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"What if I don't fall in love with you?" she asked apprehensively. Instead, his lips curved into a small smile that messed with her chest. "You will" he replied confidently and she knew at that moment that she already had. --------------------------------------------- A loveless marriage. Her parents' mysterious death. Dangerous secrets. Zaria Williams would do anything to find out who caused her parents' death and why. Taking over their company and ending her loveless marriage after disappearing for one year was the first step. With her two brothers as the last of her family, Zaria is further pulled into a web of dangerous secrets and dangerous territories even without having any idea of it. And there was only one reason, he protected her without question, without a word, without she even having an idea of it.
Zaria sat on the left side of the bed staring outside the window, there was really nothing to look at except the rows of houses opposite hers. The estate was as silent as a graveyard, it always was; and even more so at night. She had no doubts that any of the houses could be throwing parties but no one would have any idea since all the houses were equipped with soundproof systems.
She turned and took another glance at the empty bed. Even though she already knew that he wouldn't return that night, she was a little hopeful in her heart. She hoped that something would happen and he would come home. But as much as she hoped; she knew better.
Her phone buzzed on the bedside drawer and she stretched her arm to reach for it. Her eyebrows pulled together slowly when she realized that it was a message from an unknown number. She clicked the message open and upon seeing the picture in the message inbox, she gulped unconsciously.
Tears rushed to her eyes but Zaria pressed her lips together willing herself not to let a single tear fall. She knew that she was back and that was why for the past month, her husband hadn't visited or slept in his own house not more than two times. She knew that while he stayed away from his home, he spent ample time with her but she was too scared to bring it up in case he got angry and asked for a divorce. The thought made cold sweat form on her back. For what it was, she couldn't afford to lose him.
She sniffed quietly while dialing his number and pressing the phone to her ears and just as she expected, her call went to voicemail. Pursing her lips again, she summoned up courage and called his assistant. The latter picked up the call at the second ring.
"Hello," Zaria greeted quietly.
"Good evening Mrs. McConnell" the assistant's polite yet distant voice retracted into Zaria's ears and Zaria debated whether to ask her question or not. She didn't know what Logan must have told his secretary but each and every time they came into contact, the latter always treated her with a very polite but distant attitude that never failed to make her feel awkward.
"Mrs. McConnell?" the assistant called when Zaria didn't say anything and Zaria was immediately jolted back to the present.
"Err.... Er.... I called Logan a few minutes ago and my calls went to voicemail. I wanted to ask if he was working late" Zaria replied and there was a moment of silence.
"Mr. McConnell is at the hospital" the assistant replied and Zaria swallowed her saliva.
"Hospital? Is someone ill?" Zaria asked despite knowing the answer.
"Miss Peterson is ill and Mr. President is accompanying her" the assistant replied.
"Oh," Zaria muttered quietly, fighting every urge in her not to let any of her tears spill down her cheeks.
"Could I get the name of the hospital? I'd like to send Miss Peterson some fruits and if possible check up on her too" Zaria added; dropping the call as soon as the assistant said she would text her the address.
Sick? Accompanying her? How dumb did they think she was?
The phone in her hand buzzed again and Zaria glanced at it to see that it was a message from the assistant. It was the address of the hospital, she quickly texted the secretary a thank you and dropped the phone on the bed. She sniffed and got up from the bed, walking towards her wardrobe while changing into a simple blouse and pants. She picked up her coat and walked out of the room towards the kitchen.
Opening the fridge, she was able to collate a small basket of fruits. A glance at the desolate kitchen once again reminded Zaria of how pathetic she was. She loved cooking, she enjoyed it and she loved cooking for him but not even once, had he tasted her food. Every single time she thought he would come home and make a huge dinner; he either came home too late or didn't even come home at all.
Zaria pushed her thoughts aside while walking out of the house. She got into the car and put the basket of fruits in the passage seat and she hadn't gotten to start the car when her phone started buzzing loudly in her pockets once again. She brought out her phone and immediately gulped upon seeing the caller ID. She picked up the call and pressed her phone to her ears.
"Zaria" a deep male voice drifted into her ears and for some reason; Zaria wanted to burst into tears right there and then.
"Hey, Theodore" Zaria greeted, trying to sound as cheerful as possible.
"Don't give me that tone Zaria. I know what's going on with you. Just because I am not in the country doesn't mean I am oblivious to everything that's going on okay?" Theodore replied and Zaria pursed her lips.
"I'll be back in three days. They are making a move again; I have to be there" Theodore added and Zaria kept quiet, refusing to say the words that her elder brother wanted to hear.
"Zaria" Theodore called quietly and softer this time.
"I'll call you back Theodore," Zaria said, cutting off whatever Theodore wanted to say.
"Stay safe Za," Theodore said after a moment of silence and ended the call. Dropping her phone on the seat beside her; Zaria started the car and drove out of the house.
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The moment Zaria stepped into the ward, she already that the fact that she was ill was a total lie. No one would be ill with rosy cheeks and energetic yells. The lady seating on the bed finished her video call and turned to the door to find Zaria standing there. A flash of surprise ran through her eyes but it was soon replaced with a bright smile.
"Don't tell me Logan asked you to bring me fruits? He already bought a lot yesterday" she started and Zaria unconsciously clenched her fists while the lady continued relaxing in her bed.
"When Logan comes back from the washroom you really have to thank him for me. He's been a real sweetheart these days. He moved me to a VIP ward the moment I said the noise from other patients was making me unable to sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night and was craving ice cream, he drove out in the middle of the night to get it for me. He even paid my hospital bills!" the lady continued with a huge smile on her face.
