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After a life-changing event, Grace found herself at the most luxurious hotel in Manhattan with the hope of getting a babysitting job. But the moment she stepped out of the elevator, her entire life changed track. And that was because of Dominic Powers, her employer, the father of a five-year-old. The man who possessed an air of prideful gloom, and appeared hard to approach, the man whose piercing ocean-blue eyes haunted her ever since their first, brief encounter. Will Grace be able to focus on babysitting his daughter? Or will she get distracted and intensely tangled with the irresistible Dominic Powers?
GRACE
"Good morning, baby."
That strange yet soothing voice caused my eyes to snap open faster than Thanos's fingers. For a second, I trained my sight on the familiar ceiling above me because I could already tell that I had once again brought home another stranger after a long night of drinking.
My head started to race, trying to figure out what and what happened the previous night.
Even though one thing was sure- I entered the clubhouse drunk and then got extra drunk- it was necessary I remember who I hooked up with.
Ugh...who am I kidding? I won't remember shit. My nightlife is a shitty cycle.
A shitty, shitty cycle.
Once it was established that I am indeed stupid, I braced myself to face the man I had foolishly brought into my house with the intention of having crazy and drunk sex with. It is the type of sex I would never remember and that is the most perfect because I don't exactly work well with feeling ashamed.
Gently, I sat up.
But my head hurt madly, I had to groan and grab both sides of my head. I tell you, the after-effect of intense drinking feels new every other day, it is almost as though I am yet to get used to the aftermath of my insane nightlife.
After sweeping my long black hair out of my face with a small shake of my head, my hands still grabbing my head, I finally noticed the stranger I brought home.
Sitting in front of me was an all-smiling, cute Asian dude, probably Indonesian. I would have returned his smile because it was that contagious, but a battle was still going on in my head.
"Good morning, Rose," he greeted.
Shit. I must have taken up another identity again.
"Hiii..." I wished to pretend that I was happy to see him, but my mouth failed to cooperate. My mouth was too lazy.
"I made you a hangover relief juice. It is my Grandma's special."
I narrowed my eyes at the green juice pushed to my face.
"Your Grandma has hangovers too?"
He chuckled, his motion vibrating the weak bed in a way that caused me to feel a sharp tug in my head. "Ouch. Ouch." My face squeezed to relay the pain I was feeling.
"Oh my, are you fine?" Continuously hearing the tenderness in his voice would have been enough to cure my pain, but it sadly wasn't enough.
Neither was his cute face.
"Could you maybe not laugh? My head is..." He lifted one of his thick brows and I instantly began to eye the greenish liquid in his cup.
Then, seconds later, without bothering to ask what the exact content of the cup was, I snatched the object from his hand and downed half of the juice without pausing.
When I finally took a break from drinking, I sensed the bitter aftertaste. I masked the way I felt with a short smile and the man gave me a grand smile in return.
His attentiveness yet to disappear, he said, "You will feel better very soon."
After a quick nod, I began to scan my room. It was necessary to know what damage we might have caused the room during our possibly heated romp.
But everything was looking neat. Even my drawer was well arranged. On a normal day, it never is. My eyes went to the floor again, and I noted that there was no sign of discarded clothing.
With a confused look, I faced Mr. Cute who was still smiling at me like I was his favourite video game.
"Uh..." I paused because I quickly realised that I still didn't know his name. Honestly, I am not used to knowing the names of men I wake up to find on my bed the next day.
A simple thank you and goodbye always did the work.
As if he knew what was on my mind, the man answered, "David. My name is David."
I dropped the half-filled cup onto the little stool beside my bed and dashed him a quick smile before asking, "David... Why is my room looking like an unused hotel room?"
"Oh, last night when we got back from the club, you kept wondering what it would be like if you had a genie who would wish your room tidy. It was fun to watch you pretend to be Aladdin."
My eyes widened a bit as I processed what he had just said. "So, we didn't...have sex?"
He got up and said, "Nope."
"Huh?" My shock failed to hide itself. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah. You did say you wanted to have sex but you thought I was gay because I was talking to the bartender in a way you found suspicious. So, you told me to take you home and here we are." He put his hands on his waist and gave another grand smile.
"Wow." I was still shocked. My vicious nightly pattern has been broken thanks to David and I am really shocked about that. Because David doesn't seem gay in any way.
Or...
My eyes slightly narrowed, and I asked, "Are you gay?"
"Nope. Honestly, I wanted to sleep with you badly, but I just couldn't do it for some reason." He shrugged, a pretend nonchalant look on his face.
"Wow." I think it's a good thing that nothing happened. It is nice to know that I am making progress with the way I live my life.
True to David's words, my headache had reduced and that meant it was time to go to work. I tried to rack my brain to remember which day it was; Monday? Tuesday?
Whichever it is, I need to prepare for work. Hopefully, I don't see a zombie when I look in the mirror.
