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Melissa had always wanted one thing, for her husband to fall in love with her.
Melissa sat down to enjoy the cool evening breeze, the clouds were in different shades of orange and purple, nature had always fascinated her. She went inside her room and brought her camera out to capture the beautiful sight before her, it would be a waste if she didn't. After taking different shots from different angles she smiled to herself, being a photographer was kind of the only thing that made her genuinely happy. She might not be a good daughter or a good wife but she was definitely a damn great photographer and that made her so proud of herself.
After a while she heard a soft knock on her door, she picked up her phone to look at the time. By now she was expected to be at a dinner party hosted by one of her husband's close friends and she had completely lost track of time from watching the sunset. She opened the door and she was greeted with the smiling face of the butler.
"Good evening madam." He greeted.
"How are you, Lester? She asked.
"Mr. Jonathan said I should get you, but you're not yet dressed. Are you perhaps feeling ill?"
"Oh not at all, I just lost track of time. I'll go to him now and explain; and ask him for a little more time so I can get dressed. "She said.
"Alright, I'll be in the kitchen if you need me".
In her two years of marriage, Jonathan and she never really had any misunderstanding; he was cool, patient, calm and organized. It was those reasons that made her think getting married to him wouldn't be too much of a task to handle. She walked down the stairs and found Jonathan in the living room.
"Melissa we're late..... He started.
"I'm sorry Jonathan, I lost track of time. Could you be a bit patient while I get ready, it wasn't really my intention to keep you waiting. She explained. He let out a sigh and he straightened his face."
"If you aren't ready in twenty minutes, I'll go ahead, and then tell our hosts that you couldn't make it." He replied.
"Twenty minutes is okay." She replied.
Who was she kidding, twenty minutes was too small and it was a formal dinner she was attending. But she didn't want to disappoint Jonathan so she did as fast as she could to not keep him waiting.
Melissa gently walked down the stairs in her chocolate brown linen dress and black heels and her brown hair in soft waves that fell down to her back, there was no doubt that Melissa was a very beautiful woman who got stares when she walked into a room. Jonathan held his hand out for her, while they walked towards the door. He had always been a gentleman and she liked that about him, well she liked everything about him but this was just an added bonus. Even if he didn't feel anything towards her at least he respected her and it was nearly satisfying.
"You look beautiful". Jonathan said as they entered the car and he meant it. He always did mean it every time he said it but something made him feel like she didn't really believe he found her pretty.
"Thank you". She confidently replied she knew it wasn't meant as a compliment but just mere courtesy, but still he deserved a polite answer.
The night dragged on, with different activities. The only way Melissa coped with these outings was by thinking of all the wonderful relaxing things she could do at home in her comfy bed. Their house was her favorite place; it was a wedding gift from her parents two years ago when she and Jonathan had gotten married. She'd chosen the house because of the magnificent view it held, which was as expected since she was a photographer and her discipline was focused on views mainly.
An arranged marriage for five years; where no one owed the other anything. She had her life and he had his, since their marriage they had led completely different lives. It was only compulsory to stay in the same house, show up at social events together, and show up for the press, papers and magazines. Apart from that they had no business with each other.
Jonathan even had a girlfriend; well he had lots of them. Melissa didn't mind, but the current one was so annoying that at times all she thought of was rubbing the fact that she was actually married to Jonathan in her face, but then who was she to interfere with his dating life. Its not as if she was anything special to him and a married man having a mistress was a huge blow to the wife if theyre marriage was a conventional one that is.
After her third glass of champagne, she was ready to call for the driver. Jonathan caught a glance of his wife from a distance, she looked bored. Well he knew she never enjoyed all these parties but then she signed up for it. He decided to walk up to her and chat with her a bit, over the years they hadn't done much talking or much anything. They were both busy people and even though Melissa was good company he just never felt the need to indulge in long conversations with her. But today he felt like she could use a friend or maybe not a friend but a somewhat familiar person to speak to.
"Hey". Jonathan said when he reached her table.
"Do you need to go now?" Melissa asked in confusion, Jonathan didn't usually walk up to her with a "hey".
"In a few minutes, but you look like you need to get the hell out of here".
She laughed softly; well could she be more obvious. What if her hosts noticed her look, that would be very rude of her.
"I don't really enjoy these things ". She replied honestly.
"It's all for appearances..." Jonathan started but a song came up and people started dancing. Maybe dancing would help her cheer up, he thought.
"Dance with me?" He asked and Melissa raised her eyebrows in confusion, the last time she danced with her husband was two years ago at their wedding.
"Are you sure?" She asked still surprised at his request.
"Of course". He offered her his hand and he led them to the dance floor.
Jonathan pulled her close, his hands on her waist and her hands on his shoulders. They swayed to the music; Melissa didn't know how to act. They did quick hugs occasionally for photos but never this up close; he could sense the discomfort she was feeling. Did she find him disturbing? Even Melissa didn't have the answer to that.
"Do you find me disturbing?" Jonathan asked breaking the silence as they swayed to the music.
"No not at all". She replied with a small smile, why would he even ask her that when all she did was swoon every time she saw him.
"So what were you up to this evening that made you late, it's unlike you to be late". Jonathan asked just to make small talk and keep Melissa comfortable.
"I was watching the sunset and taking pictures of it". She answered truthfully and to her surprise again he gave a small smile.
"I'd love to see you in your element one day, taking pictures and all that you do. But with your features, I think you would have been better off as a model instead".Jonathan said and they both laughed.
"Yeah, sure. Behind the camera is where I belong though". She replied.
"Whatever rows your boat darling." They looked into each other's eyes for a bit, each not knowing what they were searching for. Melissa cleared her throat which seemed to bring them back to reality.
"Can we go home now, I'm a bit tired". Melissa said. Was it the champagne because suddenly she felt so warm in his arms, and this weird fuzzy feeling that tonight was maybe sort of special?
"Yeah, we can". He replied. He gave her a small nod before going to signal the driver and get their things.
Jonathan watched as she walked up the stairs, she turned back and looked at him.
"Thank you for the company tonight". Melissa said with a warm smile.
"It's alright, I enjoyed myself too. Goodnight Melissa".
"Goodnight Jonathan".
This evening was the most eventful they've ever had, it almost felt magical. The next morning, Melissa decided it was the champagne, because everything had gone back to normal. So much for dreams and wishful thinking, was it so much to ask that he had a little bit of feeling towards her. Well what could she expect from a marriage like hers, they certainly weren't a love match made in heaven, well when this marriage was done she decided that she would find the person who loved her and that gave her a bit of comfort and deep down she hoped that Jonathan was still the one.
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.
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
"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?"