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Desperation clings to me like a second skin. At twenty-five, I'm doing everything I can to keep my life from falling apart. My mother's medical bills are piling up, and each day feels like I'm sinking deeper into a pit I can't crawl out of. The job market hasn't been kind. I've gone from one dead-end interview to another until the Pression group interview. Everything started falling apart when he came into my life. He was a drug, I was willing to risk it all for. "You're mine now, Amelia," he growled, his breath hot against her skin. "And I don't let go of what's mine." Her heart pounded as his fingers grazed her lips, his dark eyes burning into her. "You can try to run," he whispered, "but I'll always catch you." "Say it," he demanded, his hand tightening around her wrist. "Say you belong to me." His lips brushed against her ear, sending shivers down her spine. "I'll break you, Amelia. Piece by piece, until you beg for me to put you back together." He came as a surprise to my world, a package with lots of dark secrets will they make his or is it all going to drive me away from him?
Amelia's POV
Desperation clings to me like a second skin, suffocating and heavy. Every waking moment is a reminder of my mom's frailty, of the medical bills piling higher than I can see over, threatening to crush me.
I'm 25, clinging to the shards of a life that feels like it's breaking apart faster than I can patch it up. Job after job slips through my fingers, leaving me frustrated and angry at a world that seems to want nothing from me but my appearance and my body.
Being beautiful isn't the gift people think it is, it's a curse. It means what people see first is your face and not what you can offer. A curse that's followed me into every interview where the panel looks at me like I'm decoration, not someone with potential.
Their eyes always linger a second too long, their questions veiled in innuendo. None of it has helped me find steady work, and the weight of it all has me spiraling and having a mental breakdown that I can't afford.
But today, my phone holds a lifeline. Or at least, I hope it does. The job offer seems unreal: "Personal Secretary to Christopher Russell. Salary: $100,000 per month."
I've reread the email a dozen times, waiting for the fine print to reveal itself, for some sign that this is a scam. It has to be, doesn't it? But even if it is, I don't have the luxury of walking away or even doubting anything.
One hundred thousand dollars. That kind of money could fix everything. It could cover my mom's hospital bills, settle every last debt, maybe even give us a shot at a real future. But the uneasy knot in my stomach tightens every time I think about it. Opportunities like this don't fall into your lap without strings attached.
I smooth the fabric of my dress and glance at my reflection. The girl staring back at me looks pale and worn, her brown eyes shadowed with exhaustion. My long black curly hair is neatly styled in a ponytail.
My makeup subtle, but none of it hides the anxiety etched into my face. "You've got this," I whisper, though the words feel hollow. My hands tremble as I pick up my bag and step out of the apartment.
The building where Christopher Russell's office is housed gleams like a monument to power. The glass doors shimmer under the sun, and the marble floors inside shine like they've never been walked on. My heels echo sharply as I cross the lobby, feeling smaller with every step. The receptionist doesn't even glance up at me as I approach the desk, which somehow makes me feel more insignificant.
I reach the elevator, and my palms sweat as the doors slide shut behind me. My nerves threaten to spill over, but I force myself to breathe. The hum of the elevator feels unnaturally loud in the silence, and I can't stop my thoughts from racing. This is it. This is my shot.
When I step into his office, the air shifts. It's cold, suffocating, and something I can't name settles over me. The man seated at the desk exudes authority, his sharp suit molding perfectly to his broad frame. His dark amber eyes lock on me the moment I enter, and I feel stripped bare under his gaze.
He doesn't say anything at first, just studies me with an intensity that makes my skin crawl and heat rise to my face at the same time. His silence stretches until I want to scream just to break it.
"You're Amelia, right?" His voice is deep, with a smoothness that almost distracts me from the sharp undertone laced through it.
"Yes," I manage to whisper.
His lips curve into a smile, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "You're here for the secretary job. What makes you think you're qualified?"
The question catches me off guard, and I stumble over my words as I explain my experience. My voice feels small in the vastness of the room, and I can't tell if he's even listening. He leans back in his chair, his eyes never leaving me.
"A hundred thousand dollars a month is a lot of money, Miss James," he says, his tone light but with an edge that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. "Are you sure you can handle it?"
The way he says it makes my stomach twist. There's something unspoken in his words, something darker.
"I-I'm willing to do whatever it takes," I say, though the tremor in my voice betrays my fear.
His smile widens, and the air in the room grows heavier. "I believe you," he says, rising from his seat with a calculated grace. He rounds the desk slowly, each step deliberate, until he's standing so close I can feel the warmth of his presence.
"And I'll make sure your mom's medical bills are taken care of," he adds " it will be different from your salary, as well." his voice was softer but no less commanding as he said this.
My breath catches. How does he know about my mom? I didn't mention her to anyone, not even in the application. My heart races as his hand lifts, hovering near my face without touching me. The proximity is suffocating, and I fight the urge to step back.
