"Come back!" he says after taking a sip of the coffee. I walk back and stand in front of him. "What do you think you are doing bringing me cold coffee!" "It w-was hot when I bro-brought it..." I stammer. "Shut your mouth!" his loud voice booms." I don't want to hear any nonsense excuses from you. Do you see those boxes behind you? They are filled with files. I want them arranged in alphabetical order and ready by 12:00p.m. Am I clear?" he says in a harsh voice. I widen my eyes when I see the size of the stack of boxes behind me. There is no way I am going to be done by noon. I am about to tell him when he says, "I know you are going to say that you won't be able to finish before noon, but the truth is I don't care. I want you to finish and I don't care how you do it." he says coldly and turns around. I knew there was no turning back because I signed my life away to the devil. I will have to bear whatever he does to me. What a way to start my first day! _________________________________________________________ Katherine Luciano is a beautiful lady, living with her single mom. She did not know her life would take a different turn the day she goes for a job interview. She meets the one person she wishes she never sees again in her life. The one person who made her high school the worst time of her life, Lorenzo Costanzo. A well-known person in society. He has the looks, the fame, the money, and everything with a lot of mysterious secrets. Does she fall prey to his wrath once again, or change the heart of a cold man
I am waiting in a room full of potential applicants-a few who look like strippers-all with the hope of getting the job. I wonder why they come dressed half naked. Is seduction the only way they think they can get the job? Why do some women think so little of themselves? I pray the boss is not like all those bosses who are looking for a personal assistant who helps in other areas like his bedroom, if you know what I mean. A few others dressed more professional than me look like they have been in this profession far longer than I have. It's making me feel unqualified with my MBA right now.
I was eager to get this job because the money would help my mama and I. Being a single mother is never easy, but she pulled it off. She brought me up in the best way possible. I never really got to know who my father is or where he is from because every time I ask mama about my father, she tells me that he was a one-night stand. And while I believed there was more to the story, I knew better than pushing her to tell me. I am not forcing the issue, and I know she is silently grateful for that.
I am brought back to earth when the secretary calls my name. She is a blond with big grey eyes and a pretty smile. I walk up to her table.
"Hi, I am Joan, you must be Katherine. Walk to the door on the left. He is waiting for you."
"Alright, thank you," I say, walking to the door while saying a silent prayer before knocking.
"Come in." I hear a husky voice say.
I walk into a beautiful office. The walls are painted black with golden lines all around it, with mahogany brown in some places. On my left is a wall adorned with white glass, a tile thing I think, with a beautiful golden line pattern on it. There are two black armchairs and a two-seater couch with a brown wooden coffee table in the middle. The windows have two green plants in front of it. The desk area has this long book shelf behind it. There are two black chairs in front of the brown wooden desk. The person behind the desk has his nose buried in some documents, so he has not seen me yet.
"Come and have a seat," the man says. His voice sounds very familiar, but I hope it's my mind playing a trick on me.
"Thank You, Sir."
"Let's begin," he says finally lifting his head. Once he does it's like all the blood leaves my body, making me freeze on the spot. I can't believe it's him. The one person who I thought, or rather prayed, I would never see again. He made my life a living hell in high school. My sworn enemy, Lorenzo Costanzo.
He has changed. He was handsome before, but he is even more attractive now with his grey shirt unable to hide a fantastic chest... I stare into his beautiful green eyes forgetting why I am here.
"When you are done staring, I would like for us to begin," he says acting like he does not know who I am.
"What is your name?" he says.
Is he really asking me that question? I can't believe he is acting like he does not know me. Maybe he is asking to be sure.
"My name is Katherine Luciano," I say, and I genuinely wish he does not remember who I am after what he did to me in high school.
"What school did you go to?"
"I attended NYU."
"I am talking about your high school."
"I attended Stuyvesant high school," I say giving up all hope of him not figuring out who I am.
"Hm, interesting."
"Can I ask something, sir?"
"Sure, why not."
"I find it weird that you care only about my high school information. Please, why is that?"
"Did you really think I would forget you, Bella?" He says with a smirk on his lips.
Oh no! He remembers me. He just called me by the name he always used in high school. I am totally not getting this job.
"Then why did you act like you did not know me a minute ago," I say.
"Because I felt like it," he says, still acting like the same jerk he always was.
I don't say anything but give him a look that says 'seriously?' I can't believe that deep down I wish he had changed. He stands up and walks towards the windows giving me a view of his gorgeous ripped abs underneath his shirt. He turns his back on me showing off his amazingly broad shoulders. But even with such a fantastic body and a handsome face he still has the heart of a devil. What a shame!
