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When self-made billionaire Sebastian Grey needs a wife to secure a critical business merger, he offers struggling artist Charlotte Reed an irresistible deal: one year of marriage in exchange for financial freedom. With her family drowning in debt, Charlotte reluctantly agrees, vowing to keep her heart out of the equation. But as their worlds collide, fake kisses turn into stolen moments, and icy business meetings melt into warm confessions. Bound by a contract but tethered by something deeper, can Sebastian and Charlotte find love in a relationship built on lies? Or will the walls around their hearts prove impossible to tear down?
The rain pelted against the glass walls of the art gallery, each drop a stark reminder of Charlotte Reed's crumbling world. She clutched her portfolio tighter, hoping no one would notice the trembling in her hands. Tonight was supposed to be her breakthrough, the night her art would finally attract the kind of buyers who could lift her from obscurity. Yet, with every passing hour, the dream seemed further away.
Wealthy patrons in tailored suits and glittering gowns meandered through the gallery, their attention fixed on artists more established, more famous, more bankable. Charlotte stood near her display, an uneasy smile plastered on her face, trying to mask the sting of rejection. Her paintings-bold strokes of vibrant blues and oranges that spoke of longing and resilience-barely earned a glance.
"Miss Reed, I'm sorry to interrupt," came a clipped voice behind her. It was Mrs. Dalton, the gallery owner, her face pulled into a tight expression. "But I overheard a potential buyer asking about your work. Perhaps you could-"
"Of course," Charlotte interrupted, her heart leaping. This was her chance. Following Mrs. Dalton across the gallery, she smoothed her dress and practiced her best professional smile.
When she reached the corner where the buyer supposedly stood, she found no one. Charlotte's hope deflated. "Where are they?"
Mrs. Dalton hesitated. "Ah, it seems they've moved on. Perhaps next time."
Charlotte nodded, unwilling to show her disappointment. Next time. That phrase had haunted her for years. Next time, her art would sell. Next time, her bills wouldn't pile up. Next time, her sister wouldn't need to take on extra shifts to help pay for medication.
Across the gallery, she noticed a tall man in a dark suit watching her. He stood out from the rest-not because of his height or the sharpness of his tailored attire, but because of his stillness. While others flitted from one piece to the next, his gaze lingered, unflinching and almost predatory.
Charlotte quickly looked away, unnerved. She didn't have the energy to deal with another critic or, worse, a patron who would offer "advice" instead of buying her work.
Her phone buzzed in her clutch. Pulling it out, she saw her sister's name flashing on the screen. "Abby?"
"Hey, Charlie," Abby's voice crackled on the other end. "Just checking in. How's the big night going?"
Charlotte forced a lightness into her tone. "Oh, you know, schmoozing, dazzling everyone with my charm. Same old."
"Liar," Abby teased, though her voice carried the weariness of someone who had been fighting her own battles for too long. "Listen, I hate to bring this up, but the landlord called again. He's threatening to change the locks if we don't pay by Friday."
"I'll take care of it," Charlotte said quickly.
"With what? You can't keep putting yourself last, Charlie. You've already sold-"
"I said I'll handle it," she snapped, regretting her tone immediately. "Sorry. I'll figure something out, okay? Don't worry."
Abby hesitated before answering. "Okay. Just... don't do anything crazy."
Ending the call, Charlotte felt the weight of the world pressing down on her. Crazy? That was her life now. Every day, she had to make choices that bordered on desperate just to keep her family afloat.
Returning to her display, she found herself face-to-face with the man in the dark suit. He was even more imposing up close. His sharp jawline and piercing gray eyes exuded an air of control that made her uneasy.
"Miss Reed," he said smoothly, his voice rich and deliberate. "Your work is... intriguing."
"Thank you," she replied cautiously, unsure if it was a compliment or a veiled critique.
"I'm curious. What inspires such bold choices?"
His question caught her off guard. Most people asked about techniques or influences, but he seemed genuinely interested. "Life, I guess," she said after a moment. "The struggle, the hope, the contradictions. It's messy, but that's what makes it beautiful."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Messy, indeed. Tell me, Miss Reed, have you considered that sometimes beauty lies in order, in control?"
"Control has its place," she admitted, "but it's in the chaos where you find truth."
He regarded her for a moment longer, as if weighing her words. Then, without warning, he turned and walked away. Charlotte watched him go, puzzled and slightly irritated. Who was he to swoop in with cryptic observations and leave without so much as a goodbye?
