
FORBIDDEN TRUTH
Sally Edwards · Completed · 248.8k Words
Introduction
Four years fast forward: Samantha's meticulously repaired life is collapsing once more. She is presented with an unimaginable offer—a contract marriage with Adrian Blackwood, the mysterious millionaire with more influence than anybody should—as her son's safety is at stake and debts are closing in. The only issue is Adrian is unaware she already carries his most secret.
But Adrian also depends on her. He has to seem to have a flawless family if he is to land the commercial contract confirming his empire. Samantha is his response; he still doesn't know about the lethal shadows from her past threatening them both. Time is running out because of Adrian's own complex network of family treachery. Should he not get married soon, he runs the danger of losing control of his father's business to a merciless competitor with dark motives—someone already too near Samantha for comfort.
Neither of them understands how interwoven their fates have become as they descend further into this perilous dance. Secrets grow, passions blossom, and foes lie around every turn. Samantha has to choose, nevertheless, whether Adrian comes near to learning the truth about her son: should she tell everything or keep quiet while the walls of their precarious arrangement collapse?
And then a terrible revelation destroys their world, just as their well planned lives begin to fit.
Samantha has been hiding secrets other than the child as well
Chapter 1
Samantha
One evening never seemed like it could have changed my entire life. Here I am, nevertheless, staring at a face in front of the mirror that seems more haunted than it has ever looked. Four years ago, everything was different. I was distinct. I was hopeful. Dreaming was something I did. My future did not involve always on edge waiting for the next catastrophe to occur.
That predates his arrival into my life.
I let out a strong exhale, running a hand over my son's messy hair as he runs his toy truck on the floor next to me. Ethan: Every time I utter his name, my pulse speeds. My one lighthouse in the gloom, he is the one decent thing that emerged from that evening.
I once more check my reflection and see my hands shaking. I cannot focus on anything else since the call I got this morning still haunts me.
Samantha, we know you.
I had hung up right away, panic knotting my stomach. How would they have located me? I had done all in my ability to get off the radar and bury the past sufficiently deep that nobody would ever find it. Until lately, I felt I had succeeded.
I'm pulled from my ideas as the phone rings suddenly. My pulse leaps from my neck. Looking forward to the worst, I grab it from the counter. Rather, but, I can't identify this number. Not the same one from the past but still foreign.
"Hey?," I asked . My speech was wobbly, showing the underlying terror.
"Samantha Dawson??" One asks in a deep, authoritative voice.
I am hesitant. "Who else is asking?"
Adrian Blackwood here is the name.
I think my heart stops for a moment. Adrian Blackwood. Every business journal, every headline, every piece on billionaires who possess more influence than most people could possibly grasp—the name I have seen on every one of them. the man wielding iron fists over New York's corporate scene. The man I never, in a million years, could have ever imagined talking to.
Why is he giving me calls?
Trying to keep my voice calm, I apologize, Mr. Blackwood. "What can I do for you?”
There's a stop, and I practically hear him measuring me over the phone. At last, his tone was quiet and deliberate, "I have a proposition for you." "One that would be good for us both."
I grimace, uncertainty whirling around the residual terror from the previous call. "I do not understand...."
"I need a wife, Ms. Dawson," Adrian says, his sentences short and direct. And you have to be protected.
My pulse freezes in my throat. How is he aware of that? How informed is he about my needs?
My mind racing, I add gently, "I'm not sure what you mean."
"I know about your son," he adds, his voice exact and devoid of feeling. "I understand you run a hazard. For a charge, I can assist you.
My blood is chilly. He refers to Ethan. He is aware of the risk. But really knowledge of him? And from what perspective is he discussing prices?
"I am not sure what you are—"
"Don't play games with me, Samantha," he says, his voice hardening. "I can bring all of this under control. The debt, the dangers, the folks after you... You must, however, agree to my terms.
My heart thumping in my chest, I chew hard. I want nothing to be engaged in whatsoever this is. What decision, though, do I have? On my own, I cannot shield Ethan. I have been trying for years; it is only getting more difficult.
" What are your terms?" I ask softly; the words hardly come out of my mouth.
