Pawn Palace

Forced Marriage| Ruthless Don| Age Gap| Enemies to Lovers| Substitute Groom| Strong Female Lead| Dangerous Love I was supposed to marry his nephew. That was the agreement meant to end twenty years of war between our families. As the Valente family’s unwanted daughter, I was the sacrificial lamb and I didn’t have a choice. But on my wedding day, the groom disappeared and before anyone could react, his uncle stepped forward. Don Maxton Retroferd, the most feared man in the underworld. Cold, ruthless and Untouchable. And in front of everyone, he claimed me as his wife. I expected him to break me or treat me like nothing more than a pawn in his dangerous world and I prepared myself to survive a man with no heart. But the Don who was supposed to ruin me became the only one who protected me and truly saw me for who I am. Now I’m trapped in a marriage I never wanted… with a man I was never meant to love and the more I tried to resist him, the more I realized that the ruthless Don didn’t just marry me...He claimed me.

A kidnapper's gun was pressed to Lena's temple and mine, the whole scene streaming live online. "Nolan," the kidnapper said, "your wife, Donna, or your first love. Only one of them walks away alive. Choose." On the other side of the screen, my husband, Don Nolan Winston, head of the Winston family, did not hesitate for even a second. "Let Lena go. As for that woman, do whatever you want with her." I looked into the camera and laughed until tears ran down my face. For seven years, I had stood by him as he rose from the Winston family's illegitimate son to the first Don of the Italvia mafia. I had taken knives for him, drunk with him, even lost a child along the way. So in the end, in his eyes, I had been nothing more than a pawn he could discard at any moment. "Did you hear that?" the kidnapper sneered at me. I turned and ran toward the cliff. Facing the camera, I spoke my final words. "Nolan, I'm giving this life back to you. We're even now."

She returned to bury her father. Instead, she was forced to marry his enemy’s son. - Rosalind Marlow returns to New York to settle her father’s affairs, once one of the city’s most feared mafia bosses, only to find he died beside his greatest rival… and left behind a contract binding her to the rival’s son. Viktor Marino is cold, calculating, and infuriatingly magnetic. Rosa has no intention of becoming anyone’s pawn, not in grief, not in business, and definitely not in bed. But Viktor plays a long game, and with every stare, every challenge, he pulls her deeper into a world of secrets, power, and heat. She was raised to be untouchable. He was born to conquer. And in the space between vengeance and desire, who is going to lose control first? (Contains mature and dark content) ***** EXCERPT ‘Why would you want to leave this behind?’ he growled in my ear, his chest rumbling against my back. Because I can’t trust you. Because I don’t know what I want. ‘Because it’s cruel,’ I whispered. And then he pulled away, leaving me trembling, desperate, and furious.” ❦

In a city where strength meets loyalty, Aella isn't just any future leader—she's the fierce Alpha-in-waiting of the Westland Pack. Raised to be a warrior queen, she's always been the dutiful daughter, trained in the art of battle and prepared to take the throne. Yet, when her father decides to marry her off to Alpha Roman, the cruel and mysterious Russian Alpha from an enemy pack, Aella rebels for the first time. She bolts; choosing freedom over anything her father has planned for her. Little does she know Roman has swapped his Alpha crown for a bounty hunter's disguise. This is an easy feat, seeing as no one knows what he truly looks like and his reputation as a monster doesn't leave anyone asking questions. Roman is hot on her heels, dead-set on reclaiming what he deems rightfully his. In Aella's quest for freedom, love and deception become twisted in a treacherous dance. Two Alphas, two worlds, and a collision course with destiny. Will Aella break free instead of being the final pawn in a deadly endgame? Or will Roman clip this little bird's wings?

"Sofia, listen to me—marry Ethan, or your family loses everything." Sofia Vanguard never had a choice. Born into wealth, groomed for power, and shackled to her father’s ambitions, she was a pawn in a world where love was a liability. But when a single night—one she can’t even remember—leaves her pregnant with Ethan Reagan’s child, her fate is sealed. Ethan never wanted a wife. He never wanted a family. But in a game where power is inherited, and his ruthless brothers are willing to destroy him for it, marrying Sofia is the only way to survive. The plan was simple: a contract, five years, no strings attached. They’d live their separate lives, tolerate each other in public, and walk away free. Except Ethan can’t stand the thought of Sofia with another man. And Sofia can’t ignore the way Ethan looks at her. But love isn’t the only battle they have to fight. Kidnappings, betrayals, corporate sabotage, and an empire built on secrets threaten to tear them apart before they even have a chance to come together. And when their enemies strike where it hurts the most—their son—Ethan and Sofia will learn that in a world of power and blood, family isn’t just a bond. It’s a battlefield.

