Pursuit of Happiness Anne thought she had everything-love, friendship, and a promising future-until Collins, the man she thought she'd build a life with, abruptly walks out of her life. Reeling from the heartbreak, Anne attends a university dinner where she meets the charming and dangerous Elvis, the notorious son of a billionaire. What begins as an innocent encounter turns into a nightmare when Anne, with the help of her best friend Josephine, is kidnapped by Elvis and his men. When they are caught and arrested, Elvis' powerful father uses his influence to secure their release, leaving Anne trapped in a world of danger and deceit. Fearing for her life, Anne flees the country, leaving everything behind to start fresh as a student and waitress. In her new life, she finds solace in the arms of Alex, a man who seems to understand her pain. But just when Anne begins to believe she has found happiness again, Collins resurfaces, threatening the fragile peace she's built with Alex. Torn between the past and the future, Anne must confront the dangerous web of love, betrayal, and power that refuses to let her go. Will Anne ever truly escape her past and find the happiness she seeks, or will it follow her wherever she goes?
Anne sat at a spot which was overly familiar to her, and stared at the vast empty sky distractedly.
Since she got admitted into the university three months ago, she has felt the presence of a lurking danger, but couldn't tell what it was.
And now, more than ever, she could feel it. It hung heavily above her, like she could reach out and touch it. It filled her senses, making breathing somewhat difficult.
All her attempts to push the feeling aside only brought it more heavily upon her.
With a sigh, she gave up trying , and instead focused on the danger which she could almost reach out and touch, wondering what could possibly go wrong.
"Hey, Anne." Josephine and Naomi called at once, and Anne who was lost in thought was startled.
"You were gone for a long time." Anne pointed out to her friends, happy to be distracted at last.
"You should blame Josephine, it was all her fault." Naomi replied immediately.
"You know how untrue that is." Josephine defended, while she stared daggers at Naomi.
Both Naomi and Josephine had gone to get lunch, and Anne had stayed back to wait on them since she wasn't feeling hungry.
"We should head back to the class." Anne suggested, rising. The presence of her friends did not entirely drive away the feeling, as it came back to tease her senses. She figured out that she will feel safer in a class than in the open.
Her friends, clueless as expected, walked beside her to the class. They had no idea the feeling she fought within.
"Do y'all remember this spot? It's where we all met." Naomi said, pointing at a snacks store.
All three friends had met at the shop for the first time after an exhausted class. They were surprised when they discovered that they were in the same department and in their first year.
"I remember Naomi looking as scared as a frightened chicken." Josephine teased, and all three friends wind up laughing.
"I wasn't scared, I was only cautious." Naomi defended, but the others jeered playfully at her.
They soon got to the class, and located a seat in the middle of the class. The one thousand capacity lecture hall was nearly filled up as it was a combined class.
"I hope this class gets cancelled. I just want to go home." Josephine said, and exchanged knowing looks with her friends.
The hall suddenly became rowdy as students began to leave. Anne and her friends looked around them, and noticed that the students from the same department with them were still seated, and so they remained on their seat.
A few minutes later, the class rep announced the cancellation of the class, and Josephine yelped for joy.
"I said it, didn't I?" Josephine asked.
"No, you only wished it." Anne replied. She too felt pleased at the idea of going home earlier than planned.
"Are you happy now?" Naomi asked.
"We all are. We should head home." Josephine told her friends, rising while they followed suit.
They stepped out of the hall the same way they had stepped in, walking side-by-side, and teasing each other.
* * * * * *
It was 05:04 pm, and having slept for most of the time since she arrived a few hours ago, Anne proceeded to make dinner. She often joked that her family made her school from home not because they loved her too much but so that she could continue with the chores. Even though it is only a joke, Anne knows that to some extent it is true.
She hurriedly prepared dinner, did the dishes, and settled down to browse the internet. Logging into her favorite social media platform, Facebook, she met tons of messages from old and new friends, and as expected, she ignored them all, searching for the familiar name 'Collins-Maxwell' who over the years remained her favorite friend on Facebook.
Their friendship dates back to Anne's Senior secondary school days, Collins was in his first year at Benue State University and their friendship had blossomed since then. Their friendship had only a setback- her delay in responding to his relationship proposal. A message soon popped up at the top of her screen.
"Hello there, good evening."
Good evening, How was your day?" And so they talked about other things
like they always do.
"You mean you hiked to the main gate with your tiny legs?" Collins asked at a point.
"It wasn't so long a journey and mind you, my legs are not tiny " she defended. Just then her phone rang and it was Josephine.
"Hey, good evening ".
"Good evening, Exam timetable is out, we have less than two weeks before the exams commence ".
"Are you for real?? They've barely taught us anything worthwhile ".
"Maybe they will be more serious now before the exams ".
"I doubt that, anyway thanks for calling, did you call Naomi?"
"I will, after this call".
"Okay bye".
Wow! She exclaimed inwardly and told Collins of the latest development.
"You should quit Facebook for now and face your books instead ".
"I still have a week plus to prepare sir".
"I know but I want you to be serious and make me proud ".
"Make you proud as my Father or what?"
"As your would-be husband of course ".
"I have told you to stop dreaming, Collins".
"But seriously when will you give me a reply to my proposal?"
"You are right, I have to study for my exams. Good night Collins".
Alice discovers that she has been betrothed to the most brutal Mafia king in the province, he who the Mafia Lord himself reverences and runs off with Jared, her young sweetheart who she believes has no dealings with Mafia related business. She soon discovers that all that glitter is not gold.
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."
"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?"
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
Blinded in a crash, Cary was rejected by every socialite—except Evelina, who married him without hesitation. Three years later, he regained his sight and ended their marriage. "We’ve already lost so many years. I won’t let her waste another one on me." Evelina signed the divorce papers without a word. Everyone mocked her fall—until they discovered that the miracle doctor, jewelry mogul, stock genius, top hacker, and the President's true daughter… were all her. When Cary came crawling back, a ruthless tycoon had him kicked out. "She's my wife now. Get lost."
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.
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?"