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Lila Anderson accepts a convenient marriage to the enigmatic and aloof Ethan Cross with the expectation of living a life of solitude and silent sadness. She enters Ethan's world and is thrown into a mystery where love may be both dangerous and seductive. She soon finds out that their contract is more than just a signature on a piece of paper. In the contract signed lies the key to uncover the perilous mystery and past that Ethan cautiously protects from the outside world. Trust is slowly fading and enemies lurk in the shadows. Lila has to decide whether to fight for the love that could eventually save her and Ethan or allow the looming darkness engulf them permanently.
Lila Anderson occupied the elegant although impersonal office, sitting stiffly and staring at the document in front of her. The elegant pen she was holding felt far heavier than it ought to have.
Beside her, her father, Charles Anderson, towered over her, his presence as uncompromising as the circumstances he had forced upon her.
Charles encouraged her, "Lila, this is our only chance of survival," the look on his face caressing the scream of desperation in his voice.
Lila's chest tightened as she attempted to reconcile her emotions, giving a deep sigh. She was not interested in the contract-she didn't want to give herself to a man she knows nothing about, whose stories have been that of unpleasant mysteries.
Ethan Cross was a name that evoked equal great respect, dread, and curiosity, but to Lila, he was little more than a stranger. The things she'd heard portrayed a picture of a cold, calculating businessman who rarely expressed his actual feelings.
Her family had fallen from grace quickly and brutally. The Andersons were once the envy of their peers, with money and influence spanning multiple cities. However, poor investments, a collapsing economy, and a string of terrible occurrences had reduced them to mere shadows of their former selves. Debts accumulated, and creditors hovered like vultures.
Charles Anderson, a proud man, had attempted to preserve their history, but his efforts only served to hasten their demise. The Andersons were on the verge of disaster, and this marriage was their last, desperate hope.
Ethan Cross made an unexpected offer, and the terms were almost too good to be true. Too good, Lila reasoned, because they were. She saw that whatever was beneath the surface of this deal was considerably more harmful than her father was ready to admit.
Lila's mother died when she was still a kid, leaving her to grow up in her father's harsh, emotionless environment. Charles was a businessman; love was not a currency he dealt in. Lila grew up surrounded by icy elegance, learning at a young age that duty came before desire. But she never dreamed that duty would call for a marriage of convenience with a man like Ethan Cross.
She looked at her father, noting that the hard lines on his face had become deeper with anxiety and time. He was a man who had battled tooth and nail to keep their family's status, and the weight of his failures weighed heavily on him now.
Lila experienced a twinge of guilt. She'd never been able to meet his expectations, never been the daughter he expected. This marriage was his final hope, and she couldn't bring herself to end it, even if it meant giving up her own happiness.
Lila's pulse skipped a beat as the office door creaked open quietly. Ethan Cross entered, immediately controlling the room. Tall and immaculately dressed, he emanated a cool, controlled assurance that sent shivers down Lila's spine. His dark hair was nicely brushed, and his piercing grey eyes scanned through the room before settling down on her.
"Lila," he nodded to her, his voice velvety soft but with a sharp edge that pierced the atmosphere. "Mr. Anderson." With deliberate and calculated movements, Ethan moved like a man who was always three steps ahead. He sat down opposite Lila, his eyes never leaving hers.
She sensed the weight of his scrutiny, as though he was evaluating her and determining her value in ways that were beyond her comprehension.
"It's a simple contract," Ethan stated, passing her a second copy. "But there are certain aspects you should be aware of."
Lila reached for the document, her fingers shaking, then stopped and looked at her father. He nodded slightly to her, his face expression vague. Taking a deep breath, Lila opened the contract and skimmed over the legalese that merged into one in her mind.
Everything, including the terms and conditions, and their respective roles under the contract was simply spelt out in details.
But as she approached the finish line, she felt something else that made her heart race. Ethan made a short step forward and remarked in a hushed, almost mischievous tone.
"This is not just an ordinary marriage, Lila. The papers before you contain in them some secret consequences that you'll come to find out later. You don't understand what they are right now, but you definitely will, sooner or later."
As Lila's mind raced, the room looked to shrink, with walls closing in on her.
She looked up at Ethan to see maybe she could grasp a hint of what he meant from his expression, but his face was a mask. She could only see what he wanted her to see.
"What do you mean?" Lila asked, her voice just above a whisper, filled with curiosity.
But Ethan replied, with a small smirk on his face, "All is fine, he winked. All you just have to do now is sign the papers."
