After a mysterious pregnancy, nineteen years old Leona found herself entangled with a web of ruthless criminals and the boss Lando, had his hawk-like eyes set on her. Totally abandoned by her family, she ran to hide under the wings of a billionaire after her escape from Lando. With an unknown connection between the two men, Leona had to fight for her freedom and uncover the father of her son.
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👩‍🎓LEONA 👩‍🎓
"And our Valedictorian for this year 2019 goes to.." the emcee paused as he smiled mockingly at us.
He has us, especially me right where he wanted. In between his tight gripping suspense.
My heart hammered furiously against my ribcage as I exchanged looks with my best friend. She smiled nervously at me then her gaze goes back to the man at the podium who in no time will be declaring the hero of this year.
It's the best student award. Valedictory, to be precise. At the end of the day, a student with the highest rank of the entire graduating class will leave here with a price and bragging rights.
Rhoda and I are anxious because we happen to just be one of the nerds who worked hard just to acquire the title.
For all the things, I need it mostly for the money and the juicy offer that comes with it but for my friend, she seems to have the silver spoon already glistening in her mouth so surely, it's for the bragging rights. Whatever reason we both have, it's certainly going to make us happy.
Clearly, It was the day of graduation, and I'm just excited as everyone here. After years of schooling, I can finally say bye to college.
Though I have come out with a first-class degree, my family and I will be done a great favor if my name should be called as it's going to open many possibilities for us. It will go a long way.
For someone who comes from a lower-class family, I surely need this greatly. After I lost my mom, my dad remarried and had three more children who are all girls with Tasha.
I'm Leona Grande the second child and the only daughter my mom gave birth to before passing on. My dad got remarried to Tasha and they had three kids, all girls. I have a brother, Raymond who has made it out of high school only.
My dad is a fashion designer who manages a small shop which wasn't doing too well as my education ate deep into it.
Having a jobless stepmom made it worse because the burden was on dad alone which as a result, my step-siblings had to drop out of middle school.
As if that wasn't enough, my stepmom, Tasha was quite a headache and her three girls are also something else. Especially the eldest who's called Elsie.
Now here's the deal, I have to shoulder my family's financial burdens once I am out of college since the family's greater wealth got invested into my education. It's now time to pay back every single dime and more.
I'd have to get a good job, send my siblings back to school, and take care of the family. This is why this award is very important to me because it comes with a job and a fixed salary. Which means I won't have to go searching for a job once I'm done. I've worked and sacrificed a lot for four years and almost all my life.
Only if my elder brother had agreed to this but he hates to be controlled. Not that I like it but I was my dad's only option.
At the early stage of sixteen, I was out of high school and now at the age of twenty, I made it out of college. My life was simple yet intense.
I was really serious with my books, they had me indoors most of the time. I earned the nerd title very easily way back in high school only that I didn't put on huge glasses.
I wanted to keep a low profile but my grades kept me popular.
Since my dad didn't make me work part-time, I had to really make it worth it. Friends will be a distraction so I entertained none until I met Rhoda at NYU.
Being the daughter of a wealthy family, I was shocked that she chose to befriend a church mouse like me.
I was not the normal teenage girl who chats and gossip about boys goes to parties and has sex. I lived my life differently, mentally, psychologically, physically, and emotionally.
My red platinum hair was overgrown because I had no time to attend to it and even if I had the time, there was no money for that. The length of my hair is almost below my butt anytime I lose it. Other than that, it was always wrapped on my head.
I had no time to apply makeup or wear beautiful clothes. I was always cladded in faded denim trousers and hoodies.
Well, let's say all the few clothes I have are all faded out of excess use. It didn't bother me because I had nowhere to go or someone to impress.
I'm under the no-boyfriend policy and my dad always makes sure that I wasn't seen around the opposite sex even now that I am 20. He's very protective over me.
Being a future breadwinner or should I say, caretaker or heir? Whichever way, it wasn't an easy task.
The way I lived my life should make it difficult for us to get along but Rhoda and I clicked perfectly.
I looked around and admired the beautiful academic gowns we were wearing.
I can't wait to throw my cap out into the air with Rhoda. We have...
"As you are all aware, the student with the highest grades in all the subjects is the one considered as a Valedictorian and that is none other but our very own miss Leona Grande. She deserves.."
My heart leaped into the pit of my stomach just hearing my name. I can't breathe. I tried to process what I heard. But my heart was beating loudly and the noise from the students was also loud. I can't tell which one is louder.
I fan my face with my hand.
The whole graduate cheered and chanted my name wildly. I was overwhelmed. Now if I didn't hear the emcee correctly, the chanting of my mates cleared the doubts.
