I'm afraid that feeling is slowly seeping into my heart. That's an appropriate phrase on Leo's mind right now, but it turns out an alana can create a far greater fear and Leo never suspects it. "So what are we doing today?" alana said as they finished their lunch. "You can do whatever you want, but don't bother me today. "Leo answered, turning his own wheelchair, but alana in her stubbornness interrupted him. "How about you read a book in the back garden? I'll accompany you." "No." "All right, we'll go there." alana blurted out Leo's refusal. "Don't you understand the meaning of no" "You're welcome." "Hey crazy lady, stop pushing me." "No way." "You got a death wish?" Leo pissed him off
Leo stared intensely at the woman sitting in front of him, her head bowed, unwilling to lift it as if the man before her might pounce the moment their eyes met. More than ten minutes of silence hung between them, and neither wanted to utter a single word. The woman nervously squeezed her fingers on her lap, which grew increasingly sweaty.
"Different," Leo spoke, causing the woman to finally raise her head and meet the piercing gaze. However, just a few seconds later, she lowered it again, pondering the words the man had spoken.
Different? What's different? the woman wondered.
"It seems the sorceress is getting smarter," Leo said, then smirked. "Turns out she changed her tactics after her plan failed by throwing a cunning wench at me. This time, it's a housebound wench she's thrown at me. Clever."
Leo continued, making the woman in front of him grip her fingers tightly, her body trembling, and her eyes welling up. Her heart raced painfully. For the first time, someone called her that, and worse, it was her own prospective husband calling her a wench.
"Lift your head!" Leo said in his flat and cold tone, making the woman struggle to swallow her own saliva and slowly raise her head.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Alana," she answered softly as if whispering.
"So, what mission did she give you?" Leo inquired.
Mission? Alana furrowed her brow, not understanding.
"Is your mission to kill me?" Leo guessed, causing the furrow on Alana's forehead to disappear, replaced by widened eyes and a vigorous shake of her head.
"I didn't..." Alana was cut off.
"Then, what task did she assign you?" Leo interrupted.
"Aunt Rose just said she would arrange a marriage with her son," Alana explained, still speaking as quietly as possible.
"Who did she say her son is?" Leo asked.
Alana bit her lower lip before responding to Leo's question.
"Someone named Leo Smith," Alana answered, prompting a cynical laugh from Leo.
"I," Leo said, pointing to himself. "She's not my mother, just so you know," Leo continued, his cold expression returning.
"Yes, I know deep down, Alana. 'So, you better ask that woman again who the son she meant is,'" Leo said.
"I know you're not Aunt Rose's biological son, but she clearly mentioned your name," Alana replied, gathering courage despite her rapidly beating heart.
"So, do I have to accept you as my wife?" Leo asked, staring intently at Alana, making her more fearful and nervously nod her head.
"Stand up," Leo commanded, and Alana immediately straightened her posture, standing upright in front of Leo.
Leo scrutinized Alana from head to toe. Leo knew that Alana's appearance was different from the previous women Rose sent as potential wives. Most of them were beautiful and voluptuous, adorned with all the luxuries attached to them. Whereas Alana, she had an innocent face with simple and unassuming clothing. Leo admitted, Alana was somewhat charming.
"Why should I accept you? What advantages do you have?" Leo asked, making Alana furrow her brow again.
It's like I'm applying for a job, Alana thought. "I will take care of you well."
"In that case, just be my maid," Leo quickly replied, making Alana widen her eyes, but only for a moment.
"M-maid?" stammered Alana.
"Yes, isn't the one you mentioned earlier capable of being a maid?" Leo replied, causing Alana to grip the sides of her simple white dress.
Silence lingered for a moment, and Leo could see the fear and increasing confusion on Alana's face. However, Leo's next words furrowed her brow even more.
"Never mind, just tell the sorceress to set the wedding date," Leo said, immediately getting protests from his secretary and friend Pedro.
"But sir,"
"Just take me back to my office, Pedro," Leo cut him off, making Pedro grumble and reluctantly comply with his boss's wishes. Annoyed, Pedro pushed Leo's wheelchair back to his workspace.
oOo
"How was your meeting? Enjoyable?" Rose asked as Alana dropped her body onto the sofa and immediately massaged the bridge of her nose. Rose sat beside Alana, waiting for her niece's answer.
"Hey, answer, Aunt is waiting," Rose said, shaking Alana's shoulder. Alana instantly turned her head towards Rose with a disheveled expression.
"Don't you see my disheveled face?"
"No."
"Oh, come on, Aunt just threw me into the lion's den. I almost died standing there just from his gaze," Alana complained because that was exactly how she felt. "And you know, my fear increased when he agreed to this arranged marriage," Alana continued, massaging the bridge of her nose again, but unlike Rose, she didn't wear a happy expression.
