/0/71980/coverbig.jpg?v=5ed94bf0671ffb7c3ee7623b7b52bbe0)
Two years, no love, no trust, just a contract. Claire Donovan was drowning her business failing, debt collectors closing in, and eviction looming. Desperate, she had two options: beg her powerful family for help or take a deal with a billionaire she barely knew. Gordon Blackwood remembered everything. Ten years ago, her father destroyed his future, ensuring he would never rise in the corporate world. But fate had other plans. Now, Gordon owns everything except the one thing he truly wants: revenge. A two year contract marriage seemed like the perfect trap. She gets financial freedom, he gets a flawless cover to silence rumors about his personal life. But what Claire doesn't know is that Gordon plans to make her life miserable. Cold. Ruthless. Unforgiving. Yet the woman he intended to break refuses to crumble. The more she fights back, the harder he falls. Hatred turns to obsession. Obsession turns to something else entirely. By the time Gordon realizes he's in love with the woman he set out to ruin, it's too late. Because Claire has discovered the truth. Now, the woman who once needed him is walking away, and for the first time in his life, Gordon is the one who stands to lose everything.
A drunken confusion
"You're really testing my patience! You're leaving this house next week!"
The old woman's voice cut through the tiny apartment like a knife, her wrinkled face twisted in frustration.
Claire swallowed hard, pressing her hands together to keep them from shaking. "Please, ma, I promise I'll pay."
"That's what you always say!" The woman huffed and stomped away, muttering under her breath.
Claire let out a slow breath. The room was small, dull, and barely livable, but it was the cheapest place she could find in London. And now, even that was slipping away.
She sat on her tiny bed, staring at the pile of clothes she had been trying to sell online. With a deep breath, she reached for her ring light, turned it on, and hit record.
"Hey guys, today I've got some beautiful pieces for you..."
Her own voice sounded hollow. Fake.
No one was buying.
Then her phone rang.
The screen flashed: Unknown Number.
Her stomach twisted, but she answered.
"If you don't pay in two months, prepare to die."
The line went dead.
Claire's breath caught in her throat. Her fingers clenched around the phone.
The illegal lenders.
She had been so desperate, she borrowed from the wrong people. And now, they were coming for her.
A wave of nausea rolled over her. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. She had left home to prove she could survive without her father's money, without the family name.
She had believed in herself.
But now?
Now, she wasn't so sure.
Tears burned her eyes, but she forced them back. Crying wouldn't fix anything. She needed a plan. Something anything to get her out of this mess.
Her gaze landed on her nightstand, where a delicate gold necklace gleamed under the dim light. Her mother's gift.
Her last valuable possession.
Her chest ached, but she knew what she had to do.
She grabbed the necklace, threw on something decent, and rushed out.
Hours Later
Claire stepped off the train, gripping her bag tightly.
The money from the pawn shop wasn't much, but it would keep her afloat for now.
She exhaled, feeling the first hint of relief in days.
Then, a strange emptiness settled over her.
Her bag.
It was lighter.
Panic surged through her as she whipped it around and yanked it open.
The zipper had been sliced. The cash?
Gone. A thief.
Her throat closed up. No. No, no, no.
She felt lightheaded as she stumbled onto the pavement. The icy London air cut through her thin coat, but she barely noticed.
It was over.
Dragging herself home, she barely made it inside before collapsing onto her couch.
The weight of it all came crashing down, and this time, she couldn't stop the tears.
How had everything gone so wrong?
Then she felt it a small, crumpled envelope in her coat pocket.
Her fingers trembled as she pulled it out.
A few pounds.
Barely enough for a drink.
Claire let out a dry laugh.
Maybe she should just forget for a little while.
Yeah. Just for tonight.
She grabbed her coat and stepped out into the night.
The Bar
The burn of alcohol in her throat did nothing to numb the storm inside her.
Claire sat slumped over the counter, swirling the last drops of her drink.
Her vision blurred, the world spinning just a little too fast.
Then, she felt it.
Eyes on her.
She turned, squinting through the haze, and froze.
Gordon Wright.
He sat across the room, his sharp blue eyes locked onto her.
Her lips parted slightly.
She knew that face. That smirk.
Before she could fully process it, he stood, drink in hand, and made his way toward her.
Everything around her.qthe clinking of glasses, the dull hum of conversation faded.
"Hey, girl," Gordon said smoothly, voice low and rich with amusement.
Claire blinked up at him, her head tilting slightly.
"Oh boy," she mumbled, letting out a tipsy laugh.
Gordon smirked, sliding onto the stool next to her. "Rough night?"
