"I limit our relationship to one-night passion. I have no need to bring you into my life." --- In an attempt to forget her lost love, Serena makes a passionate one-night stand with a stranger in Monaco. One night, one decision, one agreement, and one haunting memory. But as fate would have it, destiny has its own plans. The man who shared that passionate night turns out to be the CEO of her new workplace. Can Serena resist when passion and love conspire? Wait until she gets caught up in this unexpected tale of passion and intrigue. Serena and the CEO's lives will never be the same.
Serena P. O. V
Fuck you, Jason.
I raised my hands high to the beat of the EDM music that filled my ears. The influence of alcohol is enough to make me forget about the problems that led me to run away to Monaco.
Today, it's exactly two hundred days since my relationship with Jason ended. My friends took me to Monaco to celebrate 'Two Hundred Days Without That Jerk Jason'.
I can live without Jason. On second thought, he wasn't worth crying over. Even though I spent sixty days crying and shutting myself in my room. Jason not only broke my heart, but also made me doubt that there are good men in this world.
On paper, Jason met all the criteria my parents wanted in a son-in-law. Jason strengthened my strained relationship with my parents and made it more amicable. He may not be the most handsome man I've ever known. Jason compensated for his physical shortcomings by excelling in other areas.
Jason was very polite. He could melt the heart of Mr. General of the Air Force, aka my father, with his manners. Papa stated that there are a few young people today who have good manners. Jason is the exception to the rule.
During the two years we dated, Jason truly treated me like a queen.
Until finally, Jason broke my trust.
I shook my head quickly, pushing the image of that bastard Jason out of my mind. It's the two-hundredth day. I've promised not to cry over him anymore.
Starting tomorrow, I will move on. Eloise and Renesmee helped me make a list to move on from that asshole. The first point was to resign from the office, so I wouldn't see my ex's face again. By distancing myself from Jason, I'm sure I can get over him faster.
Second, a vacation to Monaco. Eloise and Renesmee forced me to leave the house we shared. I couldn't refuse, because they were forcing me to forget Jason.
In Monaco, I also made a list of what I wanted to do. How long had it been since I'd really thought about what I wanted to do to pamper myself?
"Serena, we're in Monaco. Come on... get rid of that sad face." Eloise brutally shook my shoulder with an obnoxious laugh. I nearly tripped because wearing high heels while intoxicated is not advisable.
"The tattoo still hurts on my skin." I hissed softly while rubbing my chest.
Eloise's laughter hardened, and her eyes glanced at my chest. I wore a stylish strapless lace up corset mini dress to my 200 days of being a single party. The dress beautifully highlighted my neck and shoulders. This was Renesmee's idea, since I had to show off the tattoos I got this afternoon.
Getting a tattoo is one of the 101 ways to forget Jason. I want to feel sexy and make Jason regret dumping me, regardless of the benefits.
"Anyway, please note the second list." Renesmee approached me with a satisfied laugh. "I deliberately brought you here, so you could get a new guy."
Renesmee met the billionaire while sunbathing on the beach in Monaco. After that flirting session, they became close, and he told her that he was throwing a party at his villa. Renesmee agreed, expecting high-class guys at the party. That's how I ended up at this party.
I can't deny that this party was quite fun. I reduced my alcohol tolerance to savor the free vintage drinks. Renesmee's instincts were not wrong. Many handsome men enjoyed a lavish shirtless party at the Monaco Billionaire's villa.
However, I wasn't desiring flirting. It wasn't that I was still thinking about Jason, but I wasn't ready to get involved in a new relationship.
I danced to the music while Eloise and Renesmee tried to distract me with potential rebounds.
Deep in my heart, I'm not looking for someone new.
And... I licked my saliva.
I was grabbing a drink at the bar counter when my eyes fell on a man who didn't seem to care about his surroundings. He wasn't dancing and wasn't even looking around. Ever since I noticed, he hadn't touched the drink in front of him.
Deliberately, I lingered at the bar counter. From this place, I could study him clearly. I was sure that wherever he was, he would definitely attract women. Tonight alone, there were many women who approached him, but they only got a faint smile in return.
Everyone who comes to this party has one goal, and that's to escape from trouble. Isn't that the essence of a party? For a moment, forget the problems of real life. Alcohol and music, perhaps followed by make out, make problems seem so far away.
This man must be running away from trouble.
He looked away. It was too late to dodge because he caught me studying him. Already wet, I waved at him. Just like the other women who tried to approach him, he also gave me a faint smile.
I never approach men at bars, clubs, or similar places. Actually, I'm not a party girl. People misunderstand me and think I'm a party girl, but I'd rather be at home watching anime. My wibu side, which not many people know except Jason. According to him, my hobby of watching anime actually makes me look special. It was our similarities that made him approach me. Plus, we were office colleagues, so the approach went smoothly.
In fact, the approach clouded my common sense and made me unable to see who Jason really was.
The strange man had my attention. I grabbed a glass of beer and approached him. Without asking permission, I took up the couch next to him.
