Bound by debt; Freed by love
She thought she could endure a loveless marriage to repay her family’s debt—but she didn’t count on the cost of her heart.
Once the proud daughter of a wealthy businessman, ELENA BRADFORD watched her life crumble when her father’s betrayal left her and her mother drowning in debt. Desperate to protect her family, she reluctantly agreed to a marriage contract with her father’s former business partner’s reckless son, ADRIAN HAWTHORNE—a man who once loved her during their university days but now only mocks her fall from grace.
Trapped in a cold marriage filled with scorn and humiliation, Elena finds herself suffocating under the weight of Adrian’s cruelty. But everything changes at a high-profile dinner when she locks eyes with the one person she never thought she’d see again—LUCAS EVERHART, her childhood best friend, who once confessed his love before vanishing from her life.
Now a powerful CEO, Lucas is stunned to see the woman he loved trapped in a toxic marriage. Learning of her misery, he vows to free her from the chains of her past—even if it means clashing with Adrian who refuses to let her go.
As old feelings reignite and secrets unravel, Elena must decide: will she fight for the love she once believed in, or will her past mistakes keep her from the future she deserves?
Read
Chapter: CHAPTER 152LUCAS' POV The face of the night was no different from my reoccurring dreams since I mysteriously found myself in an hospital two years ago. Although every face I saw seemed strange to me, but the man and lady who called themselves my uncle and aunt both had a safe aura that made me trust them – only a little. According to them, I'd been out for six months with less than thirty percent chance of ever coming back to life. They both shared with me tiny bits of memories which were mostly centered around them and also introduced me to a few old friends like Nathan and James who still rang no bells in my head. But somehow, they knew the exact things I liked and every time spent with them always left a feeling of nostalgia. However, there was still one face that caused my sleepless night and made me jerk from my sleep, gasping for air. I didn't know her or even seen her since I woke up, and that's what confused me the most. The hopelessness and disappointment in her eyes always sent a
Last Updated: 2025-05-04
Chapter: CHAPTER 151ELOISE' POVThe hall was filled with everyone in the same attire as me - graduation gowns and caps waiting to be thrown into the air once we were done listening to the boring speech. A delighted smile filled my face as I zoned out, reflecting on all the years that passed, the hurdles and fears I survived throughout the two years I'd spent here pursing a degree in music. My brief experience with David and the words of the manager that still stung everytime I thought about it, had only fueled my drive to apply for scholarship programmes with a sense of desperation until I was finally accepted here. Just two years back, I'd left New York and all of its dreadful memories behind, determined to start a new life here in Germany but more times than often, I'd wished I didn't leave so early…or ever at all. Elena's death came like a bomb to me just few days after I'd arrived at school, and it took all of my will to not run back and spend the remainder of my life mourning her undeserved death
Last Updated: 2025-05-03
Chapter: CHAPTER 150LUCAS' POV How many times could you loose a person before loosing them forever? More times than any normal friends or couple, Elena and I had ended it trying to say goodbye before it was too late but each time after that, we knew where to always find each other if we wanted. And most times, fate even did the job for us. But this time, fate seemed to have his hands raised in surrender letting all my bad decisions catch up with me as I froze motionlessly, watching the only person I would ever love, disappear right before my eyes and falling to her death. Thud! My knees crashed to the rocky ground, numb to the crack from the hard rocks underneath them. Tears and blood flowed freely from me as my heart dropped to my stomach. The only reason for my existence was gone. She was never to come back. My lips quivered wanting to scream, beg or do anything that would rewind the hands of time to the night I should have given up everything and run away with her instead. My heart shattered int
Last Updated: 2025-05-02
Chapter: CHAPTER 149ELENA'S POVPain shot through my arms the moment I opened my eyes, adjusting to the strange surroundings I was in. Wait, how did I get here? The only thing I remembered was Dave dropping me off at my apartment after we'd escorted Eloise to the airport. But just when I stepped into my apartment, ready to retire for the night, I blacked out.I frowned, wincing a little when I felt a sharp sting of pain at the side of my head. Those bastards! My eyes took in the room even though it was pitch black and I could barely see a thing but I could definitely feel the pole my hands were tied to behind me. There was no need guessing or asking why I was in this position as it had always been one reason – Lucas. It was in times like this I wished he'd never returned, ruining my perfectly peaceful life before his arrival. Why couldn't they go after Sofia since she was his fiancee? Lucas and I hadn't exchanged a single word since his engagement party so how could they be so sure he would care as m
Last Updated: 2025-04-30
Chapter: CHAPTER 148LUCAS POV I gazed emptily at the last page, soaked with tear drops from my red, swollen eyes aa I'd not slept a wink throughout the night. How in God's name could I ever have accepted the name Everhart? My breaths continued to slow down the more I tried to comprehend how Luci and I were only a product of my father's constant abuse towards my mother who was only fucking nineteen when she had us. Yet, her love for us spilled through the letters even with most of them covered in dried blood. Her only wish was for her children to never know the Everhart family, and now I realized just how much I'd broken it heeding to my fears of never being the man enough for Elena. Anyways, it was all done now and they would come anytime soon – when I least expected it. I picked up my phone to call uncle Dave and after three rings, he finally answered groggily. “Hey Lucas, are you on your way to the airport now? Call me once you land okay”, he said, yawning loudly and wincing shortly after. I smile
Last Updated: 2025-04-30
Chapter: CHAPTER 147LUCAS' POV It was time for drinks as Alfred had said and I clicked the tip of my glass impatiently waiting for almost an hour. The club he'd chosen was the same one we met in for the first time a couple of months back. While I spent the abundant time on my hands contemplating if I'd made the right choice by agreeing to meet for dinner, a gust of cold, heavy air blew through the thick suit clinging to my back, resting harshly on my bare skin.Well, it was too late already to decide that, wasn't it? The carefree, teasing smile on my face instantly washed off when I sensed the murderous aura coming from him. Squinting my eyes softly in confusion, I opted to go straight to the point, “Looks like you're here for blood instead of drinks like you promised”, I said, carefully scrutinizing his expression but I'd easily forgotten, he wasn't easy to read through unless he let you in himself. His jaws clenched tightly, like they were barely restricting themselves from doing worse. “You have n
Last Updated: 2025-04-30
LOGIN
