Black Cake: A Novel

"I should’ve killed him the night he betrayed me. Instead, I kept him alive — chained, bleeding, and trembling beneath my hands." Nicholas Rhodes, heir to the Rhodes crime syndicate, had everything: control, power, loyalty. Until him. Rafael “Rafe” Vega — the man he once trusted with his life — turned on him in the middle of a war, selling secrets to their rivals. But when fate forces their worlds to collide again, Nicholas doesn’t kill Rafe. He takes him back. As a captive. As a weapon. As a reminder of everything he lost. Hatred was supposed to keep them apart. Instead, it burns hotter than desire — twisting into something neither of them can name. Obsession becomes their language. Betrayal becomes their bond. And love… love is the bullet waiting in the chamber. Because in their world, love doesn’t save. It destroys. --- Main Characters: Nicholas Rhodes— 29 Cold, ruthless, born into blood and chaos. After Rafe’s betrayal, he’s become darker — quieter, crueler. He claims he feels nothing anymore… but Rafe’s name still tastes like venom and longing on his tongue. Rafael “Rafe” Vega — 26 Former hitman and Nicholas’s right hand, before he turned traitor. Charming, unpredictable, and carrying his own secrets. His betrayal wasn’t what it seemed — but he’d rather die than beg Nicholas to understand.

Jesslyn Scott menandatangani surat perjanjian pernikahan dengan Earth karena ia membutuhkan uang untuk biaya pengobatan ibunya yang sangat mahal. Jessy pikir pernikahan kontraknya dengan Earth, sang penerus Caldwell Corporation dikarenakan Earth tidak ingin dijodohkan dengan putri dari rekan bisnis sang kakek, tetapi Jessy salah. Alasan sebenarnya dari pernikahan kontrak itu adalah Caroline, cinta pertama Earth yang berstatus janda tanpa anak. Jessy dijadikan tameng oleh Earth untuk menutupi hubungan Earth dengan Caroline yang sudah berlangsung tiga tahun. Di dalam keluarga Caldwell, siapapun yang menikahi janda maka ia tidak akan bisa menjadi penerus. Dan Earth yang tidak ingin kehilangan harta warisan serta Caroline memilih memanfaatkan Jessy yang merupakan staf di salah satu toserba milik keluarganya. Awalnya Jessy bisa menjalani kehidupan pernikahan kontraknya dengan baik. Akan tetapi, Jessy melakukan sebuah kesalahan yang membuatnya menyiksa diri sendiri. Ia jatuh cinta pada Earth yang mencintai Caroline. Lalu, akankah Jessie bisa bertahan di dalam kontrak pernikahan yang tidak boleh melibatkan perasaan ketika hatinya menjerit kesakitan karena rasa cemburu yang membakar jiwa? Dan bagaimanakan kehidupan Jessy setelah bergabung di dalam keluarga Caldwell yang sangat terpandang? Bisakah Jessy mengatasai tekanan demi tekanan yang diarahkan keluarga Earth padanya? Atau Jessy harus menyerah dan mengembalikan uang yang ia dapatkan dari Earth bagaimanapun caranya?

"The most painful goodbyes are the ones that are never said and never explained" Napilitan tanggapin ni Sandra Lyn Santiago ang alok ng best friend niya na palitan ito bilang secretary kahit alam niya kung gaano kasungit at kasama ang boss nito. She doesn't have a choice. Kailangan niya ng trabaho para makapagtapos ang mga kapatid. How long could she stay as his secretary? Kung tila galit ito sa mundo at pinaglihi sa sama ng loob. Halos araw araw para siyang nasa impyerno. He is likes a dragon that is ready to attack her with his fire. But, why is it everyday he also making her remember a memory from the past. Would she be able to fill in the missing piece in his boss's heart? OR She will experience heartache for the second time.

