When a marriage is the only option left for Alexandro Rodrigo to gain custody of his son, he presents a deal to Aurora Dobre; a broke writer trying to keep a roof over her head in the large city of New York, with one important rule, she disappears after 2 years. But things take a unique turn when the years draw closer, and too much has already gone on for either of them to leave. However a threat to her life and that of the people that she holds close to her heart, forces Aurora to make a choice.
AURORA'S PoV
I chewed slowly at my finger nails while my legs kept bouncing of its own accord while I waited for the assistant to usher me in. I've been here for what feels like hours but actually was just a few minutes. Being here does that to you.
My eyes roamed around the hallway again and I swallowed hard. Each time I let my eyes wander and take in my environment, I make myself even smaller on my chair. The hallway was twice the size of the apartment I could barely afford the rent to, the realization of my predicament washed over me and I bit down hard on my bottom lips.
I was one of those people that never really has a plan for themselves, and just let love and their passions take them to wherever, and while I'd seen it work out for some, it led me into piles and piles of debt, is about to make me homeless, and somehow has made me a fraud, and if this goes well, I might as well have duped the richest CEO in New York.
"Miss Aurora Dobre" a tight high-pitched voice called out, and I immediately sprang to my feet.
"Yes?" My voice came out squeaky and I hated it.
"You can go in now, Mr Rodrigo is ready to see you" The sleek back haired girl, with lips as red as blood said, pointing towards a door. I immediately nodded and walked up to the door.
I grabbed the handle and took a deep breath before I knocked and walked right in. "Good day, Mr Rodrigo" I greeted without looking up from the floor, afraid to realize how small and insignificant I would seem in the room, and most importantly, I was scared to look into the eyes of the man I'm about to lie to.
"Miss Dobre" His rich baritone called out, and my stomach knotted painfully. "Are you greeting me or the floor?" He asked and I immediately rose my head.
"You, sir." I finally dared to look at him, and I was not in the least bit surprised at the Greek god that stared back at me. His hazel eyes looked daunting as they stared at me, and I guess that's why my heart wouldn't stop thumping.
"Take a seat" I dragged my feet to the chair and sat down.
Silence immediately shrouded the room, and while I did everything possible to avoid looking at him, I could feel his gaze boring into me.
"For someone that works with children and has been to quite a number of interviews, you are rather awkward."
"Well..." I started, trying to find the right words to say. "Well..." I dragged my head up, careful to avoid his gaze as I spoke, "I've been to a number of interviews but not to one this big, so.. yeah, and working with children and adults are two different things"
"Fair point" he said and I gave myself a pat on the back. "Let's get down to business then, shall we?"
I bobbed my head immediately, eager to end the meeting as quick as possible.
"Miss Dobre, I understand that you are an excellent babysitter from your profile, and I guess you believe you already know why I called you here, right?" I nodded and he tsked. "Use your words, Miss Dobre"
"Yes sir, I have a guess as to why you requested for me"
"Good, I have a job offer for you." I immediately gulped as the realization of what I was about to do set in. The richest CEO in New York was about to offer me a job, a job I had very little experience in. I swallowed hard and contemplated on backing out.
I could stay with a friend for a while, sleeping in the streets doesn't sound as bad as what would happen to me if he finds out I lied about my experience.
"The job offer comes with a pay of $50,000 per month, of course your living expenses and other necessities excluded." I felt myself freeze on the chair.
"Just to babysit your child?" I asked when I got my voice back, and he let out a laugh.
"No, not really" I raised a brow, and he placed two envelopes before me. "I want you to be my pretend wife for 2 years, babysitting is of course an important part of the job"
"What?"
"You heard me, Miss Dobre. I'm offering you a job as my pretend wife for 2 years. Terms and conditions apply of course"
"I'm sorry, Mr Rodrigo, but I'm confused. Why exactly are you offering me this?"
He pretends to think for a while before he shrugged, "I need a wife to gain custody of my child. I'm sure you have seen the news about the charge" I absolutely have not, I've been too busy trying to keep a roof over my head to care about celebrity gossips. "And your profile is something that will buy the court. Does that answer your question?"