"I need a wife," he says, his voice as sharp and frigid as steel. "For appearances," Businesswise. It's only a makeshift arrangement; nothing more.
A marriage under contract. I have heard of events like this occurring in his universe—rich people negotiating with relationships like chips. I never imagined, though, I would be involved in one.
And what in turn do I get? Though I already know the response, I ask.
"Your son's personal security. Your own personal safety. Enough money to settle all of your debt as well.
My emotions are flying, my head whirling. I have not trusted him. Not even a second. On the other hand, the alternative is worse. Even terrible.
I say, my voice almost above a whisper, "I need time to think about it".
His final tone, he says, "You don't have time." "I'll forward the contract by the end of the day. You will sign it; we will proceed. Alternatively you can decline and gamble with the folks attending your event.
My gut starts to tighten itself. He is giving me no option. Like I was four years ago, I am caught. This time only, not just me. Ethan as well. And I cannot afford to choose poorly.
"I will... I say, my voice quivering as the weight of the choice slams down on me.
"Good," he responds just as if he expected nothing less. "We'll meet tomorrow to finish everything.”
And he hangs up, leaving me standing there staring at the phone in my palm while my heart thumps in my chest. What exactly did I agree to?
Adrian
My mind immediately turns to the next chore at hand as I toss my phone on the desk. Sam Dawson. I can feel her going to be a trouble. But I'm not free to deal with issues. I need this deal right now and will need it going forward. If I fail to confirm my stance, all my father created would be removed from me. His company is barely hanging.
Still, she has something about her. Something I find difficult to exactly identify. She agreed rather rapidly, which surprised me. Desperate people, then again, act in ways they never would have considered.
Still, her story goes beyond what first greets the eye. I can tell. Whichever it is, I'll find out. Nobody confides in me for very long.
Samantha
I got up the following morning with a stomach ache. Already here, mocking me on the kitchen table, the contract has arrived. As of yet, I haven opened it. The tiny print and the stipulations tying me to Adrian Blackwood for God knows how long bothers me.
I do not have any option, though.
Pulling the contract toward me, my hands shaking as I turn the pages, I sit down. And that's when I find it hidden in the legal jargon—a clause rendering my blood useless.
No secrets. None of them are lying. Ignoring any pertinent information may cause the contract to be immediately terminated under heavy financial penalties.
My heart is hammering, I fix my gaze on the words. He has no knowledge about Ethan. Not now. But should he learn...
That cannot be allowed to happen. I will mark the contract signed. I am going to wed Adrian Blackwood. I never let him discover the truth though.
Because if he does, everything I have worked so hard to defend will come toppled around me.
I knock at the door as I sign my name on the dotted line. My pulse sharpens and a sensation of gloom blankets me. I fix my gaze on the time. For Adrian, it is far too early. One could wonder who it could be.
My heart almost stops when I open the door.
One person I never would have dreamed I would see again is standing there grinning sinisterly.
"Hello, Samantha," he says with a poisoned tone.
And at that point I understand—my past is about to catch up with me in ways I never could have predicted.
Last Chapters
#174 Chapter 174
Last Updated: 11/20/2025#173 Chapter 173
Last Updated: 11/20/2025#172 Chapter 172
Last Updated: 11/20/2025#171 Chapter 171
Last Updated: 11/20/2025#170 Chapter 170
Last Updated: 11/20/2025#169 Chapter 169
Last Updated: 11/20/2025#168 Chapter 168
Last Updated: 11/20/2025#167 Chapter 167
Last Updated: 11/20/2025#166 Chapter 166
Last Updated: 11/20/2025#165 Chapter 165
Last Updated: 11/20/2025
You Might Like 😍
The Spy Who Left
"I still can't believe she actually did it. Aria Hart, filing for divorce. Who saw that coming?"
"How long do we think it'll take before she comes crawling back?" Another voice joins the conversation.
"Three days," Victoria declares. "Five at most. She has no money, no skills, no family. Where's she going to go?"
When Aria Chen divorced billionaire Leon Hart, New York's elite sneered, betting she'd crawl back within days. She never did.
