Starbound Cold Protection

I ended up with the person who used to bully me in school. As the morning sunlight seeped into the room, I barely moved my arm when the arm wrapped around my waist tightened, pulling me closer. Ethan Chambers lowered his head to kiss my neck, his deep voice tinged with a husky tone from just waking up. "Did you fall asleep last night?" I froze for a moment before nodding obediently. In the past, I might have resisted, but three weeks with him taught me a simple lesson to be compliant. He took my hand, which rested at my side, and interlaced his fingers with mine, playing with them as if amused. Leaning close to my hair, he let out a low chuckle full of interest. "This time, you didn’t throw away the ring I gave you?" He was referring to the diamond ring on my finger. There had been two others before this one—one I hid in the freezer, and the other I threw into the fountain in the garden downstairs. I didn’t want to think about the consequences of losing the first two rings for now, but the result of the third ring was clear: I was going to marry him, the person I once feared the most.

The night before my wedding, I stumbled upon his old chat logs with his friends. "I've never met anyone so easy to fool." "You know she comes from a single-parent home, right? She’s desperate for love." "So, all I have to do is be a little nice to her, and she throws herself at me." I used to believed he had saved me from the depths of despair, but in the end, he played me for a fool. I thought I’d found love, but in the end, my sincerity was worth less than dirt.

“You clawed your way into this position, Arniya. Now sit there like a good girl”- Nathaniel Verano. ~ “Let me take you away from all this. You don’t belong in their cage.” - David Sev Calderon. ~ "Everyone has their agenda. I just know how to play their tricks” – Arniya Belle Santillan. ~ Arniya Belle Santillan thought she had her future figured out. Arrange marriage with Nathan Verano, the man she once looked at with nothing but love, she believed she was walking into a life of stability—maybe even happiness. But the more time passes, the more Nathan starts to feel like a stranger. Cold. Controlling. The kind of man who only cares about keeping his family's image spotless, no matter the cost. Trapped in an engagement she no longer wants and expected to play the perfect fiancée to a man she barely recognizes, Arniya starts to lose herself. Then, she meets David—a man with a quiet intensity, and his reasons for hating the Veranos. He offers her something no one else ever has: a way out. But it comes with a catch. Now, Arniya is torn between the life she’s always known and the unknown path David opens for her. Can she risk everything to break free and take back control of her life, or will she end up stuck in a world that’s always told her who she should be?

Elio married into his wife’s family, so his in-laws always looked down on him. However, they have no idea that he’s actually the heir of one of the richest families in the world! Even billionaires have to bow to him!

"One word. Surrogacy." "Two words. Not happening." Elodie shook her head her response very fast. ———————————— Elodie, co-owner of the Gates Tech Company, a multinational technology company is forced to opt for surrogacy when she can't stand her husband, Micah Gates; a sexist, egoistic, manipulative, and power-hungry man; the thought of carrying his child repulses her. Allegra, her best friend suggests a surrogate app that allows users to find their perfect surrogate mother. Eira Faez has been a surrogate for four years, after joining the surrogate app she finally gets a match with a mysterious profile only to realize a wealthy couple needed her. A lot hid behind closed blinds. What is brought to light a facade created by PR stunts to boost the image of Gates Tech Company. However, nothing remains in the dark for long and everything is revealed to not only the families, but the public. Love unexpectedly blossoms between Elodie and Eira who are instantly smitten with each other in their first encounter.

He raised me like a daughter. Fate made me his mate. Rosie spent her life under Alpha Nicolas Hickman’s protection—the cold, powerful man she once called “Uncle.” She never expected the mate bond to tie her to him. She wants him to claim her. He refuses. Not because he doesn’t want her, but because danger follows her like a shadow—and loving her could get her killed. But Rosie is done waiting.

Calculating, cold, and cruel, Chiri Krane is the most infamously detestable witch imaginable in the history of the Alliance. A criminal, despised by her peers and cast out from her family; Chiri returns to the relentless political turmoil of the society that condemned her under the protection of a seemingly loveless marriage to Cazer. Made the target of a sinister conspiracy, she meets the valiant Legacy Hunter Allen Pierce. Through their unlikely partnership, they change the course of their fates and take on the power that threatens to tip the magical balance of their world. But will the villain, known to be the Alliance’s greatest abomination, become its savior or the key to its downfall?

Celia Johnson, my boss's sister-in-law, joined the company as the finance director and announced that all reimbursements must strictly follow the standards. I spent an entire week running around for the company and finally closed a five-hundred-thousand-dollar deal. Because the client had used two extra packs of paper towels, the per-person amount for their meal ended up eight dollars over the limit. Celia folded her arms, glanced at the reimbursement form on my desk, and sneered. "Five hundred and eight dollars?" "Yes. Last night at The Peak Restaurant, where we closed Richard's deal. Zack was there too," I explained patiently. "Eight dollars over the per-person limit. Not reimbursable," Celia said coldly. I tried to reason with her. "This was a special case. The client is high-level, and the deal amount is large, and Zack personally said it would be fully reimbursed last night." She returned the reimbursement form to me. "I don't care who said that. Don't think closing a five-hundred-thousand-dollar contract lets you ignore company rules. Reimbursements must all follow policies. Everyone will follow them to the letter." I took a deep breath. I knew arguing with her head-on would get me nowhere, so I called Zack directly. Zack said, "I did say it would be reimbursed, but I never said company rules could be ignored. It's just five hundred. And you still get commission from closing the deal. You young people need to have perspective." I stopped arguing. I turned around and refused the delivery containing the hard copy of the five-hundred-thousand-dollar cooperation contract, smiling as I explained, "Company rules say all cash on delivery packages must be refused. "Also, today is my last day here. Starting tomorrow, I work for Richard's company. As the client, I will be setting the rules this time."

She ran from an arranged marriage... and into the arms of a stranger. Now she's pregnant with his child and he's back to claim them both." When Mira Alvarez defies her powerful family's expectations, one reckless night changes her life forever. Pregnant and alone, she's ready to face the world as a single mother until Luca De Silva, the cold billionaire with secrets darker than his past, offers her a contract she can’t refuse. But can a relationship built on lies and protection turn into something real… or will the truth about Luca destroy everything?

Ira gave everything to her marriage— her loyalty, her love, her soul. But on their third wedding anniversary, she witnessed her husband cheating on her with her twin sister, Myra. Suffocated and desperate to break free from this cage, Ira wants only one thing, Freedom, even if it means death. But the Moon Goddess has other plans. When fate places her in the path of Alpha Lucian, the most feared and powerful Alpha in North America, Ira makes a desperate move— she offers him a deal : one year of a contract marriage in exchange for his protection, and in return, she'll disappear from his life forever. Cold, dangerous and impossible to read, Lucian senses something about Ira that he can't ignore. As secrets unravel and sparks ignite, the line between protection and possession begins to blur. And Ira soon realizes...running from one Alpha may have led her straight into the arms of a far more dangerous one. Will she survive this new arrangement— or lose her heart in a deal meant to protect it? Tropes- Mate Betrayal. Contract Marriage. Secret Pregnancy. Kickass Heroine. Mate Vs Chosen Love. Courtroom Drama. Magic elements and Ritual sacrifices.