-30
Doted by the Ruthless Billionaire
Twenty-year-old Lyra Moreno appears to be nothing more than a cold, sleepy noble girl porcelain-doll beautiful, always wrapped in blankets, and seemingly uninterested in anything beyond her next nap. To her father, stepmother, and scheming stepsister, she's a burden. But beneath her drowsy charm lies a dangerous secret.
Lyra is the anonymous founder of GALAXY, a covert hacker syndicate responsible for dismantling criminal empires from behind glowing screens.
Living quietly under the doting care of her powerful grandparents, Lyra is named heir to their fortune but on one condition....she must marry Elias Vale, the ruthless, cold CEO of Vale Corp, who just so happens to be investigating Virgo.exe, her old hacker alias.
Seven years older, Elias is brilliant, powerful, and emotionally walled off until fate throws him into the path of the sleepy girl he's been unknowingly watching. When her scheming stepmother and stepsister pay a criminal to ruin her, the two are dragged into a public relationship... and a private war they can't avoid. And even, secretly..... marriage.
As they work together to uncover a traitor within Vale Corp, Elias begins to see the fierce strategist behind Lyra's sleepy façade. And Lyra, used to keeping the world at a distance, starts to wonder if she's finally found someone who sees all of her and wants her anyway.
But with enemies in her own home and shadows from her past returning, Lyra must decide: can she let someone into her world, or is silence the only way to survive?
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Chapter: Chapter 41: Whispers in the StudyLyra sneezed, a soft, unexpected sound that broke the hush of the study. She blinked, pressing the back of her hand to her nose, then sank deeper into the velvet cushions of the long couch. The scent of old books, firewood, and faint traces of lavender tea filled the room, lulling her into a fragile calm. The heart crackled softly in the corner, casting amber warmth against her pale skin and painting shifting shadows along the walls of lined shelves.Her gray-moon eyes drifted lazily toward the rows of leather-bound volumes as she murmured, half to herself,“Someone must be scolding me again.” The words fell from her lips like a sigh, light and wistful, as she tugged the wool blanket closer around her shoulders.The door opened with a creak, and Elias stepped in. His tall frame filled the doorway, a dark silhouette against the light from the corridor. His movements, though, carried an unusual restraint as if he was wary of shattering the fragile stillness of this haven.When his gaze
Last Updated: 2025-09-04
Chapter: Chapter 40: The Silence at the TableThe clink of silverware echoed softly in the grand dining room, the long-polished mahogany table stretching between them, heavy with food that no one seemed eager to touch. Platters of roasted meat, crystal bowls of salad, and delicate pastries sat cooling under the chandeliers, untouched as though they were more display than nourishment.Richard sat at the head of the table, posture slightly slouched, his reading glasses perched on the bridge of his nose as he scrolled through files on his sleek tablet. His fork moved absently across his plate, pushing food around without any real intention of eating it. His mind was clearly elsewhere calculations, projects, and problems far beyond the walls of this dining room.Beatrice set her utensils down a little too loudly, the sharp sound slicing through the quiet like a blade. She curved her lips into a brittle smile, though her eyes were sharp as glass.“Richard,” she began, voice measured but edged with tension, “Lyra was discharged from the
Last Updated: 2025-08-27
Chapter: Chapter 39: The Guard Dog and His TerritoryElias pushed open the front door, loosening the last of his tie as he stepped inside. The faint scent of tea and something sweet drifted from the living room.There she was. Lyra sat curled up on the sofa, a plate of mooncakes on the table beside her, nibbling quietly as if the world outside didn’t exist. For a moment, he simply watched her, a softness settling into his expression. Then, crossing the room, he bent down and pressed a light kiss to the top of her head.“I’m back,” he murmured.The room froze.Rio’s mouth fell open like a bad comedy sketch. Theo blinked twice, his brain visibly short-circuiting. Dren nearly dropped his phone onto the carpet.“Boss…” Rio whispered dramatically, pointing an accusing finger. “Did you just…...kiss her?”Theo gasped, clutching his chest. “On the head! In public!”“History has been made,” Dren muttered, solemnly nodding as if bearing witness to a world-shaking event.Lyra’s cheeks colored faintly. She quickly set her plate down and avoided the
Last Updated: 2025-08-27
