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"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.
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
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?
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."
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
The day Raina gave birth should have been the happiest of her life. Instead, it became her worst nightmare. Moments after delivering their twins, Alexander shattered her heart-divorcing her and forcing her to sign away custody of their son, Liam. With nothing but betrayal and heartbreak to her name, Raina disappeared, raising their daughter, Ava, on her own.Years later, fate comes knocking when Liam falls gravely ill. Desperate to save his son, Alexander is forced to seek out the one person he once cast aside. Alexander finds himself face to face with the woman he underestimated, pleading for a second chance-not just for himself, but for their son. But Raina is no longer the same broken woman who once loved him.No longer the woman he left behind. She has carved out a new life-one built on strength, wealth, and a long-buried legacy she expected to uncover.Raina has spent years learning to live without him.The question is... Will she risk reopening old wounds to save the son she never got to love? or has Alexander lost her forever?
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"