Courting Stage

In the shadowy depths of Italy's criminal underworld, Lucas Firmino is well known for being ruthless. Feared by all rival mafias, he eliminates threats without hesitation and acknowledges no authority. Successfully reclaiming his seat as the tough mafia boss, Lucas is a force to be reckoned with. On the other side, Camila is a committed carer, willing to go to any lengths to protect her baby brother, Camillo. Her sole aim is to ensure his happiness, and she remains resolute in her commitment, even if it means sacrificing her own well-being. Caught in a complex web of loyalty and betrayal, Camila's world is upended when her father, known as Papa, engages in concealed dealings that lead to her being pushed into an arranged marriage with Lucas. The unexpected union between Camila and the ruthless mafia boss sets the stage for a tumultuous journey. As Camila steers the disloyal waters of her forced union with Lucas, the promise she made to protect her brother hangs in the balance. Will she find a way to uphold her commitment amidst the chaos, or will Lucas's influence force her to break the very promise she made to protect her brother? Find out more in the story.

Rachel Larson was adamant about marrying me, and she spent ten years stealing my heart. On the night before our wedding, I overheard her conversation with her friend. "You're marrying Leonardo? What about your side piece?" A moment of silence later, Rachel answered, "That guy? He's just a cheap replacement. Leonardo's the real deal. Don't compare my side piece to him. If he stays put and keeps his mouth shut, I might let him stay around. Leonardo's a broad-minded man. He won't mind." The side piece did not stay put. In fact, he caused a scene at the wedding the next day. He shoved me off the stage, but the woman who was supposed to marry me darted over to his side instead. Why? He was holding a piece of broken glass against his throat. Gutturally, he roared, "Choose! Me or him?" Panicked, Rachel kicked me away despite my injuries, and she roared, "Get out of the way! I need to take him to the hospital! If anything happens to him, I'll kill you!" She didn't need to wait that long. My heart died right there and then. … That night, I bought a flight ticket that would take me abroad and left her.

The female lead is a famous inspirational speaker that makes millions of people just listening to her talk on the forum can revive the desire to live from suffering, she is an antique restorer that many giants hunt, to the geological restoration of tombs and antiquities worth billions of dollars. Standing at the peak of her career, she suddenly disappeared from the stage speaking before the eyes of millions of spectators.

The story of the prince and princess is a fairy tale. So what's the story of you and me? She stood in the dark, looking up at the stage filled with lights, and she saw him shine like a radiant sun. He was in a place filled with light, and he reached out my hand to hide that light so that he could see her better. “Indeed, your eyes don't see the light. That light is so beautiful, and it’s radiating from you….”

"Ethan," she began, her voice wavering slightly, "I've been thinking... considering our situation, maybe it's time we end this charade." Ethan, engrossed in a book, looked up, his eyes meeting hers. "End what, Mia?" he asked, his tone gentle yet curious. "Our marriage, Ethan," Mia said, her words hanging heavy in the air. "It's not real, and we both know it. We're living a lie, and I can't keep pretending anymore." Ethan placed his book aside, his expression serious. "I understand it's not ideal, Mia. But we made a commitment to our families. We can't just throw it all away because it's difficult." "But what if there's another way?" Mia suggested, her voice gaining strength. "What if we stage a cheating scandal? "Mia, I can't agree to something like that. It's dishonest, and it would hurt both our families. I won't play a part in such a deceitful plan." **** Ethan's voice, low and filled with desire, broke the sultry silence. "You look absolutely enchanting tonight, Olivia." Olivia's eyes smoldered with seduction as she replied, "And you, Ethan, are simply irresistible. This dinner is a feast for more than just our appetites." Their hands grazed each other, sending electric pulses of desire through their bodies. Ethan leaned in closer to Olivia, his voice a seductive murmur. "I can't resist your charms, Liv. You have a way of igniting my deepest desires." Olivia's lips curved into a seductive smile as she replied, "And you, Ethan, have a magnetic pull that's impossible to resist. Our little secret is driving me wild."

