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When high school dropout Riana Tanning is made homeless by the people she had always known to be her family, she is thrown into a world of chaos and drama. Finding herself in the abusive hands of a rich Puerto Rican drug dealer who gives her everything she wants, except love and happiness, Riana remains in his home, too scared to go back hungry and homeless. As more travails unfold with her boyfriend thrown in jail, losing everything to his name, she is back on the streets. Eventually managing to get a job as a salesperson in a thrift store, she is yet again thrown in despair when a Trillionaire buys the place. But what is more shocking is when this wealthy, handsome famous playboy offers marriage to Riana with an agreement to give her a roof over her head and help her achieve her dreams while she plays the role of a good wife. Will this twenty two year old agree to this contract marriage with this famously known yet personally unknown Trillionaire? And if she does, will she be able to withstand the troubles her step sister-in-law and her criminal, obsessed ex-boyfriend bring her way? Will she be able to forge on valiantly with her pregnancy, play smart despite her lack of education and find a more shocking truth of who she truly is? Or will she chicken out, betray the man she has come to love and abandon him for her sex-crazed ex-boyfriend?
"I'm sorry but there is no more job for any of you here."
My heart raced and a thousand thoughts flew into my mind but none were making sense right that minute. I licked my dry, trembling lips and turned to stare at Lexie. She was quiet. Too quiet.
"If I may ask, what's the reason, Mrs. Chevali?" The third worker asked the woman who was our manager. Or about to be ex-manager.
"Business is not doing well, Samantha."
Oh God! Where would I start from? What do I do? I had no idea where to go from here? My life had been full of ups and downs - mostly downs. Now that I had this little job, life would not let me have it.
I struggled to hold back tears. I was squatting with Lexie. Without her, I would still be homeless. It was not going to be hard for her to get a job. But me? Not a chance. Who was willing to employ a high school dropout?
Who would even listen to my predicament and give me a job? Unfortunately for me, predicament did not give jobs, degrees did.
Lexie rubbed my back comfortingly, I raised my head from its somber state to look at her, that was when I noticed two other pairs of eyes were on me. Mrs. Chevali and Samantha, the third salesperson.
"I'm... I'm sorry." I wiped my eyes with the hem of my shirt and sniffled.
Mrs. Chevali stared in pity. She was a nice woman but I guess this was out of her hands. "I'm sorry it had to come to this, Riana. The business has not been doing well in the past few months. I can not keep running it. How will I pay you three?"
I nodded. "I understand Mrs. Chevali."
But it was a lie. I did not understand anything. I did not understand why my life was always on the wrong track. I did not understand why I could not be allowed to remain on the 'okay' zone. I was not asking for much. I was not asking to be superbly wealthy. I just wanted to be fine. To have food in my belly and a roof I could pay for.
Being homeless was not a life I wanted to go back to. I had been there, done that and it was the worst time of my life. If I had no job, I would not be able to pay my part of the bill and if I could not, I would be out on the streets before I knew it.
"I'm really sorry. Let's just pack up and go." Mrs. Chevali concluded.
I silently walked out of her office and went to the counter where I usually dropped the small leather purse, the only leather purse I had, and strapped it on.
"Riana, wait." Lexie was calling after me.
But I did not stop. I did not want her to see that I was crying again. I could not help it. Her hand came on my shoulder to halt my progress out of the thrift store I used to work. Used to. Barely a month and my fate was back to... nothing.
My life was back to zero. I had nothing. No job. No life. Nothing! Not even a degree to get a job! I was practically screaming in my head. Screaming in desolation.
"What is it, Lexie?" I clutched the strap of my bag. Sniffling and blinking my eyes, I turned on my heel to face her.
"I'm sorry. We'll get another job, I promise." She sympathized with me.
"Where? How? Lexie, I'm not going to get another job elsewhere. Mrs. Chevali was nice enough to give me this job. Not because I merited it but because she took pity on me. Now, it's all gone." My voice broke.
She pulled me closer into a hug. "I'm sorry, I..."
"You know I'm saying the truth, Lex. Who would employ a high school dropout, Lex? Who?" I was crying now.
She was speechless. Even she knew I was right.
"Let's just go home, Lex." I turned to continue my journey.
Thump! I hit a hard wall. A hard moving wall. I raised my eyes to see who I had collided with. Holy molly! It's...wait! Was I seeing clearly? Or my sight had been impaired by too many tears?
I blinked. Once. Twice.
"Oh, you're here Mr. Bertram." Mrs. Chevali's heels could be heard clicking briskly across the floor of the store.
The famous playboy businessman was also staring back at me, slight humor raised his brow. But he averted his gaze to focus it on Mrs. Chevali who was close to us.
"Yes, I am. I am a businessman who likes to see what he is spending his money on." He reached out a hand for a polite handshake.
Mrs. Chevali received it. "I've just laid off the workers. Today's the last day you'll be seeing them and me."
He turned to roam stormy grey eyes on me. Was that amusement and interest I saw in his eyes? "Is she among the workers?"
Mrs. Chevali nodded seriously. "Yes, she is." She offered a small sympathetic smile at me.
I saw Lexie coming with her own stuff. No wonder I had not seen her behind me, she had gone to get her things. She merely glanced at the youngest Trillionaire in the country and beyond.
She came to me and hooked her hand in mine. "Let's go, Riri."
"A word, young lady." That deep voice sounded behind us. That voice commanded Lex and I to a halt. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Chevali. I hope by the end of today, I'll have this place as mine."
"No problem, Mr. Bertram. Thank you." Mrs. Chevali was yet to finish her statement when he walked away from her and towards us.
