Hell no! was the answer Don Antonio gave his friend when he begged him to come work with his daughter. Crazy enough, that was Alexa's answer too when she learned that she would be working with her godfather. They both knew exactly what they were running away from. Alexa, a beauty with a body most women would kill to have, and most men lust after, including her godfather. She had brains too. Except that her father thought she wasn't smart enough to handle the family business. He went ahead and took away the CEO position from her, which was the one thing Alexa wanted the most. Don Antonio knew quite well that he would be playing with fire when he was asked to come work with his goddaughter, whom he was very much attracted to. But her job was on the line, and he was the only one who could save it for her. How would both of them handle the brewing dangerous passion that was about to burn them? Knowing what was at stake, would they run away from the sensual heat? Or would they allow it to consume them?
Alexa's POV
Tears stung at the corners of my eyes as his words reverberated through the large office space, bouncing back to my ears. I couldn't bear the harshness, nor could I bear the man from whom those words were coming.
"You're a worthless piece of shit! Just take a look at what you have caused! We lost all those millions because of you!" he screamed.
"Dad..." I began.
"What is it, Alexa? Are you ready to explain how these documents were signed?" he demanded, flinging the papers at my face.
The tears that had stung at the corners of my eyes now clouded them, threatening to spill down my face. "I don't know anything about those papers, Dad. I wasn't the one who signed them."
He snorted at my words. "But those are your damn signatures! If you weren't the one who signed them, then who did? Who freaking did?"
His eyes burned with fury as he glared back at me. I had to bend my head when I could no longer stand the heat of his gaze.
Just then, the office doors opened, and the familiar sounds of heels clicking on the floor announced who had entered. I didn't bother raising my gaze from the floor, knowing it was none other than Elsie, my step sister.
Her confident steps told me she was more than excited about the issue I was having with our father. It's not that I was expecting her to be anything else but happy.
Elsie hated my guts with everything within her and hadn't hidden it even for one day.
"Here are the papers you asked for, Daddy," she said in an excited tone.
"Hand them over to your sister," Dad replied to her.
She came closer to where I was and gave me the papers. "Take, Alexa."
The amusement underlying her tone told me that whatever was in those papers wasn't good for me.
My eyes widened as I scanned through the words written on it, "you want me to resign from my position as the CEO?"
"That's right," Dad confirmed, "I've lost enough millions all because of you. I need you to sign those papers right now."
"But Dad..." I began.
"I said now, Alexa! I don't want to hear any more of your silly excuses," he stormed over to where I was and landed a thunderous slap on my cheek, "the damages you have done to the family business are enough!"
I held the side of my cheek where the slap had landed and signed the papers with shaky hands.
"Good," he scoffed, "This is the only good thing you have done in a long time."
I heard Elsie squealing excitedly behind me. I thought she was being the typical Elsie until Dad motioned for her to take a seat.
She rushed to my former chair with a speed faster than that of light and relaxed in the chair.
"Even though you are the younger one, I believe you are smarter than your sister and will take good care of our family business," Dad told her.
"Of course, Daddy! I am way better than my older sister. Don't worry, Daddy, Bavarish brand is in the best hands," she bragged and shot me a mischievous look.
I gasped on realizing what just happened. Then I burst into tears the next second, while Elsie burst into laughter hearing my cries.
"This is not fair, Dad!" I cried out.
"Life is not fair, Alexa," he replied, "Besides, I can't sit still and watch you run down my company to the ground. I put blood, sweat, and tears to get Bavarish to where it is now."
"And mind you, those aren't the kind of tears he is talking about," Elsie chimed in with a mocking tone.
"You're so smart, my baby," Dad told her. He went further to where she was and kissed her lovingly on the forehead.
"See, I told you," Elsie boasted as a reply, "And I am going to make you proud, Daddy."
The tears continued flowing. I couldn't control them, nor could I stand the betrayal I was witnessing. My dad seeing me as a dumb blonde, instead of the smart girl he raised me to be, was one of my worst nightmares. And I was seeing it come to pass.
