Se connecterAurora Valenmoor was never meant to exist. Born as an illegitimate child into a powerful acting family, she grew up under cold stares, whispered insults, and a stepmother who treated her like a stain that refused to disappear. In the glittering yet rotten world of entertainment, Her stepsister beautiful, loud, and painfully untalented was pushed into the spotlight as a rising B-list actress, while Aurora, despite her hard work and skill, was deliberately buried and labeled nothing more than a D-lister. Even the engagement left behind by her late father,an alliance meant to secure her future was something her stepsister coveted.Then came one night. Drugged and betrayed by the very woman who raised her, Aurora was meant to be ruined so her stepsister could steal her engagement. But fate twisted cruelly and unexpectedly. Instead of ruin, Aurora woke in the bed of Reuben Blackwood, the cold, ruthless CEO of Blackwood Global Entertainment, the most powerful entertainment empire in Hibiscus City. A man feared by the industry. A man no one dared to touch. One mistake. One night.And everything changed. When Aurora discovers she is pregnant, the world closes in once more until Reuben makes her an offer no one could refuse. 100 million as a wedding gift. A contract marriage. And the power to burn everyone who ever hurt her. In a world built on lies, scandals, and ambition, Aurora’s fall becomes her rise and revenge begins wearing a diamond ring.
Voir plus“Come on now, pretty thing… don’t play dead for old Marcus. I paid good money for you.”
Those words were the first things Aurora clung to as she fought to keep her eyes open. Everything around her blurred together. The world felt unsteady and She tried to move, but her limbs felt heavy and useless, as though sand filled her veins. She tried to remember how she got here, but her thoughts slipped away each time she reached for them. The last clear memory she had was the Grand Luminary Actors Award. Bright camera flashes going off around her as she stood on the red carpet, wearing a smile that felt stiff and painful. The hall was full of applause, but none of it was for her. All thanks to the rumors her stepsister had spread about her. But after that moment, everything went dark. Aurora was pulled by to present as she felt a weight pressing down on her. She gasped weakly as something firm forced her to lie backward . A couch, she thought. The smell reached her next. It was strong alcohol mixed with sweat and something that was disgustingly oily. A hand slid over her breasts.Another grabbed her wrist and pinned it down. And in that moment,Fear gripped her tightly Aurora fought back. Her arms shook as she pushed upward ,with every of her muscle burning. She kicked her legs sideways flailing. Instead,the man made a moan and Aurora was disgusted he sounded pleased. She twisted her body, bucked beneath him, clawing at anything she could reach. But his weight crushed her efforts Then his breath brushed her neck. “Easy,” he slurred, His voice was filled with lust “Just lie still. I like it when they’re quiet.” The moment he spoke,it was as if Aurora finally snapped. A broken scream came from her throat, and she thrashed harder. Her knee slammed into his side. He cursed but tightened his grip, forcing her arms upward. Her vision blurred harder. No. No, no— Then by chance,Her hand struck something solid beside her. She immediately felt a silver of hope. Keeping one arm trapped, Aurora groped blindly with the other, fingers scraping urgently until they closed around the object. It was a flower vase. Finally,She dragged it toward her with a desperate cry, twisting her body with everything she had left. The man bent closer about to rip off her clothes. Then Aurora swung. The sound echoed through the room like a gunshot and the vase shattered. The fat man screamed in pain like a baby “You filthy little—!” He reeled back, hands flying to his head as blood and shards scattered across the couch. “Bitch! Crazy bitch! I’ll— I’ll kill you!” he roared, swearing endlessly, stumbling as he fell away from her, clutching his skull. Aurora rolled off the couch hitting the floor hard. Pain shot through her knees, but she barely felt it. The world shook violently as she crawled, then finally managed to steady herself upright. Her heart hammered so loud it drowned out everything else. But she knew, it was now or never. Aurora staggered away, dragging her weak body forward. She used the wall to stay on her feet as the room blurred around her. Everything felt unreal. She spotted a door and lunged for the handle. Her grip slipped. She tried once more. This time, it opened. She stumbled into the hallway, almost falling as the door slammed shut behind her. The corridor seemed endless, with identical doors on both sides and an elevator far away at the end. But It was too far. And her legs were already shaking,they were weak and unreliable. Run or hide? Her head felt heavy and Thinking would only waste time. She had to move now. Behind her, the door flew open. “You think you can run?” the man shouted, his voice was filled with rage. He stumbled into the hallway, one hand pressed to his bleeding head while the other pulled up his trousers. “Bloody hell! You stupid, crazy slut!” he yelled as he chased after her. “I’ll kill you when I catch you!” Aurora stumbled forward, her legs shaking with every step. The hallway was like a maze but Aurora suddenly got an idea. She reached for a door. Locked. Another one. Locked. And her fingers trembled as she tried to hold on. Meanwhile, The sound of the man chasing her grew louder. His boots hit the floor hard and his angry curses were following close behind. Move. Just move. Aurora told herself. She lunged for the next door and twisted the handle. It opened. Aurora fell through the doorway and crashed onto the floor, as the door slammed shut behind her with a sharp click. She lay there gasping, with her cheek pressed against the cold tiles and her chest burning as she struggled to breathe. Outside, the man slammed his fist against the door. “Open it!” he screamed, swearing loudly as he hit it again and again. “You’re mine! You hear me? I paid for you” Aurora forced herself to sit