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historical

A Touch of Shadow: The Duke's Obsession

[Obsessive ML, Indulgent, Forbidden Historical Romance] Read this if you crave a forbidden affair between two nobles. On the night meant to seal her fate in silk and candlelight, Caelith Emberlyn discovers her new husband cheating on her with her own cousin. Before the humiliation can swallow her whole, another man steps out of the shadows—dangerous, powerful, and far more terrifying than heartbreak. He is the feared Commander of the Shadow Imperial Guard, a man whose name alone stills the court and stains the capital with silenced dread. Where others see a cold enforcer of the throne, he sees only her—wronged, furious, and far stronger than she appears. And he offers her a choice. Stay. What her husband failed to give—loyalty, devotion, power—he vows to place in her hands in his stead. But this is no gentle rescue. Their alliance begins in secrets and smolders in the dark, a forbidden affair that could shatter reputations and topple dynasties. He is ruthless in war and relentless in love, determined to claim not only her presence at his side but the guarded heart she refuses to yield. Meanwhile, her repentant husband returns with soft words and tender promises, swearing to cherish her forever. Yet regret comes too late in a world where power is currency and affection is a battlefield. Caught between a contrite prince of light and a possessive shadow king who would burn the world to keep her, she must decide: Will she return to the safety of a love that broke her… Or step into the fire of a devotion fierce enough to consume them both?
yoojee · 71.5k Views

A Scandal By Any Other Name

BOOK TWO OF THE HAMILTON SERIES WARNING: A Regency Era novel. Adult content with detailed smut…Read at you own risk⚠️⛔️ Genre: Historical Romance / Smut / Enemies-to-Lovers / Mystery / Comedy / Found family [Book Two of the Hamilton Series. Can be read as a standalone, but better enjoyed after Lady Ines’ Scandalous Hobby.] To the world, Duke Rowan Hamilton is the perfect gentleman. But in the bedroom, he is a man possessed. Rowan Hamilton has it all: a Ducal title, the face of a fallen angel, and a smile that makes debutantes faint. He is the "Golden Duke"—charming, responsible, and utterly adored by society. But it’s all a lie. Beneath the coats and polite manners, Rowan is a man haunted by a ghost. For three years, he has remained faithful to the memory of a masked woman who stole a kiss, bested him at a game of chance, and vanished into the night. He doesn't want any one as his wife; he wants her. When his domineering aunt tires of his bachelorhood, she hires London’s most notorious underground matchmaker to force the issue. Enter Miss Delaney Kingsley. She is sharp-tongued, infuriatingly competent, and entirely unimpressed by his title. Her mission? To drag Rowan to the altar with the season’s "Diamond," Lady Celine, within three months to collect the juicy payment Rowan’s aunt had to offer. Rowan intends to fire the meddlesome woman. But when Delaney looks at him with those hazel, intelligent eyes and orders him around like a young lad, he feels the first spark of life he’s felt in years. He decides to play her game. He will let her find him a wife. But he has no intention of choosing anyone even Lady Celine. "You were hired to find me a Duchess, Miss Kingsley. But the only person I want in my duchy and in my bed... is you." As mysteries turn into forbidden nights and the bickering turns into scorching passion, Rowan begins to suspect that his matchmaker is hiding a secret of her own. She moves like a shadow, handles a rifle like a soldier, and tastes exactly like the ghost he’s been hunting for three years. What to Expect: * High Stake Mystery: They try to untangle themselves from the Farrington’s trap. * The Golden Retriever Duke: Who turns into a possessive Alpha behind closed doors. * The Matchmaker Trope: She’s trying to marry him off; he’s trying to take her clothes off. * High Heat: Slow burn that explodes into intense smut. * Competence Kink: He falls harder every time she bosses him around. * Cameos: Featuring the chaotic domestic life of Duchess Ines and Duke Carcel (and their baby Harry!). Excerpt: "Your Grace, please focus," Delaney snapped, adjusting his cravat with efficient, gloved hands. "Lady Celine is waiting in the ballroom. You must look at her as if she is the only woman in the world." Rowan caught her wrist, stopping her movements. He stepped into her space, backing her against the heavy oak door of the study, his "Golden Boy" mask slipping to reveal the hunger beneath. "And how, exactly, does one do that, Miss Kingsley?" he whispered, his voice rough. "Show me." "I—I cannot show you, It I s not in my place to—" "Then teach me," he growled, lowering his head until his lips brushed the sensitive skin of her neck. "Teach me how to pretend I am not burning alive every time you walk into a room."
Cameron_Rose_8326 · 668.4k Views

