Jessica Smith is ready for a break following her brief marriage to aloof and conceited millionaire Christopher Clark. In an attempt to relax, she meets Brian brown, another affluent millionaire. She has no idea that she's going to face a completely different set of difficulties. Christopher Clark never acts in a random manner. The decision to wed a poor employee of his company was not made at random; rather, it was made to preserve his family's prestige following the defection of his sweetheart. And the reason he breaks off his relationship with Jessica after less than a year of marriage is to protect her from something that even he finds difficult to understand. Will Christopher and Jessica ever be able to genuinely understand each other, or will they always be entangled in a web of lies, treachery, and love that seems to be waiting around every corner when they're together? Will they ever be able to forgive each other and give themselves the second opportunity they both may very well deserve? [EXCERPT] She muttered, almost beseeching him, "This is not the right time," her voice faltering in spite of her determination to remain solid. She felt the firm muscles beneath his shirt as her hands were pressed up against his chest. Fighting him was a lost strategy. Christopher's lips grazed her earlobe again, his fingers twirling around her waist as his warm breath made her tremble. "There's never a right time when it comes to us," he whispered, his deep voice a low, alluring whisper.
"Madam, dinner is ready!"
Jessica was reminded by Suzzy, the head maid, who came into her room. With a worried expression on her face, the late forty-year-old maid softly knocked on the door.
Jessica gave a nod. She had just finished getting ready for her early-morning trip. Still, the bag the Clark s had given her contained nothing. Although Jessica's mother-in-law welcomed her and showered her with gifts and love, Christopher's cold-heartedness served as a constant reminder that Jessica was merely a stand-in. She didn't own anything that anyone handed her when she became his wife.
She questioned whether Christopher would be present to wish her go.
Then she gave a headshake. Why was she allowing her mind to be filled with such ridiculous hopes? He was glad to see her go, if his response this morning was any guide. All he wanted to do was get over her as soon as possible.
"I'll arrive there shortly. Have you conversed with Christopher? He must be at his-"
"Madam, Sir has already departed. He mentioned having dinner outside."
"Oh!" That was not anything that was unexpected. The next day she had an early flight. Spending the final dinner with her was the least he could have done.
It seems that she was also undeserving of that.
Ahh!
Jessica held back the hurtful tears that were on the verge of welling up in her eyes. The only way she could prevent this wave of prickling feelings from leaving her was to breath through her mouth.
Now that I think about it...
"I'm not that hungry either," she muttered, confident that she wouldn't look foolish for having decided not to cry in front of the maid. How about if you all get started without me? Before I go to bed, I need to make a few phone calls."
The maid, Suzzy, knew why Jessica's appetite had faded so quickly. While Madam was enjoying her breakfast, their owner, Christopher Clark, slammed divorce papers on the table while she was in the kitchen.
He told her she could take everything she wanted from the house and he had already made reservations for an early flight. Looking at the small amount of clothes the woman had packed, it seemed she was leaving almost everything behind.
She didn't deserve to be treated this way, poor madam. She had consistently shown Sir her charming and polite demeanour. The maids and other house employees had become fond of her because of her tenderness and generosity. She even smiled while handling the master's regular mood swings. Why do decent people experience terrible things? The maid ruminated in silence.
After Suzzy went, Jessica sat on the bed and let a few tears run down her cheeks. She would probably go insane if she kept them any longer. Right then, every emotion she carried around was causing chaos. They asked to be set free. Carman cried silently, hoping that the anguish in her heart and the disappointment she was carrying would go.
* * *
In the middle of the night, Jessica suddenly woke up, gasping for breath. A nightmare that scared and left her gasping for air. But she slid out of bed and proceeded down the stairs, not thinking back on the terrifying experience. She checked on Christopher out of habit, but she also failed to take her medication since she refused to eat dinner.
She was shocked to see a woman peeking through the refrigerator when she came downstairs via the spiral stairs and into the large kitchen. The only light coming from the windows was the moonlight, which made it almost impossible to identify the person. But Jessica didn't have to wait long since the woman quickly turned back and discovered what she was looking for-an apple.
The moment the pale light of the moon fell on the woman's face, Jessica knew who she was.
blonde hair. Smooth skin. Gorgeous pink lips. And appearances that could make the Victoria's Angels blush.
Rivera Hannah . Who else might it be?
the man Christopher's ex-fiancee and, presumably, current girlfriend. The same woman who nine months ago left him at the altar. She was the reason Jessica was forced into this miserable marriage. Her husband's refusal to see her as anything more than a piece of furniture or a commodity that he brought in to beautify his home was solely due to this same woman.
She hated Hannah Rivers, and that's not even a word. However, hating her wouldn't make her life any simpler, would it?
Jessica concluded that the woman should be ignored.
