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"Let go, Jax. You're hurting me." His smile twists into a cruel smirk. "Oh, I'm hurting you? That's rich coming from you, angel. You think you can just waltz back in and expect me to fall at your feet?" His voice drips with venom. "Newsflash: you're under my authority now, and you'll do exactly as I say. Unless you'd rather kiss your salary goodbye." To save her dying mother and pay off her debts, Aurora reluctantly returns to the city she despises, only to find her ex-boyfriend as her new CEO- the guy she had rejected and left broken years ago. Now, as Jax wields his power over her, revenge becomes the only currency that matters. As their complicated past resurfaces, the lines between love and obsession blur, threatening to consume them both. Can their tangled hearts find forgiveness again, or will the lies and secrets of their past tear them apart forever? The ball is now in your court. Dive into this tense, dark romance between two former lovers as their story unfolds.
The night vanished in a flash, and before I knew it, morning had arrived. I swallowed a nervous gulp and adjusted myself calmly in one of the stylish armchairs in the reception area, waiting for the interview with the CEO of Pierce's Group, as requested in their email.
Although confused, I was the only one sitting there – I had expected to see others, maybe one or two other people who were also selected, since the email clearly stated "we" and not just me alone. But then, I shrugged it off.
The anxiety from the previous night resurfaced, and my hands clutched the documents tightly. I didn't plan for my nerves to rumble, but the nervousness eating away at me was so intense that I needed something to grip to avoid flipping out. I'd searched for the CEO of pierce group company but saw nothing but from the rumors, I heard he's the grandson of Leonard Pierce. I heard the grandson is so ruthless, a snub and cold.
I sighed again for the tenth time.
Time ticked by, and I used the opportunity to took in my surroundings. The Pierce's Group logo gleamed on the wall, and the spotless white tiles reflected the soft light. The air was quiet, almost eerily so, as if I was the only one there. I noticed the sophisticated decor – minimalist artwork, polished wood accents, and plush chairs that seemed to whisper luxury.
My eyes flickered to the few employees passing through, dressed in neat black suits, none of whom paid me attention. I felt out of place, questioning my reasons for being there.
Yet, my eyes lingered on the gleaming marble reception desk, where the receptionist, a young girl, maybe a year older than me, was sitting. Her fingers flew across her keyboard with precision. And I felt a flutter in my chest, my nerves getting the better of me. This was my first time stepping foot in such a renowned company, and I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement because I was selected and intimidation because of the luxurious atmosphere.
This company is among the best top companies in Boston and globally as well. So you see my reason for being nervous.
What if the CEO sees me and suddenly changes his mind? What if I don't fit into what they want?
A lot of doubts were fleeting in my head – a lot of what-ifs, tugging at me hard. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves as I waited for my name to be called.
I needed that salary more than anything else.
My phone beeped with a notification, and I removed my hand from the documents to retrieve it from my bag. My hand was trembling, and the ringing seemed to draw the receptionist's attention. She spared me a quick glance and focused back on her work, acting like I was an invisible breeze.
I managed to open the phone to see Emme's message: "Are you done with the interview? Ave... sorry it's coming late, work has been damn tight. I'll come see you once I close up, and ah, remember to gist on how hot the CEO of Pierce's Group looks. I heard he's so charming."
Gross!
I rolled my eyes and slid the phone back into my bag. Emme could be crazy at times, but she and Dex were the only two people I talked to since I arrived in this city.
I checked my wristwatch again, and frustration surged through me. It was already 9 o'clock. Were they intentionally ignoring me? Or was that how they operated?
Didn't she know I had an interview with their CEO?
I stood up and strode toward her, my finger tapping on the marble desk to grab her attention. She lifted her head, frowning upon seeing me. Again, I shrugged it off.
"I was emailed to come meet with the CEO of Pierce's Group today, this morning at 8 o'clock, and it's 9 o'clock now," I said, repeating almost what I said earlier when I came here this morning.
She eyed me up and down, scowling. I watched her dial a number and press the phone to her ear, her eyes giving me disgusted vibes. It seemed I had suddenly gotten myself a hater without doing much.
