"If you need anything financially speaking, use this," he held out a black card towards me, "I hope I don't have any problems with you." I stared at the handsome man with the cold expression in front of me, took the card in my fingers and watched him go. Although we were married on paper, our lives would remain separate, each navigating our own turbulent waters. --------------------------- When Morgana's father discovers that he has cancer, she tries to find the money to pay for the treatment, agreeing to marry the grandson of a very wealthy family, Ryan Burke, in exchange for the treatment. Their marriage tends to be only nominal, as the boy already has a girlfriend, Elena Kyle. For Morgana, none of this was important, she just wanted to save her father's life. Three years after this contract, her father dies and she returns to the fictional city of Rookgaard to end this nominal marriage, even though she fell in love with Ryan during the wedding. Morgana reluctantly signs the contract, even though she likes Ryan, who doesn't understand his wife's attitude. The other day, thinking she was free of the marriage, she decides to go out with some friends from work to celebrate the divorce, giving herself the opportunity to get to know doctor Elliot Sharon better. What she didn't expect was to run into Ryan, giving him a reason not to sign the papers. Morgana remains married to Ryan, even though he still brings Elena into their lives, until a mysterious car accident happens. Putting her life on the line and changing things.
**January 2014**
**MORGANA FOSTER**
A girl walked out of the room, and there was no smile on her face. This meant there was still a small chance of salvation for me and my father. That I could leave here married and "happy."
What a bad joke!
With two jobs and accumulated college tuition, plus my father undergoing chemotherapy, I was exhausted. Not only were the college expenses piling up, but the hospital bill was also growing larger, and my father's health had significantly worsened in recent months. That's why, and only why, I decided to show up for this interview for a sham marriage.
Yes, this is at least stupid. Who still needs something like this in the 21st century?
He could be a man too shy to find a wife. He could be a very busy executive who didn't want to bother with finding a real wife. Or simply an ugly man. A million things crossed my mind while I waited for my name to be called and prayed that the other girl hadn't done so much better than I would now.
The mere idea of a sham marriage to solve my financial problems and save my father's life was almost ridiculous, but in the face of adversity, it was the only solution I could see. With no romantic expectations or personal interests, everything boiled down to survival. The idea of a union out of obligation, just to keep my father alive, echoed in my mind like a necessary mantra.
A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Truly, whoever my suitor was, he had to be someone with a lot of money and influence because even this hotel was too expensive and luxurious for an ordinary person.
I was so deep in debt that my only options were to enter into this contract marriage or become a prostitute. Not that there was much difference between the two, though I was trying to convince myself there was.
Neither option seemed like a good one. But of the two evils, the lesser, right? This was my lifeline.
The idea of selling my commitment or my dignity for financial necessity crushed my pride and suffocated me. However, the feeling of helplessness and the urgency to help my father led me to consider any alternative, no matter how inhumane it seemed.
I entered the dark and empty room, the few beams of light coming through the thin curtains contrasting with the rich environment. I sat in one of the chairs, nervously waiting. The door opened, and an elderly man entered the room.
"Good afternoon, Miss..." He began, his eyes assessing me carefully while I tried not to appear too out of place.
"Morgana. Morgana Melissa Foster," I replied, trying to control the tremor in my voice.
The man sat down, looking at me with a thoughtful expression. "I understand you are here out of a pressing need, Miss Foster." I raised an eyebrow at him. "You don't think I investigated each candidate before this selection, do you?"
I shook my head, and the elderly man chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. "There are several clauses you will have to comply with if you accept the final proposal. However, the marriage we are considering is not a trivial decision. My grandson, Ryan, is going through challenging circumstances. He is not looking for a wife just for formality but for specific needs."
I swallowed the lump in my throat before responding. "I understand, sir. I am aware of the difficulties on both sides. I am here because I see no other way out of my family's financial troubles, especially my father's health. That is the most important thing to me right now."
