the mastermind duke

His whole life turned into a joke, when Leonardo Thawyne the proud son of Duke William Thawyne, came to know that he was not the real son but a swapped kid. And now to save his inheritance he would have to marry the real heiress. Evangeline Rossador, a simple music teacher from a town, was content with teaching music to kids and having a garden in her home. But her whole life turned upside down when she was announced as betrothed to infamous cruel duke Leonardo as her father's last wish before dying. They both were hardly accepting the fact that they were bound in a forced marriage when life played another game and she found herself standing in front of her died father. Soon more deaths started to occur and they both find themselves standing in mid of many misunderstandings and conflicts. How would this chaos be solved? And would they be able to find love in this politically enforced marriage? “I asked what were you doing there?” she glared back at the roaring man who was trying to show his rights to her. “I was dancing with the Earl Nickolas,” she replied, looking back in his eyes. “Theodore go and bring the fingers of Earl who has dared to touch what is mine.” came the reply with an evil smirk. “Now tell me, my dear wife,” he whispered as he came close to her, “which part of your body have he actually touched?

``` Anak perempuan baron, Alessandra Barrett, telah memakai masker sejak usia muda karena sebuah cedera. Banyak yang mengatakan jika Anda melihat wajah di balik masker, Anda akan terkutuk dan mati tidak lama kemudian. Dia dilihat sebagai hantu, dihindari oleh semua yang mengunjungi rumah baron sampai dia menjadi istri duke. Tak seorang pun bisa mengerti mengapa duke memilihnya sebagai istri. Apakah dia ingin mati? Apa yang akan terjadi pada gadis yang dulunya bersembunyi di bayangan tetapi kini menjadi pusat perhatian sebagai istri ber-masker duke? Apa yang akan semua orang katakan jika mereka mengetahui kebenaran bahwa dia adalah dalam pernikahan kontrak dengan duke? Urutan linimasa cerita Kebangsawanan Castro - Istri Raja yang Tak Bisa Dihancurkan Pelayan Misterius Sang Kesatria Istri Ber-masker Sang Duke ```

She's the Queen who lost a war. And he's the man who won. * COMPLETED * Theodora is the Queen of Polis, a city-state that lost the war against the most powerful empire in the continent. She is sure that they'll execute her immediately but, somehow, she survives the meeting with the Emperor, and she finds herself... Married? Tossed in a new world without connections and allies, she has to either accept her fate or lose the chance to help her people once again. She soon finds out that her new husband knows more about her than she does herself, and that his purposes are often far from what she expects. A fallen queen that doesn't know how to be anything else. A handsome Duke who's the cause of her ruin. And their efforts to find some happiness in a marriage that's been forced on them. WARNING: there are contents not suitable for a sensitive audience. The smut scenes are half-censored at the beginning, but the amount and details will increase after a few dozen chapters (according to the Queen's mood .-. ) *** «I'm sorry for lying to you, your grace...» «You're a Duchess. No one will dare to consider your words a lie: if you say that you were painting souls, then it's the truth.» «I will remember it.» «No, you have to understand it, Theodora. You're not a prisoner, but my wife. I'll protect you when you need it, and I'll help you with any issue you have. You're not just a Duchess in the name. You're my Duchess.» «It's hard to believe in such a short amount of time.» «For now, stop shaking like a chicken. I won't hurt you.» *** Cover from Vatarison.art You can chat with me on discord: bit.ly/discordxiaohai Instagram: xiaohai_23 Facebook: Xiao Hai or Xiaohai_23 (FB page) Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/xiaohai_23 (you'll find my short stories here) My other stories on Webnovel: * The Cursed Tyrant and His Reluctant Queen (historical and fantasy romance, ongoing) * Destined: the Vampire's Soulmate (fantasy romance, completed, ~150 chapters expected) * Unexpected Gift (sci-fi romance, ongoing, free to read, 1k chapters expected)

