As I walked down the aisle, bouquet in hand, I scanned the crowd-the very people I'd paid to attend. My heart raced, searching for my husband, but he was nowhere in sight. Panic set in. Was I about to be abandoned on my wedding day? I could already picture the headline: Daughter of Late CEO of Nova White Robotics abandoned at the Altar. Not only would I be humiliated, but my chance to take over the company would slip away, and my enemies would jubilate in my defeat. Just as I was drowning in my sea of doubt, I heard the sound of a hasty footsteps. The crowd turned and gasped in shock as Mason appeared, looking dashing in a sharp three-piece suit. His smile met my gaze, his piercing blue eyes locking onto mine. "Sorry I'm late. My suit didn't arrive on time," he said with an apologetic smile. I nodded and the priest began reading the vows, he turned to me and asked, "Will you take Mr. Mason Anderson as your lawfully wedded husband, to love and protect?" I tried to speak, but the words stuck in my throat. I just stood there, lost in confusion, unsure if this was the right choice. * * Determined to secure her place as CEO, knowing marriage is the key to winning over the shareholders, she's ready to do whatever it takes to take control of her father's company. But can she overcome the evil forces that threatened to destroy her family , or will they succeed in eliminating her for their own gain? And as for the contract marriage, will it turn out to be her worst mistake or will it blossom into something real, especially when undeniable feelings start to arise?
Chapter One
Emily
I had that dream again.
The one where I was thirteen again, sitting in the backseat, engrossed in my favorite game, Sniper Assassin, on my tablet while my parents laughed and shared jokes in the front.
"You turn me on!"Esther chortled in excitement, her laughter filling the air as she and my father sang along to Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel"-my mother's favorite song. She always said it reminded her of him.
Though my dad focused on the road, he still managed to dance in his seat to the beat.
It was a lovely sight to behold, one I would never forget anytime soon. I could smell the familiar scent of lavender and cinnamon that clung to her clothes. Her laughter resounded in the car.
The time was almost ten o'clock, my parents loved late-night drives. The only light on the street was coming from the headlights and billboards. I was supposed to feel scared but being with my parents made me feel loved and protected, nothing in the world would harm me as long as I was with them.
All of a sudden the car stopped moving. My mom and dad exchanged a look before my mum reached out to unbuckle my seatbelt, her hands trembling. " Hey Emmy," She whispered, her voice barely audible. " Me and Daddy are going out on a little vacation and we need you to stay with Uncle Rob and his family for a little while, okay?"
I looked up at her in confusion, " Why can't I come along?"
"Honey, children are not allowed, it's an adult thing."
"I'm not a child anymore mom, I'm thirteen,"
My dad stared back at me, smiling at me in amusement."You are still my baby girl."
I rolled my eyes, my mum leaned closer to kiss my forehead. " I promise we will come back soon okay? Uncle Rob is going to take care of you and also you would be with Maya, your best cousin."
" don't argue with your Aunt Gianna either!" my dad added
"I'm not a troublemaker, I just want to be around you and Mom, why must I always stay back?"
She kissed my forehead, her eyes glowing in the dark. "Sometimes, honey, we have to do things we don't understand. You'll be safe. Just remember that we love you. Always."
I got out of the car, finding myself in front of my uncle's house a frown spread across my face. My parents were in the car and they waved at me.
Then, suddenly, they were gone. I watched the car pull away, my heart racing as I stood there, alone. It was only a few minutes later that I heard the screeching of tires and the metallic crunch, a sound that still haunted me. I ran toward the scene, screaming for them, only to see the car catch fire.
I sat up in my bed, gasping, soaked in my sweat. My heart was thumping in my chest, and it took me a moment to remember where I was. I was no longer that helpless little girl. I was twenty-one, and today I had to catch a flight to New York City to see my mom and my uncle Robert.
I took a quick peek at the clock, and I froze. I was an hour late.
"Emily! You idiot!" I muttered to myself as I leaped out of my bed dragging my feet to the bathroom, splashing after on my face, then brushing my teeth. I hit the shower and in record time I was done.
