Blurb Novah Ledger's ordinary life was turned upside down when her mother fell ill. Desperate to save her, Novah agreed to become a surrogate for billionaire mogul Riana Gunnar, who would stop at nothing to claim his heir. Their pact was simple: Novah would bear his child, and Riana would save her mother. But fate had other plans. An accident made Novah disappear, only to reappear five years later with a child and a shocking revelation: Riana was not the man she thought he was. He was a fearsome, lawless mafia boss. As Riana's empire threatens to crumble beneath the weight of his desires, Novah finds herself caught in a deadly love triangle game. Riana's enemy, Thorne Alder, had rescued her from the accident and has helped her recover her memories. Now she was torn between her loyalty to Thorne and the father of her child, Riana. Will she return to the man who threatens her existence, or will she take a chance on the one person who could destroy him?
Novah's POV
Pacing about with my lips in between my teeth, I had my back against the wall as a million and one ideas ran through my head at once.
Blinking uncontrollably, I tried to push back the tears that had pooled up in my eyes but it was to no avail as it began to flow down my cheeks in torrents.
Mother had been ill for a while now, causing us to go bankrupt all in a bid to pay for her medical bills and other necessities.
Working around the clock, I tried to keep up with the bills that keep piling up each day but my efforts were not enough.
Just this morning while I was attending to a customer at the mall, the hospital called, informing me of my mother's condition and immediately, I made my way here.
It had been more than two hours since mother was wheeled into the OR, yet no one had stepped out or gone in.
Sliding through the wall to the floor, I pulled my legs to my chin as I began to sob uncontrollably as fear overtook my body.
The attention I was getting didn't move me as I was too depressed to care.
Mother was the only family I had.
Since birth, I had never met with my father. Even after I pestered my mom so much to tell me about him, she wouldn't say a word and so I gave up trying.
If anything happens to my mother, I'm going to be doomed.
Putting my hands together, I muttered a swift prayer to my maker and as if on a cue, the door of the OR flung open and immediately I rose.
Staring at the doctor in charge with a look of fright on my face, I asked, "My mother?"
Flashing me a smile, he peeled off his gloves before grabbing my shoulder, the smile on his face never leaving.
With my heart beating against my chest, I kept my gaze steady as my legs shook from fatigue.
"We should talk in my office." He said, steering me in the opposite direction but I was adamant.
"I want to see her before leaving." I said stubbornly but he got the upper hand over me.
Now seated on the chair opposite him in his office, I watched as he flipped through the files that were scattered on his table.
Grasping the warm mug of cocoa he had offered me, I parted my lips several times to speak but words refused to form.
For more than ten minutes, I sat there, watching him as I struggled with my words before he finally decided to come to my aid.
"Your mother is critically ill and needs to be operated on in two hours." He dropped the bomb shell and immediately, the mug I was holding crashed against the floor.
Grasping the edge of the table with my eyes which were pooled with tears, I asked, "Did you just say two hours?" My voice was shaky as my heart rammed against my chest.
Beads of sweat broke out on my body and I could literally feel them dripping from my skin to the tiled floor.
"You owe a lot of money Novah." He took a deep breath before picking up the pace, "With my influence, I had been able to cover up for you when the matter arises during our discussion but I can't do that this time around."
"This surgery is not my specialty... your mother will have to be transferred to the neurosurgery department so she can be operated on..."
The rest of his words fell to the ground as I was too numb to react to a thing.
Fiddling with my fingers, I allowed my eyes to roam around the office for a while as I racked my head which was already hurting.
If I was told when I was still a kid, living the best life with mom in our comfy home that in my early twenties, I would be in a tight corner like this, I wouldn't have believed it a bit.
Overnight, a happy family changed to a mourning one.
"Novah!" Doctor Fernandes called and immediately, I doubled over, holding my chest as my chest as my heart constricted against it.
"Novah! You have to calm down."
"My mother is going to die." I cried in anguish, imagining how my life was going to turn out without my mother.
"Come on Novah, don't say that. You always told me about your belief in miracles, is your faith wavering already." He tried to soothe me with his words, instead he ended up making me even more furious.
"There is no such thing as faith when it's glaring that my mom is going to die." I yelled with my heart in my mouth.
"Novah... calm down okay. We can..."
"I don't have money for her surgery and no one will lend me such a huge amount of money."
Exhausted from my demonstration, I pulled myself to my feet, locking eyes with Doctor Fernandes who was staring back at me with a pitiful look on his face.
"I can't watch my mother die." I mumbled but before he could respond to my words, I dashed out of his office.
Avoiding making contact with people, I walked by the wall with my hands wrapped across my chest.
My vision was blurry as my eyes were cloudy with stubborn tears that refused to return to my glands.
In my absentminded state, I walked out of the hospital, pulling my feet down the alley that led to the road.
"Mom..." I muttered, the good memories we had shared clouding my senses and at the same time making me light hearted.
When I got to the point when her health began to fail, I halted for a moment, grasping my gown with both hands.
"Mom wouldn't be getting the surgery, I don't want to show my face at the funeral parlor." I muttered.
Raising my head slowly, I watched the speeding vehicles on the road and immediately, an idea popped in my head.
Smirking, I ran into the road without looking for incoming vehicles and at once, a car picked me off the ground.
The warm blood trickling down my face as a result of the hit made a little smile appear on the side of my lips.
"I did it." I muttered and then shut my eyes, blocking off the screams surrounding me.
After her fiancé and sister's betrayal, Prisca Alder's life takes a huge turn. To pay off their debts, her step-parents plotted to marry her to a septuagenarian who was crippled. Prisca wouldn't stay back and watch that happen and so she flees for her life, only to get hit by a car driven by Jason Kaiser, a conglomerate heir and every girl's dream suitor. In exchange for her freedom, Jason offered her a contract marriage to avoid her arranged union. What happens when Xavier Raiden, her ex- fiancé and Jason's estranged brother come crawling back? What of her growing feelings for Jason Kaiser, the man who gave her a second chance at life?
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."
Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"
June Rivera was divorced by her husband after three years of marriage because he wanted to be with her sister who was pregnant for him. Kicked to the curb with a divorce and rejected by her parents,she struggles to make ends meet and get a job until she saves Luis Ambrose from an accident - the only child of Rafael Ambrose, a widowed man and the CEO of Ambrose Corporation. When little Luis asks to have her as a nanny, and Rafael's mother pressures him to get married, they draw a contract. To be Luis's nanny and his fake wife for one year in exchange for 50 million dollars!
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.