"I need to check what I am cooking," David announced as he adjusted his t-shirt and made our eyes meet. "You would love to have breakfast, yeah?"
I nodded in affirmation and got off the bed.
Isn't he so extra cute? He is making breakfast for me even though we didn't get any action.
"Wait...." I stopped David whose averagely-built figure was already at the door. He turned, raised a brow, and I asked, "What time is it?"
"Uh... last time I checked it was ten-thirty or so."
"Oh, okay... What?!" I screamed. "Are you sure your time is correct?"
"Yes. It should be eleven o'clock by now."
My eyes widened more and I could feel my head dance in an unpleasant way.
"David... I am freaking late for work!"
Why am I fucking screaming at him as if he is the reason I got stupidly drunk?
Argh!
Hurriedly, I got rid of the gown I had on to expose my bra-covered boobs, and naked pubic area to David who I could have sworn let out a groan at some point.
But before he quickly excused himself, he urged me to try to hurry.
"Please, pack my breakfast! Thank you!"
I grabbed my folded towel from the end of the bed and rushed into the bathroom for a quick shower.
I could have opted to excessively spray my body with perfumes of different brands, but the smell I was getting from my body was discomforting, so sacrificing five minutes to bathe didn't seem like a task.
In no time, I was putting on a pair of blue and silver check trousers and a blue T-shirt supported by my very comfortable black slip-on shoe. I grabbed my phone and office bag and rushed out of the room.
"David, is my breakfast ready?" I took a quick look around my little living room while I fiddled with the earring I was putting on.
David walked out of the kitchen on cue and stretched a brown bag in his hand toward me.
After a quick appreciation was thrown in his direction, I grabbed my car keys from my bag and rushed out of the apartment. It was when I got into the car that I remembered that I forgot to tell David to make sure he leaves before I get back.
It was already strange enough that a man I didn't know just made me breakfast.
But, right now, David, is the least of my issues.
Grateful that my apartment was on the ground floor, I roughly backed my car out of the underground garage and soon, I joined the busy roads of Manhattan.
"The touch that set her soul ablaze. " ~ He sees her, a woman desperate, longing and almost lost. He wants her, the taste of the peace she brings, a temptation he refuses to resist. With his eyes on her, a spark she thought was long dead was ignited. But can she escape the heated shackles of her marriage to play this dangerous game of desire?
He scoffed. “I, Alpha Ximun…” Aysu’s eyes bulged. “What are you doing?” “... of the Night Crimson Pack…” Aysu shivered. That was a rival pack. “A- Alpha Ximun. Wait-” “... reject you, Aysu of the Tarmish Pack.” ~~ He was her salvation and death intertwined. He was the hell that consumed her every emotion. But, despite everything, he was the only one she could love and protect with all she was.
"I am married!" I spat into his face. "You can't just walk in here and spew nonsense just because I am carrying your baby." His smirk returned and I realised that I made a mistake that day. That day, I thought I was getting into bed with a gentle soul. But this man in front of me has the darkest of auras. It is the kind that makes it hard to look away or slam the door in his face. So, when he took two more steps closer, I could barely move. Then, he said, "I don't care if you are married because now that I have seen you, it is a must you come with me." ~~~~~ Carrie, on the run from her impending wedding, found herself entangled in a reckless one-night stand with a mysterious and affluent stranger. Little did she know that this fleeting moment of passion would weave a fate she could never escape.
6 years ago, Lydia suffered a brutal betrayal orchestrated by her own husband and step-sister, who drugged her and framed her. In a twist of fate, she ended up having a one-night stand with a stranger. Don't even remember what he looked like. Later, in the throes of death, she discovered the truth about her mother's death all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, she lost everything. 6 years later, Lydia returned with her genius son, vowing to exact revenge on all her enemies! Little did she know, she encountered an incredibly familiar man at the airport! *** The man was briskly pushing open the door to the restroom, heading to the urinal. Even with such a mundane action, he did it with unparalleled elegance and grace. Lydia, following him in a daze, saw his fierce lower body and suddenly snapped back to reality. She let out a high-pitched scream, instinctively covering her eyes with her hands, her cheeks flushed, and stood there stiffly, unsure of what to do. Lambert furrowed his brows slightly but remained calm as he continued to relieve himself. The sound of water hitting the urinal made Lydia's face even redder. She angrily shouted, "You pervert!" Little did Lydia know that Lambert, seeing her in this state, had a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Memories from many years ago flashed through his mind, and his heart couldn't help but stir. It was her!
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."
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"
Eliza Greer was abandoned by her mother, raised in an orphanage, and sold to the Burns family at 19. Even though she marries Mason Burns, the other people in the Burns family look down on her for her poor identity and want to try every way to bully her. Unexpectedly, they all failed. Eliza's hidden identities are gradually revealed in one incident after another, which astonishes everyone.
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.
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.