/0/57320/coverbig.jpg?v=a9f8e8f63738038d954b7e3a5584d7ab)
"Four years ago, you killed a woman." he thrust her away, turning his back, as he tried to hide the pain in his eyes. "The woman you killed that night was no other than my ten-hour-old wife!" ......................... "I didn't call you here to solicit sympathy. You will replace what you brutally tore from my life." Her mind reeled with fear and remorse at his intended words as he laid limp on the floor. "You will replace her." She scrambled to her feet, her mind racing as she struggled to comprehend his words. "What...what do you mean?" she stammered, her voice trembling... "You shall become my wife." He declared. "My ten-year-contract wife." he added, his voice dripping with emphasis. Natalia froze. His ultimatum hung in the air like a death sentence. ........... "Natalia Holmes' life was forever changed when she was responsible for a tragic accident that claimed two lives, including the wife of ruthless billionaire, Mavros Konstantis. In a selfless act, Natalia took the blame to save her fiancé from a lengthy prison sentence. But her sacrifice came at a steep price - years of imprisonment, a shattered reputation and much later, her fiance's betrayal and rejection. Now, Natalia is unexpectedly released, but her freedom comes with a condition: she must take the place of the wife she unintentionally killed and marry Mavros. Will she continue to pay dearly for a crime she didn't even commit? Or will she reclaim her virtue and autonomy, making the real culprit pay? And what becomes of Mavros when he eventually finds out the truth? No longer bounded, will he be able to win her back with his newfound love and devotion? Or will Natalia embrace her hard-won liberty, determined to never again be trapped by the chains of guilt and obligation?
"Kevin, slow down!" Natalia urged, her voice tight with fright and worry.
Kevin's eyes wavered as he gazed at the winding road ahead, the dashboard lights blurring together.
His fiancée, Natalia, clutched the door handle, her knuckles white with tension.
"I'm fine, babe," he slurred, swaying slightly in his seat. "Just need to get us home quickly. It's a great day! Woohoo!"
As they rounded a curve, a pair of headlights suddenly appeared in the opposite lane, barreling towards them.
Kevin's heart skipped a beat as he jerked the wheel to the right, but it was too late.
"Oh God, Kevin!" Natalia screamed, bracing herself for impact.
Their car smashed into the other car with a deafening crash, sending glass shattering and metal crunching.
Kevin's head whipped forward, his vision blurring.
"Holy shit!" Kevin groaned, the drunkenness clearing from his eyes almost immediately.
Natalia struggled to free herself from the airbag and hurried to the other car in panic, Kevin following suit.
On reaching there, she let out a terrified gasp at the sight before her. Both passengers, a man and a woman, were unmistakably dead.
She shivered and shrieked back, overwhelmed by the grotesquery of blood, glass, and shattered steel splattered all over. It was her first time seeing dead bodies, and the gruesome sight added to her horror.
Kevin's face paled at the scene. He stood completely numb for a while, trying to take in what had just happened.
"They... they are not dead, right?" She stuttered, her voice trembling in denial.
Her question pulled Kevin out of his trance. He ran his hands over his head, his face contorted in distress. "What do we do now? The police will be here any minute."
Dead silence followed, as if time itself had frozen.
Natalia started wiping imaginary sweat from her face. Her heart hammering, "We can explain...it wasn't intentional."
"No! Do you think they will buy that? We just broke the rules and murdered---"
"We?" Natalia interrupted, quite puzzled.
Kevin rushed over to her and held her hands in both of his. "Natty, I can't afford to go to jail. What will happen to my potential and my dreams? I just got my dream job today. That was the reason we went out to celebrate, remember? I'm my parents' only hope."
He tightened his hold on her, shaking her slightly. "You love me, right? We have known and loved each other since childhood. And today our love is being tested."
"What are you trying to say, Kevin? I'm quite confused." Her face was etched with bewilderment.
"I am asking you for a huge favor," he paused, searching for any change in her expression. "Please take the fall, Natalia."
Her eyes widened in terror. She winced, as if his words struck her physically, and forcefully snatched her hands away from his.
"What--"
He ate her words, "Please, babe. I have so much more to lose than you. I drove in a drunken state. I've been driving for years, and the company just entrusted me with a meticulous--"
He knelt down before her. "My punishment will be far worse than yours. Please, you are the only one that can save me now. Pleaseee," he whimpered.
She stared down at him blankly. Her voice, low and deflated.
"What about me? Who will save me? What about my own dreams? I'm just 20."
Kevin scrambled to his feet, hope flashing in his eyes. He cupped her face, saying, "Me. I will save you. My dreams are big enough for us both. I promise to take care of you and support your dreams. Trust me to do that, Natty."
Another dead silence.
She thought for a while, weighing everything. Her dreams were quite simple; to be a school teacher and start a family with the man she loved. None of these would be achieved if Kevin were to be imprisoned.
She doubted she could last long in the teaching department as she would be spending all her thoughts and time on trying to get him released.
Her dreams would be invalid without him present.
Kevin had the upper hand in thoroughly sorting things out more than her. She would do this for them, for their love, for their future. It couldn't be so bad, could it?
Natalia took a deep breath and signed in resignation, "Alright, I'll do it."
He crushed her into a hug, his face washed with relief. "Thank you so much, babe. I love you so much. And I know for sure, you love me truly."
