Maria Callo never wanted to be a part of a world filled with secrets, danger, and death. But desperate to provide for her family, she joins Wesley Thompson's dark empire as his secretary. Wesley, the feared leader of the Redstar gang, hides his deadly nature behind a mask of charm and wealth. Beneath his cold, ruthless exterior lies a man who has never been loved and a tool for his family. As Maria's presence begins to break Wesley's exterior, their forbidden connection becomes a dangerous weakness. Enemies close in from every side–a sinister plan by Wesley's rival, Roger Edward, threatens to destroy everything, with betrayal lurking even within his own family. As blood spills and alliances shatter, Maria faces a hard choice: fight to save the man who killed her sister's husband or walk away and live a peaceful life.
Maria's POV
The air was filled with the scent of newly polished wood as I finished wiping the last table, my bruised fingers shivering from holding the cold wet cloth for hours. The sun was already starting to set, the golden rays shining through the large windows of Madam's estate, causing the marble floors to shine.
My legs ached from standing for hours, and my back complained each time I stood up straight, but the day's tasks were finally over.
I breathed out, pausing briefly to check out the room. Everything was shiny and clean, just how Madam preferred it. The shimmering crystal chandelier above sparkled, casting small rainbows onto the ceiling. Despite spending years in this place, the wealth around me seemed like it belonged to another realm, one I was permitted to only clean up but never genuinely felt part of.
Madam settled by the window in her chair, enjoying her afternoon tea with the same elegance she showed in all her gestures. Her silk robe, adorned with intricate floral designs, flowed around her like a regal mantle. She hadn't talked to me since lunchtime, completely engrossed in the novel she was reading.
I hesitated before stepping forward. "Madam," I said, keeping my voice low and respectful.
She didn't look up. "Yes, Maria?"
"I was hoping to ask if I could take tomorrow off." I joined my hands, my heart racing as I pushed the words out of my mouth. "My sister is getting married and I want to be there to help her and get ready for her big day."
At that, Madam finally lifted her gaze, dark eyes studying me with quiet scrutiny. She set her teacup down gently on its saucer, tapping a single manicured finger against the porcelain. The silence stretched between us, and I swallowed hard, trying not to fidget under her stare.
"Your sister," she mused, her voice cool but not unkind. "You never mentioned she was engaged."
"It happened quickly," I admitted. "They've been planning for months, but things have been...complicated."
Her lips pursed slightly, but she nodded. "I see." She looked out the window, where the sky had turned into hues of pink and orange. For a brief moment, I thought she would refuse.
Then, with a sigh, she said, "Alright then. You could have the day free, but I want you back by Sunday morning. I have an important brunch, and I'll need everything prepared."
Relief flooded my chest, so strong I almost staggered. "Thank you, Ma. I'll be back first thing."
She waved a dismissive hand. "Go, then. And enjoy the wedding."
I bowed my head, then turned and left quickly before she had a chance to change her mind.
I entered the front door of our cozy home; the aroma of roasted chicken and fresh bread filled my nose and surrounded me like a cherished hug. The home was hardly spacious enough for the three of us, but it had consistently been vibrant and filled with affection.
"Maria, you have arrived at last!" My father's voice resonated from the dining table, where he was bent over a pile of envelopes, writing intensely. His glasses with silver rims had slid down to the end of his nose, and his shirt was sprinkled with flour, probably from his effort to assist with baking the cake.
I placed my bag down and looked over his shoulder. "Dad, what are you up to?"
"Writing invitations, of course," he said proudly, lifting one up. "A wedding is a grand occasion, my dear. It should be treated as such."
I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. "Dad, the wedding is tomorrow."
"Exactly!" he declared. "Which is why these need to go out immediately!"
I laughed softly and planted a kiss on his cheek. "You're incredible."
Before he had a chance to reply, Wanda entered the room, lifting her wedding dress with a blend of excitement and anxiety. The ivory material glimmered in the light, with fine lace adorning the sleeves.
"Maria," she breathed. "Tell me I don't look like a ghost in this."
I let out a soft laugh. "You look beautiful."
She twirled gently, the dress spreading around her legs, but even as she smiled, I noticed a flicker of doubt in her eyes. A shadow of something sinister, something she wanted to suppress with the joy of the wedding.
I stepped closer, lowering my voice. "Wanda...are you sure about this?"
