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A billionaire who hides his bleeding heart with a tough exterior and a soft, family oriented 24 year old woman. Who would have ever thought? Vanessa Higgins lives in constant reminder of how indebted she is to her aunt for taking she and her sister in when they lost their mum. But the ultimate favour was asked of her when she was asked to marry a man she barely knew to enable the family business. In an unexpected turn of events, she ends up marrying another man on that same day, a cold hearted billionaire who is willing to go to any length to have the debt he's owed paid back. Damien De Luca never imagined he'd be getting married when he woke up that morning. But after a look at Vanessa, he had to keep her around him, even if that meant entrapping her with her family's debt. He has married her alright, but not for the reason everyone thinks. What happens when his true reason dares to burst out, exposing the man in him whom he has spent so long trying to erase? A marriage based on a contract might not be so bad after all, but what of a marriage based on lies, warped truths and secrets?
The nervousness kicks in full time when my veil is placed atop my head. I open my eyes slowly and come face to face with my reflection in the brightly lit full length mirror. My stomach drops and I feel the tears spring into my eyes. The only thing I can think to myself as I take in my appearance is "ugly". This dress is ugly and I look ugly.
It's a pale ivory color, with a neckline so high it looks like I'm wearing a turtle neck. Layers of hideous, frothy lace line the bodice and sleeves and the bottom opens out in large swaths of even more lace. It's so heavy it's a wonder how I'm still standing. Camilla sighs from behind me and I know she's also not impressed.
"It's ugly, isn't it?". I ask, my voice thick with tears.
She looks up at me in alarm and takes in my watering eyes. "No no no.....what do you think you are doing?". She comes around to stand in front of me and yanks a tissue paper from the box on standby, pressing it gently onto my eyes to dab away my tears. "You look beautiful, Vanessa". I notice the way she avoids my eyes as she says that. She's never been good at lying. "Mum would have been proud to see you in her dress".
I doubt that, I think to myself as I glance at my reflection again. Mum had loved her dress alright but she of everyone also knew that just like the years, trends come and go. She would have wanted me to wear something very trendy this year, just like this dress had been back in the 80s.
"Dad will come and get you soon". She crumples the tissue paper in her hand and flashes me a quick, watery smile. "I can't believe you are getting married". She whispers.
I shake my head at the mirror. "I can't believe it too". And that's true. I hadn't even known I'd be getting married till three weeks ago. I had simply come down to the family house for a supposedly important family meeting and heard the news myself. I have only met my husband-to-be twice and both times, I was really not impressed. He talks with his mouth wide open, laughs like a clown, has an astonishingly shiny bald spot even though he's just 29, can't stop referring to his parents as "mummy" and "daddy", makes crude jokes about how impressive he's sure my "bedroom performances" will be.....Good Lord, I could write a whole book about everything that's wrong with Cody MacMillan. And that's not including the rumours I've heard, especially the most popular one about his erectile dysfunction. I'm not even eager to find out if that's true or not.
The door opens behind us and Dad walks in, a wide smile on his face. His eyes widen when he sees me. "Oh my.....you....you look beautiful, honey". I would have believed him if I didn't see the slight twitch of his mouth. My father has always been like this. Well built, handsome and packed with more than enough good humour to go around. He's that parent that laughs first when you fall before offering to help you up, the one who loves to play pranks, the one who laughs at your prom date's ill fitting suit right in his face.....that's until mum died. It's been almost 10 years and it's toll on him is still very clear. Even though he still laughs, his eyes no longer twinkle and more often than we would have liked, we catch him just staring emptily into space.
"Dad, not you too". I mumble grumpily.
He pauses for a little while before bursting into laughter. Even though I should feel bad, I find myself relieved that at least one person is being true to me. A small, amused smile spreads on my face too.
"Ness....Ness I'm so sorry". He's still laughing.
"Dad, you are being rude". Camilla chides. I bump her arm playfully.
"It's fine". I say, smiling. "The dress really is ugly after all".
My dad's face is red as he comes to stand before me, raising a hand to wipe away the tears on his face. "I never imagined that this same dress would look like this on you. Your mum looked so radiant when she wore it those many years ago". I smile at him. I'm happy that he now talks about mum casually more often. "I wonder what Ellie was thinking getting you into this dress. Setting up this marriage as a whole".
Dad is absolutely not impressed with this marriage or Aunt Ellie as a whole When Dad fell into a depression after mum died, Camilla and I ended up being sent to our mum's sister and she and her husband basically raised us ever since. Even when Dad had come back with the intentions of taking us back, she hadn't allowed him. I wish he had fought harder to take us. I wouldn't be here right now, marrying a complete stranger in the hopes of cementing the merger between two companies. Three weeks ago, my aunt had wasted no time reminding me of everything she's done for us and how 17-year old Camilla was still in their care and needed to be taken care of. She and Uncle's company needed the merger with Cody's parent's company and a marriage would speed up the process. So here I am, marrying to save my aunt's depreciating company.
"There was no time to shop for a dress". I say as I link my arm through dad's. We hear a small round of applause from behind the adjoining door and Camilla goes to peep. When she turns back around, her eyes are wide and her voice skippy with nervousness and excitement.
"They are calling you out". My heart skips a beat and I stand up straighter. Camilla grabs her bridesmaid bouquet and turns the door knob, flashing me a quick smile. "See you outside". She says and goes outside, launching my entrance. My father stands up straighter and with one last glance at each other, he opens the door and we step out into my wedding hall.
