"They have broken through the fence!", Robin cried out from behind . The air suddenly became tensed around everyone waiting to for the battle of their lives. While Ruth turned to Sean who kept his gaze at the last stronghold. "Sean, please let me and the kids go", "You know I can't do that. They'll kill you and take the boys away once you step out there", Sean said without looking at her and she was already crying and tried to wrench herself free from his grip but failed yet again for the third time to loosen herself from his grasp. "Let...us go back, Sean. I want to go back to my old life", "It's too late for that", "Then why didn't you tell me sooner? Why now?!", She screamed. "Because I didn't want you to lose that side of yours, yes, Ruth, that side of you being a CEO taking care of your late dad's business empire. He worked hard to build a life for you and I didn't want to you to give up everything just to be with me...", He replied searching for a response from her bewildered face and continued when he received none. "The way we were before things went bad was okay to me and I don't want to lose that side of me either", "What side, Sean? She questioned. "The side of me being the father of the children standing next to you and I may have lost the right to be chief but I don't want to lose you to them because this side of me is the only thing that matters to me right now", Those were the words of Sean and deep down, his words bore a hole in the center of her heart. Ruth knew that he was telling the truth that she had long been trying hard not to accept...
Owing to a great number of factors, Ruth's father had to retire early from the army and had to involve himself in some sort of trading which instilled in him a well driven muse and desire to migrate from the main city to the remote countryside of Ireland, seeking to establish some sort of business outlet that would fetch him some lucrative sources of material wealth and cash on which a whole part of peasants living there, mostly depended on.
Having settled there in 1996, he began life as an employee in some other local sawmill which already existed before he came to the town though not up to the equivalent standard to which he later built his own and subsequently found interest in enhancing his day job which wasn't sufficient to cater for his needs when he discovered the potentials and benefits of cutting wood for sale that he could richly gain profitably if he were to set up a running but he still held on to it tenaciously primarily because of his ambition to have a timber milling factory under his name despite having to put up with the boorish attitudes of those above his status including his boss.
He got married to a teacher living in the same town when he turned forty-five and had a nuclear family that had to put up with intrigues of other families living in the same neighborhood and a partially sustainable life in the rural areas, on which they struggle to live in since the town had low amenities and poor income from scanty firms, fully present in the town.
His meagre salary wasn't sufficient enough to cover for the needs of his two children as well as his wife until he suddenly got fortunate to strike a secret profitable deal with one of the most popular company in the main city primarily through the inside help of an old friend whom he knew to have gotten employed by the company some years before his retirement.
Afterwards, he didn't hesitate to quit his job and succeeded in establishing a more firmer mill which soon surpasses his former boss's wood factory fourteen years later after he left his work to pursue his dreams, in terms of producing and supplying quality timbers to enabling markets in the distant city where his valuable merchandise was often needed though not among the top ranked companies involved in the same line of trade but his woods was still recognized by many buyers to be durable and long lasting in construction works especially most of the houses situated at the central side of town, at the remote areas far off south from the seashore, that were roofed and partially built using the hard barks of his strong timber together with the use of concrete to build the house.
He used some of the funds which he got from his lucrative business to erect a fancy mansion on a hilltop which turned out to be a significant eyesaw of every single person living in the same town with the affluent fellow especially his workers that came visiting his luxurious manor each time to submit periodic reports of the day to day sales of his small but functional enterprise including those working in his crop plantations located twenty five miles far inland away from town but was somewhat a short distance away from the wooden signpost with the name of the town inscribed on it.
Before that, when his infant business was still yet to attain a greater level of expansion, quite a few locals in the poorly developed community who were finding it hard to provide for their basic needs, were given chance to generate some income to sustain their families members for the being but as time went progresses, his timber empire began to expand .
At first, his workers were satisfied with the way they were treated at their workplace and the wages they earned at the end of the each month for having paid on time which was suffice enough for them to cater for their families especially those working in his plantations despite the harsh climatic conditions they doggedly faced throughout the year when its the rainy season while his workers tending to the timbers at the sawmill under the profound supervision of Sean's father, didn't show any sign of insubordination with his managerial skills though partly discontented with the way he handled minor quarrels and brawls that frequently occurred amongst the poorly fed workers of the lower class secretly incited by his private bodyguards whose presence in his firm intimidated the workers whenever he paid a visit to see how his merchandise are being sold and how the operations are well handled by all the staff workers down to the least employee who does the menial job in his enterprise.
But as time went by, things slowly began to change between him and his workers whom himself as well as his bodyguards started to taunt with every little chance they get as a result of his hidden pride that started to manifest itself to everyone that comes in contact with him including his family members as his wealth grew larger though there were no complaints against his cruel management found amongst the workers since bulk of the profit gotten at the end of the month were shared at a sufficient amount to all the workers equally without any reduction in their salaries which made majority of his staff workers remained ignorant and endured his poor dictatorship in terms of prolonging the usual duration of their working hours into the night, and later adjusted it to the next day when they were supposed to resume after retiring to their abode to hibernate in their homes with their families who were getting frustrated with their frequent absence at home due to the late night working hours they frequently engage in without caring about the consequences of endlessly working throughout the week without rejuvenating their strength profoundly by resting their weary body though night shifts were set up to avoid the complete breakdown of human labour and machinery in his timber firm which would cost him dearly but it was no practical solution to the problem the workers faced every year.
