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Everyone rose up. It was time. I sucked in a breath and took a step forward into the cathedral, my eyes absently scanning the crowd for familiar faces. ***** Elizabeth Watson, strong willed and determined, is ready to scale up the corporate ladder after being the secretary to Cole Winston, playboy CEO of Winston Corp. Her chance comes one rainy night when her boss asks her to marry him for one million dollars. All he needs is ten months from her, absolute secrecy and she can leave. With no love life, no money and numerous bucket lists, she's got nothing to lose and everything to gain. What happens when the both of them are thrust into a scandal that leaves them running to the comfort of The Maldives? Will Elizabeth be able to control her heart and stop herself from falling from the one woman per night CEO? Find out in this amazing journey of friendship, self discovery and love.
Everyone rose up. It was time.
I sucked in a breath and took a step forward into the cathedral, my eyes absently scanning the crowd for familiar faces. They landed on my co-workers who stared back at me blankly, trying their best to hide the jealousy and disgust evident in their hostile expressions.
Looking away, I slowly put one feet in front of the other, moving towards the altar slowly like Mrs. Darcy instructed.
"Chin up and take your time, darling. They'll wait," the wedding planner said, right before she winked at me and left to deliver the expenses to my in-laws.
I switched my focus to the groom and saw him spotting a frown while he subtly checked his watch. He still had not perfected the art of giving an expressionless face, raising his head to glare at me with an eyebrow raised.
I stared back at him and tried to smile as I walked on, posing for the unsuspecting guests armed with cameras and notebooks ready to tear me down the second I messed up.
Finally, I reached the altar and heaved a sigh of despair as the bridal train let go of my gown and the groom clasped my hand with urgency. Now, I had to deal with an unnecessarily heavy dress and a tight grip.
Immediately the priest made the sign of the cross–which I dutifully performed–and began to speak, I tuned my brain towards the last episode of Hotel de Luna and tears immediately pooled in my eyes.
Bad choice, as departing ghosts were now a weakness. I sniffed hastily, feeling the grip on my hand tighten.
I whispered instantly, "Please release my hand. I am trying not to cry, and there is no need to have a repeat of last night."
He dropped my hand too eagerly, causing it to hit the chair. I winced and rubbed around it, smiling at the memory. Sneaking around the dinner last night to get a glimpse of the final scene, tearing up and ruining my makeup in the process, and having a small brawl with my soon to be sister-in-law caused an incident no one wanted a repeat of.
I glanced back at the priest, a dark man with full beards who was speaking intently on marriage vows. I tuned out again, focusing instead on counting the bulbs of the high ceiling chandeliers.
After a while, he beckoned to the groom and I and made us kneel to receive blessings. Unlike in the movies, he skipped the part about exchanging our personal vows, and moved straight to the exchange of wedding rings.
Of course, he turned to the groom first and asked,
"Cole Winston, do you take Elizabeth Watson to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to hold, to cherish and to protect, for rich or for poor, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"
The whole church went dead silent, and I glanced at my boss. The entitled, arrogant, and unfairly handsome man I worked under for three years. The man I was about to sign a second contract with.
"Yes," he answered immediately and smiled at the crowd. For effect.
"Elizabeth Watson, do you take Cole Winston to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to hold, to cherish and to protect, for rich or for poor, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"
I nearly shook my head. Apart from 'lawfully wedded wife' and the riches part, nothing else held any weight. I was about to defy my beliefs and enter a contract marriage for money.
My value and freedom bought by money and fame, sure to end in separation. I felt my spirits dampen.
"Miss Elizabeth?" I heard my name, and turned to look at the priest who was still waiting for my response.
"What? Yes, I take Cole to be my husband," I responded, feeling a bitter taste in my mouth as the crowd erupted in applause.
The priest grinned and lifted up his hands, "With no further delay, I pronounce you husband and wife. Thanks be to God."
Did this man just call me a delay? If only he knew how many pay-offs the Winstons' indulged when our engagement broke out. Strings of flings and one nightstands with incriminating evidence, and enormous mouths to feed.
The man continued, oblivious to the sin involved in keeping up the sham, "You may now kiss the bride."
I froze up instantly and widened my eyes but before I could respond, Cole leaned over and pecked me softly on my lips. Thankfully, it was over before it began and the crowd seemed to accept it.
As they dished out congratulations to us, I smiled softly and tried to avoid the eyes of Cole's family. From experience, I knew they felt like strangling me now but instead his mother and sister came over with fake smiles plastered on their faces.
"Welcome to the family, darling," the red-haired woman said as she gave me a hug. The scent of her perfume stuck in my nose and I grimaced, fighting hard for air. The numerous pearl beads on her neck squashed against my low cut dress, pressing deep into my skin and I pushed back, but she held on.
"Just don't forget your place. You're not a Winston, and you'll never be. All this is just for show, none of us care one inch about you." She let go of me, still holding a perfect smile.
Cole chose that moment to walk away, advancing towards a group of older men who he clapped hands with as soon as he reached them, and a small jolt of pain washed over me. I would have to live with a man who felt indifferent about what his family thought about or said to me.
