Contemporary Romance Web Novels & Badboy Contract Marriage Stories

Manhattan was doing that thing again twinkling like it had all the answers, when really it just had expensive lighting. Alexander Knight leaned against the glass wall of his penthouse, seventy-five floors up, watching the city hum below him. Bourbon in one hand (mostly untouched), phone in the other. The merger docs stared back at him from the screen, but the part that actually kept him up at night wasn’t the billions on the line. It was the fine print from the Japanese investors: “Family stability preferred.” Translation: get a wife, look settled, or watch the whole deal slip away. He exhaled, fogging the window for a second before it cleared. His assistant had already sent over a neat little list of “suitable” women—discreet, polished, zero drama. Women who understood arrangements. He hadn’t even opened the attachments. Because something about the whole thing felt… hollow. His gaze drifted down, past the grid of lights, to the tiny café on the corner. Golden glow spilling onto the sidewalk, handwritten sign in the window: Local Artist Pop-Up – One Night Only. A woman stood in front of a canvas, head tilted, paint-smudged shirt slipping off one shoulder. She was talking to someone out of view, laughing softly, then stepped back to study her work like it had personally offended her. She glanced up—straight toward his building, straight at him somehow, even though there was no way she could see him up here. But for a split second, their eyes locked across the impossible distance. But right then, with the whole damn city glittering between them, he had this ridiculous, unshakable thought: She’s the one I’m going to ask. And hell help them both when she says yes.

BLURB He killed her parents and kicked her out while she was pregnant. He thought he’d destroyed her. On their first anniversary, Ryan Holt didn’t give Gianna a gift—he gave her a death sentence. Broken, homeless, and diagnosed with heart failure, Gianna was ready to die until he stepped in. Sean Cooper, the coldest billionaire in New York, offered her a lifeline. He gave her a new heart and he gave her protection. But everything comes with a price. “I didn’t save you because I care,” Sean whispered, his eyes cold as ice. “I saved you because the heart beating inside your chest belongs to my mother. And I’m keeping it close.” Now, trapped in a contract marriage with a man who loves only her heart, Gianna must survive. But when her ex-husband returns, begging for a second chance, he realizes too late: The woman he broke is gone. And the billionaire’s wife who replaced her is out for blood.

I was born just one minute after Tiara, but the world treated that one minute as if it lasted a lifetime. She was the star. I was the shadow. She was flawless. I was the afterthought. She was loved. I was forgotten. Even by Reagan de Russo, heir to the wealthiest family in the country and the man I had secretly loved for the past ten years. But to him, there was only Tiara. And when he proposed to her, I knew my quiet little dream had finally died. Until that day came. The day Tiara left him at the altar. The day the world stopped turning for just a second. The day the man who had never even glanced my way, turned to me and asked me to take her place. I knew what I was. An escape. A damage control. A backup plan. And I... I was too tired of being strong. So I said yes. We married. Without love. Without a future. Just a one-year contract and a life of make-believe in front of flashing cameras and watching eyes. But the longer I stayed by his side, the harder it became to tell what was real and what was just part of the performance. Because for the first time... Reagan saw me. But can love truly grow from the ruins of lies, old wounds, and the shadow of a woman who’s always been his first choice? Or will I always be… only the second best?

BOOK BLURB: She was betrayed by the man she loved so he offered her a marriage of convenience. But some lies are harder to maintain than others Zendaya Morrison lost everything the night of the accident—her ability to walk, her position as heir to a billion-dollar empire, and three years of her life devoted to a man who only wanted her money. When she finally overhears her fiancé plotting to leave her for her best friend, she makes a choice: reclaim what's hers. But taking back her position as CEO comes with an impossible condition—she needs a husband. Enter Malachi Hayes: her brother's best friend, the man she's spent years avoiding, and the only person who knows the truth about the night that changed everything between them. His solution? A fake engagement that will fool the board and secure her position. The rules are simple: three months of pretending, a wedding for show, one year of marriage, then a clean divorce. But when her brother moves the wedding to five days away, and Malachi's carefully controlled distance starts to crack, Zendaya realizes the hardest part isn't convincing the world they're in love. It's pretending they're not. A fake engagement. A forced marriage. And a secret that could destroy them both.

Tarzan was an incredibly ruthless CEO, and his hatred for women ran so deep that he only allowed men to work in his company. This animosity was rooted in his mother's infidelity, which caused his father to suffer a fatal heart attack. Dolah, on the other hand, had a deep-seated hatred of men, stemming from her father's abuse which had ultimately led to her mother's death. Desperate to raise money for her brother's surgery, she decided to disguise herself as a man and applied for a job as Tarzan's personal assistant. Despite her clumsiness, Tarzan agreed to let her work while he searched for proof of his suspicions. As he worked with Dolah, he began to realize that she was unlike any other woman he had ever met. With so much animosity in their hearts, how would they ever find love? Follow the story of Tarzan and Dolah to find out more.

