Just An Illusion

Ethan Blake and Julian Cross are Hollywood’s favorite rivals—two A-list actors whose off-screen feud is as legendary as their on-screen performances. For years, the media has played up their animosity, feeding into the narrative of two stars who can’t stand each other. And Ethan is fine with that. Julian is arrogant, reckless, and far too good at getting under his skin. But when they are cast as romantic leads in a high-profile LGBTQ+ blockbuster, everything changes. Forced into close proximity, the lines between performance and reality begin to blur. Heated arguments behind the scenes turn into charged moments neither of them can ignore. A single off-script kiss during filming shatters their carefully constructed walls, sending both their careers—and emotions—into uncharted territory. The media explodes with speculation. Rumors spread like wildfire, and their public feud only adds fuel to the fire. A PR crisis forces them into damage control, but every interview, every staged moment, only makes it harder to deny the truth simmering beneath the surface. As industry backlash looms and personal stakes grow higher, Ethan finds himself at a crossroads. He has spent years playing it safe, hiding behind his carefully curated image. But Julian refuses to be another script he follows. He wants something real. In an industry built on illusion, can two men who were never meant to fall for each other survive the spotlight’s harsh glare? Or will fear and fame tear them apart before they even have a chance? Enemies on screen. Lovers behind the scenes. But can they survive the ultimate Hollywood scandal?

Five years ago, Seraphina Blackwood ran from her marriage and destiny as Luna to the most powerful Lycan King alive, choosing to be free over an arranged marriage. But when she saves a wounded Alpha from a rogue attack, his gratitude came in the form of a prison. Marcus Sullivan marries her out of duty, believing she's nothing more than a poor orphan—never knowing she's the daughter of the most feared Yakuza-werewolf family in the supernatural underworld. For five years, Seraphina mistakes his cold obligation for love, playing the perfect wife while her true mate's bond is left unanswered. But when Marcus's first love returns, a rare Omega who promises him the strong heir he believes Seraphina, as a "human," cannot provide, his betrayal shatters every illusion that Seraphine has portrayed about their relationship. Abandoned, humiliated, and left to face dangerous enemies alone, Seraphina finally calls upon the man she left at the altar five years ago. Kieran Nightshade, the Lycan King whose heart she broke, answers without hesitation. But reclaiming her birthright means exposing secrets that could destroy the supernatural world's balance of power. As Marcus realizes too late what he's lost, and enemies comes from every angle seeking to use Seraphina's true identity against her family's empire, she must choose between remaining anonymous and the dangerous power that comes with being Luna Queen to the most feared Alpha alive. Some regrets can never be undone. And some women are too powerful to be cast aside twice.

“If you think that you have been living in hell all your life, let me break that illusion for you,” Adrian said. He spoke slowly, his voice full of menace. “This place–this is true hell, right here, where I am. His statement, “In this place, death is not an escape, no matter how much you may yearn for it,” was enough to make the audience shudder, but all that tiny figure did was raise her lifeless, dull eyes. “Then help me, so I can remain here.” She replied, her voice barely above a whisper. ********************************** In a world ruled by loyalties and bloodlines, Kira, the first daughter of the strongest family in the American mafia, finds herself entangled in an unexpected twist of fate. She was betrothed since childhood to the second son of the Italian mafia’s don, due to a blood alliance between both families. She was raised alongside him and always considered him as her everything, while joyfully waiting for the day they would finally get married. To her, their love story was set in stone. However, on the day of the wedding, Kira's world as she knows it comes crumbling down when receives a shocking revelation — instead of her betrothed, a different groom appears at her wedding. And to top it off, he was dressed in a prison uniform. What happens when Kira finds herself thrust into the clutches of Adrian Vasillos the infamous ‘devil’ of the Italian mafia? Will she be able to navigate this world of danger, intrigue, betrayal, tested loyalties, and forbidden desires where she must come face to face with her deepest fears? Or will she finally discover the true meaning of love and get her happy ending? Read on to find out more in this twisted romance series…

