He was darkness, sinfully gorgeous, A dangerous fantasy, a walking orgasm with strings of broken hearts behind him a proof of his heartless nature. He was everything decadent yet delicious your mom warned you about. She wanted light He wanted her After running away from her abusive drug addict of a step father and a woman who was busy getting her next fix to care for a whiny 15 years old. Maya could say she have had it tough in life and just wanted her own happy ever after. A husband who adores her, a picket fence, a dog and three Adorable children. After she catches her fantasized soulmate cheating on her with her best friend, she is shattered which leaves her deciding to throw caution into the air once and indulge in a mind blowing one night stand. A one night stand which leaves her sprawled on the bed humiliated, turned on and intrigued about the hot stranger with the distant cold blue eyes who practically freaked out when he discovered she was a virgin. When her friend gets her a job as a PA to the CEO of one of the biggest establishment in the country but turns out Mr Ceo was the hot stranger and what more? He wants to claim her in everyway possible but Maya knows what a picket fence guy material looks like and her insanely hot brooding boss who she had to remind of his mother's birthday and was made to drop a dozen of roses and a one line note of "let's not make this more than it was" to his numerous one night stands, wasnt it. But what Xavier wants, Xavier gets and he is totally determined to get a particular someone who wants absolutely nothing to do with him.
Xavier gulped another shot of tequila welcoming the burning acidic taste of the beverage.
Nursing another in his hand he thought about his father's latest philandering with one of his much younger Mistress, a snobby little girl that he could swear was not a day older than his baby sister Melissa.
What bothers him more was that he was not in the least discreet about his activities not minding the embarrassment, the shame, and social death that could cause both his mom, his little sister who still idolizes the bastard, and the dear Salvador name he has been groomed and made to protect since he was 10.
Remembering his childhood he grimaced not knowing if he should call that period of his life that, there was nothing childlike in getting starved for six days straight because he Expressed interest in wanting to learn how to play the drums instead of the piano classes he was forced to take.
There was nothing childlike about being verbally abused and having to watch your dad hit your mom whenever she tries to defend you when he hits you, There was nothing childlike in learning how to speak fluently in 13 different languages at 10 while his mates were still learning how to eat properly without dropping crumbs.
Unlike his father, his grandfather Louis Salvador who had built the Salvador conglomerate with his hands from scratch was warm and kind, completely selfless in fact for him Christmas was whenever he was allowed to go spend some time with both his grandma and Pa, a holiday that does take place after a standoff involving his father and his Nonna, An affectionate name he does call his grandma.
And most times Nonna usually gets the upper hand.
His Nonna was an Irish island girl who was swept off her feet by his grandfather, A story they had told countless times whenever he and his little sister visited but never grew old.
Despite how refined Nonna was, her island temper was one to reckon with and she doesn't take shit especially from his father. She was tough and was nothing like his timid soft-spoken mother who was very comfortable acting trophy wife for his insensitive jerk of a father.
He could still remember how she had tried to make up excuses for all his inadequacies. Missed birthdays, missed graduation parties, his mother always chants her mantra, he is trying to give us a comfortable life.
It still shocks him how she sleeps at night knowing fully well that all those times he was cock deep inside a tramp and gold digger he had picked on the way rather than spend it with his family, how she still lives with a man that disregards her, hits her and makes her clean all his mess while she just puts on a smile and takes it all.
The home was more like a house, big and cold, it was nothing compared to being with Nonna and Grandpa where there was love, warmth, and laughter.
He closed his eyes his heart still clenching after all these years by the reminder of their tragic death, Nonna had died of Cancer and Grandpa had followed months after. His mom had said they were soulmates, inseparable, they had a soul connection and one couldn't do without another.
He chuckled drily at how his 14-year-old self has been completely thrilled by that fantasy and how he had longed to find someone that made him belong, that completes him but 13 years later and now he laughs when he hears the term soulmates. but
But apart from the fantasy he had allowed himself to believe in, he had also made a promise to make the Salvador Inc grow in strength, a vow that strengthened with each year that passes, a vow he was finally having the chance to fulfill now he was the CEO of the company.
He closed his eyes as the great responsibility he was currently shouldering momentarily resurfaced dawning on him.
"What I wouldn't do for your boiled bananas right now Nonna." He whispered wistfully wanting nothing more than to be the little boy who thought his father wanted the best for him, Go back to the time when he idolized him not knowing that the man was a selfish manipulator who could love no one but himself, a cheating scumbag, a failure to fatherhood and a bad husband.
Mr. Dominic Salvador has never been a saint he was even more disgusting and a pig of a man in his more youthful years as Xavier remembered in distaste how many times he had walked into a compromising scene involving his father and a woman that wasn't his mother but back then he had the decency to be discreet.
