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Lauren Gartner is betrayed, played for a fool and dies by the hands of her rich fiance, the man she thought she would spend the rest of her life with. She gets a rebirth, a second chance to fix her mistakes and find a better path. This time, she wants revenge. To get her desire, she needs the power and wealth of someone higher than her rich fiance in order to pull him down. Richard Harrison discovers he cannot take over his parents' companies completely unless he gets married. He insists he has no interest in love and proposes a contract marriage to Lauren Gartner, his new personal nutritionist. Desperate to pursue her cause for revenge, Lauren accepts the contract marriage while ignoring the instant attraction and love growing between them. Will things go smoothly as she planned? Or will she be at the mercy of a familiar enemy waiting for her downfall?
Nothing prepared her for this day. Nothing at all.
Lauren took a deep shaky breath as she grabbed the card key from the hands of the young hotel receptionist standing beside her.
She quickly tucked it in her bag and rubbed her sweaty palm against her black denim trouser.
"Are you sure you're ready to do this? You might not like what you see."
Lauren glanced at the receptionist who had offered her the key to the VIP room where her fiance had been staying or rather, hiding for a week.
It was against the rules of the hotel for the young lady to do this for her.
Hmm, what was it called again? Invading the customers privacy?
Lauren sighed. Did it matter what it was called? She didn't care.
All she wanted right now was to satisfy the curiosity that had been on her mind for weeks now.
"I'll never be ready. I might as well get on with it" Lauren mumbled in response, feeling fatigued all of a sudden.
"Alright." The lady smiled warmly. "My job is at stake here so you have to hurry up. We can call this a repayment for the days you helped me in university. I'll be waiting for you."
"Thank you" Lauren waved before she jogged off to the adjacent corridor that led to VIP room 431.....
The room that held the answers she had been seeking for a long time.
A few minutes later, Lauren stood in front of the door with a sign that read '431'. She froze on the spot as thoughts raced through her mind.
Stefano had been cheating on her right? It wasn't just her imagination....right?
Or was she just insecure and paranoid for no reason?
And besides that, why had he been ignoring her calls for two months now? Did that mean he didn't love her anymore?
They had so much to talk about regarding their lives together and the business agreement he had made with her. To think he had proposed to her two months ago and immediately started ghosting her almost drove her crazy.
Who was he playing games with?
"You can do this, Lauren" She whispered as she placed a hand on the left side of her chest and rubbed it gently, trying to calm her racing heart.
She swiped the card on the door knob censor and it unlocked, giving no sound of entrance away.
Thank Goodness!
Lauren bit her lower lip and pulled the door open. She walked in and shut it.
An hour at most. She had to get out of here after one hour unless that lady's job might be at stake.
A dimly lit short corridor led to the sitting room and bed room. She tiptoed slowly, moving into the VIP apartment and gazing at the luxurious taste of its furnishing.
Lauren frowned.
A night here cost nothing less than a few thousand dollars. This wasn't your average vip room.
Based on what the young receptionist told her, Stefano booked a whole month down at once.
Where did he get such money from?
Of course, Stefano earned good money at his workplace, she was well aware of that.
But not this 'kind of money'.
It would have cost him nothing less than $80,000 for a full month here, minus the extra expenses.
An uncomfortable shiver rippled down her spine and she shuddered from the effect. Something wasn't right.
She peeked into the open living room and after finding it empty, she turned and walked towards the bedroom door, her heart in her throat.
Lauren heard a muffling sound as she neared the bedroom door. She pulled it open gently, holding her breath and froze immediately as the muffled sound became clearer.
"She's so stupid and naive, poor thing..." The familiar voice of a woman chuckling hit Lauren's ears through the classical music that played from an MP3 speaker.
She was so shocked that she couldn't move for a full minute.
Lauren heard Stefano laugh at the woman's words and her vision blurred as she tightened her fists around the doorknob.
'Get a hold of yourself!' The voice in her head yelled.
Lauren forced herself to walk into the room. She took slow, careful steps and stood behind the wall corner.
She popped her head and peeped.
There he was, the man she was to marry soon, cuddling a naked woman under a thick blanket in the air-conditioned room.
Lauren felt something break inside of her.
It's one thing to suspect something, it's a different thing for the suspicion to be true.
