THORNS OF FATE

Nancy Carter, a determined and kind-hearted college student, juggles multiple part-time jobs just to support her ailing father and her tuition. She's not rich, she's not famous, but she's a fighter. Her dream is simple—graduate, get a stable job, and give her family the life they deserve. Adrian Blackwood is a ruthless billionaire CEO, known for building a global empire before the age of 30. He’s powerful, cold, calculated—and never lets anyone get close, except Lily, the love of his life who recently left him to chase her dreams abroad. Adrian doesn’t believe in marriage, but his iron-willed grandmother gives him an ultimatum: marry before she dies, or lose the inheritance of the Blackwood legacy. To keep his empire intact and buy time until Lily returns, Adrian agrees to a contract marriage—with a girl his grandmother picks at random: Nancy. They’re polar opposites. Nancy hates everything Adrian stands for—his arrogance, his cruelty, his controlling nature. He sees her as a burden, a temporary placeholder, a nobody who doesn’t belong in his world. But Nancy isn’t weak. She refuses to be just a name on a contract. Living under the same roof, sparks fly—sometimes out of anger, sometimes from something deeper neither of them wants to admit. Adrian tries to punish her for existing in Lily’s place. Nancy fights back, challenging him at every turn. But as secrets are exposed, as past wounds resurface, and as they begin to truly see each other, hatred starts to turn into something much more dangerous: passion. And when Lily unexpectedly returns, Adrian must choose between the woman he once loved… and the wife he never wanted but now can't let go. Key Themes: Enemies to Lovers: Constant tension, insults, silent stares, slow-burn connection. Revenge: Adrian tries to make Nancy suffer for what he believes is her manipulation—but she’s innocent. Passion: Unexpected chemistry, longing glances, stolen moments. Class Divide: Nancy fights to prove she’s more than just “the poor girl.” Growth: Adrian begins to shed his walls, and Nancy finds strength she didn’t know she had.