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.

Iris never imagined that love could feel so intoxicating… or so dangerous. From the moment she met Adrian, his charming smile and irresistible presence drew her in, making her forget caution and reason. On the surface, he seemed perfect — attentive, flirtatious, and seemingly devoted. But behind that captivating exterior lurked secrets she could never have predicted. What began as stolen glances and playful conversations soon escalated into something far more intense — a forbidden affair neither of them could resist. Every kiss came with a hidden truth, every touch with a lie waiting to be uncovered. As Iris is pulled deeper into Adrian’s world, she discovers that his intentions are far from pure, and that their passionate connection masks a darker, more controlling side. When the truth of his deceptions surfaces, Iris is forced to confront a harsh reality: love can be manipulative, suffocating, and even dangerous. Their entanglement spirals into a toxic dance of desire and betrayal, challenging everything she believed about loyalty, trust, and the boundaries of the heart. Caught between temptation and self-preservation, Iris must decide whether surrendering to Adrian’s magnetic pull is worth the heartbreak it could bring — or if walking away from the man who has consumed her thoughts, her body, and her emotions is the only way to survive. The Lies He Kissed Me With is a gripping, 18+ dark romance about toxic love, hidden agendas, and the fine line between passion and destruction. It is a story of obsession, betrayal, and the dangerous allure of a love built on lies — a story readers will not be able to put down until the very last chapter.

"Have you ever found yourself in your brother's in law bed?" Justina just had one wish, and that was for her best friend to fall in love with her but what happens when he proposed she married him? Delighted, Justina agreed only to realize three months into their marriage she was being used a pawn to protect his dirty secret. Hurt and in disbelief, ends up committing a great offense with no one other than her brother in law. Trying to get away from him, discovers her husband had impregnated another woman and gave in to her lusts, never expecting to fall in love once again, but then again, she was betrayed. Getting an anonymous warning about Alexander, she had no choice but to run away, with her unborn child, faking her death but then a few years later, this same anonymous sender told her to return back if she wanted to know all answers to pending questions. Who was this anonymous sender and what did Alexander do to hurt her? What if Justina discovers everything she knew her whole life was a lie and she was actually living a second chance life?

Ángela was the typical housewife married to a doctor. Everyone thought she had a perfect life. And while they weren’t wrong about the material comforts, they were completely mistaken about her marriage. Cristian, her husband, has never loved her and has never treated her well. Their union was arranged by their parents. When they married, it settled a million-dollar debt owed by Ángela’s father to her now father-in-law. She lived a monotonous life, with her only escape being her dance classes. But everything changed overnight when she discovered her husband had a mistress—and had no intention of leaving her. Out of spite, Ángela accepted a job as a Burlesque dancer at a cabaret. She also began an affair with Eduardo, the club’s owner, who turned out to be her brother-in-law and the black sheep of the family. What follows is a spiral of complications. Ángela becomes entangled in a forbidden and dangerous romance. She comes face to face with the world of organized crime. Her husband, upon learning of her infidelity, grows obsessively jealous. Along the way, she meets a friend who tries to help her escape this toxic environment. The choices Ángela makes from here on will determine the course of her future. (Registration Safe Creative: 2506162153601)

I poured out my heart to him, telling him everything and not leaving a single part out of it. "Please, Don Xander, I will be grateful if you could grant me just this one wish" I begged desperately, my voice cracking at the end, even though I tried so hard to stay strong. He tilted his head to one side and smirked. "I can do that for you" he said, and my eyes beam with happiness immediately. "But..." He trailed off, swirling his drink in his hand. "What do I get in return for helping you? After all, it's all about give and take" My jaw dropped instantly. His playboy attitude playing in my head. "I... I can't... I mean, I'm sorry Don Xander but I'm not the type of girl who sleeps around with men. If it's okay with you, I can work for you instead" I suggested. He wave his index finger, shaking his head. "No, Bella" he said in a low, husky voice. Then, he rose from his seat and walked towards to me, his movement graceful and deliberate. I shivered, still seated as he crouched beside me. He leaned closer to my face and I tilted my head to look at him in the eyes. "If I will help you..." he whispered, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine. "You must give me something in return" "What do you want?" I asked in a low voice. His eyes gleamed with intensity. "I want you, Isabella" he whispered, his lips grazing my ear. I jerked back, shocked by his request. "Don Xander!" I exclaimed, my voice trembling.