"Really? Are you teasing me, dear? Come on, Alana, it's not April Fools."
"Do you think I'm in the mood for jokes right now?" After Alana finished her sentence, Rose suddenly screamed right next to Alana's ear while hugging her.
"Kyaaaa, finally, he's willing to get married," Rose shouted joyfully while shaking Alana's petite body.
"Aunt, stop shaking me," Alana grumbled while trying to release herself from her aunt's hug.
"So, when are you two getting married?" Rose asked.
"He leaves it to you!" Alana lazily replied.
"Is that so? Then, you'll get married next week."
"What?!" Alana shouted in disbelief.
"Why?"
"Is Aunt joking?"
"Do you think Aunt is in the mood for jokes right now?" Rose replied, turning Alana's previous words around, causing Alana to squint her eyes at Rose.
"What is Aunt planning, actually?" Alana asked, now with a serious tone.
"What is it? Aunt just wants you to be his wife."
"Come on, Aunt, don't pretend in front of me. Even he accused me of having a mission to kill him. How bad is your relationship?"
Of course, because two weeks ago, Rose suddenly visited her family, which hadn't met for more than ten years. Suddenly, Rose asked permission from Alana's father, who is also Rose's cousin, to marry Alana to her stepson. That's the only story Alana knew from her father. Somehow, her father agreed immediately and let Rose take her away. Ah, did she burden her father and brother's lives so much that they easily sent her to Rose?
"There's no mission at all. You just need to be a good wife to him and serve him wholeheartedly," Rose answered, dispelling Alana's momentary reverie.
"But he..."
"He's flawed," Rose interrupted.
Yes.
"No, he sees me like prey ready to be pounced on anytime."
"That's because you appear weak in front of him. Be yourself and conquer his heart," Rose said.
"You really know how to make me angry, Mine," Seth growled right in front of Jasmine's face, making her feel his warm breath mixed with the smell of cigarette. "What were you thinking when you were with that jerk earlier, hm? Were you intending to spend the night with him?" Seth asked, making Jasmine silent as she looked at those sharp green eyes. Because I'm angry. Because I'm disappointed. And because I'm afraid of losing you. There were so many reasons Jasmine wanted to tell Seth, but it felt so difficult to express them all, so Jasmine finally just reached out her hand and pulled at the tie Seth was wearing, which erased the distance between them.
Letta Letishia finally found herself living in luxury and wealth. However, all of that didn't meet her expectations when she had to marry a man who would be the father of the child she was carrying, the result of a one-night stand with Marco Jovanka, CEO of JV Airlines. Marco also happened to be her superior at work as a flight attendant. "Are you carrying my child?" Marco asked, staring at Letta with a questioning gaze. Letta, who had been avoiding Marco, could only remain silent as their eyes met. "Answer me, are you carrying my child?" Marco asked again, growing suspicious of Letta's evasive behavior. "No, I am not carrying your child," Letta finally replied, causing Marco to tighten his grip on her arms. "If only I knew that you were lying and hiding that fact, I wouldn't have let you go, Letta," Marco whispered with a low voice, making Letta's body tremble. Even Letta dared not return his gaze, only looking down at the tips of her shoes.
Letta tried to stand up because her turn might be called soon. Letta chose to go to the bathroom first until someone accidentally bumped into her shoulder, almost making Letta sit back down. However, Letta felt a large hand now embracing her waist, making her tilt her head slightly, and the next moment her eyes widened when she saw the familiar sharp gaze in front of her. Letta immediately pushed the man. "You," Letta said, covering her mouth, puzzled about how she could meet this man in a situation like this. "What are you doing here?" Marco asked, inspecting Letta's appearance, making Letta quickly shake her head. "I just dropped by," Letta said, unsure of how to answer Marco's question. Marco then looked at the room in front of him, clearly labeled 'obstetrician.' "You say you just dropped by. Maybe I would believe that if you were in a restaurant or cafe, but this is a hospital. How can you say you just dropped by this hospital?" Marco said, making Letta curse herself. Their attention was then diverted when suddenly the teenager stood between them. "Uncle, do you know her?" the teenager said suddenly, making Letta also slightly surprised. It turned out that was what made Letta feel familiar all this time. Their way of speaking was the same; they both had a very dominant style in conversation. "Yes, I just stopped by here. So, excuse me, I have to leave immediately," Letta said, making Marco unable to just let her go. Marco clearly knew that Letta had been waiting in the waiting room to be examined, making Marco immediately grab Letta's arm. "Are you going to have a pregnancy checkup?" Marco asked again, making Letta widen her eyes. "Why would I have a pregnancy checkup? I'm not pregnant," Letta answered, denying it with a panicked expression, making Marco furrow