The Predatory Marriage Novels & Stories

I accept out of spite, drinking it while Lucien works on his laptop like I'm not there. Thirty minutes in, I break the silence. "How many couples will be there?" "Eight, including us." "Do they all have real marriages?" His fingers pause on the keyboard. "Define real." "Marriages that started without contracts." "Most marriages are contracts, Mara. Some are just more honest about it." "That's bleak." "That's reality." He returns to typing. "James and Victoria Worthington married to merge family fortunes. Oliver Grant married his assistant to avoid a sexual harassment lawsuit. The Pattersons have an arrangement where he keeps a mistress and she keeps his credit cards."

I said evenly, "is a company expanding globally, contracts to close and acquisitions to finalize, I do not chase romance to satisfy your schedule." His lips curved in a humorless smile. "You have reasons to do all that because it's the company I gave you." I set my cutlery down. "It was not a gift," I said. "You abandoned it because you saw no potential, I took it and turned it into a global empire," "And it exists because I allowed it to," he replied. I leaned back. "This is control." "That is why I made it easier," he said. "You will get married."

I was happy that there are no chances that she can love me. She felt disgust and hate for me. That intense detest can never be removed and it worked in my favor as I don't have to go through that feeling of betrayal again. When I don't love her, why'd I marry her? I have to get married to her but I can't give her love and moreover, I have turned this marriage into nothing but a mere display of ravish and repugnance for her. ‘That poor soul doesn't even know a thing. She just thinks that she married me to satisfy my lust as I'm gonna afford her expenses.’

Marriage had never been a part of her plans. Catherin's aspiration was to graduate, gain work experience, and possibly have a stable income before considering marriage. She had never been involved in a romantic relationship, as her parents had raised her to be cautious and avoid interactions with unfamiliar individuals. Additionally, she believed that dating would only be a distraction. Since her youth, Catherin had been preparing herself for an arranged marriage, out of respect for her parents' wishes. However, she insisted on completing her education and establishing her career before thinking about marriage.

She needed answers, she needed closure, but more than anything, she needed freedom. The thought of the “arrangement” he’d made on her behalf filled her with dread. A marriage to a man she barely knew, a stranger in every sense. How could her father expect her to agree to something so monumental without even asking her opinion? This was her life, her future. Yet to him, it was merely a business transaction, a strategic move to cement alliances, strengthen ties, and increase influence.

“Our wedding is approaching very fast. And If we execute this correctly and we didn’t fail, the Blackwood companies will belong to me. Not William. Not anyone else. And we will leave in our own apartment not Blackwood estate anymore” Interesting I leaned closer, my pulse quickening. “And what does that require? How can it work?” He didn’t hesitate. “Marriage.” The word settled heavily between us. And a thick silently followed it. “Our wedding isn’t just a ceremony or a marriage,” Xavier continued. “It’s a weapon. A battlefield disguised as a celebration. Because Once we’re married, I gain influence over the family shares. And go to build my own family. And That is the main reason you’re here

"They wished they could marry her. Not only is her father a high-ranking member of the Bratva with a lot of connections, but she's also pretty. A two-in-one package—powerful and beautiful. In short, every man's wet dream in the Bratva." Every man's wet dream in the Bratva. Did that include Aleksei? God, did he want to marry her, too? Was that why we were here? My stomach twisted painfully at the thought. I wasn't a fan of polygamy, and over my dead body would I agree to him marrying someone else while he was still married to me. My ring weighed heavy on my finger. I twisted the cool metal as regret burned hot under my flesh. I should've bargained for this before the wedding, but it had skipp

"Marry me for one year." No emotions. No questions. No love. Just a signature that will save her job, her family from debt, and her reputation. He needs a wife to secure a powerful political–business alliance that will determine the future of his empire. It’s strictly business. Strictly contractual. Strictly no feelings. Until possession, jealousy, and forbidden attraction begin to break every clause they signed. And when the alliance is threatened, Scarlet realizes she was never just a convenient bride… She was a pawn in a dangerous game between powerful men.

Now that she knew the marriage was fake, she saw no need to mention it. “You knew about it?” she asked in shock. Dravyn nodded, his eyes lowering to the floor. Jane exhaled slowly, it felt strange. How did he know about her marriage? Still, she answered. “He was part of the betrayal,” she said bitterly. “The major person who forged my signature.” Her lips trembled. “And worse, our marriage was fake. He was actually married to my sister, Lila. She is pregnant with his child.” Jane broke down again, harder than before.

"What this document shows is not a husband who took advantage of financial access inside a marriage. It shows a man who identified a target and began extracting from her before he had any legal standing to do so. Before the marriage existed. Before any claim could be made." Nicole sat across the table. "It demonstrates premeditation," her attorney continued. "Which changes the entire framing of the financial fraud. This is not opportunism. This is not a marriage that went wrong and produced bad behavior. This is a calculated plan that the marriage was designed to enable." She put the document down. "Margaret's entire counter-narrative depends on framing you as a bitter wife retaliating with