Lucas's eyes darkened as he inhaled deeply. "Why is it not right for me to kiss you? We are legally married, and you are my wife. We've done this so many times." Emily tightened her grip on his shirt, uninterested in their past intimacy. She avoided looking at him and tried to push him away. "Just let me go." Lucas pressed her harder against the door as she struggled. "You're avoiding my question again. Why?" Pausing, he lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Because you're not her, huh?" Stunned, Emily looked at him in shock. She couldn't believe what he was saying. Lucas smirked, caressing her swollen lips with his thumb. "You think it's not right because you're not Amelia Anderson." How do you fall in love with the wrong twin, marry, and have kids with her without realizing it? What if this said twin is more dangerous than you think? This is the story of Amelia and Emily, twins that share the same face but are completely different in personality. Separated at birth, one raised in the city and the other in the countryside. They grew up in different places, lives, and circumstances. As their paths intertwine, secrets unfold, and a web of deception is woven. What pushes a teenager to fake her identity for over a decade? And Lucas, caught in the middle of this charade, must figure out the complexities of love, deal with betrayal, and the unexpected.
"Mr Anderson, please slow down! It's risky here," shouted a middle-aged guy as he chased his young boss on a hill.
Lucas Anderson stopped and faced Mason Cooper, his dad's secretary. "Secretary Cooper I've told you many times that I'm not a kid. I'm 14. I can take care of myself," he said coldly.
Mason sighed. "I get it, but if the president finds out I brought you here, I might lose my job."
"Then don't tell him. He's busy with the perfume problem. Just keep quiet," Lucas insisted.
Mason sighed again. "I know you want to help find a flower for the perfume, but this is a strawberry farm. No flowers here."
"You won't know unless you explore," Lucas said, turning and running ahead.
"Mr Anderson!" Mason called, trying to catch up, but Lucas disappeared. "Mr Anderson!" he called again.
"Darn it," Lucas cursed, sitting on a stone, and rolling up his pants. His ankle was bleeding. Maybe Mason was right about it being dangerous. He used his handkerchief to stop the bleeding, feeling a sting.
"Are you okay?" a voice asked behind him. Lucas turned to see a girl, maybe 12 or 13, with a pretty face approaching.
"Did you fall?" She said, squatting in front of him.
Lucas cleared his throat, nodding. "Hmm..."
Taking away his handkerchief, the girl inspected the wound. Retrieving a bottle of water from her backpack, she opened it and glanced up at him. "It might sting a bit."
Lucas felt his heart race as he locked eyes with her, the beauty of her eyes making the world around him stand still.
The girl tilted her head, confused by his stunned expression. "I'm going to clean the wound for you. Can I?" she asked.
Interrupted by his deep thoughts, Lucas nodded, feeling embarrassed. "Thanks," he mumbled.
Smiling, the girl gently held his ankle, pouring water on the wound. She heard him gasp and quickly lowered her head, blowing soft air on the wound to ease his pain. Lifting her head, she asked, "Feeling better?"
Taken aback, Lucas simply nodded, unable to reply.
Placing the water bottle on the ground, the girl grabbed a plaster from her backpack. Peeling it off, she gently applied it to his wound, looking up at him with a smile. "Done."
Grateful, Lucas smiled back. "Thank you."
"Are you a tourist?"
"Me?" Lucas replied. "I came from New York. I am not here for a holiday. I'm searching for something."
She tilted her head. "Searching for what?"
"Flowers," he answered.
Surprised, she raised her brows. "Flowers? There are plenty in Tennessee-Magnolia, Roses, Lilies..."
"No," Lucas cut her off. "Not ordinary flowers. I need something unique, with a special scent. I'm helping my father create a new perfume." He paused, looking at her. "I don't usually share this much, especially with strangers, but you make me feel comfortable."
"Special flower with a nice scent?" the girl smiled again. "Wait here. I'll be back shortly," she said, grabbing her backpack and running in the opposite direction.
After about 10 minutes, she returned with a flower in her hand. Lucas stood up, eyes widening. "What is this? I've never seen something like this before."
The girl lifted the flower. "The scientific name for this flower is Caladenia melanema, also known as the Ballerina Orchid."
Lucas examined the flower. "Ballerina Orchid?"
The girl nodded. "Yes, it is named for the paired graceful pose that gives the impression of two ballerina dancers in mid-performance. It's very rare, hardly found around here. Ballerina Orchid emits a fragrance reminiscent of a light vanilla scent with hints of citrus." She brought the flower to Lucas's nose. "The scent is very fresh and pleasant."
Lucas inhaled and smiled. "It's really special. I've never seen flowers that look like twin dancers."