"Good morning. Someone is here to meet the boss," she said to whoever was on the other side of the phone, her eyes still eyeing me.
"Name?"
"Aurora Avery Brooks," I answered politely. She grimaced and mumbled the name to the person, then replied, "Okay," and ended the call.
She turned to face me, her face scrunched up as if my presence was disturbing her. "Follow your right, then take the first elevator to the third floor. You'll meet a man, Mr. Liam. He'll direct you to the CEO's office," she said in a dismissive tone.
"Thank you," I said and walked away in the direction she had given.
My heart picked up another racing beat at the mention of the CEO's office. I did as she instructed, and as soon as the elevator opened, I was greeted by a warm smile. It was a young man, probably in his early thirties, clad in a sleek black suit. He had brown messy hair, and the way he smiled at me made my knees weak.
He was handsome.
"Hi, I'm guessing you're Aurora Brooks," he said. I nodded. "Okay. I'm Liam Reynolds." Before I could speak, he beat me to it. "Hurry, Mr. Gray is waiting in his office.
I gulped with a nod, allowing him to lead the way. Soon, we stopped in front of a black glass door. Liam knocked twice, and a deep husky voice echoed from inside. "Come in."
The echo of the voice sent a thrill of electric shock down my spine. There was something familiar about that voice, like I had heard it somewhere before.
Liam pushed the door open and shifted for me to walk in. I pushed away the confused thoughts and entered. He closed the door gently behind him and motioned for me to step further in. I did, and in front of a wall-to-ceiling window was a huge, muscular, tall man with curly short jet-black hair.
He had his back to us, and again, the hairstyle seemed familiar, reminding me of someone special.
Now, my heart was drumming faster.
Liam stopped inches from his desk and bowed slightly. "Mr. Gray, she is here."
And slowly, the man started turning around. I could feel my body trembling slightly, unsure if it was due to anxiety or something else. But as the man fully faced me, I went completely numb.
Blood drained off my face. Those piercing green eyes locked onto mine, and I gasped in disbelief. My legs trembled, staggering me back a bit.
In front of me, clad in a sleek suit, looking rich and sophisticated, was none other than my ex-lover, boyfriend... Jaxson!
The man I thought I would never see again.
I quickly snapped my head up, my swollen eyes gawked at him, "She.... Is Harper pregnant?" I asked in disbelief. Where did I go wrong? "Yes, you heard it, right." A small satisfying smile curled up on his lips. "She did something you couldn't boast of since our seven years of marriage." ** *** After Logan Winston slept with Victoria's step-sister, Harper, and divorced her. Victoria left in pain, hiding her pregnancy. She traveled to Seoul to start from scratch. Seven years later, she returns to the country with a little boy for business reasons but this time she is no longer the naive, desperate pathetic ugly wife of Logan Winston. Now, she is a beautiful, wealthy, and successful woman. The son looks exactly like Logan. And for the first time after years, Logan's heart beats again after seeing her. He wants a second chance; a chance to fix everything but Victoria is no longer the same woman again. This time she vowed to make the Winston family pay for the pain they caused her years back. But her son wants a father figure in his life. Do you think she will ever give Logan a second chance and bring down the cold walls she had built around her? But what will happen now that Logan's mother wants Harper for him? Do you think Harper will stay put and watch the two lovers rekindle back again without a fight? The ball is now in your court, please read to find out what happens next.
**This book contains a trigger warning. Mention about rape and torture in this book. Please read with caution** "Our marriage is nothing but a deal," he said looking at the girl, her green eyes met his cold silver eye, and both of them glared at each other. "For any rules you break, I will claim any part of your body," his gaze grew dangerously darker at his word. Ashley Harlow was at the top of the world, living the perfect and luxurious lifestyle as the legitimate daughter of the well-known Daniel Harlow. But sadly, a one-night stand put an end to that and brought her life upside down and that of her family's name to the ground. To restore his family's reputation, she was forced into marrying Damien Albrecht, a young, ruthless, obnoxious, brutal billionaire and the head of a mafia gang in exchange for her father's company.
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”
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.
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.
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?"
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.
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?