Chapter: Chapter 38: Where Loyalties StandMeanwhile....Lyra sat in her office, high in the eastern wing of the house. The room was quiet now, Yani and the Shadow dismissed hours ago. Only the sound of the sea pressed faintly against the tall glass windows, the waves breathing steadily in the night.The black envelope rested on the table in front of her. Heavy card stock. A golden seal pressed into wax like a crown. She hadn't opened it again.... she didn't need to.The Grande Crow.Not an invitation. A summons. A trap.And she already knew whose hand had written it. Liam Moreau's shadow had been circling too close, too desperate, for this to be anyone else's move. But Elias didn't know she had already pieced it together. She wanted to hear the name from his lips.Her phone buzzed quietly against the desk. She glanced at the caller ID. Elias.A small curve touched her mouth, sharp at the edges. So, he would come to her first.She answered. "Elias."His voice carried over the line, steady, but she could hear the wear of long h
Last Updated: 2025-08-27
Chapter: Chapter 37: The InvitationNight clung to Vale Tower like a cloak. From the highest floor, the city below spread out in ribbons of light, cars crawling like sparks across the veins of steel and glass. The office was quiet except for the low hum of the air vents and the faint ticking of the clock on the far wall.Elias sat behind his desk, shoulders squared but his tie was undone, sleeves rolled up as though he had been wrestling with work all day. Papers lay scattered in neat but untouched piles, the kind only a disciplined man could keep even in distraction. His gaze wasn’t on the city or the files. It was locked on the black envelope resting in front of him like a threat.The wax seal gleamed under the light gold, pressed with a crown and seven stars. An invitation, yes, but not one meant to flatter.Kade leaned in the doorway, his arms crossed. His dark eyes didn’t leave Elias’s face as he spoke, voice low and careful.“It came this afternoon. Same seal, same wax. Grande Crow.”Elias’s jaw tightened. He didn
Last Updated: 2025-08-26
Chapter: Chapter 36: Shadows Behind the CurtainAfter breakfast, Elias left for the Vale office with his subordinates, their laughter echoing faintly in the hallway until the heavy double doors closed behind them.The house fell silent.It was the kind of silence that had followed Lyra since childhood…...deep, waiting, almost suffocating. She lingered in it for a moment, her fingers curled around the warmth of her coffee cup. The rich aroma rose with steam, curling upward into the cool air like smoke from a hidden fire.She walked the familiar path toward her study. The floorboards beneath her feet groaned softly, and the portraits on the walls stared down with their cold, painted eyes. When she reached the door, she paused. She always did. That room was not merely a chamber, it was a battlefield, where secrets sharpened into weapons.Lyra pushed it open.Inside, Yani, Korin, Rane, and Sylas were already waiting. They had not spoken; their silence was disciplined, heavy with expectation. The way they rose when she entered was not h
Last Updated: 2025-08-26
When the Fool Heals the Mafia
Amara Georgia Musk, the 20-year-old granddaughter of the powerful tycoon Elton Musk, has returned to T City after years of being hidden away overseas. Labeled as "the retard" by her own family and sent away to protect the Musk legacy, no one expected her return much less her claim to the empire her late parents left behind. Amara, the daughter of a renowned traditional doctor and a wealthy businessman, carries a secret strength beneath her quiet and misunderstood exterior.
But not everyone is pleased with her return.
Her cunning adopted uncle, and his ambitious family will do anything to stop her from taking back her rightful place even if it means ending her life. To them, Amara is nothing more than a brainless obstacle standing in the way of power and wealth.
Across the city, Zogo Walton, the ruthless 30-year-old CEO and infamous underworld mafia boss, is racing against time. His beloved mother is slowly dying from a rare, mysterious poison, and not even the best doctors can help her. Known for being cold, enigmatic, and allergic to female attention he once punched a woman for trying to cling to him......Zogo makes a desperate public plea.
"Whoever can save his mother will be rewarded with unimaginable wealth."
When fate throws Amara and Zogo into each other's world, secrets begin to unravel. For Amara it is not who the world thinks she is. Behind her soft gaze and clumsy steps lies a hidden identity......one that may be the key to saving Zogo's mother... and changing the destiny of the Musk family forever.
But in a world ruled by greed, betrayal, and power... can a misunderstood girl and a heartless mafia boss survive each other?
