"Mr. Dre," she started speaking in a low tone, her voice quivering, "I have agreed to the contract and Ariel's operation was successful... but this... this deal... " She lost her words. That was the first thing she said; "It feels so cold here I didn't expect it to feel like this." Alison's life becomes miserable when her husband dies leaving her with three young children to support and take care of. Having financial difficulties, things turn even for the worse when her youngest daughter Ariel is diagnosed of a severe heart disease. Ariel has to undergo a very expensive surgery and Alison has no means to get the money for it. Desperate and running out of time, she faces a terrible choice: sign a contract marriage with her cold and powerful boss, Mr. Dre, or lose her daughter forever.
ALLISON POV
I stood there for a few moments with my legs weak beneath me as I looked at the lifeless body of Andrew. The room was so cold that it seemed to me I could not stand it anymore, but my face was burning with the tears which I shed.
"Andrew, you can't die," I screamed, tears rolling down my cheeks, "Who will take care of me and the children?" My eyes were puffy and blood-shot from crying, but the tears flowed – non-stop. It was so quiet that even the ticking of the clock could be heard and no matter how I tried to convince her, there are some things which you cannot have even if you beg for them.
'Allison, my dear, you have to be strong for your children,' my mother said quietly, tears brimming up in her eyes. She put her tender hand on my chest and said something that I could not hear because the pain was too strong.
"But, Mom... how do I even start? How do I look after my children without him?" I sobbed, my voice cracking and my vision obscured by the tears. "Who is going to help me? Who... who is going to save us?"
Mom didn't answer, just looked at me with sadness in her eyes. It was the same look of despair that I had been witnessing in my mirror for the last few days.
All of a sudden, I could hear Andrew's voice, weak but audible. It was as if he were right beside me, telling me in a hush, "You are strong, Allison. You are capable and amazing. "
I listened to his words and wrapped myself in the comfort of their meaning, with my eyes shut. Slowly, I stood up, my heart filled with sorrow but with determination that was now pumping through my veins. It was not possible to stop and I had to go on. In memory of Zara, Gabriel, and Ariel.
"I have to work harder," I told myself and with that I quickly removed the tears from my face. After the period of my vacation I returned to work at Browns Company Ltd. and worked as hard as I could.
The long working hours, the tiredness, the stress – all these I had to take because there was no other way. It was becoming painful to spend on anything including the children's tuition fees as every penny was important. They deserved the best, though I was feeling like I was shedding part of myself with each day that came by.
One day at work, I received a phone call. I picked it up absentmindedly thinking it was another telemarketer who were calling me in the past few weeks.
"Hello, ma'am, this is Brain Academy, we are calling regarding your daughter Ariel."
My heart stopped beating for a moment. The fear was instant, it anchored itself deep in my abdomen as if it were a rock. "Yes... yes, what's going on?" I stammered, my fingers gripping the phone tightly.
"Unfortunately, Ariel fainted in class today. We are in the process of contacting her next of kin."
Collapsed? My blood ran cold.
"Is she okay? What happened?" My words were barely audible, and I could hardly recognize the voice that came out of my mouth.
"Her teacher said she leaned forward and then...nothing. She's unresponsive, but we're doing everything we can to revive her."
My thoughts were spinning around in my head like crazy, My baby girl... Ariel... collapsed?
"I will be there in a minute," I shouted as loudly as I could, my heartbeat almost drowning the words I said.
I hurried to my boss and stuttered, my voice quivering with anxiety, I told them what had happened They did not even hesitate and dismissed me, saying some words which I barely heard before I left.
I drove like a lunatic to go and pick Zara and Gabriel with my mind racing with fear, it felt like the traffic light was taking ages before turning green, each second reminding me that I was still far from Ariel, I took the other children home to the nanny and zoomed to St. Mary's Hospital with hands shaking.
"Doctor, please tell me what is wrong with my daughter? " I asked, my voice shaking as I stood in front of Dr. James outside the ER door.
His eyes were serious and his body stiff, "Mrs. Allison, may I request you to come to my office, please? We need to talk. "
I trailed behind him, my body moving almost mechanically, as if I could hardly control it anymore. My heart raced, and I struggled to draw in air.
As soon as we were settled, Dr. James didn't waste much time. "I am sorry, the tests have revealed that.. your daughter, Ariel, has heart failure. "
Heart failure. The words were said and I heard the death knell of my dreams in my ears. I couldn't breathe. I felt dizzy and holding onto the edge of the desk I felt the room spinning around me.
That is when I realized that my mind was blank, I struggled to say: "What... what does that mean?"
"It means that her heart is not working as it should be anymore; she will require a heart replacement as early as possible."
A heart transplant. My baby required a heart transplant in order to live.
I felt my eyes begin to water and I could have easily shed a tear. "A transplant? But... how...?"
"It is very important that we act fast, Mrs. Allison," the doctor continued in a serious tone. "We've got to put her on the transplant list right now, every second is crucial. "
"But... but how much will this cost?" I asked almost in a whisper as if I did not want to know the answer.
And then, with the air of someone who is about to deliver the worst news of a patient, Dr. James stopped. "The procedure... it will cost $10,000. "
Ten thousand dollars. It was a punch in the stomach for me. I blinked hard to keep the tears from blurring my vision as they continued to stream down my face.
"I... I don't have that kind of money," I cried out loud, tears rolling down my cheeks. "I have not even been paid yet and if I was paid it would not be enough!"
"I know this is a problem," Dr. James murmured, "but we require the payment within a week or...."
His words hung in the air, unspoken but clear. Time was running out. My daughter was running out of time.
I looked up at him, my hands shaking uncontrollably. "Or what, Doctor? Tell me!"