Love The Way He Lied

Eva's Pov— "Eyan…" my voice trembled, the words barely escaping my lips. "Are you… Kyel?" He smiled faintly, the warmth I once knew gone from his eyes. "Looks like you found out," he said, his tone light, almost mocking. "Finally. Now I don't have to play this tedious game anymore." My heart thudded painfully. "What are you saying?" He stepped closer, his shadow falling over me. "That's right," he whispered, his voice low and sharp. "I am Kyel..." The word cut through me like a blade. My breath hitched. "No… no, you're lying. You're not my Kyel....you are not my husband." He leaned closer, his eyes cruel. "Then how do I know about the mole just below your right shoulder blade? The one only your husband would ever see?" I froze. He was telling the truth. My lips trembled. "Why… why did you lie to me, Eyan?" "Your Majesty," he snapped suddenly. I blinked. "W-what?" "You are not allowed to call me by name," he said coldly. "Call me what I am. Your Majesty." Tears burned my eyes. "Kyel… please, tell me why. If there's a reason—" "No," he interrupted. "There was no reason." My heart twisted painfully. "What?" "I lied because I wanted to," he said flatly. "I had no reason. And I owe you no explanation." I stared at him in disbelief. "But I'm your wife—" He laughed bitterly. "No. You're not my wife. You're just a woman I shared my bed with." My tears finally fell. "You said you loved me…" His voice turned to ice. "It was all a lie. I—Eyan Lucien Therald—never loved you. Not once." The world spun around me. He turned away, pulled open a drawer, and thrust a parchment toward me. "Sign this." My fingers shook as I took it. "What… is this?" "Divorce papers," he said coldly. "I've already signed. All that's left is your signature." "Divorce…" I whispered, my voice breaking. "Once you sign, we're done," he said. "You'll leave Velmoria and never return." Tears blurred my vision. "What about… our child that I'm carrying?" I stepped closer, my voice shaking. "Don't tell me you don't care about our child, too." He turned. "No. I don't." My heart stopped. "You… don't care?" "You were the one who wanted a child. I never did. But I gave you one. Isn't that enough?" I shook my head, sobbing. "Please, stop… please." "Now sign the papers," he said coldly. "Take the child with you and get out of Velmoria. Never show me that face again." "No. I won't." His voice thundered through the room. "Guards!" The door burst open. "Yes, Your Majesty?" "Take her out of this room," he ordered without looking at me. "Throw her out of the palace—and make sure she never steps foot inside again." I screamed, struggling against the guards' grip. "Eyan! Please—listen to me! Don't do this!" But he didn't turn around. Not once. As the doors slammed shut behind me, I looked at him one last time— and the love I always saw in his eyes… was no longer there. --------------------------------------------------------
lovethewayhelied · 70.3k Views

The Duke's Unwanted Second Wife

**Mature Content** Eilika Wolanski is the eldest daughter of one of Varos’ most respected merchants, but respect has never brought her kindness. A childhood accident left a scar across her cheek, and with it, a cruel label she can never escape. The “Unwanted Woman” of Varos. Mocked in public, pitied in private, and treated like a blemish to be hidden, Eilika grows up learning one painful truth, beauty matters more than character in high society. So when an unexpected marriage proposal arrives from the powerful House of Kingsley, no one believes it is real. The groom is Damian Van Kingsley, the widowed duke of Varos, feared for his cold temperament and admired for his unmatched looks and wealth. Rumors follow him like shadows. He has a secret mistress, a broken heart drowned in alcohol, and worst of all… A son he barely acknowledges. For Eilika, marrying Damian isn’t a dream. It’s the only option left for survival. Damian, once the kingdom’s most desirable nobleman, has been nothing but a hollow man since the death of his first wife. He has abandoned his responsibilities, pushed away his child, and lived with one vow burning in his chest. He will never replace his first wife. To force him back into duty, his mother arranges a second marriage, one he never asked for, and one he refuses to accept. Damian swears he will never touch her , will never look at her and will never treat her as his wife. But Eilika isn’t the greedy noblewoman he expected. She doesn’t ask for his affection. She doesn’t crave his title. She doesn’t even want his love. What Eilika wants… is something far more dangerous. A family. And perhaps that is the very thing Damian has been starving for all along. ~~~~ “This bed will remain cold until your last breath.” Damian’s voice boomed through the dark chamber. Eilika didn’t flinch at his words. Instead she replied gracefully, “I don’t seek love, Duke. You can visit your secret mistress every night… Just don’t come near me.” This marriage was never meant to become real, until the Duke's heart begins to betray its own rules.
Kn_star8 · 151.7k Views

