EPIC: Path of Demons and Dragons - Chapter 169: Prelude

The game spoilers turned out to be fake. The characters I gathered thinking they were heroes are actually all villains. In other words, I accidentally created a villainous organization.

Ethan Blackwood wasn’t used to being defied. As the CEO of a global empire, he crushed obstacles with a single glance. But when Lily Anderson stood before him, her chin lifted in quiet defiance, and something in him snapped. “Sign the contract,” he said, his voice like ice. “30 days. You’ll obey every command. After that, you’re free.”She hesitated, her fingers trembling as she gripped the pen. “And if I refuse?”His smirk was cold, but his eyes burned. “Then you’ll spend the rest of your life paying off your father’s debts. Your choice.”Trapped, Lily signed. But she vowed one thing: she wouldn’t let him break her.From the first day, their clash was electric. He demanded perfection; she gave him rebellion. “You think you can control me?” she spat, after he criticized her for being late.Ethan stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “I don’t just control you. Lily, I own you.”But as the days passed, the lines between them blurred. Late nights in his penthouse turned into whispered conversations. His cold demeanor cracked, revealing glimpses of a man haunted by his past. One night, after a heated argument, he pinned her against the wall, his breath hot against her ear. “Why do you fight me so much?”Her voice trembled. “Because I’m afraid if I stop, I’ll lose myself to you.”Their connection deepened, but danger loomed. Secrets from Ethan’s past resurfaced, threatening to destroy everything. When Lily discovered the truth behind his obsession with her, she confronted him. “Was I just a pawn in your game? A way to settle an old score?”His eyes darkened with pain. “You were never just a game, Lily. You’re the only thing that’s ever felt real.”As the final days of their contract approached, their bond was tested like never before. Enemies closed in, and trust hung by a thread. Could they overcome the shadows of their pasts, or would their love crumble under the weight of secrets and pride?

[Trigger Warning: This dark fantasy romance contains mature themes.]---BLURB:IN A WOLD OF FORBIDDEN LOVE AND HIDDEN TRUTHS, ONE WOMAN'S DESTINY WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING.Ovelia’s life is shattered when she is sacrificed by her family to secure peace between humans and werewolves. Bound to Ace, the future Alpha King, she enters a marriage built on duty, not love. But when Ace’s wolf chooses her as his mate, their fates become intertwined in ways neither could have predicted.As Ovelia navigates the treacherous world of werewolf royalty, she faces betrayal, kidnapping, and the lingering shadow of Ace’s past love. But the greatest danger lies within herself—a secret heritage that could destroy the fragile alliance between werewolves, witches, and elves. When Ovelia’s true identity is revealed, she must flee for her life, only to discover she carries a new hope for the future.With war looming and enemies closing in, Ovelia and Ace must confront their pasts and fight for a love that could unite their fractured world—or tear it apart forever.---