"I hate you." I froze. The way she's uttered those three words were dispassionate and venomous. But what had I done? How could she hate me for no just cause? My father had taught me that hate is such a strong word and shouldn't be used anyhow. "What have I done to you, Luna?" She kicked me in my stomach. I fell again. Adding to the blinding pain on my back, I had scraped my elbow and it was bleeding a little. "Stop asking me questions!" She yelled at me. I nodded, eager to please her and stop this torment. "Get up, you filth!" My body cried in protest and the trickle I felt on my back, I knew I was bleeding in many places. But I couldn't not respond to her command. I forced myself up, using the wall for support because I was close to it. "Have you greeted me?!" What that why she was tormenting me? But I acknowledged her presence already. Every little thing I did or did not do seemed to make her mad at me. She really did hate me. "Good day, Luna." I bowed, even though my head was aching. Either that or I receive another hard hit. "On you knees." But she just told me to get up. Without a word, tears of self-pity welling, I did as she commanded. She circled me slowly, my heart beat increased, not knowing what she would do next. The scream that left my lips in the following moments was loud enough to pull down the cell I was in. I cried in pure agony. The Luna had used her artificial sharp pointed, black painted talons to scratch my back. I fell to the ground, unable to make a sound. She emitted another evil laugh, then stopped to whisper to me. "I will make life miserable for you, Amyra. I will make you wish you were never born. And with the Alpha by my side, it is going to be the easiest task I have ever indulged in." ********* Amyra was a witch who worked in the Alpha's pack manor as a maid, she had powers that were dormant in her for some reason, though she didn't even know she was a witch until another war started between the witches and werewolves. Though constantly maltreated by the Luna who knew who she was and hated what she was, she doesn't complain and tries to focus on her work. Unexpectedly finding herself in the middle of everything, she discovered who she was and also tried to navigate the powers brewing in her to bring peace and balance. But she needed Alpha Caden of Moon River pack to be able to complete this quest. An Alpha who hated her and hated the witches too. But will it work? Will she be able to save the day and end the killing of both communities she had strong links to? Will the her Alpha succumb to the passion and allow himself be used to bring this peace and balance? Or will everything fall apart and both communities will be left to keep fighting until they both finish off one other?
"On your knees!"
The Alpha's growl reverberated harshly in my ears. I wondered what I had done this time. Wasting time no further, I crumpled to the ground on my knees. The Luna sneering in sheer hatred for me.
"Y-yes Alpha."
My voice wobbled and my eyes shone with unshed tears. I was desperately trying not to cry.
"The Luna complained you do not respect her. Why is that?"
The Alpha queried harshly.
"I do respect the Luna."
When will all these stop? What ever have I done to the Luna that she hated me so much?
"Are you saying that your Luna is lying?"
His eyes darkened in anger and I shook visibly under his intense stare. The Alpha of Moon River pack is an Alpha no one dared toyed with. He is as mean and as bad-tempered as they come.
"N-no, Alpha. I wouldn't dare insinuate such."
"Then did you disrespect her or not?"
I was in a quandary what to answer. Saying the truth would lead to punishment. Lying would also get me punished. My just swallowed and stared at them both with tears running down my eyes.
"Answer me!"
I jolted out of uncontrollable fear. Then slowly gave a small, cautious shake of my head - an indication that I hadn't in any way disrespected the Alpha.
"Still saying that your Alpha is lying?"
"I'm not insinuating that all, Alpha. But please believe me when I say I did not in any way disrespect the Luna."
"So you mean he should believe you over me?"
The Luna sneered. I gulped again, I didn't know what else to do. If not that we needed the money, I wouldn't be here. Mother is sick and she needs treatment. Father can't handle the expenses all by himself.
"But please Luna, tell the Alpha the truth. I didn't disrespect you. I bowed when others did and I didn't mumble any insulting words, I swear it."
"You mean to say I'm lying?"
