Nothing can be compared to the feeling of being hated and despised by the very person you love. Ayla would do anything to make CEO Jaxon love her and change his opinion about her but nothing seemed to change him. Forced to perform her wifely duties even though he didn't love her, Ayla was getting fed up of lying to herself that she could change him and that he would love her if she kept trying. " I can't do this anymore," she cried silently as she rubbed the bump on her stomach. She knew she had reached her limits when she became pregnant with his children, that only meant their divorce was around the corner. Choosing not to be dumped and separated from her children, she flees to give them a better life while doing the thing she loves most. She was no longer going to sacrifice her life to please anyone else, only then does the stern CEO realize the value of what he had lost. Now, he has to win her back.
I walked through the long corridor of the hospital, my steps tired, my shoulders were drooped in exhaustion and my face held worry unconcealed. I hated hospitals but I had to be here, for her sake. She was family. My family and a little girl. She did not deserve to be alone.
I had just returned from work and had come down here as soon as I had finished for the day. I opened the door to the room she was put in, I watched her small frame lying on the bed, ridden by tubes and IVs.
Oh, Hailey. Tears blurred my vision.
I walked quietly and took my position by her side, holding her still hands. "Hello, Hailey."
The steady beeping of her heart was the only response I got. The evidence that she was still alive. Barely.
My eyes trailed the lines of transparent wires infused into her skin, the liquid treatment trickling from the bag that held the drug into her veins. "Please find a way to fight this, Hailey. Please come back to us alive. Come back to me alive."
I paused to comport myself, I did not want her to hear the tears. The doctor had said she could hear us but she was unable to respond. I wiped my eyes. "I miss you, Hailey." I whispered, gently caressing her hair, careful not to upset the position she'd been put in. "You're strong, Hailey. You can fight through this. Please, fight through, okay?"
I leaned in to place a kiss on her right brow, a shaky, watery smile leaving my lips as I remembered how sweet she used to be. Oh God, let her survive this. She was too young to be going through this pain.
The door opened' I cast my eyes to see who had come in. It was the doctor. Sitting up straight and fully giving him my attention, I waited with bated breath for him to give me any kind of update concerning her health status.
"Good evening, doctor." I mustered a confident smile to outweigh the fear that was choking my insides.
"Good day, Ayla." He responded with a professional smile of his.
"Uhm.." I glanced at Hailey, and stared back at him. "H-how is she?"
"Still the same."
I could not continue the smile, it turned pallid instantly. Still the same. No improvement, and I could guess why. "Is it because of the surgery, doctor?"
"Yes, Ayla. She needs the surgery as soon as possible. Also, her bills are increasing. We will need some deposit to continue to keep her here, Ayla."
Some deposit. My heart dropped from its natural position to my stomach. I was fraught with nerves and fear. I did not have the money.
"Okay doctor. I'll try to get some."
He nodded, checked Hailey's vitals and left the room. After he was gone, I sighed and slumped on the chair. I took her small hands. "I'll make sure nothing happens to you, okay? Just please, try to fight. Don't let it win." I stood up after gently placing her hand back on the bed beside her. "I'll be back." I gave her a small kiss on her cheek and left the room in tears.
By the time I got home, I was dead tired. I walked into the living room to see my aunt and uncle, they were my foster parents too and Hailey's biological parents, coming down the stairs laughing and being all merry, anger and disbelief trembled my exhausted frame. The irresponsibility of these people!
"Good evening." I greeted them.
"Evening Ayla." My aunt greeted.
"Anything the matter?" My uncle who had noticed my sour feature asked.
"Where are you going all dressed?" I asked.
"And who fed you doses of audacity?" My aunt eyed me in annoyance.
"This is not about the issue of being audacious. Your daughter is in the hospital, does that not mean anything to you?" I was trying to control my anger. Even though they were not the nicest persons on earth, they had taken me in, they deserved some respect.
"And so? She's in the best medical hands, we're not doctors, Ayla." My uncle responded nonchalantly.
"Exactly." His wife supported.
My jaw dropped. Were these people for real?
"What are you both saying? Hailey is your daughter and she's just fourteen. Fourteen!" I emphasized, in case they had forgotten.
"Your point is?" My aunt inquired, looking quite irritated.
"That girl needs you. She needs her parents." I could not believe they were saying this.
"But you always go to visit her." The tone in my uncle's voice was angry.
"Yes, I do. But the doctor said she needs to be spoken to, I can speak to her but she needs her parents." I insisted. I was getting aggravated by their I-don't-care attitude.