His father was never one to make mistakes so Xavier knew that his latest public misconduct was intentional and that's what puzzled him even more.
He emptied the content of the second shot in his mouth hitting the glass against the table with more force than intended.
"I would have what he is having please." A little unsure voice said behind him.
He turned curiously to see two sets of very spectacular, unsure yet determined coffee brown eyes starring right back at him.
She winked at him sliding on top of the barstool next to him as the bartender served her a shot of tequila.
He studied her in her short black gown, red daring lipstick, and fuck me red stilettos that made her long legs endless as he couldn't help but imagine her completely naked with just the heels on her, wrapped around his waist.
While he thrust into her against any and every hard surface easing off the rage that was about consuming him. She was gorgeous but not in the socialite frigid manner he was used to spotting in most of the drop-dead gorgeous women in his social circle.
He was a business partner and co-owner with Mr stone the owner of lights club and he visited the place quite often especially when he wants to blow off some steam and knew her face was not a familiar one since he had a feeling he wouldn't forget a face like her's if he had seen her before.
He smiled at the cute way she was studying the tequila, she looked nothing like the one-night stand type of girl and on a normal day, a girl with the commitment vibes written all over her would make him run the other direction.
She cemented his thoughts by shaking her head adorably at the taste of the tequila, her mouth set in a tight line confirming it was the first time she was tasting it and this was not her normal scene which means she was too good for him.
"God, what do they put into this stuff dog piss?" She asked staring skeptically at her glass of tequila.
He chuckled shocked at the sound of his laughter and even more shocked that it took a woman he hasn't known for more than 5 minutes despite the murderous intent he harbored against his father which involves his fist and maybe a broken nose to produce that sound from him.
"Hi." She whispered blatantly checking him out.
"A picture would last longer." He cockily muttered not able to help himself at the way her eyes were drinking in every detail of him so openly.
She flushed, her cheeks turning a bright shade of red giving him another valid reason why he should leave her the fuck alone, she was hot and unbelievably adorable at the same time, a very lethal combination she wasn't aware she possessed and that's what was added to the charm, how clueless and unaware she was of how breathtaking she looked.
She discreetly tugged at her little dress but as a businessman trained to follow every little movement and dissect every sound, he caught that movement gathering she wasn't quite comfortable in her skin-tight gown that was currently making him hot and bothered as he could notice the generous swell of her breast and her womanly perfect hips.
His instant reaction to her body came as a surprise to him since he prided himself as a man with loads of self-control, he had met a variety of very stunning women who did nothing for him.
He could even recite a speech while getting a blow job, that was how composed he could be and it shocked him how one petite woman could disarm him completely and blow his mind.
"Hi." He mumbled back giving her the cold look that always scared people off, A formula tested and trusted but she didn't even budge.
Her smile grew wider if that was even possible and her eyes glinted with curiosity shocking him, great! He just got her even more interested In him.
"Tough day huh?" She asked her expression giving nothing away.
Xavier couldn't believe he had let his guard down and had not thought of the possibility of her just acting clueless.
He was a familiar face on social media and the possibility of her not knowing who she was talking to was almost impossible, the media was always in his business which was not by choice but Xavier has lea has the hard way that being young, good looking, and successful was good for juicy headlines.
For all, he knew she could be a reporter or a blogger.
"Why would you say that?" He suspiciously asked trying to sound as casual as possible.
She chuckled, the sexy sound like music to his ears.
"Well for starters you are holding that glass-like you want to crush it," she commented making him notice his strong grip on his glass of tequila.
He shrugged and dropped it.
"We have been talking for approximately five minutes and I have watched you take like three shots of this..." she stopped her face contorted in disgust as she struggled for the right adjective to use on alcohol that was making her doubt the sanity of everyone that takes it.
"..... Like what the fuck would make anyone take something so awful and continue?" She asked genuinely shocked while he reveled in how carefree her voice sounded, it was not refined or fake, she was not even trying to impress him obviously because she just cursed in front of him.
For the first time in his life, somebody was saying what they wanted to say without trying to make an impression or get something from him and he loved it.
Xavier has never been familiar with the bond friendship, almost everyone that hung out with him wanted something from him or with him.
His childhood was not really friends friendly as he was too busy to build that bond and the socialites who he shared a drink or two with during fundraisers and classical ball were always wearing big smiles for his benefit and bending backward trying to please him hated his guts and just wanted him to invest his money on one of their little projects couldn't exactly be called friends.
The social circle he run in was filled with fake fucked up people with their make-believe perfect life sipping champagne, pretending to care while they just wanted to know how deep your pockets were and how fucked up you are.
He shook his head not believing he was contemplating sitting down and allowing a stranger bulldoze her way into walls he has spent years building, he didn't make small talks with women, he fucked them, banged them uncomplicatedly.
