" You're mine, little bird." My blood thrummed loudly in my ears as I crawled away from him on the floor. With long strides, he was already standing above me. He pulled me up and covered my mouth with his palm. Panic set in, my limbs shaking in terror. "You need a reminder of who you belong to." His mismatched eyes boring into mine. I shook my head, violently, tears wetting his hand over my mouth. He brought the knife to my face." Tell your lover, Zayden, not to get involved. I already graced you with the wedding. Marry him, but 7 days after the wedding, come back to Denver, where you belong." I nodded desperately, hoping he wouldn't hurt me. " I'll leave a souvenir." He chuckled and then dug the pocket knife into my side. **** Lillain's life is a delicate mess. Having survived her traumatic childhood by suppressing her memories, she has to do everything to survive, which includes agreeing to a contract marriage with her boss to have access to his wealth. Engage to Enigmatic and wealthy Zayden, she hides a dark secret. She's been threatened by a mysterious figure from her past. Her past was coming back to haunt her. Zayden eventually discovers her secrets and confronts her. But Lillian can't confide in him - she's trapped in a web of fear and trauma, leaving Zayden devastated with the fear of losing her. The biggest shock comes when the mysterious figure appears, his menacing presence threatening to destroy Lillian's carefully constructed plans. With her world spinning out of control, Lillian must make a choice: confront her demons or risk losing everything including the man she had fallen in love with. But Little did she know that she wasn't the only one keeping secrets. Zayden had secrets, secrets darker than hers.
~1
I walked into the massive building, careful not to let the mud on my shoes stain the sparkling white tiles. I received an email yesterday that I had passed the job interview so here I was on my first day as a secretary.
Walking over to a lady behind the reception, I gave her a sweet smile. " Umm, excuse me. I'm Lillian Ace ".
She grasped." Ohh, our new employee!".
I nodded, still smiling even though my lips hurt.
"Give me a minute" she said then typed something on the computer before turning to face me again.
She looked me up and down slowly with a smug smile on her face. I suddenly felt self-conscious. I was wearing a sunset yellow dress and a pair of white Stilettos.
" Is this how you dressed in your previous work?". She snarled.
My previous work was at a café, I wore jeans every single day, but I wasn't going to blurt that out.
"Well, it's decent enough". I retorted.
She smacked her red painted lips shaking her head. " Miss, we have a dress code here. All corporate wear, Monday to Fridays".
Swallowing the tantrum that was about to escape my lips I spoke."This is a corporate dress".
She shook her head, disagreeing with me."You are dressed like you're going to the beach, go home and put on something more appropriate".
I stared at her in disbelief. My house was an hour drive from here and the only money left with me right now was for groceries. If I go back home now, then I would have to walk for almost two hours to get back here.
When she saw I was unmoving, she snapped. " Do you want this job or not ?" Her voice high-pitched, attracting the attention of other people in the building.
I was embarrassed, I wasn't even sure I had the right outfit at home."Well, where I live is pretty far. So, going back wouldn't be easy".
She looked me up her down, her brown eyes brimming with disgust. Tilting her head, she scrutinized me.
" Seems to me that you probably don't have any appropriate work clothes". She walked around the desk and stood right in front of my face. " Or you simply can't afford one".
She picked up the edge of my dress, holding it like it was shit. I finally flared up, this lady had been rude since the moment I walked in, and I wasn't going to let anyone belittle me.
I slapped her hands off my dress. " Don't touch me! ".
Deep down, I knew I didn't have any proper clothes. I wasn't rich or anything, but I could afford at least two-square meals a day. I was initially planning on calling Jade to lend me some clothes, she was a good friend of mine and my roommate. She worked at a decent company, didn't pay much, but she was still living her best life.
" You better hurry, the boss comes by 9 so you have less than 25 minutes left ". She folded her hands on her chest, a smug smile on her face.
There was no way on earth I'd make it back in 25 minutes. The stubborn side of me wanted to just waltz out and never come back, but I knew better. Jobs like this were difficult to come by, if I let this one go, then I'm doomed.
