When Rachel's father falls ill and a mountain of debt stares at her family in the face, she's thrown at her wit's end. To save her father's life, she succumbs to the shocking proposal of her cold powerful boss, Noah Sinclair. Noah needs a wife to silence his family's demands, while Rachel needs his riches to pay for her father's hospital bills. But, the shocking part is; He wants a marriage based on business only-no feelings, no romance and no expectations.
Chapter One: The proposal
I stand outside Mr. Noah's office, my hands clutching my bags, knuckles white with tension. My heart seems to be pounding in my throat as I take a shaky breath, trying to calm myself. I know I have no business being here, no business asking him for this favor. But with my father lying in the hospital, his condition deteriorating with each passing day, I have no choice. The thought sends shivers down to my spine.
I lift my hand and knock, barely able to hold it steady.
"Enter." Mr. Noah's voice is composed, almost bored, coming from the other side of the door.
I step inside, feeling the nerves twist in my stomach. Mr. Noah is sitting at his large, polished desk surrounded by neat stacks of paperwork. He doesn't glance up right away, merely looks in my direction, almost as if I'm an interruption to his day.
Mr. Noah," I begin, my voice far quieter than it should be. I clear my throat, hoping to try again with a bit more bravado. "I need a minute of your time."
He doesn't even look up. "I assume this must be important if you're interrupting me, Miss Rachel," he says in that cold, even tone he always uses, one that's impossible to read. It makes my stomach twist even tighter.
"It is," I manage to say, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I. . . I need a loan. My father has been so ill lately. and he needs surgery. It costs a lot of money," I stammer.
Finally, he looks up-eyes sharp, as if he's sizing me up. His face doesn't soften one bit. There's no indication of sympathy or warmth in his expression. He leans back in his chair, crossing his arms, and stare at me.
"A loan?" he repeats, the word slow and testing on his tongue. "Can you tell me how exactly you plan on paying this back, Miss Rachel? I'm sure you are aware that we don't loan to kitchen staff."
The coolness in his words feels like a slap, but I press on. Pride is an emotion I just can't afford right now. "I'II work extra," I say, attempting to keep the desperation from my voice. "I can take on more tasks, work weekends. I'll do whatever you need me to do."
He says nothing. He just keeps staring, his eyes making me feel smaller by the second.
Then. as if on purpose, the corner of his lips begin to rise, not a warm or reassuring smile, either-it's a smile that makes my skin crawl, an invitation to a race rather than any offer of aid.
"Anything?" he says, his voice soft but sharp, almost tauntingly. "Do you think there's anything you could do that would be worth the loan? Anything?"
My heart skips a beat, and I feel a glimmer of hope. "Yes, Mr Noah, anything," I say a little too fast, the urgency near choking.
He leans forward, resting his elbows on his desk as he watches me carefully, his eyes never leaving mine. "My family has been on my case; they are disturbing me to settle down. They want me to get married, to show some stability. Even when I don't think I am ready, I just want them to stop disturbing me," he says, his lips curving slightly, almost mocking. "If I give you this loan, Miss Rachel, I want you to marry me."
I feel the words strike me as if they were physically thrown at me. "Marry. . . you?"
"Yes. If you need me to pay off your father's hospital bill, we have to get married," he replies without hesitation. "This is a business arrangement; I want you to know nothing more. Remember, you must not fall in love with me; this is not a real marriage, but a business marriage."
His words are so devoid of emotion that I feel a cold wave cascade down my body. It is not a proposal; it's an inanimate contract with no feelings attached. But there is an edge in his gaze, a silent dare. He is testing me, waiting for me to back down.
I open my mouth to answer, but the words
Won't come. My mind races, trying to make sense of his offer. Marriage? To Mr. Noah?
My boss-a practical stranger-and he's treating this whole thing as if it were just another business deal. I glance down at my hands, tightly clenched and fingers shaking Is it possible?
"Miss Rachel," he says-his voice slicing through my reverie-"I need an answer. Now!"
My eyes flick up, locking with his piercing stare. There's no mercy there, no hint of empathy-just cold impatience. But in the back of my mind, I see my father lying weak and helpless in that hospital bed-with each passing moment of indecision on my part, he is further deteriorating,slipping away.
"Why me?" I whisper, the question escaping before I can stop it. I really have to know why he would pick me for this strange setup.
He leans back, his eyes unreadable.
"Because you're handy. Nobody will question it if I marry an employee. And I need someone who won't make this complicated." He stops, his eyes narrowing a fraction. "Besides, I know you're desperate enough to agree."
And it stings, but I can't deny-there's a certain amount of truth in that statement- I am desperate, stuck in circumstances beyond my control.