Kimberly Walker was betrothed to.Roland Carter since she was sixteen years old. Roland was handsome, wealthy, and charming and represented everything Kimberly thought she needed. But that illusion shattered the night she caught him entangled in her sister’s arms.  She was angry and heartbroken, and recorded their betrayal before they even realized she was there. As her world collapsed, she fled, only to crash into Damien Carter—the one man Roland despised more than anyone. In a reckless bid for revenge, she kissed Damien, igniting a spark neither of them saw coming. Damien was arrogant and ruthless, but he was devastatingly handsome. And carried himself with so much grace and class. After he experienced that kiss, he knew things would never remain the same between Kimberly and him.  Roland refused to let go, swearing that his betrayal had been a mistake..  When the formidable matriarch, Mrs. Evelyn Carter, saw the evidence of Roland’s betrayal, and the picture of Kim kissing Damien, she made her decision—Kimberly would belong to Damien. An instant marriage followed, binding Kimberly to a man she barely understood.  But marrying Damien Carter came with a price. Damien was unwilling to give his heart to Kim. Meanwhile, Roland, fueled by jealousy, sought every opportunity to prove that Kimberly belonged to him, exploiting the cracks in her fragile new marriage. As family conflicts escalated, Kimberly had to navigate a dangerous game where she constantly had to prove her loyalty to Damien. In a world where wealth dictated fate, Kimberly was about to discover that trading one Carter for another was only the beginning of her battle. Will she be able to conquer Damien's heart? Or is there a chance to return to Roland, her first love who claims he still loves her? ---

Monica Banks had it all—beauty, fame, and a rising career as one of the industry's top lingerie models. Her distinctive curves and magnetic presence made her a favorite on every runway and billboard. But at the peak of her success, she gave it all up. Not for herself, but for her father—agreeing to marry Liam McKenzie, a cold and calculating business tycoon, in exchange for a crucial deal that would save her family’s company. The McKenzie family loathed her profession. To them, modeling lingerie was shameful. They gave her a choice: her career or the marriage. Monica chose Liam, foolishly hoping her sacrifice would earn his love. She terminated her contract—despite her agency’s desperate pleas—and stepped away from everything she had built. For three long years, she played the role of the perfect wife and obedient daughter-in-law. And when Liam finally touched her like a husband should, she believed—naively—that she had finally won a place in his heart. That illusion shattered when she returned home early and found him in their bed with another woman. Her sister. Brie Banks. Liam didn’t deny it. He didn’t even apologize. Instead, he coldly revealed that their marriage was nothing more than a favor to his mother. Broken. Betrayed. Humiliated. But Monica had enough . When Spencer McKenzie—Liam’s estranged half-brother, the black sheep of the family blamed for a fire that killed their grandfather—returned to the country, he made her an offer. One that promised revenge. A scandalous one, She accepted. --- “Are you insane, Spencer? You’re stirring up a scandal with my wife!” Liam’s voice thundered through the room, his eyes blazing. His lips twitch"No you stay away from her, she's mine now."

Rivergate's most elite social circle had always shared an unspoken rule. Men were free to play the field as they pleased, drifting from one woman to the next. Women, on the other hand, were only allowed a single, discreet indulgence on the day they came of age—a privately hired "life assistant" meant to take care of their physical needs. … On my coming-of-age day, I picked Elliot at first glance from a hundred applicants who came in for interviews. He wore gold-rimmed glasses, looked composed and restrained, and carried himself with a calm maturity that set him apart. He was steady, meticulous, and obsessively clean. The only condition he agreed to was that there would be no bodily contact—hands only. And after every encounter, he would scrub his hands with disinfectant alcohol a hundred times. Over five years, the empty bottles alone were enough to circle the villa seven times. I used to think that one day, I'd help him overcome his barriers and truly make him mine. That illusion shattered the night I got drunk and accidentally wandered into Elliot's room. Hidden beneath his pillow was a DV camera, and inside were several videos of him pleasuring himself. On the screen, the same man who had always been calm and rational with me was staring at the lingerie of the adopted sister who had caused my mother's death, his Adam's apple bobbing as he moaned her name, "Chloe… I love you…" Only then did I realize that every step he had taken toward me had never been about me at all. It had always been a carefully concealed, long-nurtured love for her. So, it was very odd that he cried when I took my adopted sister's place in marrying someone else.

"I have chosen not to go through with it," I told the twins. Surprisingly, they didn't appear perturbed by my decision to forgo any romantic involvement with them. "My dear, sweet Lily," Hayden's voice resonated with a blend of authority and allure, "while we may have presented you with the illusion of choice regarding our relationship, it was never truly yours to dictate, especially after we've discerned the alluring taste between your thighs." His words, though startling, carried an undeniable magnetism, drawing me closer despite my inner resistance. I didn't fail to notice how Hunter was now closely behind me as well. "B-but this isn't right, and I have the right to decide what's best for me." Hunter had now circled his arms around my waist, kissing my neck deviously from behind, the sensuous feeling filling the pit of my stomach. Raising my head to look me in the eye, Hayden spoke. "There's nothing wrong with fulfilling one's desires, Lily. From now on, Hunter and I will be the ones to satisfy your every need. You belong to us, and no one else." *************** Lily's world is turned upside down after a wild night at the club leads to a sizzling one-night stand with a mysterious stranger, who turns out to be her billionaire boss, one of a set of irresistible twins. As she embraces her new role as their personal assistant, Lily finds herself engulfed in a whirlwind of passion, jealousy, and desire, all while grappling with her conflicting emotions for her friend Dillon. With tensions escalating and desires burning hotter, Lily is torn between the safety of her comfort zone and the thrilling temptation of the billionaire twins, risking everything for a taste of forbidden ecstasy.

