Signing her life away for her goals seemed easy at first for Sophia Crux, but she soon gets entangled in a web of complications, and as unwanted feelings start arising for a man meant to be nothing but a step closer to her goals, she has to find a way out. But things take a turn when Alexander Black refuses to let her go.
Xander Black's POV
"Mum" I called as I strode into the house, my eyes searching for the 4'7 woman, who acts like she's 6'5
"In the kitchen," she said in a singsong voice and my lips tugged up into a smile. I changed the direction of my steps and walked into the kitchen.
I shook my head when I saw the mess the kitchen had turned into from the numerous dishes she already prepared, and the others that were still cooking. I shook my head again, rolling up my sleeves, I walked into the kitchen and began to clean up.
"You prepared a whole feast when it's just the two of us having dinner?" She let out a laugh and from my peripheral vision, I saw her shrug.
"What can I say? I still enjoy cooking and gladly eating the meal after." The memory of her forcing Dad to eat the random dishes she'd make flashed through my mind, and I smiled. "And you know, it wouldn't just be the both of us if you just..."
"Mum" I cut her off in a warning tone
"Get married" she finished and I let out a sigh. "You're getting old, Xander, and so am I. I want to see my daughter-in-law, and carry my grandchildren before I die"
"You're not dying anytime soon" I sharply cut in and she dropped the spatula on the desk, the clanging sound of it echoed in the kitchen and I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath.
"You don't know that for sure, Xander. I can die any mi..."
"Mum!"
A deafening silence settled in for a few minutes before she broke it with a loud sigh. "All I want is to carry my grandchildren, Xander. That shouldn't be a big deal"
"Let's have this conversation later, Mum," I said and resumed my work silently. Once I was done washing the dishes and cleaning up the counters, I crept out of the kitchen to my old room.
I always spend the night here whenever I visit for dinner, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that I wouldn't be spending the night here today. I massaged my temples and collapsed on my bed.
Marriage has been the cause of bickering between my mum and I ever since my dad died, but her tone today felt different. She spoke as if she was daring me to say no.
"You are most likely imagining things, Xander." The words had barely left my lips when I heard her beckoning me to come down for dinner.
I deliberated on just staying in and giving her an excuse as to why I can't come down, and just bury myself in work but this is the only time I get to see her. Heaving a deep breath, I stood up from the bed, mentally preparing myself for the bickering I was sure would happen as I walked downstairs, however...
We had a silent dinner.
My mum didn't say a word to me except when she would ask me to pass something or ask me if I wanted more, and the silence was scarier and more uncomfortable than the back and forth I expected.
"Mum, are you okay? You haven't said a proper sentence to me." I started once we were done cleaning up.
She stared at me blankly but the corners of her lips tugged up in what I guess was a smile as she placed a brown envelope on the table.
I raised a brow while my eyes darted from the envelope to her face, and when I made no effort to open it after a while, she pushed it closer to me.
My brows scrunched together, forming crease lines on my forehead as I reached out for the envelope and opened it. My eyes took in its contents, and when I was done, I dropped it back on the table.
"Why?" I asked and her smile widened, this time with a hint of genuineness in them.
"Those are my company shares, 25%, making me the 3rd highest shareholder of the company"
"I'm aware, Mum"
"Good. I'm sure you are also aware that they are meant to go to you after my...." The sentence trailed off and I bobbed my head. "Well, I've changed my mind"
For a solid minute, all that rang in my ears and my head was the sound of an annoying bell. "What!?"
"You heard me right, Alexander Pope Black." My eyes widened and an involuntary scoff escaped my lips. "I am only to give you my shares if I deem you worthy of them. You don't automatically get it just because you are my son"
"Mum!" She raised a brow, and I ran my hands down my face. "What do you mean mum? I have single-handedly handled the company since Dad's death, I reinvented myself and the company. The company's profit has increased by 95% since Dad's death and is currently one of the top companies in the country. Have I..."
"As the CEO and the highest shareholder, you are simply doing your duty. As for my requirement, you are yet to fulfil that"
"Mum, you can't be serious," I said, leaning towards her but she stared back at me blankly. "You can't possibly be blackmailing me right now to get married!"
"You will keep your voice down when you speak to me, and I am in no way blackmailing you. I am simply stating my demand, which I expect to be fulfilled within 3 months, and if you are thinking of an excuse along the lines of 'Where will I find a decent girl within this time frame' you can stop that now, there is a perfect candidate for you."
"Mum!" She stared at me unblinking and I threw my head back, breathing out through my lips. "And if I fail to meet your demands?"
"I will sell the shares to your cousin, I'm sure you wouldn't mind losing your title to him"
"You can't possibly be serious mum, Draco and his father have had their eyes on the company for ages. You can't give it up to them..."
The creaking sound as she stood up from the chair cut me short, and I instantly stood to my feet. "I am quite tired, Xander, and I will be retiring for the night."
