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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?
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
"Is it considered betrayal to develop feelings for your best friend's boyfriend? What about when fate intervenes, and he turns out to be your destined mate? You might think it's luck and thank the moon goddess for such a twist of fate. That's what I believed until the love of my life uttered those dreaded words: 'I want a divorce!' As I stared at the pregnancy test in my hands, I realized it was better to keep my secret to myself. My name is Violet, and this is my story."
Chloe Miler, a naïve young woman, waits shyly to spend Valentine's Day with her boyfriend, but is betrayed on that day when she witnesses him entangled in bed with her own sister. Chloe's heart is broken when her heartfelt love for him is trampled on in an instant. *** Lionel Williams, the mysterious billionaire, the top of the pyramid, is handsome as hell. His eyes are set high, but he is drugged, has a one-night stand with a strange woman, and is humiliated by that unknowing woman with her money! His instincts tell him it's not that simple, and he's going to find her out!
Iris grew from an orphaned child to the adopted daughter of the Stewart family at age ten, finding warmth in her nominal uncle Vincent's kindness. Seven years later, she became his secret lover. When Vincent's engagement was announced, gossip spread about the notorious playboy CEO finally settling down. But only Iris knew the extent of his cold, two-faced nature. Iris fell for Vincent and, through tears, begged, "Marry me," only to be met with his frosty refusal. Defeated, she accepted a lawyer's proposal, sparking public excitement. Then, on her wedding day, Vincent pleaded desperately, "Don't marry him…"
She thought she was the love of his life, and he became the love of her life that fateful day she had seen him at the pack's party. Selene Grace was only a replica of Alpha Leo's real mate, and when he spotted her, Leo immediately claimed her as his Luna in order to suppress the rumors of him being mateless. Being unable to conceive turns Selene's marriage into a nightmare, and as if that wasn't enough, Alpha Leo finally reunites with his long time lover and mate, rejecting a pregnant Selene as a result. 5 years later, Selene, a now successful doctor, receives an invitation to the moon shadow pack in order to rid the pack of a deadly disease which has struck it. Will Selene return back to the pack which had caused her so much pain, and what would she do when she realizes that she is mated to the Alpha who had betrayed her in the past?
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."