I slipped into a black dress and a brown leather jacket, tying my brown hair back in a ponytail. Within minutes, I was ready to head to the airport. Glancing in the mirror, I smiled. "Today's a good day. I'll finally see my mom after so many years. I hope Dad's proud of me up in heaven." I checked out of my hotel room and, luckily, made it just in time to board.
Once the plane took off, I tried to settle down, the roar of the engines and the steady hum around me oddly comforting. I closed my eyes, as my mind began to drift back to the nightmare I had earlier this morning, my parents' laughter fading in and out in my memory, like whispers carried away by the wind.
No matter how much time has passed by, they were still with me in a way, I could feel their spirit hovering around protecting me from evil incidents.
No matter how much time passed, they were still with me in a way, haunting the quiet spaces of my mind.
When the plane touched down in New York City, I took a deep breath as I looked around the streets of New York City, and instantly it felt nostalgic, it felt like home.
This was it-the beginning of a new chapter. I was going to start a new life just like I promised my father. I pulled out my phone and dialed Uncle Robert's number.
"Hello, uncle!"
"Emily! You made it safely?" He asked, his tone not very excited.
"Yes uncle, I just landed," I replied trying to sound cheerful. " A Lot has changed here, you said the chauffeur would pick me up right?"
"Oh yes, dear!"
"Where is he?" I asked impatiently.
"He is on his way. You will see a white Porsche 911 waiting outside arrivals."
I smiled to myself in satisfaction. " Okay, thanks, Uncle Robert." I glanced around and spotted the Porsche along the side of the road. " Oh, I think he is here. I'll see you soon!"
I hung up immediately and hurriedly made my way to the car. The driver got out of the car, he was a tall, thin man with dark shades, and he gave me a curt nod as he helped me arrange my luggage in the booth of the car. While I hopped into the back seat.
I had barely settled in when the car sped off down the busy road of New York streets.
As we drove the city blurred by, its high buildings and flashing signs overwhelmed me. I took in a deep breath letting myself relax for the first time all day. I can't wait to finally meet up with my mom and set a new life here
I was excited about becoming the CEO of White Nova Robotics, a smile spreading across my face as I remembered that I had fulfilled my dad's dream to take over the company and carry on his legacy.
But as we picked up speed, something felt... wrong. The driver's hands were tight on the wheel, and I could see him struggling to control the car, his knuckles turning white from the tight grip. His jaw was clenched, his clothes soaked with sweat.
"Is everything okay?" I asked in a confused manner.
He didn't say anything, his eyes were fixated on the road.
Suddenly he began to press the brakes but instead of slowing down the car seemed to speed up.
A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead as he tried again, harder this time, but the brakes still wouldn't respond.
"Driver, what the hell is happening?" I asked my tone rising in fright.
"Brake failure ma'am," he muttered, barely sparing me a glance. "Hang on, I'm going to fix it!"
"You better fix it!" I blurted out feeling fear eating me deep. I gripped the seat belt tight, feeling the car veer wildly into an isolated area, the driver was still trying to control the car but nothing changed.
"Can't you do something?!" I shouted, clutching the seat in front of me.
"I'm trying ma'am !" he yelled back, his voice strained.
" well try harder or else we are both going to die,"
The car suddenly careened off the road and ran towards a line of trees along the edge of the street.
Would I die the same way my dad died?
This car was going to hit a tree and there was nothing either of us could do to stop it.
And just like I predicted.
It happened, and the impact was brutal. I hit my head on the window and everything around me spun; it was like the world had come to an end.
My vision turned to a blur, fading to black and I could feel myself passing out. The last thing I felt was the shattered glass around me And the distant sound of footsteps.
Somewhere in the darkness, I felt strong arms pulling me from the car. I tried to open my eyes, to see who was there, but I was too weak. I was slipping in and out of consciousness, my mind foggy and distant.
"Hey ma'am please, stay with me."