"I take care of what's mine, Amelia," he murmurs, his tone low and dangerous. It doesn't feel like an offer. It feels like a claim.
I want to say something, to push back, but the words won't come. I can only stare at him, frozen under the weight of his electrifying gaze and presence.
"Let's start tomorrow," he says, stepping back as if the moment never happened. "I'll send a car for you."
Before I can respond, he's gone, leaving me alone in the oppressive silence of his office.
Outside, the crisp air does little to calm my nerves. My hands won't stop shaking as I clutch my bag, replaying his words in my mind. 'I take care of what's mine.'
The thought sends a shiver through me as I quicken my pace, desperate to put distance between myself and that office. This job could save my mom's life, but I know it comes at a price. And Christopher Russell doesn't seem like the kind of man who gives anything for free.
Her fiance and her best friend worked together and set her up. She lost everything and died in the street. However, she was reborn. The moment she opened her eyes, her husband was trying to strangle her. Luckily, she survived that. She signed the divorce agreement without hesitation and was ready for her miserable life. To her surprise, her mother in this life left her a great deal of money. She turned the tables and avenged herself. Everything went well in her career and love when her ex-husband came to her.
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.
For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, āEither you or the baby survives!ā Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, āIām sorry, men no longer interest me.ā
She thought she was the love of his life, and he became the love of her life that fateful day she had seen him at the pack's party. Selene Grace was only a replica of Alpha Leo's real mate, and when he spotted her, Leo immediately claimed her as his Luna in order to suppress the rumors of him being mateless. Being unable to conceive turns Selene's marriage into a nightmare, and as if that wasn't enough, Alpha Leo finally reunites with his long time lover and mate, rejecting a pregnant Selene as a result. 5 years later, Selene, a now successful doctor, receives an invitation to the moon shadow pack in order to rid the pack of a deadly disease which has struck it. Will Selene return back to the pack which had caused her so much pain, and what would she do when she realizes that she is mated to the Alpha who had betrayed her in the past?
Elodie took a deep breath and knocked, the sound echoing in the quiet corridor. A moment of silence passed, broken only by the pounding of her heart. Finally, the door snicked open, revealing a surprised Dashiell. 'Can't you see the Do Not Disturb sign? We don't want-' His initial frown quickly morphed into confusion at the sight of his wife. 'What are you doing here?' he demanded. 'Your girlfriend invited me,' Elodie replied, her voice laced with icy calm. She tried to peer past him, but his broad frame blocked the view. A saccharine voice chimed in from within the room. 'Elodie? Oh dear, we didn't mean for you to find out this way. It's just that-' Elodie cut her short. 'Oh please, Selene. Spare me the fake apologies. You wouldn't have sent me all those texts if you didn't want me to know.' Dashiell shifted uncomfortably, his face a mask of annoyance. 'What texts?' Elodie stepped past him, taking in the luxurious suite with a sardonic smile. The king-sized bed, the scattered rose petals, the lingering scent of sex ā it all painted a vivid picture of their betrayal. She looked up at Dashiell, her gaze unwavering. 'I want a divorce.' ****** Dashiell lived a life of luxury, surrounded by the best things money could buy. But when a car accident left him vulnerable, he met Elodie, a seemingly ordinary woman who nursed him back to health. Mistaking her for just another employee, Dashiell entered into a loveless marriage with her solely for convenience. However, fate had a different script in store. Elodie, the 'ordinary nurse,' held a secret more precious than any diamond: she was the sole heiress to Northstar, a vast and powerful enterprise. Unaware of her true identity, Dashiell cast her aside when his ex-girlfriend returned, leaving Elodie humiliated. But Elodie was not one to be easily broken. She shed the facade of the meek nurse, reclaiming her rightful inheritance and stepping into the role of Northstar's CEO. Now, the woman Dashiell discarded was the one holding the reins of power. As Elodie thrives in her new role, Dashiell is consumed by regret. He finally sees Elodie for the extraordinary woman she truly is, realising the depth of his mistake. But will his remorse be enough to win back the heart he so carelessly discarded?
She was a diamond covered by ashes.... King Dakota was known as the most Powerful Alpha King of all times - more powerful than any other King that had ruled from his lineage. He was cold hearted, introverted and dangerous in anger. Cursed by the Moon goddess, King Dakota had to get married to three wives all in search of a male child that would become his heir, but it was impossible as the curse would only let his wives bear she -wolves. But on a different day, the King meets a lady who offends him and as a punishment, he took her home as his fourth wife. Her name was Shilah. Shilah was a powerless wolf and as a result, was disregarded and intimidated by all. But, when she begins to do things that the King had never felt for years, he began to wonder who she really was. Slowly, she crawled her way into his icy heart and turned out to be something nobody ever expected - a storm.