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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.
Eliana was framed by her best friend and her fiance into sleeping with a boy toy in the club and getting impregnated by him. Five years after she had given birth to twins, she returned home and worked under the Moran Group, where she met the CEO-- Maurice. Maurice was a brilliant businessman who did his job well. But in order to stay under the radar, he lived a double life. One as Maurice, and one as Preston. Fate brought the two together again, roping them in on an exciting love story. It all became more complicated when Eliana faced Preston, the man she had slept with before, once again. Now that she was being pursued by two men, how could she ever choose? When would Eliana uncover the secret of Maurice's identity? When was Maurice going to know that he already had two children of his own? How would Eliana face this man when the truth came to light one day? Come and find out.
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. .
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."