" And you, " Lucas turned to Carla. " Don't you dare come to my room unless you have something very important that I must know about, " he warned, eyeing her, his eyes filled with disgust and pure hatred. " Lucas, what the hell is wrong with you? " she queried, pulling her arms roughly from his firm grip. " Why are you acting like this? ". " Have you forgotten? You said this was a marriage of convenience, I don't think I have to dedicate myself, my time, and my bed to you, do I? " he fired back, raising his voice slightly. Lucas Grayson had to get married to Carla Hudson, his childhood friend, who had been having a crush on him ever since they were little, in order to secure his position at his father's company and he hates her for that. As they navigated into the world of marriage, trying his very best to avoid her and make her miserable, Lucas found himself falling in love with her, only that his step brother, Logan, was harboring the same feelings and found himself in a love triangle, trying his best to win the heart of his wife, at the same time, securing his position at the company.
" Carla Hudson, do you take Lucas Grayson as your lawfully wedded husband? To love and cherish him, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" the Priest asked. " Yes, I do, " Carla replied almost immediately, earning a side look from Lucas who was standing next to her. " Lucas Grayson, do you also accept Carla Hudson as your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to cherish him, in sickness and in health, till death do you part? , " the Priest turned to Lucas asking him the same question he asked Carla. ' Say no, ' his subconscious told him as Carla turned to look at him.
He knew he couldn't do anything stupid, people were watching, and everything was at stake. " I do, " he answered in between gritted teeth, trying his very best to hide the scowl that was threatening to show on his face. This wasn't what he wanted, he didn't want to get committed to anyone, especially not Carla.
" FLASHBACK "
I won't, Dad, " Lucas snapped, declining the file on the table loudly. His father, Robert Grayson, was asking for the impossible. " I will not get married to Carla Hudson, " he stated defiantly. " You have no option here, son. We have to sign a partnership with Hudson Corporations and the only way we agreed to do that is to have her married to you. I don't see what is wrong here, both of you have been friends since you were kids. If you do not sign the papers by tomorrow, you'll have to take responsibility for your actions, " Robert pressed on, folding his arms as he rested his back on the chair he was seating on. " I will take full responsibility for it then, I cannot marry Carla Hudson, heck, I'm not even ready to settle down, ". Robert's face held an amused expression, his lips curving upward to form a smirk, Lucas had absolutely no idea of what was going on. " Fine then, I guess you'll have to give up your position and the company and wipe off every thought you have about taking over the company, " Robert informed. On hearing that, Lucas averted his gaze back to his father, his eyes wide open, hoping that his father was going to correct his statement. " Father!, " he yelled. " This is absurd. You can't just take away my position simply because I don't want to get married. It's unfair and I'm sure the lady in question won't also want this, " he argued further, earning a chuckle from his father. " Carla has signed the documents. What is left is your signature and then we'll start the wedding preparations, " he explained. Lucas took the file almost immediately, not believing his father, but was disappointed when he saw a beautiful signature, neatly penned at the little edge of the file. He dropped the file back on the table angrily as he clenched and unclenched both his jaw and fists. Ideas ran through his head, but there was no way out of it. His father was bent on making him get married to her and if he didn't, his position at the company was at stake. Without saying anything else, he glanced at his father one last time, took the file, and dashed out of the office, stomping his feet on the floor. He got into his car and drove straight to his next destination, where Carla lived. She had just finished college and was still staying at home for a while before she started working. He was very sure that there was no way she was going to work if the marriage goes on. He stopped the car and got out, pausing for a while to take in deep breaths before ringing the doorbell. The door opened and Carla came into view, her eyes widening a bit as she saw Lucas, certainly not expecting him to be standing in front of her door. Her lips morphed into a smile almost immediately, trying not to show her surprise. " Lucas, to what do I owe this visit? , " she asked, opening the door wide enough for him to enter, which he did without saying a word. He looked around the house, he had been there a couple of times but it felt so strange to him with all that was happening. After being ushered to a seat and served a cup of coffee, Carla sat with him, watching as he sipped his coffee, his Adam's apple moving up and down, enough to make her feel tingles in between her legs. He placed the cup back on the table, his eyes meeting hers and she averted her gaze looking at anywhere but him. She cleared her throat, blinking her eyes, embarrassed by the fact that she was caught staring like a child. " I received a file from your father, about both our company's partnership and the marriage deal. Do we have to get married for the deal? " he asked and she shrugged trying to act oblivious to what was happening. " That's what my father wants, I have no say in it, " she explained and he raised a brow, giving her a knowing look. " Why are you here? " she asked, trying to change the topic. " You make it sound like you don't want me to be here. Why? At least you signed a marriage deal without consulting me first, " he responded, his face still not showing any emotion but his voice laced with pure anger. "It's a marriage of convenience. Both our companies needed the partnership. I think it is only right that we do what is best for it or don't you think so? ". She questioned, taking a sip from her coffee but he only smirked, nodding his head, making her more nervous than she already was. " I see. Since you said it is a marriage of convenience, I hope you don't expect more from it, " he informed, mischief playing in his eyes as he opened the file, penning down his signature on it before placing it back on the table. " I didn't.... " she tried to say but he cut her off by waving his hands, pushing the file to her.
“Drive this woman out!” "Throw this woman into the sea!” When he doesn’t know Debbie Nelson’s true identity, Carlos Hilton cold-shoulders her. “Mr. Hilton, she is your wife,” Carlos’ secretary reminded him. Hearing that, Carlos gives him a cold stare and complained, “why didn’t you tell me earlier?” From then on, Carlos spoils her rotten. Little did everyone expect that they would get a divorce.
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. "It's time to reveal your true identity, darling."
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
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."
Cathryn, an orphan with no family ties to Grayson, regarded him only as family. He, however, valued her as a precious jewel. From their very first encounter, Cathryn's destiny was intertwined with his. Once lonely and desiring affection, she was ensnared by his love, unable to break free. Eventually, she managed to escape his emotional clutches. Shockingly, she had fallen for someone else. Grayson confronted her sharply. "How could you feel for another?" Unable to meet his eyes, she whispered, "You're family. I can't..." Looking down, he pressed further. "You can't, or you wouldn’t dare?"