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Ava Hart, a fiercely independent accountant struggling to save her father from crippling debt, is forced into a contract marriage with enigmatic billionaire Damien Cross. Known as "The Devil in Armani," Damien is a ruthless businessman who leaves a trail of destroyed lives in his wake. He manipulates Ava into marrying him to secure a façade of stability that will appease his board of directors during a critical business merger. While Ava despises Damien's arrogance and cold demeanor, she reluctantly agrees to the marriage, knowing it's the only way to save her father's legacy. As they embark on their enemies-to-lovers journey, the tension rose with the arrival of Damien's seductive ex-fiancée, putting them in a dangerous love triangle, and the revelation of dark secrets that could destroy them both.
Ava Hart stared at her computer screen, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she worked through the endless stream of numbers and calculations. The small accounting firm where she worked was quiet that evening; the hum of the fluorescent lights was the only sound aside from her typing.
At twenty-six, Ava was brilliant with numbers, and it was a skill she had honed from an early age. Numbers were predictable and logical, and unlike life, they always made sense if you worked through the equation. But despite her talent, Ava's life was anything but balanced.
She lived modestly in a two-bedroom apartment with her parents, who had fallen on hard times after her father's small construction business went bankrupt. Her mother, once a lively florist, had stopped working to care for her husband after his health began to fail. Ava had stepped into the role of breadwinner without hesitation.
She didn't resent the responsibility; she loved her family fiercely. Her father, Henry Hart, had always been her hero. He is kind, honest, and hardworking. Watching him struggle with guilt over their financial troubles broke her heart.
But Ava believed things would get better. They had to.
Her phone buzzed on the desk, interrupting her thoughts. She sighed, glancing at the screen. It was a message from Layla, her wealthy and glamorous best friend she met at university.
"Hey, Ava! Emergency. Need you to cover for me tonight. Blind date. Usual spot."
Ava groaned. Layla's "emergencies" were usually trivial, but Ava couldn't say no. Layla had helped her family financially more times than Ava could count. This was just one of the few ways she could repay her kindness.
"Do I have to?" she responded, resuming her work almost immediately.
"Please! Just go. Act rude. He's a jerk, apparently, so he won't even mind either. Thanks, babe!"
Ava rolled her eyes but grabbed her bag reluctantly. If it was just a matter of acting rudely to scare off some self-absorbed rich guy, she could handle it, and she actually needed someone to rain her frustration on.
****
The restaurant was as extravagant as Ava expected. It had soft lighting, glittering chandeliers, and a pianist playing in the corner. It was the kind of place she couldn't afford even on a good month.
Her date was easy to spot. He sat at a corner table, exuding an air of quiet authority. His dark, tailored suit fit perfectly, and he watched the room with a detached confidence that made her stomach turn.
Ava reminded herself why she was there. It was to act rude, send the guy packing, and call it a night without any delay.
"Mr. Cross?" she asked, feigning indifference as she approached.
He stood, extending a hand. "Ms. Layla?"
His voice was deep, smooth, and annoyingly magnetic. She ignored his outstretched hand and sat without waiting for him to pull out her chair.
"You're late," she said flatly.
His brow lifted slightly, but he didn't reply. Instead, he studied her for a moment, his dark eyes sharp and assessing.
"Shall we order?" he said finally, signaling to the waiter.
Ava bit back a sigh and decided to escalate. "Actually, let's not waste time. I'm not interested in whatever game you're playing. I don't need anyone to force me into a loveless marriage."
Damien Cross leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "Game?"
"Blind dates, contracts, whatever this is," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "I'm not here for your convenience or your money."
To her surprise, he chuckled; it was a low and amusing sound. "Direct. I like that."
She bristled. This wasn't going according to her plan.
"Let me guess," he said, leaning forward slightly. "You think I'm some arrogant billionaire who uses his money to get whatever he wants."
"You'd be correct." Her response was sharp
"And yet, here you are."
Her cheeks flushed, but she held her ground. "Not for you. For my friend."
I was tired of dragging it out. I had to let him know that both I and Layla had no intention of satisfying his need.
"I know you weren't the one. It's good that you cleared yourself at least," he smiled as he raised his cup of tea
His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Then this should be easy for both of us. I'm not interested in love, and I doubt you are either. I need a temporary arrangement of a wife, in name only. Nothing more. What do you say?"
Ava blinked, caught off guard. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. I'm offering you a marriage contract. Six months, strictly business. No feelings, no strings attached. In return, I'll pay you whatever amount you want."
Her stomach twisted. He couldn't know about her family's struggles. Could he?
She stood abruptly, her chair scraping the floor. "You have the wrong person, Mr. Cross. Find someone else for your games."
"Judging from your look and dress, you are not from a rich family. You probably need money badly." his voice was laced with mockery.
