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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.
"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.
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."
⚠️ WARNING ⚠️ This Book Contains Matured Contents, reader's discretion is advised. *** "Do you have any idea how much I want to be inside you right now?" he asked as he stood to his feet. "Then why aren't you?" I responded, loving the feel of him pressed so close, my back to the mirror, my front to him. But even still, in some far corner of my lust-fogged mind, I realized that we were still in a bathroom. Anyone could walk in and see us. The thought of getting discovered was scary and erotic at the same time. "Oh, we're not done. Spread your legs a bit for me, Kitten." He commanded. When I did as he instructed, he settled between my legs again. "Now close your eyes. And try not to move." Dominic Rutherford murmured. I drew in a sharp breath as his fingers slipped into me with a silky, wet ease. First one. Then another. A feverish tide rose inside me, and I groaned. I jerked in response, causing me to unconsciously move my hips towards his teasing, clever hand, seeking more. "Ohh-" My body trembled under his touch. "Please..." *** Ruby escapes a stifling marriage filled with betrayal, eager to reclaim her freedom. At a masquerade ball, she meets Dominic, a mysterious older man always wearing a mask and has a complex past. Their intense attraction ignites a passionate and dangerous affair. Dominic, who was tasked by Ruby's unknown brother to find her, is captivated by her defiant spirit. As Ruby gets entangled in Dominic's dark world and faces threats from her vengeful former husband and an enemy within, she struggles with her fear of love. Will Ruby and Dominic overcome their pasts and the secrets that threaten to tear them apart? Can Ruby submit to love even after the truth is revealed?
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!"
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."