Ruthless Affair
Isabella Martinez never expected to trade her dreams for a marriage contract, but when her conniving step-sister flees an arranged marriage, she's forced to take her place. The groom? Alexander Kane, Manhattan's most ruthless CEO, a man known for destroying companies and breaking spirits. The same man who nearly ruined her father's company years ago.
At forty, Alexander Kane has everything money can buy, except revenge against the Martinez family. When his intended bride escapes, he finds an even better alternative in her younger sister Isabella – the one person his rival truly loves. It's the perfect opportunity to complete his vendetta.
What starts as a cold business arrangement soon turns into a dangerous game of attraction. Behind closed doors, Alexander's icy facade melts away, revealing a man haunted by past betrayals and unexpected tenderness. Isabella discovers that living with her enemy awakens desires she never knew existed, even as she uncovers the dark secrets that drive him.
As their fake marriage transforms into something real, Isabella must choose between her family's loyalty and her growing love for Alexander. Meanwhile, Alexander faces his own demons: can he trust in love again, or will his quest for revenge cost him the only woman who's ever touched his heart?
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Chapter: Rules of Engagement Isabella woke to unfamiliar warmth and the steady rhythm of a heartbeat beneath her ear. For one blissful moment, she forgot everything—the contract, the hasty wedding, the threats and revelations. Then reality crashed back as she opened her eyes to find herself draped across Alexander Kane's bare chest, her legs tangled with his, morning light filtering through her thin curtains.Last night hadn't been a dream.She stiffened, suddenly acutely aware of her nakedness and the intimacy of their position. Alexander's arm was wrapped possessively around her waist, his breathing deep and even in sleep. He looked different like this, younger, the sharp lines of his face softened, dark lashes resting against his cheeks. The fearsome CEO was nowhere to be found in this man who held her with such gentleness.Isabella carefully extracted herself from his embrace, holding her breath when he stirred slightly before settling again. She slipped from the bed and grabbed the first clothes she could fi
Last Updated: 2025-04-29
Chapter: Strings and TensionsTwo hours later, Isabella unlocked the door to her apartment, feeling surreal but also scared as Alexander Kane followed her inside, carrying a single expensive leather duffel bag. She hadn't been home in days not since the contract signing, the hasty engagement and whirlwind wedding preparations had consumed her life.Her apartment felt smaller than she remembered, especially with Alexander's commanding presence filling the space. It was a modest one-bedroom in an old brick building, lovingly decorated on a budget with thrift store finds and family photographs. The contrast between this and the sterile luxury of his penthouse couldn't have been more stark."It's not much," she said, suddenly self-conscious about the mismatched furniture and the small water stain on the ceiling from when the upstairs neighbor's bathtub had overflowed but also wondering why she is trying to impress him.Alexander said nothing, his dark gaze taking in every detail: the crocheted throw her mother had mad
Last Updated: 2025-04-14
Chapter: World’s ApartThe cold leather of the limousine seat seemed to seep through Isabella's wedding dress, chilling her to the bone. Or perhaps it was the glacial silence emanating from Alexander as they sped through Manhattan's neon-lit streets toward his penthouse. Their wedding night, what should have been a celebration, even in their strange arrangement, now felt like a funeral procession.Marcus Kane was alive. The brother Alexander had mourned, the man whose death had fueled part of his vendetta against her family, had materialized like a ghost at their wedding reception. And in that moment, Isabella had seen something she never expected to witness in Alexander Kane—genuine shock."You're shivering," Alexander observed, his voice cool and detached, though his eyes lingered on her bare shoulders.Isabella straightened, trying to regain her composure. "I'm fine.""Clearly," he said, the word dripping with sarcasm. He shrugged out of his suit jacket and held it out to her without looking. "Take it."
Last Updated: 2025-04-13
Chapter: The WeddingThe morning sun peeped through the glass stained windows of the cathedral with so much excitement that it made no sense that it's about to witness a union made out of convenience. Isabella standing in front of the mirror with her hair tied in a rough but beautiful bun, she looked beautiful in the Vera Wang lace dress that clung to her curves like a second skin, the off shoulder sleeves bared her collar bones and the lace bodice shimmered with crystals sewn by hand, Alexander had picked this for her, "she didn't even have control over her own wedding dress", she scoffed mentally. Standing there, Isabella wished that her mother was here to tell her that she looked beautiful, she had dreamt of this day right from when she was a kid, marrying the love of her life, walking down the aisle with her father, having the biggest smile on her face but all of that has turned into a wishful dream now.A gentle knock on the door pulled her out of her dreams of a perfect wedding, it was her father. S
Last Updated: 2025-04-11
Chapter: Cold VowsIsabella's hands trembled as she stared at her reflection in the floor-length mirror. The wedding dress, a sleek Vera Wang creation of ivory silk that hugged her curves before cascading to the floor was breathtaking. Yet it felt more like armor than celebration attire. Her dark hair was swept into an elegant updo, tiny diamonds catching the light with each subtle movement. Her heart beat like a war drum in her chest, thundering with dread and anticipation.The off-shoulder sleeves bared her collarbones, and the lace bodice shimmered with crystals sewn by hand. A long veil, sheer, and hauntingly delicate was pinned to her soft curls, giving her the look of a princess.But she didn’t feel like one."You look beautiful," came a soft voice from the doorway.Isabella met her father's eyes in the mirror. Antonio Martinez stood uncertainly at the threshold, his once-commanding presence diminished by years of stress and the knowledge of what today truly represented."Is that what matters toda
Last Updated: 2025-04-05
Chapter: The Man behind the Myth.Isabella didn't sleep. How could she, with Alexander's words echoing in her mind? “Break both our hearts.”The man who claimed to be incapable of feelings had all but admitted they existed for her.Dawn found her curled in an armchair by the window, watching Manhattan awaken. The city sprawled before her, bathed in golden light that belied the storm brewing in her heart. Two days until the wedding. Two days until she became Mrs. Alexander Kane in more than just name.Two days until there was no turning back.She heard the bedroom door open but didn't turn around. Alexander's reflection appeared in the window glass, his tall frame silhouetted against the morning light. He was already dressed in a charcoal suit that hugged his broad shoulders, his hair still damp from the shower."You didn't sleep," he said, voice rough with concern he couldn't quite disguise."Neither did you." She finally turned to look at him directly. The shadows under his eyes confirmed her suspicion.He approache
Last Updated: 2025-04-04
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