Cecile Russo is the princess of the Russo cartel. She lives a sheltered life where she is given everything that she wants on a platter of gold while blissfully unaware of the business her father is into and just how dangerous it could be for her. Danger looms when she takes the risky decision of sneaking past her security details the night before her birthday. Because of that decision, she is plunged into a world of lies, deceit, pain and blood which she is forced to endure. Will she be able to get away from that life or will she be forced to stay in it? Will she lose herself or will she emerge victorious and unscathed? How does she manage as a green eyed woman in a world that was created to be merciless to everyone especially women? Find out in this gripping story that keeps you glued to its pages with every sentence that you read.
~Cecile~
"Come on, Ava, let's go"
I whispered furiously to my best friend, Ava who was still bouncing on her toes and looking suspiciously behind her shoulders for any guards that may have been patrolling.
"Cecile, this isn't right. Let's go back in"After looking left and right and seeing no signs of movement, I shuffled closer to the wire fence and lowered my voice so she could hear me clearly without anyone overheating our conversation.
"We have to go. You know that this is not the kind of life I want for myself"She was making us go over everything again despite going over it earlier. The tides were changing and I wasn't so sure if I liked it. She was the confident one always telling me to stand up against the million and one rules that governed my life while I was the scaredy one who remained comfortable in the miserable life that I was living.
"But..."I rolled my eyes even though she couldn't see me very clearly because of how dark it was. " Ava, you're my best friend. It's my birthday tomorrow. Please, let me have a taste of life beyond these walls before I'm signed off to some man"My father was already hinting at marriage. I knew this because he kept telling the maids to make sure that I was always looking prim and proper. How pitiable was it that in 19 years, I had never gone past the walls by myself? I was always accompanied by a host of guards and I just wanted a free night.
She gazed at me for so long that I feared that she was going to turn around and go into the house to tattle on me so I let out a breath of relief when she rolled her eyes with a small smile on her face because I knew that she was as usual, in my corner.
"Fine"I smiled and moved backwards so she had enough space to roll out of the small hole that we created in the only blind spot from the cameras that were in my fathers mansion. She hesitated for a moment before putting one foot through the hole and maneuvering the rest of her body through it. Once she was out, I grabbed her hand and pulled her along with me while I ran, our laughter loud and carefree.
"Where do you want to go, Cecile?"We were finally in the town of Moscow and I was taken aback by the life that was going on around me. Though it was late at night, people still bustled past us like it was only midday. I turned around, my eyes wide and eager to soak in as much of the life that I could see around me.
"Cecile, we don't have so much time. Do you want to go to the movies? I have some money to purchase the tickets"Ava's hand on my shoulder, I turned to face her with the biggest smile on my face.
"We're not going to the movies"She frowned at me and I knew she was confused because when I told her that we were sneaking out, that was what I told her I wanted to do because though the mansion I lived in boasted of a theatre that could house more than 50 people in one sitting, I really wanted to experience sharing a theatre with a room full of people.
"Then, where would we go?"I took my eyes away from her and pointed down the street. Across from us, there was a long line of people queuing up to get into some place. When the door was opened, I could hear loud music coming from inside and I wanted to know what was going on in there if people were so eager to get in that they didn't mind being on a line.
"You want to go to a club? Your father would have my head"Ava was probably right to be scared. For some reason, people trembled when my father walked into a room but I still didn't know why. To me, he was just father. He loved me and took care of me. He made sure to have dinner with me at least once a week and play with my hair while telling me jokes. There was nothing scary about him to me.
"You exaggerate, Ava"While my father wasn't going to be happy finding out that I went past my security detail and left the mansion to go to a club, he wasn't going to be as livid as to take her head off her shoulders. Besides, my father was simply a business man who was guarded by numerous men because of the risky business of money lending that he was involved in.
"No, Cecile, we can't go in there"She shook her head at me and removed her hand that was enclasped with mine.
"Why not?"
"Have you been to a club before? Do you have any idea how dangerous it can be in there?"I understood that she was looking out for me but I rather wished that she wouldn't. I already had millions of people, yes, I was exaggerating but I already had a truckload of people watching every step I made and reporting back to my father. I didn't need her to join them in that.
"You speak like as though it were a shooting range and not a regular club. Besides, you've been to a club before and so, you know how things go down in them. I've not been to a club before and that's why I want to go in and experience it"
Wasn't the main reason for us sneaking out to have an experience? She already had the experience of being to a club because she didn't have the kind of father that I did so why was she stopping me from having fun with my life?
"Ava, this is just one night. Come on"I nudged my shoulder into hers repeatedly until she smiled and pushed me back. We shared a laugh as she let out a huge sigh and conceded. "We're only going to spend an hour. We'll be out before sunrise"I squealed on the spot and gave her a big hug before grabbing her hand again and running into the street.
"Cecile!"
She shouted at me when we were almost knocked down by a vehicle that had to steer very quickly away from us. I laughed at the curses that came out from the drivers mouth as we kept on walking.
"You are bad for my health"
I smiled at her and she couldn't help but return the smiles. My red hair blew into my face from the sudden gust of wind and I rubbed my hands up and down my arms at the goosebumps that covered them.
"I didn't think it was going to be this chilly"
I commented as I wished that I at least had the foresight to grab a jacket to throw on my ensemble of simple black shorts with a net like long sleeved top and finished off with knee high boots.
"Seems like a bad omen to me. Perhaps we should just go. We'll still find some good movies to watch"She was just hell bent on us leaving and not going into the club but I was just as fixated on getting in.
"We're going in"
I pulled her to the line and before long, we were standing in front of the bouncer.