his brow. "I don't believe you," Marco said. "That's up to you. I'm not going to force you to believe me either. So, excuse me, I have to leave immediately," Letta said, but just as she was about to release Marco's grip, a nurse suddenly emerged and called her name. "Miss Letta Leticia," the nurse said, making Letta widen her eyes, while Marco looked towards the nurse. "Isn't that your name?" Marco said, making Letta immediately shake her head, but the nurse called her name again. "For Miss Letta Leticia, please come in," the nurse said, making Marco once again look at Letta with a suspicious gaze. "I may not know your full name, but I'm sure you're called Letta," Marco said, making Letta fall silent. Actually, Letta could have run away, but for some reason, the pain returned to her stomach. The nurse called Letta's name for the third time, making Letta finally raise her hand. "I, nurse... I'll go in now," Letta said, making the nurse nod before entering the room. Letta then let go of Marco's grip and was about to enter the room, but her steps halted when Marco suddenly followed her. "What are you doing? Are you following me?" Letta asked, making Marco fold his arms again. "Of course, I need to know your condition, and you also need to explain. Why did you have to lie about your pregnancy?" Marco said again, making Letta close her eyes. It seemed there was no other way for her to maintain the lie she had been covering up. "Is it that only those who register with this doctor are here for pregnancy checkups? Isn't the teenager you brought also going to be examined in this room? What's her problem?" Letta asked, making Marco look at his niece. "She's my niece, and it's a different story from you. She does have some issues with her body, but you're different," Marco said again, making Letta look at him while guarding her dignity. "Different how? I'm also going to have my body checked. So, it's better if you don't need to follow me, because you're nobody," Letta said, about to turn around. However, Marco immediately stepped ahead of Letta and entered the room, making Letta really want to grab the man with all her might and give him a slap. At least that could make her feel a little relieved. "Your saga ends here, Letta," Letta murmured, finally resigned to enter and follow Marco to confirm her pregnancy.
Xavier and Nadira's marriage, arranged by their families, made their relationships even more complicated. Whether it was between Nadira and Xavier, Xavier and Nadira's overprotective older brother, or Nadira and Anita, all these relationships colored Xavier and Nadira's future marriage. "Has Dad gone to London?" Xavier asked, sitting right next to Nadira. Nadira nodded in response. "Yes, Dad was taken to the airport by Kenzo, and Kenzo left for the office early this morning as he had to take over the meeting that Dad was supposed to lead," Nadira explained, making Xavier nod. Xavier then took a piece of bread prepared by Nadira. For a few moments, they remained silent, until a waiter approached and handed a small piece of paper to Nadira, making both of them look towards the waiter. "What's this?" Nadira asked, and Xavier also glanced at the paper. "A message from the young master, Miss," the waiter replied, making Nadira immediately realize that it was a message from Ditrian. Nadira opened the message, which contained instructions to go to Ditrian's room where he had stored a gift. Nadira found it strange that Ditrian didn't send the message via phone, but she promptly responded. "Thank you. You may return to your duties," Nadira said, and the waiter nodded before continuing with his work. Xavier looked at the paper held by Nadira. "Your siblings seem to be very attentive," Xavier said as he took a bite of his bread. "Yes, because I'm their only sister," Nadira replied without looking at Xavier. "But your father is a bit distant and strict," Xavier added. "That's because that's just his personality," Nadira replied briefly, making Xavier gaze at her for a moment before getting up from his chair. "I'm heading straight to the office. You can go back home with the house driver, right?" Xavier asked as he adjusted his tie. "My brother asked us to stay for two more days," Nadira said, making Xavier immediately look at her with a displeased expression. "Didn't you promise that we would only stay for one day?" Xavier asked, and Nadira nodded. "Yes, initially that was the plan, but my brother suggested it would be better to stay here for a few days. Besides, he doesn't ask this of us often. Just consider it as a return favor because he has been staying at our house for a few days," Nadira said. Xavier was about to speak, but Nadira interrupted him. "If you don't like it, you can go back to Anita. I'll stay here, but I won't give my brother any reason as to why you didn't stay. He must also know that you're accompanying your first wife," Nadira said before leaving Xavier behind. Xavier rubbed his face roughly. How could he be so petty? That would surely tarnish his reputation in the eyes of his siblings. Although Xavier had no intention of being a good brother-in-law in their eyes, he still had his pride and didn't want to be looked down upon as a man.