I stiffly bobbed my head. "Good, so what is your answer?"
I took a very long and dragging breath before I met his gaze. It all sounds too good to be true. "Can I take some time to think about this?"
"No." I drew back in surprise. "There are two envelopes before you, one contains the contract, the other NDA form. You'll sign the form either ways to ensure what happens here stays here, but you have to decide now if you're going to sign both contracts or not. My time is ticking and the day for the trial is drawing closer, I do not have the time to give you to think, Miss Dobre, you are either in or out"
Lowering my gaze, I intertwined my fingers and began fiddling with them as I let myself weigh my options. Finally, I looked at him. "I accept"
For the first time since I walked in, what appeared to be a smile spread on his face and he passed me a pen. "Good choice. Read through the contract and engrave the rules into your head. You have 30 minutes to do so because we have a long day ahead of us."
Right as I was about to probe him about his statement, the door creaked open and a young boy of about 8 walked into the office with his backpack. He bore an uncanny resemblance to Mr Rodrigo, and i had no doubt he was the one his father was doing all this for.
He ran up to his father and quickly latched unto his laps, and after exchanging warm pleasantries he turned to me, and our eyes widened simultaneously and we quickly pointed at each other, while our voices echoed, "You!"
Kiara Sorde, is betrayed by her mate and Gamma's son, Kristen, when he strips her of her position and makes her a rogue, subjecting her to a cruel fate without a pack's protection. But the moon goddess offers her a second chance through Alpha Devon, a feared alpha and the leader of Akira Pack, the leading pack in the werewolf community. Kiara is however scarred and will only agree to the union on one condition, and Alpha Devon isn't one to be given conditions.
After being betrayed and exploited by her ex-husband, Jenna is left helpless and thirsty for revenge. She however stumbles upon Xavier, the richest man in the state, and In a bold move, she offers to buy him and his services for a year. Intrigued by the strange woman's boldness, Xavier agrees to her deal, but in exchange, he wants her to be his bride instead. Blinded by the need for revenge, she agrees, but little did she know she had walked into a trap laid by the devil.
After her sister ran away, Lily Morgan is set up as a replacement and is married off to Asher Allard to be a token of a successful contract. Blinded by her love for him, she goes through 5 years of an unrequited love marriage, where she is as good as invisible to her husband. However, her sister returns 5 years later, hooked to the arms of the man she has loved by the side for years, this breaks her heart and forces to accept the truth she has long denied. She serves him divorce papers, and only then does Asher realize he wants her to remain by his side forever. He blackmails her with the marriage contract she signed, and demands she stays for one more year as stated in the contract. Lily's heart runs cold at the selfishness of his actions, and she gives in with the intentions of making him pay, but he is determined to find a way to keep her beside him forever. Will Asher Allard, a billionaire known to be capable of anything be successful in warming up the icy heart of the woman who once loved him?
Signing her life away for her goals seemed easy at first for Sophia Crux, but she soon gets entangled in a web of complications, and as unwanted feelings start arising for a man meant to be nothing but a step closer to her goals, she has to find a way out. But things take a turn when Alexander Black refuses to let her go.
In a world of werewolves, where Alphas marry into Alpha families to form alliances and grow their strength, Annha Selene has to shove her feelings aside and get married to a Beta, Drystan, after being rejected by his Alpha,just for the sake of her pack. But she soon begins to question her choice when realizes she got married to an unusual Werewolf. A breed that even the werewolves call a beast. In her quest of accepting her new fate and falling in love, she discovers tales and secrets she never thought existed.
Zale Harris, the inscrutable and powerful CEO of the Harris empire is put in a state of crisis when he was told he had only one year left to live. Determined to have an heir to his empire and fulfil his parents' wish of having a grandchild, he sets out in the search of a bride. But his motives take a different turn when his Ex, Aria Smith, shows up to the interview with a child in her arms. Stuck between fulfilling his dying wishes and getting the answers to the question he's held inside him for years, he eembarks on a marriage of many possibilities with his EX..
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"
Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
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."