Troubled-marriage Romance Books Novels & Stories

She groans and pulls the duvet over her face. I take my leave, not bothering to initiate conversation or kiss her cheek. We weren't that lovey-dovey couple, anyway. She often complained about my distance. Over the past year, I wouldn’t say I regret marrying her, but I can’t deny it hasn’t been what I hoped it would be after that first day. Flash marriages aren't something I’d recommend, especially if your wife is intent on changing her entire personality to please you. We lived more like strangers, and I supported her in launching a clothing line just to keep her busy, preventing her from wasting her years on a marriage where I’m hardly present.

I felt tired; my temples began to throb again. "I slept with Howard." The wine glass in his hand shattered on the floor. His eyes turned crimson, disbelief etched across his face. "Teagan! How could you…" I calmly closed my laptop and smiled at him. "What? Are you upset?" I genuinely hoped we could just have a marriage of convenience, where we could both enjoy the benefits this arrangement brought. He could sleep with a different woman every night, and I wouldn't care. Meanwhile, I would leverage the Brookes' connections to gain more resources for myself.

He retrieved the novel and red the title out loud. “Forcefully Wedded, ruthlessly loved by the Billionaire Mafia.” “What type of book is this, is it about naked people?” He teased, he was referring to the barely dressed couples on the cover page who looked like they were actually having sex. “It’s a dark romance.” I said shyly. “How dark is it?” He asked. “Oh! The Male lead is unhinged and a total red flag. He reminds me of you.” “So I am unhinged and a total red flag?” He asked, leaning towards me.

SOFIA. IF I TOLD YOU MY SECRETS YOU WOULD NEVER LOOK AT ME THE SAME. The thing about living with a man who doesn't love you is that you become very good at reading silences. I can tell the difference between Marco's "I'm working" silence and his "I wish you weren't here" silence. Between his "I'm tired" silence and his "don't talk to me right now" silence. Seven years of marriage teaches you these things. Seven years of sleeping in separate bedrooms, of polite nods across the breakfast table, of existing in the same space but never really touching.

“Good.” Walter’s nostrils flared. “What is wrong with you? She ruined you once already, and now you’re throwing yourself back into her mess?” I stood slowly, adjusting my cufflinks. “No, Father. You ruined me.” His eyes flashed dangerously. “Excuse me?” I took a step closer, lowering my voice. “You sabotaged my marriage. You manipulated me into throwing Isabelle away like she was a business transaction instead of the best thing that ever happened to me.”

She let that word burn silently on her tongue. Damian’s eyes darkened. For a moment, he said nothing. Then his lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile. More like an acknowledgment. “At least you’re honest,” he said. “That will make things easier.” Easier? Her stomach twisted at the irony. In her last life, nothing about this marriage had been easy. Not the cold nights, not the humiliations, not the betrayals. But she only smiled faintly, lowering her lashes just enough to look calm. Inside, her mind was spinning.

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. Living under the same roof with a dangerously attractive billionaire who treats marriage like a business deal was never part of her life plan. But the real problem isn’t the contract… It’s the way he looks at her when he thinks she’s not watching. The way jealousy flashes in his eyes when other men get too close. And the way the lines of the contract begin to blur. Because this marriage was supposed to be fake. Until feelings become real. And secrets from his past threaten to destroy everything before the contract even ends.

“That’s the problem.” I frowned slightly. “What does that mean?” Amelia groaned dramatically into the phone. “Bella, my father is a walking problem for women. The man doesn’t even try and women still throw themselves at him.” I swallowed hard. Tell me about it. “He’s handsome,” I admitted carefully. “Handsome?” Amelia laughed loudly. “Bella, that man has destroyed marriages without even trying.” I burst out laughing. The tension in my chest eased slightly. God, I really needed this conversation.

"Why should I have to suffer through tough times?" Chris chuckled. "If you hadn't married me, you'd probably be married to Randall. You've seen what kind of man Randall is, finding substitutes and being unfaithful in relationships. Now he's a mess in his career, arrogant and blindly expanding his business empire. With Lott Corporation collapsing, it's only a matter of time before he falls apart. Think about it. If you were with Randall, he couldn't give you loyalty emotionally or materially. What else but tough times?"

“You don’t mind, but I do! I’m a divorcee with a kid while you're an outstanding man who everybody wants to please. We’re not equals, and we can’t stand against the storm. Do you understand?” “Christina, I’ve thought of all this. I’ve thought of everything between you and me, and I know that I truly love you. I really want to take care of you forever. Please trust me.” “You’re wrong. You didn’t think about our future! Love is a matter between both of us, but marriage involves both families. It’s not something that you and I can alter together.” Christina had been in a marriage once, so she knew that love between two people was far from enough. Love had no chance against the tempest, and it c