With a fire at home that killed her mother, Maryanne found herself thrown into a highly conniving life. Her fiance had joined forces with her best friend and she was not sure if they were simply after her wealth or life. Will she survive or lose everything that her family owned? Who is behind the fire? Who can she trust? Where did her brother Drew disappear to? Is he alive or dead?
Maryanne's thoughts were still in shambles following the hair-raising ordeal she had been through in the past 36 hours. In fact, she would not wish it even for her worst and sworn enemy. To bring you up to speed, Maryanne had lost her mother to a fire whose start is still a mystery not just to the firemen that helped put it out but also to the investigators on the case.
Secondly, her lingerie and cloth retailing business had gone under after the stock prices took a dive in a span of less than 24 hours following the fire. On top of these, Maryanne had been kidnapped, starved and tortured till she could no longer feel the pain. Or did her veins numb? Or was it the pain receptors? In short, her brain no longer bothered to register any more pain administered to her.
Maryanne had escaped from her captors by jumping down two floors through a bathroom window. Luckily, she did not fracture any bones and was capable of finding her way home. At the moment, she did not have time to think who was behind her tonne of misfortunes.
As a matter of fact, Maryanne imagined stopping to think things through might increase the number of unfortunate events likely to happen to her. The only thing she knew was that she had to move fast. Or else, her captors would locate her. And this time round,Maryanne knew she would surely die.
Maryanne did not have the courage to look at herself in the mirror. She was dead sure her face was thoroughly disfigured from the thorough beating she had received earlier. Even there was some blood that had dried near her lips.
Maryanne knew that confirming her face was thoroughly disfigured and her eyes swollen to the point of squinting would definitely dismantle her composure. In order to save on time, she hurriedly threw a few essentials into a backpack and stepped into the shower.
God, it felt heavenly taking a shower after over 48 long and agonizing hours. Imagining the shower would wipe away all the bad things that had happened to her and she would step out and find everything the way it was three days ago, Maryanne scrubbed every inch of her body thoroughly. In total, she took approximately 20 minutes to get ready.
Yes. 20 MINUTES. NO MAKE UP WAS NECESSARY AT THIS POINT.
Since withdrawing money from one of her accounts might alert her kidnappers, Maryanne decided to get some cash from her father's study, weeeell, now her study. Interestingly, even the two $100 dollar bills she had left on top of the desk were still there.
Just when Maryanne had finished stashing the money she had taken from the inbuilt safe on different parts of the backpack and self cause you never know, she heard two cars pull up the drive way.
Maryanne's heart rate increased to a point you would think she had the over $100 million jackpot on a lottery on first trial. She held her breathe, hid behind the desk and waited patiently.
Thank goodness! She had not switched on the lights of the house. Instead, Maryanne had opted to use the small spotlight attached to her keys to find her way around the house. This, as evident by the turn of events was a blessing in disguise.
Damn! They were fast, faster than lightning! And what did they want? Were they after money? What did she do to deserve this? Or is it about the multi million contract to supply African wear to Amazon she had signed last month?
She sure did beat some well established companies in their own game in that one. Was it something her parents or her brother had done? And where could he be by the way? These are some of the questions that were running through Maryanne's mind as she tried to think of a place to hide.
She was brought back to the situation at hand by the shutting of the main entrance door. 'Oh My God! What should I do?' She asked herself part in fear, part in despair.
"That idiot is not here." She heard a familiar voice say.
Betrayed by the person she gave up everything for, Wendy decided to get even. No one was going to be spared from her rage. Starting with her treacherous fiance, Martin. Then her beloved family and friends. Whoever happens to cross her path will never have it easy. However, with a baby in tow, will Wendy be able to succeed in punishing everyone who did her wrong? "Mama!, Mama, I want to meet my daddy," little Ian said to Wendy. Not knowing what to say to him, Wendy's mouth opened and closed severally. Then seeing her son was still waiting for an answer stammered, " I......uh.....mh........uh.... he......is.....coming.....no. I meant he is still working overseas." She said. "Then why can't we even call or skype him?" Ian questioned. Wendy became flustered. And scrambled to come up with an answer for him.
Peter was working on one of the biggest account for their company when a very tempting offer was made to him. $100 million. Just like That. To make that amount of money working as an auditor would take him of 20 years. Considering no further explanations were given, several questions were running through his mind, was it a trap? bribery? token of appreciation? etc... With just 48 hours to make the decision on taking the money or not......... Would he take the money. The decision he makes sets off a chain of events that change not only his life but those of several people around him.
It took only a second for a person's world to come crashing down. This was what happened in Hannah's case. For four years, she gave her husband her all, but one day, he said emotionlessly, "Let's get divorced." Hannah's heart broke into a million pieces as she signed the divorce papers, marking the end of her role as a devoted wife. Within Hannah, a strong woman awakened, vowing never to be beholden to any man again. Embracing her new life, she embarked on a journey to find herself and command her own destiny. By the time she returned, she had experienced so much growth and was now completely different from the docile wife everyone once knew. "Is this your latest trick to get my attention?" Hannah's ever-so-arrogant husband asked. Before she could retort, a handsome and domineering CEO pulled her into his embrace. He smiled down at her and said boldly to her ex, "Just a little heads-up, mister. This is my beloved wife. Keep off!"
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..." But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"
The day Lilah found out that she was pregnant, she caught her fiancé cheating on her. Her remorseless fiancé and his mistress almost killed her. Lilah fled for her dear life. When she returned to her hometown five years later, she happened to save a little boy's life. The boy's father turned out to be the world's richest man. Everything changed for Lilah from that moment. The man didn't let her experience any inconvenience. When her ex-fiancé bullied her, he crushed the scumbag's family and also rented out an entire island just to give Lilah a break from all the drama. He also taught Lilah's hateful father a lesson. He crushed all her enemies before she even asked. When Lilah's vile sister threw herself at him, he showed her a marriage certificate and said, "I'm happily married and my wife is much more beautiful than you are!" Lilah was shocked. "When did we ever get married? Last I checked, I was still single." With a wicked smile, he said, "Honey, we've been married for five years. Isn't it about time we had another child together?" Lilah's jaw dropped to the floor. What the hell was he talking about?
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
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."