Knowing that Christopher was eager to bring his sweetie home made it hurt even more. The following morning, Jessica was heading out. Why the rush? The least he could have done was honour her as his wife while she remained at home.
God, she had also detested Christopher. That man's nerve. Oh no.
"Oh, no-did we wake you up?" With an unrepentant air of innocence that Jessica could see right through, Hannah questioned. "It is impossible for us to be that noisy, is it? I apologise for disturbing your sleep, though. Is that right, Jessica?" The woman was so arrogant as to boast in front of her own face that she had slept with her spouse. Whoa, would it be acceptable if she gave her a good, hard punch to the face right now?
Jessica just let out a sigh and turned to walk away. She hadn't done anything to deserve her respect. In actuality, Hannah was conceited and rude from the beginning of their marriage. Even so, she had an affair without telling Christopher.
Christopher was so enraged to find out that she had been seeing someone else. But then, like butter melting on a hot griddle, this crafty woman wept a few pathetic tears. Christopher had to have loved this woman too much to overlook such a blatant act.
Jessica, however, was unable to forget. At the time, she was just a menial staffer working for Clark Enterprises' CEO, Christopher Clark, but she had witnessed all the deceit and intrigue this woman was capable of. Maybe they were meant to be together. As if they were meant to be together?
She growled behind Jessica's back, "Dude, you're rude!" "I'm not sure what Christopher perceived in you. Even your attractiveness isn't that great. What a waste of cash and time!"
"At least I have the courtesy to stick to one man at a time!" Jessica grew irate and hissed. Even though the woman's actions were dubious, she couldn't allow her to talk poorly of her.
With her back facing Hannah , Jessica could still feel her getting agitated. "What did you say?" snarled the woman.
Before Jessica had a chance to respond to this woman, she noticed the sombre figure in the shadows who was observing the entire conversation with composure.
Jessica swallowed her words.
"Christopher, baby!" The first to run towards him and fling herself into his arms was Hannah . "Jessica is really impolite, my dear. She referred to me as a liar. How could she?"
Jessica did, in fact, imply that. Furthermore, Christopher would have heard it if he had been standing there for longer than a minute. She didn't need to defend or justify herself. Jessica wasn't feeling up to any of them.
Without a word, Jessica grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and headed upstairs.
"Will you refrain from speaking with her? She made me feel ashamed!" As Jessica made her way upstairs to her room, Hannah objected.
"I told you not to leave the room!" In his deep voice, she heard Christopher say, no guilt-nothing.
"But-but I was hungry and you-"
"Hannah , enough is enough. Come on, I'll be in the room waiting for you."
Before Jessica entered her bedroom and closed the door behind her, it was the last she had heard of him.
"You're such a jerk!" she muttered angrily, losing the ability to control her hurt and annoyance. "You stupid, stupid man!"
After sliding through the wooden door, Jessica knelt down and sobbed uncontrollably.
"Christopher Clark, you will never win my forgiveness. I hold you accountable for living a miserable and unloved existence."
It is two nights after Emma Carter discovered her boyfriend was having an extramarital affair with her best friend that she learns she is engaged to the youngest millionaire in New York in order to preserve her father's failing business. When she eventually meets him, her anger just grows as she still feels betrayed by the news of their engagement. The most conceited, haughty, and heartless man she will ever meet is Cole Russell. Although he is not as interested in being with women, he needs a bride to appease his parents and be seen as a responsible adult. Emma makes the decision to seize the opportunity in order to keep her father's business intact and enrage her cheating boyfriend. She proposes a MARRIAGE CONTRACT, and Cole is setting the guidelines.
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."
The dream of everyone with regards to marriage is to be able to find that special someone and settle down with them. Even arranged marriages grant you an opportunity to meet your partner briefly before the wedding. How will you feel about waking up in the morning with someone sleeping next to you who is not just anyone but your legally married partner yet with no memory of how that had happened in just a few hours of going out the previous day? This is the story of Jason Haward and Julia Harrison, two strangers trapped in a marriage they never planned. The quest to find out why led to the unfolding of a mystery which made them realize they are both living a lie. To find out more, read this amazing story of love, betrayal, revenge and murder.
Everyone thought Lorenzo truly loved Gracie, until the day of their daughter’s heart surgery. To Gracie’s utter shock, Lorenzo gave the precious organ needed by their child to another woman. Devastated, Gracie opted for a divorce. Fueled by her need for revenge, Gracie joined hands with Lorenzo’s uncle, Waylon, and orchestrated Lorenzo’s downfall. In the end, Lorenzo was left with nothing and consumed by remorse. He pleaded for a reconciliation. Gracie thought she was free to move on with her life, but Waylon held her back in a death grip. “Did you think you can just walk out on me?”
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."
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?
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”