SYNOPSIS: Struggling to make ends meet, Kate Grey has all but given up on her dream of becoming an actress-until a mysterious billionaire, Jared Cole, offers her a deal too tempting to refuse. If she agrees to pose as his companion at glittering galas and high-society events for three months, he'll bankroll her career. The catch? Jared isn't just looking for a pretty face, he's trying to save his shattered reputation, and Kate is his ticket to redemption. Jared's polished charm conceals a world of secrets, and as Kate steps into his opulent and wealthy life, the lines between business and desire blur. Beneath his polished exterior lies a man grappling with loneliness, guilt and an unfulfilled need for genuine connection. For Kate, it's a chance to finally chase her dreams, but the deeper she's pulled into Jared's world, the more she realizes his offer isn't as simple as it seems. As the events grow increasingly elaborate, Kate finds herself drawn into Jared's opulent yet mysterious world-a place where wealth hides deadly secrets, and power comes with a price. But when she discovers the real reason behind Jared's generous offer, she's faced with a choice, walk away and protect her heart, or risk everything for a man who's learning to love for the first time, and how does she explain her name on a marriage certificate signed four years ago? In a whirlwind of passion, betrayal, and self-discovery, THE COST OF LOVE AND PASSION explores the question: Can love bridge the gap between two lives built on secrets?
KATE'S POV
The clinking of glasses and hum of muted conversation echoed through the dimly lit interior of King's Bar. The scent of cheap whiskey and fried food clung to the air, mingling with the faint notes of a jazz tune struggling to compete with the rowdy chatter. Kate Grey, that is me, balancing a tray of drinks on my arm, as I weaved through the crowd like a thread through a needle, my movements quick and precise. The worn-out sneakers I wore squeaked against the sticky floor as I approached table four, forcing a tired smile onto my face.
"Here you go. Two whiskey sours and a beer," I announced, setting the drinks down with practiced efficiency.
"Finally," one of the men muttered, his tone laced with irritation. I bit back a sharp retort, opting instead for a polite nod before retreating toward the bar.
The night was dragging on, as it always did. The hours blurred together, punctuated only by the occasional barked orders from my manager, Carl, and the never-ending demands of impatient customers. At least my shift was almost over.
"Grey!" Carl's voice thundered across the bar, drawing the attention of several patrons. I winced and turned to face him.
"Yes, Carl?" I replied, forcing my tone to remain neutral.
"We've got a VIP in booth seven. Make sure he's taken care of," Carl barked, his meaty finger pointing toward the far corner of the bar.
My gaze followed his gesture, landing on a lone figure seated in the booth. He was impeccably dressed in a tailored navy suit that screamed wealth, his posture relaxed but commanding. Shadows played across his sharp features, accentuating the icy blue grey eyes that surveyed the room with quiet intensity.
Great. Just what I needed; a rich patron to cap off my night. I plastered on my best customer service smile and made my way over.
"Good evening, sir. Welcome to King's Bar. Can I get you something to drink?" I asked, my voice polite, almost pitchy.
The man looked up, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. For a moment, I felt as though he could see straight through me, unraveling my carefully guarded composure.
"Whiskey. Neat," he said, his voice low and smooth, carrying a hint of authority.
"Coming right up," I replied, retreating to the bar to fetch his drink. I couldn't shake the feeling that his eyes lingered on me as I walked away.
When I returned, the man accepted the glass with a nod of thanks. "What's your name?"
I hesitated. "Kate," I answered cautiously.
"Kate," he repeated, as if testing the weight of my name on his tongue. "I'm Jared Cole."
The name struck a faint chord of recognition in my head. I'd heard of him before; a tech billionaire whose name often graced the headlines, though not always for the right reasons.
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Cole," I said politely, unsure of where this conversation was headed.
"I've been watching you," he said, his tone as casual as if he were commenting on the weather.
I stiffened. "Excuse me?"