"Nothing is the same," the girl said.
Lucas looked at her, waiting for her to continue.
"Of course, they look identical at first glance, but if you take a closer look, you'll slowly find the differences. Even twin siblings aren't the same. People have different characters and personalities," she explained.
Lucas narrowed his gaze. "How old are you? You don't sound your age."
The girl smiled, handing him the flower. "You can find these flowers in the little forest behind the farm." She checked her watch. "It's late; I have to go." She pointed at his ankle. "Take care of that when you get home. Apply some anti-infection cream." With a smile and a wave, she turned around.
"Goodbye," she said, turning away. Just as she was about to leave, Lucas's voice stopped her. "Thank you," he said. The girl looked confused. Lucas held up the flower and smiled. "Thanks for showing me this flower. I think my father's problem will be fixed soon." "You're welcome," she smiled back. "Can I know your name?" Lucas asked. After a moment, she replied, "Just call me Ballerina."
"Hey," Lucas called out, but she kept walking without turning around. "Do you live around here? Can we meet again?" She didn't respond, continuing to walk away. "My name is Lucas Anderson," he shouted, but she was already out of sight. He sighed, whispering, "Will I see you again?"
[Five years later]
"Amelia! Amelia!"
Amelia fixed her hair, smiling at herself in the restroom mirror. Her best friend, Mirabel Parker, rushed in, shouting. "Hey! Why are you taking so long in the restroom? Your dream guy is already here," Mirabel said. Amelia widened her eyes, turning to her friend. "What? He's here already? I thought the competition started at 10 am. It's only 8 am now." She checked her watch nervously, then went back to the mirror, adjusting her school uniform. "Do I look beautiful? Does my face look bloated?"
"How's my hair? I got this hairband yesterday. Does it look good on me?" Mirabel laughed, holding Amelia's hand. "Can you relax? There are tons of his fans out there. The basketball stadium is packed with girls. He probably won't even notice you. He comes from a fancy international high school with lots of rich, beautiful girls. Do you think he'll pay attention to anyone here?"
Amelia pouted. "Even if I'm not rich, I'm pretty and confident he'd fall for me if he sees me."
"You're dreaming," Mirabel teased. "He's Lucas Anderson, the heir of Mionbelle Corporation, a big beauty product company in America. He's smart, athletic, and super handsome."
Amelia smiled, thinking about him. "I first saw him three years ago at a basketball competition in my school. He's two years older, and even though my school is basic, the basketball team is good. I get to see him twice a year during competitions."
"Stop daydreaming. If you don't go out now, you'll miss the chance to see him longer," Mirabel urged.
"Let's go," Amelia nodded.
At the basketball stadium, Lucas practiced on the court. Amelia's heart raced as she watched him.
"I'm 300% sure all the girls here are here for you," Ethan Thompson grinned.
Ignoring him, Lucas continued practicing. "I'm here for basketball, not for attention from girls," he said coldly, throwing the ball to his friend.
Ethan scoffed, "The way you shoot, talk, and act is enough to charm all the girls here. You just don't realize how strong your charm is."
Ignoring his words, Lucas walked past him toward the back door. Amelia, who never took her eyes off Lucas, saw him heading to the back door of the stadium. She bit her lip, standing up from her chair.
"Where are you going? The competition is starting soon," Mirabel asked.
"I'll be back in a bit. Just wait for me here," Amelia replied as she walked away.
Amelia was right; Lucas indeed went to the toilet at the back of the stadium. Luckily, nobody spotted him there. Alone and waiting for him outside the male toilet, Amelia combed her hair with her fingers and checked her uniform to ensure she looked good and neat. When she heard footsteps coming out of the toilet, she pretended to lose her balance and fell in front of the toilet. As expected, before she hit the floor, a pair of strong arms wrapped securely around her waist, holding her in place.
"Are you okay?"
A deep, manly voice filled Amelia's ears, and she smiled slightly. Slowly looking up, she bit her lower lip when she met Lucas's gaze. She shook her head softly and let out a shy smile.
"I'm okay. Thank you," she said with the sweetest and softest voice ever.
Lucas stared deep into her eyes for a while without removing his hands. "Y-You..." He struggled to find the right words to finish his sentence. But looking at the girl in front of him, memories of what happened five years ago suddenly crept into his mind. "Ballerina," he uttered softly. Amelia looked at him in confusion. "What?" she asked.
The startled expression on Amelia's face brought Lucas back from his deep thoughts. He realized he was still holding her close in his arms and quickly pulled away.
He ran his fingers through his hair and smiled awkwardly at her. "Hmmm... be careful. The floor is very slippery," he cautioned.