"I understand your situation, but we need to ensure that if this proceeds, it will be a solution that benefits both parties. This is not an ordinary contract; it is an agreement that will require mutual understanding and respect."
We talked for a while longer, detailing mutual expectations and needs. At the end of the conversation, Mr. Burke looked at me with a grave expression, his blue eyes taking on that dark tone that made my spine shiver. "If this goes forward, remember, Miss Foster, that everything we do here will have consequences. Seek wisdom beyond necessity, and perhaps, who knows, something more than just a contract of convenience might emerge."
"Does this mean I passed?" I shook my head, dazed. "I mean..."
"Just sign, child," Mr. Burke replied.
I signed the paper so quickly that before I knew it, I was at the courthouse wearing a blue dress with simple embroidery on the bodice and a fitted waist, not too short. It was the only thing that would do for the occasion. My soon-to-be husband entered the small anteroom where the wedding would take place, furious enough to knock over the side table with a lamp next to him. He hadn't noticed my presence, so I just shrank back at his arrival.
"My grandfather must be out of his mind!" he shouted, pacing back and forth. The loud yells echoing in my ears made me tremble. "How dare he trick me into marrying a..."
He froze mid-sentence when he noticed my presence and stared at me for the first time. I shrank my body into the corner of the room, feeling tiny under the weight of his contemptuous gaze.
The awkward silence lingered for a moment as I tried not to seem so fragile and vulnerable in this situation. The tension hung heavy in the air, as if our fates had been ripped from our hands and forced into a situation neither of us truly wanted.
"I'm sorry... I..." I murmured, trying to break the discomfort between us. "I'm Morgana Foster."
He stared at me, his eyes reflecting a mix of incredulity and irritation. There were no words to calm the whirlwind of emotions that seemed to consume us at that moment. I could barely breathe. He glanced at my hand, which was suspended in the air, and ignored it completely, making me feel foolish.
"Let's just get this over with," he growled, looking away while the tension between us was palpable.
The officiant entered the room, drawing our attention to the beginning of what was being forced into a marriage. His words were a mere murmur, lost amid the emotional chaos surrounding us. As he spoke about union, love, and commitment, it felt like each phrase was another blow to the wound that was already open.
After the ceremony, I was introduced to Ryan's entire family, and then we went home. There was no party or celebration, just a few fake smiles under the flash.
We arrived at the house his grandfather gave us as a wedding present, and silence hung in the air for a moment in the room.
"Well, I guess that's it," Ryan said, breaking the silence with an indifferent tone. "Now that the formalities are over, we need to be clear about how this will work. I don't want any interference in my life, and you shouldn't expect me to be involved in yours either."
I nodded, accepting the coldness in his words. It was obvious that neither of us was willing to turn this marriage of convenience into anything more than a practical agreement.
"Agreed. Each of us lives our own life, no questions, no expectations," I replied, trying to sound as firm as he did.
"Great. Here are the basic rules." Ryan pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and began listing the conditions of our agreement. "No emotional involvement. No questions about each other's personal lives. This is a business deal, and we need to keep it clear."
The coldness of his words was like a confirmation that this marriage would be anything but conventional. It was a pragmatic arrangement, a contract to help us get through our difficulties.
"Of course, I understand," I murmured, memorizing the rules while trying to digest the surreal nature of the situation.
"If you need anything financially, use this," he said, extending a black card toward me. "I hope not to have any problems with you."
I stared at the handsome man with the cold expression in front of me, took the card in my fingers, and watched him leave. Despite being married on paper, our lives remained separate.
