Adopted By Murderous Duke

April had only ever known pain. At just 19, she watched her mother suffer years of abuse at the hands of a man who blamed them both—for being women, for being weak, for simply existing. One night, April made a choice: run or be ruined forever. Fleeing to a distant town with nothing but hope and her mother’s trembling hands, April stumbles upon a whispered opportunity—a powerful duke searching for palace staff. Desperate for a fresh start, April seeks the duke’s estate. But fate plays its first cruel trick: she meets a silver-eyed stranger with a quiet strength and a mysterious charm. He helps her find the palace... but never tells her who he really is. Because he is the duke. What began as a job soon turns into a royal entanglement—one filled with secrets, longing, and a love too intenseto resist. But can a girl who ran from the past survive the fire of a man with a crown... and scars of his own?

Martha Blandflord's life was already a nightmare, thanks to her wicked stepmother and stepsister. They delighted in her misery, and their latest scheme was the ultimate cruelty: an arranged marriage with the worst match they could think of to make her life more miserable. And what more dreadful match than with the infamous, mysterious Duke of Ravenwood, who had returned to the country three months ago? Rumored to be a repulsive, drunken old man, with a monstrous appearance that he never made any public appearances, and Martha dreaded the thought of sharing a life with such a monster. She even attempted to take her life to avoid such a fate. But nothing could have prepared her, or anyone, for the shocking revelation. Upon meeting her new husband, he was young, handsome, and also one of the wealthiest men in the country! However, there was a catch: the Duke of Ravenwood was notoriously dangerous and ruthless, a rake full of sin and vanity, he may not look like a monster but was one at heart. And he had a jaw-dropping proposal to make to his arranged bride.

A modern girl trapped in a fantasy realm meets a cold, sword-wielding Duke who doesn’t believe she’s from the future. Sparks fly. Secrets unravel. A K-Drama in book form.

--[WSA 2025 Entry]-- Betrayed by his sister. Betrayed by chosen one's humanity. Betrayed by the Gods. That was how the life of Leonard, the Defier of Fate and the world’s greatest heretic, came to an end. When demons invaded human lands, he received a revelation from the Goddess. She commanded him to act as a spy, to infiltrate the enemy ranks and expose their secrets for humanity’s sake. To fulfill this mission, he had to sacrifice a part of his soul. He accepted a demonic contract, surrendered his soul, and became a demonic human. Risking everything, he provided critical information to the humans and helped them turn the tide of battle. But then, he had a shocking discovery. The war was nothing but a gambit between various gods and before he could act, the war was stopped out of nowhere. In an unexpected turn, humans and demons put aside their hatred and signed a peace treaty. Before Leonard could make sense of it, he was betrayed. Both demons and humans joined hands to kill him. "Fuck! If there is a next life, I swear I will tear you gods apart!" With this scream, he thought his suffering was finally over. But… When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in the body of Kael Veydrin, the son of the Grand Duke of the Heizen Empire. But this new life was no different from the last. His sister wanted to get rid of him. Born with clogged vessels and no talent, he was nothing but a disappointment. A subject of fun and ridicule among the fellow nobles. Despite rebirth, nothing seems to change. The cursed fate. The distorted history smearing his name. A world that was against him. Leonard, now assuming the identity of Kael, let out a low chuckle. "Don’t worry, Kael. I will have revenge for both of us." "They called me heretic right? I will show them how a true fucking heretic acts.” Follow Kael's journey, as he fights against the fates and injustices to drag the ones ruling above.

All Ethien desired was a serene existence after enduring years of bloodshed. As the Duke who led the revolution, and dismantled the former empire, he had placed Prince Glenn Lancaster on the throne. Now, Ethien longed to marry, step away from politics, and enjoy a life of peace. However, Glenn had different plans. As the newly appointed Emperor, Glenn consistently rejected every marriage proposal directed at Ethien. Without any attempt at subtlety, he dismissed anyone who expressed interest in the Duke, making it his goal to remain close to Ethien. While Ethien fought to suppress feelings that should not have arisen, Glenn relentlessly pushed through every barrier. Their positions were meant to keep them apart, but for Glenn, it was merely another reason to claim Ethien as his own.

In the war-torn realm of Myrion, young Duke Malrik Valeborne chooses discipline over privilege. Armed with forbidden magic, celestial secrets, and the AI Xeroth, he dares to defy tradition and rewrite his destiny. Malrik will rise from his bloodline’s weakness to crush his enemies and build an empire. This is the rise of a true Sovereign—one who will break every chain.

