PROLOGUE You Were Never Just a Brother They say breaking the rules makes it taste sweeter. But no one told me the rules would be written by my best friend. And the one man I wasn't supposed to want? Her older brother. Liam Carter. Cold, infuriating, devastatingly handsome-and completely off-limits. I grew up in the Carter house like it was my second home. Sleepovers, movie nights, birthday cakes. I was the "little sister" he never asked for. But now? At twenty-one, I wasn't a little girl anymore. And Liam... well, he noticed. It started with a look. Just one. That lingering glance across the hallway when I wore her borrowed crop top. Then it became words-hot, teasing words whispered too close to my ear. Then his hands. And God help me, I didn't stop him. We were a secret wrapped in heat, hidden in shadows, cloaked in guilt. Because while I was falling for him... my best friend, Harper, was in love with me. None of us said it. But we all knew. What started as innocent teasing turned into stolen kisses behind her back. Every moment with Liam was laced with danger-danger of being caught, danger of being torn apart, danger of breaking Harper's heart. But I was already breaking mine. Because Liam Carter wasn't just a boy. He was hers before he was ever mine. And loving him might be the worst mistake I'd ever make. But I'd make it again. And again. Because even if it was wrong... He was never just a brother to me

Prologue - Bound by Fate Ella Rosario never believed in arranged marriages. Raised in the bustling chaos of Mumbai, she was fire wrapped in silk - bold, stubborn, and full of dreams that had nothing to do with tying herself to a stranger. She had her books, her art, her freedom. Love, to her, was something wild and untamed, not served on a silver platter through a family contract. But fate had a different plan. Damon Christian was everything she despised - cold, collected, dangerously charming, and the definition of every arrogant man she'd promised herself she'd never fall for. The kind of man who made people turn when he entered a room. Tall, sharp-suited, and impossible to read. And he was now her fiancé. Two powerful families. One deal. No escape. When she first met him in her living room, Damon didn't even smile. He just stared with those steel-gray eyes and said, "So, you're the storm I'm supposed to marry." Ella had scoffed. "And you're the statue I'm supposed to tolerate." That was the beginning. Neither of them believed in this union. It was a compromise - a cold, binding contract between two bloodlines. But from the very first touch, something started to burn. Their relationship was a warzone - every conversation a challenge, every stare a silent dare. Yet beneath the sharp edges and sharp tongues, there was heat. A pull neither of them wanted to admit. Because sometimes, fate doesn't ask for your permission. It just binds you... in ways you never expect.

Character Details Male Lead (ML): Name: Adrian Knight Age: 24 Personality: Cold, ruthless, and dangerously intelligent. A self-made billionaire CEO with no time for love. He's emotionally closed off, dominant, and always in control-until she disrupts his world. Appearance: Tall, broad shoulders, sharp jawline, piercing gray eyes, always in tailored suits. A commanding presence. Background: Forced into an arranged marriage to uphold a business deal. Doesn't believe in love and sees emotions as a weakness. Female Lead (FL): Name: Evelyn Carter Age: 21 Personality: Soft but not weak, fiery when pushed. A hopeless romantic forced into a world of contracts and cold affections. She challenges Adrian's control at every turn. Appearance: Doe eyes filled with defiance, long wavy hair, delicate but with an unshakable spirit. Background: Comes from a wealthy family but was sheltered. Dreams of love but is instead tied to a man who doesn't believe in it. --- (Teaser) Evelyn's breath hitched as Adrian caged her against the wall, his fingers brushing her wrist, pinning her in place with just his presence. The air between them crackled, heavy with tension neither of them dared to name. "You keep testing me, Evelyn," he murmured, his voice low, dangerous. She swallowed hard, her chest rising and falling as she met his stormy gaze. "Maybe I want to see you lose control." A dark smirk ghosted his lips before he closed the distance, his lips brushing against hers-soft at first, as if daring her to pull away. But she didn't. The moment she gave in, his restraint shattered. His mouth claimed hers in a punishing, desperate kiss, one that spoke of possession, frustration, and something deeper neither of them was ready to admit. ✔️ Arranged Marriage ✔️ Grumpy x Sunshine ✔️ Dark Romance ✔️ Slow Burn & Forbidden Desire ✔️ Forced Proximity ✔️ Possessive Hero ✔️ Billionaire Romance ✔️ Age Gap ✔️ Emotional Tension ✔️ Passion & Obses

