What Is Ruthless Rival Novel About And Should I Read It?

Isabella Vale built herself into a weapon. Beautiful. Ruthless. Untouchable. After the cruelest betrayal in her youth shattered her world and her father's empire toppled, she weaponized the one thing powerful men could never resist — herself. One false identity. One corrupt Italian conglomerate. Just one carefully orchestrated seduction that brought the mighty Valenti family to its knees. Now she's back in New York, richer, colder, and sharper than ever. The next target is Damien Thorne — billionaire, casino king, and the most dangerous man in the city. One night in his penthouse was supposed to be the beginning of his downfall. Instead, he looked her dead in the eyes and called her by her real name. He had known all along. Now Isabella is caught between a man who plays darker games than she does, a past she buried in Milan that refuses to stay dead, and a five-year-old daughter who keeps asking about a father Isabella has fought hard to forget. She conquered one empire through seduction and lies. But Damien Thorne isn't the Valentis — and this time, Isabella isn't sure who is hunting whom. When the hunter becomes the hunted, which one survives? BEWARE AS THE STORY MIGHT END WITH A CLIFFHANGER THAT SETS YOU ON FIRE. **This is Book 1 of the "Lustful Deception Series"**

WARNING ⚠️: CONTAINS EXPLICIT SCENES AND SUITABLE FOR 18+ I knew I was going to die in that alley. There was blood everywhere, rogues closing in, and then he showed up my sworn enemy, Dante Veyron. We’ve hated each other since college. Every fight ended in blood or broken bones. But that night, he saved me. And after being trapped together in an abandoned warehouse for two nights, everything changed. Now our packs are forcing us to lead side by side against a rising rogue threat. To the world, we are allies. In truth, I can’t decide if I want to tear Dante’s throat out… or taste his lips again. But in a city where betrayal hides in every shadow, loving your enemy could destroy us both.

Avyanna has spent her life mastering survival. A brilliant scholarship student by day, a strategist and fighter by necessity, she carries the weight of a childhood tragedy that left her orphaned. When she falls for Kairus Chu—the rebellious heir of a powerful conglomerate—she allows herself a fleeting moment of happiness. Their love defies all odds, culminating in a secret marriage despite his mother’s ruthless opposition. But behind the scenes, Avyanna’s trusted mentor, Lord Mendez, pulls unseen strings, shaping her fate for his own ends. Their love is shattered when Zhen, a cunning rival, conspires with Kairus’ mother to frame Avyanna for murder. Betrayed, sentenced to life in prison, and pregnant with Kairus’ child, she refuses to be broken. With her only ally, Huan Yue, she orchestrates a daring escape, vanishing in fire and blood—reborn as Bernadette Lu, a shadow queen of the underworld. Years later, Avyanna returns with a vengeance, dismantling the Chu empire piece by piece. She manipulates Dylan Chu, Kairus’ ambitious younger brother, and unearths the true enemy—Lord Mendez, the man who orchestrated her downfall and her parents’ deaths. As she leaves devastation in her wake, Kairus, now a pawn of his mother’s ambitions, is forced to confront the memories of the love he lost. As Zhen and the Chu matriarch fall, Avyanna stands at the precipice of her ultimate choice: to reclaim the love that once defined her or to walk away forever, knowing that vengeance has carved an unbridgeable distance between who she was and who she has become. When Kairus finally finds her, face-to-face with the daughter he never knew, the question lingers—can love survive the ashes of war?

In the glittering corporate empire of Apple City, power is everything—and no rivalry burns hotter than the one between billionaire CEOs Kael Virex and Lucian Thorne. For years, their names have defined corporate warfare: hostile takeovers, ruined deals, and a relentless battle for dominance where neither man is willing to lose. When Thorne Dynamics suddenly collapses, Kael finally claims the victory he has chased for years. Lucian loses his company, his fortune, and his reputation overnight, leaving Kael convinced that his greatest rival has finally fallen. But when Kael summons Lucian and offers him a humiliating ultimatum, Lucian accepts far too easily—awakening suspicions Kael cannot ignore. What begins as a cruel display of control quickly turns dangerous when one reckless demand pulls them into a night neither can forget. Kael expected submission. Instead, he finds himself drawn deeper into an obsession he can no longer deny, while Lucian remains calm, unreadable, and far from defeated. As tension turns into a volatile attraction, Kael uncovers a hidden conspiracy behind Lucian’s downfall. His own trusted CFO, Adrian Kross, working with the secretive Helix Circle, has manipulated both empires for a larger takeover—and Kael is next. Forced into an uneasy alliance, Kael and Lucian must fight side by side against enemies hidden behind wealth, betrayal, and power. But in a city where control means survival, the greatest risk may not be losing their empires It may be losing their hearts to the one person they were meant to destroy

Her fiancé left her at the altar… for her sister. Desperate to save her family from bankruptcy, she agrees to marry his cold, ruthless billionaire brother — a man who has every reason to hate her. But when passion flares behind closed doors, revenge becomes dangerous… and a secret she’s hiding could destroy them both.

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?