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"Does she make you feel this way?" Maya heard the familiar voice as she walked towards the door. "Never, not even close," the second equally familiar voice moaned. "You're the one I love, and Maya means nothing to me-nothing at all." Tears streamed down her eyes as she cupped her mouth with one hand, suppressing the surprised gasp that had threatened to escape the minute she pushed the door halfway. "How could they?" She thought to herself as she watched her best friend and boyfriend, whom she had trusted explicitly, make out behind her back. **** Broken hearts take time to mend. After being betrayed by her boyfriend of five years and her best friend, Maya Brown loses all hope in love. Yet her decision to heal and stay away from the love field is bridged when her parents step into the picture. She is coaxed into an arranged marriage with the handsome and desirous billionaire Kai Larson for the purpose of strengthening both families' alliances. Will she find love, or will it also be another failed attempt?
"Does she make you feel this way?" "Maya means nothing to me, absolutely nothing." Maya tossed and turned in her sleep as the memory of those words echoed in her ears. It had been three years, yet those very words still found a way to haunt her soul. So, when her alarm went off, she got up groggily from her bed and decided to go for a run. It wasn't her usual morning routine, but with the way things were going, she was sure she would have a rough day ahead. She returned from her morning run at around 8 a.m. to find her parents having breakfast at the dining table.
She didn't speak to them but rushed upstairs to freshen up. Being one-six meters long, she was the perfect height for the short white mid-tight dress that she threw on, accessorizing it with the pale blue silver heart necklace that accentuated her sky blue eyes. She packed her brown hair into a neat ponytail above her head, and then she inserted her feet into her cherry-laced pumps, which her mother had gifted her for her twenty-second birthday the year before. She loved them, and they sat perfectly on her full, chubby feet. Maya was not the typical slim girl, nor was she fat; her size was perfectly round and awesomely curved. It made a lot of people envious of her; her face was a total sellout; her best features were her full lips, which she laced with red lipgloss; her straight nose; and her striking blue eyes. Immediately after she was done dressing, she went downstairs to grab breakfast. One thing the heartbreak had done for her was give her an appetite she didn't know she had and an appreciation for her weight. "Hey, darling," her mother said when she noticed her. "Good morning, Mum, good morning, Dad," she said, planting a kiss on both cheeks. "Went for a run?" He asked, and she nodded. "Mm-hmm," she replied, her mouth fully stuffed with bread. "Easy on the eggs, darling, how are you feeling?" Her mother asked. "I'm okay, just a slight headache, but it'll be fine," she replied, taking a seat opposite her mom. She was her mother's duplicate; she only took her father's deep blue eyes, but her full lips were those of her mother's. "You know your mother is just worried about you," her father, Lucas Brown, said. The Browns family started as mid-rich but went up quickly in the elite society due to Lucas Brown's hard work, which was how he raised the company, Brown's Pharmaceuticals, to the top in just ten years. "I know, dad. I'm sorry. I won't make you worry. I'm actually okay," Maya replied. She knew where their worry stemmed from. This was coming just after her ex-boyfriend, Mark Wallace, announced his engagement to her then-best friend and rising actress, Lucy Mitchell. It had been three years since she caught them smooching and backstabbing her in their chemistry classroom. How ironic, she had thought, having chemistry in chemistry class. Now, she could smile about it, but back then, it was the worst thing to have happened to her. Everybody had heard of it, and everybody knew her story. That was the perk and downs of being a part of the elite society. "I have to go, Dad. I need to get an early start on that research." After studying biochemical engineering in college, Maya began working with her father as a medical device researcher in their pharmaceutical company. "Oh, that's great; I'll join you later, you know; no rush," he joked, and she laughed in return. It was a popular joke they often made; they all knew that soon enough he would retire and hand over the company to Maya, but only one thing stood in the way: Maya. "Alright, darling, have a great day. Don't forget dinner tonight," her mother called out. "Alright, Mum," she said, picking up her phone and leaving the house. Meanwhile, the LARSONS GROUP of companies was having a tough day. The new CEO of LARSONS GROUPS was returning, and everything had to be in place. A convoy of black Range Rovers filed outside the airport, waiting as the private jet landed on the runway set in the middle of the field. Men suited in black lined up outside each car door, waiting for the boss to arrive. As the jet landed, a handsome, one-eighty-meter-high man with jet black hair, forest green eyes, and thin lips in his mid-twenties got off the jet with his assistant, Oliver Branson. Strutting with grace, he got into one of the waiting cars, which was to drive him to the company's location. At the company, everyone anticipated his arrival: Kai Larson, the only son of Waylon Larson, CEO of the LARSONS GROUP OF COMPANIES. The upper management employees gathered in the lobby, waiting to welcome him. "Welcome, sir," the line of employees greeted him as he walked past them. He sauntered into the elevator with his assistant and two bodyguards, heading for the fifty-first floor, where the board meeting was to be held. His father, Mr. Waylon Larson, was already seated waiting for him. "Father," he said in his deep, regal voice. "Son, am I glad to see you? Welcome back," Waylon said, rising up to hug his son. "Kept the place running great, I see, Father," Kai complimented. "Well, I did my best, and with you back in town, I can finally retire peacefully," Waylon said confidently. "I appreciate your confidence, Father," Kai replied with modesty, and Waylon patted his back approvingly. "The board members would be here shortly to discuss the handover procedures, but I wanted to have some time with you first." Waylon said. "Okay, I'll start going over the company's listings and share documents. I already reviewed the activities and financial turnovers for the last three years." Kai said. "Great son, do what you must, but don't forget, we have to be done in time for dinner with the Browns tonight; we don't want to upset your mother," Waylon said, picking up a folder from the table in front of him. "The Browns?" Kai asked, wondering what his father was talking about.
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
The dream of everyone with regards to marriage is to be able to find that special someone and settle down with them. Even arranged marriages grant you an opportunity to meet your partner briefly before the wedding. How will you feel about waking up in the morning with someone sleeping next to you who is not just anyone but your legally married partner yet with no memory of how that had happened in just a few hours of going out the previous day? This is the story of Jason Haward and Julia Harrison, two strangers trapped in a marriage they never planned. The quest to find out why led to the unfolding of a mystery which made them realize they are both living a lie. To find out more, read this amazing story of love, betrayal, revenge and murder.
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
Blinded in a crash, Cary was rejected by every socialite—except Evelina, who married him without hesitation. Three years later, he regained his sight and ended their marriage. "We’ve already lost so many years. I won’t let her waste another one on me." Evelina signed the divorce papers without a word. Everyone mocked her fall—until they discovered that the miracle doctor, jewelry mogul, stock genius, top hacker, and the President's true daughter… were all her. When Cary came crawling back, a ruthless tycoon had him kicked out. "She's my wife now. Get lost."
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.
Lyric had spent her life being hated. Bullied for her scarred face and hated by everyone-including her own mate-she was always told she was ugly. Her mate only kept her around to gain territory, and the moment he got what he wanted, he rejected her, leaving her broken and alone. Then, she met him. The first man to call her beautiful. The first man to show her what it felt like to be loved. It was only one night, but it changed everything. For Lyric, he was a saint, a savior. For him, she was the only woman that had ever made him cum in bed-a problem he had been battling for years. Lyric thought her life would finally be different, but like everyone else in her life, he lied. And when she found out who he really was, she realized he wasn't just dangerous-he was the kind of man you don't escape from. Lyric wanted to run. She wanted freedom. But she desired to navigate her way and take back her respect, to rise above the ashes. Eventually, she was forced into a dark world she didn't wish to get involved with.