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BLURP: I am my family's well kept secret! Everyone walks on eggshells around me: I guess they feel Asperger's syndrome makes it hard for me to comprehend things. My Father sees me as something incomprehensible, while my mom treats me like a 5 year old;a fragile china ware. My Older brother is the only one who truly understands me, I've seen him search and read diligently to understand my condition; He knows I have difficulty maintaining eye contact, my social skills are low, but I do enjoy predictability in my activities. This has made Isabella tell people I'm slow, insignificant: I am sorry, I forgot to introduce myself;I'm Carlos Mendoza de la Souza. I'm the youngest son of the De la Souza shipping conglomerate family, And I'm on a mission to find my brother- Antonio Sebastian Mendoza de la Souza - a wife , before New Year's Eve.
CHAPTER ONE:
Penny's point of view.
"This is the second time he has ordered a cup of cappuccino, and left it unattended, while trying to bore holes through you with his eyes," Eunice said in a theatrical tone. Since she started attending night classes on acting, she's been taking every opportunity to force it down our throats.
"Don't you think you should put him out of his misery?" She kept on droning in my ears.
"Fine! I will find out what he needs or wants" I replied, while taking off the mandatory apron that needs to be worn while working.
" Hey! Are you satisfied with our service so far?" I asked, while discreetly observing him.
He is a good looking young man, his clothes, hair bespoke of affluence. We usually don't see his type around this neighborhood. Is he lost? He seemed normal, though he had some endearing mannerisms.
"I, I ,I, I am sorry, are you married?" he asked bluntly. Woah! Where's this coming from? Do I know you?
"I am Carlos Mendoza de la Souza" he replied, as if I was expected to know the name. Anyways I decided to play along: " I'm honored to meet you, do you require anything else from me?" I asked.
" I'm serious, are you married?" My older brother needs a wife, I don't like his current girlfriend so I'm out on a mission to get him a wife. I've been observing you for some weeks and I know you would make a great wife for him. He said, hurriedly as if he was expecting his confidence to falter.
"Well then! Why don't you send your brother to me and I would see if we are a match. In the meantime I have customers waiting to be attended to. On a side note, the young girl of about your age seated adjacent to you - no don't turn - has been staring at you. Maybe you should try working out a relationship for yourself" winking at him, I walked to go attend to other customers.Coming up to the counter to pick up orders,Eunice quickly corralled me-I've been avoiding having this conversation with her since leaving the boy's table. "Hey!, what did he say to you?" She asks."He says he's looking for a bride for his older brother, or something of that nature. Can we talk about this later? This is rush hour!"
By the time It's 4 pm the afternoon rush slows to a trickle, and I can take time off to massage my aching feet: I'm worried about my Dad, he seems unusually quiet these days....I guess it is because my mom's memorial is coming up."I've found it!" Eunice squeals, startling me out of my thoughts. "What is it this time? I grumbled.
"Get out of your funk! I overheard the young man tell you his name, so I googled him. He's really who he claims to be!" Eunice continued with a mischief lurking in her eyes. Grabbing the phone from her I glance through- it's an article describing Palmero's closest family to royalty, it mentions the Patriarch of the family as easygoing, his wife as a snobbish shrew, their younger son as a conundrum.... Wait! Is this Antonio? I can feel my heartbeat accelerating,my palms becoming sweaty,even as I feel moisture gathering in my nether regions.Woah! What's happening to me?Fanning myself vigorously with my apron, I feel eyes upon me. I look up to find Eunice grinning like a lunatic."Finally! You are human too. Though I never imagined that the image of a man could get you all worked up! You have definitely amped the temperature here " she cracked like a witch.
Hugging me, she half drags me out of the locker room, we continue walking down to the eating area, to resume attending to customers.While I'm still trying to understand what happened to me back then when I saw his picture.
In the quiet of the day, my dad and I are closing down so I decide it is time I broach the topic of my mom's memorial with him- I feel it is time he stops getting moody- besides it's not as if theirs was a love marriage. Mom always felt she married beneath her never ceased to remind us of that fact! Her family wanted nothing to do with us, so relocation was the only option left. After talking with Dad, I discovered that the reason he has been moody is that our mortgage payments are due, and sales have not been up, due to the tourist season being over. I think it is high time I dust my certificates and try to get a job. With all these running through my mind I drift off to sleep.
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
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.
"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?"
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.
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.
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”