Ghost in the palace

Ananya never expected death to bring her into another life. One moment, she was running her parents’ restaurant in the modern world. The next, she opened her eyes in silk robes, surrounded by hostile stares — the Queen Consort of the empire. But this body was cursed in everyone’s eyes. The Emperor loathed her. The mistress laughed at her. And the court whispered behind her back. Only she wasn’t truly alone. > “Finally, someone can see us!” “What kind of Queen Consort are you, so calm even with ghosts in your chamber?” “Shut up, Wei Rong, let her breathe. She looks like she’s about to faint.” Three ghosts — a stoic scholar, a brash general, and a mischievous noble girl — lingered at her side. They were invisible to all but her. And with them, she learned to survive the poisonous palace. When rumors spread that she was cursed, Ananya stood before the empire’s court. Instead of tears, she offered proof. Instead of fear, she offered dignity. > “If Heaven believes I am cursed, let the fire and smoke betray me. I will not hide.” And Heaven sided with her. Outside the palace, crises struck — starving soldiers, missing supplies, merchants growing fat from stolen grain. Inside, Lady Zhen, the Emperor’s favored mistress, grew bolder by the day, flaunting her beauty and mocking Ananya’s quiet grace. > “Sister, do you still dream of winning His Majesty’s heart? Look at you — plain, dull, unworthy.” “If simplicity is a crime, then let it be mine,” Ananya answered, unshaken. The Emperor indulged Lady Zhen openly… but in the silence of night, he tasted Ananya’s food, lingered at her table, and found himself unsettled by her calm. > “This is not palace fare,” he muttered. “It is lighter,” Ananya replied softly. “Easier to sleep after.” Step by step, conspiracy thickened. At a grand banquet, a poisoned cup was placed in Ananya’s hand. But a ghost’s laugh echoed in her ear — and the cup was swapped. A dancer collapsed instead. From that night on, the Emperor’s gaze changed. He began to notice the woman who never begged for favor, never fought for attention, yet always endured. Still, war brewed at the borders. Betrayals reached even the throne. Assassins crept through the palace halls. And the one person who seemed weakest became the calm at the center of the storm. Through whispered secrets, mischievous hauntings, and quiet resilience, Ananya carved her place in the empire. She would not simply survive. She would rise. And the Emperor who once despised her would one day whisper only her name.
Ashima_Mahajan_ · 146.4k Views

The Minister: Cold by Day, Hot by Night

Zhi Wan is an orphan living under someone else's roof, always cautious and meticulous, until she fell into the water one day and gained the ability to share dreams with others. She thought she would never meet the man from her dreams in her entire life, so in the dreams, she did all sorts of outrageous things. Until one day, she saw the Jade Pendant at his waist and finally realized that the man who did all those outrageous things with her in the dreams was none other than this powerful official, known for being aloof from women, cold, and ascetic. Startled, Zhi Wan decided to flee. But before she could even board the ship, she was surrounded by that powerful official and his soldiers. "I have received a secret report that Miss Zhi is connected to a recent major case. Please come back with me to assist in the investigation!" The man from her dreams, now dressed in his official uniform, was speaking in a serious, bureaucratic tone. Zhi Wan: "..." Confined to the ship's cabin under the pretext of assisting an investigation, Zhi Wan finally couldn't bear it anymore and decided to expose the man's hypocritical facade. "What a show of official authority. You weren't like this in the dreams!" The man loosened the collar of his official uniform, cornering the young lady against the wall, "Oh? And what am I like in your dreams?" Zhi Wan: "..." "Be good. The things we didn't finish in the dream, let's continue them now!" the man coaxed in a hoarse voice. (1v1, Double Clean)
Chu Yue · 415.9k Views