"I want you here Monday morning, don't be late."
"Are you saying I have the job?" I ask.
"Do I have to be more explicit for you to understand?"he asks.
"No, you don't."
"Good! See you on Monday morning with my coffee; black, no sugar."
"Alright sir, but I have to say, we did not even have a real interview. Not that I am complaining or anything."
"Bella, I have known you for almost half of our lives. I know you won't be a threat to me, and from your resumƩ I knew you were good for the job even before you walked in."
"Oh! Alright then, thank you." I say, happy I got the job but also feeling worried deep down. Did I get the job because I am qualified, and he knows me? Or is there another reason? I will have to wait and see.
"See you on Monday," I say walking out of his office.
"Don't be late!"
While walking out of the building, I call mama to give her the good news, but she does not pick up. I am guessing she is in a meeting. She sends a message a few minutes later saying I should meet her for lunch in an hour.
I grab a taxi and take it home to freshen up, to meet up with her in an hour.
I get home, shower and change into something more casual. I am wearing a black cami, a NYC tank top, pink and black striped high-waisted pants and a pair of patent leather pumps. I order an Uber to the restaurant we are meeting at.
I arrive and walk in, already knowing where she will be sitting since this is her favourite restaurant.
"Hi, Mama," I say sitting down.
"Hi, baby girl, how was the job interview?"
"It was quite strange, but I got the job."
"I am happy for you, and what do you mean by strange?"
"I will explain after eating, I am quite hungry."
About halfway through the meal I tell her how the interview went.
"Mama, you won't believe who my boss is. It's none other than the mighty devil himself, Lorenzo Costanzo."
"How many times have I told you to stop calling him that?"
"But that's what he is."
"No, he is just a confused man who does not know how to express his feelings."
"I am pretty sure he has expressed them well by showing how much he hates me."
"He does not hate you."
"He does mama, and do you know the funny thing is we were not even classmates. He was my senior in high school. I don't even understand how he noticed me or had time to bully me when there were other girls in school, and prettier ones in his class, who would die for the attention he gave me."
"He noticed you because he likes you."
"How do you know that, mama?"
"I just feel it."
"Okay, whatever you say. But I still doubt he does, and mama, do you know he acted like he did not know me at first."
"What do you mean?"
I explain to her about what happened in the office and how much of a jerk he was, but she feels maybe he just wanted to be sure.
Mama left shortly after we finished talking and eating as she got a call from her office.
After lunch I decide to go shopping, because last time I checked my closet it does not have clothes fit for a personal assistant. I also have a lot of time to spare before going home so I take a taxi and go to the mall.
I visit about ten different stores or more, looking for the best outfits that say 'sophisticated'. I won't lie, it was hard but worth it. I am visiting the last store for the day when a strange number appears on my phone screen. I answer, wondering if maybe it is Enzo wanting to remind me of something.
I answer and hear the worst news anyone could receive about their mother. The person on the phone says mama was rushed to the hospital while on her way home from the office. She said she fainted, and they tried waking her up but to no avail, so they rushed her to the hospital. I ask the person to send the address of the hospital so I can be on my way.
I take a taxi and ask the driver to drive as fast as he can without killing us. To say I am scared would be an understatement! I am terrified because mama is one of those people who is always healthy and hardly ever gets sick, so to hear she fainted and is in the hospital makes me very scared.
I arrive at the hospital and quickly go up to the front desk to find out how mama is doing.
"Where is my mother?" I say to the nurse at the front desk.
"What is her name?" a lady wearing a nurse's uniform asks.
"Christine Luciano," I say.
"Your mother is on the second floor. Take the elevator to the second floor. Once you get there, walk straight down the hall. The first door to your left is where you will find her."
"Thank you,"I say taking the elevator to the second floor.
I follow her directions and find the room with no difficulty.
I walk inside and see mama using an oxygen mask to breathe. Oh, my God! What is happening?
I walk towards mama's side and notice she is awake. Thank God!
"Mama, what is wrong?"
"Don't cry, my baby girl. Everything is going to be fine. I am going to be okay, you should not be worried." she says taking off the mask to speak to me.
"How won't I cry mama, when I see you like this," I say, holding her hands in mine.
"Don't worry, everything is going to be fine" she says giving my hand a warm squeeze.
A doctor walks in later and asks me to see him in his office about mama's condition. I follow him to his office praying there's nothing too seriously wrong with mama. He asks me to take a seat, but I insist on standing. The way I am feeling right now, all I want to do is to hear what he has to say and be by mama's side. But he insists, so I sit down with trembling hands.
