Our Love Story: Hard to Guard Against the Sudden Love Strike - Chapter 174 - 172: Life

“I want to see my money's worth. You belong to me now. So, strip!” he ordered coldly, taking a sip from his cognac.I fought back my tears, my trembling hands fiddling with the zipper of my shorts. His icy green eyes were latched onto my body the whole time, surveying the littlest movements I made like a predator. I was bare in front of him in no time, almost tempted to shield my body away from him with my hands.But I couldn't. Not when he had absolute control over me now.“Get on your knees and crawl to me.”••••Nylah Frost has been stuck in the underworld as a stripper long enough to have made a name for herself, but when push came to shove and her best friend's life was on the line, she broke the rules that guarded the club she worked at, sleeping with and stealing from the devil, Alpha Xavier Wilde, the most feared and ruthless Alpha, who is renowned for crushing his enemies effortlessly.When the little stripper stole from him, Xavier Wilde was extremely intrigued by her boldness, and it triggered his dark, predatory side that sought to chase after her and possess her.A sense of ownership that was supposed to be a game of endless pleasure to him soon became his undoing. How does heartless Alpha see her more than his property and an object of pleasure?Will Nylah allow herself to see past the hatred she has for him?

Sara Falcone, the eldest daughter of the prestigious Falcone family, has always been bright, ambitious, and determined. Groomed to take over her father’s empire, she quickly rose to prominence as the company’s CEO, earning respect in the business world.But when Falcone Industries teeters on the brink of bankruptcy, her world begins to crumble.Desperate to save her family’s legacy, Sara turns to the last person she ever thought she would, her greatest rival, and once, her secret crush: Luca De Augustino.Cold, calculating, and infuriatingly powerful, Luca offers her a way out, but at a cost. In exchange for rescuing her company, she must agree to a contract marriage with him.Luca De Augustino, heir and CEO of the mighty Augustino Group, was raised to lead without compromise and to never bow to anyone. Yet there was one person who always challenged him, Sara. Years ago, when she confessed her feelings, he shattered her heart with cruel rejection.Seven long years have passed since that day, but fate brings them back together. Now, bound by a one-year contract marriage, Sara must navigate a dangerous game of pride, power, and unresolved emotions while Luca sees this as his chance to finally claim the one woman who once loved him.~~~~~“You think I'll help you just because you pathetically kneel in front of me!” Luca chuckled. “What happened to the woman who always held her head high in pride?”“If you don't want to help me, then just say so!” Sara raised her voice. Standing up, she turned to leave when Luca grasped her hand, thus making her turn to him.“Fine, I'll help you. But there's a condition,” Luca pronounced.“And what's this condition?” asked Sara.“Become Mrs. De Augustino. In short, marry me, Sara Falcone.”~~~~~*All the names and places used in the story have nothing to do with the reality. It's a fiction.*

Kyros was no hero—nor was he a villain. A pragmatist to the core, he turned Earth into a chessboard of chaos, bending nations and empires to his will before meeting his end. But death was only the beginning. The Devil intervened, pulling Kyros into Hell with an irresistible proposition: a second chance at life in a world far removed from Earth—a world named Neva.In this fantastical realm of knights, nobility, magic, and divine power, Kyros becomes the key piece in a wager between God and the Devil. Reborn as Rasmus Blackheart, a disgraced young noble, his task is clear: unleash chaos and topple the order of Neva, just as he did on Earth. But the Devil has added a twist to the game—he’ll serve as Rasmus’s companion, not as a guide but as a mischievous, manipulative force, more likely to hinder than help.Navigating a world brimming with intrigue and divine interference, Rasmus must survive, scheme, and rise from ruin to reshape Neva in his image. Will his cunning be enough to outwit his foes—and his so-called ally—or will this chaotic partnership lead to his downfall?

In a world brimming with magic, Cedric, a young noble with no extraordinary abilities, unknowingly becomes the subject of a colossal misunderstanding. Despite possessing almost zero magical aptitude, Cedric's minuscule magical presence baffles all magic readers, leading them to believe he is the mightiest mage to ever exist.Unbeknownst to Cedric, his reputation as a godlike being with unparalleled wisdom stems from accidental encounters. From unintentionally slaying a dragon at the tender age of four to inadvertently solving enigmatic magical riddles, every action he takes inadvertently reinforces the misconception of his immense power. However, Cedric remains blissfully unaware of his supposed divine status, attributing people's fascination with him to his noble birth.Driven by a desire to make his father proud, Cedric embarks on a journey to navigate this increasingly absurd situation. With each new mishap and misunderstanding, his extraordinary luck continues to fuel the illusion of his formidable magical prowess. The comedy unfolds as the clueless Cedric unwittingly changes the course of the world, all while believing he is merely striving to fulfill his father's expectations.As Cedric's journey progresses, his encounters with astonished individuals persist. Yet, he never unravels the truth about his mythical stature, leading readers through a whimsical tale filled with laughter, misunderstandings, and an unlikely hero who unwittingly becomes a legend, depicting him as a deity capable of conjuring meteors with a mere flick of his finger.