Livia Dumont, a hardworking girl grappling with financial burdens and coupled with the workload of her new job, stumbles into Xavier Lexington in a complicated way. She is unaware that Xavier, is her aloof and seemingly indifferent boss who holds the key to both her professional fate and an unexpected twist in her personal life. Their initial interaction is marked with misunderstanding, and Livia unwittingly finds herself on the wrong foot with the enigmatic figure who signs her paychecks. In this accident of chance, Livia and Xavier learn that sometimes, starting off on the wrong foot can lead to the right kind of love. But is their right kind of love enough to withstand all the drama, secrets, controversies and betrayal that comes with it? Will it be enough to give them a fairy tale ending or will it crash into a tragic ending?
I walked briskly out of the hotel lobby after I finished helping my Head of Department drop off the papers he had forgotten at the office and picked up some extra ones from him. I walked with the intensity of a child late for school as I made my way down the stairs without even looking down, completely buried in my thoughts, when I missed a step. I tripped and was falling onto a man who was about to climb up the stairs and he could have caught me, but instead, he shifted out of the way and with vigorous force, I came crashing down to the ground.
The documents flew out of my hand and scattered around me like autumn leaves in the wind.
He observed the scene before him with a subtle smirk. He chose not to extend a helping hand, enjoying the sight of me groaning in pain and embarrassment. It was as if he found amusement in watching me fall. I looked up, ready to express my annoyance, but before I could say anything, he walked off without saying a word
I muttered to myself, "wow, how rude and heartless can someone be? What kind of person just watches someone fall and does nothing?"
Feeling indignant, I got up from the ground and knelt to gather my documents. The man overhearing my remark, stopped in his tracks and turned back to face me.
"Heartless? That's quite an assumption to make."
"Well, your actions speak volumes. You didn't even bother to apologize!" I said irritatedly as I stood up to him.
"Apologies are overrated, don't you think?" He responded nonchalantly as his guards tried to step in but he dismissed them.
"No, common courtesy is not overrated and it's basic human decency to help someone in need. Maybe you should learn that!"
"Decency is subjective. Besides, in the grand scheme of things, a little fall caused by your clumsiness is hardly worth getting upset over."
He walked a bit forward in my direction with his left hand tucked in his trouser's pocket, demonstrating with his right. "I prefer observing the world from a distance. It saves me from unnecessary complications."
"It's not just about the fall. It's about respect for others, something you clearly lack. Humanity is not a weakness."
"Now if you don't mind, I have a meeting to-"
"Whoa! Actually I do mind" I cut him off.
"You know, it's considered rude to interrupt someone when they're speaking."
My eyes widened in disbelief as I caught my breath with an open mouth.
"Excuse me? You let me fall earlier without apologizing, and now you're lecturing me on manners? How hypocritical."
The man chuckled, finding my audacity oddly refreshing.
He smirked, "you're quite bold, aren't you? I find your determination amusing."
I got furious, "this is not amusing! It's infuriating! People like you think you can get away with anything just because you're rich and powerful."
"Power is relative, my dear. Some wield it wisely, others not so much." He played it cool.
Realizing I was getting nowhere with the conversation, I shot a glare at him and decided it was best to walk away.
"You might have wealth, but you lack basic kindness. I hope someday you learn the value of treating people with respect. Empathy and kindness makes the world a better place." I turned and walked right away after saying that.
The man smiled at me while watching me walk away.
"Such an interesting lady!" He commented and then continued his walk into the hotel.
***
My shoulders were slumped with exhaustion as I stepped into my apartment. I knew what to expect when I took the job, but the workload was overwhelming. I couldn't understand why I felt deflated. As much as my work was demanding, and as stupid as it might sound, I liked to work. That was the only thing that distracted me from everything else piling on in my life.
I had to endure not only the lack of sleep but also the added burden that comes with it.
I threw my bag onto the bed, realizing I needed to take a shower and find what to eat. I groaned at the thought of that.
As soon as I undressed and almost got into the shower, I heard a sharp knock on my door. I rushed to open the door, I saw my Landlord, Mr Jacob, an elderly man in his fifties, standing right in front of me, a stern expression took over his face.
"As your former landlord. I hate to do this..." his voice was firm.
"Former?" I was surprised. Not possible.
"Yes, that's what I'm here to talk about. I noticed your rent is due."
"About that, I'm working on it." My voice was polite.
"Since you're making plans to pay, note that the rent has been increased since it's not according to today's rent standard. So to fit in the current times, I went ahead and raised it accordingly."
"You can't just raise my rent out of nowhere," my tiredness turned into a blaze of anger.
"If you have an issue with that, feel free to move out. The truth of the matter is that you shouldn't even be here by now. Your rent is already expired."
"Huh?" I gasped. I couldn't believe his choice of words.
