The Masked Heart

“I’ve told you a hundred times, I’m married. I can’t do this with you, so leave me alone,” I whispered, even as my body betrayed me. He smirked, “Strange, I’ve never seen you wear a wedding ring before, and after a little digging, I found out you live alone and also strip at one of my clubs.” His body pressed against mine, pinning me to the shelves. Loretta came to New York with one goal, work hard and pay off her father’s debt. She never expected to catch the attention of Asher, a dangerously alluring billionaire. The chemistry between them is undeniable, but there’s one problem, Loretta is married to a man she has never even met. Now, she’s caught between duty to a stranger and an attraction to a man she can’t resist.

Astrid Guevarra, isang 3rd Year college student na gusto lamang makapagtapos. Ngunit ang kanyang ina ay mukang may ibang plano para sa kanya. Sa hindi malaman na rason, siya ay ipinakasal (ibinenta) ng kanyang ina sa isang kilalang at mayaman na anak ng pamilyang ito. "Nay naman! Nag aaral pa po ako! 3rd year nako, malapit na ako grumaduate! Hindi ba kayang maaantay yun?!" "Hindi." Sa loob ng isang araw na yun, hindi na alam ni Astrid ang kanyang gagawin. Lahat ng pagod, galit, gulat at pagkabalisa naramdaman niya, ngunit wala naman siyang ibang magawa kundi tanggapin na lamang. Eh ano pa nga bang magagawa niya? Pumayag na ang kanyang nanay? Hindi rin naman ito makikinig sa kanya. Ngunit ng paggising niya galing sa kanyang mahimbing na tulog, ay kaharap na niya ang tatay ng kanyang papakasalan. "Are you okay Miss Astria?” "I'm Timothy Miller. Ang tatay ng iyong mapapangasawa na si Tristan Miller, ang aking anak.” At teka sino si Astria?! Ito na ba ang sinasabi ng kanyang nanay? Ngunit bakit wala siya rito?! Natulog lamang siya, at pag gising ibang tao na siya?! Anong ibig sabihin non? Siya ba ay namatay? Sa buhay din na ito, siya ay papakasalan sa hindi niya na naman kakilala, at nakamaskara ito?!

One casual visit to her father's study; an unplanned collision with the malevolent Russian Bratva mafia boss plunged her life into a downward spiral. Forced to marry him for an alliance that bordered on keeping her family's business stronger, she had no choice but to accept her fate after an unsuccessful attempt at absconding right before the wedding. But with each new discovery about him, she realized that the masked husband she despised so much had several layers that tugged at her heartstrings, giving her no choice but to fall deeply for him. However, what happens when the dreary and dark secrets from his past resurfaces and threatens to disrupt not just their blooming relationship and his position as Capo, but their existence as well?

I've followed an Instagram account. While unremarkable, it showcases some pretty sweet and romantic content. The account details the daily life of the owner and her Alpha. When it's raining cats and dogs outside, they share a hot beverage in a cafe. After they leave the place, he tilts the umbrella slightly toward her. Also, when they look up at the moon while sitting side by side, the sight of their fingers grazing each other strums my heartstrings. The Alpha in the photos has never revealed his face, yet he gives off a familiar feeling to me. On the night before my and Xavier Lupine's mating ceremony takes place, the account has a new update. "This marks the end of our eight-year entanglement. From now onward, he's her fated Alpha. I'm just her best friend. "This account will go silent from here on. I wish my 'best friend' and the Alpha, who's rightfully mine, eternal happiness." The latest photo shows Xavier and me. But the thing is, I've never shown anyone that photo before.

WARNING: This book is unapologetically slutty. ••• “You can fuck me, but only with my mask on.” My boss doesn't know I'm his little wh*re sunshine. ••• Elissa can't remember the last time she got laid by a man. She is too caught up in meeting ends meet, and healing from the trauma caused by her stepmother. But her life changes when she goes to a masquerade ball and her eyes land on the gorgeous mysterious stranger, succumbing to his charm. They have a wild night together, their heated, lustful encounter leaving her breathless and wanting more. However, when dawn breaks, she flees the hotel room, and he is left with only her lingerie and an unrelenting obsession to find her. But when Elissa returns to her normal life, fate brings them together again in a shocking twist: Elissa’s new billionaire boss, Thane, is the mysterious man who has rocked her world. Now, he’s determined to claim her as his own, one sensual seduction at a time. But there’s a catch— he’s unaware that his secretary is the same woman he’s been p*unding at midnight, and Elissa must hide her arousal during work hours, waiting for the clock to strike 3 a.m. when she can transform into masked Cinderella once more. But for how long will it take for her identity to be revealed?