"Mum!" I called after her as she turned her back on me.
"You are dismissed. Come back when you have my daughter-in-law, good night" I couldn't get another word in before she walked out on me.
After being betrayed and exploited by her ex-husband, Christopher and his mistress, Lilian, Jenna is left helpless and thirsty for revenge. She stumbles upon Xavier, the richest man in the state, and In a bold move, she walks up to him and offers to buy him and his services for a year. Intrigued by the strange woman's boldness, Xavier agrees to her deal, but in exchange, he wants her to marry him. Bloodthirsty for revenge, she agrees, but little did she know she had walked into a trap laid by the devil.
After her sister ran away, Lily Morgan is set up as a replacement and is married off to Asher Allard to be a token of a successful contract. Blinded by her love for him, she goes through 5 years of an unrequited love marriage, where she is as good as invisible to her husband. However, her sister returns 5 years later, hooked to the arms of the man she has loved by the side for years, this breaks her heart and forces to accept the truth she has long denied. She serves him divorce papers, and only then does Asher realize he wants her to remain by his side forever. He blackmails her with the marriage contract she signed, and demands she stays for one more year as stated in the contract. Lily's heart runs cold at the selfishness of his actions, and she gives in with the intentions of making him pay, but he is determined to find a way to keep her beside him forever. Will Asher Allard, a billionaire known to be capable of anything be successful in warming up the icy heart of the woman who once loved him?
When a marriage is the only option left for Alexandro Rodrigo to gain custody of his son, he presents a deal to Aurora Dobre; a broke writer trying to keep a roof over her head in the large city of New York, with one important rule, she disappears after 2 years. But things take a unique turn when the years draw closer, and too much has already gone on for either of them to leave. However a threat to her life and that of the people that she holds close to her heart, forces Aurora to make a choice.
In a world of werewolves, where Alphas marry into Alpha families to form alliances and grow their strength, Annha Selene has to shove her feelings aside and get married to a Beta, Drystan, after being rejected by his Alpha,just for the sake of her pack. But she soon begins to question her choice when realizes she got married to an unusual Werewolf. A breed that even the werewolves call a beast. In her quest of accepting her new fate and falling in love, she discovers tales and secrets she never thought existed.
Zale Harris, the inscrutable and powerful CEO of the Harris empire is put in a state of crisis when he was told he had only one year left to live. Determined to have an heir to his empire and fulfil his parents' wish of having a grandchild, he sets out in the search of a bride. But his motives take a different turn when his Ex, Aria Smith, shows up to the interview with a child in her arms. Stuck between fulfilling his dying wishes and getting the answers to the question he's held inside him for years, he eembarks on a marriage of many possibilities with his EX..
Traversing back to the ancient Prime Martial World from modern age, Austin finds himself in a younger body as he wakes up. Yet, the young man he possesses was a miserable dimwit, what a bummer! But it doesn’t matter as his mind is sound and clear. Possessing this younger and stronger body, he will fight his way to become the God of martial arts, and rule the whole Martial World!
Jennifer Bennett, the rightful heiress to the Bennett legacy, fought hard for her family's recognition, only to be eclipsed by an impostor. Faced with false accusations, bullying, and public humiliation, Jennifer eventually gave up trying to win their approval. Vowing to rise above the injustice, she became the bane of those who wronged her. The Bennett family's efforts to break her only fueled her success, leading her to heights her rivals could only dream of. Someone asked, "Do you feel let down by your parents?" With a calm smile, Jennifer said, "It doesn't matter. In the end, power prevails."
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
"Miss Brown, I am the butler here at your service," the butler replied. "My master wants to buy the baby in your belly." "What?!" Does that mean the abortion didn't take place? Did they kidnap her from the operating table just to buy the baby? But why her? "You..." Alice was about to ask a question, but the man in front of her calmly continued, as if he had expected her question, "You're pregnant with his child, and he needs a child. That's all I can tell you." Alice was forced to sign a surrogacy contract and eight months later gave birth to two healthy babies. Fortunately, the man was unaware of her daughter's existence. It wasn't until five years later that fate brought them together again...
It took only a second for a person's world to come crashing down. This was what happened in Hannah's case. For four years, she gave her husband her all, but one day, he said emotionlessly, "Let's get divorced." Hannah's heart broke into a million pieces as she signed the divorce papers, marking the end of her role as a devoted wife. Within Hannah, a strong woman awakened, vowing never to be beholden to any man again. Embracing her new life, she embarked on a journey to find herself and command her own destiny. By the time she returned, she had experienced so much growth and was now completely different from the docile wife everyone once knew. "Is this your latest trick to get my attention?" Hannah's ever-so-arrogant husband asked. Before she could retort, a handsome and domineering CEO pulled her into his embrace. He smiled down at her and said boldly to her ex, "Just a little heads-up, mister. This is my beloved wife. Keep off!"
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?"