"Your mother has breast cancer, but we can..." he says, but I don't let him finish talking before I cut him off.
"No-No, this can't be happening!" I cry before I breakdown in tears.
"Miss Luciano, I need you to be strong. Everything is going to be fine," he says while he tries to comfort me.
"Your mother needs all the support she can get, so you need to be strong."
"You are right. I need to be strong for mama," I say wiping the tears that have fallen and trying to keep the others at bay.
"So, what can we do?" I ask trying to sound strong.
"That's more like it," he says smiling reassuringly.
"Your mother is at the first stage of cancer, luckily we detected it in time. She will need surgery, but everything should be fine."
"How much does it cost?" I ask the one question I have been scared to ask since I found out mama has cancer. Mama and I do not have much money, but you could not call us poor, because we have three meals a day and live a comfortable life.
"$20,000," he says, and I think to myself, 'where am I going to get that kind of money?'
"Doctor, I don't have that kind of money now but I promise you I will get the money within due time. Please don't stop the treatment for my mother." I say praying Enzo pays well so I will be able to pay for mama's treatment and surgery.
"The only thing I can do for her now before you get the money is to put her on drugs until we have to do the surgery."
"Thank you so much doctor, thank you."
"You're welcome."
"I will go and see my mother now."
"Alright, see you next time Miss Luciano."
I walk back to mama's room to find her sleeping. I sit down on the chair beside her bed. I can't imagine my life without mama-she is the only family I have. I hope Enzo pays well so I can pay the hospital bills as soon as possible. I spend the weekend with mama at the hospital. On Monday she will be discharged, so after work I will be coming back to get her.
"I, Amelia Anderson, reject Nickolas Adams II as my mate." I've had enough. I don't know why I didn't reject him the moment I arrived here. What the heck was I stalling for? Nickolas and I don't have a single chance in heaven of being together. It's better to feel immense pain now than keep enduring little bits every time we run into each other. The muscles in his back tighten, but he doesn't turn back and says, "Accepting your rejection would be doing you a favor, and that's the last thing I would ever do for you." He walks away after that. ***** Nickolas, the Lycan king, had lost hope of ever finding his mate, resigned to the belief that he was destined to spend the rest of his days on Earth without her. However, fate takes an unexpected turn when he embarks on a journey to the werewolf kingdom. In a twist of destiny, Nickolas discovers his mate-a werewolf, and not just any werewolf, but the princess and daughter of his father's murderer, Amelia Anderson. Despite her royal status, Amelia's life is far from the fairy tale one might expect. A unique aspect of her identity brings difficulty, and being the sole individual among her peers without a mate intensifies her sense of isolation. The trajectory of her seemingly mundane life takes an unforeseen turn the day she encounters her mate. Suddenly, she is thrust into a reality she never imagined, and Amelia finds herself paying a steep price for a lifetime of sins she didn't commit.
āI need to teach you a lesson for defying me,ā Beau says, and in an instant, my leg drops down. He puts his other hand on my waist and lifts me off my chair. Landing perfectly on him, my eyes widen once I feel him against me. āYes, darlinā, you are the reason for it. And tonight, you are going to satisfy it.ā He holds me down, hunger in his eyes. āIāll do no such thing,ā I say, resisting the urge to grind my hips against him. My already wet pussy is pressed against his hard length, and I find myself wanting to pull it out so he can fill me up to the hilt and make all my dreams a reality. āOh, you will, and you are going to enjoy it.ā Beau buries his head in my neck and places a kiss on my shoulder. My eyes close as he begins to grind against me. A moan escapes my lips, but Beau spanks my ass hard the second it does. āDonāt moan out, darlinā,ā he says, putting his hand under my dress and caressing my stinging ass. āYou donāt want anyone to hear us, do you?ā he asks, kissing my neck before burying his head in my chest. I shake my head as pleasure surges through my body. āGood girl.ā **** Delilah Stephen is a young architect trying to make it independently without Daddyās help. She is so close to achieving her goal when something unexpected happens. The investor meant to make her dreams a reality turns out to be someone Delilah wishes never to see again, Beau Williams. He is a handsome billionaire with a dangerous family. He broke Delilahās heart seven years ago and is now back to win her. Delilah passionately hates Beau, so he has his work cut out for him. She refuses to forget the past, but Beau doesnāt give up. He will stop at nothing to make Delilah feel something for him after so many years. But for how long can he keep trying, and will he ever succeed?
