Gala Quotes

The end of the world had never been so romantic—for Alisa Vega, at least. In an alternate universe where Earth survives the first apocalypse, humans live side by side with other species in a society where impossible things become possible. And yet, with all that magic and technology, love remains to be the most mysterious and unpredictable thing of all. Alisa Vega is a popular celebrity well-known for her beauty and charisma. Growing up in a loving and privileged environment, she had never wanted for anything in her life—until she meets Jester Lee, the rising star of the Adventurer community. Jester saves her life and steals her heart in the process. She confesses her love, but Jester is having none of it. Apparently, he's too busy saving all three worlds from a second apocalypse to entertain any thoughts on romance. But Alisa is convinced that he is THE ONE for her—and she is not taking no for an answer. Join Alisa and Jester as their stories unfold side by side: from gala appearances, photoshoots, and dodging the paparazzi, to navigating through a mess of man-eating monsters, secret identities, and uncovering conspiracies, all in the name of true love. *Author's Note: Some parts of the story may include scenes of violence and gore, dark (morbid) humor and possible emotional trauma (for the characters). Although the author encourages freedom in reading, this warning is in place for those who may find such topics disturbing. Reading should be fun for everyone, after all. Thank you! ^_^

Ten years ago, Elara’s only refuge from Kaelan Vanderbilt’s cruel torment was her sketchbook. Now, she wears his brother’s engagement ring, poised to claim the loving family and safe life she’s always craved. Her past is a locked box, and gentle Liam Vanderbilt is the key to her future. But for Kaelan, the past is a weapon. The moment his brother introduces his fiancée, the quiet, artistic girl he once broke becomes an all-consuming obsession. He sees the fear in her eyes and replaces it with a dangerous, simmering desire. He will sabotage his brother, risk the family empire, and tear her perfect world apart to make her his. Elara is trapped between the man who represents everything she needs and the man who embodies the darkness she’s always feared… and secretly craves. As Kaelan’s campaign of seduction and psychological warfare escalates, he forces her to confront a terrifying truth: was she ever truly hiding from him, or was she waiting for him to find her again? The gala is the pinnacle of her new life, a celebration of her future with Liam. But as Kaelan’s hand settles on the small of her back, his lips brush her ear, and he whispers the same taunt that haunted her high school halls, the line between hatred and obsession shatters. “Run along, little mouse,” he murmurs, his voice a dark promise. “I’ve always loved the chase.”

Le jour où mon père et son ex sont apparus à un gala et sont devenus un sujet brûlant sur les réseaux, tout le monde se moquait de ma mère. Elle avait sacrifié une brillante carrière pour entrer dans une famille puissante, mais après trente ans, elle n'avait ni statut ni reconnaissance. Elle n'avait même pas le courage de reprocher quoi que ce soit à la maîtresse. Après une crise de larmes, ma mère m'a regardée, épuisée. « C'est lui qui m'a trahie en premier, alors je ne veux plus de lui. » « Rosalie, tu veux partir avec moi ? » C'est à ce moment-là que j'ai reçu un message de mon copain, avec qui j'étais depuis sept ans. « Rosalie, ce n'est qu'un papier à signer. Tu peux rester ma copine, non ? » Je suis restée silencieuse quelques secondes, puis j'ai hoché la tête. Alors, le jour même de leur mariage, ma mère et moi avons disparu dans l'incendie de la villa.

In my previous life, my brother Elliot Quinn's close female friend, Ava Sutton, told him she wanted to camp on the mountaintop and watch the stars. Wanting privacy, he took all the bodyguards from home with him. Unexpectedly, the rival whom Elliot had once humiliated took the opportunity to break into the house seeking revenge. My pregnant sister-in-law fought to protect me with everything she had, while my three-year-old nephew got hurt badly trying to save me. I called Elliot over and over, begging him to come home. Knowing that the situation at home was urgent, he had no choice but to leave Ava Sutton behind and rush back. Elliot's rival was captured, but from the mountaintop came terrible news. Ava had vanished after sending her last message. "I know your sister and wife have been waiting for me to die. Well, they got what they wanted." Elliot coldly deleted the message and told me not to overthink it. Afterward, Dad punished him, and he lost control of the family business. But after the corporate gala, while I was in the backyard, Elliot killed me mercilessly. His face was cold and cruel as he said, "You're the one who made me come back. That's why Ava died. Go and make amends to her!" When I open my eyes again, the front gate of the villa echoes with the voice of Elliot's rival.