"Your work ethic." He quickly added, graciously, "You're efficient, professional. It's rare to see someone with that kind of drive in a place like this," Jared explained, his gaze steady.
"Thanks, I guess," I replied, unsure how to respond. Compliments weren't exactly common in my line of work.
"Why is that?" he asked just as I was about to head back, I stopped, smiled then looked back.
"Why is what?" I replied
Jared smiles, then he rephrased, "be sincere, if you weren't working here, where would you rather work, Miss Kate?"
This was a no brainer, the answer was always at the top of my brain, but somehow his poise and eloquence makes me forget even my name! I've never spoken with someone so refined, especially not in this shit hole.
Took me some seconds to interpret the question then I blurted out, "hollywood!"
"what?", he was confused
"sorry, acting. If I wasn't working here, I'd rather be acting. I've always wanted to be an actress, but life acted up instead and I find myself working here" I added with a nervous chuckle.
Why I was opening up to this total stranger is still a mystery to me, something about getting lost in his eyes, I guess.
"I'm not thinking straight", I muttered to myself
Jared leaned forward slightly, his eyes never leaving mine. "I have a proposition for you."
I raised an eyebrow. "A proposition?"
"Yes. But not here," he said, pulling a sleek business card from his pocket and sliding it across the table. "Meet me tomorrow at this address. Noon. It's an opportunity you won't want to miss."
I stared at the card, my instincts screaming caution. Deals that seemed too good to be true usually were.
"I'll think about it," I said, tucking the card into my apron.
Jared nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I hope you do."
As I walked away, I couldn't shake the feeling that my life was about to change in ways I couldn't yet comprehend.
The next day, I stood outside a sleek glass skyscraper, the business card Jared had given me clutched in my hand. I'd spent the night debating whether to come, weighing my skepticism against my curiosity. Ultimately, my dwindling bank account and unfulfilled dreams had tipped the scale.
The lobby was as opulent as the building's exterior, all marble floors and shimmering chandeliers. A receptionist directed me to the top floor, where Jared was waiting in a sprawling office that boasted floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline.
"Kate!" Jared greeted me, rising from behind a massive oak desk. "Thank you for coming."
"I'm not sure why I'm here," I admitted, my voice steady despite the nerves twisting in my stomach.
Jared gestured for me to sit. "I'll get straight to the point. I need someone to accompany me to a series of high-profile events over the next three months. Someone who can play the role of my fiancée."
I blinked, caught off guard by the audacity of his request. "You want me to pretend to be your fiancée?"
"Yes," Jared confirmed, his tone matter-of-fact. "In exchange, I'll provide financial backing for your acting career-classes, auditions, even living expenses. Whatever you need to succeed."
I stared at him, my mind racing. It was an outrageous proposition, one that sounded more like the plot of a movie than real life.
"Why me?" I asked finally.
"You're not part of my world," Jared said simply. "You're grounded, authentic. People will believe us because you're nothing like the women I usually date."
I hesitated. "And what's in it for you?"
"Redemption," Jared admitted, his voice quieter. "My reputation has taken a hit, and I need someone like you to help rebuild it."
The honesty in his tone caught me off guard. Despite my reservations, there was something about Jared that made me want to trust him.
"And if I say no?" I asked, testing his reaction.
"Then you walk away, no strings attached," Jared said, leaning back in his chair. "But I think you'll say yes."
I bit my lip, my mind a whirlwind of doubt and possibility. The deal was risky, but so was the alternative, continuing to scrape by with no end in sight.
"Three months?" I asked.
Jared nodded. "Three months."
"And you'll fund my acting career?"
"Every step of the way," he promised.
I took a deep breath, my heart pounding. "Alright. I'm in."
Jared's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Welcome to the team, K." Just like that I had gotten a nickname, I smiled nervously as I proceeded to the door.
As I left his office, I couldn't help but feel that I'd just made a deal with the devil- a rather handsome devil. But if it meant chasing my dreams, wasn't it worth the risk?
