Abram Astor and Anya King were born enemies due to a long time unexplainable family feud. They hated each other's guts, and competed over everything. But, when their families betroth them to people they deem worse than each other, they are forced to form an alliance, which they sealed with a lie. With a thin line between love and hate, would they find love when forced into an alliance? Or would the secrets discovered in the long run solidify the line that had been drawn already?
CHAPTER 1
ANYA'S POV
"Mother says you should get dressed. Mr Baron will be here soon."
Eleanor's statement was confirmation of what I knew was going to come eventually. My parents had decided to marry me off to an old, pervy loser.
"Tell her I am indisposed."
"Anya-" My younger sister started to speak, most definitely to try and reason with me.
"I am indisposed, Eleanor. Tell mother." My emphasis on 'mother' was a reminder to Eleanor that the person we were referring to was not our mother, she was a beautiful witch called Adline; the woman that birthed us was in fact long dead, and the sorry excuse for a father that I had could not wait to wife up the young lady who had caught his fancy while my mother battled with her mental health.
My younger sister shrugged and walked out of my room while I prepared myself for the storm that was fast approaching.
My door burst open a few seconds sooner than I had anticipated and my sneering stepmother stood in the doorway.
"You will get dressed at once, young lady! You-"
"Mother," I said sweetly, my tongue laced with sarcasm, "I am feeling unwell. What is it about this visit that is so important, I have to leave my bed?"
"Don't play silly games with me, girl."
I chuckled at her calling me 'girl' when she was not more than five years older than me. I understood marrying a rich man for his wealth but she didn't have to play this silly role of a faux mother.
"Look, I'm feeling under the weather, and you are not going to make me come meet your guest, unless you want to run the risk of me throwing up all over him. What's Baron coming here for anyway?"
"You don't know? And your father always praises you for your intelligence."
"Well, I guess he's wrong, and the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree, otherwise, how did he end up with..." I swallowed the 'you' for dramatic effect
Her breathing intesified and she said "Just you wait" before turning on her heels and stomping out. I revelled in my victory over her. Pissing her off did me no good, because Father always took her side, but the satisfaction of prevailing over her was enough for me.
Soon, Eleanor returned to my room with another message.
"You pissed her off, didn't you? Father is calling you to his chambers."
I rolled my eyes and rolled off my bed. When mom was alive, Father used to be just 'Dad' and his 'chambers' was his room. We spoke to him and about him in a very formal manner, and I would have it no other way. I didn't bother trying to even appear sick because it wouldn't matter; Adline had him around her thumb, and what she said stood. I could bet my entire inheritance that marrying me off to Baron was her idea.
"What is the meaning of this behaviour?" He barked the second I walked into the room. Later, I would realize that those were the first words he spoke to me that day as we had not even said hello to each other since we woke.
"What behaviour, Father?"
"Why won't you dress to receive your suitor?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't know I had one."
Adline scoffed.
"Look, Anya, I'm in no mood to entertain your haughtiness. Go up to your room, get dressed and be ready to welcome Mr Baron. He has asked me for your hand."
"And what was your response?"
"What do yo think? Don't waste any more time. He is already on his way."
"Then I'm afraid he is going to be disappointed."
"What?"
"I am not going to marry Baron, so I see no need to participate in this debauchery."
Adline chirped in. "Don't you have any respect?"
"I do, and I wouldn't be inserting myself in a father and daughter conversation, 'Mother'."
"How dare you, Anya? You disrespect her, you disrespect me!" My father rose to his feet now.
"I sincerely apologize, Father." I bowed my head slightly. "But on the matter of Baron, I will not marry him, and you can not make me."
I walked out to their utmost shock. I too was shocked at my guts even though I had been preparing myself for this moment for years.
I raced to my room and locked the door behind me, because my father would definitely come banging on my door.
"Open this door this minute, Anya!" His knocks were frightening; I had not seen or heard him with such a temper in a long time. He often had what seemed to be a very rehearsed aloofness from us. "Open this door or I will kick it down!"
"I will not, Father! I will not marry that old fool too!" Despite my bravery, tears were forming in my eyes as I spoke.
Truly, he kicked the door in and grabbed me by the shoulders.
"Are you crazy? Do you think you have a choice? It is already done! Finished."
"No! No!" I shook my head vehemently tears were flowing freely now.
"Why, Anya?" He had calmed down a little now, and seemed to be genuinely asking. What did he expect to hear apart from the obvious? Gee, I dunno, Father, I don't want to live the rest of my life with some ogre over twice my age. I was just twenty. How could they expect me to willingly walk into this death sentence?
"Because... because, I'm pregnant."
His hands dropped from my shoulders.
"What did you just say?"
I shook slightly from fear. What in God's name was I doing? I swallowed a lump of saliva and doubled down on my lie.
"I'm- I'm pregnant, Dad."
I said 'Dad' instead of Father in attempt to better sell the lie. His eyes widened even further now.
"What- what, how?" He sat slowly beside me on the bed, his eyes staring to space. Adline was watching us from the door.
"For who?"
I said the first name that came to my mind. "Abram Astor."
The rich and handsome Kage Crown enters into a contract marriage with his secretary, Andrea Charlton to appease his father and retain his position as head of the family company. Soon, his father demands he provides an heir and he and his secretary-turned-wife are faced with the prospect of parenthood while falling helplessly in love. But will the aching love between them, overcome the hurdles their union will throw at them? Will their love ever overcome their own selves?
For the whole 17 years of her existence, Alana did not know the word freedom and happiness having been confined in the basement of her family's house accused of killing her own mother. She's beaten, cursed at, and barely survived from crumbs of food thrown at her. She thought this is her final destiny and has accepted the bitter fate of her life not until the night of her 18th birthday, a mysterious alpha appeared at her door telling her that she is the long-lost daughter of the alpha king and claiming her as his mate he's been looking for several years now.
"Miss Brown, I am the butler here at your service," the butler replied. "My master wants to buy the baby in your belly." "What?!" Does that mean the abortion didn't take place? Did they kidnap her from the operating table just to buy the baby? But why her? "You..." Alice was about to ask a question, but the man in front of her calmly continued, as if he had expected her question, "You're pregnant with his child, and he needs a child. That's all I can tell you." Alice was forced to sign a surrogacy contract and eight months later gave birth to two healthy babies. Fortunately, the man was unaware of her daughter's existence. It wasn't until five years later that fate brought them together again...
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
Everyone was shocked to the bones when the news of Rupert Benton's engagement broke out. It was surprising because the lucky girl was said to be a plain Jane, who grew up in the countryside and had nothing to her name. One evening, she showed up at a banquet, stunning everyone present. "Wow, she's so beautiful!" All the men drooled, and the women got so jealous. What they didn't know was that this so-called country girl was actually an heiress to a billion-dollar empire. It wasn't long before her secrets came to light one after the other. The elites couldn't stop talking about her. "Holy smokes! So, her father is the richest man in the world?" "She's also that excellent, but mysterious designer who many people adore! Who would have guessed?" Nonetheless, people thought that Rupert didn't love her. But they were in for another surprise. Rupert released a statement, silencing all the naysayers. "I'm very much in love with my beautiful fiancee. We will be getting married soon." Two questions were on everyone's minds: "Why did she hide her identity? And why was Rupert in love with her all of a sudden?"