The reporters and paparazzi swarmed towards me as soon as they spotted me, "Mr Antonio, Mr Antonio, any words about your recent divorce process?" one reporter asked. Yeah, go to hell! "Mr Antonio, can you say something about the rumours circulating about your divorce this time around?" Another asks. Ask Chloe, I am sure she has a lot to say! "Mr Antonio, what do you have to say about the allegations circulating about you on the internet?" Yet another asked, pointing one of those tiny microphones in my face. "Mr Antonio, is it true that you were born as a woman and underwent transitioning alongside cosmetic surgery to become a man?" "That's a new one!" I muttered to myself, with a smile. "Mr Antonio, why aren't you ever the one who files for a divorce, is it true it's because you are impotent?" another reporter said and it took all my manpower not to punch the idiot in his face. The nerve of these reporters! The questions kept coming from all directions, and they all kept flashing their lights to catch a picture of me for their front pages. The flashes of their cameras will surely earn me a migraine later. My guards tried to ward them off, but they were so fucking persistent. "Mr Antonio, are the rumours about you lacking a penis true?" one of them asked. That made me stop in my tracks. I wanted to get a glimpse of the reporter's face and make sure he could never work in America again, but they kept flashing their cameras violently, eager to get everything they could from my frame. I said nothing and turned, ignoring my prior plan. "Lucky bastard," I hissed as I continued into the building. ****************************** Damien Antonio Don-Russo is the CEO of Don-Russo Empire, he is a cold and heartless man who battles with childhood trauma and dilemma which is coupled with social rumours, drama, and trolls about how a rich, successful, and handsome young billionaire like himself is incapable of maintaining and sustaining any of his past marriages. As if that is not enough, he has to deal with his overbearing, condescending, and selfish father who cares about no one else but himself, and a rival cousin who he just cannot stand. To raise his social status as a political and public figure, Damien's father forces him into yet another arranged marriage with Missy. (Melissa Cole), a complete opposite of Damien's personality and nature, with an equally self-centred mother. In a world of power, deceit, betrayal, unhealthy affairs, and competition, it's up to these two to make this marriage work! The question is, after Damien's already three failed marriages, would they be able to? Even more so, when Missy discovers a shocking truth about Damien, would they be able to leave it all in the past and move on? Read on to find out.
DAMIEN
Relaxing in the sun's warmth, I briefly basked in the radiant sky through the car window before redirecting my attention back to the newspaper in my hands, it was yet another article about my divorce.
"Tsk, these fucking reporters and their insatiable lust for gossip," I muttered, tossing the New York Times news updates through the window.
The car made an abrupt stop and John, my chauffeur, shot a concerned look in my direction before peeking through the car's window.
"Ugh! Can't I get a fucking break?" I hissed, tossing my phone beside me, I brought my attention back to John.
"How bad is it?" I inquired.
"Terrible sir," he replied and out of habit, I reflexively drew on my wristband, the pain completely oblivious to me as I did not even flinch from the effect. John opens the door and I get down, proceeding to walk into the building.
Thousands of reporters and paparazzi swarmed towards me as soon as they spotted me.
"Mr. Antonio, Mr Antonio, any words about your recent divorce process?" one reporter asked.
Yeah, go to hell!
"Mr Antonio, can you say something about the rumours circulating about your divorce this time around?" Another asks.
Ask Chloe, I am sure she has a lot to say!
"Mr Antonio, what do you have to say about the allegations circulating about you on the internet?" Yet another asked, pointing one of those tiny microphones in my face.
"Mr Antonio, is it true that you were born as a woman and underwent transitioning alongside cosmetic surgery to become a man?"
"That's a new one!" I muttered to myself, smirking.
"Mr Antonio, why aren't you ever the one who files for a divorce, is it true it's because you are impotent?" Another reporter said and it took all my manpower not to punch the idiot in his face.
The nerve of these reporters!
The questions kept coming from all directions, and they all kept flashing their lights to catch a picture of me for their front pages. The flashes of their cameras will surely earn me a migraine later. My guards tried to ward them off, but they were so fucking persistent.
"Mr Antonio, are the rumors about you lacking a penis true?" one of them asked. That made me stop in my tracks.
I wanted to get a glimpse of the reporter's face and make sure he never worked in America again, but they kept flashing their cameras violently, eager to get everything they could from my frame.
"Lucky bastard," I cursed, entering the building.
When I'm done with Chloe, she's gonna curse the day she met my father. Fucking gold digger!