"Well guess you are correct." He said standing up and then walking out, desperate to put enough distance between himself and this gorgeous embodiment of everything he wasn't looking for but desired anyway.
"Father I have sinned. I have a confession." I lean against the confession booth relieved that I could finally tell someone this niggling secret that haunted me. I wasn't Catholic, heck I wasn't a Christian but when your mom worked four jobs just to keep a roof over your head and your best friend and only friend think you are a psycho, a priest seems like a reasonable option to tell a sin that robs you of sleep constantly. "What is it, my child?" The priest's voice comes out through the window. "The devil kissed me and I liked it." As I walked back home, my head down, hands tightly holding on to my backpack because of my squalor-like neighbourhood which breeds crime. I couldn't help but smile a little, amused at the priest's face as I tried to convince him I didn't mean a figurative devil but the real deal. I'm Prudence, a runt litter, a nobody in my private high school, and a charity case on scholarship but somehow the devil chose me.
Amelia Slovakia at 18 was mortified to realize she would be getting married soon but she would never say surprised. As a woman, she was aware her value as Romania's offspring would always be reduced to a trade and barter system so she had prepared her mind for it and was certain she could get married to the boy of her father's choosing or so she had thought. Until her engagement night had completely changed the course of her life forever. She was married just like she had anticipated, but to no boy. The Mayor of Moscow, Jason, a long-standing enemy of Romania had never thought the night he left for his nemesis' hidden daughter's engagement due to pure intrigue he would end up having her as a wife but now, with the younger insolent woman bent on testing his restraints and pushing all his buttons, he had more on his hand than just trying to curb her obnoxiousness and her need to stubbornly go against him because he was also finding it hard to stop himself from proving to the heiress he was all male and there was a certain amount of attitude that could be tolerated without him thinking of an appropriate punishment that would require her gown off.
800,000 years ago Earth was being defeated by the people of the underworld in battle. Some of the humans were taken as slaves and were mated with which led to the discovery of how pure their genes were and how it makes their eternal posterity un aging. So every millennium as an exchange for Earth's freedom, the male of mating age was free to pick a woman from earth, who was free to come back once they are done birthing a child. Nobody knew what the underworld people look like because none of the women who left ever came back. Kimberly Clarkson had heard the little myth that made her curious 6 years old eyes widened, the thought of another world fascinating her but now, whenever she remembered the little tale no one could prove exists she Scoffs, knowing better. The underworld story was well, just a story. She just turned 23, had a childhood sweetheart that adores her, and was finally having a chance to contribute her quota to society now she was working at her dream firm as a lawyer. But what Kimberly doesn't know is that soon everything she has ever believed in is going to change because it is time for the underworld people to cash out on their agreement and Kimberly's name falls among the lots.
After a painful breakup with her boyfriend of two years who coldly told her to her face that he couldn't keep dating her because she was too uptight--In a moment of anger and defiance, Anna decided to throw caution to the wind for one reckless night. She headed to the wildest club in Texas, determined to lose herself in the chaos. But fate had other plans. To her shock, she ran into her ex-boyfriend at the club. Desperate to save face, she made a split-second decision and approached a stranger, pretending he was her new boyfriend. What she never anticipated was the magnetic pull she would feel towards him or the fact that she'd end up going home with this mystery man. Soon enough, the real surprise hit her--this stranger wasn't just anyone; he was her new boss. What begins as a night of rebellion spirals into a whirlwind of forbidden attraction, societal pressure and hidden affairs. And now there are so many things at stake. Find out how this story unfolds.
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!"
"Miss Brown, I am the butler here at your service," the butler replied. "My master wants to buy the baby in your belly." "What?!" Does that mean the abortion didn't take place? Did they kidnap her from the operating table just to buy the baby? But why her? "You..." Alice was about to ask a question, but the man in front of her calmly continued, as if he had expected her question, "You're pregnant with his child, and he needs a child. That's all I can tell you." Alice was forced to sign a surrogacy contract and eight months later gave birth to two healthy babies. Fortunately, the man was unaware of her daughter's existence. It wasn't until five years later that fate brought them together again...
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."
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
When Zora was sick during the early days of her pregnancy, Ezrah was with his first love, Piper. When Zora got into an accident and called Ezrah, he said he was busy, when in actual fact, he was buying shoes for Piper. Zora lost her baby because of the accident, and throughout her stay at the hospital, Ezrah never showed up. She already knew that he didn't love her, but that was the last straw for the camel's back, and her fragile heart could not take it anymore. When Ezrah arrived home a few days after Zora was discharged from the hospital, he no longer met the woman who always greeted him with a smile and cared for him. Zora stood at the top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, "Good news, Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us anymore, so let's get a divorce." The man who claimed not to have any feelings for Zora, being cold and distant towards her, and having asked her for a divorce twice, instantly panicked.