Santa Maria Deogracia. Despite being given that name, she is not filled with grace, and she is far from holy.  She is feral, rebellious and arrogant. She felt unfortunate her whole life. Poor and born from an affair between her father and his mistress. A child that no one wanted. A bastard hated by the legal family.  But her life took an unexpected turn when she got entangled with a man called Hellion. Witnessing a gruesome crime and the next thing she knew, she was already under him, moaning, catching her breath while chanting his name—spending a hot night with an enigmatic drop dead gorgeous man with a dangerous allure and piercing stares that weakened her knees. Only to find out the next morning that he is actually that infamous ruthless billionaire, 15 years older than her at that; Lazarus Lombardi.  With her life filled with twists and turns, she never expected to get entangled with him even more when he offered her a job—to be his sex slave. Having a secret relationship, that is wrong yet it felt so right—he became her solace.  Desperate to escape in her toxic home, she married him eventually, thinking that it was the right decision.  Or so she thought. . .  Little does she know, her decision is merely an illusion, shattering her newfound happiness. As she delves deeper into the darkness lurking within him—Unveiling the truth, secrets and betrayals. . .  Leading her to escape from his suffocating grasp.  Santa Maria thought she had finally escaped his clutches, only to find herself entangled in his web once more, years later. And escaping him again is the furthest thing from his mind, not with the obsessive mafia boss; Lazarus Lombardi. Will she ever break free from his grip? or will she remain forever trapped in his twisted embrace?

J'étais une gamine des bas-fonds quand je suis tombée amoureuse de Damon Vitale, le Parrain le plus redouté de Paris. Pendant cinq ans, j'ai été à lui. J'ai encaissé neuf balles pour lui. Il embrassait mes cicatrices pendant que je me vidais de mon sang pour lui. Il me serrait contre lui. Il passait le collier de la reine autour de mon cou. Puis, une fois remise, il me baisait jusqu'à me faire perdre toute notion de moi-même, avec une passion qui donnait l'illusion de l'éternité. Je croyais que nous passerions nos vies ensemble. Je pensais qu'il m'épouserait. Mais lors de notre neuf cent quatre-vingt-dix-neuvième nuit ensemble, il m'a annoncé qu'il était fiancé. À Bianca, une princesse de la mafia issue d'une famille rivale. J'ai avalé mes larmes. Il s'est contenté de m'attraper par le menton, de souffler la fumée à mon visage et de rire. « Tu n'as quand même pas cru que tu pourrais m'épouser, n'est-ce pas, Nora ? Soyons clairs. On baise. C'est tout. Tu n'es pas une partenaire. Tu es une œuvre d'art que je collectionne. Une chatte qui m'appartient. » Une chatte. C'est tout ce qu'il a jamais voulu que je sois. Alors j'ai attrapé un téléphone jetable. « J'accepte ton offre. Trois jours. Sors-moi de Paris. »

After my brother, Don Matteo Sabella, finds out I have a crush on our family Consigliere, Lorenzo Gallo, for years, he spikes Lorenzo's wine and has him delivered to my bed. That night, he pushes deep into me, and we lose ourselves in each other. When the sky begins to lighten, Lorenzo stays, kisses my temple, and asks me to marry him. Now that we are married, he is all those things—gentle, perfect, and fiercely possessive—handing me almost everything I desire. I truly believe I've landed the kind of love every woman in our world dreams about. That illusion lasts until the day Matteo gets taken out in an assassination. After that, Lorenzo steps up as the Sabellas' new Don. It isn't long before he says he has family business to handle and disappears overseas for three years. Even on the day I deliver our daughter, Luna Gallo, he can't come home because of some emergency. Then I hear a recording that's blowing up on the family's internal network. His Consigliere chuckles and asks, "Don, what do you think has changed the most since you took over the family?" Lorenzo answers in this offhand tone, "It's definitely the fact that I can finally give those I care about most a home. But it also means I'm even more worried that Eliana and Sofia will be targeted because of me…" My blood runs cold. Eliana Rossi is his adopted sister, and Sofia is her daughter. Turns out every business trip, every absence, every so-called emergency Lorenzo has is about them. He has another home out there. That night, with my hands shaking, I dial the encrypted line. "Matteo, we've found the traitor. Isn't it time you stopped pretending to be dead and came to take Luna and me away?"