Literary Fiction
The Bargain
2026·339 pages
Steamy fake-dating dark academia romance: elite rich girl bargains with a ruthless outsider to save her brothers.
Owned
Owned
Steamy fake-dating dark academia romance: elite rich girl bargains with a ruthless outsider to save her brothers.
About
Details
Desdemona Sutton-Knight has spent her life being perfect.
The perfect daughter. The perfect sister. The perfect student.
Her final year at Spearcrest Academy was supposed to be perfect, too. But when her brothers make a mistake that could destroy their futures, Desdemona knows it's her duty to protect them. And to protect them, she needs a scapegoat.
Someone expendable.
Someone ruthless.
Someone willing to do anything—for the right price.
Elias Lennox has nothing to lose.
He has no mone...
What's Inside
will contain mild spoilers
Sexual content
AI
Steamy on-page intimacy; angsty fake-dating central romance
Violence & gore
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No evidence found in available sources
Profanity
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Strong language expected in steamy new adult romance
Substance use
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No evidence found in available sources
LGBTQ+ Rep.
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No evidence found in available sources
Religious content
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No evidence found in available sources
Magic & witchcraft
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No fantasy magic present
Occult / demonology
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No occult or demonology content present
Political content
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Class tension between wealthy elite and outsider student
Self-harm / suicide
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No evidence found in available sources
Abuse & suffering
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Coercive bargain and power imbalance; crime scapegoat plot
Other
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No information found