"Darn you!" She leaned closer to him and grabbed the cup of water on the table. "You and your money stink!" The contents of the glass filled Damien's face at the sound of the last word.
Without waiting for his response, she turned and walked out of the restaurant, her heart pounding.
Her hand had acted faster than her brain.
****
The apartment was dark when Ava arrived home. She kicked off her shoes and headed to the kitchen, expecting to find her parents watching TV or talking quietly at the table like their daily routine.
Instead, she froze at the sight before her.
Her parents were tied to chairs in the living room; their faces paled with fear. Three men in dark suits loomed over them, one of them holding a bat.
"About time," one of the men said, turning to face her.
Ava's heart raced as she stepped forward, her hands trembling. "What are you doing? Let them go!"
"You're late on payments," the man said casually, inspecting the bat in his hands. "Mr. Hayes doesn't like delays."
"I-I'm working on it! I know the deadline has passed, but I will surely pay for this month," Ava stammered, her mind racing for a solution. "Please, just give me more time."
The man sneered. "Time doesn't pay the bills, sweetheart. Your daddy owes a lot of money, and we're done waiting."
"Maybe we should sell off some of his good organs. That will pay the debt," one of the jokes.
Others chuckled at his joke that was not funny as the one talking to me walked closer to my parents.
We need to teach them some lessons so that she can be activated." He raised the bat, and Ava's world seemed to tilt.
"Stop!" she cried, stepping between him and her parents. "I'll get the money. Just... don't hurt them."
The man lowered the bat slightly, considering her. "You've got one week. If we don't get the full amount, things are going to get messy."
Ava nodded frantically, tears streaming down her face.
The men left her parents untied and left without another word, their heavy footsteps echoing in the hallway.
Ava collapsed to her knees, her hands shaking as she reached for her parents.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I'll fix this. I promise." Her hands trembled as she undo the rope
Her father placed a trembling hand on her shoulder. "Ava, you've done enough. This isn't your burden."
But it was. And she would find a way to save them, no matter what it took.
As she sat on the floor, holding her parents close, one thought echoed in her mind.
Damien Cross.
She had walked away from his deal once. But now she wasn't sure she could afford to walk away again. However, she shook off the thought as fast as it came.
"Hey, little rogue. You belong to me. You can never escape from me." His voice was solid and fearful as I stared at him with intense hatred "I'll rather die than let you have me. To hell with you!" I spat at his face, my chest fuming with anger "I was planning to take you to heaven but if you prefer hell, then so be it" his hoarse voice roamed my neck and before I could blink, my left breast was in his huge palm He crushed it painfully as he locked his gaze with me. I winced in pain but refused to fall for his cheap pleasurable tricks. I maintained my fuming gaze as he fondled with my bare breast. "Everything, everything about you is mine. You can never die without my permission. I will make you submit to my authority," he declared with a rougher voice and claimed my right breast in his mouth My body betrayed me. A slight gasp escaped my throat as his wet tongue coated my nipple. It was insanely good. The mix of pleasure and hatred were too much for my body to handle, I had to let go of one for the other. Pleasure! My body chose that as I shamelessly moaned in his tight grip. He was sucking hard on the breast in his mouth as he fondled the other. "Shit!" I found myself spitting out as he stopped abruptly His eyes were red with pleasure as he stared at me. "Let's stop here for today, little rogue. We shall continue another time" I couldn't believe my ears. I watched the enemy that killed my entire family walk out of the door without being able to do anything but the most terrible thing was that I enjoyed his pleasure. "Damn you, Aria!" I cursed myself as I broke into tears.
For a girl obsessed with werewolves, her dreams of meeting one seem impossible until one transferred to her school in her final year. Annabel would never participate in what will ruin her chances of being the heiress of her father's business but someone has crept into her life to make her realize that there is more to life than what she was brought up with. She got engaged to Bernard as a ladder for her dreams, even if it was against her will and Bernard is the biggest bully on the planet. Oliver is her destined mate who is a werewolf, and she's the card of his ascension as the Alpha of his pack. Will the bloodthirsty enemies surrounding him and his throne give him the access to it? His mate is a human, another huge difference that the elders of the pack cannot bear to digest or overlook. Will she be able to risk her position for love by betraying Bernard? Bernard will never let any betrayal go unpunished. In a game of securing their future, will their love be enough? Will they be able to make the right choices as a teenager with a lot of dreams or let emotions dictate their ways?
Rocco Lorenzo is a brutal mafia that never forgives. He is feared by all and get whatever he sets his mind on. Irena is a cunny lady who is aspiring to be a lawyer and uses her ability to extort money from people with the hope of getting her mother out of prison. Fate brings them together as she tells him his fate and he gets swamped into her audacity - something no one has ever shown to him. Her cute charm was enough to get him hooked on their first encounter and he decided to pursue whatever bond it was till the end before he started uncovering the twist of fates. Will their stories let them be together?