Delia's life was a cruel reality: the neglected and abused illegitimate daughter of a noble family, the Ellington family, she yearned for the love of her stepmother, Baroness Augusta, and younger sister, Lady Anne, who relentlessly mistreated her. Her world crumbled when she discovered a double betrayal: her beloved husband, Lord George had secretly pined for Anne, marrying Delia only to be near her sister. Simultaneously, her step mother framed her for a crime Anne committed. Overwhelmed and heartbroken, Delia's attempt to escape a death sentence led to a fatal carriage accident. But death was not the end. Delia awoke one year in the past, finding herself still engaged to George. This was her second chance, and the naive girl was gone, replaced by a woman consumed by a burning desire for revenge. Her first target: Duke Eric Carson, the powerful and wealthy man her sister Anne desperately pursued. Delia boldly approached Eric with a proposition for a contract marriage. To her surprise, Eric agreed, but with a condition: their fake marriage would become real and they can go their separate way after a year, hiding his own secret agenda. Now, armed with Eric's unexpected devotion and his willingness to lay down his life for her, Delia meticulously begins to dismantle her family's world. With Eric's help, she exposes the secrets they hide, manipulates their desires, and turns them against each other, orchestrating George’s demotion, Anne's downfall and seizing everything her sister coveted, including Duke Eric love and obsession. Will Delia and Eric be able to conquer all odds to get what they want? What happens when Eric doesn’t want their contract marriage to end? What happens when the last petal of that indicates her second chance falls? ——————— EXCPRET “I can’t return your feelings, your grace,” Delia whispered, her back against the cool wall. “But I can,” Eric murmured, stepping closer. Delia’s voice trembled. “It’s not the same.” She choked out. “ No one can love me without hurting me.” “Then teach me,” he said, his breath warm on her cheek. “Teach me how to love you the way you deserve to be loved. I’m a quick study.” When she stayed silent, he sighed contentedly, a soft smile playing on his lips. “It’s alright. Just… use me. Anything you need. if you want money, ask the treasury, take as much money that’s needed. if you want power, use my name. if you want security and love, use my body.” His breath warmed her skin, his chest rose and fell with hers. "As long as it's from you, I'm happy."

Raised to be the perfect soldier for battle, Alexander had risen to be the youngest S rank Merc. After attaining the strength he so desired, his adoptive father forcefully made him leave the battlefield. Alex unwilling to acknowledge his retirement was given a mission by his adoptive father. "The mission objective is to find a girl in the public High School you'll be attending and protect her." A familiar story a different route. The first part of the story will be similar with some newly added scenes as well as different choices. Note: Reading this or Adopted Soldier first will not ruin the experience.

In every curse, there is a blessing. Zhanna came from a long line of cursed witches of which she was the last. Destined to die at twenty, she made the most of her short life. A princess. A wife. Ruler of two kingdoms. Life was perfect… until it wasn’t. Betrayed by the man she loved, humiliated, and murdered in cold blood, Zhanna’s fairytale ended in tragedy. But fate gave her another chance. Reborn in a new world, with no memory of her true identity, she swore to rewrite her destiny only to walk straight into chaos once again. Shura thought he was just a warrior. Rich, famous… but empty. When he took on a quest to kill the last witch alive and fulfill his mother’s dying wish, he never imagined he’d fall for the very woman fate meant him to destroy. Two strangers. One curse. A love that could doom them both. Are they really enemies… or something much more? --- Inspired by Miss_behaviour and thatamazinggirl’s The Cursed Prince's Strange bride

"You must never see the Duke's face. After her second husband's death, Liliette is forced into a third marriage by her father. Her new husband is rumored to be a monstrous warmonger, but to Liliette's surprise, the Duke turns out to be a kind man and husband. There's just one catch... she must never see his face."

I was adopted into a succubus mansion. Now, ten years later, I’ve finally become an adult. At last, I can savor them. A story that delves into the preferences of the succubus family. R18 | Harem | Succubus | PseudoIncest | MILF

> What happens when you lose your job, your girlfriend, and your dignity—all in one day? Chan Chen Lyan just turned thirty. Instead of celebrating, he finds himself jobless, heartbroken, and betrayed by those he trusted most. With nowhere to go and nothing left to lose, he drowns his sorrow in beer and isolation—until a spontaneous decision to build a gaming PC becomes the start of something unexpected. As he immerses himself in the fantasy world of Qing Emperor, his reality begins to blur. But when he collapses from exhaustion, the world he wakes up in… isn’t his own. Is this madness, a dream, or a second chance? A gripping blend of contemporary life, psychological struggle, and mysterious fantasy—A 30-Year-Old Uncle’s First Holiday is a raw and emotional journey about loss, escape, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world.