Amelia blushed, looking down. "Thank you."
Lucas narrowed his gaze at her. Despite the five years that had passed, the girl standing in front of him had grown into a beautiful young lady, yet she appeared remarkably unchanged since he first saw her. He was certain it was her, but he couldn't comprehend why the feeling was subtly different, perhaps due to the time that had passed.
"Do you still remember me?" Lucas inquired.
Amelia looked at him with surprise, her heart pounding. He asked if she remembered him, and, of course, she did. She had attended every competition at her school for the last three years just to catch a glimpse of him. What surprised her was that he had noticed her. It seemed he knew her.
"I... of course I remembered," Amelia replied softly.
Lucas smiled. "It has been a long time. I thought I wouldn't see you again. I went back to the place where we first met, but I couldn't find you. I didn't know you were studying in this school."
Amelia was confused by his words. "The place that we first met?"
Lucas nodded. "The Strawberry Farm in Tennessee."
"Strawberry farm?" Amelia had been to Tennessee as a child, but she didn't recall visiting any strawberry farms. She hated farms in general. And sure as h*ll wasn't a fan of strawberries.
A hint of disappointment crossed Lucas's eyes. "You... don't remember?"
Amelia smiled awkwardly. "I remember a little bit but..."
"It's okay," Lucas interrupted with a smile. "It has been five years already, and, normally, you can't remember. But I still need to thank you for the Ballerina Orchid you gave me. It helped and settled the problem that my father was facing at that time. Thank you."
Amelia frowned a bit as she looked at him, confused. It seemed he mistook her for someone else, but she didn't mind much. The important thing was that she saw a chance to get closer to her crush. She smiled at him. "Even though I can't remember our first meeting well, I'm happy we're meeting again."
Lucas's heart skipped a beat at her smile, completely taken by her beauty. He couldn't look away and slowly reached out his hand. "In case you didn't hear last time, my name is Lucas Anderson."
Amelia laughed. "I'm sure every girl in this school knows your name." She smiled, holding his hand gently. "My name is Amelia Anderson," she said shyly. When their hands touched, Lucas felt a jolt of electricity. He tightened his grip, giving her a handsome smile. Amelia blushed deeply, silently celebrating her success, knowing this was just the first step.
When young doctor Ashley's path crosses with billionaire CEO Christian, their undeniable attraction sparks a journey of love, discovery, and danger. As Christian investigates the mysterious circumstances surrounding Ashley's parents' death, they uncover a web of deceit and betrayal that threatens to destroy everything they hold dear. With their lives on the line, Christian must race against time to expose the truth and protect the woman he loves. Will their love prevail, or will the forces of greed and revenge tear them apart?"
Alessandro Francesco is the handsome son of a poor cobbler. He suffered extreme degradation when he got married to the niece of the richest CEO in Italy . He was treated like trash by her rich family members and he was subjected to extreme degradation because of how poor he was. All of a sudden the CEO dies and Alassandro's name was written in his will, the entire company and all the CEOs properties were willed to him. Now that he was CEO, it was time for payback.
Cherry Allen finds herself in a fix where she has to choose between dating her egoistical boss, Brandon Black, who has an obsessive desire for power, and living a life of complete slavery to his sexual fantasies. Or, choosing not to date him and quiting her job thereby living a life full of misery and woes because that's what her life would be with her ex Jacob coming back to scene with a past filled with bad decisions and disappointments. A past only Brandon wielded the power to stop from resurfacing. Brandon wasn't a narcissist, don't get me wrong, but still she has to come up with an even ground where he realizes that the world wasn't wrapped around his fingers to do as he pleased. After having a one night stand with Cherry, Brandon decides to have another go with her just to prove to himself and everyone else that cared to know that he was still in charge of even that sector of life. Only to fall head over heels for her. With all the power and influence he possessed nothing prepared him for the level of rejection he got from her. But that didn't stop him from pursuing her anyway. He was a man of purpose and he never quited until he got whatever it was he wanted. He soon found out that certain things in life didn't come like that. He soon found out that there actually was a different approach to getting certain things while the bottom line remained keeping said things as they were, a possession.
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
Desperate to handle her grandmother's towering medical bills, Gianna agreed to a contract marriage with Tristan, the enigmatic man she'd once shared a one-night stand with. She assumed they'd fulfill each other's needs and dissolve the arrangement once the terms expired. Unbeknownst to Gianna, this marriage was a dream Tristan had clung to for ten relentless years. Certain she was just filling someone else's role, Gianna prepared to leave when that other woman returned. But Tristan, his eyes burning with unspoken emotion, seized her trembling hand and declared, "You’re mine. Now and always."
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.
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!