Three years later, the world is rocked when Dr. Aria Vale, CEO of a revolutionary cybersecurity empire, steps into the spotlight. The mysterious genius who built a billion-dollar company from nothing is none other than Leon's discarded wife, the woman everyone thought was just a pretty ornament.
Now, every powerful man wants the queen Leon threw away a renowned scientist seeking partnership, a financial titan proposing an empire, and an actor offering devotion. Each sees the brilliance Leon ignored.
Then Leon discovers the truth: Aria's sacrifices, her secret double life, and the daughter she's been raising without him. For the first time, the man who once took her for granted must fight for her love. But can he compete with men who valued her from the beginning?
A story of love, betrayal, and power where the king must kneel before the queen who never needed saving.
Lightborn: The Demon’s Bond
The CEO's Unspoken Love
Before I could answer, he moved closer, suddenly looming over me, his face inches from mine. I felt my breath caught, my lips parting in surprise.
"Then this is the price for speaking ill of me to others," he murmured, nipping my lower lip before claiming my mouth in a real kiss. It began as punishment but quickly transformed into something else entirely as I responded, my initial rigidity melting into compliance, then active participation.
My breathing accelerated, small sounds escaping my throat as he explored my body. His touches were both punishment and pleasure, drawing shudders from me that I thought he felt reverberating through his own body.
My nightgown had ridden up, his hands discovering more of mine with each caress. We were both lost in sensation, rational thought receding with each passing second...
Three years ago, to fulfill the wish of his grandmother, I was forced to marry Derek Wells, the second son of the family that had adopted me for ten years. He didn't love me, but I had secretly loved him all along.
Now, the three-year contractual marriage is about to end, but I feel that some kind of sentiment has developed between Derek and me that neither of us is willing to admit. I'm not sure if my feelings are right, but I know that we can't resist each other physically...
After the Affair: Falling into a Billionaire's Arms
I’d appreciate all your support, thank you so much!
From first crush to wedding vows, George Capulet and I had been inseparable. But in our seventh year of marriage, he began an affair with his secretary.
On my birthday, he took her on vacation. On our anniversary, he brought her to our home and made love to her in our bed...
Heartbroken, I tricked him into signing divorce papers.
George remained unconcerned, convinced I would never leave him.
His deceptions continued until the day the divorce was finalized. I threw the papers in his face: "George Capulet, from this moment on, get out of my life!"
Only then did panic flood his eyes as he begged me to stay.
When his calls bombarded my phone later that night, it wasn't me who answered, but my new boyfriend Julian.
"Don't you know," Julian chuckled into the receiver, "that a proper ex-boyfriend should be as quiet as the dead?"
George seethed through gritted teeth: "Put her on the phone!"
"I'm afraid that's impossible."
Julian dropped a gentle kiss on my sleeping form nestled against him. "She's exhausted. She just fell asleep."
Lone Wolf
I am completely a sobbing mess.
But before I can do or say anything, Sapphire pushes through and pushes me back into the darkness with a block on me.
I am in darkness yet again due to my wolf, why is she doing this?
I have had enough of this, I want out. I want answers.
Mila Dawson and her wolf Sapphire are the white wolf creation of the Moon Goddess herself. However, Mila is the only wolf in a small town full of supernatural beings and has no memory of how she came to the small town. When a new pack of wolves moves into the territory near the town, Mila is stunned to find out that the alpha’s son Nathaniel is her mate. When she turns 18, memories flood back and she is hit with some dark secrets, a lost family member, a guardian, and a pending war to face. This is the Book 1 of 2.
The Vampire Prince's Hybrid Bride
Omega Bound
Thane Knight is the alpha of the Midnight Pack of the La Plata Mountain Range, the largest wolf shifter pack in the world. He is an alpha by day and hunts the shifter trafficking ring with his group of mercenaries by night. His hunt for vengeance leads to one raid that changes his life.
Tropes:
Touch her and die/Slow burn romance/Fated Mates/Found family twist/Close circle betrayal/Cinnamon roll for only her/Traumatized heroine/Rare wolf/Hidden powers/Knotting/Nesting/Heats/Luna/Attempted assassination
The Deadly Mafia Princess
Her gang take the matter in their own hands, to try to save their leader from the horror of her home. What none of them know, they wasn’t her real parents, and now Ro will be sent away to live with her real family. That makes her closest members in her gang pack up and move as well. They don’t want to be far away from their leader.
