MasukShe was supposed to be a bride… until she found her groom in bed with her best friend. Humiliated and heartbroken, Ariana De Leon vanishes on the night before her wedding—only to land in the path of Ethan Navarro, a cold-hearted billionaire with a dangerous past. He offers her a way out: Marry him instead. In exchange, he promises her everything she’s ever been denied—power, protection, and the perfect revenge. But Ethan doesn’t believe in love. His intentions are darker than he lets on. And Ariana soon discovers that running from one betrayal may have led her into a deadlier trap. A marriage built on secrets. A contract soaked in lies. And a tension they can’t deny. Can two broken souls survive the war between them… or will this deal destroy them both?
Lihat lebih banyakAriana’s POV“W-what do you mean?”My voice barely escaped my throat. The air felt thin, like the room had shrunk around us.Leo stiffened beside me, jaw tightening. “Ariana, don’t listen to him.”The men at the door stood tense, watching everything with military stillness. The storm hissed against the windows. My pulse hammered so loudly it felt like it was echoing off the walls.I swallowed hard. “Ethan… what are you talking about?”Static crackled on the line—just long enough for dread to crawl up my spine.Then Ethan spoke again, quieter this time, the fear in his voice chilling.“Ariana… someone is lying to you.”Leo let out a sharp exhale. “He’s manipulating you. You know what he does—”“Leo, stop,” I whispered, eyes fixed on the phone like it might bite.Ethan’s voice returned, strained.“Ariana, listen carefully. You need to step away from him.”My breath caught. “From… who?”Silence.A heavy, awful silence.Leo’s hand brushed my elbow, trying to pull me slightly behind him. I
Ariana’s POVThe knock came again—sharp, impatient, echoing through the penthouse like a warning shot.I froze. Leo stepped in front of me without thinking, his arm brushing mine, tense like a wire pulled too tight.“Ariana,” he whispered, barely moving his lips, “don’t answer that yet.”My heartbeat hammered against my ribs. The storm outside pressed against the glass like it wanted to come in, wind howling, rain slashing sideways. Everything felt too loud—my pulse, the thunder, the shallow rise and fall of Leo’s breath.Another knock. This one harder.“Ariana Navarro,” the voice repeated, deeper this time. “Open the door. Now.”Leo muttered under his breath, “That doesn’t sound like hotel staff.”“No,” I said, trying to swallow the dryness in my throat. “It doesn’t.”I took a step back, my heel brushing against the edge of the rug. Leo positioned himself fully in front of me now, shoulders square, soaked clothes clinging to him from earlier. He looked like he was ready to fight whoe
Ariana’s POVThe moment Ethan disappeared behind the door, the penthouse felt wrong—too huge, too hollow, too loud with the sounds I didn’t want to hear. The storm outside slammed against the windows, a restless tapping that matched the uneven beat in my chest.“Ariana… tell me what you need.”Leo’s voice came from behind me—soft, careful, almost guilty. But I didn’t turn around. My eyes stayed glued to the door Ethan slammed, the faint vibration still shivering through the frame.“Ariana,” Leo said again, footsteps squishing softly on the puddles he’d dragged inside. “I didn’t come here to make things worse. I came because—”“Because what?” My voice cracked. I faced him slowly, each word a little heavier than the last. “Because you think you know what’s best for me?”Leo looked like the storm had swallowed him. His clothes were soaked, hair dripping, chest rising and falling like he’d sprinted across half the city just to stand here. But his eyes—steady, intent—held mine like he was
Ethan’s POVThe moment the door slammed behind me, the sound ricocheted down the hallway—sharp, metallic, final.My breath burned in my chest as I strode toward the elevator, every step echoing like a curse against the marble floor.I didn’t want to look back.I didn’t want to see her reaching for me again.But her voice—her voice was all I heard.“Don’t make me choose.”The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and I stepped inside. The walls felt too close, the air too thin. My hand hovered over the panel, but I didn’t press anything.A throbbing pulsed at the base of my skull. I braced my hands against the cool metal railing, grounding myself, forcing the anger out of my breath before it consumed me.My reflection on the mirrored wall stared back—jaw clenched, eyes too dark, shoulders rigid with a tension I couldn’t hide.“A midnight visit,” I muttered under my breath. “In my penthouse.”The door inched forward, about to close—But a hand slammed against the panel.The elevat












Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Ulasan-ulasan