Prologue She pushed him away, knowing her time was running out. He burned with jealousy, believing her betrayal. Two hearts, madly in love, yet drowning in pain and misunderstandings. As truth unraveled, would love conquer fate, or was it already too late? #Romance #Emotional #Heartbreak #Jealousy #Love #Tragedy #Angst #Misunderstanding #Devotion #ClingyHusband #Lovesick

Prologue - Riding Into Love The roar of a motorcycle cut through the still night air. Emily felt the vibrations in her chest before she saw him-Liam, his dark silhouette illuminated by the flickering streetlight. Leather jacket, strong hands gripping the handlebars, the storm in his eyes more dangerous than the machine beneath him. He had always been like this-reckless, untamed, a man who belonged to the road more than anywhere else. But to her, he had been more than just a biker. He had been her best friend, her safe place, the one constant in a life full of uncertainty. And now? Now, he was the one thing threatening to shatter everything she had built to protect herself. "Get on," Liam's voice was low, edged with something raw. Emily hesitated, her fingers curling around the helmet he held out to her. She shouldn't. She knew better. He was chaos, and she had spent years convincing herself that she needed stability. But stability had never made her pulse race like this. She took the helmet, exhaling shakily as she climbed onto the bike behind him. Her arms wrapped around his waist, and the second her body pressed against his, she felt it-the shift, the inevitability, the danger of what she was about to do. Because this wasn't just a ride. This was a choice. And once she made it, there would be no turning back. ---

#DarkRomance #AgeGapRomance #PossessiveHero #SlowBurn #InsecureHero #ForbiddenLove #ForcedProximity #Angst #Jealousy #ProtectiveAlpha #PassionateLove #TeasingHeroine #EmotionalTension #ObsessiveLove #EnemiesToLovers #BillionaireRomance #TabooAttraction #HeartbreakToHealing #SeductiveBanter #PsychologicalRomance

Prologue Dr. Aisha Verma had seen many patients in her years as a psychiatrist, but none quite like him. The boy sitting before her in the dimly lit asylum room was a contradiction-his body was that of a young man, but his wide, innocent eyes and trembling hands spoke of a child lost in time. Nineteen years old, yet he clung to a stuffed bear like it was his only anchor to reality. His medical file was thick with diagnoses: retrograde amnesia, regression disorder, post-traumatic stress. A once-brilliant student, shattered by a single violent moment. Aisha knelt before him, her voice soft. "Do you remember your name?" He blinked slowly, as if processing her words took all his strength. Then, in a whisper barely louder than a breath, he said, "Aarav." Aisha smiled gently. "That's a beautiful name." His lips parted, hesitant, searching for familiarity in her face. His fingers twitched, gripping the edge of her sleeve, and for the first time, she saw something behind the fog in his eyes-trust. She wasn't prepared for what would come next. For the way he would follow her like a lost child, his fear of abandonment turning into something deeper, something dangerous. For the way his innocent affections would begin to blur the lines between doctor and patient, between protection and possession. For the moment he would look at her-not as a doctor, not as a stranger, but as the only person who mattered in his world. And Aisha, despite everything she knew, despite every ethical boundary-would let him. #DarkRomance #PsychologicalThriller #AgeRegression #ForbiddenLove #PossessiveML #AsylumRomance #TraumaBonding #SeparationAnxiety #ObsessiveLove #InnocentYetDangerous #ClingyML #DoctorXPatient #MemoryLoss #PastTrauma

Prologue: The Man Who Forgot How to Be Loved Zidan Rahman wasn't always like this. There was a time when he was soft, open, and full of love. He believed in holding hands for too long, in texting first, in saying I miss you without hesitation. He loved deeply, fearlessly. Until it ruined him. His first love-the one he thought would stay-mocked his affection. "You're too much, Zidan. Too needy. Too desperate. It's pathetic." And just like that, love became his greatest weakness. After that, he stopped showing emotions. Stopped believing in love. He built himself into someone powerful, untouchable-the CEO everyone feared. Now, no one could hurt him. So when his family arranged his marriage to Amira, he convinced himself it was just a contract. A duty. What he didn't expect was her. Her warmth. Her patience. Her ability to see through the walls he had spent years building. Zidan thought he had buried his past. Thought he had control. But when jealousy, doubt, and his own fears began to poison their marriage-he realized something terrifying. He was still that boy, desperate to be loved. And Amira... she might be the only one who could teach him how to be. #PossessiveHusband #InsecureML #MarriageOfConvenience #PastTrauma #EmotionalHealing #SlowBurn #Jealousy #SoftSideHidden