Isabella's past is marked by tragedy, her mother's death at the hands of her father leaving a scar that refuses to heal. Vowing never to love again, she seeks a one-night stand with a stranger to conceive a child. But fate has other plans. The stranger, Liam, is the wealthiest man in New York, and their brief encounter leaves Isabella pregnant. Years later, Liam discovers he has a daughter and sets out to win Isabella's heart and make her his wife. But will Isabella, still haunted by her past, ever agree to marry him? Dive into this captivating tale of love, loss, and redemption to find out.
A little girl of about eight years, hiding at a corner, clutching onto a white teddy bear. Her body trembled in fear. As tears kept swimming down her little cheeks.
She watched as her daddy beat her mommy, giving her heavy punches. She wants to help, but fears also being hurt. All she can do is pray silently for him to stop.
"You shameless woman, I gotta kill you today" Daddy said and gave Mommy a heavy hit on her stomach, causing her to cough out blood.
Mommy didn't say a word nor did she fight back, she just let him hit her as he went.
He continued hitting her non-stop until he was satisfied before he stopped and went to his room, leaving her in the pool of her blood.
Seeing that her Daddy had gone to his room, she threw away her teddy and run to her mom.
"Mom, sorry.... You are badly hurt?" the little girl said as she used her little hands to wipe the tears on her mom's face.
"Am not hurt, mommy is okay" The woman said trying to fake a smile.
Tears flowed down from the little girl's eyes, she shook her little head and said "I know you are in pain, I know it hurts, and I hate Daddy for that. Mom, please let's run away".
The woman used her hand to cover the little girl's mouth from saying anything again.
"Don't ever say that, he is your Father. You can't hate him".
Cough!!!
She coughed out more blood and continue talking "please don't ever say that you hate your father"
"But mom, why is Dad different from other Daddies?, Clara father do take her to mall, but Dad never do, he just hit me every time" the little girl cried
"Don't worry everything will be alright, soon Dad will show you all the love you want but don't hate him. He will always remain your Dad" The woman said and pulled her into a hug.
I'm Isabella, but everyone calls me Bella. I have a younger brother, Henry, who was kidnapped shortly after birth and never found. I grew up in a household where my father, Michael, abused my mother, Aria, and me when I tried to intervene. I have urged my mother to leave, but she always refuses. My father's actions have led me to despise him and wish he didn't exist. He treats my mother like a punching bag, and their marriage is far from loving.
===
One fateful day, I returned home from school to find my mother's lifeless body sprawled on the floor, her eyes frozen in a permanent stare. My father sat beside her, his eyes red-rimmed from crying, clutching a drink as if it were a lifeline.
I stood there for a few minutes, not understanding what was happening. Why is Dad crying? This was my first time seeing his tears, I never knew he cried too. And why is Mom not moving?
I slowly walked to Mom and tried waking her mom "Mom, Mom, open your eyes"
"What did you do to my Mom?" I yelled at my Dad, not minding if he would hit me.
He did not say anything as he continued crying.
"Mom, please open your eyes and stand up" I cried trying to drag her up
"Stop, she is dead" that was the words he said
I slowly let go of her, feeling my world crumble. At the age of eight, I knew the meaning of death. It means I'm not going to see mom again. She is gone forever!!!
Dad stood up and dialed a number, I guess it was the police.
"Micheal calling from 13th St., I just killed my wife" He said and let the phone fall off from his hand as he broke into tears again.
A few minutes later, the police arrived and took Dad away. Before he entered the car, he turned back and looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "Bella, I am sorry. I know I am not a good father, I hope you forgive me...please take care of yourself".
He turned to granny and said, "Please take care of her...."
Granny gave him a slap and even wanted to slap him more, but the police held her back, "You son of a bitch.... Why did you kill my daughter?"
I watched as he entered the car and they drove away.
******************************
Bella was curled against the well, she refused to eat or talk to anybody. Alex and Mia, who is her cousin, had tried to make her laugh but failed at it. Bella had completely withdrawn herself from other children. She no longer plays or speaks to anyone, she just wants to be alone.
She buried her face in her Keel and began to cry again. Realizing that her mother was gone forever gripped her soul, causing an unending ache in her heart. If only her mother had agreed with her, and they had managed to escape, perhaps she would still be alive today.
"Bella, please stop crying. You are hurting me with your tears" Alex said, kneeling in front of her.
Bella did not say anything as she continued sobbing. "Bella, please look at me"
She lifts her face, facing Alex, "I want to be alone... I don't want to play"
"Look, Bella, I want you to stop crying. I feel bad seeing you sad and crying every day" Alex said, tears flowing down his cheek.
"Yes Bella, we want you happy again" Mia said, hugging her from beside.
Granny walked in seeing the children trying to console Bella.
"Are you still crying, Isabella?" Granny said, and moved to where they were, with a look of concern on her face.
Softly, Bella whispered, "Granny, please, I need to see my mom... I miss her so much." Her words hung heavy in the air,
They were silent for some while as no one knew what to say.
"Oh ... . Bella'' Granny took Bella's trembling hand and led her to the couch.
"Please Granny, I want to see my mom," Bella pleaded through her tears, her longing echoing in the room.
Granny remains silent, thinking of what to say to the sad little girl.
"What can I do to see my mom again, even if is once, please"
"Shhh...if you continue crying. Your Mom won't be happy, she will be sad" Granny said hoping her words will make her stop crying.
"But I just want to see her" she said
"It's alright.... I'm here for you" Granny said and embraced her.
Mia hurried into the room, her arms filled with various toys. Excitedly, she exclaimed, "Bella, look what I have!" However, her joy quickly faded as she noticed Bella in tears once again.
"Bella, you are still crying" she said and threw the toys away as she started to cry too.
"Look... we are all sad because you are crying. Bella, please, we want you to be happy again. See Mia is crying too" Granny said.
Bella looked at everyone, she felt guilty that she is the reason they are sad and crying.
"I'm sorry Granny, I won't cry again"
"Good girl ... .it alright Mia, see Bella is not crying anymore"
Mia wiped her face, "Okay" she sniffed after making sure that Bella had stopped crying.
Alex sat next to Bella, holding her hand. "It's alright, we are all here for you and I will take care of you, I promise"
"Me too, I will get you lots of ice cream and chocolate" Mia added
Granny laughed at the kid's words.
"See everyone loves you, so be happy. We are your family"
Bella smiled and everyone felt happy seeing her smile.
"Granny, can you make cookies for us? Please" inquire Mia with a pleading expression.
"Of course, my dear. I would do anything for my beloved grandchildren," Granny playfully replied.
"And who will be assisting Granny in the kitchen?" she inquired.
"Me!!!" exclaimed the three kids in unison.
Upon discovering that her boyfriend had been having a secret affair with her best friend, Clara felt deeply hurt and betrayed. She resolved to move to a different city and start afresh, vowing not to love again. In her new surroundings, she found happiness and began to let go of her past. However, her life took a sudden turn when she crossed paths with Levi, a mysterious and intimidating figure known for his dark reputation.
“ What will be your reaction, when you find out that your boyfriend who you have dated for five years was having a secret affair with your best friend? “ This is the case Clara Finds herself, her bestie, who she trusts, was having a secret relationship with her lover. She really felt bad and promised herself not to love again. She traveled to another city to start up a new life. Living in another city was perfect, she became happy again, forgetting her past, but one day her life changed after meeting with Levi. Levi, the one everyone fears. Rumors said that he shows no mercy for his enemies. His life is filled with a dark side.
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
"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!
"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.