In a world drowning in corruption and creeping madness, Kaisel de Ravengard, the cunning Duke of a once-great Duchy now in decline, hides his true intentions behind a mask of nobility. Haunted by his mother’s murder and the shadow of his family’s downfall, Kaisel wields forbidden magic and the power of the Seven Sins to unravel dark secrets buried deep within the Empire’s rotten core.As he unravels layers of conspiracy and deceit, uncovering mysteries and hidden truths, Kaisel carves a path of destruction through the corrupted aristocracy. Navigating a dangerous world where loyalty is scarce, every revelation threatens to pull him deeper into darkness in his relentless pursuit of vengeance and ultimate dominance. In a land where darkness festers beneath the surface, Kaisel’s rise threatens to unleash chaos and reshape the Empire forever.

Born into shame and shadow, Rael Nightbane was the son of a slave girl—forced and discarded by the arrogant young master of the prestigious Nightbane Clan. Marked from birth as a stain on the clan’s honor, Rael endured a life of scorn and cruelty. On the sacred day of Talent Awakening, his humiliation was complete: the revered 12-ring column failed to shine even the faintest light for him. Power is everything in Rael’s world, and to be talentless is to be nothing. Branded as worthless, his existence became unbearable. But when his twisted stepbrothers conspired to end his life—casting him into a deadly river to be devoured by water beasts—fate intervened. At the river’s dark bottom, a mysterious black hole beckoned. As it tried to consume him, something ancient stirred within Rael’s bloodline. Instead of death, he found rebirth. The void awakened a power long buried in his veins. Dark matter surged into him, merging with his soul. From that abyss, Rael rose—no longer a powerless outcast, but a harbinger of vengeance, shrouded in shadows. His true inheritance had awakened, and it was darker—and more powerful—than anyone could have imagined. Now, as the Duke of Darkness, he returns not just to survive, but to dominate. Those who mocked him will beg for mercy. Those who hurt his mother will wish they’d never been born. And the Nightbane Clan? They will remember his name—for they are first in line to suffer his wrath.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be known that this book wouldn't have made it this far without the support my dear writing buddy Rachel E. Canton who is a great writer of SINS OF THE SERAPHIM - https://www.webnovel.com/book/sins-of-the-seraphim_26438336605116805 and Derek J. Perna To Rachel & Derek, Thank you for everything! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When the last heir of Ardel lost everything, fate would bring her to her rightful protector. Anna Adhemar, the forgotten princess, found herself betrayed by the Regent. Hunted by the Bargesians and the ruthless slave traders, she desperately fled for her life. Rescued by a mysterious man, her newfound safety was short-lived as she succumbed to a potent aphrodisiac. Then, she awoke in the arms of the fearsome Knight Commander of Gerhard, stripped bare, in a foreign kingdom. Fear, confusion, and a sense of profound devastation enveloped her. But the man before her declared, "I am your husband. I married you last night." Then, with unwavering determination, he vowed, " You're my woman now. No one can hurt my woman." --- Kyren Raychard, the Crown Prince who had chosen to forsake the throne and become celibate, led the Knights of Gerhard to safeguard his kingdom’s border from slave trading activities. Outside his camp, he found Anna poisoned and delirious. The healer informed him of the only cure, of which he must race against time to give and honour her. For the first time, he felt an overwhelming instinct to protect and claim her as his own. Unaware of his deepening affection, he belatedly realised his feelings as he stood on the brink of losing her. Bound by a soul-binding spell, their fates intertwined…

Lysandra finds herself in an arranged marriage to the one noble everyone hates within the Empire. Is his reputation really as deadly as they say? ~~~ Uploads every wednesday on 9PM (CEST) I cross upload on wattpad & webnovel.

In the quiet town of Berryville, a chilling presence lurks in the shadows. A cunning serial killer is on the loose, leaving a trail of terror and death in his wake. But his twisted game doesn’t end with the murders. He taunts the police, calling them with cryptic messages and tormenting them with details of his latest victims.

