Mae's family faces the threat of losing their home and business, leading her to seek help from the only man that can help: the cold-hearted billionaire to whom her family owes a debt. But when she is face to face with the billionaire, she recognizes him as the stranger she had a brief, sizzling encounter with, a night of fun that left her with a bitter taste of rejection, after he had dismissed her as nothing more than a one night stand. Ethan Crowe has had his full of charlatans and social climbers. When he finds Mae in his office, he remembers her as one of them but her appearance presents an opportunity to fulfill his own agenda. With his grandfather's ultimatum of marriage looming, Ethan strikes a deal with Mae. Despite their mutual animosity, they agree to a marriage of convenience to meet their respective needs. As they navigate the charade of love, can they fool the world and Ethan's grandfather, while adhering to the terms of their arrangement?
I was hiding again in the pantry for the third time that day. If mum called me again to ask where I
put the soy sauce, I would curl into a ball and disappear. Things were easier before, when dad was
still in charge. The restaurant scene was his shmuck anyway, but then he got sick and now we
were failing. Woefully.
My watch flashed, signaling the end of my five-minute hiatus. That was how long I could stay in
there without getting bothered. To prove my point, the door handle twisted above my head. When
the door did not budge, a voice called out.
"Ehh... Mae, is that you? I need to get some flour, we've run out."
I sighed, rose from the floor, and unlocked the door. Lisa's round face came into view. She
smiled kindly at me, before hurrying into the pantry. As I walked back to the kitchen, the sound of
clanging pots and knives on chop boards grew louder. My mum was yelling at José in Italian
again.
I was glad I only had to wait tables; a day in the kitchen with my mother would kill me.
With efficiency honed from working years in the restaurant, I set to work. My smile looked
natural as I waltzed through the room taking orders, returning meals and clearing tables.
My job wasn't a total bore. Gauging the customers through their outfits was the highlight of my
day. I could tell which customer would be trouble from the way they dressed. I had learnt to be
careful around women who wore their shades while in the restaurant. With men, it was harder to
tell.
The door chimed open for the thousandth time and a man walked in looking grim. My eyes
skimmed over him. Crisp suit, mouth pressed in a line and a I-mean-business expression. He
would be one of the easy ones.
Something about him made me nervous, and I wondered if I had attended to him before. Instead
of taking a seat at one of the empty tables, he made a beeline for me, the server closest to the
entrance. Oh, he was one of those ones, the snotty people who thought they could come in and
have everyone moving to their own beat.
"Good afternoon." He started.
"Good day sir, if you would just be seated, someone will be with you shortly." I responded, my
smile still strong.
"I'm actually here on business. It's about this property and I'd like to see the owner. It is very
important that I meet with him today." my curiosity was piqued.
"I'm his daughter, my mother is running things for a while now since his health got worse, she'll
be happy to talk to you if it's important." He paused for a bit, and then nodded.
"That'll be fine."
I led him to dad's small office ignoring the look Miles gave me when he saw us, and then I left to
fetch my mum from the kitchen. She looked just as puzzled as I was when I told her about our
guest. Discarding the apron, she followed me to the office. The strange man had already pulled
out a file from his case, which now sat lonely on the desk.
Mum greeted him and sat in dad's ginormous leather seat. It smelt of several spices and dad's
cologne.
"I am Samuel Mikhalov and I'm a representative of the late Mr. McCauley" He began. McCauley
had been the proprietor of half the buildings seaside in Arroyo Grande. His recent death had
worried everyone that was under his care. "As you know, McCauley has no Family here, but he
has a half brother who currently resides in Scotland, being the only living relative of McCauley,
his properties were automatically transferred to his name." he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Unfortunately, Mr. Owen has no interest in keeping the property and has sold" -my heart
dropped- "the property to a new owner based here."
Mikhalov smiled sympathetically. "I'm afraid the two men were not on good terms in their youth,
this is his way to spite his brother for disappearing".
My mum glanced at me and I saw the fear in her eyes, so I squeezed her shoulder warmly. We did
not have to panic yet. Things could go either way, this new owner could be kinder and drop
McCauley's rates...or he could be worse.
"It's just a new owner right, there won't be some sort of hike in our rent, we can barely afford it
with my husband being ill." mum voiced both our fears.
"I'm afraid it's worse than that." Mikhalov answered. "The new owner-Mr. Crowe, plans on
renovating seaside Arroyo, Occupants in the properties formerly owned by McCauley need to be
evacuated within three months. I felt it would be impolite to send just the letters, so I am here to
deliver them myself." He extended a brown file to my mother but she just sat, stunned.
I took it from him and reached inside, pulling out a letter. It said the exact thing the lawyer had
said just with more words.
"That's impossible! This is too short a notice, this can't be applicable in court, and it's illegal!"
"I am aware of McCauley's love for this place and I would do everything in my power to stop this,
but there was nothing in the contract you signed with McCauley that states that this is illegal. Mr.