Before I could respond to that, I fell backwards from the force of her hand coming in contact with my cheek. My eyes watered from the sheer sting of it. I could barely kneel properly, my head was spinning. What had she slapped me with? Or did her hand grow thrice in size when landing on my face? Pain wouldn't let me breathe well. My breath hitched and tears welled as I cradled the side of my face that was red and warm. I was already suffering enough, this was too much but I had to take it. I couldn't quit. Mother needs the money, we need the money.
"The other day you tried to poison my food. The time before that you spat in my newly laundered dress."
The Luna yelled maliciously at me. All were lies but no one would ever believe me.
"Teach this riffraff a lesson, Caden. Don't let her get away with this brazen attitude of hers?"
What brazen attitude was I exhibiting? I wish I understood where all these accusations were sprouting from?
"What do you want us to do with her?"
From my peripheral vision, I saw the Luna give a wicked grin. This was what she wanted and the Alpha was no different. He was always mean and ruthless to everyone except the Luna but mine was worse. It was as if he kept his hatred for me separate from other and on a very high level. Higher than the rest. He had on a mean smirk too.
"You, go call two of the guards for me."
The Luna ordered a maid that was waiting on them. She felt pity for me but there was nothing she could do. She hurried out and came back few minutes later with two hefty looking men.
"I want you both to punish her."
My heart pounded against my chest.
"Please Luna, I did not do anything. I didn't disrespect you. Please, Alpha. I didn't show any form of disrespect, this is the honest truth. I greeted her like the others did. I did not mumble anything."
I was begging desperately. Tears were gushing in torrents now. The men were trying to hold me steady but I was wriggling. Everyone understood what receiving the punishment meant. One would be whipped and after then thrown in cell for as long as the Alpha wanted it. I cried and begged but no one came to my aid. The Alpha and the Luna sat watching me being tied up, smiles on their face like I was putting on a show for them - an amusing one at that.
"Please, I beg of you. I didn't do anything. This punishment is uncalled for please."
"Hm. She still has the strength to talk."
The Luna sneered and stood, coming close to where I was, she used her heel to pierce my back. My scream was loud but useless because no one still came to save me from this pain.
"Please Luna."
I begged amidst cries.
"Give me the whip."
I heard her tell one of the men.
"Hold her tight, make sure she's held down firm."
The grip on my arms and legs became tighter. I couldn't move them properly.
"Please Luna. I didn't do anything. Aloha please. Okay, I'm sorry forgive me. I won't disrespect you again."
Pain weakened my bones when the whip slashed across my back. I thought I was going to die. Pain was blinding.
"See, Caden. The truth is finally out. She now agrees to disrespecting me. But it is a bit too late for that."
"Whip her harder, Phena. Next time she'll learn not to disrespect royalty."
And the Luna did whip me harder. I couldn't count how many times the whip came in contact with my skin but by the time the Luna was satisfied with her whippings, my throat was too sore to cry. My body trembled and my head hurt so bad I was unable to see anything properly.
"Get up, stupid servant!"
The Luna yelled. I tried getting up but I ended up landing on my butt which hurt me so much. My butt had not been spared from the whip.
"Drag her up and take her to the cell. Leave her there for two days."
I was too weak to cry or protest. I only prayed I didn't die from this humiliation and pain.
