MasukArabella Winters made a desperate choice to save her father’s life: sabotage Sebastian Bancroft’s engagement to the Windsor heiress. Her mission was simple, create a scandal that would destroy his wedding plans. And she succeeded. But Sebastian Bancroft is no ordinary billionaire. As the ruthless head of the Bancroft mafia empire, he’s a man who never forgives betrayal. To make Arabella pay, he traps her in a dangerous game of revenge, a contract marriage designed to humiliate and control her at every turn. What starts as cold, calculated vengeance begins to turn into something darker and far more dangerous. The lines between hatred and desire blur as Arabella finds herself falling deeper into Sebastian’s complicated world. Now, she must decide whether to play and submit to his rules or risk everything to rewrite the game against the mafia billionaire who refuses to let her go. Excerpt: “Did you really think you could cross me, Arabella? That you could disrupt my plans and simply walk away unscathed?” Her voice faltered, though she tried to hold her ground. “I… I didn’t have a choice.” “Oh, you had every choice,” he murmured, stepping closer. His breath brushed against her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. “But now, my vixen, you’ll live with the consequences.” He tilted her chin up with a surprisingly gentle touch, though it only amplified the tension in the air. His tone dropped, low and dangerous. “You’re mine now.” Before she could respond, his lips claimed hers, not gently, but a claim. It wasn’t the kiss of a man seeking affection; it was the kiss of a man who wanted submission. And, despite every instinct telling her to resist, Arabella found herself unable to pull away…
Lihat lebih banyakArabella was startled when Sebastian suddenly grabbed her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers.“Don’t complain. Just play along if you don’t want your father to worry and overthink,” he said, his tone firm.She sighed but didn’t argue. He had a point.“Fine. Let’s act like real lovers,” she muttered.Before heading inside, she pulled him toward a quiet corner and gestured for him to sit.He frowned. “What are we doing here?”“I need to brief you on what I told my father,” she said, crossing her arms. “I told him the truth that we slept together since your scandal about being with a woman is still a hot topic. I said that woman was me. And then I spun a story about our whirlwind romance.”Sebastian leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. “I’m all ears.”She recounted everything, laying out the fabricated details of their supposed love story. When she finished, Sebastian let out a low chuckle. “Wow. So I’m completely head over heels for you, huh? I guess we’re going with the
Arabella and Sebastian finalized their discussion and signed the contract without much fanfare. His challenge was effective since she ended up proving she was confident and wouldn’t waver under his advances.As soon as they were done, she immediately requested to return to the hospital, knowing her father must be worried sick by now.Sebastian offered her a lift, and she didn’t bother arguing, especially since she had no money for a cab.The ride back was practically silent, but Arabella couldn’t ignore the strange tension in the air. Sitting beside him in the back seat, she was hyperaware of his presence. His scent, clean, crisp, and undeniably masculine, filled her senses. She liked it.Her eyes widened slightly at the realization, and she quickly shook her head to dismiss the thought. It was only natural to acknowledge that Sebastian was well-built and undeniably handsome. That was all. Nothing more.The man was dangerous, after all. Who knew how many women had fallen for his charm
“A contract, huh?” Sebastian mused, his gaze fixed on her.Arabella didn’t flinch, didn’t even blink.“Yes,” she stated firmly.Sebastian turned to Clay. “Get Brian here. Now.”Without hesitation, Clay hurried off to make the call.Sebastian took a step forward, then glanced back at her. “Follow me. Pick a bridal gown while we wait. No point in just standing around staring at each other.”Arabella followed without a word, watching as he instructed the boutique manager to bring her options.“Anything that fits me will do,” she told the manager simply.Sebastian wasn’t satisfied with that answer. He gestured for the manager to present a selection, then swiftly picked five designs.“Try them all. I want to see,” he ordered.Arabella didn’t argue. Trying on dresses was better than sitting in awkward silence with him while waiting for the lawyer.Sebastian sank into the couch, casually flipping through a magazine while a sales assistant helped her in the dressing room.A few minutes later,
Days passed, and Arabella felt like she was walking on eggshells after her encounter with Sebastian. It was as if he could appear and take her away at any moment. That kind of thing wouldn’t be impossible especially if he truly was part of a powerful syndicate.She recalled seeing his name on the news years ago when Sebastian was appointed as the head of the Bancroft Syndicate. At the time, she had been just twelve years old. She even remembered asking her father if they were bad people. Back then, the Bancroft Syndicate was everywhere in the headlines, especially after Gregory Bancroft, Sebastian’s father and the former head, died in a tragic accident.Her father had explained that, yes, the Bancroft Syndicate was a mafia organization, but unlike what most people assumed, they didn’t operate through outright illegal means. Instead, they functioned as a powerful, highly secretive elite group, controlling business empires, politics, and financial systems through legal yet morally gray
Arabella’s eyes widened, her body freezing momentarily as that strange sensation washed over her again. It was unsettling, unlike anything she had ever felt before, not even with her ex-boyfriend, Lyndon. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it though.‘What is wrong with me? she scolded herself, f
Two days passed, and news circulating about the canceled wedding between the Bancroft Family and the Monroe Family was still the hot topic in business news. Their family would always attract media attention because of him… the stubborn, hard-headed, and ruthless CEO of Bancroft Inc., a multination
Arabella remained rooted to the spot where Sebastian had left her. It was only thanks to the wall behind her that she managed to stay upright, but after a minute, her strength gave out, and she weakly slumped to the floor.Sebastian had just left after declaring that she was his.“I’ll give you fiv






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