āWhy canāt I fucking hit you?ā Thomas yells, smacking the belt close to her feet. āWhy,ā he smacks it on the door above her head. āWhy, fucking whyā to the right and left sides of her body. Melina trembles against the door with her eyes closed and head tucked between her knees. She jumps, sniffing Thomasā cologne, and tries to hide more. Heās probably bending down. āI want to hurt you, Melina, but I fucking canāt. Tell me why I fucking canāt. Tell me why,ā she bites her lips to muffle her sobs as she fears they will exacerbate her situation. āFucking look at me when I am talking to you,ā Thomas says, grabbing her hair and pulling her head up. āI am- so-r-r-r-y,ā she says as she turns to face him with her tear-stained face and bloodshot eyes. āDid you think it would work? Did you actually think you could get me arrested and then flee? Are you that dumb, Melina?ā he tightens his grip on her hair, and it starts to hurt. Melina canāt believe this is what he thinks. How will she prove that it was never her intention to have him arrested? ******** Melina Davis was born with the face and body of a goddess. Her heart was as beautiful as her, but it never did her any good. Melina was the most unlucky woman in this world when it came to love. Her first love was an abusive con artist who made sure to exploit Melina's kindness. The second one who Melina felt was genuinely worthy of owing her heart was far more dangerous than her first. His name is Thomas Costanzo. He is the second in command of the Costanzo mafia. He was highly feared in the mafia world. Some even feared him more than the don of the Costanzo mafia. Melina didn't know she shouldn't cross him, and she did. She broke the heart of one of the most feared men on this earth, and now, he is out searching for her. Once he finds her, Melina will wish she never crossed paths with him.
Ana was like every young she-wolf out there. She couldnāt wait to meet her mate. She didnāt expect the way things would go the day she finally met him or the way he would treat her once they met. Anaās mate wants nothing to do with her but wonāt let her go. Ana feels like a prisoner to her mate. Her mind is torn on what to do. She wishes her mate would love her, but he shows no hope of that happening. She wants to try and build something with him, but he makes things difficult for her. He treats her horribly, and Ana doesnāt know why. Ana wishes he would reject or let her go, but he wonāt. She feels like he is determined to make her his prisoner forever. Read and find out how Ana survives being a prisoner to her.
"Yes, we have, but I still want you to stay.ā "Stefano, we just finished arguing, and you did not give me a single reason why I should stay, so I am leaving.ā āNo, you are not,ā He says, dangerously coming close to me āExcuse me,ā I say, backing up the wall āYou heard me; I wonāt let you leave me,ā He says as his breath fans my face with every word that comes out of his mouth. āThen give me a reason to stay,ā I say, looking down on the ground due to our proximity. I feel shy to look at him with how close we are. *********************************************** Andrea Lopez is a beautiful woman with a wonderful life. Any woman would wish to have her life, but you can't be sure her life is great. Andrea has everything but the one thing she desires most, Love. All she has ever received from Love is pain in return. There is no love in her life, but everything changes when she takes a trip to Italy. She reunites with her first Love, Stefano Costanzo, a cold, ruthless man who hates Love. He would rather pull his heart out of his body than feel Love, but for how long will he hate Love? Will the cold, ruthless man allow himself to love again, or will our Andrea never find Love?
"What!" Ethan says in his all too familiar deep rude voice. "You hit me, which caused my coffee to spill all over me," I say, pointing out the obvious. "So, what do you want me to do about it," He speaks like he has done nothing wrong "You are supposed to say sorry," I say in a duh tone "And why should I." "Because that is what people with manners do." "I know that, but you don't deserve sorry from me." "Wow, really, and why is that." "Because black bitches like you don't deserve it." "I have told you times without number to stop calling me that," I say getting angry with his insults "Make me," Ethan says, taking a dangerous step closer to me. I don't say anything, but hiss and walk past him. I don't know why I even expected him to say anything better. It is Ethan, after all. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a story about two people who knew how to express the word hate more than anything else to one another. Ethan hates Adina more than anything in the world and would give anything to see her perish into thin air. While on the other hand Adina could careless about Ethan other than the fact that she won't let him walk all over her with his arrogant character. What happens when a big incident changes all that. How do these two different people deal with a feeling that is supposed to be forbidden to feel for the each other. Read to find out how the person you hate the most is the one person you can love the most.
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it allāfrom standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didnāt return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachelās terminal illness and realized she didnāt have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."
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."
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!
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..."Ā But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?