The guest list is small and intentionally made so. I'm not about to marry Cody in front of a huge crowd. I keep my eyes straight forward as my dad walks me down the aisle. Cody is at the other end and as we get closer, I see how wide his smile is. It takes all I have not to break down right here. I finally get to where he's standing and the ceremony begins, with me robotically repeating the words I'm told, not once looking my husband-to-be in the eye.
"We are all here today to witness and bless this conjugal bliss". The priest's voice rings out. "If there's anyone with any objections to this union, do speak now or forever hold your peace".
I stare down at our conjoined hands and the tears actually well up in my eyes this time. This is it, I'm marrying this man. It's true. After a few seconds, the priest turns back to us, a serene smile on his face.
"I hereby pronou.......".
"I do!!!!". My heart drops to my stomach.The door to the hall has bursted open and bright rays of sunlight stream in. And right through it comes a figure. He walks leisurely down the aisle in an expensive three suit piece suit, his eyes shaded with the darkest sun glasses ever. He stops in the middle of the aisle and faces the priest and us, a small smile on his face. "I do!!! I have an objection to this union".
The crowd gasps dramatically but all my attention is focused on this mysterious man. I have never seen him before in my life.
A fallen heiress. A broken alpha. A plot for revenge…..and an unexpected twist of fate. When calamity strikes her pack, Valeria does everything within her power to save her people. Even if it means begging for help from the arrogant alpha of the rival pack. But fate has other plans in store for her and when things take an interesting turn, she's left with two choices. Sign her life away to her unexpected mate, or watch her people die. Beneath the icy demeanor and long sleeved clothes of Draaven Ventura lies a den of secrets….and a vengeful heart. When his feisty mate comes breezing through his door, seeking for help, he doesn't hesitate to use the situation to his advantage. His long assembled plan for vengeance is finally coming together, and he has the perfect pawn to use in his game.
Kimberly Powers is a 28 year old artist and gallery owner who is all too familiar with the dark alleys of life. But if that's what she has to go through to protect her younger sister, so be it. Finally living the life she has always wanted, she knows it's only best for her to stash her ugly past away into the dark cellars of her mind, away from the woman she has become and all that surrounds her. With her daily interactions, she's had to hide the dead part of her soul and the internal mess she is from the world. She's determined to keep her demons in her head but exactly how much can the expensive three piece suits and sleek haircuts hide? Especially when she meets a man whose honey coloured eyes seem to unravel her being and pierce right through her soul. Will she finally be able to embark on the journey of self love? And when the shadows of her past begin to creep up into the open, will she be able to face her fears and let love lead?
A traitorous history. A vengeful spirit. A heart caught somewhere between love and hate. A story that tells it all. Marissa Randall's 20th birthday and awakening takes a turn she never saw coming. The alpha of her pack turns out to be her mate and her wolf is the exact replica of a woman whose name no one mentions. When the sins of a mother come back to haunt a child, how far must she go to free herself from the bondage? Alpha Lazarus is beyond elated to meet his mate after so many years of waiting. But what happens when his destined partner is the daughter of the biggest traitor in the history of the pack, whose treason cost the lives of his parents and many more loved ones? Will it really be that easy to put the past behind? Or....will the powerful drive for vengeance mark the beginning of the end? Let's find out.
"You feel it don't you?". He whispered. She gulped nervously and remained silent, her gaze holding his firmly. "You do feel it. You are my mate, Ariella". And before she could get a word out, his lips came crashing down on hers. Ariella has lived all her life in hiding among humans as a werewolf who could be killed if discovered. While she hates that her mother had been cast out of her pack, she's mostly content with her quiet life among mortals. But everything comes crashing down one day when her family is arrested for owing taxes. Right as things seem to take a turn for the worse for her and her family, a stranger appears and saves her. He's Draaven, her mate whom she would be meeting for the first time and alpha of the Lycans, a pack which has had a lifelong feud with the Cecils, her mother's birth pack. Draaven manages to save only Ella and while he realizes she should know the truth, he refuses to tell her for fear of losing her. Will their love be able to triumph over secrets, rivalry and pack wars? Will Ariella finally be able to own her wolf identity and take her rightful place in the same pack that her mother had betrayed? Read on.
After three years of loveless marriage, Kira was slapped with divorce papers. She has shown him her unrequited love throughout her entire marriage with him, but he decided to turn blind eyes all because of his lover. Distraught and heartbroken, Kira choose to sign the divorce papers with bitter heart. But then and there, she promised herself that when she's back, he will come crawling to her, but she will make him pay for hurting her. Join Kira as she transform to a wealthy heiress and soared as the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar empire, a remarkable healer and make her ex-husband pay!
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."
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?
Kara Martin was known as Miss Perfect. She was a beauty with good personality and successful career. Unfortunately, her life changed at one night. She was accused of adultery, losing her job, and abandoned by her fiance. The arrogant man who slept with her did not want to take responsibility. He even threatened to kill her if they met again. What's worse, Kara was pregnant with twins and she chose to give birth to them. Four and a half years later, Kara returned to work at a large company. As the secretary, she would frequently face their notorious CEO. Kara thought it wouldn't be a problem, but as it turned out ... the CEO was the father of the twins!
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.
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”