Book One: Legacy of Deception ​The contract is over. The war has just begun. ​Five years ago, Kate Jones survived the wreckage of her family’s empire and walked into a cold, transactional marriage with the "Ice King" of Greensville, William Dray. Together, they dismantled her uncle’s greed and turned a marriage of convenience into a formidable union. ​But at the glittering five-year anniversary gala of the Dray-Morrison merger, the ghosts of the past decide to RSVP. ​It starts with a gift—a charred wedding ring that should have been lost in the plane crash that killed Kate’s parents. It continues with a hostile takeover led by Lawrence Knight, a shadow from the "Old Guard" who holds a blackmail lever over William that could dismantle their entire lives. ​With the sudden escape of the psychopathic Clark Dawson from a high-security prison and an unholy alliance between the vengeful Ciara and the spurned Gabriella, the Dray family is no longer just fighting for shares—they are fighting for survival. ​As Kate digs into the "Singapore Accounts" and the truth behind the flight that killed her parents, she realizes her father’s legacy wasn't built on tech, but on secrets that certain people would kill to keep buried. This time, there is no contract to protect them. To save their dynasty and their child, the Ice King and his Queen must decide how far into the darkness they are willing to go. ​Some secrets were meant to stay buried but some enemies never stay dead. ​Series Note ​The Dray Dynasty is an ongoing romantic thriller series. Legacy of Deception is the first installment of the second-generation arc, continuing the story from the bestselling standalone, Married to the Cold Billionaire.

Three years ago, Lucian Vale destroyed her father's empire without a second thought. Now Aurora King is dead buried with her grief and Aurora Miller has taken her place. She built herself from nothing, fueled by one goal: make him pay. But revenge gets complicated when the enemy doesn't know you're alive. At a Manhattan charity gala, Aurora comes face-to-face with the devil himself. Lucian is younger, sharper, and more intoxicating than she imagined. One heated conversation leads to a private penthouse, his arrogant mouth on hers, and his dominant hands stripping away every vow she ever made. She hates him. She craves him. And when she flees into the night, she realizes the most dangerous weapon in this war isn't his money, it's the way he makes her feel. Forced into close quarters when Vale Industries needs her consultancy, Aurora must play the professional while hiding the truth: she's the daughter of the man he broke. But Lucian doesn't let go of what he wants. And after one taste, he wants her. As lines blur between enemy and lover, Aurora's revenge plan crumbles beneath stolen kisses and forbidden nights. Because the only thing more dangerous than his secrets… is hers. A steamy enemies-to-lovers billionaire romance featuring a dominant CEO who always gets what he wants, and the woman willing to burn his world down if his touch doesn't destroy hers first.

Claire Harper et Henri Spectre étaient mariés depuis trois ans. Lors de l’anniversaire d’Henri, Claire constata avec effroi que son mari s’étreignait ouvertement avec son ex-petite amie, Élise Laurent. Plus cruel encore, alors qu’elle était enceinte, elle fut poussée par Élise dans les escaliers glissants du jardin et perdit son enfant. La seule témoin, sa servante personnelle, choisit de trahir Claire et de soutenir Élise, et son mari ne lui fit aucune confiance. Au moment où elle avait le plus besoin d’eux, ils l’abandonnèrent totalement. Brisée mais lucide, Claire demanda le divorce sans hésitation, puis disparut de Paris sans laisser la moindre trace. Plus tard, l’apparition soudaine d’une influenceuse mondialement connue bouleversa la haute société parisienne. Cette femme n’était autre que Claire Harper. Élégante, puissante et méconnaissable, elle fit son retour aux côtés d’un bel homme. Un soir, lors d’un dîner de gala prestigieux, le destin la confronta de nouveau à Henri. Il l’arrêta, l’entraîna jusqu’à sa voiture, puis s’agenouilla devant elle, la voix tremblante : « Claire… tu m’as tellement manqué… »