"We have somewhere to be, Ayla. Make sure to do the dishes and prepare dinner before we return."
I sighed. "The doctor said the bills are increasing, and the surgery needs to be done." It was futile trying to talk to both of them. If they would not see her, the least they could do was contribute financially to her medical bills.
"And where do you want us to get the money from, Ayla?" That question came from my aunt.
I could only stare at both of them in disbelief.
"So she should remain in that critical situation?" My voice broke, the image of Hailey lying on that bed looking so vulnerable flashed in my mind.
They exchanged stares. Then they looked at me, mischievous smiles playing on both their lips, I frowned, instantly suspicious.
"If you really love Hailey, you can help her." My aunt said.
"I don't understand. How do you mean?" Something told me I was not going to like what was coming.
"You can get married to CEO of XM company, I hear he's open to marriage."
"What?!" I knew of the CEO of XM company. Everyone knew the man, and the power and wealth his family wielded.
"Yes, Ayla. If you truly love Hailey and want to save her, please marry him." My aunt's face morphed into a placating one.
"No, I won't." I out rightly rejected. "I can not believe you two. I'd rather work to pay her medical bills." I spat and angrily stormed out of their sight.
Power, wealth, and control are the driving forces in Rasmus Dahlgren's world, but they are all powerless to stop his dying grandfather from giving him an Ultimatum: get married and have a child within a year, or else you will lose everything and I'll hand it over to your cousin. Rasmus makes a bargain with Natalie Sandstrom, a poor single mother, in an attempt to protect the family riches and inheritance. He proposed a one year agreement with Natalie, have one child, no affection and I'll give you financial security in return. Natalie accepts his proposal despite her secrets, a hidden past life and the fact that she is unable to conceive after Elliot's birth. Rasmus is pulled to Natalie and her son as their arrangement makes it difficult to distinguish between business and emotion. He never imagined that things could turn around so quickly. However, as the one year contract draws to a close a startling revelation surfaces: he finds out he is the father of her child from a forgotten one-night stand seven years ago. In order to recover the love he never believed he wanted, Rasmus must now face the mysteries and betrayals that tie them both before it's too late.
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
Life was a bed of roses for Debra, the daughter of Alpha. That was until she had a one-night stand with Caleb. She was sure he was her mate as determined by Moon Goddess. But this hateful man refused to accept her. Weeks passed before Debra discovered that she was pregnant. Her pregnancy brought shame to her and everyone she loved. Not only was she driven out, but her father was also hunted down by usurpers. Fortunately, she survived with the help of the mysterious Thorn Edge Pack. Five years passed and Debra didn't hear anything from Caleb. One day, their paths crossed again. They were both on the same mission—carrying out secret investigations in the dangerous Roz Town for the safety and posterity of their respective packs. Caleb was still cold toward her. But as time went on, he fell head over heels in love with her. He tried to make up for abandoning her, but Debra wasn't having any of it. She was hell-bent on hiding her daughter from him and also making a clean break. What did the future hold for the two as they journeyed in Roz Town? What kind of secrets would they find? Would Caleb win Debra's heart and get to know his lovely daughter? Find out!
Allison fell in love with Ethan Iversen, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Moonlight Crown pack. She always wanted him to notice her. Meanwhile, Ethan was an arrogant Alpha who thought a weak Omega could not be his companion. Ethan's cousin, Ryan Iversen, who came back from abroad and was the actual heir of the pack, never tried to get the position nor did he show any interest in it. He was a popular playboy Alpha but when he came back to the pack, one thing captured his eyes and that was Allison.
A twist of fate bound Allison to Derek in marriage-she, a powerful heiress with countless hidden identities; he, the city's most admired man, now lying silent in a coma. For three years, Allison used her unmatched medical skills to heal him, all while quietly falling in love. But when Derek's long-lost love returned from abroad, he handed Allison divorce papers without a second thought. Resolved to stop chasing shadows, Allison signed the papers and turned her back on love-rising to fame as a dazzling force in business, medicine, and more. Only when she stood high above the world did Derek finally see her worth. He knelt before her, eyes brimming with regret. "Will you take me back?" he whispered.
After two years of marriage, Kristian dropped a bombshell. "She's back. Let's get divorced. Name your price." Freya didn't argue. She just smiled and made her demands. "I want your most expensive supercar." "Okay." "The villa on the outskirts." "Sure." "And half of the billions we made together." Kristian froze. "Come again?" He thought she was ordinary—but Freya was the genius behind their fortune. And now that she'd gone, he'd do anything to win her back.
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."