When Nicole, a nurse struggling to pay her mother's medical bills gets offered a high paying job to work as a private nurse for biker billionaire Alex Thorne. Nicole desperately accepts the offer, seeing it as the opportunity she needs to take care of her mother's medical bills. But nothing prepares her for what awaits her at the Thorne's mansion. Her patient- Alex Thorne is the same man she had a one-night stand with three months ago. A night she never forgot- and a man she never thought she'd see again. Alex Thorne, recovering from a spinal injury after a high stakes bike racing accident needs around the clock care and physical therapy-decides to hire a private nurse. Alex is very cold and distant towards Nicole as she denies knowing him. But as they spend more time together, an undeniable spark reignites and they become intimate. But just when everything seems perfect, Alex gets involved in another accident…and this time, he loses his memory. Now, Alex doesn't remember who Nicole is…or what they shared. Trapped in a house full of lies, secrets and betrayal, Nicole must fight to protect herself and the man she has come to love. Can their love survive when memories fade?

Blurb. Logline. A ruthless billionaire known as “The Devil” offers Paige the one thing she needs to save a child, but the price is her freedom, reputation, and heart. Paige Harper never wanted a billionaire’s ring, she wanted to keep a promise. When her best friend dies, Paige vows to raise the baby she left behind like her own. But the system is cruel to single women with empty bank accounts, and love alone isn’t enough to win an adoption case. One desperate lie during an interview changes everything: Paige claims she is engaged. The problem? The man she names is her boss. Dante De Luca is a ruthless billionaire CEO the media calls The Devil. He is Cold, powerful, and untouchable, he doesn’t tolerate betrayal, especially not from his personal assistant. When Paige’s lie makes global headlines, she is certain she will be fired. Instead, Dante makes her an offer she can’t refuse. He will give her the ring, the money, and the public image she needs to secure the adoption, but only if she agrees to be his fiancée in every way that matters. Public appearances. Private nights. Absolute obedience. And a contract that binds her life to his. Paige accepts, knowing she is selling herself to save a child. What she doesn’t expect is Dante’s possessive gaze, the tenderness he shows the baby behind closed doors, or the dangerous way fake feelings start to feel real. And when Paige discovers the devastating truth behind Dante’s plan, she must choose between the man who owns her future and the child who owns her heart. Because loving the devil was never part of the promise, and walking away from him might cost her everything.

One night. One contract. Three hundred and sixty-five days in the hands of a man she should never have touched.* Mary Blackwood never planned to inherit a dying empire. But when her father's company collapses under crushing debt, salvation arrives wearing a price she can't refuse. Andrew De la Cruz, San Andreas' youngest, most feared mafia king, offers five hundred million dollars to keep the Blackwood name alive. His condition is simple. *She becomes his wife for three hundred and sixty-five days.* What he doesn't say is that their story didn't begin with the contract. It began with one night neither of them will name again, a night Andrew erased with four words: *"That night meant nothing."* Now bound to him in a marriage built on power and silence, Mary is pulled into a world where loyalty is currency, betrayal is survival, and love is the most dangerous weakness of all. Because Andrew De la Cruz is not just a kingpin. He's a man built from secrets, violence, and an obsession he refuses to name. And Mary is not just his wife. She's the one thing his world was never meant to ruin, or keep alive. *One night started it. One year will decide who survives it.*

Aria Kingsley had been kissed before. But never like this. Not against the cold wall of her father’s mansion. Not by the one man sworn to guard her body, not steal it. Aria has been raised like a jewel in a glass box—perfect, untouchable, and suffocated by her father’s power. When a threat against her life surfaces, Damon Cross, a brooding ex-special forces soldier with scars he doesn’t talk about, is hired as her personal bodyguard. Aria hates his rules. Damon hates her defiance. But the more they clash, the hotter the tension burns. Every stolen glance, every forbidden touch threatens to destroy the walls between them. Yet Damon’s past is as dangerous as Aria’s future. Enemies close in, secrets unravel, and passion becomes a risk neither can afford. In a world where loyalty can be bought and betrayal is inevitable, one question remains— Can Aria survive falling in love with the one man she was never meant to have?

“I have cancer,” I said—and my husband didn’t even flinch. Dorothy Rain is dying. Not fast, not loudly, but painfully and slowly. And to make things worse? The man she’s legally bound to—billionaire heir Joel Hernandez—isn't just emotionally absent... he’s infertile. Joel’s inheritance depends on Dorothy giving birth to his heir. With time running out and hatred growing between them, Joel brings in a third option: his estranged, broke, and dangerously attractive cousin, Rico. The deal is simple: Rico gets a second chance. Joel gets his heir. Dorothy gets treated like a breeding contract. But nothing is ever simple in a house built on lies. As Dorothy fights for her life and autonomy, she finds herself in between two enemies—one who ruined her and one who might ruin her all over again. Secrets grow. Lust sparks. Love becomes a war. And when hearts break, who will be left holding the child?

