Blinded by unrequited love, Dayna's world shattered upon learning of Jon's engagement to another girl. Determined to focus on her happiness, she decided to move on. Returning to the workforce, Dayna witnessed her career soar. Soon, admirers flocked to her. Realizing his mistake, Jon wanted her back, but Dayna only responded with a cryptic smile. Following that, she posted online about Jon, the charming CEO, seeking a wealthy, attractive, and virtuous woman to marry. Making matters worse, his contact details were shared across several dating sites!
Jon Matthews's touch sent a wave of shivers down Dayna Allen's spine as she lay tensely on the bed, her breath escaping in a soft moan.
"Already surrendering?" Jon teased, his voice a mix of amusement and provocation, his breath warm against her ear.
Dayna's fingers tightened around his arm, her nails pressing but failing to mark his skin, as he intensified his grip, his actions rougher than she'd anticipated. Overwhelmed, Dayna eventually lost consciousness.
When she awoke, the room was silent, Jon absent. On the nightstand beside her, a watch lay atop a check.
Rising, she caught sight of herself in the mirror, her skin a canvas of their fervor.
She understood the stark reality of her relationship with Jon-his interest was solely in her body. From the outset, she had approached him, driven by the desperation to secure funds for her mother's treatment. In return for his financial assistance, she had entered into a tacit agreement: she was his secret lover, nothing more.
Their interactions were strictly transactional, each encounter meticulously compensated. The check left beside the bed, a numerical reflection of Jon's satisfaction, was just another part of their unspoken contract.
The sound of the bathroom door snapped her back to the present. Jon emerged, the contours of his muscles highlighted by the beads of water that clung to his skin, a towel loosely hung around his waist. Yet Dayna's gaze was transient, her mind elsewhere.
She moved to lay out his clothes, her movements mechanical. Jon's visits were solely for his needs; he never stayed the night.
As she buttoned his shirt, careful not to linger on the feel of the fabric, Jon's eyes met hers in the mirror. "Not satisfied?" he inquired, a hint of mockery in his tone.
"No, it's too much," Dayna responded, her voice even, her stunning features composed. She hid her desperation well, her elegant demeanor masking the turmoil beneath.
Dayna wasn't aware of Jon's silent observation, concentrating instead on assisting him with his clothing.
His voice, suddenly serious, broke the routine of their usual silence. "I'm getting married."
His words hung heavy above her as Dayna looked up, a flicker of surprise crossing her features.
She had managed his schedule as his secretary, arranging the meetings with the potential matches his mother, Helena Matthews, had chosen. Yet, nothing had ever come of these setups. Dayna had assumed they were merely formalities Jon endured to appease his mother. Over time, she had dismissed them as inconsequential.
"Is she the daughter of the Pioneer Tech's CEO?" Dayna's voice was steady, devoid of emotion, though inside, a storm brewed. It was the most recent of the dates she had scheduled for him.
"That's right," Jon confirmed simply.
A dull pain throbbed in Dayna's chest, but she masked it well. "Congratulations," she managed to say, her voice a whisper of formality.
"Our families are having a formal meeting tomorrow night. I'll leave it to you." His tone was indifferent, the underlying order stark against the backdrop of their recent intimacy.
"Okay," Dayna replied, her voice a mere echo of resignation.
Jon left without another word.
Dayna remained motionless, anchored to the spot long after his car faded into the night. It wasn't until the distant hum of the engine dissolved into silence that she move.
Sleep eluded her, her thoughts a tangled mess of confusion and sorrow. She lay awake until the first hints of dawn.
When her alarm blared again in the morning, it jolted her from her reverie. With a heavy heart, she skipped breakfast and applied makeup to conceal the signs of her sleepless night.
As she headed to work, Jon's voice crackled through her phone, instructing her to call an impromptu meeting of the executives.
Dayna settled into her office routine and had her team prepare the conference room. She then proceeded to Jon's office to make the necessary adjustments for his day.
As usual, she meticulously arranged the documents for each department and ensured the office ambiance was perfect, adjusting the scent and temperature settings just right.
Jon entered, his presence commanding as always, donned in a sharp, perfectly tailored suit. His face was set in a serious expression. Dayna handed him his morning coffee and quickly briefed him on the day's agenda.
He barely acknowledged her as he reviewed the documents she had prepared.
Checking the clock, Dayna reminded him, "Mr. Matthews, it's time for the meeting."
The meeting went on without a hitch, and once it was over, Dayna finally had a chance to breathe. Back at her desk, she noticed a gift box.
"It's from Miss Madison Scott of Pioneer Tech," one of her colleagues explained.
Curious, Dayna opened the box to find a luxurious bracelet, clearly expensive, its brand logo prominently displayed.
"Looks like everyone received one," her colleague added.
"Miss Scott certainly knows how to impress. I just checked, and this bracelet is worth over ten thousand dollars," one colleague noted, examining the luxurious piece.
"It's not just about the price, though," another chimed in. "It's a clear message. She's staking her claim on Mr. Matthews."
The office buzzed with whispers, as news of Jon and Madison's engagement was already circulating since that morning.
"Should we accept these?" someone asked Dayna, uncertainty in their voice.
"Absolutely, it would be inappropriate to refuse a gift from the future Mrs. Matthews," Dayna responded, extending her arm for her colleague to help her fasten the bracelet.
Madison had always believed that she would marry Colten. She spent her youth admiring him from afar, dreaming of their future life together. But Colten was always indifferent to her, and when he abandoned her at a time when she needed him most, she finally realized that he never loved her. With renewed resolve and a thirst for revenge, Madison left. Endless possibilities lay ahead, but Colten was no longer part of her plans. Colten rushed to her place in a panic. "Madison, please come back to me. I’ll give you everything!" It was his powerful uncle who answered the door. "She's my woman now."
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
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.
Drugged and deceived, she bore a child amidst tragedy-her son, falsely declared dead at birth. Fueled by the agony, she disappeared, only to return years later with both her daughter and an adopted son, driven by an unyielding desire for revenge against those who had wronged her and her late mother. The plot takes an unexpected twist when the haunting truth surfaces: her son is alive, and his father is a powerful CEO.
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"
Being dumped by my mate, Ethan, on my dream New Year cruise tour was bad enough. Watching him swap spit with Vanessa? Absolute hell. Enter Lucas-the cocky, sinfully hot hockey Alpha-who claims I'm his mate. But he doesn't want love; he wants revenge, proposing a fake relationship to rile Ethan. Now I'm stuck sharing a suite with the guy who has secrets of his own. Christmas and New Year on a luxury ship was supposed to be magical...not a steamy, chaotic mess. What could go wrong?