P-please, I beg you. Come let's go tell Christian I had no hand in whatever happened, p-please." I clutched the lapel of his jacket desperately. "Let's go. You need to tell my husband you were paid." "Young lady, you're harassing me." His tone was cold and his stare granite. But I could care less. "You harassed me first! You had sex with me without my consent, my husband knows and now I'm pregnant with this child he doesn't want. You ruined my marriage! I-I hate you!" ************************************ Caught by her husband with another man on their matrimonial bed the morning after her birthday, Hailey Codza could not defend herself. As though it's not enough, she gets pregnant. Her enraged husband decides to pay her back for her infidelity by having an affair with his ex-girlfriend - Denise Kellers, the family Hailey never knew she had. Losing her family's wealth and company to her husband and his ex (now girlfriend), she is devastated, homeless and penniless as all her credit cards are blocked by her husband. She sees the man who is responsible for her pregnancy. The man she has no idea how he'd found his way to her matrimonial bed - Jared Johnson. Jared is annoyed when this strange woman disrupts his meeting and accuses him of ruining her life, marriage and impregnating her. It affects his business deals and having no choice, he marries her to calm the public whilst engaged to someone else. But he loathes her and allows his family treats her badly. Hailey who has fallen in love with Jared is broken when she can no longer take the humiliation. She signs the divorce papers and leaves, only to arrive six years later to the country as a self-made, secret billionaire and a mother of twins. Now her two ex-husbands are begging to have her back...
Born and bred in Naples, Italy, the full-blooded twenty five year old American Maya Creighton lost both her parents who had traveled to Italy for a job that cost them their lives. Running away from the orphanage she hated, she adapted to the streets, having minimal access to education and a wider one to violence. Known for her strength and brutality, Maya is regarded across streets of Italy as 'Guerriera' translated to mean 'warrior or fighter' due to her ruthlessness and fighting skills. But she makes a mistake one night during a mission and kills the only son of the infamous, dangerous drug baron in Italy who has always hated her guts. Now her boss is angry and scared, he sends her back to her land of origin where she meets and saves the life of Alan James McCoy, though anonymously. Her life takes many dramatic turns and difficult downhills when she finds herself kidnapping the children of the same man she saved.
When high school dropout Riana Tanning is made homeless by the people she had always known to be her family, she is thrown into a world of chaos and drama. Finding herself in the abusive hands of a rich Puerto Rican drug dealer who gives her everything she wants, except love and happiness, Riana remains in his home, too scared to go back hungry and homeless. As more travails unfold with her boyfriend thrown in jail, losing everything to his name, she is back on the streets. Eventually managing to get a job as a salesperson in a thrift store, she is yet again thrown in despair when a Trillionaire buys the place. But what is more shocking is when this wealthy, handsome famous playboy offers marriage to Riana with an agreement to give her a roof over her head and help her achieve her dreams while she plays the role of a good wife. Will this twenty two year old agree to this contract marriage with this famously known yet personally unknown Trillionaire? And if she does, will she be able to withstand the troubles her step sister-in-law and her criminal, obsessed ex-boyfriend bring her way? Will she be able to forge on valiantly with her pregnancy, play smart despite her lack of education and find a more shocking truth of who she truly is? Or will she chicken out, betray the man she has come to love and abandon him for her sex-crazed ex-boyfriend?
A sudden twist of fate connected Helena to a prominent and influential person. To onlookers, she appeared as a naive bimbo. In truth, she was a top-tier specialist, shrouded in layers of hidden identities. Charlie declared, “She’s quite delicate and easily hurt. Cross her, and you’re crossing me.” The elite families, outwitted by Helena's prowess, kept these truths from him. Helena eventually broke free from Charlie, sending him on a frenzied worldwide hunt. To him, she was a bird with dazzling wings, and his goal was to help her reach new heights.
Three years ago, Cecilia was left battered and alone by the man she loved most, Alston, yet she bravely completed the wedding ceremony while pregnant. Three years later, although they were married, they grew apart over time. Cecilia focused on her career, no longer foolishly believing in love. But her transformation instantly threw Alston into a panic... And what is the secret from 11 years ago that Cecilia has always been reluctant to reveal? *** "She went to a law firm, met with a lawyer..." A lawyer? Is Cecilia suing someone? Who? Is there any recent litigation against the company? Alston suddenly chuckled coldly, "Who could she sue? I'm the CEO of this company. How come such a matter doesn't come to me first?" The assistant swallowed nervously, speaking softly, "Sir, there's no litigation against the company. She met with... a divorce lawyer."
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
"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?"
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."