"What is your name?" He asked.
Was the famous Triple B talking to me? Fans and just everyone in general called him Triple B because of his name - Blake B. Betram. It sounded like a pop singing hipster's stage name to me but then again, it was not his fault. Obsessed fans.
Lex nudged me. I licked my lips and quickly answered. "Riana. Riana Tanning." Oh my goodness, I had been staring at him like an idiot!
"Riana Tanning." He repeated as though he was testing the name on his lips. "I have a proposal for you, Riana?"
I passed a furrowed glance at Lex who was quiet. "What...uhmm...what proposal, Mr. Bertram?"
"A marriage proposal."
P-please, I beg you. Come let's go tell Christian I had no hand in whatever happened, p-please." I clutched the lapel of his jacket desperately. "Let's go. You need to tell my husband you were paid." "Young lady, you're harassing me." His tone was cold and his stare granite. But I could care less. "You harassed me first! You had sex with me without my consent, my husband knows and now I'm pregnant with this child he doesn't want. You ruined my marriage! I-I hate you!" ************************************ Caught by her husband with another man on their matrimonial bed the morning after her birthday, Hailey Codza could not defend herself. As though it's not enough, she gets pregnant. Her enraged husband decides to pay her back for her infidelity by having an affair with his ex-girlfriend - Denise Kellers, the family Hailey never knew she had. Losing her family's wealth and company to her husband and his ex (now girlfriend), she is devastated, homeless and penniless as all her credit cards are blocked by her husband. She sees the man who is responsible for her pregnancy. The man she has no idea how he'd found his way to her matrimonial bed - Jared Johnson. Jared is annoyed when this strange woman disrupts his meeting and accuses him of ruining her life, marriage and impregnating her. It affects his business deals and having no choice, he marries her to calm the public whilst engaged to someone else. But he loathes her and allows his family treats her badly. Hailey who has fallen in love with Jared is broken when she can no longer take the humiliation. She signs the divorce papers and leaves, only to arrive six years later to the country as a self-made, secret billionaire and a mother of twins. Now her two ex-husbands are begging to have her back...
Born and bred in Naples, Italy, the full-blooded twenty five year old American Maya Creighton lost both her parents who had traveled to Italy for a job that cost them their lives. Running away from the orphanage she hated, she adapted to the streets, having minimal access to education and a wider one to violence. Known for her strength and brutality, Maya is regarded across streets of Italy as 'Guerriera' translated to mean 'warrior or fighter' due to her ruthlessness and fighting skills. But she makes a mistake one night during a mission and kills the only son of the infamous, dangerous drug baron in Italy who has always hated her guts. Now her boss is angry and scared, he sends her back to her land of origin where she meets and saves the life of Alan James McCoy, though anonymously. Her life takes many dramatic turns and difficult downhills when she finds herself kidnapping the children of the same man she saved.
“I hate you.” I froze. The way she’s uttered those three words were dispassionate and venomous. But what had I done? How could she hate me for no just cause? My father had taught me that hate is such a strong word and shouldn’t be used anyhow. “What have I done to you, Luna?” She kicked me in my stomach. I fell again. Adding to the blinding pain on my back, I had scraped my elbow and it was bleeding a little. “Stop asking me questions!” She yelled at me. I nodded, eager to please her and stop this torment. “Get up, you filth!” My body cried in protest and the trickle I felt on my back, I knew I was bleeding in many places. But I couldn’t not respond to her command. I forced myself up, using the wall for support because I was close to it. “Have you greeted me?!” What that why she was tormenting me? But I acknowledged her presence already. Every little thing I did or did not do seemed to make her mad at me. She really did hate me. “Good day, Luna.” I bowed, even though my head was aching. Either that or I receive another hard hit. “On you knees.” But she just told me to get up. Without a word, tears of self-pity welling, I did as she commanded. She circled me slowly, my heart beat increased, not knowing what she would do next. The scream that left my lips in the following moments was loud enough to pull down the cell I was in. I cried in pure agony. The Luna had used her artificial sharp pointed, black painted talons to scratch my back. I fell to the ground, unable to make a sound. She emitted another evil laugh, then stopped to whisper to me. “I will make life miserable for you, Amyra. I will make you wish you were never born. And with the Alpha by my side, it is going to be the easiest task I have ever indulged in.” ********* Amyra was a witch who worked in the Alpha’s pack manor as a maid, she had powers that were dormant in her for some reason, though she didn’t even know she was a witch until another war started between the witches and werewolves. Though constantly maltreated by the Luna who knew who she was and hated what she was, she doesn’t complain and tries to focus on her work. Unexpectedly finding herself in the middle of everything, she discovered who she was and also tried to navigate the powers brewing in her to bring peace and balance. But she needed Alpha Caden of Moon River pack to be able to complete this quest. An Alpha who hated her and hated the witches too. But will it work? Will she be able to save the day and end the killing of both communities she had strong links to? Will the her Alpha succumb to the passion and allow himself be used to bring this peace and balance? Or will everything fall apart and both communities will be left to keep fighting until they both finish off one other?
"I heard you're going to marry Marcelo. Is this perhaps your revenge against me? It's very laughable, Renee. That man can barely function." Her foster family, her cheating ex, everyone thought Renee was going to live in pure hell after getting married to a disabled and cruel man. She didn't know if anything good would ever come out of it after all, she had always thought it would be hard for anyone to love her but this cruel man with dark secrets is never going to grant her a divorce because she makes him forget how to breathe.
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
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.
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
"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!