"S-Sir! Sir! Sir!," Tagoe, my father's assistant, came running towards me. I sighed heavily and reluctantly stopped.
"Don said to come see right away." He spoke carefully as if his life depended on it.
"Tell dear father that I have more important things to take care of. I'll see him later."
"H... He insisted that you see him immediately, sir. it's u...urgent," Tagoe stammered, avoiding eye contact.
"Relax, man, I am not my father. You don't always have to get so tense when speaking to me." I teased, earning a timid nod from him.
"Anything else?" I inquired, with my hands pocketed.
"N...no, sir." He replied, immediately turning and practically running away. I shook my head and scoffed.
Classic Tagoe.
I heaved a sigh before reaching for the band on my wrist once again drawing at it uncontrollably. I turned to the guard behind me and signalled him to take the lead to my office without me.
Here goes nothing.
"You asked for me?" I inquired, closing the glass door behind me, my father lifted his head to meet my gaze and I noticed the newspaper article in his hands.
Shit!
I instinctively attacked the band on my wrist again and stood aloof. My father throws a disgusting look at the band on my wrist, before angrily throwing the newspaper on the floor, causing me to flinch.
On impulse, I glared at the newspaper, a glare actually meant for its owner. The room fell quiet, only the sound of the band I was fidgeting could be heard.
"I gave you one job Damien. One job. And, of course, your dumb, useless ass had to mess it up again. So, is it true? You're getting divorced for the third time huh? Do you have any idea how hard it was to get Chloe's father to agree to that marriage in the first place?" He yelled, running his hand through his hair, while I kept my head down and said nothing.
Knowing Chloe's father it probably wasn't as hard as my father was making it out to be.
"All you had to do was get married, make it work, and boost our social reputation! Is that so hard? When are you going to grow the fuck up?" He paused, running his hand through his semi-gray hair.
"You know I don't need this kind of scandal right now. The re-election campaign for town Mayor is just months away, and now Dean, (my father's campaign manager) is saying things aren't looking good for us thanks to your fucking incompetence. I must have offended a lot of people in my past to get a son like you. Find a way to fix this!" he boomed, waving me away with his hands.
I walked out of my father's office and almost collided with a woman. I quickly apologized and made my way to my office. I guess today was one of those 'bring your whores to work' days.
Classic Victor!
I walk into my office to find Rafael, my best friend, entertaining some women in skimpy clothes. Sometimes I wonder how this idiot became my best friend.
"Disgusting!" I muttered under my breath.
"What's the meaning of this?" I barked out, startling the ladies.
"Ho, ho, ho there he is, the latest bachelor in town." he hooted.
"Who are they?" I replied, pointing at the ladies.
"They are your guests, I brought them to you, they cost a fortune so you owe me one, man," Rafael said, raising a glass at me as I threw him a disgusted look.
I sway my head in the ladies' direction, my stern, cold, and intimidating gaze piercing deep into them, enough to get them tripping over in a haste to leave my office.
"Come on, you're such a party pooper," Rafael said, opening his arms. I couldn't make out if he was drunk or just high, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was.
"Really Raf? You bring hoes into my office?"
"Extremely expensive h**** and, you should loosen up and have some fucking fun for a change man. Don't kill yourself over some article or social scandal." He says and I shake my head, taking a seat in my chair.
"You should have been there this morning Raf, they're saying I got no dick, no balls, one even went as far as calling me transgender it's all over the fucking internet. Can you imagine that shit!?"
"Yeah, yeah I totally can," Rafael mocked and burst into laughter. "I'm sorry, that's hard man, but you can't entirely blame them for coming up with these crazy theories, I mean you are one of were forbes' hottest man and are a fucking heartthrob, but you cant seem to keep a wife so its only natural that people assume shit about you butt saying you aint got a dick is just harsh me!" He laughed again, pulling out a cigar and lighter. I throw him a deadly stare and he tosses the latter quickly away.
"You must be out of your fucking mind if you think im gonna let you smoke a joint in my office, out now!" I yelled and he laughed, before raising up to make his way out of my office.
"Try not to kill yourself, man, life's too good to be stuck on the past D." He laughed again and disappeared out of the office.
"Asshole," I muttered as I placed a call and James immediately entered my office.
"Get the car ready, there's something I need to take care of." James nods and leaves.
My phone chimes and I pick it up to find a text from my father.
"Give me feedback by evening!!!!"
