Kathleen Murphy is on the verge of career breakthrough, having secured a prestigious project that promises to catapult her to the top of the corporate ladder. The catch? She has to work with her billionaire ex-boyfriend, Levi Grey-the man who vanished from her life five years ago without a trace. Their first reunion is anything but warm, with tension Levi's charm and infuriating arrogance get under Kat's skin, sparking constant clashes. And to make it even worse, he proposes a contract to have them live together till the contract ends. When the project takes a dangerous turn, with a potential scandal threatening to drag them both into legal trouble, Levi decides to make a dangerous move - pretend to truly be in a relationship or they go to jail. With everything on the line-her career, freedom, and maybe, a chance at love-Kat must make a choice whether to risk it all or take the fall.
"You'll be working with GreyCorps on the Jourdan project, Kat. Your transfer has been processed, and you'll be resuming on Monday," Rowland, her boss, said, passing her a brown envelope.
Kat's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean, transferring me to GreyCorps?" Her brow shot up as she opened the envelope.
Maybe he was high or didn't know what he was saying. Kat stared at Rowland, his perfectly styled hair and neat appearance somehow making the whole situation feel even more surreal. Rowland blew loose strands of hair from his face and crossed his fingers. He was always meticulous about his appearance-no surprise, considering he was the team leader of the creative and styling unit at one of the biggest fashion companies in the country.
"You'll be working as a creative manager to Levi Grey. Everything you need will be sent to your email, and Gloria will hand you a package," he added casually.
The words hung in the air, heavy and ominous. Levi Grey? Kat's mind raced. The Levi Grey of GreyCorps?
The memory of his smirk flashed in her mind, that same infuriating grin he wore the last time she saw him. Just thinking about him made her blood boil.
"Wait. I don't understand. Why am I being transferred to GreyCorps all of a sudden? We secured this deal here, in Valtara, and not with GreyCorps."
"Kat, I understand that this might be a surprise to you. This wasn't my decision alone. Think of it as a life-changing opportunity, Kat," he said with a smile. "You still get to work on the project. It'll shoot your career to the top, and who knows, it might even get you a top spot in the designer world." He assured her.
She couldn't believe her ears. It felt like she was being betrayed and sold off to some wicked slavemaster, only finding out about it two days before.
"But-"
"Trust me, Kat. You'll love it."
The problem wasn't even working or transferring to GreyCorps, but working with Levi Grey. Levi Grey? She could clearly picture his arrogant, self-absorbed face, probably smirking or laughing right now.
Her grudge against Levi Grey had been brewing for years. A traitorous ex-boyfriend, a self-obsessed charmer, and a breathtakingly handsome seducer-that's who Levi Grey was.
Kat took a long look at the paper in front of her and then at her boss. Nobody knew her history with the traitor they were sending her to, and they had no idea they were waking the sleeping tiger.
But she had to keep her cool, at least, to not blow away the big chance she had to shoot her career to the top. It was choosing between the devil and the deep sea-refuse to work with him and lose the project or risk making peace with her enemy to advance her career.
As soon as she left Rowland's office, Gloria handed her the package he had talked about and gave her a fist bump. It was real. The contents of the package were paperwork on the project and her name boldly written on the ID card of GreyCorps.
"Kat Murphy. Creative Assistant. GreyCorps." Kat read to herself as she sank into her seat. She needed some quiet, even if it was just for a moment to process everything.
They couldn't even make it a better position, but an assistant? Kat shoved the box away and stared at the high ceilings.
Everything was happening so fast. Working on the Jourdan project was confidential and highly important, but she still didn't understand. It just didn't make sense to have it transferred to GreyCorps with no prior notice to her and even why. GreyCorps was a tech company that focused on creating accessories -- anything techy that you can think about but nothing in the category of clothing designs.
Kat's moment was abruptly interrupted when Rosa quickly grabbed a chair. "Tell me this isn't real!" Her best friend said sliding her chair close to Kat. "You're going to GreyCorps?" Rosa's eyes widened in shock. But then, almost immediately, a grin spread across her face. "That's amazing!"
"You know about it?" Kat asked in surprise. Rowland had said she was the only one besides him who knew about the transfer.