"How can you smell like that?" Alpha Dominic took a step toward me, making my heart freeze. He was so much bigger than I was and could easily destroy me. I took a deep breath, but I didn't smell anything. Was I stinking and couldn't notice? He stared at me, eyes narrowed in my direction. The Alpha cursed and stepped back. “Whatever.” He said, walking toward the door. “Stay out of my room!” And then he was gone. That was my honorable wedding night when my husband declared his repulsion for me. In the dense and unforgiving atmosphere of the pack led by the feared Alpha Dominic, the rival Alpha's daughter, Natalie, a young omega, faces the darkest of fates: marrying solely to seal a peace treaty. At the peak of her first wedding night, she is confronted by her husband's icy disdain, whose imposing and powerful aura makes her tremble with fear. When she was sent to marry and seal peace between their peoples, Natalie had no idea of the dangers she would face in this new home, nor of the secrets she would uncover about her mysterious husband. She finds herself plunged into a dangerous game of power and betrayal.
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.
Loraine was a dutiful wife to Marco since they got married three years ago. However, he treated her like trash. Nothing she did softened his heart. One day, Loraine got fed up with it all. She asked him for a divorce and left him to enjoy with his mistress. The elites looked at her like she was deranged. "Are you out of your mind? Why are you so willing to divorce him?" "It's because I need to return home to get a billion-dollar fortune. Besides, I don't love him anymore," Loraine replied with a smile. They all laughed at her. Some believed that the divorce affected her mentally. It wasn't until the next day that they realized she wasn't fibbing. A woman was suddenly declared the world's youngest female billionaire. It turned out to be Loraine! Marco was shocked to the bone. When he met his ex-wife again, she was a changed person. A group of handsome young men surrounded her. She was smiling at them all. The sight made Marco's heart ache severely. Putting his pride aside, he tried to win her back. "Hello, love. I see that you are a billionaire now. You shouldn't be with suckers who just want your money. How about you come back to me? I'm a billionaire too. Together, we can build a strong empire. What do you say?" Loraine squinted at her ex-husband with her lips curled in disgust.
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 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! ".
Sandra Hill, the long-lost real heiress of the Hill family, was shunned by her own kin. Instead of embracing her, they bestowed their affection upon an impostor. They even arranged her to marry a vegetative man in place of her so-called “sister”. Sandra sneered, refusing to put up with this humiliation, cut off ties with the Hill family immediately and ran into the flash marriage with Wesley Cooper, her unconscious billionaire husband. With her incredible medical skills, she defied the odds and revived him. Little did she expect that her husband spoiled her with all his love... A medical genius, a computer prodigy, a national treasure in painting, and a racing legend... Her husband revealed her various identities, leaving the Hill family regretful. Her father came pleading, "It's Dad's fault. Please come back." Her mother wept, "Mom will protect you from now on. Please come back." Even her five brothers knelt before he, begging for forgiveness. Yet, Sandra's smile held a hint of mockery as she vowed, “Never!”
Renea was trying the wedding dress, when suddenly the man rushed in the dressing room and held her neck tightly... “Bitch! Are you still trying to pretend innocent!” Jasper said as he tightened his grip on her neck and choked her harder. Then he used his other hand and took out the phone from his suit pocket and played the video of two people having sex in front of Renea… However, what was even more shocking, was that the woman in the video was, Renea Morris, however, the man in the video was not Jasper. Renea struggled to take a phone away from Jasper’s hand and tried to explain, “Jasper, it was not what you think… I… I can…” Jasper looked at Renea with his eyes full of disgust, as he said, “Let’s call of the wedding. I can’t marry a woman like you.” After saying that Jasper walked out of the shop Renea chase after Jasper... But then she sees Jasper passionately kissing her sister Kailey. And she hears everything, that her sleeping with strange men was all a plan of the vipers of the last two days, and that their goal was to get out of this stupid marriage. Even her adopted parents were also involved in this matter... They all do this with her because of the inheritance left by her grandfather... Renea heart was filled with anger and she wanted to expose their true colors to the public... However before she could do anything, Kailey had pushed her in front of the car and she got killed... However, when Renea open her eyes, she found herself sitting in the car with Kailey... She realized that she was reborn and went at the time when everything started... Renea looked at the people who had hurt her in her previous life and her lips curled up in a cold smile... She was back... However, this time... she was back for revenge...