"So you'll break up with Lauren soon? And then, we'll get married?" The lady asked, her voice not very clear due to the music.
Lauren covered her mouth with both hands as she listened on. Against her will, the tears gathered in her eyes, threatening to fall. What did she just hear?
Stefano chuckled. "Sure, baby. I'm done with her now. She has served her purpose. Becoming a Managing Director at this young age is the icing on the cake for me. I no longer need her for anything...."
"She's probably still waiting for you to give her the share of money from your business agreement." The woman laughed. "It's been two whole months, she's very slow. A retard. She doesn't deserve you."
Lauren fell to her knees as those words hit her. She put the pieces together and almost screamed from the bile of anger that rose in her chest.
How dare he?! How dare Stefano do this to her?!
She gripped her chest where her heart hurt and whimpered as hot tears flowed down her cheeks.
The stench of his double betrayal was too much for her. She felt too tired to stand straight but no, she couldn't allow him get away with this.
She needed answers. She had to face him. She had to see the face of the woman who knew so much about her while she remained in the dark.
Lauren clenched her fists and dried her tears of anger with the sleeve of her blouse.
Keeping her face firm and jaw tightly clenched, she stood up straight and walked past the wall corner into the big bedroom.
Lauren yelled as loud as she could. "Stefano!!!"
"You've never imagined that you could be at my mercy one day. Life is weird" Margaret flipped her hair to the back and laughed so hard, waving her off with her hand. "Don't be silly. Stupid things like that only happen in dramas and movies, not in real life. That's what movie directors do to sell poor people like you the dream of having power and fame. Wake up, Elaine. I will never be at your mercy." ___________________________________________ Despite her poor background, Elaine Smith believes she is good enough to become the bride of Alexander Rogers, the CEO of the fastest growing health company in New York. Alexander has proven his love to her over and over. Their court wedding is done and all that is left is the white wedding. Everyone seems to be in support of their marriage..... Everyone except Alexander's proud mother, Margaret who believes Elaine is a terrible choice for her son, never failing to hurt and frustrate her any chance she gets. And not just her, there's also his ex-girlfriend who believes she is a better replacement as Alexander's bride, instead of Elaine. Elaine remains by Alexander's side despite everything, determined to show she is the right bride for him but.... After a dangerous threat targeting the life of her 'struggling' parents, Elaine fearfully decides to divorce Alexander, leaving him completely heartbroken and confused. Years pass by and life throws a twisted fate and they meet again.... Alexander's mother finds herself in a critical position and ONLY Elaine can give her the solution she desperately needs. What happens when two lovers meet again after a painful separation? Will Elaine choose revenge or love? What will the return of the 'new' Elaine bring?
Two months after he becomes the next heir to the multi-billion dollar beauty company, Imperial Hub Limited, George Scott finds himself in a terrible car crash accident that leaves him with a damaged and scarred skin. His life takes a miserable turn and his position as the CEO is threatened too. At the same time, Arthur Reeves, father of Rachel Reeves is suddenly accused of a crime he didn't commit and is thrown in jail. Five years later, George Scott has to make a decision to get married in order to save his reputation as the "Ugly Billionaire that no woman wants". The odds are against as it seems his stepbrother, James Scott has a better chance to become the new CEO of the company. He chooses a contract marriage with the woman he has always secretly loved, Rachel Reeves. George Scott has no idea that the destruction of Rachel Reeves father and family is linked to him.
"You're mine, little puppy," Kylan growled against my neck. A soft gasp escaped my lips as his lips brushed my skin. My mind screamed at me to push him away-the Lycan Prince who had humiliated me again and again, but my body betrayed me, leaning into him before I could stop myself. He pressed his lips against mine, and his kiss grew more aggressive, more possessive as I felt my legs weaken. What was I doing? In a split-second, I pulled away and slapped him hard across the face. Kylan's eyes darkened, but the smirk on his lips exposed his amusement. "You and I both know we can't fight this, Violet," he said, gripping my wrist. "You're my mate." "And yet you don't want me," I replied. "You told me you were ashamed of me, that l'd never be your queen, that you'd never love me. So please, accept my rejection and let me go." "Never," he whispered, his grip tightening as he pulled me closer. "Soon enough, you'll be begging for me. and when you do-I'll use you as I see fit and then I'll reject you."
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.
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
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."
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?
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"