Following the betrayal of her boyfriend and adoptive sister, Vanessa found herself pregnant without any knowledge of her baby's father. And five years later, she never deterred from her goal of finding her real parents. But her quest was interrupted when she met Alfred Whittaker, the president of G.I conglomerate and the most revered tycoon in the city. Not only did Alfred claim custody of her baby, but he also wanted her to marry him, to go against every logic she had ever constructed around herself. And as the path to achieving her dreams became narrower, she was left with no choice but to confront her fears; to marry Alfred. ~~~ As Vanessa navigates through life with Alfred, more contending forces stand in her way. What if the answer to her quest lies within his family? And what if those answers will the catalyst for the strength of their bond or its destruction?
~ At Silver Sky Hotel ~
The hotel stood in the heart of Sterling City, glowing with lights and sparkling with different decorations.
For tonight's celebration of the birthday party organized by Whittaker's household, the wealthiest family in town, the whole hotel was occupied by every socialite in the city.
Luxury cars streamed inside like flies, and huge banners of the birthday girl hung at every post of the hotel.
Inside the grandest hall of the hotel, Vanessa stood by a wide table that was full of various pastries.
With measured precision, she layered the cupcakes one after the other, forming a grand pyramid shape.
She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips as she go about her job with rapt attention, blocking out the chatters and laughter of the guests as the place bustled harmoniously.
Tonight, if Vanessa did her job perfectly, she could only imagine the amount of paycheck she would receive.
It would be double her lifetime savings, no, in fact, triple.
And that would make things easier for Vanessa.
With that money, she believed that the end to her years of search would finally come to an end.
As Vanessa carried on with her work, she couldn't help but have a lingering feeling in her heart that something was amiss.
However, she was determined to finish her job without any distractions, so she shoved the thought aside.
But the interruption was inevitable. Vanessa was just about to place the last cupcake on the pyramid when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"Oh, my goodness." She jumped and quickly caught the cupcake before it fell to the floor.
"Relax, Nessa." It was Drake, her best friend. "You've been working yourself out for three days straight. You have to get some rest, let me take over."
"I appreciate your kindness, Drake." Vanessa shook her head and picked up a tray filled with cupcakes to make another pyramid. "But nothing can go wrong, I have to make sure of it. And you see these people?" She lowered her voice and glanced at the crowd. "We have to make a good impression. Who knows? We might land a deal like this one."
Vanessa couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the message that she had been hired as a pastry chef for this birthday party.
It had been the talk of the town for some weeks now. And she decided to try her luck and applied for the job. And miraculously, she got a last-minute call three days ago that she had been hired. And Vanessa couldn't have been happier.
"Also, we can't afford to make any mistakes," she added.
Drake folded his hands across his chest and gave her a helpless look. "Don't you think you're taking this money-making thing too far?"
"Definitely not." Vanessa's tone was affirmative.
Drake sighed and shook his head at that.
"By the way..." She paused and straightened up all of a sudden. Her gaze swept across the crowd and her brows furrowed.
"Looking for something?" Drake's lips quirked up at the sides. He seemed to know what was going on in her mind even though Vanessa couldn't pinpoint that nagging feeling.
Vanessa nodded absentmindedly, then the realization dawned on her and her eyes flew wide. "Where is Mara?" Her eyes darted once more across the crowded room and she panicked.
No wonder she had that feeling that she had forgotten something.
"How should I know?" Drake shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. "She was here with you moments ago." He picked up a cupcake and munched at it. "She's probably somewhere in this grand hall making friends."
Drake's words only made Vanessa's worry increase. She dropped the tray and didn't stop looking around the place.
And confirming that her baby wasn't among the crowd, she grabbed her bag from a nearby chair.
"Shit! Don't just stand there." She snatched the cupcake from Drake's hand and dropped it. "Quick, let's search for her."
And she was off in a random direction before Drake could react.
~~~
In another hall inside the hotel...
It wasn't as big and crowded as the other hall.
Here, every bachelor and bachelorette in the social circle was present.
Although they were also here for the birthday party, as business multitudes, an occasion like this was an opportunity to mingle and make connections.
And as this party was hosted by the Whitakers family, even those that weren't invited had wriggled their way into this party, as this was one of the rare occasions they were likely to be acquainted with Alfred Whittaker, the most revered business tycoon in the circle.
Alfred sat on a couch, one arm sprayed across the headrest and he held a wine glass in his other hand.
His eyelids were half-closed and as he sipped his wine leisurely, no one dared to step near him, probably because of the dark aura emanating from him, or because of the two bulky guards standing by his sides. Or maybe because, just moments ago, one of the ladies who were brazen enough attempted to make a pass at him and got hauled out of the hall by his bodyguards as a result.