Natalia just stood still without returning the hug, her eyes hollow.
Just then, they heard the police siren not so far away. Kevin hastily released her and scooted her into the driver's seat, his heart pounding. And then, he headed to the passenger's seat and settled in.
The police officers arrived shortly, investigated the scene, and questioned them. Natalia took the blame without further ado.
She was taken into detention, and after a few trials, she was found guilty and sentenced to a minimum of fifteen years imprisonment with no bail.
Kevin tried all he could but to no avail. It seemed the victim's acquaintance was quite powerful and influential.
On hearing this, her parents officially disowned her, scared to lose their honorable prestige in town due to her illicit act. To them, status was more important.
Natalia withered in prison as years passed by. At first, Kevin came to visit her frequently, but as months went by, his visits became infrequent, and then they stopped.
She understood his career was booming, and he was trying to gain affluence and influence to appeal. He was her only hope.
Her only family member who had cared enough to visit was her younger sister, Natasha.
However, her parents threatened to get her arrested themselves if they found her anywhere near her again.
She was deserted, and even though it killed her inside, she knew she had to stay strong and overcome it all, no matter what.
She held onto the glimmer of hope that one day she would walk out of these cold, gray prison walls, feeling the warm sun on her face and the gentle breeze in her hair.
Kevin would be waiting to embrace her with open arms and begin their life together once it's all over.
"You're a creepy bastard." His eyes smolder me and his answering grin is nothing short of beautiful. Deadly. "Yet you hunger for me. Tell me, this appetite of yours, does it always tend toward 'creepy bastards'?" **** Widower and ex-boss to the Mafia, Zefiro Della Rocca, has an unhealthy fixation on the woman nextdoor. It began as a coincidence, growing into mere curiosity, and soon, it was an itch he couldn't ignore, like a quick fix of crack for an addict. He didn't know her name, but he knew every inch of her skin, how it flushed when she climaxed, her favourite novel and that every night she contemplated suicide. He didn't want to care, despising his rapt fascination of the woman. She was in love with her abusive husband. She was married, bound by a contract to the Bratva's hitman. She was off-limits. But when Zefiro wanted something, it was with an intensity that bordered on madness. He obsessed, possessed, owned. There'd be bloodshed if he touched her, but the sight of blood always did fascinate him. * When Susanna flees from her husband, she stumbles right into the arms of her devilishly handsome neighbour with a brooding glare. He couldn't stand her, but she needed him, if she was ever going to escape her husband who now wanted her dead. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. She should have recalled that before hopping into Zefiro's car and letting him whisk her away to Italy. Maybe then, she wouldn't have started an affair with him. He was the only man who touched her right, and the crazy man took no small pains in ensuring he would be the last.
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?
The day Lilah found out that she was pregnant, she caught her fiancé cheating on her. Her remorseless fiancé and his mistress almost killed her. Lilah fled for her dear life. When she returned to her hometown five years later, she happened to save a little boy's life. The boy's father turned out to be the world's richest man. Everything changed for Lilah from that moment. The man didn't let her experience any inconvenience. When her ex-fiancé bullied her, he crushed the scumbag's family and also rented out an entire island just to give Lilah a break from all the drama. He also taught Lilah's hateful father a lesson. He crushed all her enemies before she even asked. When Lilah's vile sister threw herself at him, he showed her a marriage certificate and said, "I'm happily married and my wife is much more beautiful than you are!" Lilah was shocked. "When did we ever get married? Last I checked, I was still single." With a wicked smile, he said, "Honey, we've been married for five years. Isn't it about time we had another child together?" Lilah's jaw dropped to the floor. What the hell was he talking about?
“Drive this woman out!” "Throw this woman into the sea!” When he doesn’t know Debbie Nelson’s true identity, Carlos Hilton cold-shoulders her. “Mr. Hilton, she is your wife,” Carlos’ secretary reminded him. Hearing that, Carlos gives him a cold stare and complained, “why didn’t you tell me earlier?” From then on, Carlos spoils her rotten. Little did everyone expect that they would get a divorce.
It's true what they say about marriage: one partner's always happier than the other. ~~~ Julie's world is shattered when her husband, Ryan, reveals that he wants an open marriage. His reason: he needs a child as they've been unable to have one. Julie reluctantly agrees to save her marriage. The next day, Ryan returns home with his secretary, confirming Julie's long-held suspicion that their affair was taking place behind her back. Julie, heartbroken and enraged, seeks solace in a bar, where she meets a fascinating stranger named Luke, who changes the game. Julie confides in Luke over drinks, and he proposes a risky plan: he will act as her "boyfriend" to turn the tables on Ryan. Julie agrees, setting off a chain of events that will challenge everything she thought she knew about love, loyalty, and herself.
Chloe Miler, a naïve young woman, waits shyly to spend Valentine's Day with her boyfriend, but is betrayed on that day when she witnesses him entangled in bed with her own sister. Chloe's heart is broken when her heartfelt love for him is trampled on in an instant. *** Lionel Williams, the mysterious billionaire, the top of the pyramid, is handsome as hell. His eyes are set high, but he is drugged, has a one-night stand with a strange woman, and is humiliated by that unknowing woman with her money! His instincts tell him it's not that simple, and he's going to find her out!