I nod slowly, my voice barely above a whisper. "Fine. I'll marry you."
A faint smile crosses his face, one that does not touch his eyes. He leans forward, dropping his voice down to a near whisper.
"Good. We'll have the papers ready by tomorrow. No one else will know about this-not your family, not my family. It's just between us. Do you understand?"
I nod, feeling the full weight of my decision settle over me. This is now real. There's no turning back.
He snaps back into his usual cold demeanor.
"And another thing, Miss Rachel," he cuts through the silence. "This is a business arrangement. Nothing more. You're here to help me keep appearances. I don't want any misunderstanding."
His words are harsh, as if I'm nothing more to him than a pawn in some chess game he's playing. I swallow hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze. "I understand."
"Good." He looks at his watch, as if this whole conversation has been nothing but a minor nuisance. "You may leave now. I'll contact you with the details.
I get up very slowly, sapped of all strength in my legs. I head for the door, reaching for the handle, but his voice stops me one last time.
All I can do is remember my main love, Elvis, who has always been there for me. I could have met him, but he's not up to the standard of providing a lot of money.
As I make way to the kitchen, a thousand questions course through my mind. What have I just agreed to? What does this
Marriage start with? But the biggest question looms heavy and unspoken:
I banish the thought, sensing danger, but the foreboding grips me like a bad omen-I have somehow signed away part of myself, and I will never get it back.
Elizabeth had her entire future planned: a perfect proposal to Alex on Valentine's Day, followed by a dream getaway to the Maldives. But her carefully crafted fantasy shatters when she catches Alex, her longtime boyfriend, in the arms of his assistant. Heartbroken and furious, Elizabeth storms out, only to make a spur-of-the-moment decision that changes her life forever. In her desperation to prove she's moved on, she impulsively slips her engagement ring onto a stranger's finger-Simeon, a charismatic and mysterious man who unexpectedly says, "I do." As their whirlwind fake marriage begins, Elizabeth soon discovers Simeon isn't just any stranger-he's Alex's boss. Now, she's caught in a storm of emotions, power plays, and unexpected feelings. While Simeon's charm pulls her in, Alex isn't ready to let her go, leading to a battle of love, loyalty, and redemption. Can Elizabeth untangle the mess of her broken heart and impulsive choices? Or will her impromptu marriage to Simeon turn into something more real than she ever imagined?
"How much longer were you going to deceive me?" Lorena's voice shook out of rage as she paced the room. "Did you not realize they were observing us? No. Not that, you actually treated me like a pawn in your little game." Alexander responded in a calm voice. "It isn't that easy, Lorena. Believe me. Yes, I knew they were watching us, so i have been trying my best to keep you safe I didn't mean to bring this much harm on you, Lorena." Lorena laughed, "Safe? Does it look like you kept me safe by turning me into some set of target?" Alex placed his hand over his head as he spoke. "You have to understand me, my love. I did everything I could to keep you safe. I thought keeping you close to me was going to be the best way to protect you." "Just stop!!!" She said before furiously walking out on him. Will Lorena stay by Alexander's side during a time of trial or will she decide to leave?
"I'm going to tell you what I have in mind," he murmured. "First you're going to strip down until you're completely naked," he whispered against her ear. "Then I'm going to tie you up so you're completely powerless and subject to my every whim." "Mmm, sounds good so far," she murmured. "Then I'm going to insert a plug to prepare you for me. After that I'm going to spank that sweet ass of yours until it's rosy with my marks." She shivered uncontrollably, her mind exploding with the images he evoked. She let out a small whimper as he sucked the lobe of her ear into his mouth. God, she could cum with just his words. She was already aching with need. Her nipples tingled and hardened to painful points. Her clit pulsed and twitched between her legs until she clamped her thighs together to alleviate the burn. "And then I'm going to f**k your mouth. But I won't cum. Not yet. When I'm close, I'll flog you again until your ass is burning and you're on fire with the need for relief. And then I'm going to f**k that ass. I'm going to take you hard and rough, to the very limits of what you can withstand. I won't be gentle. Not tonight. I'm going to take you as roughly as you can stand. And then I'm going to cum all over your ass. Are you ready to be completely and utterly dominated?"
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..." But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
When Corynn mustered up the courage to tell Elliot about her pregnancy, she unexpectedly found him gallantly helping another woman from his car. Her heart sank as three years of effort to secure his love crumbled before her eyes, compelling her to leave him behind. Three years later, life had taken Corynn down a new path with someone else, while Elliot was left grappling with regret. Seizing a moment of vulnerability, he pleaded, "Corynn, let's get married." Shaking her head with a faint smile, Corynn gently replied, "Sorry, I'm already engaged."
"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."
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"