"I don't know where else I would have seen such a sweet childhood friend you know" she added; playing with her fingers while watching Zaria's reaction.
"When he heard that I caught a cold, he was really worried and left a meeting to run all the way here just to check up on me. C'mon, there's no sweeter childhood friend anywhere" she continued maintaining a bright smile on her face. She knew everything she was saying would annoy and irritate her, no woman would want her husband fawning over another woman and being at her beck and call while he ignored her.
Zaria hadn't even noticed that she was clenching her fists so hard that her nails were digging into her palms and they were already becoming bloodied. As much as she hated to admit it; she knew that she was right. Logan had barely sent two glances at her when she fainted but just because his childhood sweetheart had gotten cold, he had left an important meeting and stayed with her for so long. She used to think that maybe Logan wasn't affectionate to anyone but here was the evidence that he was affectionate but it was only for one person.
"I may not know what you want or what you like or whatnot but you have shown me that you want out of this marriage and that's one thing that I know I'm going to help you with it" Callum replied and Athaliah smiled mirthlessly. "That is what you want. That's what you've always wanted. You are the one who went to work on our wedding night without saying a word to me. You are the one who leaves the house before I wake up and come back when I'm asleep. You are the one who treats me like a plague, someone you can't stand for a long time, and you've done that for two years Callum and now you dare to stand in front of me and tell me I showed you I wanted out of this marriage" Athaliah said shaking her head. "How dare you?" she shot at him. **************************** Bound by a marriage forged in the crucible of misunderstanding, Athaliah and Callum found themselves tethered to a union neither of them wanted. Athaliah' compelled by familial duty and Callum, driven by his grandfather's desire. The union was doomed to crumble and fail. Within a mere two years, after his grandfather's death, the ties that bond them together snapped, and with two signatures, their paths were set separate and different from each other. Fate, that fickle mistress, intervened years later, bringing them back to each other's orbit igniting the spark and electric connection anew and the both of them dared to grasp at the second chance fate had offered. But then again, history began to repeat itself, patterns began to replay, and Athaliah and Callum are faced with their shared past, forced to confront the ghosts of their past. With new revelations and unfolding layers of complexity, the fabric of their relationship was stretching thin, and Athaliah's perception is shattered after unearthing a scared truth.
Samantha McCartney is turned into the laughing stock of her family when her childhood crush and soon-to-be husband a wedding ring on her younger sister's instead of her on their wedding day. Devastated and heartbroken, Samantha gets drunk and ends up having a one-night stand with someone she had only seen on TV and more; happened to be the estranged stepbrother of her childhood crush.
THE MONTELLE FAMILY SERIES (BOOK ONE) “Julian?” the latter called out in shock and surprise as Julian sucked in a breadth and turned to face the latter maintaining his flat expression. “When did you come back?” the latter asked again. The question instantly made a plethora of memories wash over Julian. He discovered he could remember everything that happened that day clearly as if it had happened the previous day. He remembered every word and everything that had happened and they seemed to suck the air of his lungs and as his legs almost turned to powder. His trust was broken and his so called loved ones betrayed him. Not even one of them remained; they had all taken his side and left him stranded and all alone. With his father's threat of giving his company to charity if he didn’t come home; Julian Montelle is forced to abandon the life he had built for himself in Hong Kong. Coming back to the place that held the worst and horrid memories for him wasn’t an option but for some unknown reason. Julian found himself getting on a plane and getting back to take back his rightful heritage and property. This time around, he came back to take revenge on everyone who had something to do with what happened back then and who had abandoned him. And as well this time around, he wasn't alone and had someone who stood beside him without any questions.
When Gianna Emerson best friend gets dumped by her boyfriend; Gianna is determined to make him go through the same pain and hurt he made her best friend go through. Get close to him, make him fall in love with her and then mercilessly dump him. It was the most perfect and flawless plan except that it didn’t involve Gianna falling helplessly in love with him. What’s more, her Favourite rule of friend is “though shall not fall in love with your friend’s ex”
Since when they were little, Gabriella Armani had developed a huge crush on her elder brother’s best friend but the latter had never given her attention or even treated her like her a girl, he had always treated her like a younger sister; much to Gabriella’s annoyance. After severally promising to marry him when she grew up, she left the country or her studies. Never in his life did Kiley imagine that a point in his life, he would start to see Gabriella Armani as woman and not as the younger sister who followed him everywhere.
Despite being an easy target for bullies; Tessa O’Bailey never got bullied. The bullies weren’t scared of her but they never touched her either. And Tessa had no idea why but she was glad, at least she could now do whatever she wanted but when she somehow got into detention with the school’s bad boy, it didn’t take long for her to realize why.
"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?"
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!
My boyfriend called, "Baby!" as he jumped out of bed and scrambled to pull his pants off the ground. "Please, I can explain my love." Shutting my eyes, I inhaled deeply and tried not to cry when I realized that my dream of the man not being my boyfriend had been dashed. "What?" I asked, "What do you want to explain?" How did you lie about having a business meeting while you were in bed enjoying yourself with my best friend, even though I told you I was in serious pain, is that it?" I stood there, my heart pounding, and tears streaming down my face...
"You're my wife in name only, on paper only. My heart and love will never be yours." Edward made it clear to Daisy that she was nothing to him. They were both victims of family greed -- the marriage was arranged for them. Six years passed. She remained quiet, gaining a reputation in the army as a tough-as-nails colonel. When she walked into his life again, Edward fell in love with this woman, unlike any he had known. She surprised and delighted him. But will Daisy take him back? Can their son keep them together? Can the rift between them be healed? Pick this one up and find out!
"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 ***
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.