Before she could dwell on it further, Mrs. Dalton approached her again, her expression unusually grave. "Charlotte, a word?"
In the office at the back of the gallery, Mrs. Dalton handed her an envelope. "This is your share from tonight's sales."
Charlotte's stomach sank. She opened the envelope to find a check far smaller than she'd hoped. It wasn't enough-not for the rent, not for Abby's medication, not for anything.
"I'm sorry, dear," Mrs. Dalton said, her tone not unkind. "Your work is brilliant, but buyers are... hesitant. They want established names."
"I understand," Charlotte murmured, though bitterness coiled in her chest.
As she left the gallery, the rain still fell in relentless sheets. Pulling her coat tight, she hurried toward the subway, her mind racing with half-formed plans. Maybe she could take on a second job. Maybe she could pawn the last piece of jewelry her mother had left behind.
"Miss Reed," came a familiar voice, stopping her in her tracks.
Turning, she found herself face-to-face with the man from the gallery. He stood beneath a black umbrella, the storm framing him like a scene from a noir film.
"I believe we can help each other," he said.
Her instinct told her to run, but desperation rooted her in place. "Who are you?"
"Sebastian Grey," he replied, extending a hand. "I have a proposition for you."
Charlotte hesitated before shaking his hand. It was warm, firm, and unsettlingly confident. "What kind of proposition?"
"Let's not discuss it in the rain. My car is just over there." He gestured toward a sleek black town car idling by the curb.
"I don't even know you," she said, her voice wary.
"True," he admitted, his smile disarming. "But I believe that will change very soon."
Against her better judgment, Charlotte followed him to the car, curiosity and desperation battling in her mind. Once inside, she was greeted by the scent of leather and a driver who sat silently, his eyes fixed on the road.
Sebastian sat across from her, his posture relaxed but his gaze intense. "Miss Reed, I've been watching you."
The words sent a shiver down her spine. "Excuse me?"
"Your work," he clarified. "Your resilience. You're... exactly what I need."
"And what is it that you need?" she asked, her voice sharper than she intended.
"A wife," he said simply.
The air in the car seemed to freeze. Charlotte blinked, sure she'd misheard him. "A wife?"
"Yes. Temporarily, of course."
"This is insane."
"Not at all," he replied smoothly. "I have a business merger pending that requires me to appear settled, family-oriented. You need financial stability. I'm offering you a solution to your problems-no strings attached, beyond the terms of the contract."
Charlotte stared at him, her mind reeling. It was absurd, unethical, and completely out of the realm of anything she'd ever considered.
"I'm not the kind of woman who agrees to something like this," she said, her voice trembling.
"I'm not asking you to change who you are, Miss Reed. I'm asking you to play a role. For one year, you'll have everything you need-financial freedom, security for your family. And at the end, you walk away, no harm done."
His words were calm, calculated, but Charlotte couldn't ignore the gravity of the offer. It was a lifeline, albeit one tied to a man she barely knew.
She shook her head, laughing bitterly. "This is crazy."
"Sometimes," he said, leaning closer, "crazy is the only way forward."
Charlotte met his gaze, her resolve wavering. In his eyes, she saw something unexpected-a flicker of understanding, perhaps even kindness.
"Think about it," he said, handing her a card with his number. "But don't take too long. Opportunities like this don't wait forever."
The car pulled away, Charlotte stood alone in the rain, Sebastian's offer echoing in her mind. It was madness. But with the weight of her sister's needs and her own crumbling life pressing down on her, madness might be her only option.
When Clara West is dragged into the ocean's depths, she's saved by the mysterious and alluring billionaire, Victor Hale. Their unexpected encounter ignites a forbidden romance that threatens to shatter Clara's privileged existence. Clara navigates the treacherous waters of family expectations and dark secrets, Victor's hidden past casts a dangerous shadow over their growing love. In a world where wealth and power reign, can their passion survive the storm of lies and betrayal? Dive into a sultry, suspenseful romance where the high seas meet high society, and where the truth is deadlier than the ocean's deepest depths.