A powerless woman’s worst nightmare is marrying someone against her will. When those who are supposed to protect her betray her in the vilest of ways, Leonor is forced to marry a Duke known for his cold nature and repulsive appearance. After a miserable childhood, it shouldn’t have been a surprise to her that her future was never truly in her hands in the first place. Duke Desmond de Montclair was nobody before the war. He garnered the King’s favor by doing the impossible in battle. Unfortunately, any achievement is eclipsed by his appearance and unbearable personality. In a kingdom that idolizes beauty, there is no room for someone like him. At first, Leonor finds life with the Duke to be what she’s used to - walking on eggshells and never speaking what’s truly in her heart. Eventually, things slowly start to change as the Duke learns about the horrors she faced while living with her family. His power becomes the key to her revenge. However, in a moment where she feels cornered, Leonor confesses to the Duke that she’s in love with someone else. The progress she has made with the Duke comes crashing down around her. Will her magic abilities be enough to convince the Duke not to throw her out? If she can make herself useful to him, perhaps she can gain his sympathy somehow…

Roseanne meninggal tertabrak truk dan jiwanya berpindah ke tubuh Rosie Villiers, seorang pemeran figuran di novel tragedy kesayangannya yang berjudul "Mencintaimu Hingga Saat Terakhir". Mengingat nasibnya yang akan mati secara tragis bersama para pemeran utama cerita ini, Rosie bertekad untuk mengubah cerita tragedi busuk ini dan menaklukkan duke kejam dan tampan yang seharusnya akan membunuh mereka semua. Dapatkah ia menjinakkan Duke Aslan Montgomery dan mengubahnya menjadi lelaki baik?

Disowned for being a human, Vivian was taken in as a maid at the age of seven by the Carmichael household. Serving one of the most respected and elite pureblood families in Bonelake, there were rules. Rules that must be followed by all servants and maids. Like everyone else, Vivian was repeatedly reminded not to disobey the rules. But before she could learn to blend into the background like the other servants, the Duke's young son calls to her, “Bambi.” And all hell breaks loose. ----- "What? Never seen a bruise before?" Leonard scoffed at the girl. "Does it hurt?" Vivian asked, gently kneeling beside him and examining the several bruises covering his face. "Not that much." Remembering what her mother used to do when she got a bruise, Vivian brought her sleeve to her mouth and blew warm air on it before placing it on the boy's cheek, taking him by surprise. Leonard swatted her hand away, a hint of pink appearing on his cheeks embarrassed, "W-what are you doing?" "Mama told me this will make the pain go away," the girl held her hand close to her chest as she shared her past memory. "I’m not a child!” Leonard huffed at her. “I don’t think you’re a child,” she stared at him with a crystal-clear gaze. Taken aback, Leonard locked eyes with her for two seconds before shaking his head. “Don’t worry about it. They’ll heal in a day or two anyways," he reassured her before getting up and taking a seat at the table where his books were placed. "Odd girl," he muttered to himself as he pulled the top book from the stack and lost himself in it.

**Konten Dewasa** Eilika Wolanski adalah putri tertua dari salah satu pedagang paling dihormati di Varos, tapi rasa hormat tidak pernah memberinya kebaikan. Kecelakaan masa kecil meninggalkan bekas luka di pipinya, dan bersamanya, label kejam yang tidak pernah bisa dia lepaskan. "Wanita yang Tidak Diinginkan" dari Varos. Diejek di depan umum, dikasihani secara pribadi, dan diperlakukan seperti noda yang harus disembunyikan, Eilika tumbuh dengan mempelajari satu kebenaran yang menyakitkan, kecantikan lebih penting daripada karakter di kalangan masyarakat tinggi. Jadi ketika lamaran pernikahan yang tak terduga datang dari Keluarga Kingsley yang berkuasa, tidak ada yang percaya bahwa itu nyata. Mempelai prianya adalah Damian Van Kingsley, duke Varos yang sudah menjadi duda, ditakuti karena sikapnya yang dingin dan dikagumi karena ketampanan dan kekayaannya yang tak tertandingi. Rumor mengikutinya seperti bayangan. Dia memiliki gundik rahasia, hati yang hancur tenggelam dalam alkohol, dan yang paling buruk... Seorang putra yang hampir tidak diakuinya. Bagi Eilika, menikahi Damian bukanlah impian. Itu adalah satu-satunya pilihan yang tersisa untuk bertahan hidup. Damian, yang dulunya bangsawan paling diinginkan