“You do not have a choice but to accept my offer, Estelle.” Said Raziel with his blazing red eyes. I am the Villainess. And he's the villain…. I found out his weakness. I want to do nothing with him. But one day he offers to marry me. In a typical story, it's a rule for villains to get killed, the male lead and female lead get together and live happily ever after. But what happens if the villainess Vienna “Estelle” Thaleia Xaviera breaks that rule? What happens if things take a turn and the Villain offers a contracted marriage to the Villainess? How will the story unfold? “It's better to love a villain because we know he would sacrifice the whole world for you. But the hero would sacrifice you for the world. That's the difference.”

Everyone in the city knew that James Frost loved me and our son to bits. When I suggested stargazing, James spent millions to create a meteor shower. As my son loved riding carousels, James built the biggest amusement park and named it after him. He was never stingy when it came to doting on us, and it was only natural he brought in the best doctors to save me when my son and I were caught in a car crash. I fought to stay conscious and asked him to save our son first, only for him to tell me tearfully that our son had died while being transported to the hospital. Devastated, my mind caved, and I passed out. When I woke up, I overheard the doctor asking James, "Why did you stop us, Mr. Frost? We could have saved your son!" "Stan is only alive to save the son I had with Sue," James replied nonchalantly. "If he was alive, how would I ever transplant his heart without legal repercussions? "I've been plenty kind to him and Wanda over the years—it's time they repay me." So everything he did for me and Stan was just a trade—for Stan's heart. That meant he was responsible for the suffering Stan and I were put through as well! In that case, I would let him have his wish!

Lisa battles to weather or not David is slipping from her hands,But just on look at a man who she couldn't even see completely,got her forgetting that David ever existed how could she when he follows her into her sleep. In her dreams, she isn’t alone. The shadows breathe, the walls whisper, and from the darkness he comes… the masked stranger. His touch is fire, his voice a command she cannot resist. He is dangerous, possessive, and mercilessly addictive. Worst of all, he claims her as his body, heart, and soul while the man she loves sits beside another woman in daylight, pretending she doesn’t exist. Torn between shame and desire, reality and dream, Lisa is forced to ask herself: is the masked stranger only a nightmare… or is he real? And when he whispers “Mine”, will she have the strength to fight—or the hunger to surrender?

Selena of the Moonglade pack is in love with Callum from the Silvergleam pack. But he is not her fated mate. To her dismay, her match made for her under the moon is Callum's brother, the next Alpha of the Moonglade pack and possibly the coldest person Selena has ever encountered. Lucian, in question, is largely indifferent to this discovery. His father remains in a dire state of health, and being his heir, the mantle of leadership and protection of the pack is now draped on his youthful shoulders. The day for the enemy looms closer and he must be prepared. But now his concerns would deviate. His heart will teeter to the most magnetic force. Selena his beautiful distraction; Selena his inevitable weakness. But what will Selena do now that her heart says yes, but her wolf says no? Torn between being mated to Lucian while a part of her is with someone else? And then there's Uncle Bane whom Lucian confides in more than his father. He is liberal and easygoing. Or so they think... There's a suspected spy amongst them conniving with the Bloodfang pack–the enemy pack. What are Uncle Bane's true intentions? Despite sharing a love like running on a treadmill, with Lucian being defiant to his mate, jealousy creeps in eventually and it creates a clash in his relationship with his brother Callum. Selena will assist Lucian in piecing together the puzzles in his life bit by bit.

Born into one of the main Brazilian mafias, Celeste Brandão fights to escape the fate that awaits her. However, at the age of sixteen, she was chosen to be the alliance that would unite two of the biggest American mafias, in a struggle for honor and power, marrying none other than the "Knight of Death", Kaanadan Salvatore, the current Capo dei Capi of the Washington mafia. And now, at twenty-one, the day she dreaded the most has arrived: her wedding. Despite the fame that her future husband carries and the fear he causes in her, Celeste is determined to escape this world without choices, even if she has to defy her worst nightmare. But Kaanadan's predatory and dark way will provoke an internal conflict with several doubts and desires, the main one being: If even an implacable heart is capable of love.