I placed the phone down and relaxed into my seat, sighing and untightening my tie. I swallowed hard and inhaled sharply, reflexively drawing at the band again. Fuck my life!
"If you think that you have been living in hell all your life, let me break that illusion for you," Adrian said. He spoke slowly, his voice full of menace. "This place–this is true hell, right here, where I am. His statement, "In this place, death is not an escape, no matter how much you may yearn for it," was enough to make the audience shudder, but all that tiny figure did was raise her lifeless, dull eyes. "Then help me, so I can remain here." She replied, her voice barely above a whisper. There was a hint of a smile as she continued, "If I can't escape, then I should learn how to live in hell without getting burnt." ********************************** In a world ruled by loyalties and bloodlines, Kira, the first daughter of the strongest family in the American mafia, finds herself entangled in an unexpected twist of fate. She was betrothed since childhood to the second son of the Italian mafia's don, due to a blood alliance between both families. She was raised alongside him and always considered him as her everything, while joyfully waiting for the day they would finally get married. To her, their love story was set in stone. However, on the day of the wedding, Kira's world as she knows it comes crumbling down when receives a shocking revelation - instead of her betrothed, a different groom appears at her wedding. And to top it off, he was dressed in a prison uniform. What happens when Kira finds herself thrust into the clutches of Adrian Vasillos the infamous 'devil' of the Italian mafia? Will she be able to navigate this world of danger, intrigue, betrayal, tested loyalties, and forbidden desires where she must come face to face with her deepest fears? Or will she finally discover the true meaning of love and get her happy ending? Read on to find out more in this twisted romance series...
Nila Amanda Hendricks, a young lady, is a tech prodigy who is stuck working as a janitor in a high-profile company. Her true potential is hidden from the world. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she catches the eye of her boss, billionaire CEO Silas Hayes. What starts as a professional relationship blossoms into a deep, forbidden love, leading to marriage. But as fate would have it, their happiness seems to be short-lived by an unfortunate accident that leaves Nila in a coma. When Nila awakens, she finds herself thrust into a nightmare of betrayal and loss. Her world has turned upside down, as she discovers the unthinkable—her husband and her sister have betrayed her in the worst possible way. As she digs deeper into the mysteries surrounding her, Nila uncovers shocking truths that shake her to the very core. Each revelation is more startling than the last, leading to a dramatic confrontation that will determine her future. What happens when Nila tries to end it all but gains an unexpected ally? Will she finally find the courage to face her enemies or will she succumb to depression and despair? Read on to discover the treacherous bridges and bumpy roads that await Nila in this heart-pounding novel filled with betrayal, suspense, shocking twists, and an insatiable hunger for revenge.
After my family's sinister plots collapsed, they lashed out at me, taking their rage to a violent level. Cornered and desperate, I married Jaxton—the town's most sought-after bachelor—due to an unplanned pregnancy. Love had no part in this marriage; I assumed he married me purely out of responsibility, his heart belonging elsewhere. The moment I chose to let him go and turned to leave, he grabbed me and pinned me down hard. "Jaxton, you promised you'd never touch me!" I snapped, glaring fiercely. His eyes flashed arrogantly as he leaned closer. "You're the one who started this!"
"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!
She thought she was the love of his life, and he became the love of her life that fateful day she had seen him at the pack's party. Selene Grace was only a replica of Alpha Leo's real mate, and when he spotted her, Leo immediately claimed her as his Luna in order to suppress the rumors of him being mateless. Being unable to conceive turns Selene's marriage into a nightmare, and as if that wasn't enough, Alpha Leo finally reunites with his long time lover and mate, rejecting a pregnant Selene as a result. 5 years later, Selene, a now successful doctor, receives an invitation to the moon shadow pack in order to rid the pack of a deadly disease which has struck it. Will Selene return back to the pack which had caused her so much pain, and what would she do when she realizes that she is mated to the Alpha who had betrayed her in the past?
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."
June Rivera was divorced by her husband after three years of marriage because he wanted to be with her sister who was pregnant for him. Kicked to the curb with a divorce and rejected by her parents,she struggles to make ends meet and get a job until she saves Luis Ambrose from an accident - the only child of Rafael Ambrose, a widowed man and the CEO of Ambrose Corporation. When little Luis asks to have her as a nanny, and Rafael's mother pressures him to get married, they draw a contract. To be Luis's nanny and his fake wife for one year in exchange for 50 million dollars!
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”