“If he live in the palace, he shall die! You must never let him grow up in the palace!” she warned as the thunder clapped loudly once more “My queen, I can’t let you die like this” Alpha Ren mumbled soberly, trying to reach for her hand “Don’t worry about me, I prepared myself for this. She will be the light in the Prince’s path, make sure you treat her well” she smiled weakly before the Beta barged in with his crew “It’s time” he announced and she was dragged out of the cell in tears. *** Prince Jaqen lost his mother and was taken out of the palace where he grew up. He never had any emotions or cared about anybody because of the hatred he harbored in his heart but that changed when he met the missing piece of his life that was supposed to guide his path. She’s not a werewolf like him and was part of the slave. Would he be humble enough to let her come closer? Will circumstances permit the love of a werewolf and human slave? Will she be able to guide the cocky Prince which was her mission?
“I, Alpha Draco of the Peony pack hereby reject you, Helena, as my mate. I refuse to have anything to do with you anymore. You will be banished from this pack, never to set foot on this land anymore or you will pay for it with your life” his thick voice boomed through the cold and dark cell where I was kept all day with no food or water. My chapped lips parted painfully as the flesh drew each other tightly. I couldn’t even beg or plead for mercy. It was a miracle that I was not even killed because I was probably the most hated person in the pack at that moment. He didn’t allow me to utter whatever I had in mind before he turned his back on me. My finger grazed his cold hand as I tried to hold onto him, I was late. The warm eyes that had always behold me now look at me with disdain. There was no hope anywhere, his extreme sadness was visible even through his back as his footstep retracted into the long distance. At the loud clunk of the prison’s door kissing its hinge, my whole world crumbled. The only thing left in me was the small life breathing in my womb, something Draco never knew of. Right there, I made the resolution to live for my baby and find out the truth behind what happened in the pack that night.
“Yes, we thought we would love each other to death but I must have been mistaken. I don’t think I can do this anymore” I muttered as my lips trembled in pain, fear and anxiety, my eyes were glowing my hurt as water welled up in it, I could not believe what I had heard. He had succeeded in taking away a happy part of me, will I ever heal from this pain? I don’t think my life can ever have any meaning at this point, it is too late for me to go back. I had loved him a little too much. What would be the fate of a shattered heart that had only known how to love for as long as it could remember? There are no words to mend such a shattered fragile piece, once broken will always have to carry the scar even if it finally heals. Love, they say is a beautiful thing but what if mine was actually a nightmare? A turnaround that changed my entire life, a pit that trapped me in endless agony? I might never be able to love again. **** Gwen is the only daughter of Omega Fred and Ariana’s family but she was lucky to get a Beta as a mate, attracting envy from all sides. She loves Larry with all her heart and dreamt of being his wife for years but her male best friends, Dan soiled her plan and turned her life around when he raped her and stole her virginity some days to her wedding and even told Larry about it but lied that they were having an affair. She was rejected by Larry without given a chance to explain herself and ran away from home in embarrassment where she found another fate where she had to live as another entity who is surrounded with evil people all her life. Will she be able to visit her past? Will she even be able to find another mate? Who exactly was the person she had to replace? Will Larry ever found out the truth behind what Dan did to her?
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
"I want a divorce!" Ryan demanded, despite the fact that he had cheated on her with his ex. ~ Serena is no longer the quiet, romantic lady Ryan Winters married and divorced five years ago. Now the CEO of Rocky's Designs, she is bright, unwavering, and unapologetic about her independence-a far cry from the woman Ryan remembers. When fate brings them back into one another's lives, Ryan is forced to confront the truth about their past, their newfound hot chemistry, and a surprising revelation; Serena has a daughter who may be his. But Ryan's girlfriend, Kate, isn't prepared to lose him again. She will do whatever it takes to keep Ryan in her grasp-even if it means destroying Serena's life and the corporate empire she has built. What happens when Serena's now peaceful life is being disrupted? Will Serena lose once again or will she seize this billionaire's heart?
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
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!
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.
In the previous life, Maggie Johnson was so cowardly, gullible and stupid that she was coaxed by her fiance and stepsister and then broke her legs and lost everything including her fortune, love and even life. However, she was so lucky that she was reborn in the year before everything happened. Since her life restarted, how could she repeat a previous tragedy? Therefore, in this life, she took the opportunity to improve herself and take revenge on the ones who had ever insulted her. Facing the people who had humiliated her previously, she became smart and experienced to break their frames and tricks that had caused her to hurt in the previous life. Finally, no one could stop her pace to amaze the world any more.