Helena Costa is drowning in debt and desperation when her cold and enigmatic CEO, Thom Bernard, offers her a shocking solution: a marriage of convenience. For Helena, it's a chance to escape financial ruin. For Thom, it's a calculated move to protect his empire. Bound by a contract, they live as strangers in a luxurious but hollow world, each guarding their emotions. Yet, as Helena glimpses Thom's hidden vulnerability, and he's drawn to her strength, their transactional relationship begins to shift. When the truth about their marriage is exposed, and Thom's career faces ruin, Helena must decide: protect herself or stand by Thom and fight for the bond they've unexpectedly built.
Helena Costa tightened the worn strap of her battered bag, the leather digging into her shoulder as she entered the sleek, glass-walled building of Bernard Enterprises. The polished floor reflected the intense fluorescent lights, and each step echoed like a reminder of how out of place she felt. Her sensible heels made a faint clicking sound against the marble, each noise amplifying her growing nerves. Today was not just another day enduring the exhausting routine of her mediocre job. Today, she was here to face her CEO, Thom Bernard, with a desperate request for a raise.
The debts left behind by her father hovered like a storm cloud over her life, suffocating her every thought. The bills piled up on her kitchen counter like taunts, their due dates screaming as if daring Helena to find a solution. She had spent sleepless nights pondering alternatives, but none came without a price she couldn't afford. This, however, was her last resort.
She reached the top floor, and the elevator doors opened with a soft chime. The atmosphere changed immediately. Here, the air was fresh, sterile, and charged with power. The faint hum of activity underscored the quiet confidence that defined the company's elite. At the end of the hallway stood two imposing doors: Thom Bernard's office.
Helena took a deep breath and walked toward them. She knocked twice and waited. Moments later, the doors swung open, revealing a tall man with a chiseled jawline, perfectly styled dark hair, and steely eyes. Thom Bernard-his name alone sent chills through the office gossip circuit. Ruthless. Calculating. Intimidating. And undeniably magnetic.
"Miss Costa," he greeted, his tone neutral. "Come in."
Helena entered, the luxury of the office making her fragile confidence waver. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the bustling city below, while the minimalist decor emphasized efficiency over comfort. Thom gestured to the chair across from his desk. She sat, clutching her bag as if it were an anchor.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, leaning back in his chair, his expression unreadable.
Helena's palms were sweaty, but she pressed on. "Mr. Bernard, thank you for seeing me. I wouldn't ask if it weren't urgent, but I... I'm in a difficult situation. My father left substantial debts, and I've been doing my best to manage them, but..." Her voice faltered under his piercing gaze. "I need a raise."
Thom's eyes narrowed slightly, his fingers steepling as he studied her. The silence stretched long enough for her to feel the heat rising in her cheeks.
"A raise," he repeated, his tone measured. "You've been with the company for... two years, correct?"
"Yes, sir," she answered quickly. "And I've worked hard. I've taken on extra tasks, stayed late when needed, and-"
He raised a hand, silencing her. "I'm aware of your performance." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "But I'm also aware of this department's financial state. Raises aren't exactly... abundant at the moment."
Helena's heart sank. She opened her mouth to protest, to plead, but his sharp gaze stopped her.
"However," he said, the word hanging like a lifeline. "There might be another solution to your problem."
Helena frowned, not understanding what he meant. "Another solution?"
Thom stood and walked to the window, his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed at the city. "You're resourceful, Miss Costa. Determined. And, perhaps most importantly, you're not entangled in the corporate games played at this level." He turned to face her. "I need someone I can trust to fulfill a personal agreement. Someone discreet."
Helena's confusion deepened. "What kind of agreement?"
He approached the desk, his gaze piercing. "A marriage."
For a moment, she thought she had misheard. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Thom said calmly. "A marriage. Contractual, of course. It would be mutually beneficial. I need a wife to satisfy certain... expectations, both personal and professional. In return, your financial problems would be resolved."
Helena's jaw dropped. This had to be a joke, a cruel test of her desperation. But Thom's expression was as serious as ever.
"This isn't... I mean, you can't be serious," she stammered.
"I'm always serious, Miss Costa," he said softly. "Consider this a business proposal. Your debts cleared, financial stability guaranteed, and in return, you help me navigate a complicated social landscape. No emotional entanglements. Just an agreement."
Helena's thoughts raced. This was insanity. Who made such a proposal? And yet... the weight of her father's debts pressed down like a vice, the impossibility of escaping them alone crystal clear.
"I... need time to think about it," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Thom nodded. "Of course. Take the weekend. But understand that my offer isn't indefinite. I need an answer by Monday."
Helena stood, her legs trembling beneath her. As she was leaving the office, Thom's voice stopped her.
"Miss Costa."
She turned, meeting his gaze.
"Remember," he said, "every decision has a price. Make sure you're willing to pay it."