A college girl's secret affair with her father's bestfriend becomes leverage for her rejected crush, trapping her in a degrading arrangemet that escalates into an arranged marriage, one where obsession,humiliation and hidden desires collide until her past lover returns to complete their twisted triangle.

When a mafia boss falls at your feet, can you escape? I hurt and kill people, but not just any ordinary ones. He’s given me my name, my fame, and my legacy. In honor of my non-biological father, who raised and protected me, I will defend our clan, even if it means a bloodbath for my enemies. I wasn’t given a choice. I have to marry her—a sweet, bubbly, and funny countryside girl. I don’t understand what makes her special, why it has to be her. Then, I uncovered the truth about her real identity. I need to protect her more than myself, because Elizabeth Betty is not just my wife. She’s everything to me. -Drake Del Fiore- I met you by mistake. I find you cool and attractive, yet ruthless with a warm heart. You came like a knight, given my family shelter and proposing marriage. Hang on, marriage? You’ve paid off my bills and my parents’ debt. What’s your real deal? Oh, I get it. I have to marry you, right? He seems like a decent businessman, and I don’t think he likes me—he may just need me as a cover. That’s fine. As long as no strings attached, and please, don’t touch me! Uhm, are you sure about this, Betty? Then I fell in love, failed to protect my heart. Will he still hold me until the end? -Betty Canor- Drake Lucas Del Fiore is a mafia boss who shows no mercy to his enemies. His father gives him a mission and that is to marry Betty. To Drake, Betty seems ordinary. He never thought that this ordinary girl would capture his heart blindly. And now, falling at her feet, he soon found out who Betty really is.

In a world where appearances are everything, Lola Navarro's carefully constructed life shatters when a twist of fate entwines her with Santiago Morales—her best friend's enigmatic older brother. He's a titan of industry, a rumored playboy whose charisma is as legendary as his fortune. A sudden, inescapable scandal thrusts them into a high-stakes charade: a public engagement designed to deceive the voracious media and safeguard their reputations. Forced into the same living space, their lives become an intricate dance of whispered secrets and undeniable proximity. Beneath the dazzling facade, the carefully built walls around their hearts begin to crumble. Sparks fly, tempers flare, and as the lines between their 'performance' and their true selves blur, an electric, forbidden attraction ignites. But the world watches, and the powerful forces that brought them together threaten to tear them apart. Can Lola, fiercely independent and suddenly thrust into the limelight, navigate the treacherous currents of Santiago's world? And can Santiago, a man accustomed to controlling every aspect of his empire, surrender to a love that defies all logic? In a city built on illusions, they must decide if their burgeoning connection is a dangerous fantasy or the most powerful truth of all. Will their love story be a fleeting headline, or a timeless romance forged in the crucible of public scrutiny?

Three years into her marriage, Claire finally asks for a divorce. She admits it—she got the better end of the deal. From nothing to something, she's the one who leveled up. And that's exactly why Ethan has been cold, distant, almost wishing she'd just walk away. She's human, not iron. This loveless marriage has left her drained, and the idea of ending it should feel freeing—but then he starts showing up. Every day, sharp, confident, strutting around like he owns the place. Clattering in the kitchen, attempting to cook. Even bringing home a Samoyed puppy she's always adored. Claire watches, equal parts exasperated and fascinated. Every time the divorce seems inevitable, he finds an excuse—sick, busy, a last-minute trip. Everyone assumes his heart belongs to someone else. But all along, it's been hers. A stubborn, prideful man, completely undone by the one woman he can't let go.

"He vowed never to love her. Now he’ll stop at nothing to reclaim her.” When ruthless billionaire Adrian Blackwood and a sharp witted journalist Elena Carter find themselves entangled in each other's arms, they had an intoxicating one night stand that leads to a scandal that threatens to tear their world down. Their solution was straightforward: a marriage of convenience. No love. No strings attached. Nothing but cold, calculated damage control. Elena is faced with emotional neglect in a marriage that seems to slowly tear her apart. When framed for betrayal, Elena was sent packing and unknowingly to her she was pregnant. A secret she had kept hidden from Adrian. Four years later, fate draws them back into each other's lives. Adrian, colder and more commanding than ever before, discovers the truth: Elena is more than just a ghost from his past. She’s a mother. His child's mother. And the child she’s fiercely protecting bears his storm-gray eyes. Now, the CEO who once said love was a weakness is tearing the world apart to reclaim what is his. But Elena is no longer the woman he abandoned. Rising from the ashes of their failed marriage, she has created a life—and a legacy—that refuses to submit to his demands. But as explosive secrets resurface and old enemies emerge, Adrian and Elena are forced to play a deadly game in which the stakes are higher than pride or passion. Someone wants Elena destroyed. Someone wants Adrian broken. And their daughter's life is on the line.