Best friends, Emily and Olivia, have been inseparable since childhood. Their bond has weathered countless storms, but when they both meet the charming, mysterious Noah, everything changes. He's everything they've both ever wanted-kind, intelligent, and impossibly magnetic. What begins as harmless attraction soon turns into a whirlwind of love, lust, and temptation. But when Noah's affections are divided between the two, their friendship is torn apart, and betrayal lies in the shadows. As passions escalate, Emily and Olivia must confront their deepest desires and fears-only to discover that sometimes, love can be the most dangerous game of all.
Under the glow of the Eclipse Moon, Selene, a skilled healer with an unknown legacy, is bound by fate to Alpha Raiden, the formidable leader of the Crescent Fang Pack. Their union should mark a new era of strength and unity, but an ancient prophecy foretells devastation if they come together. Rival Alpha Draven of the Obsidian Howl Pack schemes to exploit the prophecy, Selene uncovers her hidden powers and a sacred bond to the Moon Goddess that could save or doom them all. With the support of her fierce best friend, Nyssa, and her growing love for Raiden, Selene must embrace her destiny and prove her worth as Luna. When betrayal and war threaten their pack, Selene faces a harrowing choice: sacrifice herself to break the curse or fight against destiny to claim the love and future she deserves. Can Selene and Raiden rewrite the stars, or will their love be eclipsed by the shadows of fate? This is a tale of love, courage, and defying destiny against all odds.
Leila's world is turned upside down when she's rejected by her mate, the alpha of her pack, and forced to leave everything she's ever known. But fate has other plans. Deep in the heart of the wilderness, two twin alphas, Rylan and Ronan, find her injured and broken, their instincts pulling them to her like never before. They offer her a chance for healing- but at a cost. In a world where omegas are meant to belong to only one alpha, Leila's heart is torn between two men who share a bond deeper than she could ever have imagined. As dark secrets unravel, Leila must choose: remain the rejected omega, or embrace a love that defies everything she's been taught.
In a world where werewolf clans are governed by strict rules and unyielding traditions, Rhea, a rebellious young woman, discovers a secret that changes everything: she's the chosen mate of the fearsome alpha, Darius. But there's a catch-Darius has already promised his loyalty to another, and breaking that vow could destroy the pack. Torn between desire and duty, Rhea finds herself drawn to Darius's raw power, but their love is forbidden. As a dark force threatens to tear the pack apart, Rhea must decide if she will fight for her destined place by Darius's side or sacrifice her future to save the pack from ruin.
Falling in love wasn't part of the plan for billionaire tech mogul Adrian Blackwell. Ruthless in the boardroom but hollow in his mansion of glass and steel, he has everything money can buy-except the one thing his heart secretly craves. When he crosses paths with Elena Marquez, a fiercely independent artist struggling to save her family's crumbling gallery, sparks ignite, but neither is prepared for the firestorm to come. Their worlds couldn't be more different, yet an unexpected deal binds them together. Adrian offers to fund Elena's gallery under one condition-she must pretend to be his fiancée for six months to thwart a hostile corporate takeover. What begins as a business arrangement soon unravels into a passionate, life-changing connection. But as past secrets and betrayals resurface, will their love survive the forces conspiring to tear them apart? Or will they risk everything for the chance at a love money can't buy?
Sandra Hill, the long-lost real heiress of the Hill family, was shunned by her own kin. Instead of embracing her, they bestowed their affection upon an impostor. They even arranged her to marry a vegetative man in place of her so-called “sister”. Sandra sneered, refusing to put up with this humiliation, cut off ties with the Hill family immediately and ran into the flash marriage with Wesley Cooper, her unconscious billionaire husband. With her incredible medical skills, she defied the odds and revived him. Little did she expect that her husband spoiled her with all his love... A medical genius, a computer prodigy, a national treasure in painting, and a racing legend... Her husband revealed her various identities, leaving the Hill family regretful. Her father came pleading, "It's Dad's fault. Please come back." Her mother wept, "Mom will protect you from now on. Please come back." Even her five brothers knelt before he, begging for forgiveness. Yet, Sandra's smile held a hint of mockery as she vowed, “Never!”
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
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?
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."
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
"I heard you're going to marry Marcelo. Is this perhaps your revenge against me? It's very laughable, Renee. That man can barely function." Her foster family, her cheating ex, everyone thought Renee was going to live in pure hell after getting married to a disabled and cruel man. She didn't know if anything good would ever come out of it after all, she had always thought it would be hard for anyone to love her but this cruel man with dark secrets is never going to grant her a divorce because she makes him forget how to breathe.