"...Even after everything I do to you, you still want me?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "More than you can imagine," I replied, breathless. His hand slid up my body, pausing at the back of my neck. He pulled me closer, his voice a low growl. "You do know what that means, right?" I stiffened, my heart racing. I was his pet, after all. And I was ready to take my chances. *. *. *. *. *. *. * Rose Carlton's life is a shattered puzzle. After a devastating accident robbed her of half her memories, she thought nothing could feel more incomplete-until she's sold to Grey Manchester Moretti, the city's most feared mafia boss. What begins as captivity quickly spirals into something far more dangerous. As Rose navigates Grey's dark, violent world, secrets from her forgotten past resurface, threatening to unravel everything she thought she knew. Blood will be spilled, boundaries will be crossed, and passion will ignite in ways she never imagined. But when she learns the truth about her life-and her connection to Grey-Rose will face an impossible choice: surrender to the man who holds her heart or fight for the freedom she's never truly had. Can Rose survive the chaos of her tumultuous life, or will she surrender to the darkness?
.....I stood in front of the big nursing school. Finally I'll be able to pursue something I really love without anyone giving me conditions or telling me what to do. And as for love...I've left all that behind. Love is not for me. It didn't exist with Liam, it won't exist with anyone else. There's only one person I love with all my heart and that's my son. However, there is one whose kindness was slowly seeping into my shielded heart. ****** Audrey is given out for marriage to her childhood crush but things don't exactly go the way that she expects. The married life only brings tears and pains and her heart-throb and crush only crushes her heart and her dreams. Through it all, Audrey remains strong for her and her son but just how long can she hold it more forces that will test her, will arise. Will Audrey be able to pull through or will she succumb to the cruel hands of fate? The one who has caused her immense pain returns and she finds her heart wavering, just what will Audrey do to save herself, her heart and her son? Find out in this thrilling book of self discovery, love and deception.
For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, “Either you or the baby survives!” Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, “I’m sorry, men no longer interest me.”
Her fiance and her best friend worked together and set her up. She lost everything and died in the street. However, she was reborn. The moment she opened her eyes, her husband was trying to strangle her. Luckily, she survived that. She signed the divorce agreement without hesitation and was ready for her miserable life. To her surprise, her mother in this life left her a great deal of money. She turned the tables and avenged herself. Everything went well in her career and love when her ex-husband came to her.
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!
Due to the plight of her family, Phoebe had no choice but to embark on the path of selling herself. In an accident, she had a tangled night with Alexander. Everything began to derail, and even if she fled to the ends of the earth, she would still be found by him and entangled... *** Phoebe screamed in frustration, "What do you want from me?" What was this supposed to be? He raised an eyebrow wickedly. "What do I want? You'll find out soon enough." With that, he hoisted her up and carried her back into the office. The door slammed shut with a kick, and he cleared the desk with a sweep of his arm before laying her down on it, his body pinning hers in place, completely trapping her in his grasp. Every cell in his body was telling him he wanted her. He wanted to claim her again. This time, there would be no escape for her-he wouldn't let her slip away. Never again. If he had suffered for five years, then this woman wouldn't get off easily either!
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
Veronica is an eighteen-year-old omega who falls into an emotional breakdown when her Mate, who was soon to be the Alpha of the Sun crest pack, turns against her, hurls hurtful words at her, and rejects her on the night of the full moon festival because he and everyone in the pack, including her, thinks she is an omega. As if the pain of rejection, helplessness, and worthlessness wasn't enough, she lost her best and only friend to the cold hands of death when rogue wolves attacked their pack. Right in the presence of her mate, she was tagged as someone who always attracted problems and calamities anywhere she went and he turned a blind eye and watched as she was banished from the pack. With hatred for her life, she runs deep into the woods that were off-limits and jumps off to end her life, but in a turn of events, something else happens. What would her mate do when he finds out that Veronica is not who he thinks she is? Will she be able to forgive him? What fate lies ahead for them?