Crowe's actions do not violate any contracts."
"We've been here for thirty years." My mother said in disbelief. "This is our home."
He shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do. I am sorry. Perhaps you could try
talking to Mr. Crowe, he might reconsider..." but even as he said it, he did not seem confident.
Mum remained frozen. She just looked on at him opposite her, a few times, she'd break into a
smile and then, her face would contort to show confusion. Mikhalov had broken my mother.
"Thank you for your..." life altering news? Soul destroying revelation. "I think it's time you
leave." I managed to get out. The urge to point comically at the door then yell "And stay out!" left
my body the second, Miles walked in.
I had completely forgotten about my brother and his tendency to pokenose. He was holding a
plate of food and no doubt had a great excuse for coming in here, but one look at my face, mum's
dead expression and the guilty one of the lawyer, and it died in his throat.
"What's wrong?" he asked me accusingly.
"I will leave your family to deal with this. Once again, I truly am sorry." Mikhalov said before he
shuffled out of his office with his head down, no doubt going to someone else's job or home to
break the bad news.
He walked out, leaving me to repeat the dreadful news to my brother, and no doubt to my father
when we got home.
Hailey Evans, a hardworking server in Minneapolis, is barely making ends meet, balancing hours at a high-end restaurant while caring for her sick mother. Fate takes an unexpected turn when she meets Damien Williams, a 44-year-old billionaire with a cold heart and arrogance to match his wealth. They had an unforgettable one-night stand, but Hailey leaves, trying to forget about him. Damien, on the other hand, is not a man who gives up easily. Damien is obsessed with finding Hailey after that night, so he uses his wealth and position to pursue her, only to learn the tangled reality of her situation. Just as he begins to realize that Hailey may be more than a passing passion, his history resurfaces in the form of Elena, his manipulative ex-lover, and Rachel, his business associate with hidden motives. As Hailey becomes caught in a hazardous web of secrets, betrayals, and billion-dollar stakes, she is forced to negotiate a high-society world she never desired to be a part of. She has no idea that her hidden past has the potential to destroy everything, including her burgeoning affections for Damien. In a world where trust is as uncommon as love, will Damien and Haily overcome the lies, or will their story end tragically?
James Carter, a 44-year-old billionaire, is not your usual business mogul. He's the Alpha of the Silver Crescent Pack, one of the most powerful werewolf dynasties in the 24th century. On the surface, he's a ruthless businessman who rose to remarkable heights in the corporate world, but beneath that lies a dark secret. For years, James has been battling the curse of his bloodline: a prophecy that foretells a fated betrayal and a war that could put the supernatural world apart. Amanda, a 27-year-old brilliant scientist, comes into James' life, full of her own agenda. While he's drawn to her vicious intelligence and beauty, Amanda keeps a deadly secret. She's connected to a group of rivals with ambitions of their own. Her brother, Mike, and their allies, Liam and Kathy, seek to depose James and gain control over the ancient werewolf bloodline that holds the key to ultimate power. As power battles deepen, James finds himself cleaved between his feelings for Amanda and his loyalty to his pack. Dark forces begin to rise, and James must decide: will he sacrifice love for power, or will the prophecy lead to his inevitable downfall? Betrayals run deep, alliances shift, and love is tested. With the fate of the werewolf world hanging in the balance, James must face the ultimate battle, not only for survival but for his soul.
Mary Smith is a lady in her era of working hard to put food on her table, her goal is to work at a big company and become a successful person one day. She has been able to keep this goal in mind all these years and her life is going smoothly until she has broken up with her boyfriend. Two different wounded souls meet at the restroom, drunk and heartbroken looking for a way out of their misery, Dwayne gets hold of her and she can't deny him. Lost in his looks and comfortable in his arms, she wanted to forget about her pains and have fun but what do she do? The fun she wanted to have seems to have kept her bonded with this man. “What do you mean? Pregnant? It was once!” His cold voice echoed in her ear as she shivered in fear. “It was once I knew but how am I supposed to know that it is going to get me pregnant?” She yells in tears watching his fiance on his lap with disgust. “Get out of here now! You’re just a bitch trying to pin this trash on me and you’re fired too!” He said without giving her a last glance.
When Zora was sick during the early days of her pregnancy, Ezrah was with his first love, Piper. When Zora got into an accident and called Ezrah, he said he was busy, when in actual fact, he was buying shoes for Piper. Zora lost her baby because of the accident, and throughout her stay at the hospital, Ezrah never showed up. She already knew that he didn't love her, but that was the last straw for the camel's back, and her fragile heart could not take it anymore. When Ezrah arrived home a few days after Zora was discharged from the hospital, he no longer met the woman who always greeted him with a smile and cared for him. Zora stood at the top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, "Good news, Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us anymore, so let's get a divorce." The man who claimed not to have any feelings for Zora, being cold and distant towards her, and having asked her for a divorce twice, instantly panicked.
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?”
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
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.
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”