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother
"What is wrong with me?
Why does being near him make my skin feel too tight, like I’m wearing a sweater two sizes too small?
It’s just newness, I tell myself firmly.
He’s my boyfirend’s brother.
This is Tyler’s family.
I’m not going to let one cold stare undo that.
**
As a ballet dancer, My life looks perfect—scholarship, starring role, sweet boyfriend Tyler. Until Tyler shows his true colors and his older brother, Asher, comes home.
Asher is a Navy veteran with battle scars and zero patience. He calls me "princess" like it's an insult. I can't stand him.
When My ankle injury forces her to recover at the family lake house, I‘m stuck with both brothers. What starts as mutual hatred slowly turns into something forbidden.
I'm falling for my boyfriend's brother.
**
I hate girls like her.
Entitled.
Delicate.
And still—
Still.
The image of her standing in the doorway, clutching her cardigan tighter around her narrow shoulders, trying to smile through the awkwardness, won’t leave me.
Neither does the memory of Tyler. Leaving her here without a second thought.
I shouldn’t care.
I don’t care.
It’s not my problem if Tyler’s an idiot.
It’s not my business if some spoiled little princess has to walk home in the dark.
I’m not here to rescue anyone.
Especially not her.
Especially not someone like her.
She’s not my problem.
And I’ll make damn sure she never becomes one.
But when my eyes fell on her lips, I wanted her to be mine.
Bound by Fate, Freed by Choice
Her escape leads her to Alpha Rowan, the commanding leader of the Blackwood Pack, who offers shelter, protection, and an unexpected chance at a new life. But Rowan’s fierce and jealous fiancée sees Lyla as a threat, and the pack’s charming Beta is drawn to her quiet strength.
As a dangerous attraction simmers between Lyla and Rowan, they begin to unravel a dark web of secrets that implicates Kaiden and threatens both their worlds.
With her hidden power awakening, Lyla must navigate treacherous loyalties, face the alpha who shattered her, and decide: Will she follow the destiny fate forced upon her, or claim the love and strength she has chosen for herself?
The Rogue King II
Under the weight of his grief and pain, along with of the uncertainty of the new mate bond forged between Silas and Nate, Silas decides that he needs help. The weight of being Alpha that nearly just lost his pack if his little sister hadn’t been there, Silas decides to push everything away to be a better and stronger Alpha. Using magic is father gave him, Silas loses so much more than his way.
Nate, struggling with the mate bond, what the bond means for him, has continued to fight Silas, his Alpha, his best friend, and now his mate. When their fight goes too far, both Silas and Nate must deal with the consequences. It both pulls them together and tears them apart. Eventually leading to a full break in any relationship they had ever had.
On his own, Silas has to navigate through the next chapter alone. Coming to realize his actions, the consequences, and just how much it’s going to take to repair the damage he has done.
Nate, also on his own, works through what it means to step up in more ways than one. Somehow, even after her death, Aelia is still reaching out and helping Nate navigate the world on his own. He vows to grow and step up into the wolf that she knew he could be.
Book 2 in The Rogue Kings following immediately after The Rogue Kings I - Solaris' Reign. Trigger Warnings. Rated 18+.
Tempted By The Enemy
She escapes to Preston Island to attend the wedding without informing him only to collide with Lucas’s hot, fiery and arrogant brother, the twenty-three-year-old, Nicholas Donnelly. Sparks immediately fly between them but Alyssa refuses to acknowledge them fearing her brother's wrath.
The wedding is over and Alyssa tries hard to forget the mysterious Nicholas Donnelly but can he forget her? Can he ignore the attraction he feels for her, feelings that have resurfaced after ten years?
What will Allyssa do when she is stalked by the man who has been invading her dreams since the day she met him? What will she do when she is whisked away to a deserted island by the unpredictable Nicholas Donnelly? Can she tame her heart or surrender to sinful temptations? Read to find out!
Part of the Temptation Series. Can be read as a standalone.