As if her world hadn't crumbled enough, Kendall got drunk and had a one-night stand with a stranger, hours after being diagnosed with stage 3 Ovarian cancer. Told that she may never get pregnant, and she spent her lifesaving on IVF. Luckily, she got a job as a PA to the CEO, Jason. On her first day, she made him her enemy, and to redeem herself, she had to be his girlfriend for the weekend. Things got complicated when Jason’s mother planned an impromptu wedding, forcing Jason to get into a contract marriage with Kendall. She framed Jason, pinning the pregnancy on him. Gradually, Jason began to fall in love with her, only for chaos to visit, Jason’s stepbrother, Thane’s sperm was used for Kendall's IVF. Desperate for revenge, Thane would do anything to ruin the couple. Caught in the web of family feud and drama, will Kendall be able to save their union, even though she has to put everything at stake?

Adriana made a mistake by trading love for security leaving Rafael behind to marry a man who could give her everything he couldn’t. But five years later, that dream shattered when her husband divorced her leaving her with nothing but a sick daughter and a desperation she never imagined. Stripping was supposed to be a one-time thing. Just enough to survive. But Rafael was watching and decided it was time to step in. He was the highschool sweetheart she abandoned who is now the most dangerous man in the city and when he sees her on that stage, he doesn’t hesitate to step in. She belonged to him before and she will belong to him now. Trapped in his world of power and revenge, Adriana knows she can’t escape. But there’s one secret Rafael doesn’t know… he has a daughter. And if he finds out, she might lose everything she’s been fighting for.

The year I loved Channing Waltz the most, he shattered my hopes. I remember, as I was hauled into the restroom, beaten mercilessly by strangers, there he stood, grinning like the sun itself. His face beamed with a brightness that made my heart sink. The burns from his childhood friend's curling iron marred my skin, leaving a trail of scars, and all the while, he took out his phone, snapping pictures of me in my undressed humiliation and posting them online for the world to mock. I cried, begged him to spare me, but he only laughed coldly, his voice as sharp as a blade. "You haven't even begun to suffer what my sister went through. What's the hurry?" That was when the truth hit me like a lightning strike. He had come to me, drawn me in with warmth, with affection, pretending to care—when all along, it was merely a means to an end. He had used me to set the stage to avenge his sister.

Abandoned as a child, Andrea’s life was a script of hardship. Her mother, once an aspiring actress, left her poor father for a wealthy man, erasing them from her glamorous new life. Raised by a loving stepmother, Andrea harbors a burning desire to conquer the acting world and surpass her mother’s success. Now her world is shattered: her stepmother's cancer is in its third stage, her acting career crumbles due to a false accusation, and her boyfriend's betrayal leaves her heartbroken. A drunken night leads to an unexpected encounter with Niklas, a wealthy but arrogant heir. Desperate to save her family from financial ruin, Andrea reluctantly agrees to a marriage of convenience. However, this marriage intended as a lifeline, becomes a battlefield as Niklas's lover returns, threatening to destroy Andrea's already fragile existence. When a heartbreaking miscarriage leaves her reeling, she must confront a crucial decision: will she remain in the shadow of others, or break free from her gilded cage to reclaim her dreams and identity?

Rufus chortled as Everleigh sat naked and examined herself in the mirror specifically designed for the ceremonial mating. She scowled when she saw no wounds, simply two bite marks on the flesh of her neck. "Why did you bit me?" "It was a spur of the moment, love.  You know I can't hurt you." He is overcome with emotion as he looks fondly at her. He wanted to grieve for the years they had wasted. Rufus can't wait to see what she's thinking. "Am I going to become a vampire?" She exclaimed, returning her sight to the mirror. "But I can see you in the mirror. You are not a vampire. What are you now?" He sat and held her from behind. "I am your mate, your guardian, your soulmate, your happiness and you are mine completely." He'd never desired a woman as much as he did Everleigh, nor had he ever been so satisfied with one. He was a tremendous fool to take her for granted. He shook his head and tried to forget the tragic moment before she disappeared. He wanted to bury himself inside her, so thoroughly that she could never think of another male like his brother. He never believed in love like humans did, but if this is love, he will embrace it simply to have her with him forever. He can no longer live without her. Those agonizing years without her were weakening him. He must complete the mating stage in order to protect her, since he will creep into her deepest thoughts. He will be able to read her mind soon.