The pain felt stronger with each passing second. Running the family business was so important to me. He just broke my heart into a million pieces by taking the one thing I loved doing. Never had I imagined that there would be a day when Dad would compare me to Elsie, my younger stepsister, who I gave a solid five-year gap. To think he just chose her over me.
What else would he do? Fire me from the family business and marry me off to some old grumpy billionaire? My broken heart shattered more at that thought.
And just when I thought I had had enough heartbreaks and embarrassment for one day, the universe sent another. The door opened while I was still sobbing uncontrollably, and the voice I heard next made me wish that the floor would open and swallow me up.
"Donald," he greeted my father.
"Don Antonio. You are here," my dad responded.
My godfather came into the office with his majestic steps and stood right next to me.
He cupped my face and raised my head to look at him. That single touch from him sent shivers running down my spine. When I stared up at him and into his gorgeous gray eyes, it felt like the world stopped rotating.
"From the looks of it, I believe you have broken the news to her," he said to my father without taking his eyes off me.
"And she isn't taking it well. She has been grumpy ever since," Dad responded to him.
"But there is no need to be sad, little Alexa. It's not as if you are leaving the company or anything. You are simply changing positions."
He must have noticed my confused frown because he continued, still not breaking eye contact, allowing me to remain mesmerized by them, "Instead of being above every other person, you will now be working under me."
My eyes widened at what he just said.
No! Hell no!
Amaya was forced to make a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea. Amaya seeked the love her father wouldn't give her in the hands of her boyfriend. It backfired when he kidnapped and sold her. Michael, a dangerous mafia lord, who came to the club to escape the realities of his harsh marriage, saw the pleading look in Amaya's eyes and decided to buy her out of pity. Little did Amaya know that the man she was begging to buy her would be the beginning of her nightmares. And maybe fulfill her wildest dreams too. The same goes for Michael. Little did he know that the girl he bought out of pity might be his biggest pun. And maybe a ticket to a happily ever after. Both of them found their past and present worlds entangled in an exciting game of lust, a trip down the revenge road and a journey to the future-full of betrayal, manipulation and finally, love.
When a second chance comes knocking on their doors, will they open it? Lola is a single mother who believed that life had a second chance for her. Tired of her hard life, she moved to a new city with her son in search of it. Fate decided to play its part by making her path cross with her ex and baby daddy. Lucas has been living an enviable life. A talented billionaire artist, with a beautiful woman, Alessia, by his side to support him. But behind all those glamorous lifestyles lies a dark past. Lucas had left Lola at the altar, abandoning her and their son, all for greener pastures. Now life might be giving him a second chance to right his wrongs. How will Lola react to the changes that are about to happen in her life? And Lucas, will he be able to cope with the drastic turn his life is about to take?
After catching her husband having a threesome with her sister and best friend on their wedding night, Bella finds herself shattered by heartbreak and betrayal. From the pieces of her devastated heart, a relentless thirst for vengeance emerges. Fate brings Bella and Jameson, a ruthless billionaire CEO, together. Jameson harbors hatred towards Bella's father and her entire family, the Vanderblibs, and sees an opportunity for revenge. Bella forms an alliance with him, determined to seek retaliation against those who used her as a pawn in the past, even if it means risking her own downfall. However, planning revenge is one thing, but executing it is another. Bella will encounter unexpected twists and turns along the way, with her husband Matt, complicating matters. Will she give in to the darkness of revenge, or will she find solace in the light of justice?
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
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."
Blinded in a crash, Cary was rejected by every socialite—except Evelina, who married him without hesitation. Three years later, he regained his sight and ended their marriage. "We’ve already lost so many years. I won’t let her waste another one on me." Evelina signed the divorce papers without a word. Everyone mocked her fall—until they discovered that the miracle doctor, jewelry mogul, stock genius, top hacker, and the President's true daughter… were all her. When Cary came crawling back, a ruthless tycoon had him kicked out. "She's my wife now. Get lost."
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?"
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
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!"