"You have no idea." She downed another shot, slamming the glass onto the bar.
Gordon watched her closely. The Claire he remembered had been different.polished, confident, untouchable.
But this Claire?
She was wrecked.His smirk faded slightly. "And?"
Claire's chest rose and fell unevenly. The words spilled out before she could stop them.
"I'm about to be kicked out of my place... I... I have no money... and loan sharks... they said they'll kill me in two months."
A bitter laugh slipped from her lips, but it cracked halfway through.
Gordon stilled.
This wasn't just some spoiled rich girl playing broke.
This was real.
Before he could respond, Claire's head slumped forward onto her arms.
Passed out.
Gordon exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw.
What the hell am I supposed to do with you?
Leaving her here wasn't an option.
With a resigned sigh, he scooped her up, cradling her against his chest.
Gordon's Penthouse
By the time they reached his apartment, Claire stirred slightly.
Gordon helped her inside, carefully lowering her onto the bed.
And then
"Shit."
Warm liquid splattered across his expensive shirt.
Claire had thrown up.
On him.
Gordon grimaced, holding his arms out like his clothes were radioactive. He stared at her limp form, debating whether to just leave her there.
But then, her voice soft, barely a whisper.
"I borrowed money from dangerous people..."
Gordon's breath hitched.
"They said they'll kill me," she mumbled, her voice breaking. "My life is a mess..."
A long silence stretched between them.
Gordon should have felt satisfied.
This was his moment to gloat, to savor her downfall.
Instead, all he felt was... confused.
His gaze flickered to her fake gold chain, now slightly exposed beneath her blouse.
She had been someone important once.
So why was she here?
Was she disowned?
Gordon exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his hair.
This wasn't the Claire he had expected.
And he had a feeling no matter how much he wanted to walk away he wouldn't be able to.
Not yet.
"I loved you, but at the same time, I never really did." Ariana Sinclair gave Dominic Lancaster everything... her love, her trust, and the brilliant idea that built his billion-dollar empire. She stood by his side when they had nothing, only to be tossed aside when he had everything. The final betrayal? Catching him in his office with a hooker. When she demanded a divorce and her share of the company, he smirked and told her the truth: It was all in his name. She never really had anything. Now, Ariana is done playing nice. She wants revenge, even if it means destroying the man she once loved. But one reckless night derails everything. A one-night stand with a stranger. A pregnancy she never planned. And just when she thinks she can keep her secrets buried, Jaxon Reid walks into her life, determined to be part of his child's future. To make things worse, Dominic wants her back, convinced the baby is his. Now, Ariana is caught between two powerful men, a revenge plan spiralling out of control, and a future she never saw coming. Revenge was supposed to be simple. But when love, regret, and betrayal collide, nothing ever is.
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.
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
For two years, Ashton had poured his heart into his marriage, yet Emalee's heart remained cold. Despite his dedication, Emalee presented him with divorce papers. She bluntly stated she could not remain married to a man whose net worth was less than a million dollars. Ashton signed the papers, closing one chapter of his life and stepping into a new beginning. Then, Ashton revealed his secret identities: a music mogul, a medical expert, and a martial arts master—each persona impressive enough to stun the world. As Ashton’s true capabilities came to light, Emalee was overwhelmed with deep regret.
"You're a creepy bastard." His eyes smolder me and his answering grin is nothing short of beautiful. Deadly. "Yet you hunger for me. Tell me, this appetite of yours, does it always tend toward 'creepy bastards'?" **** Widower and ex-boss to the Mafia, Zefiro Della Rocca, has an unhealthy fixation on the woman nextdoor. It began as a coincidence, growing into mere curiosity, and soon, it was an itch he couldn't ignore, like a quick fix of crack for an addict. He didn't know her name, but he knew every inch of her skin, how it flushed when she climaxed, her favourite novel and that every night she contemplated suicide. He didn't want to care, despising his rapt fascination of the woman. She was in love with her abusive husband. She was married, bound by a contract to the Bratva's hitman. She was off-limits. But when Zefiro wanted something, it was with an intensity that bordered on madness. He obsessed, possessed, owned. There'd be bloodshed if he touched her, but the sight of blood always did fascinate him. * When Susanna flees from her husband, she stumbles right into the arms of her devilishly handsome neighbour with a brooding glare. He couldn't stand her, but she needed him, if she was ever going to escape her husband who now wanted her dead. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't. She should have recalled that before hopping into Zefiro's car and letting him whisk her away to Italy. Maybe then, she wouldn't have started an affair with him. He was the only man who touched her right, and the crazy man took no small pains in ensuring he would be the last.
"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...
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!