"You know Gloria knows everything that happens around here," Rosa chided. "She told me all about it! When are you leaving?" excitement bubbling in her voice.
Kat sighed and turned a weary face at her friend, "On Monday."
"Are you serious?" Rosa gasped. "How can Rowland do this? You worked so hard to get this project, not to mention talking to Freya Jourdan."
"I know, Rosa, I know. Why does it have to be GreyCorps?" She whined and rested on her friend. "There are other people they could give it to; why does it have to be him?"
"How are you gonna survive? The two of you literally hate each other, and the fact that he's your..." Rosa looked left and right, then whispered, "Ex."
"I don't know, Rosa. Help me."
Rosa put her hands on her cherry-red lips. Her long black hair caught in between her hands, getting in her face.
"I can't believe this, Kat. You're so screwed. You two hate each other."
Kat looked at her friend and opened her mouth to make a cry. There was no way to start processing how screwed she was.
"Kat..." Rosa put her hands on her friend's shoulder. "Isn't this looking like a story where the female lead has no choice but to work with the male lead she hates the most, who is also her ex, and then they fall in love all over again?"
"Are you crazy?" Kat asked, shooting her a glare that could have put holes in her if it were a gun. "In all the years I've known you, I never realized you could be this dumb. You've really outdone yourself."
"Chill, chill. I was only imagining," she laughed. "I really can't picture the look on his face when the two of you see each other."
Kat let out a deep breath. This couldn't be happening. There's no way. How does she face him without him getting on her nerves? How were they even supposed to work together without being at each other's throats?
"It'll only be that irritating look he always has on his face."
"You call that irritating, Kat? Heaven knows how badly even I want to see that face look at me. Do you even know what you're talking about?"
Kat looked at her friend, then brought out some sweets from her pocket.
"Look at me, Kat. You got to date the hottest guy in all of Metrovia without doing too much. Do you know how many women would die for that opportunity?" Rosa said, taking the sweet from her and throwing it in her mouth.
"What's that got to do with taking my sweet? And besides, it ended when the idiot left without saying as simple as a goodbye"
"Kat, we both know that Levi is a hot cake. I still don't understand exactly why the two of you broke up, but whatever this is, it looks like a second chance to bring the two of you together again."
Kat threw her head back in laughter. "First of all, Miss Fortune-Teller, that is no way possible on earth. He literally has women around him. Then second of all, there's no way this is a second chance at whatever you might be dreaming about."
"How about we make a bet on it? My senses are tingling that this is going to be a long ride."
"No way possible, Miss Spidey Senses." Kat laughed and continued with her work. "No possible way."
"Nevertheless, you can do this, Kat. Everyone at Valtara believes in you." Rosa gave her a big hug. "How about I treat you to dinner tonight? Steak and champagne to celebrate your win?"
Kat hesitated. The idea of celebrating felt absurd, but maybe that's exactly what she needed-one last night of normalcy before everything changed. She nodded. "Yeah, steak and champagne sounds perfect." At least some champagne would help to drown away the reality of what's to befall her in two days from now.
"Gotta go now. Nate's calling for a meeting." Rosa said and kissed Kat's cheek. "I'll pick you up by seven!" She waved and ran off.
She would miss everything, everyone. Especially Rowland's usual complaints when things weren't the way he wanted. She would miss the gossip, the celebrity trending news that Gloria always knew before anybody else.
The day went by quicker than she had imagined. Her phone buzzed with Rosa's message. She was almost done rounding off the pending tasks she had to attend to, and the only thing left was to pack her things and say her goodbyes.
This wasn't just a transfer - it was a step into enemy territory. She could refuse, but no, the project was as important as her career was at stake. Could she really do this?
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
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."
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.
Desperate to handle her grandmother's towering medical bills, Gianna agreed to a contract marriage with Tristan, the enigmatic man she'd once shared a one-night stand with. She assumed they'd fulfill each other's needs and dissolve the arrangement once the terms expired. Unbeknownst to Gianna, this marriage was a dream Tristan had clung to for ten relentless years. Certain she was just filling someone else's role, Gianna prepared to leave when that other woman returned. But Tristan, his eyes burning with unspoken emotion, seized her trembling hand and declared, "You’re mine. Now and always."
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.