Her jaw tightened. "What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean." I folded my arms. "You're still thinking about him, right?"
She averted my gaze, her fingers gripping the material of her dress tightly.
"Wanda," I pressed. "Getting married won't change what happened. It won't bring him back."
Her lips trembled slightly before she hardened her expression. "I know that."
"Do you?" I looked at her face, my heart twisting. "Every time I look at you, I see it: the anger, the sorrow. It's still there, no matter how hard you try to hide it."
She turned back to me sharply. "What do you expect me to do, Maria? Forget? Move on like it never happened?"
"No," I said softly. "But I don't want you to lose yourself."
Her eyes burned with something unreadable. For a long moment, she didn't speak. Then, finally, she sighed, the fire in her eyes dimming. "Tomorrow is about the wedding," she said, her voice quieter now. "Nothing else."
I wanted to believe her.
The rest of the night involved getting ready, making final adjustments to Wanda's dress, setting the table for a late meal, and listening to Dad recount stories from his wedding day.
"I was so nervous, I nearly fainted at the altar!" he exclaimed, making Wanda and me burst into laughter.
"You didn't," Wanda sneered, but Dad raised a hand.
"I promise! If your mother hadn't been holding my hand, I could have crumbled at that moment."
His laughter was infectious, his eyes shining with kindness and affection. In spite of everything, the challenges and the suffering, we still had moments like this. Moments that made all the suffering worth it.
But, despite our laughter and the toasts we raised to Wanda's future, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen soon.
Something that would change everything.
With hatred for her step-sister and family generally, Piper Snow finds herself in a bar wallowing in alcohol after finding out her boyfriend…No, her ex-boyfriend cheats on her with her step-sister. She gets drunk and passes out on her way home in front of a moving vehicle. *** Davis Kingston, a 27-year-old cold and handsome billionaire who commands so much power and respect, owns probably more than half of the businesses existing in the country but he is betrothed to a sassy, rude, and arrogant rich missy, camela white. What happens when Davis Kingston meets piper? What made Davis so cold? Will she be able to melt his cold heart? Can Camela stand losing Davis?
Cursed with the worst luck in the whole universe, Stacy Reeves holds on to the last piece of hope she has for a perhaps better life. This too comes crashing down after a very reckless night with a stranger at a nightclub who turns out to be a popularly dangerous Italian billionaire, Andre Rosello which leads to an unexpected and unwanted pregnancy. *** Andre Rosello is a 27-year-old billionaire with barely any good memories in his life. His father had been in the mafia all his life and had trained him to be just like them - the ruthless beatings and starvation all in the name of boosting his endurance. His childhood was not quite a bed of roses and his adulthood was far from it. Much to his father's disdain, Andre doesn't end up following his line of work, instead, he builds his own company from scratch and makes a name for himself defying his father for the very first time. Pressured with a thousand and one responsibilities, Andre just had to let his mind be free for a while. A baby was not on his mind when he took the enthralling and sexy woman he met at the nightclub to his bed. When hit with reality, Andre doesn't know what to do. He wasn't ready to be a father, he didn't think he would ever be fit enough to be a good father. He wanted to be better than his father but he didn't know how to. So when threatened by Stacy's sister to take responsibility for his seed or have his hard-earned name ruined, Andre has no other choice than to accept this new responsibility, even if it meant getting married to her with a 6-year contract and even if it meant defying his father again and making an enemy out of him. What happens to Stacy now? Will her life take a better turn or would it get even worse? Will Andre give fatherhood a chance and love as a whole? Will these two grow to love each other or will they leave each other after 6 years runs out? If they do decide to stay, will Stacy and her child be safe with the mafia Andre had refused to be part of coming back to take revenge and his father still bitter from his son defying him decides to resort to violence like he always did, only this time, more extreme?
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?"
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"
As far as everyone was concerned, William had married Renee under duress. Now that his one true love was back—and with child—they couldn’t wait for him to abandon Renee. Surprisingly, Renee was candid about the situation. "To be honest, I’m the one asking for a divorce every single day. I want it even more than any of you!" But they brushed off her remark as a paltry attempt to save face. Until William made a declaration himself. "Divorce is out of the question. Anyone who spreads false rumors shall face legal consequences!" Renee was at a loss. What was this crazy man up to now?
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?