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It has never been easy for Evelyn Albert. She experienced the harsh realities of life after being abandoned as a child and left to fend for herself. She hopes to break away from the bonds of poverty while working as a secretary for the wealthy and enigmatic billionaire Peter Austin. But Evelyn's life is completely changed when a startling revelation about her history is made. Peter Austin runs his world with deadly efficiency. Known for his cool attitude, he has no time for distractions-until Evelyn enters his life. Her quiet resolve and innocence begin to crack his well-guarded walls. As power struggles, family secrets, and old enemies threaten to tear them apart, Peter and Evelyn must travel a dangerous path filled with betrayal, desire, and forgiveness. Will love be their final rescue, or will the lies of the past kill them forever?
Evelyn's POV
I grabbed my purse tightly as though it would protect me from the commotion of the day as I hurried through Austin Enterprises' glass doors. I looked at the clock on the far wall and saw that it was 8:57 AM, and my heart was racing. Almost on time. Once more.
"Evelyn, are you cutting it close?" The hum of the workplace was broken by Olivia's piercing voice.
I could tell she was grinning without even looking. She always had that arrogant tone in her speech, as if she was waiting for me to make a mistake.
I said softly, keeping my head down, "I'm not late," and made my way to my desk.
She whispered, "Not yet," loud enough for me to hear, along with the others. There were a few sneakers.
I choose to disregard them. I had become accustomed to the side-eyes and murmurs after years of this. But every time someone like Olivia reminded me of how insignificant I felt in this tall corporate world, my stomach turned.
I sat at my desk and started my old computer. Like every morning, the cumbersome machine took a very long time to start. I attempted to concentrate while my fingers lingered over the keyboard. However, I was unable to ignore the sinking sensation in my chest as I heard Olivia laughing behind me.
A flurry of phone calls, emails, and paperwork filled the morning. I ignored the grumble in my gut. I had barely made it through dinner last night, and I still had two days till payday, so lunch was out of the question today.
I tried to work quietly and keep my head down, but the office tension was too much to handle. Because of him, everyone spoke a little softly and moved a little more quickly.
Austin Peter.
The air in the room was sucked out by his presence as he walked in like a storm cloud. My heart raced at the sound of his shiny sneakers on the marble floor.
I hoped he wouldn't notice me, so I kept my eyes fixed on my screen.
"Mr. Wallace!" His voice, as cold and cutting as ice, echoed across the room.
I went cold. I looked up slowly from my desk. The marketing manager, Mr. Wallace, was standing next to the coffee station, holding a shaky cup.
"Yes, Mr. Austin?" Wallace's face went white as he stammered.
Peter's face was grim as he held up a file. "Is this what you consider to be appropriate work?"
"I-I don't comprehend"
"You spelled the client's name incorrectly. on each page.
The office fell silent.
Wallace opened and closed his mouth, but nothing came out.
Peter took a step forward, his tone lowering but not softening. "Are you aware of how embarrassing this is for the business? For me?
"I'll take care of it immediately"
"You've been fired."
It was a slap of words. Wallace looked at Peter in disbelief as his cup clattered to the ground.
Peter turned on his heel and said, "Pack your things." "You have until noon."
As he left, his eyes darting around the room like a blade, the place remained silent. I glanced back at my screen immediately, my hands shaking.
I was unable to make any mistakes. Not one.
The office was nearly deserted at the end of the day. The majority of my colleagues had departed, keen to get away from the oppressive stress that Peter Austin had brought with him. I wanted to go too, but there were still a ton of incomplete reports on my desk.
It was 7:10 PM when I looked at the clock. There weren't many of us left.
My phone rang just as I was ready to turn off my computer.
Mrs. Lane's voice broke over the receiver, "Miss Albert." Her tone made my stomach turn. She was the operations manager. "The quarterly report contains a serious error."
I responded tremblingly, "I-I didn't work on that report, ma'am."
"I'm not interested. Make it right. Right now. By 8:30 p.m., Mr. Austin needs it.
Before I could object, the line died.
Panic brewing in my chest, I gazed at my screen. I scanned the file after opening it. It was a complete jumble, with missing graphics, inconsistent numbers, and missed crucial portions.
This was not even intended for me to work on! However, what option did I have?
As I started editing, my hands were shaking. It seemed like a ticking time bomb every second.