I raised my chin, and smiled back at the woman. No one of them needed to see my defeat. "Thank you. I have zero interest in your family name. Your son came with the offer, not me." I replied and turned to go, but stopped and glanced at his sister, "Your lipstick is smudged, by the way."
I walked over to where Cole stood, still talking, and put on the best forlorn face of a new bride who needed to be with her groom.
"Honey, let's go take a few pictures," I suggested, holding his hand while glancing over to smile at the men.
"Thank you for coming. You understand I have to steal him though, right?" I asked, layering on the sweetness I reserved for dealing with difficult clients.
"Yes of course. It's your big day," one of the men responded, urging us to move along. As we walked away, he called out, "Everyone of us is happy now, Cole."
We took a few pictures, and by the end of it, my cheeks were hurting me and the end of my four-inch heels had begun to bite into my feet. Contrary to the story she spun about it being ancestral and part of the family, I still believed my mother-in-law used them as a punishment.
A Ferrari drove into the hall, stopping right where I stood with my boss, now my husband. He made a stellar show of grinning as he opened the passenger door for me, stooping to plant another quick peck on my lips before getting into the driver seat.
Out of habit, I buckled up and waved at the crowd as Cole revved up and engine and drove us away, the soft breeze tickling my scalp.
"I'll transfer a part of the money to your account tomorrow," He said curtly, putting a black shade over his eyes as he turned into a high fenced building.
I nodded absently, turning to smile at the private jet waiting for our arrival. Being the Mrs. of a billionaire did not sound bad at all.
She thought she was the love of his life, and he became the love of her life that fateful day she had seen him at the pack's party. Selene Grace was only a replica of Alpha Leo's real mate, and when he spotted her, Leo immediately claimed her as his Luna in order to suppress the rumors of him being mateless. Being unable to conceive turns Selene's marriage into a nightmare, and as if that wasn't enough, Alpha Leo finally reunites with his long time lover and mate, rejecting a pregnant Selene as a result. 5 years later, Selene, a now successful doctor, receives an invitation to the moon shadow pack in order to rid the pack of a deadly disease which has struck it. Will Selene return back to the pack which had caused her so much pain, and what would she do when she realizes that she is mated to the Alpha who had betrayed her in the past?
"I, Riccardo Saviano, future Alpha of the Grey Shadow Moon Pack, reject you, Artemisia Guerrieri, Daughter of Alpha Franco of the Blood Moon Pack, as my mate and future Luna." One single sentence. One stupid single sentence was all it took to disintegrate my life. And the day of my birthday, on which this sentence was audaciously uttered to me, I lost the love of my life, my future mate, and my wolf, all at once. As I'm still assembling the pieces of my shattered heart years later, there they come. Like lightning out of a crystal blue sky. My Mates. But wait... If I am mated to triplets, how come I'm about to be mated to 5 gorgeous men? *** TW: explicit and foul language; spicy content; explicit sex scenes ***
Once upon a time, there were two kingdoms once at peace. The kingdom of Salem and the kingdom of Mombana... Until the day, the king of Mombana passed away and a new monarch took over, Prince Cone. Prince Cone, has always been hungry for more power and more and more. After his coronation, he attacked Salem. The attack was so unexpected, Salem never prepared for it. They were caught off guard. The king and Queen was killed, the prince was taken into slavery. The people of Salem that survived the war was enslaved, their land taken from them. Their women were made sex slaves. They lost everything, including their land. Evil befall the land of Salem in form of Prince Cone, and the prince of Salem in his slavery was filled with so much rage. The prince of Salem, Prince Lucien swore revenge. 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳 Ten years later, thirty-years old Lucien and his people raided a coup and escaped slavery. They went into hiding and recuperated. They trained day and night under the leadership of the fearless and cold Lucien who was driven with everything in him to get back their land, and take Mombana land too. It took them five years before they ambushed and attacked Mombana. They killed Prince Cone and reclaimed everything. As they screamed out their victory, Lucien's eyes found and pinned the proud princess of Mombana. Princess Danika. The daughter of Prince Cone. As Lucien stared at her with the coldest eyes anyone can ever possess, he felt victory for the first time. He walked to the princess with the slave collar he'd won for ten years rattling in his hand as he walked. He reached close to her and with a swift movement, he collared her neck. Then, he tilted her chin up, staring into the bluest eyes and the most beautiful face ever created, he gave her a cold smile. "You are my acquisition. My slave. My sex slave. My property. I will pay you in spades, everything you and your father ever did to me and my people." He stated curtly. Pure hatred, coldness and victory was the only emotion on his face. .
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
Sheila had her back against the wall when her family tried to force her to marry an awful old man. In a fit of rage, she hired a gigolo to act as her husband. She thought the gigolo needed money and did this for a living. Little did she know that he was nothing like that. One day, he pulled off his mask and revealed himself to be the world's top magnate. This marked the beginning of their love. He showered her with everything she could ever want. They were happy. However, unexpected circumstances soon posed a threat to their love. Would Sheila and her husband make it through the storm? Find out!
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."