Captured Hearts: The Substitute Bride's Gambit - Chapter 317 - Is She Willing to Acknowledge Our

On the brink of destruction, I regained consciousness and found myself back in the past, 20 years ago. In order to have a peaceful retirement, I must prevent the impending doom.

[Mature Content:]Alaric was too close to Nicolette.Her mouth was just inches away from his.He could smell the lavender on her skin, the heat radiating from within her.But he held back, refusing to be carried away by her charm…“Mr. Allens…” she purred, and he looked down at her.Her eyes widened with desire, and he knew, in that moment, that if he wanted to kiss her, she would let him.The last thing he wanted was commitment. He knew that Nicolette didn’t want that either.But why was she this tempting?So willing?It was that willingness that confused him.She blinked, then swallowed as she pulled the jacket off her shoulders. His eyes lingered on her exposed neck.God.He just wanted to bury his mouth in that hollow spot.“Here,” Nicolette said calmly, extending the jacket to him.He took the jacket, his hand brushing hers just a second. She flinched, her face turning pink as she clutched the towel against her chest.His stomach flipped at the sight.If only that towel would give way to…Before he could stop himself, Alaric pressed his arousal against her stomach, pushing her against the wall, cornering her.She gasped at the sudden movement and for a moment, he lost his mind.“Cole…” he breathed, crushing himself against her.Her eyes gleamed with desire and a vulnerability that rocked him to his core.He would be foolish not to give in to this feeling.But he would also be a fool if he did.She had chosen to marry him.Not her boyfriend.And definitely not Lucian Crawford.Yet, he couldn't help it.She was only his for a year.But still…***************When her business and the gallery she inherited from her mother burn to the ground, Nicolette Voss is determined to rebuild—and get revenge on her father.She turned to her father’s rival, Alaric Allens, for an alliance.Alaric is willing to help, but on one condition—she must be his wife for a year.They called him Ruthless Alaric after an infamous incident 6 years ago. Alaric is back in town, and so are the crumbs of his past. But he is determined to change everything with a wife.He has his hidden agenda.She needs her revenge.But will this marriage between storm and steel survive the heat? And what will they do when deep secrets threatens to destroy them both?

[Warning: Mature Content, R18, Contemporary-Fantasy setting]Evanescence “Evan” Holz, a billionaire businessman, received a souvenir from an obscure country that creates s*x dolls called “Eternity Women.” These “Eternity Woman” are life-like and turn alive once activated. To activate them, you need to “use” them.There's only one way for anyone to use a doll: You “play” with them.But what if these Eternity Women weren't just s*x dolls that magically come alive? What exactly is the mechanism behind Eternity Women that makes them into sentient beings in the first place? Is it just the pleasure, or there's something else, something sinister, that gives them life?That’s for Evan to find out.***EXCERPT:“Raise your hips,” he ordered. His voice was husky and demanding.Eternity quickly did as she was told to do. He wasn't a mind reader, yet he knew that it filled her with desire that he was talking to her in such an authoritative manner.Evan slipped Eternity's panties quickly off of her, giving them the same treatment as her bra once they were removed. He flung them away with no care as to where they would land. He nudged her legs wider apart using his, signaling the impending act.As Eternity called it, 'penetrative intercourse.'“May I?” he asked, even though he knew how much she wanted it.She nodded, tears trailing down her cheeks because of how much she had done.“F*ck me, Evan.”

‘I want to travel to a place unknown to the many…’

It was a passing wish to the weary and tired Eugene and she’d not think it’d ever come to pass… but it did.

She opened her eyes and found she was sent to a novel-like world she wrote in passing and became Jin Anika, the scorned queen notorious for her ruthlessness and undeserving of her status.

Queen Jin only sought and desired to see the destruction of this world — the villainess who met her untimely and miserable end at the hands of her husband, Kasser, the reigning king of the Fourth Kingdom.

While struggling to survive in the unknown world, King Kasser visited Eugene and demanded that a contract be fulfilled and come to fruition.

“Three years ago, we made a deal.”

It turns out the Queen was under a contractual marriage with King Kasser. The ultimate price? To bear him a child.

“A… a child?”

“Yes, my successor.”