Nicholas and Alison encountered each other for the first time in the intimacy of a bedroom, oblivious to the fact that she was his spouse, a woman he had been married to for two years yet had never laid eyes on. After he was back in his homeland, the powerful magnate Nicholas found himself intrigued by Alison, a lawyer celebrated for her striking appearance and sharp intellect. Faced with Nicholas' advances, Alison responded with composure, "Mr. Bowman, I am already married." Following their separation, Alison offhandedly brought up her former husband. "His name was Nicholas Bowman."
Inside an opulent hotel suite, Alison Conley gasped for breath, her head falling back as she clung to the man before her. Her fingers, trembling with passion, left trails of red on his back.
Then, like a wave retreating to the sea, exhaustion claimed her, and she slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep.
It was the sound of running water that stirred Alison from the depths of slumber. Her eyes fluttered open, memories from the previous night flooding back in disjointed fragments.
She had been drugged-that much she remembered-and then there was the man, a shadowy figure with a strikingly handsome face that seemed oddly familiar, though she couldn't quite place where she'd seen him before.
Just then, the water shut off, and the bathroom door creaked open. A tall man stepped out, his presence commanding the room.
A towel hung loosely around his waist, and droplets of water clung to his tousled hair, tracing a slow, tantalizing path down his sculpted abs before disappearing into the grooves of his V-line, each drop amplifying the magnetic allure he exuded.
Alison struggled to prop herself up, her body aching in protest. Her gaze locked onto his face, and shock slammed into her like a tidal wave.
How could it be him?
This wasn't just any man-it was her husband, Nicholas Bowman. The very same man who had moved abroad since the beginning of their marriage.
She instinctively recoiled, her voice barely a whisper as she stammered, "Last night, did we...?"
Nicholas approached, his footsteps slow and deliberate, eyes sharp as they bore down into hers. "How much do you want?"
The words cut through the air like a blade, leaving Alison stunned.
Even though she recognized Nicholas, it was clear he had no idea who she was.
A bitter laugh bubbled up inside her.
Alison had married Nicholas in her stepsister's place, filling in for Lindsay Powell.
Back then, when Nicholas' grandfather, Geoffrey Bowman, was on his deathbed, he was desperate to see his grandson married.
While it was Geoffrey's insistence had forced the union, Nicholas himself had loathed the idea of a wife being thrust upon him. He even sent his assistant, Joshua Fletcher, to handle the marriage registration, avoiding Alison throughout the whole process.
As soon as the marriage became official, Nicholas left for a business venture abroad, leaving Alison with nothing but a promise-that they would get a divorce after two years.
Two years had passed. Alison had caught wind that Nicholas had returned from abroad, but never expected their first encounter would be in bed.
"Keep your mouth shut, take the check, and leave." Nicholas' cold, detached gaze slid over Alison as he reached into the bedside drawer. He pulled out a check, flicking it onto the sheets in front of her as if he were swatting away an annoying fly.
A check to dismiss her? Alison fumed. Who did this jerk think he was insulting?
She had caught glimpses of Nicholas on TV over the years, always untouchable, like a noble who considered the world's concerns beneath him. His expression was a mask of unshakeable indifference, no matter the situation.
After Nicholas had left right after their hasty marriage, Alison had become the town's laughingstock.
That humiliation had burned deep, stoking a fire in her that she refused to let die. And now, as she looked at the man before her, a reckless idea took hold. She wanted to shatter his facade and watch him crumble in embarrassment.
With a defiant glint in her eye, she threw off the covers and reached for a robe. The silk fabric draped over her as she moved with purpose, snatching up the check and tearing it in half with a dramatic flourish. She let the pieces flutter into the trash like discarded confetti.
Nicholas' eyes darkened, a dangerous glint taking over his features.
His lips curled into a mocking smile, though his voice dropped to a menacing whisper. "What? Not enough for you?"
Alison's laughter bubbled up, sharp and mocking. "What happened last night was just a little fun between consenting adults. I don't need your hush money."
She paused, letting her smile turn wickedly seductive. "What's the matter, sir? Can't handle the heat?"
Nicholas' gaze turned icy, his jaw tightening as a flicker of anger danced behind his eyes.
He was known for his ruthlessness and his ability to crush anyone who dared to cross him.
The thought sent a shiver down Alison's spine, but a sense of newfound boldness surged within her. She stepped closer, poking his chest with her finger, her voice dripping with mockery. "Honestly, I was quite satisfied with your performance last night. How about we make it a regular thing? Name your price."
18+, strong mature, and sexual content. Sneak peek: "W-what are you doing?" I asked, my breathing getting heavier as his warm fingers inched towards my bikini bottom. "You called me a coward earlier, remember?" He asked, his other hand wrapped around my throat and lips torturingly brushing over mine "So let's see how much you can handle if I break the boundaries." "I haven't said anything wrong," I breathed out, the collision of the heat of our bodies made the wetness between my thighs build more "Oh really?" He hooked my legs around his waist leaving me surprised I opened my mouth to say something but before any sentence could leave my mouth, sliding past my bikini bottom his fingers were there on my bare clit and the next second they thrust inside the very tight hole of mine leaving me to scream. But everything went silent as he pressed his hot lips upon mine just as I had been wanting since the first day I had ever seen him. **** I always knew the things I felt for Jacob Adriano were wrong in so many ways. He was my dad's best friend, totally out of bounds but I couldn't stop wanting him. And once in the event of my dad's destination wedding, I came across him after years...I lost every one of the boundaries I had and surely I planned to make him lose his ones too. After all Jacob Adriano, the sinfully attractive Italian was not unaware of my obsession with him. But little did know that forbidden relationships always bring havoc and demolition.....
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. "It's time to reveal your true identity, darling."
To exact revenge on her treacherous fiancé, Yvonne enticed Clayton into a liaison that promised advantages for both. Yet, when Yvonne spotted a woman resembling her at Clayton’s side, she recognized she was nothing more than a substitute. Discovering Clayton’s upcoming wedding, she departed with a generous severance sum. “Clayton, this is truly the end,” she declared resolutely. On the very day Yvonne was set to marry someone else, Clayton showed up, desperation clear in his eyes as he dropped to his knees. “Yvonne, please, don’t go through with it. Don’t marry him.”
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"