up. The room was dark and unfamiliar. She barely had time to take it in before she saw a shadow move closer. Strong hands suddenly grabbed her face. Her breath caught as someone crushed their mouth against hers. The kiss was so sudden, very overwhelming and stealing what little air she had. Her drugged body reacted sluggishly, Her senses felt confusion mixed with shock. She tried to pull away, but her body betrayed her by being uncooperative. It seemed she had exhausted all her strength. The intruder was shaking, he humped Aurora with no control or care. His hands moved over her body grabbing and searching as if guided only by lust. He did not seem fully aware of what he was doing, lost in his own urges, just as Aurora was slipping deeper into confusion. Suddenly,The room spun again. Sounds grew distant and Aurora tried to hold on, tried to pull away, but she faded quickly. Darkness rolled over her like a heavy blanket. This time, she could not resist it. Her eyes fluttered weakly, then closed, and she fell completely into unconsciousness.Mina had no respect for human limits.That was the only conclusion Aurora could come to as she was dragged through yet another section of the massive shopping mall, her arm firmly hooked in Mina’s grip like she might escape at any secondAnd the worst part?When Mina had invited her out,Aurora had spent the entire morning worrying about paparazzi. About hidden cameras. About someone snapping a picture and turning it into tomorrow’s headline.Reuben Blackwood’s Wife Spotted Shopping Lavishly While Pregnant.She had imagined whispers. Speculation. Eyes following her every move.But here. No one cared. Either they were too used to seeing many high profile people or they just didn't caeePeople walked past them without a second glance. Some were too busy, others too absorbed in their own lives. A few looked at Mina’s energy more than Aurora’s faceThe mall itself was aggressively luxurious. Every display looked like it belonged in a magazine. And every step Aurora took made her regret agr
Mina had no respect for human limits. That was the only conclusion Aurora could come to as she was dragged through yet another section of the massive shopping mall, her arm firmly hooked in Mina’s grip like she might escape at any second And the worst part? When Mina had invited her out,Aurora had spent the entire morning worrying about paparazzi. About hidden cameras. About someone snapping a picture and turning it into tomorrow’s headline. Reuben Blackwood’s Wife Spotted Shopping Lavishly While Pregnant. She had imagined whispers. Speculation. Eyes following her every move. But here. No one cared. Either they were too used to seeing many high profile people or they just didn't caee People walked past them without a second glance. Some were too busy, others too absorbed in their own lives. A few looked at Mina’s energy more than Aurora’s face The mall itself was aggressively luxurious. Every display looked like it belonged in a magazine. And every step Aurora took made her reg
Aurora had never realized how distracting a man could be until Reuben Blackwood decided to look…well like an actual human.Not the man who always looked like he belonged somewhere higher, somewhere no one else could quite reach.No.This version of him sat beside her in a very ordinary Toyota Corolla,to blend ok of course. One hand on the wheel, dressed in a simple dark shirt with sleeves rolled slightly.Aurora had lost count of how many times she had looked at him. She shifted slightly in her seat, trying to look out the window like a normal person who wasn’t conducting a full visual inspection of her husband every ten seconds.The city outside was beginning to soften into evening. The sky had the shades of amber and fading blue,it gave She rested her cheek lightly against the window. Then against her better judgement,she glanced back at him.This time, she didn’t look away fast enough. Reuben’s eyes flicked toward her briefly. Damn she got caughtAurora’s entire body froze for ha
Dinner at the Hawthorne home was proving to be far more exhausting than Lydia had expected. The dining hall was as suffocating as always. Portraits of dead Hawthornes stared down from the walls like they were personally disappointed in everyone still alive. Lydia Valenmoor sat at the right side of her beloved James, She looked like the picture of a gentle and obedient future daughter-in-law. Inside, she was counting enemies. At the head of the table sat the Hawthorne grandmother Annabeth, A woman with a mouth that only seemed to open to criticize someone, insult someone, or remind everyone she was old and therefore always right. To the left was his mother, who Lydia fondly called Aunt Margret. She believed everyone was beneath the Hawthorne name except herself, and made sure people knew it in every single sentence she spoke. Further down was Andrew Hawthorne, James’s cousin, who was arrogant and loud. He was always looking for someone weaker to mock so he could feel importa
Aurora woke with a sharp gasp, her body literally jerking upright as if she had fallen. Her heart raced. She put a shaking hand on her chest and took quick breaths, trying to calm herself down. Yet the fear from the nightmare hadn’t faded yet. Then she looked around. The room made her freeze.
The door shook again. Not a light knock, this time it was a full slam. The crowd kept crashing into it over and over, the door was under so much pressure The couch mina had shoved against it scraped loudly across the floor, inch by inch losing ground. “Open up!” “Aurora Valenmoor, we know you
She turned her head slightly. “Irene, leave us.” Madam Irene hesitated. She glanced up at Reuben,unsure of what to do. “No"Reuben’s voice echoed through the hall “First,” he said coldly, “it’s Mr. Blackwood to you. You lost the right to call me anything else the moment you decided I was expend
Meanwhile, far from the noise of Hibiscus City, there existed a place the city did not dare disturb.Aurelium Sanctuary Hidden on the outskirts of Hibiscus City. The massive estate of the sanctuary was huge, guarded by steel gates and armed security.It was an unspoken rule that no one entered
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