"Hi," I greeted him with a cheerful smile.
From this close distance, I could see him intently. He had a handsome face that seemed cold. I didn't cover up when I looked at his body intently.
Damn him! He has a nice body. Body from intense workouts at the gym. He's the only guy here who isn't shirtless. People would feel embarrassed if he revealed what he was hiding under his black shirt by taking it off. From my observations, I'm sure he has tantalizing abs.
Very different from Jason. How could I be blindly in love with my ex? I'm sure in another year, Jason will have a beer belly like an alcoholic middle-aged man.
"My name is Serena." I extended my hand and half-screamed over the deafening music.
He looked at my outstretched hand before replying. "Leopold."
Leopold... Leopold... Leopold. I repeated the name repeatedly, silently. It's a unique name, but it suits his mysterious-looking figure.
"So, what's your problem?" I asked, while looking at him without blinking.
Leopold looked at me with a furrowed brow.
I laughed lightly. "People who come here must have a problem. Take me, for example. I'm here to celebrate 200 days since my ex-boyfriend ended our two-year relationship."
It etched a smile on his full lips.
"So, what's your problem, Mr. Leopold?" I asked again as I leaned back against the sofa. A faint smirk spread across my lips as I caught his blue eyes gazing down at my exposed thighs.
He shrugged, indifferent. "Nothing special."
I pointed at the crowd dancing in the backyard of the villa. "Does anyone know?"
Leopold nodded briefly. "My business partner. But I don't know where he is now."
My blood rushed at his words. His voice sounded heavy, sexy, and raspy when he spoke longer sentences.
"I came here at the invitation of my best friend. She knows the Billionaire guy who owns this party. Luckily, the party was pretty fun." I fiddled with my wineglass with a soft chuckle.
"Yeah, not my type." Leopold snorted softly before taking a sip of whiskey.
I turned my body to face him. His Adam's apple rose and fell slowly, making me hold my breath. He's so hot. "So, what's your type?"
He looked at me from behind his lush lashes. His wet, red lips smirked before answering my question. "Music type or girl type?"
He trapped me.
I put my wineglass down as I relaxed myself. "Both."
He laughed softly, showing his rows of neat teeth. "Nothing in particular. How old are you?"
His question made me flinch. I tilted my head to the right to examine him. The lighting in this area was quite dim, so I couldn't clearly catch the age of his actual figure.
"I'm twenty-three years old this year. Why?" I asked, while flashing a small smile.
Once again, a smile appeared on his sexy lips. "Well, you're too young. So, you're not my type."
"What the hell..."
Cassandra never imagined her life would change so drastically after she caught her future fiancé, Alaric, making out with her best friend. Cassandra vowed to avenge her hurt in the same way. She makes the impulsive decision to approach Caspian, Alaric's father, and ends up becoming partners in a one-night stand. In no time, the game of revenge turns Cassandra and Caspian into a relationship that goes deeper than the charade of infidelity. However, additional problems arise when Cassandra belatedly realizes she may be pregnant. At the same time, her dark past comes back to haunt her, shattering everything she has built. Amidst family conflict and deep resentment, Cassandra's older brother forces her to choose between two hard decisions against her will. Meanwhile, Caspian announces a grand plan that takes everyone by surprise. But is this really the end of their game - or the beginning of something much darker?
Katie was forced to marry Dillan, a notorious ruffian. Her younger sister mocked her, "You're just an adopted daughter. Count your blessings for marrying him!" The world anticipated Katie's tribulations, but her married life unfurled with unexpected serenity. She even snagged a lavish mansion in a raffle! Katie jumped into Dillan's arms, credited him as her lucky charm. "No, Katie, it's you who brings me all this luck," Dillan replied. Then, one fateful day, Dillan's childhood friend came to her. "You're not worthy of him. Take this 50 million and leave him!" Katie finally grasped Dillan's true stature—the wealthiest man on the planet. That night, trembling with trepidation, she broached the subject of divorce with Dillan. However, with a domineering embrace, he told her, "I'd give you everything I have. Divorce is off the table!"
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.
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
Compelled by her dad's dilemma and the looming fate of their business, Irene agreed to become Braydon's lover. To outsiders, Braydon seemed invulnerable, yet only Irene was privy to the tempestuous passions he unleashed behind closed doors. Gradually, Irene found herself tangled in the intricate emotional snare Braydon had woven, her heart craving more, only to be shattered by the revelation of his engagement. Devastated, she left and soon encountered Braydon's archrival. It was then that the formidable Braydon confronted the esteemed surgeon Dr. Mitchell, all in a fierce struggle over Irene.
Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he never gave a damn about rules and laws, as he only liked to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and lan begged her not to leave him?
Drugged and deceived, she bore a child amidst tragedy-her son, falsely declared dead at birth. Fueled by the agony, she disappeared, only to return years later with both her daughter and an adopted son, driven by an unyielding desire for revenge against those who had wronged her and her late mother. The plot takes an unexpected twist when the haunting truth surfaces: her son is alive, and his father is a powerful CEO.