The look in his eyes said everything. If I couldn't come up with the money, Ariel wouldn't survive.
My world crumbled around me. All I could do was stare blankly, feeling the crushing weight of desperation settling in my chest. Where was I supposed to find $10,000 in seven days?
I stood up, numb and broken, my mind filled with a singular thought: I have to save my daughter. No matter what it takes.
I thought I was invisible-forgotten and discarded by the family that claimed to love me. When they dragged me out of my countryside solitude, I didn't think it was for love. It wasn't. It was for a deal. To save their own skin, they married me off to Alan Walker-a man they called weak, crippled, and harmless. They lied. Alan wasn't weak; he was calculating, deadly, and harboring a secret that may ruin us all. The marriage was never about love; it was conflict, a battlefield for power and survival. And yet, in the quiet times between our battles, I glimpsed parts of the guy beneath the mask-a man scarred by betrayal, motivated by retribution. But then the lies unraveled. Alan's disability was a façade, his kindness a weapon, and his true enemies closer than I ever imagined. As Philip Louis, his half-brother, launched a vicious attack to claim the family empire, I became a pawn in their twisted game. My sister Maria-cruel, conniving, and unforgiving-joined forces with him. Together, they sought to ruin us. Now, I'm caught in a storm of deceit and danger. Alan says he'll protect me, but how can I trust a man who built his world on lies? How can I protect my heart from a man I might be falling for, knowing love could be my undoing?
Sold to the highest bidder to pay off a blood feud, I never imagined I would be the pawn in my father's fatal game. Still, here I am before Enzo De Luca, the most vicious mafia leader in the city. Though appealing, he is cold, deliberate, and as lethal. Though my heart races just from his proximity, it is his touch that ignites me. My body betrays me and reacts to him in ways I am powerless over. And I melt as he softly, commandingly says my name. Enzo loves neither me nor another. In his deadly kingdom, I am only another bargain, another transaction. But every time we are alone, the conflict between us snaps-desire becomes a terrible addiction. Although I detest him for everything he stands for, I yearn for the way he consumes me, body and soul. He has made it quite evident-our marriage is more about power than love. Still, every angry gaze and every snatched moment in the shadow reveals something different. Benevolent underneath his icy façade lies something broken that appeals to the darkest sides of me. But depending on a man like Enzo may mean losing everything. Bound to him now, for better or worse, I am caught in a world where loyalty is brittle and treachery carries a bullet. Our friendship gets more perilous the more truths about his empire I find. And as the past calls for us, I have to question myself: will our passion be the thing that ruins us both or can I survive loving a guy like Enzo De Luca? Burning in his arms is me. But in his universe, I could roast alive.
Synopsis: Samantha Dawson felt she could leave her errors behind, but one fateful night everything changed. Driven by a great urge to pay off her family's debt, she entered the arms of a stranger-a brief, explosive meeting that left her whirling. That evening, she never anticipated the outcome: a kid she has kept secret from the world and from him. Four years fast forward: Samantha's meticulously repaired life is collapsing once more. She is presented with an unimaginable offer-a contract marriage with Adrian Blackwood, the mysterious millionaire with more influence than anybody should-as her son's safety is at stake and debts are closing in. The only issue is Adrian is unaware she already carries his most secret. But Adrian also depends on her. He has to seem to have a flawless family if he is to land the commercial contract confirming his empire. Samantha is his response; he still doesn't know about the lethal shadows from her past threatening them both. Time is running out because of Adrian's own complex network of family treachery. Should he not get married soon, he runs the danger of losing control of his father's business to a merciless competitor with dark motives-someone already too near Samantha for comfort. Neither of them understands how interwoven their fates have become as they descend further into this perilous dance. Secrets grow, passions blossom, and foes lie around every turn. Samantha has to choose, nevertheless, whether Adrian comes near to learning the truth about her son: should she tell everything or keep quiet while the walls of their precarious arrangement collapse? And then a terrible revelation destroys their world, just as their well planned lives begin to fit. Samantha has been hiding secrets other than the child as well.
Three years ago, Cecilia was left battered and alone by the man she loved most, Alston, yet she bravely completed the wedding ceremony while pregnant. Three years later, although they were married, they grew apart over time. Cecilia focused on her career, no longer foolishly believing in love. But her transformation instantly threw Alston into a panic... And what is the secret from 11 years ago that Cecilia has always been reluctant to reveal? *** "She went to a law firm, met with a lawyer..." A lawyer? Is Cecilia suing someone? Who? Is there any recent litigation against the company? Alston suddenly chuckled coldly, "Who could she sue? I'm the CEO of this company. How come such a matter doesn't come to me first?" The assistant swallowed nervously, speaking softly, "Sir, there's no litigation against the company. She met with... a divorce lawyer."
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
“Drive this woman out!” "Throw this woman into the sea!” When he doesn’t know Debbie Nelson’s true identity, Carlos Hilton cold-shoulders her. “Mr. Hilton, she is your wife,” Carlos’ secretary reminded him. Hearing that, Carlos gives him a cold stare and complained, “why didn’t you tell me earlier?” From then on, Carlos spoils her rotten. Little did everyone expect that they would get a divorce.
RIEKA She was a naive, chubby, wolfless werewolf, maltreated by her mate to the point where she loses her sanity and womb, her crime was being chubby and less attractive than her peers. GABRIEL He was a handsome, strong willed womanizer, who happens to a hybrid ALPHA prince, the person he loves the most is his kid brother RALPH. He has searched high and low for a mate he could never find. What will happen when he finds out that his beloved brother's ex wife, happens to be his long awaited mate, who was maltreated and is currently mentally unstable? Will he forgive his brother for hurting his mate? or will blood flow?
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.