The people maintained their distance and only threw compliments at him from afar.
"Ah, Mr. Crawford, I heard you launched a silk factory some weeks back."
Two guys were standing not far from where Alfred sat, engaging in a conversation.
"Absolutely! I made sure it was all over the media," Mr. Crawford replied.
"But I heard you only produce a limited quantity of silk per day," said the other man. "Compared to the largest silk industry in town, I can tell you're lacking behind by thousands of miles."
"Of course." Mr. Crawford gave a dry laugh. "G.I industry is the largest producer of silk in the whole country, a lackey like me can only hold candles for them. Also, I don't think I am competent enough to handle such complex business, if only I could get a collaboration or something of sorts, I am sure it will bring immense benefits to both parties."
Married to the man who saved her life, Jessica paid him back with love and kindness. However, the return of his ex shattered the happiness she had managed to build in their home. One night, she caught her husband cheating on her with her best friend, Tania. He never loved her; his marriage to her was because of their one-night stand. Jessica wanted a divorce, but pregnancy kicked in. And when she returned to the city a few years later, Caspian was on his feet, begging her to help his company rise again. Would Jessica let go of the past and help him because of their son? She isn't the weak girl from a few years ago; she is now a powerful woman whom Caspian must bow down to.
Caught between a web of lies and deceit, Kiara found herself questioning her reality and everything around her. The man she loved not only abandoned her and her child, but she also found out that he had another family~ a more perfect family. For five years, he was the only man in her heart. After their wedding, she'd literally transformed herself into his slave with his happiness and satisfaction her only goal. Yet, her loyalty and love were repaid with betrayal, heartbreak, and rejection. Realizing that she wasted her love on the wrong person, Kiara changed her mission. She wasn't going to be the same weak and docile heiress whom everyone ordered around. She was the queen of the Storm Empire, and it just so happened that Killian Reid was going to bow at her feet someday.
Kimmy loved Harry with all her heart for many years, but he was always indifferent. She gave up everything – family, friends, career, and dignity in the hope that someday he would love her back. However, Harry cruelly rejected her when his first love returned. "I was with you because you look a bit like her," he said while leaving. Kimmy was just a substitute. Determined to move on, Kimmy left him. He thought he would be satisfied after her leaving, but he found that he missed her madly. After the rejection, fate brought them back together. When they met each other again, Harry found out Kimmy had a hidden identity. When a new man appeared in her life, he got jealous. To his astonishment, he realized that she was his first love all along. It was all a big misunderstanding. How could he get her back, and would she give him a second chance? Or would she choose the other man?
After being rejected by her mate, Aurora is given a second chance by the Moon Goddess. However, her new mate turns out to be Alpha Jordan of the Blossom Pack, who is rumored to have been denied a mate by the Moon Goddess due to his past deeds. Aurora is torn between accepting her fate and rejecting Alpha Jordan. But when a secret about her identity is revealed, which holds the key to redeeming the Alpha, she must decide whether to embrace her destiny or reject it. Will she choose to accept her fate and help the Alpha, or will she reject him and forge her own path?
On her 18th birthday, Lily’s dreams of love and acceptance is shattered when the Alpha she’s long admired rejects her due to her Omega status. Heartbroken and humiliated, Lily tries to move on, but her gaze still lingers on the Alpha. Just as she thinks all hope is lost, the identical twins sweep into her life, vying for her affection and attention. Torn between their charming advances and her lingering feelings for the Alpha, Lily must navigate a complicated web of love, loyalty, and family obligations. When her father forces her into an arranged marriage, Lily must make a choice: will she follow her heart and risk everything for the twins’ love, or will she conform to societal expectations and miss out on true love? Meanwhile, the Alpha begins to realize what he's lost, but will it be too late to win back Lily’s heart?
Everyone said Sophia was going to suck Caleb dry during their first months of marriage because their marriage was an hasty one. Caleb didn't believe in that as he was so in love with his woman. But few months later, The Document that held the secret to his Multi Million company went missing. Without hesitation, Caleb pointed an accusing finger at Sophia and forced her to sign a divorce paper. Two years later, Sophia is back to the city for the first time and Caleb went on his knees. Marry me again, Sophia?
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
Blinded in a crash, Cary was rejected by every socialite—except Evelina, who married him without hesitation. Three years later, he regained his sight and ended their marriage. "We’ve already lost so many years. I won’t let her waste another one on me." Evelina signed the divorce papers without a word. Everyone mocked her fall—until they discovered that the miracle doctor, jewelry mogul, stock genius, top hacker, and the President's true daughter… were all her. When Cary came crawling back, a ruthless tycoon had him kicked out. "She's my wife now. Get lost."