❝𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐦𝐞.❞ A hundred concubines lived in Emperor Sylvos' inner court - the heart of his thorned fortress. With a cruel ranking system, only favored concubines had the honor of meeting with His Majesty. And only the woman able to bear him a child could become empress. Raine Stjorme had climbed the ranks to the top. And after praying each night, she was finally with child. Yet all this was rewarded with the cruelest of fates. Murdered by the man she loved, Raine cursed Emperor Sylvos with her dying breath. She cursed his whole court as they snickered at her final moments. And her curse had taken root. Now, Raine awakens three years before her destined death, on the fateful day she first encounters the emperor. Armed with this second chance, she vows to make him fall - and to bring his empire down with him. But when faced with the tyrant who claimed her heart, could she still follow through? ✦✦✦ 𝙏𝙍𝙊𝙋𝙀𝙎 𝙄𝙉𝘾𝙇𝙐𝘿𝙀𝘿: -𝙀𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 -𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 -𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙮 -𝘼𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙜𝙚 -𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚 -𝙑𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 -𝘽𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝙁𝙈𝘾 -𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨

It starts with a contract, not a love story. After a mission in Spain goes wrong, Aleksandra Mikhailovna Dragunova, Moscow's Bratva princess, is ordered to marry the lion of Sicily to stop a war. One wrong deal. One betrayal. One forced marriage between two empires that should never mix... and a slow-burn obsession that could burn them all. Hunted by her own world and driven out of every safe house and city, Aleksandra has one way left to survive: align with the Spadaro family. A ring she never wanted becomes her only shield. Domiziano Massimo Spadaro, Underboss and the heir to the Black Lion's crown, was raised on blood oaths and loyalty. His loyalty is the kind that makes men fear his name more than the law. When the contract lands on his desk, he doesn't see a bride; he sees a liability wrapped in strategy. A Dragunov. A woman he is ordered to claim, never trust. Aleksandra led men who killed at her word and bled at her feet. Her rules were simple: freedom over fairy tales. Power over promises. Control over love. They walk into the marriage as enemies, bound by ink, not choice. They promise themselves one thing: do not fall. ~~~ "He was supposed to be my protection. Not my addiction." ~ Aleksandra Dragunova

She agreed to be his girlfriend-for a price. Having his baby was never part of the contract. When sexy but closed-off billionaire Ethan Albright meets beautiful medical student Heather at a bar and mistakes her as his escort for the night, the two have an unexpected night of passion that leaves both of them wanting more. So when they meet again by chance, Ethan comes up with an unusual proposal: he asks Heather to be his contract girlfriend for a few weeks and joining him at a flurry of important events. But Ethan doesn't realize that Heather is pregnant...with his baby. And she's going to use this time to decide if she wants him to be involved. Can he let down some of his walls before he loses his future child forever? WARNING: This story contains explicit sexual content and depictions of pregnancy that may not be suitable for some readers. Reader discretion is advised. Cover design by Mayhem Cover Creations *** This story is part of a special collection of YONDER Originals now available on Wattpad! Unlock part-by-part or the full story with Wattpad Coins.