Kindness Act

CASTELLO DI CARTE MAFIA CHRONICLES, BOOK 3 [Also known as LACERATION: THE GAME OF CHAINS] 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐀 Marrying a stranger is one thing. But marrying a stranger related to the man you thought you’d marry is a whole other thing. What would you do in a situation like this? I, for one, fainted at my engagement party and almost drank my off to get through the wedding night. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, my husband offered me a contract, and I signed it, seeing his eagerness to get rid of me. Spending an entire year under the same roof seemed like torture, especially when my dear husband kept making excuses to talk to me and to unnerve me. Yet I liked it. But he wasn’t mine. And his mistress had a lot to attest to that. 𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐒 Marriage for power. A wife ten years younger. And a tattoo. None of these was a part of my plan to thrive as a Mafioso, yet I didn't mind any of it. It was all because of that succubus. My ruination disguised as a beautiful woman, now my bride. I was a man known for my control and snide personality, yet neither helped me overcome my desire and need to taste her skin. When I finally did, I couldn’t have enough of it. The contract should've kept me away from her, should've helped me be the responsible adult and control my thoughts of her. All I wanted then was to tear that piece of paper that ensured our freedom after a certain point. I could never free her, knowing how damning it could be. There were just a few tiny problems. Her father. My past. Infiltrated enemies. And the damaging nightmares I had no control over.

Ivy Coleman's post divorce journey was nothing short of focusing on her self and building her company, after finally escaping from a marriage that had almost ruined her life she finds herself falling hard for a stranger she had a hot steamy encounter with. A stranger with a lot of unknown secrets and it changes her life forever.

She needs freedom and he needs a wife for convenience. They both agree to have a fake marriage by mutual consent, something that would benefit them both in their lives, without even foreseeing the mess they were getting into. Brenda Harper thinks there is no worse place than her home, where her overprotective parents suffocate her with rather backward ideas about marriage and life. That's why she decides to find a prospect for herself before her parents choose a repulsive old man for her. Giovanni Romano is an old family friend, although the last time they saw each other they were children, but thanks to Giovanni's mother, they arranged a date where they talked about their interests and desires, something they had in common and led them to a brief marriage of convenience. Living together begins, where they have to adapt to each other's routines and comply with the terms they both set for their marriage, although it becomes increasingly difficult for them to be apart from each other's lives. Brenda starts feeling jealous, which is a problem since Giovanni clarified that he had his sexual life covered, although he hadn't told her that he had a special woman he planned to marry after finishing the deal with her. Things go wrong when the sexual attraction they feel leads them to a night of passion, but the intrigues of Fiorella, Giovanni's love, and misunderstandings, separate them and Brenda discovers shortly afterward that she is pregnant, so she leaves for another country without saying anything. The problem is that Giovanni realizes his feelings and goes to look for her, which causes a lot of tension between them when a third party appears on the scene.

Tiningnan ni Isabella ang kapirasong papel na hawak niya. Nanlaki nang mabasa ang nakasulat doon. "Kayo po ang CEO ng kompanyang ito?" hindi makapaniwalang wika ni Isabella. Ngumiti ng malawak si Maximus. "Yes I am. At mayroon akong offer sa iyo na trabaho. Magiging madali lang ito para sa iyo. Isang taon ang kailangan mong guguluhin dito. At ang trabahong ito ay nagkakahalaga ng twenty million pesos." Halos malaglag ang panga ni Isabella sa kanyang narinig. "P-Po? A-Ano po bang k-klaseng trabaho po iyan?" "I need a contract wife, miss. No feelings involved. Just pure business." *** Hindi niya inakalang lolokohin siya ng kanyang asawa. Sobra siyang nasaktan at nadurog ng pino ang kanyang puso. Hindi niya hahayaang maging masaya ang asawa niya pati na ang kabit nito. Kaya naman umisip siya ng paraan upang makapaghiganti. Isang dalaga ang makakatulong sa kanya upang makapaghiganti na hindi niya aakalaing bibihag din sa sugatan niyang puso. At iyon ay walang iba kundi ang kanyang inaanak.

Nicolas Anderson,the CEO of an international multimedia company, forces Sofia Anselm to marry him just to avoid the business marriage his parents want. Sofia has no choice to accept because her father is dying of cancer and she needs a great deal of money. At first, everything goes smoothly until the arrival of a woman named Amanda, who is Nicolas's first love, and she exposes their contract marriage. Amanda made a story that Sofia was a slut. Nicolas believes it and divorces Sofia until he finally knows the truth, but it's too late.

Amara Lewis never believed marriage should be a business transaction—until desperation forced her into one. To save her mother’s life, Amara signs a one-year marriage contract with billionaire CEO Adrian Blackwood, a man who sees love as nothing more than a weakness. To him, marriage is a tool—nothing more than a means to secure his empire and silence his board of directors. Their agreement is simple: no love, no expectations, no emotions. But living under the same roof blurs the lines neither of them intended to cross. Behind Adrian’s cold exterior hides a man haunted by betrayal, while Amara’s quiet strength begins to crack the walls he built around his heart. When secrets from the past resurface and feelings grow impossible to deny, Amara must decide whether love born from a contract can ever be real—or if she was never meant to be more than the bride he never wanted.