I was chosen to be the fiancée of Lorenzo, the Mafia’s heir. But at a family gala, Lorenzo was openly pursued by Chiara, the daughter of an arms dealer. Chiara wasn’t like the other rule-abiding debutantes.She tore through the streets in a modified sports car, used a military-grade combat knife to cut her cigars, and drank the harshest whiskey neat.There was an untamed wildness about her, a fire Lorenzo couldn’t look away from. He complained to the family elders, “How can a woman like that possibly be our Madre and run this entire family?” His words dripped with disdain for her recklessness, yet his eyes were glued to her, tracking her every move as she raised her glass. Then, on Lorenzo’s birthday, he announced his intention to make Chiara his mistress. Chiara refused.”The women of my family are wives, never mistresses.And my husband’s heart must belong only to me.” Lorenzo came to me, his voice hesitant.”Alessia, it’s just a title.I need you to give it to Chiara.Please? She doesn’t understand our family’s traditions, and she’s making a scene about marrying me.We just need to pacify her for now.Even if she marries me, you will still be the one to manage the family’s affairs.” As I stood trying on my wedding gown, a sharp crystal bead on the bodice pierced my finger.A single drop of blood bloomed against the pure white satin. The dress was ruined, but the wedding would go on. Since he chose someone else to be his wife, I will become his Madre.

Once I begged for your love while our son drew his last breath. Now watch me take back everything you hold dear. The first time, I died on a rain-slicked road with my four-year-old's name on my lips and my husband's rejection still burning in my chest. Silas Vance took three years from me. Three years of existing like furniture in his mansion while he draped Clara over his arm at every gala, every interview, every moment that mattered. When our son needed him, really needed him he let my calls go to voicemail. Thirteen times. I counted. Our son didn't make it through the night. Neither did I. Then I opened my eyes. Two years earlier. Divorce papers on the nightstand. My son's laugh echoing from down the hall. This time, I won't beg. Won't wait. Won't shrink myself small enough to fit in the shadows he assigned me. This time, I'll become someone he doesn't recognize. Someone who smiles at his enemies, steals his deals, and dismantles his empire while he's still searching for his meek little wife. When he finally figures it out—when he's pounding on my door, begging for answers, desperate for a second chance? I'll hand him those signed papers and remind him: Some deaths are just the beginning.

Charlotte Flair, the daughter of Kyle and Nicole Flair, had always harbored doubts about her true parentage because of how they'd always treated her. On her 20th birthday, she attended a gala event with her parents, only to be knocked out and wake up naked beside Desmond Elliot Elijah, the country's most eligible billionaire bachelor. Believing they had been intimate, both their parents quickly arranged their marriage, and they were wed. Desmond, however, was furious, convinced that Charlotte had orchestrated the incident to trap him into a marriage. He grew to resent her, seeing her as a manipulative schemer who had used underhanded tactics to become his wife. For six years, Charlotte had lived as a hidden wife— unacknowledged, unloved, and expected to satisfy Desmond's desires whenever he was in the mood. That was the only moment he would show her tenderness and passion, and once their intimate moments were over, he would return to his cold, distant self. For six years, Charlotte had endured his emotional cruelty, the constant humiliation from his Aunt and her daughter, and the feeling of being invisible, until the night her husband introduced another woman as his fiancee. Avery Gilbert— the only daughter of one of the country's most prominent billionaire, Bernard Gilbert. When the truth shatters her world, Charlotte decided to leave, but discover a shocking truth— she was the true daughter and only heiress of the Gilbert's family, and wasn't related in anyway to the Flair's.