This book’s full title is: “Murderous AI: That Time I Got Kidnapped to the Future and My Suit Solves Everything With Explosions” Christopher “Chris” Cross never expected much from his night out in Chicago—until he picked up a pair of sleek, high-tech sunglasses in an old gaming lounge. One bad decision later, he finds himself kidnapped into the distant future, permanently bonded to a sentient A.I. battle suit with an unhealthy obsession with destruction. Now stranded in a world where humanity rules the stars, corporate-backed militaries wage endless wars, and advanced technology is as dangerous as the people who wield it, Chris has a few pressing concerns: • He has no way back home, and his new A.I. co-pilot thinks ‘diplomacy’ is just another word for ‘missile strike’. • The suit he’s wearing is an outdated experimental relic, but somehow, it’s more advanced than anything in this era. • R.A.G.E. wants to solve every problem with overwhelming firepower and keeps offering unsolicited ‘explosion-based’ solutions to everyday situations. • By sheer accident, Chris prevents the assassination of a high-ranking military official, putting himself on the radar of powerful factions—and making enemies he didn’t ask for. With shadowy organizations watching him, dangerous figures hunting him, and an A.I. constantly trying to escalate every situation into a full-scale war, Chris has no choice but to adapt—or die trying. But in a galaxy where power determines survival, he’s quickly learning that controlling R.A.G.E. isn’t just about keeping himself alive. It might just decide the future itself. *** This work will be participating in the 2025 Spirity Awards. Upload schedule: Every Tuesday and Wednesday with a minimum of 4ch/week (I’m a working man. My apologies, readers.) 500 Power Stones/week= 1 extra chp every week for the first three months. First 20 reviews = 1 extra chapter a week for the month. Every 50 golden tickets gifted (when contracted) will unlock a chapter designated at 1 coin for the first three months after being contracted and going premium. (Applies to privilege as well.) That is all. Thank you for reading and don’t forget to add to your library and comment while reading. It motivates me.

At day, he is the respectful, charming and simple Duke of Belmont. At night, he is a ruthless and deadly vampire, a threat to the society. And, pretty but, naive Ember Hall, had managed to capture his heart. However, she was unaware of the doom that accompanied capturing the heart of the Duke Dallas. For all she knew, he was the charming, respectful Duke. But, oh how was she so wrong! He was the total opposite of everything he feigned to be. Dallas is danger. He breathes danger. Speaks danger. Every word from his lips is a promise of danger. And, when the weary sun retires into the depth of the sky at night, immediately replaced by the bright moon, Dallas eyes blares a daring red, his teeth grows it fangs and ruthlessly, he devours like a starving predator. And, he won't stop until he is soaked in blood. ~ And, dead in the eyes, he looked at me. “Yes, I'm the devil. I thirst for blood and no matter how much you run, I will always find you. You can't escape me, Ember. I'm yours, forever. Till death do us path.” He whispered, brushing a kiss on her quivering lips.

When Alaric first awoke after a long slumber, longer than he could remember, he was no longer in his own body but in the body of a fifteen-year-old. What was worse was that he couldn't remember anything about his old life, but the mysteries didn't end there. What he could remember was a book he once read, his name, Alaric, and that he shared it with the body he had awoken in. How did he know that? Well... it belonged to a character in that book of course, Alaric Astraeus son of Duke Astraeus. *New cover Page* Updates will be any time between [1800]hrs to [2100]hrs (UTC).

> "What if you woke up with no name, no memory—and a voice in your head whispering that you killed someone?" A man wakes up in a decaying apartment with no identity and no face in the mirror. His throat burns like it’s been strangled, and the only clue to who he is lies in a half-burnt photograph of a woman he doesn't recognize. Scrawled on the back are five chilling words: "You chose to forget her." As he wanders through a rain-soaked city twisted by shadows, strangers call him by different names. Some fear him. Others pity him. But no one knows the truth—not even him. Haunted by hallucinations, fragmented dreams, and the constant pressure of a hand he cannot see on his throat, he begins to unravel a trail of clues that lead to a murder... and possibly a version of himself he doesn't want to meet. Is he a killer running from guilt—or a pawn in someone else’s game of revenge and memory? In a city where mirrors lie and the past rewrites itself, uncovering the truth may cost him more than his mind.

[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."

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Inspired by (an actual book) A Murder Most Unladylike series. It was raining... Murder happened. The victim was alive when we saw her on the P.E field. We asked a few questions. She didn't know who killed her, she didn't see. She was stabbed from the back. There was nobody. She saw blonde hair. There are many people with blond hair. Maya, my best friend, but she was with me.... Michelle Rosestreet. Ms. Anderson and more.... She made it alive at the hospital. But couldn't remember a thing, including us asking questions. That's good. Nobody would know we were solving who the murderer was. It was summer school and only a week has passed by when the murder happened. We had less than four months to solve this biggest and first ever case. Welcome to Emily Rosewood and Maya Summers' mystery.