Alpha Dominic Crane is in potential trouble. He is about to be challenged by his half-brother, who has just recently taken over their Uncle's pack a week after his death. And although Dom has a dangerous reputation himself, his brother doesn't care and will do anything to collect Dom's territory, even if it means war for both their packs. Afraid that he might be outmatched due to their late uncle's connections, Dom creates a drastic plan.  Natalie West is stuck. As a female werewolf and the daughter of an alpha, one would think she has it all. But she doesn't because she is weak. Or so they all think. When she discovers her father has secured a loveless mating with an Alpha she hates with every fiber of her being, Natalie reaches her last straw. But then an Alpha more ruthless than her fiancé comes blazing into her life with a dangerous proposition that could potentially start a war, but also give her freedom. And Natalie is very tempted to go through with it.  What they both don't know is that things are not as cut-throat as they think. For fate, their wolves, and a very mysterious enemy have other plans for them. 

Mahilig mangarap si Renna Montenegro—literal. Sa bawat panaginip niya, isa lang ang sigurado: ikinasal siya sa isang guwapong bilyonaryo. Engrandeng simbahan. Perpektong lalaki. Romantikong eksena. Hanggang sa isang araw, nagising ang panaginip niya sa totoong buhay. Si Drickson Valemont, isang bilyonaryo na walang pasensya sa kalokohan, ay nanaginip din ng parehong babae—at nagpasalamat siyang panaginip lang ang lahat. Ang problema? Ang babaeng iyon ay biglang lumitaw sa harap niya… at hinalikan siya. Sa gitna ng mga bodyguard, takbuhan, galit na galit na bilyonaryo, at isang malaking nunal na hindi niya makalimutan, patuloy na iniisip ni Renna na panaginip pa rin ang lahat—kaya sinasamantala niya ang bawat eksena. Hanggang sa isang matinding kahihiyan ang gumising sa kanya sa katotohanan.

Seven years ago, I disappeared without a word. Today, the man I ruined owns the contract that decides whether I breathe freely or not. Adrian Blackwood is untouchable. A man whose signature ends careers, whose silence erases people. His empire was built too fast, too violently, for anyone to question how. When I come to him desperate for money, he doesn’t ask for explanations. He offers a contract. One year. One signature. Public role: Lover. Private role: Property. The rules are simple and unforgiving. How will I survive being the kitten of Adrian into his dark passionate world? ⌘⌘⌘ A dark MM romance where love is mistaken for ownership and redemption comes only after damage is done. ⌘⌘⌘ Trigger warnings: captivity, psychological punishment, coercive control, power imbalance, emotional manipulation, isolation, trauma, possessive male lead, steamy and forced proximity.

Serena’s POV Matagal kong inakalang hawak lang ako ng kontrata—isang papel na pumirmi sa buhay ko, sa katawan ko, at sa kalayaan ko. Pero ngayong nakahiga ako sa tabi ni Damien, natatakpan ng init ng balat niya ang lahat ng sugat sa puso ko, alam kong mali ako. Hindi na kontrata ang nagbubuklod sa amin. Hindi na utang. Hindi na desperasyon. Ako mismo ang pumili sa kanya. Dahan-dahan niyang hinila ang kumot pababa, inilantad ang bawat bahagi ng katawan kong kanina pa nanginginig, hindi dahil sa takot kundi dahil sa pananabik. Mainit ang hininga niya sa leeg ko, at ang bawat halik na inilapat niya ay parang panata na hindi na niya ako bibitawan. “Wala nang papel na nagdidikta sa’yo, Serena,” bulong niya habang pinapadaanan ng labi ang balikat ko. “Ako na ang pipiliin mo. Ako na ang kailangan mo.” Napapikit ako, hinayaan ang katawan kong lunurin ng bawat haplos niya. Hindi na ito transaksyon. Hindi na ito kasunduan. Ito ay kagustuhan naming pareho. Nagtagpo ang mga labi namin, mas mariin, mas buo—parang wala nang bukas. Ang bawat paghinga niya ay naging akin, ang bawat ungol ko ay naging kanya. Hanggang sa wala nang natira kundi ang mga katawan naming nag-uusap, nagsasanib, nagtatakda ng bagong simula. At sa gitna ng dilim ng kwarto, habang pareho kaming nilalamon ng init at ng pagmamahal, alam kong wala nang atrasan. Ako si Serena Villareal. Hindi na bilang alipin ng kontrata, kundi bilang babaeng kusang nagpa-angkin, kusang nagmahal, at kusang nagpasakop—sa lalaking siya ring nagpalaya sa akin.