Only the supervisors of his firm and those holding vital offices in his firm felt and notice the wrongdoings occurring in the enterprise which would affect the majority of workers in a sort of way that would worsen the ill conditions the workers face especially the assigned hours each workers were meant to perform their duties in the timber factory as well as the plantations and all these were secretly perpetrated by his bodyguards under his instructions as a way to enslave the workers and to reap the benefit in the end but they didn't act on it and remain silent since the workers never showed any serious sign of total discontentment.
Although some were not happy with the way things were, the workers kept to their duty even if it means staying out all night without the thought of going home the following day, working in his plantations each time the sun was at its summit and harvesting perishable crops whenever heavy downpour of rain occurs during the rainy season. For twenty years ever since he started his business, things slowly went bad to worse amongst his workers but no one was able to say anything about it, let alone come out in mass numbers to protest against the discreet mistreatment his thugs perpetrated at the expense of those working in his plantations and his mill including the men meant to supervise his two major sources of wealth since the economic conditions were favorable for the town and they were able to fend for themselves without relying too much on the meager earnings they received from him.
Two-faced and talented, Gabriela Adelaide is the lone surviving heiress to her father's prestigious royal wealth and living a rosy life of being a married bride with a man who happens to be her childhood crush but with sparks of ominous karma in her father's life and the discovery of her second face, her status is threatened and her relationship at the brink of being sabotaged by someone whose ties not only seeks to rob her off the man she had crushed on her entire life but the comfortable life she had enjoyed under the luxurious comfort of her father's royal roof. Will she defend what's hers and safeguard her relationship from being shattered or succumb to the cards of fate in favor of her twofold
Soon after a ghastly accident on the road to a distant prison on an island at Galapagos as a result of a mine bomb, eight survivors seeking freedom from the cops escaped the wreckage into the deserted plains and ended up stranded inside a jungle of dry woods near Arizona where their worst fears of escaping death fully came to alive when they encountered the unknown
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
22-year-old Evelyn Carter is attempting to start over in California while avoiding her past. She will be embarking on a new career path as a private school teacher. She is smart, attractive, and doesn't put up with nonsense. Who wouldn't notice her? However, what happens when she attracts the attention of someone unwilling to let her go? Who wants her and nothing else after falling in love at first sight? A 25-year-old billionaire CEO and single father, Lucian Carrington. He takes what he wants and he is also a very dangerous man. All it needed was one look at a stunning woman to realize she was HIS, even though he doesn't believe in relationships because they always end. Preview: Miss Carter, you will be mine. I say firmly. "Release my arm, Mr. Carrington, before I force you to." She says, seeming to smile at me. I give her a sly smile. Squeezing my wrist with her other hand, she twists it uncomfortably. I gave a painful hiss. "Don't underestimate me, Mr. Carrington." "This is the only time I will allow you to walk away from me, Miss Carter." She glared at me as she turned. "Mr. Carrington, I am no possession of yours." I was left standing there when she opened the classroom door and left.
⚠️ WARNING ⚠️ This Book Contains Matured Contents, reader's discretion is advised. *** "Do you have any idea how much I want to be inside you right now?" he asked as he stood to his feet. "Then why aren't you?" I responded, loving the feel of him pressed so close, my back to the mirror, my front to him. But even still, in some far corner of my lust-fogged mind, I realized that we were still in a bathroom. Anyone could walk in and see us. The thought of getting discovered was scary and erotic at the same time. "Oh, we're not done. Spread your legs a bit for me, Kitten." He commanded. When I did as he instructed, he settled between my legs again. "Now close your eyes. And try not to move." Dominic Rutherford murmured. I drew in a sharp breath as his fingers slipped into me with a silky, wet ease. First one. Then another. A feverish tide rose inside me, and I groaned. I jerked in response, causing me to unconsciously move my hips towards his teasing, clever hand, seeking more. "Ohh-" My body trembled under his touch. "Please..." *** Ruby escapes a stifling marriage filled with betrayal, eager to reclaim her freedom. At a masquerade ball, she meets Dominic, a mysterious older man always wearing a mask and has a complex past. Their intense attraction ignites a passionate and dangerous affair. Dominic, who was tasked by Ruby's unknown brother to find her, is captivated by her defiant spirit. As Ruby gets entangled in Dominic's dark world and faces threats from her vengeful former husband and an enemy within, she struggles with her fear of love. Will Ruby and Dominic overcome their pasts and the secrets that threaten to tear them apart? Can Ruby submit to love even after the truth is revealed?
After spending a night with a strange man on the day before her wedding, Arianna left the country to start her life afresh. The 22-year-old Arianna Jason lived her life pleasing those she loved the most, without knowing that she was simply a prey being nurtured for the day of her ruin. Her life has tasted the butter pill of betrayal. She wants to give back to the world what she's got but how can she change her good, innocent personality to fit into a cruel society and world? Can her sweet nature be contaminated, or will she make it through, paddling on the right path?
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.
Due to the plight of her family, Phoebe had no choice but to embark on the path of selling herself. In an accident, she had a tangled night with Alexander. Everything began to derail, and even if she fled to the ends of the earth, she would still be found by him and entangled... *** Phoebe screamed in frustration, "What do you want from me?" What was this supposed to be? He raised an eyebrow wickedly. "What do I want? You'll find out soon enough." With that, he hoisted her up and carried her back into the office. The door slammed shut with a kick, and he cleared the desk with a sweep of his arm before laying her down on it, his body pinning hers in place, completely trapping her in his grasp. Every cell in his body was telling him he wanted her. He wanted to claim her again. This time, there would be no escape for her-he wouldn't let her slip away. Never again. If he had suffered for five years, then this woman wouldn't get off easily either!