Michael Angelo, the man Aurora loved with all her heart was also her worst bully and her short tempered boss. It wasn't her fault she was fat, but he sang how fat she was to her ear everyday at the slightest provocation. She withstood the insult just to be close to the man she loves. When her boss accidentally heard heart felt confession of love, he rejected and humiliated her in the most embarrassing way possible. She tongue lashed him in retaliation and quitted her job with a broken heart to save her face from further embarrassment...... ¤¤¤¤¤¤ Months after making her fat ugly secretary quit job, Michael Angelo met someone who look just like her, but hotter and sexier enough to make him drool. One goal was fixated in his mind; he must have her. But Aurora was a woman on a mission.

After her parents' separation and her Dad remarriage, Siren became an abandoned child. Everybody treats her like an outcast and though she was born with a golden spoon in her mouth, she merely lack of everything. Being expelled from college, no one wants to keep her company. And everyone looks at her like a mess. So at the age of nineteen,having her fake identity, she ran away. ------------------- Although he was already rich, Conrad still pushing everything he can to become a wealthy man at his age. His ambition motivates him to keep himself away from falling in love into random girls he met. For him, you can only call yourself a real person if everyone knows who you are. And only money can do that. That's why he hates people who barely dreams for their future and contented as what they are. Just like their household staff, Reena. Everything about her makes his blood boil. Yet also makes his body burn and aches in a thought of having her...

Temperance coming from a rich to poor family after her mom died. She is abused in every way possible. It’s hard for her to trust people but when Alec comes into her life she can’t help her undying attraction towards him. Alec is a heart throb that has every girl eyeing him. His dangerous aura makes it seem like his heart is untouchable. As soon as he meets Temperance he realizes that he can’t seem to want to live without her. His only goal now? To save her. Her only goal? To get out in any way possible, even if it means death.

Chloe's parents were killed, accused of being traitors. Since then, she has served as a slave to the BlackMoon pack. Chloe was humiliated by everyone, including the future alpha - Aaron. She promised herself that once she turned 18 moons, she would be gone forever. However, Chloe kept a secret that no one could know: her witch eyes.

My husband drives me out so I can meet my best friend for an afternoon tea session. That's when I discover a used condom and a stray earring wedged between the door and the front passenger seat. I'm distraught as I head to the restaurant. My best friend hugs me warmly, but the lone earring she wears pierces my heart. I don't expose them for their betrayal. Instead, I fall into bed with my husband's best friend that very night. Later, James Fullman roars and asks why I've done this to him. I smile faintly and lean into the embrace of the man beside me. "You're not the only one who can get hot and heavy in the front passenger seat, you know."

A random transmigrator, Rosanna Lacewin, finally gets fed up after living as me, Roxanne Lovelace, for five years. She then ups and leaves this world with her system, leaving behind my extremely spoiled son, Theo Sterling, and my unusually cold husband, Austin Sterling. Before I can even process my thoughts, I suddenly see a barrage of comments flashing before my eyes. "What kind of a disastrous start to a story is this? This is the first time I've ever seen such a stupid transmigrator! She arrived five years earlier, made a huge mess, and now, the original owner has to clean up the mess she left behind!" "That's right. All she had to do was just correct Theo's ways, warm up to Austin, and stop her family from bothering the actual main characters of the story. But she did none of that and only spent all her time enjoying herself and avoiding death!" "Theo's all spoiled now, and Austin is very distant from her. I'm feeling so annoyed just by looking at this family. I wish they'd just die." So, as it turns out, I'm just the cannon fodder in this story plot who dies young, and both my husband and my son will be the main antagonists later on.

My younger brother, Andrew Midler, pushes me off a cliff, and my life hangs by a thread. Yet my mother, Edith Callahan, the leader of the rescue team, only busies herself with checking on Andrew, who has sprained his wrist. I beg in a faint, faltering voice for her to save me. She, however, looks at me with cold indifference. "Your brother is hurt! Why didn't you protect him? And now you're pretending to be weak? Well, you can stay here by yourself and reflect on what you've done!" She turns and orders the entire rescue team to leave, forbidding anyone from helping me. In the end, I die alone in the desolate wilderness. Upon learning of my death, Mom hysterically holds my already decaying body close, calling me her precious son repeatedly.