"I know a lot of people who will be dying to live here. I'm doing you a favor because we've never had any issues and you've been a good tenant."
"Do you honestly think I'll let you get away with this? I'll make sure I let everyone living in these apartments know exactly what you're trying to do! We don't deserve to be treated this way!"
There was no way I could pay for my new rent. Fuck! I was barely able to pay for my old one. One of the reasons that contributed to me working so hard.
Mr Jacob and I were locked in the battle of will for a moment.
"It's within my right to do that. Like I said, if you're unhappy, find another place to live.
With that, I slammed the door shut.
"Urrgh! As if the day couldn't get any worse." I mumbled in frustration.
"It is already unholy, why try to make it abominable and nefarious?" When a runaway bride leaves her groom at the altar, her younger sister, Yenisse, is forced to step in and save the day. How will she navigate her unexpected union with Jude Wellington, the charming billionaire, when they are married in name only and their hearts beat for different souls. Will they find a love that's a once-in-a-lifetime chance or will it remain a cold and calculated arrangement where love is a forgotten melody and disdain is the only truth? What will be the fate of a loveless union when a war is waged upon them?
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."
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?"
Due to the plight of her family, Phoebe had no choice but to embark on the path of selling herself. In an accident, she had a tangled night with Alexander. Everything began to derail, and even if she fled to the ends of the earth, she would still be found by him and entangled... *** Phoebe screamed in frustration, "What do you want from me?" What was this supposed to be? He raised an eyebrow wickedly. "What do I want? You'll find out soon enough." With that, he hoisted her up and carried her back into the office. The door slammed shut with a kick, and he cleared the desk with a sweep of his arm before laying her down on it, his body pinning hers in place, completely trapping her in his grasp. Every cell in his body was telling him he wanted her. He wanted to claim her again. This time, there would be no escape for her-he wouldn't let her slip away. Never again. If he had suffered for five years, then this woman wouldn't get off easily either!
I received a pornographic video. "Do you like this?" The man speaking in the video is my husband, Mark, whom I haven't seen for several months. He is naked, his shirt and pants scattered on the ground, thrusting forcefully on a woman whose face I can't see, her plump and round breasts bouncing vigorously. I can clearly hear the slapping sounds in the video, mixed with lustful moans and grunts. "Yes, yes, fuck me hard, baby," the woman screams ecstatically in response. "You naughty girl!" Mark stands up and flips her over, slapping her buttocks as he speaks. "Stick your ass up!" The woman giggles, turns around, sways her buttocks, and kneels on the bed. I feel like someone has poured a bucket of ice water on my head. It's bad enough that my husband is having an affair, but what's worse is that the other woman is my own sister, Bella. ************************************************************************************************************************ “I want to get a divorce, Mark,” I repeated myself in case he didn't hear me the first time—even though I knew he'd heard me clearly. He stared at me with a frown before answering coldly, "It's not up to you! I'm very busy, don't waste my time with such boring topics, or try to attract my attention!" The last thing I was going to do was argue or bicker with him. "I will have the lawyer send you the divorce agreement," was all I said, as calmly as I could muster. He didn't even say another word after that and just went through the door he'd been standing in front of, slamming it harshly behind him. My eyes lingered on the knob of the door a bit absentmindedly before I pulled the wedding ring off my finger and placed it on the table. I grabbed my suitcase, which I'd already had my things packed in and headed out of the house.
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.
After a devastating divorce with the man she had been married to for over three years, Rachel thought her life was over. Her family disowned her, they wanted nothing to do with her anymore and she couldn't blame them. She had just divorced David Hart, one of the top successful bachelors in the country and heir to the Hart industries. But they would never understand that she didn't divorce him, he divorced her after she caught him cheating on her with her god-damned best friend! Rachel was just about to end everything by jumping off a bridge when she was saved by the most unexpected person. The boy she once bullied severally in highschool because he always wore ugly glass and was from a poor background, how come that glass make him so hot now? Why was he helping her get revenge on ex-husband who is trying to make her life even more miserable? And most important how did he get so handsome? What exactly does he want from her? ... No, you must want something, anything. If you can really help me get revenge on David and Lana, I can't just let you do it for free". Ethan went quiet for a while. I held my breath waiting for what his request might be. If it was something money could buy, I'll try my best to get it for him even though I was somehow broke right now. "You're right I do want something". He said after thinking for few minutes "What?" I asked slowly. " Until you get your revenge on David, Lana and every other person you want, you will live here". Live here as in...? " Wha... What are you saying? ". I stammered hoping he wasn't saying what I thought he was saying. I tried to step back but I missed a step and almost fell on the bed but Ethan caught me holding me in his muscular arms. Ethan moved his face closer to mine be was so close, our nose almost touched. " I want you to be with me! ".