As much as I hated to beg people, especially the likes of this receptionist, I had no choice.
So I swallowed my little pride and tried reasoning with her. " I could wear something better tomorrow, but today wouldn't work. I won't be able to get back in 25 minutes even if I used a jet ".
She snorted. " Then fucking teleport! ". Turning on her heels, she tossed her hair in my face and walked back behind the desk.
I stood rooted to the ground like a statue, not knowing what to do. I felt so many eyes on me, this was really embarrassing.
The next moment I turned on my heels and exited the building. I walked as fast as I could, trying not to trip on my shaky heels.
I reached for my phone in my purse, wanting to call Jade. Her workplace shouldn't be far from here, if she could help me, then I'll kiss her toes when I get home.
Tears were clouding my vision, I couldn't even see the screen properly. I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings and the next second I bumped roughly into someone, landing on my ass and smacking several office files on the slightly damp concrete floor.
My phone was tossed to one corner, probably broken too.
Scrambling to my feet, I began apologizing, picking up the already damp papers.
I looked up from my squatting position to find a pair of gray eyes looking down at me. He was tall with a mass of black hair toppling over his shoulders. He was looking at me like he was about to snap my neck.
" I'm sorry, I'm so sorry". I mumbled.
It was then I noticed I had also smacked his phone to the ground. I stared in horror at the broken screen. This phone could cost my life. I had seen enough phones to differentiate between expensive and cheap ones. Mine was the cheapest, but this could cost a fortune.
"Get up !". His voice was hoarse.
I rose to my feet immediately, holding a few papers that I managed to pick up.
"Do you know how long it took me to sort out those documents?"
I flinched." I'm sorry, I wasn't looking. I'm deeply sorry."
He stepped closer, his cologne making my body go rigid.
" Sorry, isn't going to sort the papers out. Do you know how long it took me to prepare this? Not only did you destroy my phone, but the papers are goddamn soaked! ". He snarled.
I was so unlucky, every day of my life has also been full of bad luck. There was never a day when things could go smoothly,I was still wondering why a plane hadn't crashed on my head yet .
I heard the clacking of heels and a grasp. " You again! ". The receptionist shrieked.
I turned to look at her, my hands trembling. We were in the middle of a walkway. Some people were already turning their heads to stare.
" Oh my god, sir .... I'm so sorry." She walked up to where I stood. Grabbing the papers from my hands, she took a look.
Her eyes widened as she barked at me. " Isn't this .......you pest,I knew you were a nuisance !"
I don't tolerate insults but right now, I am in the wrong so to minimize the situation, I'd rather accept whatever words she chose to throw at me. I had a feeling that if people weren't around, she would have slapped me hard.
" Mr. Kent, isn't the presentation tomorrow? What are we going to do?"
I blinked, realization dawning on me. I might have just ruined something critical, and I hoped my guts were wrong but from the looks of things. This man was probably the boss.
" You !" He pointed a finger at me. " Come with me."
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."
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 – 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?
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
For two years, Ashton had poured his heart into his marriage, yet Emalee's heart remained cold. Despite his dedication, Emalee presented him with divorce papers. She bluntly stated she could not remain married to a man whose net worth was less than a million dollars. Ashton signed the papers, closing one chapter of his life and stepping into a new beginning. Then, Ashton revealed his secret identities: a music mogul, a medical expert, and a martial arts master—each persona impressive enough to stun the world. As Ashton’s true capabilities came to light, Emalee was overwhelmed with deep regret.
Rejected by her mate, who had been her long-time crush, Jasmine felt utterly humiliated. Seeking solace, she headed to a party to drown her sorrows. But things took a turn for the worse when her friends issued a cruel dare: kiss a stranger or beg her mate for forgiveness. With no other choice, Jasmine approached a stranger and kissed him, thinking that would be the end of it. However, the stranger unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You're mine!" He growled, his words sending shivers down her spine. And then, he offered her a solution that would change everything...
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"