Rhoda's smile and the crushing of her body against mine as she screamed congratulations registered it in my mind.
My eyes darted to the gold medal and the sight teared me up.
Oh my God! I made it! I made it! I made it! I chanted in my head.
The cheering was so loud that I can imagine my father doing a victory dance back home, my stepmom's relief smile, her children's happy faces, and my brother's proud smile.
I jumped up happily and muttered a YES! Meanwhile, I couldn't stop my tears.
With this award, I don't need to go searching for work because the government is gonna employ me instantly.
"Kindly come forward miss Grande." The emcee called.
I glance at Rhoda as if to ask for permission. She urged me on by pushing me off towards the podium. I take in deep breaths before beginning to walk towards the big stage but suddenly, everything began to spin around me and I felt oddly dizzy.
I tried to keep my eyes open as I walk and even though it was difficult, I somehow managed to get closer to the stage.
Finally, up there, I didn't know what happened and everything suddenly went blank. I felt my knees go weak beneath me and slowly let loose.
The gasps of my lectures and my colleagues were the last thing I heard as I succumb to the pain from my fall and eventually darkness.
After Amelia's arranged marriage, she single handedly tried to make it work but all her efforts were thrown out of the window by her husband whose behavior got worse by the day. Little did he know that he was throwing her into the arms of another man. When he finally decided to accept her, Amelia was also stuck between keeping her Vows or breaking them all to pieces. But when deadly secrets from her family and about her husband began to slap her from every angle, even FOR BETTER OR WORSE might not be capable of holding her chivalry for long. And with the identity of her new lover out to the open, will the SINFUL MATRIMONY end or thrive?
Kiara Collins has a curse. A curse that goes by the name of clumsiness. Despite being confident and bold, she tumbles over anything and everything; whether it's furniture or air, Kiara is almost positive that no one can beat her when it comes to her eternal embarrassment of being a klutz. So, when her so-called 'curse' causes her to trip onto Connor Blake, the academy's richest student, and end up locking lips with him, Kiara is absolutely mortified and is sure that the rest of her life will end up with her digging herself into a hole and never coming out. After all, a boy like him is sure to take every chance he can get to embarrass her over the incident, right? Wrong. Instead of doing what most people would do, Connor decides to befriend the clumsy yet confident girl. And somewhere along the way, he realizes that maybe a kiss with her won't be so bad. •-•-•
Warning: Mature contents 🔞 Tracy Lyn-Tyler is a beautiful model who is struggling for fame but the little opportunity that comes by only get snatched by fellow models who would do anything to prove that she's incapable of being a model to belittle her. It came out as a shock when Jake Langford, the famous billionaire celebrity specifically recruited her to feature in his video which was by popular demand. The ticket to fame is finally here but Tracy is reluctant to take the golden offer. She eventually agrees only for her past which she was hiding from the world to exhume, putting Jake's years of sweat at stake. Jake's BFF who didn't like the affection Jake gave Tracy in the first place vowed to bring hell to her, using the effect of Tracy's past as an excuse to cover her devious motive. Will Jake sit and watch Tracy suffer because of what she caused him or come through for her?
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."
Elin spent twenty years deeply loving her husband, finally marrying him just as she'd always dreamed. But reality shattered her illusions—he wasn't the man she believed. Instead, he callously destroyed her family, crushing her heart beyond repair. At her lowest point, Ruben, equally betrayed that night, approached her steadily. "Marry me, Elin. I'll help you take revenge." Yet, after their wedding, she quickly discovered he was dangerously unpredictable. "I made a mistake. Let's divorce..." Ruben slid his arm possessively around her waist, whispering a chilling promise, "Only in death."
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumor suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
Maria took her sister’s place and was engaged to Anthony, a disabled man who had lost his status as the family heir. At first, they were just a nominal couple. However, things changed when things about Maria were gradually exposed. It turned out she was a professional hacker, a mysterious composer, and the sole successor to an international jade sculpting master… The more that was revealed about her, the less Anthony could rest easy. A famous singer, an award-winning actor, an heir of a rich family—so many excellent men were chasing after his fiancee, Maria. What should Anthony do?
“Drive this woman out!” "Throw this woman into the sea!” When he doesn’t know Debbie Nelson’s true identity, Carlos Hilton cold-shoulders her. “Mr. Hilton, she is your wife,” Carlos’ secretary reminded him. Hearing that, Carlos gives him a cold stare and complained, “why didn’t you tell me earlier?” From then on, Carlos spoils her rotten. Little did everyone expect that they would get a divorce.