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Chapter: Chapter 51: Breakfasts and DeparturesThe heavy doors of Walton estate swung open with quiet grace, revealing the expanse of the grand foyer. Polished marble gleamed beneath the golden light spilling from the chandeliers, and the faint scent of lilies lingered in the air. Amara’s gaze swept across space, her heart beating a little faster. Everything here felt carefully curated, alive with wealth and memory.At the center of the foyer stood two figures waiting with expectant smiles….an older man dressed impeccably in a butler’s uniform, and a kindly woman whose lined face softened the moment her eyes fell on Amara.Zogo’s hand pressed gently against the smell of Amara’s back, guiding her forward with quiet reassurance. “Amara,” he began warmly, his voice holding a note of fondness she hadn’t heard before, “I want you to meet two people who have been with me for as long as I can remember. This is Mario our family’s butler, though to me, he has always been much more than that. And this……” his eyes softened further as they tur
Last Updated: 2025-09-04
Chapter: Chapter 50: Arrival at the Walton EstateThe black car rolled to a slow halt as the tall, wrought-iron gates of the Walton estate loomed into view. The emblem of the family an intricate crest of intertwined lions and a crown gleamed in the sunlight, etched boldly into the metal. The gates themselves stretched so high it felt as though they touched the morning sky. Two uniformed guards stood rigidly at either side, their posture as sharp as the polished rifles strapped across their shoulders.Cristy shifted in her seat, adjusting the strap of her bag, her gaze steady but thoughtful as she looked out the window.“Impressive,” she murmured quietly, her voice calm, measured. “It seems the stories about the Walton estate weren’t exaggerated.”Amara said nothing at first. Her gaze lifted slowly, following the length of the towering gates. Her chest tightened. She was no stranger to wealth, the Musk estate had been grand, filled with lavish paintings, marble floors, and chandeliers that had hung for decades. But there was a differe
Last Updated: 2025-09-04
Chapter: Chapter 49: The Road Toward New BeginningsThe car purred softly as it rolled out of the Musk estate gates, the early morning light spilling faintly across the sky. The chauffeur, a quiet man in a dark uniform, kept his eyes on the road, his gloved hands steady on the wheel. Inside the back seat, Amara sat by the window, her reflection faint against the glass. Cristy sat beside her, fiddling with the strap of her small bag, a trace of nervousness lingering in her features.“Amara…” Cristy’s voice broke the silence gently, almost as if she was afraid to disturb her miss’s thoughts.“Are you sure you’re ready for this? Going to the Walton estate for the first time… it feels like a big step.”Amara gave a small, soft smile without taking her eyes off the horizon.“Cristy, I’ve been walking toward this moment ever since I signed that marriage contract. It was bound to happen. I can’t keep avoiding the place that’s now… supposed to be my home.”Cristy hesitated, then nodded, her fingers tightening together.“I just don’t want you t
Last Updated: 2025-09-01
Chapter: Chapter 48: Promises in the NightThe dinner had ended warmly, the air in the old mansion filled with the faint smell of wine and roasted lamb. Amara lingered near the tall windows of the balcony, her shawl wrapped loosely around her shoulders. The night outside was calm, the city lights blinking like distant stars.Zogo stood beside her, his hands tucked into his pockets, watching her more than the view.“I’ll come pick you up myself tomorrow,” he said in his steady tone, the kind that carried no room for argument.Amara smiled faintly, shaking her head. “No, that’s not needed. Just send a car.”His brows pulled together. “Why? Do you not trust me?”“It’s not that,” she replied gently, turning her eyes toward the glowing streets below. “I’ll bring Cristy with me… and some things. It will be easier if there’s more space. You don’t have to trouble yourself.”Zogo studied her for a moment, then exhaled slowly. “Fine. But I’ll be waiting at our house.”Her lips curved at his persistence. “Alright. We’ll see you there.”F
Last Updated: 2025-08-27
Chapter: Chapter 47: Quiet DecisionsDon Victor stopped speaking the moment he heard soft footsteps echoing in the corridor outside his study. The sound was faint, yet distinct enough that he lifted his head, his sharp instincts catching it even before the door opened.He already knew who it was. Years of raising her had attuned him to the rhythm of her steps, soft yet purposeful, like a whisper carrying weight.When the door creaked open, Amara entered.Her presence shifted into the air instantly. What had been heavy with tension and shadows now felt gentler, warmer, as though the house itself had sighed in relief at her arrival. She carried herself with her usual quiet strengthening high, shoulders squared but Zogo could see the faint tiredness in her eyes, the kind that came not from lack of sleep, but from years of carrying burdens too heavy for one soul.Zogo, who had been sitting with all the stillness of a soldier at watch, rose at once. His tall frame moved with a quiet urgency toward her. For all the fire in his
Last Updated: 2025-08-26
Chapter: CHAPTER 46: The Weight of ShadowsThe room seemed to shrink around them, the fire’s glow flickering against old stone walls. Don Victor’s glass remained untouched in his hand, though the ice had already melted, thinning the amber liquid within. For the first time that evening, his eyes left Zogo’s face and drifted toward the darkened window, as if searching the shadows for words that refused to come.“Amara…” His voice was quieter now, stripped of its sharp edges. “There are things about her life that even I, her grandfather, would rather forget. But forgetting does not erase scars. It only hides them.”Zogo straightened, his chest tightening. The air itself seemed heavier, pressing in around him. He didn’t dare speak, sensing this was no moment to break the fragile thread unraveling before him.Don Victor tapped the rim of his glass lightly, as though trying to steady himself. “When she was seventeen… a year after I sent her abroad to study, thinking distance would shield her fate proved me wrong. She was taken.”T
Last Updated: 2025-08-26
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