"I.D's"
I looked at Cecile who rolled her eyes. I didn't know that we needed I.D's to go in. I didn't even own one. My good mood plumetted at the next words that he said.
"No I.D, no entrance"
Cecile groaned under her breath before digging her hands into her purse and producing two identical slabs of paper from where I was standing. She handed it over to the bouncer who scrutinized it carefully before giving it back to her.
"Enjoy"
He said as opened the door for us and gestured for us to walk in. Still taken aback by that, I was the one who got pulled inside my Ava.
"Where did you get that from? How did you know to take that with you?"Questions started spilling from my lips the moment we were inside as I whispered to her.
"I had a feeling it was going to be needed"
She looked away and focused on the club that was in full swing. I followed suit and my jaw dropped open at the new life that I was being exposed to. The music was so loud that I could barely even hear my thoughts.
"Let's go get a drink"
I was almost bouncing on my heels because of how excited I was.
"No, Cecile"
"Come on, Ava, what harm can it do?"Oh, it really could do a lot of harm. Looking back at that moment, I wished I had known what was going to happen in less than 30 because maybe then, I wouldn't have known what true fear felt like. But alas, it was already too late and I was living in the consequences of my actions with only regret as a companion.
Vanessa was about to get engaged when she discovered that her groom-to-be was cheating on her with her own sister. Instead of creating a scene, she went to the club and hired the most desirable gigolo she found. After a wild night of passion, she gave him a generous check. "Thanks. I may require your services in the future." The gigolo was mad at her for being heartless, but Vanessa dismissed his words as an attempt to get her attention. It was only later, when she had to seek out the renowned Mr. Fuller to help with her business, that she realized the man she had slept with was no gigolo at all.
My family was on the poverty line and had no way to support me in college. I had to work part-time every day just to make ends meet and afford to get into the university. That was when I met her—the pretty girl in my class that every boy dreamt of asking out. I was well aware she was out of my league. Nevertheless, I mustered all my courage and bravely told her that I had fallen for her. To my surprise, she agreed to be my girlfriend. With the sweetest smile I had ever seen, she told me that she wanted my first gift for her to be the latest and top-of-the-line iPhone. I worked like a dog and even did my classmates’ laundry to save up. My hard work eventually paid off after a month. I finally got to buy what she wanted. But as I was wrapping my gift, I saw her in the dressing room, making out with the captain of the basketball team. She then heartlessly made fun of my inadequacy and made a fool out of me. To make things worse, the guy whom she cheated on me with even punched me in the face. Desperation washed over me, but there was nothing I could do but lie on the floor as they trampled on my feelings. But then, my father called me out of the blue, and my life turned upside down. It turned out that I was a billionaire's son.
I am the most talented doctor, the genius artist, the most famous jeweler designer, and I am going to be the richest one, making Conor, the king of a super powerful family, lose his crown… Conor was hunt down me for six years because I raped him. No, because he raped me. It didn't matter anyway. Since be selling by my father, I was gonna be Conor's fake wife. The noble people thought I would be a disgrace to their family since I was the mentally handicapped. What fuck! When I was going to be gotten rid of as rubbish, a baby boy showed up and called me mom. Conor gaped at baby boy since the baby boy just looked like child version of him. Conor sheathed in my body, moaning, “Don’t hide from me. Tell me everything, sweetheart.” I blinked, grinning, “Our baby girl also misses her daddy.” Conor, "…"
Due to her father's untimely death, Elara Harrington, 24, was named CEO of Harrington Industries. She had no idea that the business was experiencing financial problems, which led to Ashford Industries, her rival, acquiring Harrington Industries. Sebastian Ashford, the CEO of Ashford Industries a 26-year-old playboy billionaire, is a self-centered, wicked person who believes that everything revolves around him. He is left to clean up Harrington Industries' mess and baggage after his company acquired the corporation. Elara used to be the CEO of her own company, but now she is a secretary to the most selfish and egotistical billionaire. Elara eventually starts to see the true him as they become closer and barriers fall away. Will she be able to get past the billionaire's secret once his dark secret is revealed, or will the damage be too great to undo? *18+ *Includes mature content, slightly graphic scenes, and cursing*
Three years ago, Cecilia was left battered and alone by the man she loved most, Alston, yet she bravely completed the wedding ceremony while pregnant. Three years later, although they were married, they grew apart over time. Cecilia focused on her career, no longer foolishly believing in love. But her transformation instantly threw Alston into a panic... And what is the secret from 11 years ago that Cecilia has always been reluctant to reveal? *** "She went to a law firm, met with a lawyer..." A lawyer? Is Cecilia suing someone? Who? Is there any recent litigation against the company? Alston suddenly chuckled coldly, "Who could she sue? I'm the CEO of this company. How come such a matter doesn't come to me first?" The assistant swallowed nervously, speaking softly, "Sir, there's no litigation against the company. She met with... a divorce lawyer."
Isabella woke up in the morning and felt the ache in a place that never hurt before. She took a glimpse at her body, and Her thoughts went blank. Isabella's eyes discovered a guy who was laying near her, asleep, and her thoughts brought back to all the bizarre things that transpired last night. My boyfriend of 2 years abandoned me, I was intoxicated and went to my hotel room alone. Someone climbed on me. To say that he was gorgeous is an understatement. If an angel could marry a Satan, then I'm convinced he was their offspring. But it was not the goal! He came to me and kissed me. One thing led to another.. God! This man snatched my virginity. And it was hardly the worst. Guess what! He was my new boss Gabriel Remington. I was his new executive assistant. To top it, my former lover accused my boss that he raped me. What should I do? Trust my former lover who just dumped me? Or.. Trust my new boss who took my virginity?