The Lustforged Hero - Chapter 23: Rising stakes

Create a divine statue, gather faith, refine divine power, and step into the divine position! There was originally no god in the world, but when more and more people believed, there was a god! This is a story without plug-ins! This is a story of an ant becoming a god!

“....She was his drug, he was her water...”.............Arissa had always been an avid fan of freedom. She hated nothing more than being tied down to a relationship, especially when she was still in her early twenties. Yet, her parents had come up with an ultimatum marriage proposal.Strong-willed, confident, independent, and wild Arissa was forced to be humble to her parents and grant their wish of doing something extreme to her to save the life of someone she loves to a fault...And let's not forget, she lives for that person.Fast forwarding to Nicklaus Wyatt, we have a successful, cold-hearted, and Dominant CEO. On the outside, he is the most successful man on planet Earth and the most eligible bachelor but on the inside, he is an extremely damaged and broken soul of no repairs.His mysterious Aura also made it extremely hard for anyone to come close so, they just admired him from a distance.He only has one wish and that is to expand his empire more and not some stupid marriage proposal. So, do we think he would accept the marriage deal??.......“I'm your wife and yet, we live like strangers do!” Arissa seethed, gripping his tie in her fist as she tried to support herself. “Of course, it would eventually result in something as ridiculous as a cheating scandal. We aren't even acting like a normal couple should!” She emphasized lowly.Bringing her hand to wrap around his neck, she suddenly missed her footing again and then, she braced herself for the fall about to come but surprisingly, a strong arm for the second time in a night, held her waist firmly.Arissa smiled drunkenly as she made herself comfortable in his strong arms. Bringing her both hands to his checks, she gave them a pinch.“You were scared I would fall?” she asked him with a drunken smile. Yet, that smile was quickly replaced with a frown when she met with nothing but a cold gaze in reply.She pouted and brought her hand to his mouth. Tracing his lips with her slender fingers, “We don't even kiss” she complained with a smile, and at the same time, unknown tears slipped from her eyes.Nicklaus stared at her tears and down at her plump-tinted red lips. He stared at her face again and at her eyes that are already fully stocked with tears and without a second thought, he bent slightly and gave her a light kiss on her lips.SPOILER ALERT::Don't expect a fast romance. Romance would come late because both ML and FL are hard to tame.Their relationship would also go through numerous ups and downs, including occasional break-ups, aggressive ex-girlfriends, attempted murderers, and more.But, would their love strive through all the obstacles or would a few blows and manipulation crumble themDisclaimer: cover is not mine.Daily update, 14 chapters a week. Bonus chapters when pleased.I need all the support I can get from you all I also promise to put in my best.Thank you for reading and supporting sweethearts.....

Humanity was living peacefully on Earth for millions and millions of years until the day unknown monsters from beyond space invaded them.

When humans were about to disappear, some people with abilities came out to the light and shared their knowledge and powers with the world, and together, they managed to push back the invaders during a terrible war that had lasted for years.

This war had created many orphans, and among them, Kye had lost everything, even his parents. And the only thing he received from their death was a pale-looking necklace.

However, once the necklace finally activated, a system was given to him, and his life changed completely.

The system gave him quests to do, and Kye complied. He was getting stronger every time he achieved them, until the day it gave him a weird quest.

[You have one day to kill the one who had sinned. If you do not kill, you will die.]

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.*