The Duke's Pampered Darling is So Scheming

Ye Chutang, the heir of an Ancient Medical Family, toiled her entire life, only to die unexpectedly just as she was about to take over. Reborn into a new life, all she wants is to be a salted fish and laze her life away. Who knew she would start with a critical blow: her parents and eldest brother were assassinated, leaving her and three children behind. Her third brother was gravely injured, her fourth brother was in a coma, and there was a nursing baby crying out for food. She weighed the cold corn bun in her hand and looked up at the sky in despair; one person dragging along three, this hand of cards was so bad it would be better to start over. The Little Milk Group tugged on her pant leg. "Hungry." Ye Chutang: "..." Get up and get to work! Ye Chutang's plan was perfect: raise the children, then retire to live out her days. But as it turned out, a certain man would not let her have her way. "Second Miss Ye, you've delayed me for so many years. You ought to give me an explanation." Ye Chutang: "6." You were the one who lingered at my door and refused to leave back then, and now it has become my fault? The Ye Family became extraordinary: The Ye Family's third son is the dynasty's top scholar, the Ye Family's fourth son is renowned in the Northwest for his great military achievements, and the Ye Family's Fifth Miss has a business empire that spans the world, her wealth rivaling a nation's. Only Second Miss Ye of the Ye Family, busy raising her younger siblings, had unknowingly grown older, her marriage prospects becoming a worry. Until one day, the all-powerful Duke Dingbei, Shen Yanchuan, arrived with a ten-li-long bridal procession to marry her. Ye Chutang was silent for a long time. "This time, you're in charge of the kids."
Zhan Xiye · 330.7k Views

My Sister Insisted on Swapping Marriages, and I Became a Marchioness Instead

The legitimate younger sister insists on exchanging marriage, sending me to become the Marchioness. 【The main wife of the Marquis Mansion only wants to make money, whether love is involved depends on her mood + exchanged marriage group + hair-pulling + rough man self-strategy】 After Qin Yuan was reborn, she discovered that her legitimate younger sister was also reborn. Not only did she snatch Qin Yuan's previous life's husband, the poor scholar, but she also strongly facilitated Qin Yuan's marriage to her previous life's brother-in-law, Dingbei Marquis. Although it's strange why her legitimate younger sister did this, when a pie falls from the sky, you have to catch it! In the previous life, the legitimate younger sister was envious of her: "Since childhood, Qin Yuan could only pick what I didn't want. Why did she become the Prime Minister's wife and enjoy honor and glory, while I was abandoned by my husband, dominated by concubines, and suffered alone all my life?" In this life, the legitimate younger sister is desperate: "Why is Qin Yuan living even better?! Where is my Prime Minister's wife position? Why is my husband still a sesame official? Not only is the mother-in-law difficult to deal with, but there is also a childhood cousin coveting him fiercely!" Qin Yuan chuckled: "This forcibly offered position of Marchioness is quite nice, tut tut... I can do business, excel in medical incense, have strategies, and possess brilliant plans. In the previous life, it was all due to my own efforts that I schemed to become the Prime Minister's wife. My naive good sister." In the previous life, her husband locks himself with her legitimate younger sister, but in this life Qin Yuan won't expend any effort pushing him upwards; isn't it better to achieve it by herself? — Dingbei Marquis, who postponed marriage to protect the borders, is a War God in armor, and a handsome gentleman without a beard, with a line of women fond of him reaching a myriad. On the wedding night, he abandoned his young wife, thinking coaxing her is enough. Later... He discovered she didn't care at all and was constantly coaxing him for fun. Marquis Mansion daily: Dingbei Marquis kneels at the door: "I know I exist in your heart, madam, please give me another chance." After a while, Qin Yuan: "Depends on my mood." Others: Tut tut, The Marquis is just the Marchioness' lickspittle, professional.
Mo Qi Jian · 811.5k Views