"Will you marry me?" Axton suddenly said, causing Emily to hold her breath for a few seconds before widening her eyes. "What? Marry you?" Emily asked to confirm, making Axton nod. However, Emily burst into laughter, even though it felt awkward. "You're joking, right? This must be impossible. How could you ask me to marry you? I thought this was just a sign that you're frustrated and making impulsive decisions like this," Emily said, making Axton shake his head. "Do I look like I'm joking with such a serious face like this? Besides, it's not April Fools' Day. There's no reason for me to lie to you," Axton said, making Emily immediately stand up from her seat. "No, no, no. I think you've come to the wrong person. How could you come to your ex-wife's best friend to propose marriage? You don't want to ruin our friendship, do you?" Emily asked, making Axton sigh deeply. "Because you're the only one who can understand, and by marrying you, Grace will realize her mistake," Axton said, leaving Emily speechless. Emily didn't know whether Grace and Axton were aware of her feelings or not. What she was sure of was that, over the years, she had successfully hidden her feelings well, keeping her admiration and love for Axton, her best friend's husband, to herself. Emily didn't know when those feelings had emerged. She also didn't know why those emotions suddenly filled her heart, unstoppable and undeniable. Now, Axton had proposed to her for a clichéd reason, to make Grace divorce Ethan, and Emily had reluctantly accepted. Despite facing Grace's anger for being perceived as a traitor, Emily went along with the decision. But Emily knew that this wouldn't be smooth sailing, as she had finally set some conditions for Axton. "All right, I accept your proposal, but with a few conditions," Emily's decision marked the beginning of their love story.
Yes, us. I don't want to marry you," Luna stated, her gaze fixed on Lucas's face, devoid of expression. "So, you're going to marry the pianist then?" Lucas guessed, causing Luna to become more certain that the man in front of her was already aware of everything. "Of course. I love him, so I will marry him," Luna replied, observing Lucas's reaction carefully. "But this time, I need this marriage," Luna continued, dismissing Lucas's scoffing smile. "And?" Lucas asked. "We'll make a prenuptial agreement," Luna declared. "Do you think I'll agree?" Lucas responded dismissively. "You have to agree. Whether you like it or not, we're going to make a prenuptial agreement," Luna insisted, prompting a threatening smile from Lucas. "Luna Estrada, you're too confident. Do you think I'd agree to this marriage? I even declined it," Lucas replied, belittling her. "We're not going to make a prenuptial agreement because we're never going to get married," Lucas added, causing Luna to clench her fists as if she had been rejected by the man before her. How could Luna Estrada face rejection? She couldn't allow it to happen. "Hahahahah." Luna forced a laugh, attempting to make it sound mocking to Lucas, although at this moment, she wished she could throw her heel at Lucas's head. "Then why did your grandfather force my grandfather to persuade me to accept this marriage, huh?" Luna said with traces of laughter in her voice, emphasizing each word. "Are you serious?" Lucas asked, his face showing mockery. "Didn't you ask your grandfather who would marry you? Weren't you suspicious? Who knows, maybe your grandfather was referring to my own grandfather, trying to match us," Luna's inner thoughts raced, attempting to calm herself. "You're quite amusing, Mr. Alvarez. If it's not you who's going to marry me, then why did you come to that dinner event? Didn't you say those affectionate words to me, claiming that I was your future wife?" Luna retorted, not wanting to be outdone by Lucas. "Why did I come? Of course, to witness the performance of a couple who would part ways that night. Isn't that an enjoyable spectacle? I was afraid that if my grandfather attended himself, he wouldn't be able to bear seeing you both cry and hug each other. You know my grandfather is a soft-hearted person. Hence, I chose to replace him that night," Lucas's words provoked Luna even more. "Stop your nonsense," Luna snapped, causing Lucas to display a smug smile. Finally, Lucas managed to provoke Luna Estrada, who usually had difficulty controlling her emotions. Luna stood up from her seat, glaring at Lucas with escalating anger as he continued to smirk and taunt her.
RIEKA She was a naive, chubby, wolfless werewolf, maltreated by her mate to the point where she loses her sanity and womb, her crime was being chubby and less attractive than her peers. GABRIEL He was a handsome, strong willed womanizer, who happens to a hybrid ALPHA prince, the person he loves the most is his kid brother RALPH. He has searched high and low for a mate he could never find. What will happen when he finds out that his beloved brother's ex wife, happens to be his long awaited mate, who was maltreated and is currently mentally unstable? Will he forgive his brother for hurting his mate? or will blood flow?
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
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.
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"
Her fiance and her best friend worked together and set her up. She lost everything and died in the street. However, she was reborn. The moment she opened her eyes, her husband was trying to strangle her. Luckily, she survived that. She signed the divorce agreement without hesitation and was ready for her miserable life. To her surprise, her mother in this life left her a great deal of money. She turned the tables and avenged herself. Everything went well in her career and love when her ex-husband came to her.
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"