Lila grabbed the pen to sign, her hands shaking heavily. Her instincts whispers to her to reject it and flee. But what could she really do? The sense of duty and devotion to family, and the weight of her father's expectations that had clinged on her for as long as she could remember held her back.
She sighed! A feeling of closure washed over her as the drew out the pen to sign. She felt the door to a life she once knew closed, and another where she didn't know will end opened.
After signing the contract, Ethan leaned over the table to retrieve the papers, her father gave a relief sigh.
"Welcome to the family Mrs. Cross", he nodded, with a small grin on his lips that didn't get to his face.
Lila narrowed her gaze on the man that just became wedded to. She couldn't believe what had just happened to her, unable to shake off the ominous feelings that perplexed her. She gnashed her teeth.
Ethan stood up to go away, but hesitated and gave her a look that hinted at things to come-something she wasn't sure she was prepared to face. With a silky as ever voice, he remarked, "Remember, Lila, this is just the beginning."
He then walked away, leaving Lila to bear the consequences of her own choice. She remained bound in her seat for a long time, confused of what to think or say.
What exactly had she consented to signing the contract? What were the hidden meanings underlying the words she hardly knew?
As she sat there, the ink on the contract was still drying, Lila knew her life would never be the same again. She'd entered into a marriage that was far more than a contract. Every step she made drew her deeper into the dark and twisted center of this labyrinth of secrets.
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
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 originsāa 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. āIt's time to reveal your true identity, darling.ā
The day Lilah found out that she was pregnant, she caught her fiancƩ cheating on her. Her remorseless fiancƩ and his mistress almost killed her. Lilah fled for her dear life. When she returned to her hometown five years later, she happened to save a little boy's life. The boy's father turned out to be the world's richest man. Everything changed for Lilah from that moment. The man didn't let her experience any inconvenience. When her ex-fiancƩ bullied her, he crushed the scumbag's family and also rented out an entire island just to give Lilah a break from all the drama. He also taught Lilah's hateful father a lesson. He crushed all her enemies before she even asked. When Lilah's vile sister threw herself at him, he showed her a marriage certificate and said, "I'm happily married and my wife is much more beautiful than you are!" Lilah was shocked. "When did we ever get married? Last I checked, I was still single." With a wicked smile, he said, "Honey, we've been married for five years. Isn't it about time we had another child together?" Lilah's jaw dropped to the floor. What the hell was he talking about?
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffmanāthe heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
On their wedding night, Rogelio wrapped his fingers around Marian's neck and spat at her, "Congratulations! From now on, you live in hell!" The reason for his wrath was that he believed she was responsible for the death of his elder brother. So, he married her but refused to touch her, determined to make her suffer for the rest of her pitiful life! However, due to an unforeseen accident, Marian was forced to sleep with Rogelio in order to save him, and she ended up getting pregnant. Concealing her pregnancy, Marian lived cautiously under Rogelio's watchful eyes. He hated her and relentlessly humiliated her, yet he would never allow anyone else to lay a finger on herā "Mr. Bailey, your wife got into a fight with someone!" Rogelio secretly took action, eliminating that person completely. "Sir, your wife claimed that all of your family's wealth belongs to her!" Rogelio quietly transferred all the shares to her. Unaware of all this, Marian only wanted to escape, but Rogelio pulled her into his warm embrace, whispering, "Mrs. Bailey, where do you intend to go with our unborn child?"
Loraine was a dutiful wife to Marco since they got married three years ago. However, he treated her like trash. Nothing she did softened his heart. One day, Loraine got fed up with it all. She asked him for a divorce and left him to enjoy with his mistress. The elites looked at her like she was deranged. "Are you out of your mind? Why are you so willing to divorce him?" "It's because I need to return home to get a billion-dollar fortune. Besides, I don't love him anymore," Loraine replied with a smile. They all laughed at her. Some believed that the divorce affected her mentally. It wasn't until the next day that they realized she wasn't fibbing. A woman was suddenly declared the world's youngest female billionaire. It turned out to be Loraine! Marco was shocked to the bone. When he met his ex-wife again, she was a changed person. A group of handsome young men surrounded her. She was smiling at them all. The sight made Marco's heart ache severely. Putting his pride aside, he tried to win her back. "Hello, love. I see that you are a billionaire now. You shouldn't be with suckers who just want your money. How about you come back to me? I'm a billionaire too. Together, we can build a strong empire. What do you say?" Loraine squinted at her ex-husband with her lips curled in disgust.