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?
**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.
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
Rose looked at the reports in her hand and was in shock... The reports said that she was one month pregnant, however, how can she get pregnant when she didn't have any man in her life... "Was it because of that dream? Could I get pregnant because I have sex in my dream?" She thought... She didn't have any mental problems, however, except for this she can't able to think about anything... However, she still didn't get out of her surprise when she met the man in her dream... Kevin Davis looked at the reports in her hand and asked, "Is this child mine?" However, Rose didn't answer but asked... "Was that night not a dream?" Kevin was angry because it was his first time and she thinks it was a dream... Kevin forced her to marry him however, Rose didn't want it... She wanted to abort the child but he didn't let her... In the end... Rose agreed to marry him... She looked at Kevin's blue eyes and said, "I will marry you, however, I had two conditions..." "First, after marriage, you can't control my freedom, I still had the right to do whatever I want. Don't worry I won't harm the child." "Second, if I ever found out that you had cheated behind my back then I will leave with my child and you can't stop me..." Both of them got married... However, after she falls in love with him... She found there are hidden secrets in his past...
Sandra Hill, the long-lost real heiress of the Hill family, was shunned by her own kin. Instead of embracing her, they bestowed their affection upon an impostor. They even arranged her to marry a vegetative man in place of her so-called “sister”. Sandra sneered, refusing to put up with this humiliation, cut off ties with the Hill family immediately and ran into the flash marriage with Wesley Cooper, her unconscious billionaire husband. With her incredible medical skills, she defied the odds and revived him. Little did she expect that her husband spoiled her with all his love... A medical genius, a computer prodigy, a national treasure in painting, and a racing legend... Her husband revealed her various identities, leaving the Hill family regretful. Her father came pleading, "It's Dad's fault. Please come back." Her mother wept, "Mom will protect you from now on. Please come back." Even her five brothers knelt before he, begging for forgiveness. Yet, Sandra's smile held a hint of mockery as she vowed, “Never!”
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"