My hands were clammy and my head was hammering by the time I pushed "Send." It was 8:25 PM when I looked at the clock.
I let out a sigh of relief. It was finished. I might be able to go home now.
I picked up my suitcase and got up to go.
"Miss Albert."
I was stopped in my tracks by the deep voice.
Peter Austin was standing behind me with his arms folded when I cautiously turned around. My heart almost stopped when his piercing grey eyes were fixed on me.
"S-Sir," I stumbled, gripping my bag very firmly.
"What keeps you here?" Although he spoke in a calm tone, I could feel the tension below it.
I hastily clarified, "The quarterly report had a problem." "I-uh-fixed it and forwarded it to your email."
His eyes never left mine as he took a step closer. "You fixed it?"
"Yes, sir."
He examined me with that unreadable gaze of his for a minute without saying anything.
"Please come to my office," he replied at last.
I felt sick to my stomach. "Now?"
"Yes, right now."
With my heart thumping so loudly that I was certain he could hear it, I silently followed him. What had I done incorrectly? Was something wrong?
Peter motioned me inside his modern office as he opened the door. The room was softly lighted, with a desk lamp casting a gentle glow on the polished surfaces.
He ordered, "Sit," and shut the door after me.
I sat tensely on the chair's edge and obeyed. As I waited for him to say something, my hands gripped the hem of my skirt.
Peter examined me while leaning on his desk and crossing his arms.
"Are you aware of the reason I called you here?" His tone was even as he asked.
With a dry throat, I swallowed hard. "N-No, sir."
He cocked his head slightly, making it hard to read his face.
"Let's discuss your performance."
My heart raced as I braced myself for what was coming next. Would this be the end of my job-or the start of something far worse?
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 her— "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?"
"We are divorced, Adams." She sighed and wanted to walk away, but he held her. "It doesn't matter." He answered, his voice laced with determination. "I don't love you anymore." "That doesn't matter either. What matters is that I want you, and there's nothing you or anyone can do about it." ***** Alicia's life has been a series of ups and downs. She suffered abuse from her husband and his family because she couldn't give him a child. She thought she had seen it all, but not until the day she returned home only to receive the divorce papers from her husband's parents. She pleaded with them, but was met with deaf ears, and so she signed the documents and left. Little did anyone know that she was pregnant. She returned six years later with her baby girl only to find her Ex-husband craving her once more. How will she take this, and what other surprises does fate have in stock for her?
Melanie married Ashton out of gratitude, but she quickly found herself entangled in a web of relentless challenges. Despite these struggles, she stayed true to her commitment to the marriage. In the hospital room, Ashton indifferently attempted to draw her blood, disregarding her discomfort. This callous act was a harsh revelation for Melanie, awakening her to the grim reality of their relationship. Resolved to prioritize her own welfare, she decided to sever ties. With newfound resolve, Melanie filed for divorce. In the process, she unveiled her concealed identities, leaving everyone in shock. Throughout these turbulent times, Melanie realized that Derek, Ashton’s uncle, had been discreetly protecting her all along.
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.
When Corynn mustered up the courage to tell Elliot about her pregnancy, she unexpectedly found him gallantly helping another woman from his car. Her heart sank as three years of effort to secure his love crumbled before her eyes, compelling her to leave him behind. Three years later, life had taken Corynn down a new path with someone else, while Elliot was left grappling with regret. Seizing a moment of vulnerability, he pleaded, "Corynn, let's get married." Shaking her head with a faint smile, Corynn gently replied, "Sorry, I'm already engaged."
The day Raina gave birth should have been the happiest of her life. Instead, it became her worst nightmare. Moments after delivering their twins, Alexander shattered her heart-divorcing her and forcing her to sign away custody of their son, Liam. With nothing but betrayal and heartbreak to her name, Raina disappeared, raising their daughter, Ava, on her own.Years later, fate comes knocking when Liam falls gravely ill. Desperate to save his son, Alexander is forced to seek out the one person he once cast aside. Alexander finds himself face to face with the woman he underestimated, pleading for a second chance-not just for himself, but for their son. But Raina is no longer the same broken woman who once loved him.No longer the woman he left behind. She has carved out a new life-one built on strength, wealth, and a long-buried legacy she expected to uncover.Raina has spent years learning to live without him.The question is... Will she risk reopening old wounds to save the son she never got to love? or has Alexander lost her forever?