The voice was masculine, yet comforting, i wanted to respond, to thank whoever was there, but my mouth wouldn't form the words. I felt myself being lifted and carried carefully, and despite the pain, I felt a strange sense of safety.
"Hang on," My savior murmured.
Five years ago, he upped and left his wife without informing her. He had always felt unworthy. As a result, he decided to go and become a better man. It took him five whole years of daily hard work. When he was satisfied, he returned as a powerful and honorable man. He intended to start a family with his wife. But he got back to meet the greatest shocker of his life. He actually had a daughter!
P-please, I beg you. Come let's go tell Christian I had no hand in whatever happened, p-please." I clutched the lapel of his jacket desperately. "Let's go. You need to tell my husband you were paid." "Young lady, you're harassing me." His tone was cold and his stare granite. But I could care less. "You harassed me first! You had sex with me without my consent, my husband knows and now I'm pregnant with this child he doesn't want. You ruined my marriage! I-I hate you!" ************************************ Caught by her husband with another man on their matrimonial bed the morning after her birthday, Hailey Codza could not defend herself. As though it's not enough, she gets pregnant. Her enraged husband decides to pay her back for her infidelity by having an affair with his ex-girlfriend - Denise Kellers, the family Hailey never knew she had. Losing her family's wealth and company to her husband and his ex (now girlfriend), she is devastated, homeless and penniless as all her credit cards are blocked by her husband. She sees the man who is responsible for her pregnancy. The man she has no idea how he'd found his way to her matrimonial bed - Jared Johnson. Jared is annoyed when this strange woman disrupts his meeting and accuses him of ruining her life, marriage and impregnating her. It affects his business deals and having no choice, he marries her to calm the public whilst engaged to someone else. But he loathes her and allows his family treats her badly. Hailey who has fallen in love with Jared is broken when she can no longer take the humiliation. She signs the divorce papers and leaves, only to arrive six years later to the country as a self-made, secret billionaire and a mother of twins. Now her two ex-husbands are begging to have her back...
On her wedding night, Natalie's stepmother set her up to marry Jarvis, a disfigured and disabled man. Fortunately, she managed to escape, but little did she know that later she would fall for the man she was betrothed to.Jarvis pretended to be a poor man, but he didn't think that he'd fall head over heels for this woman.Their life went on until one day, Natalie found out her boyfriend's little secret."Huh? How could you have billions of dollars' worth of assets?" she asked in disbelief.Jarvis didn’t know how to respond.Being met with silence, she gritted her teeth angrily. "They said that you couldn't walk, but as far as I can see, you're strong enough to run a marathon."Still, he remained silent.Natalie continued, "They even said that you only have a few years to live. What about now?"Finally, Jarvis opened his mouth to explain. "Honey, this is all just a misunderstanding. Please calm down. Think about the baby.""Jarvis Braxton!"The man knelt down immediately.
6 years ago, Lydia suffered a brutal betrayal orchestrated by her own husband and step-sister, who drugged her and framed her. In a twist of fate, she ended up having a one-night stand with a stranger. Don't even remember what he looked like. Later, in the throes of death, she discovered the truth about her mother's death all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, she lost everything. 6 years later, Lydia returned with her genius son, vowing to exact revenge on all her enemies! Little did she know, she encountered an incredibly familiar man at the airport! *** The man was briskly pushing open the door to the restroom, heading to the urinal. Even with such a mundane action, he did it with unparalleled elegance and grace. Lydia, following him in a daze, saw his fierce lower body and suddenly snapped back to reality. She let out a high-pitched scream, instinctively covering her eyes with her hands, her cheeks flushed, and stood there stiffly, unsure of what to do. Lambert furrowed his brows slightly but remained calm as he continued to relieve himself. The sound of water hitting the urinal made Lydia's face even redder. She angrily shouted, "You pervert!" Little did Lydia know that Lambert, seeing her in this state, had a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Memories from many years ago flashed through his mind, and his heart couldn't help but stir. It was her!
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.