Helena spent the weekend in turmoil. Sitting at her small kitchen table, she pored over numbers that refused to add up. The proposal replayed in her mind, alternating between absurdity and temptation. Could she really agree to something so cold, so transactional? But what other choice did she have?
By Sunday night, the answer began to crystallize in her mind. This wasn't just about her debts. It was about survival. About taking control of a life that had spiraled completely out of her hands. If this was the price of freedom, perhaps it was worth paying.
When Helena entered Bernard Enterprises on Monday morning, the weight of her decision was like a stone in her chest. She rode the elevator to the top floor, each ding marking another step toward her fate. When she reached Thom's office, she paused, her hand hovering over the door.
This was it. Once she stepped inside, there would be no turning back. Taking a deep breath, she knocked and waited.
Thom's voice came from inside. "Come in."
She opened the door, her resolve hardening with each step. "Mr. Bernard," she said, meeting his steady gaze. "I've made my decision."
In a world where humans and werewolves coexist in secrecy, Lyra, a young woman with a mysterious past, finds herself drawn to a forbidden love. When a series of strange dreams lead her to a remote forest, she encounters a pack of wolves, led by the fierce and enigmatic alpha, Kael. Torn between her human life and an undeniable connection to Kael, Lyra soon discovers that her bloodline is entwined with the ancient history of the pack. As the full moon approaches, dark forces threaten the fragile peace between the human world and the wolves. Kael must choose between his duty as alpha and the bond he shares with Lyra-one that could change the fate of both their worlds forever. In a battle for love, loyalty, and survival, Lyra must answer the call of her heart-and the call of the alpha.
Elena always felt a strange pull toward the wilderness, a whisper in her soul every time the full moon lit up the night sky. On a fateful evening, while hiking through the dense forest near her hometown, she encounters Adrian, a mysterious stranger with piercing eyes and an aura of danger. What she doesn't know is that Adrian is no ordinary man-he's the lone guardian of an ancient wolf clan, bound to protect his kind and keep their existence hidden. As Elena and Adrian's worlds collide, an undeniable passion ignites between them. But their love comes with risks: Adrian's clan views humans as a threat, and a rival pack is hunting to claim Elena for their own dark purposes. With secrets unraveling and the full moon drawing near, Elena must decide if she can trust Adrian with her heart-and if she's willing to embrace a destiny that could forever change her life. Under the glowing light of the full moon, love and fate will be tested in ways neither imagined.
Evelyn Hart was a famous actress, adored by millions and celebrated for her talent. At the peak of her career, she gave it all up for love, setting aside her dreams to support her husband, a man who always treated her as ordinary and dispensable. Trapped in a toxic and suffocating relationship, Evelyn believed her sacrifice was an act of love-until the veil of illusion began to lift. When she finally breaks free from the chains of her past, Evelyn is determined to reclaim her life and career. On her journey to redemption, she crosses paths with Viktor Kane, a dangerous and enigmatic CEO whose polished exterior conceals deep ties to the underworld. The attraction between them is undeniable, and Viktor ignites not only passion in Evelyn but also a newfound strength to confront her fears and settle the score with the man who underestimated her.
Alitta had always had terrible luck in love, she had always seen her friends, family and acquaintances find their predestined partners, but it seemed that her turn would never come. Without hope, one lonely night, she threw herself into the arms of an unknown man, everything went well, but what she didn't expect was that this unimportant night would bear fruit. The pregnancy was becoming more and more apparent, the discovery that the father of her child was the alpha of her pack was a great shock. She now had a choice in her hands: give up her baby or flee with her child to face everything that was to come alone.
I lived my whole life normally without even knowing the secret of my lineage. The next thing I knew, I was being dragged into a clan. The people in this clan aimed to keep an almost instinctive pack of wolves alive. They told me that I was part of this bloodline, something I could never have known because I was nothing more than a miserable orphan until they found me. I found myself at the start of a dangerous yet exhilarating journey.
I dedicated my whole life to God, I was always focused on my duties and my virtue, at least until the day I met him. That wasn't a part of the great church I had known before, curiosity led me deeper into what seemed to be a dungeon, and that's where I found him. Something wicked chained up, sealed in that frightening place. His name was Amon, the evil being who had dragged me into sin, made me give myself over to him, the being who had introduced me to lust.
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
Amy didn't expect that her husband whom she had loved and trusted earnestly for many years would be cheating on her by having sex with his secretary. When she confronted him, he and his secretary mocked and ridiculed her, they called her barren to her face, afterall, she had not conceived for the past three years that she had been married to her husband, Callan. Terribly Heartbroken, she filed for divorce and left to the club, she picked a random gigolo, had a hot one night stand with him, paid him and dissapeared to a small city. She came back to the country six years later with three identical cute boys and three identical cute girls of the same age. She settled and got a job but soon find out that her CEO was the gigolo she had sex with six years back at the club. Will she be able to hide her six little cuties from her CEO, who happens to be the most powerful man in NorthHill and beleived to be infertile? Can Amy and the most powerful man in NorthHill get along considering the social gap between them.
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”