di kerajaan, telah menjadi pria yang kosong sejak kematian istri pertamanya. Dia telah mengabaikan tanggung jawabnya, menjauhkan anaknya, dan hidup dengan satu sumpah yang membakar di dadanya. Dia tidak akan pernah menggantikan istri pertamanya. Untuk memaksanya kembali pada tugasnya, ibunya mengatur pernikahan kedua, yang tidak pernah dia minta, dan yang dia tolak untuk terima. Damian bersumpah dia tidak akan pernah menyentuhnya, tidak akan pernah melihatnya dan tidak akan pernah memperlakukannya sebagai istrinya. Tapi Eilika bukanlah bangsawan serakah yang dia harapkan. Dia tidak meminta kasih sayangnya. Dia tidak mendambakan gelarnya. Dia bahkan tidak menginginkan cintanya. Yang Eilika inginkan... adalah sesuatu yang jauh lebih berbahaya. Sebuah keluarga. Dan mungkin itulah hal yang selama ini Damian rindukan. ~~~~ "Ranjang ini akan tetap dingin sampai napas terakhirmu." Suara Damian bergema di kamar yang gelap. Eilika tidak gentar mendengar kata-katanya. Sebaliknya dia menjawab dengan anggun, "Saya tidak mencari cinta, Duke. Anda bisa mengunjungi gundik rahasia Anda setiap malam... Hanya jangan dekati saya." Pernikahan ini tidak pernah dimaksudkan untuk menjadi nyata, sampai hati sang Duke mulai mengkhianati aturannya sendiri.

“Stop crying. I’ll marry you. Calm down.” Cold. Emotionless. That is Duke Morvex, the monster duke whose half-blood lineage comes from the terrifying wolf demons. And I, Valerie Austin, wake up in the same bed as him, the ruthless duke who should never have touched me. But the biggest problem isn’t that forbidden night… It’s the truth everyone in the empire already knows: Duke Morvex is engaged and soon to be married.

[COMPLETED] Aideen Ruan, though a royal princess, was always unwanted due to the circumstances of her birth. Born blind to a hostage concubine, she possessed an intriguing beauty; however, her disability rendered her utterly useless to the royal family. Even when the struggling Count Crueder reluctantly agreed to take Aideen as his wife to secure the royal dowry, her life failed to improve. A year into their marriage, Aideen's inability to produce an heir sealed her fate. The princess was destined for exile to the Temple, consigned to spend the remainder of her days in isolation and abandonment. Contrary to her anticipations, instead of the Temple, Aideen found herself within the cold walls of Duke Tillian Valentine's castle. Duke Valentine, the last scion of the once-revered Valentine family that ruled the Kingdom before the "Fratricide Rebellion", now presided over the desolate Northern lands. Faced with fear and confusion, Aideen expected her life to perpetuate its cycle of misery, only to discover that Duke Valentine might hold the key to a new opportunity, a chance at a life she had never envisioned. "You bewitched my body and soul. Put an intoxicating spell on me, shackled my heart to yours with your magic. If I could exchange my eyesight with you, I would do it just to make you see what a man dying from love looks like."

[MATURE CONTENT WARNING: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK] Welcome to the fancy world of the elite, where Seraphina Alaric, a delicate and fragile girl always relying on medicine to get better, is just trying to catch a break before her life gets turned upside down by an arranged marriage... Seriously, who wants to be tied down when you’re still figuring out what you want in life? During a swanky banquet, she bumps into the enigmatic Duke of Everwyn. And the craziest part? She has no clue who this guy is—just thinks he’s some mysterious stranger. Out of nowhere, feeling adventurous (and maybe a bit reckless), she suggests a secret rendezvous that turns her whole world upside down. In that hidden moment, Seraphina dives headfirst into her wildest desires. But plot twist—turns out, the guy she just spent the night with is none other than her future husband. Oops! So much for a mysterious stranger—she just spent the night with her future husband! "Duke, It Hurts..." invites you into a whirlwind of self-discovery, steamy romance, and the sweet chaos of love when you least expect it. Can Seraphina break free from societal chains, or will she find herself tangled in the very web she tried to escape? Join her on this thrilling journey, and discover how love can be both liberating and complicated. Don’t miss out—your next obsession is just a page away!