One night. One thousand dollars. One betrayal that shattered my world. David Richard was the "Alpha King" of Forestwood—my step-brother, my protector, and the man who sold my virginity for a bet. I was the "Charity Girl," a pawn in his cruel game of dominance. But while he was playing with my heart, I was learning his secrets. Now, the game has changed. I’m no longer the broken girl in the boathouse; I’m the woman holding the keys to his empire. My father’s death wasn't an accident, David isn't who he thinks he is, and the "Step-brother" I once loved is now the man I've sworn to destroy. From the elite hallways of Forestwood to the dark-web bunkers of a global conspiracy, our war is fueled by a desire so toxic it’s addictive. He wants my forgiveness; I want his absolute ruin. He thinks he can claim me again, but he’s about to learn the ultimate truth: In a world built on lies, the only thing more dangerous than his obsession is my revenge. Step-brother, I'll be your regret. And I'm going to make every second of it burn.

Eliana Thorne is forced to marry a shady billionaire by her aunt Livia to save the family’s fortune and secure their future. The catch was, the man —Levi Vanderbilt —was dead. In everyone’s eye, she was basically a human sacrifice to the Vanderbilt family. Much to her surprise on her wedding night there is a ghost living with her, her dead husband Levi is very much alive— And very unhappy with this new development of having a stranger claim his name and assets. Levi hated Eliana believing she is a pawn but decides to keep up appearances to find out who betrayed him. A drunken night leads to pregnancy, suffocating Levi. Just when Eliana grows tired of the toxic dynamic and constant abuse, she suffers a miscarriage and decides to leave. Until, she finds out Livia’s true intentions causing them to fall into an uneasy alliance. Levi promises to kill her if she ever betrays him, but she finds her family’s fortune locked in a biometric vault with only accessible by Levi. Slowly, the tensions and passion merge, blurring lines as allies as something romantic develops, can she win the heart of this terrible cold hearted billionaire? Or will their passion cost them something more?

For three years, Laurie Rayne lived as the perfect wife. She was silent, devoted, and invisible in the shadow of the Voss empire. Every bestselling creation credited to the Voss name bore her fingerprints, but none bore her name. And Zane Voss, her cold, distant husband, never once gave her his heart. Now his first love is back, and Laurie is nothing more than a forgotten pawn; discarded, humiliated, and blamed for everything that went wrong. But when her younger brother's life is on the line, Laurie begs Zane for help… only to be spat on and called a leech. Cornered by desperation, Laurie does the unthinkable… She auctions herself off to the highest bidder. Theron Blackmoor: ruthless billionaire, feared businessman, and the man who buys her at a price that shocks the world. He makes her his possession, but promises her power in return. Anything she wants: except her freedom. As Laurie experiences the dark, seductive world of Theron, she uncovers secrets that were never meant to surface. Zane is not done with her. And the past she thought she left behind may be the key to taking everything back. Love was never part of the deal. But is it? Revenge? That was always the plan. ♠

“Say you're mine, Raven,” Declan pushed his tongue against my earlobe. I struggled to stiffle the moan fighting it's way to my lips. It was bad enough I was a squirming mess, I couldn't let him win. “And if I don't?” I struggled to keep my voice steady. “Then I will bend you over and each time you moan, I will inscribe a letter of my name on your neck, where everyone can see it, wherever you run to, my lovely Raven,” the husky whisper sent shivers down my spine. I didn't put it past the psychopath to do exactly as he said. ******* Raven was a trained assassin and pride of the BloodFrang Tribe, until she was tasked with bringing the head of Alpha Declan of the IronClaw Pack. Right when she's about to drive a knife through his heart, she discovers he is her mate and her mission instantly fails. To makes things worse, Declan captures her and her fiance goes ahead to marry someone else. It doesn't take long for her to realise she had been a pawn in their games and now, she just wants to see them burn.

Sold to Be His Wife Hindi kailanman inakala ni Siena na isang kasal ang magiging kabayaran sa kasalanang hindi niya ginawa. Isang kasunduang panandalian lamang—isang papel na unti-unting magtatalik ng kanilang mga mundo. Zachary never intended to keep his temporary wife. He only needed Siena as a pawn, a way to make her family pay for the accident that ruined his fiancée’s life. Ngunit habang lumilipas ang mga araw, unti-unti niyang napagtanto na hindi ganun kadali ang bitawan ang isang babaeng dapat ay ginagamit lang niya. Ngunit ano nga ba ang mas mabigat? Ang galit na matagal na niyang kinikimkim, o ang damdaming hindi niya dapat maramdaman para sa babaeng itinali sa kanya ng kasunduan? Hahayaan ba ni Zachary na matapos ang kasal na ito sa isang divorce, o tuluyan niyang aangkinin si Siena bilang kanya—kahit pa nagsimula ang lahat sa paghihiganti?