A tale of forbidden love, lost royalty, and awakening power. Raised in silence and treated like a servant, Seraphine, the adopted daughter of House Delacroix, never expected to catch the eye of the cold and feared Duke Alaric of Ravenshade. But when he defies nobility and chooses her as his bride, Seraphine is thrust into a world of ancient bloodlines and dangerous secrets. Haunted by his past and drawn to the mysterious Seraphine, Alaric begins to suspect there's more to her than meets the eye. When fate unravels and blood is shed, a hidden truth is revealed—Seraphine is no ordinary girl. She is Elira, the lost heir the Council vowed to erase. Their love could destroy everything the Council controls. But together, they just might awaken the world.

The main character struggles for the first time and he struggles to get the job finished and almost fails in doing so. The end is yet to come but the main character hopes it is soon.

A mysterious young clockmaker wanders life, torn of duty, flashbacks of his murdered past and the search for true self as he inherits the family fortune from his father. A curious noble girl is desperate to break free of societies expectations and restraints, even dabbling in the dark arts to find her adventure amidst an oppressive empire. An experienced detective possessing magical abilities and secret knowledge is called to investigate the sudden death of Mr. Alaric, not realizing his dangerous acts with good intentions may get him persecuted. Can this unusual trio unravel a strange, complicated and dangerous murder case in the mythical world of Valor, concerning the very future of the glorious empire and world they grew up in?

Evelyn Ashcombe never imagined her future would be sealed with a single signature. Married off to the cold and unreachable Duke of Wycliffe, a man as powerful as he is distant. Trapped in a grand and lonely manor, surrounded by watchful eyes and secrets, she prepares to endure a life of duty and silence. But behind Nathaniel's icy exterior lies a man burdened by scars, shadows, and a heart he's long since locked away. When circumstances begin to draw them closer, stolen glances turn to lingering touches, and Evelyn starts to uncover the passion hidden beneath the Duke’s armor. As political storms rage in the capital, and the court begins to unravel with betrayal and unrest, the quiet walls of Wycliffe become a battleground of their own where desire wars with pride, and love must grow in the cracks of power and expectation. Bound by marriage, drawn by fate, can two strangers overcome the ghosts of their pasts and the enemies at their gates, to find something real between them?

> "I was just a side character in this story. But if I'm given a second chance... then that tragic ending will never happen again." Alexamysa Zevarelis wakes up not as her real-world self—but as the youngest daughter of the strongest Duke family in the Kingdom of Solveria. Beautiful, elegant, and heir to the power of Water and Ice, she was nothing more than a background character in the novel she once read… a girl who died young saving the Crown Prince—and was quickly forgotten. But now, Alexa takes over that life. With three overprotective older brothers, unmatched social status, and pure noble magic running through her veins, Alexa is determined to rewrite her fate. She refuses to be remembered only for her sacrifice. She will carve her own legacy. But when Crown Prince Thalionric Arelthia begins showing an interest that never existed in the original story, Alexa realizes: this world may be far more dangerous—and far more personal—than she ever imagined. > In a world where blood determines power, and love can be a fatal weakness… Can Alexa survive as the Silver Rose that no flame can melt?

At just five years old, Kisimoto Sasukan was thrust into a nightmare when a tragic water-related accident claimed his father's life. Left alone in a whirlwind of confusion and grief, he found himself in the hands of a reporter seeking a heartbreaking interview. The vulnerability of his small frame contrasted sharply with the daunting questions of the adult world around him, until his desperate mother and sister finally burst through the chaos, their faces etched with worry and sorrow. As the years rolled by, the shadows of their past loomed larger, and at the age of twenty-three, Kisimoto and his family became victims of a sinister and elusive NGO. Snatched from their lives, they were thrust into a dark reality where they were held hostage, mere pawns in a game cloaked in secrecy. The menacing threats of execution were delivered with cold precision, but the true horrors lay in the inhumane experiments that turned their bodies into grotesque test subjects. Surrounded by forty others from distant corners of the globe, their humanity was stripped away, reduced to mere data points in a twisted scientific narrative. Then, in an act of sheer will and desperation, Kisimoto achieved the extraordinary—he escaped, dragging his mother and sister into the light of freedom. Yet, the scars left by the torment were far deeper than he had anticipated. As the relentless search for the vanished subjects intensified across various networks, Kisimoto stumbled upon a chilling revelation. He realized he had changed beyond comprehension. He felt different… And he was resolved to break free from their sinister grasp. The search for truth was only beginning. [EDIT: SORRY! IT HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED ON WEBNOVEL! WE WILL SOON UPDATE YOU WITH OTHER COMPLIANT PLATFORMS! For now, it is available at KukuFM!]