Power, wealth, and control are the driving forces in Rasmus Dahlgren's world, but they are all powerless to stop his dying grandfather from giving him an Ultimatum: get married and have a child within a year, or else you will lose everything and I'll hand it over to your cousin. Rasmus makes a bargain with Natalie Sandstrom, a poor single mother, in an attempt to protect the family riches and inheritance. He proposed a one year agreement with Natalie, have one child, no affection and I'll give you financial security in return. Natalie accepts his proposal despite her secrets, a hidden past life and the fact that she is unable to conceive after Elliot's birth. Rasmus is pulled to Natalie and her son as their arrangement makes it difficult to distinguish between business and emotion. He never imagined that things could turn around so quickly. However, as the one year contract draws to a close a startling revelation surfaces: he finds out he is the father of her child from a forgotten one-night stand seven years ago. In order to recover the love he never believed he wanted, Rasmus must now face the mysteries and betrayals that tie them both before it's too late.
The rain was pouring down heavily and soaked Rasmus to the bones. He didn't mind at all as the rain seemed to mirror his inner torment. He stood in the dimly lit foyer of Écarlate, the most expensive and secretive brothel in Sweden, his Suit, was wet and clinging to his chiseled physique. The water dripping from his black hair into the lapels of his handcrafted Armani jacket was barely noticeable to him. His world was a blur of alcohol, sorrow, and anger.
Inside, past the velvet ropes and tinted glass, Natalie Sandstrom sat motionless on a couch, her heart racing wildly over her ribs. The air was heavy with perfume and sin, and the walls were lined with women who had learned to smile under the burden of expectation. But she was different from them.
She swallowed hard as her throat felt dry, even though she had taken some champagne earlier. She was not soothed by the gentle hum of jazz. She was drowning, and so was the man outside. He was smothered by loss, and she was suffocated by debt and medical expenses so high that she believed they would bury her alive. She had no power.
The bouncer nodded as Rasmus pushed by him, the strong odor of rain and alcohol clinging to him like a destructive aura. He didn't bother to speak, ignoring the other people in the room. To help him forget, he needed a body.
The woman who handled Natalie, on seeing him enter leaned in and whispered to her
"That one's yours, sweetheart."
She looked at the man who was now standing at the bar. His presence was a command, and his posture conveyed dominance. Even when he ordered his drink, he did not order a menu of women as the others did. The room paused to make place for him; he was simply there.
She made her move. If she didn't, she'd be back on the streets by dawn. If she said yes, she might just survive. She pushed her legs toward him, her heels clicking on the marble floor.
"Looking for companionship?" She barely sounded like herself.
Rasmus turned and looked into her warm brown eyes, and everything stopped for a moment. He handed her a large amount of cash without a word, his gaze unreadable as he looked at her face.
"No names, no small talk, I just need you to keep me warm."
Natalie had to come to terms with the fact. She was capable of doing this. Only for tonight as this will definitely be here last night here.
The bartender tossed him more whiskey. He shoved it aside and stood up, pushed some cash across the bar to him.
"Upstairs." His voice sounded hoarse from exhaustion.
She gave a nod. She ought to be terrified. She was, indeed. But something shattered in his eyes made her follow him. The suite was gold-washed and darkly lighted, with silk sheets and champagne in a bucket of ice. A place designed for fun, for forgetting. Rasmus tore off his tie and threw it on the dresser, moving slowly but methodically. He returned his gaze to her eyes.
"You shouldn't be here." His comments were abrupt. He seemed to know. She swallowed.
"Neither should you." She replied curtly.
The muscles in his jaw tightened. Something about her eyes seemed to draw him in and it stirred up something in him.
The air in the room thickened as he moved closer to her all the while staring into her eyes. His body felt warm all of sudden
He couldn't explain why he was feeling this way with her.
Natalie just stood there staring at him.
"Just this one night." She thought.
The room had become dark. This one night would become a mistake that would later catch up with both of them.
Present Day (The Ultimatum)
The view of Stockholm's skyline from Rasmus Dahlgren's office was unparalleled due to its tall windows. Like the empire he was destined to inherit, the glass walls seemed like a concrete jungle reflecting the city's boundless expanse.
With a grim attitude and sharp Nordic features, Rasmus stood behind a sleek black desk and observed the city below. He was the epitome of authority and a formidable presence in the corporate sector. His black, simple, fitted suit added to the authority he exuded. His grandfather Gustav Dahlgren's rich baritone voice broke the stillness of the room.
"You have one year, Rasmus," Gustav stated, his tone harsh and purposeful.
"One year to marry, to produce an heir, or this family empire will be lost to your greedy and power drunk cousin"
Rasmus didn't give the elderly man a look. He was well aware of Gustav's predicament and he knew that his cousin was capable of tearing down this empire in no time at all. His jaw was clenched when his fingers brushed the desk's glossy wood. Weakness was not an option, but the pressure was too great. This determined the name of his family, their heritage, and their wealth. Gustav's chilly, piercing blue eyes pierced Rasmus like broken glass.
"This is something you can't avoid, Son, you can either fulfill your obligations or watch as everything falls apart. Nobody is indispensable. Not even you." His grandfather said. Now he realized there was no turning back. Rasmus could not do anything except follow the rules that Gustav had established. His serene exterior was threatened by the fury that was building inside of him. As if reading the younger man's soul, Gustav looked at him intently, studying his face.
"Time is of the essence. Rasmus, you've got one year. One year."
When Rasmus turned at last, his gaze met Gustav's. He answered in a tight voice,
"I will find a way, Grandpa."
Without sacrificing anything else he had to figure out how to satisfy his grandfather's requests. It was easier said than done, though.
As the gravity of his grandfather's command sunk in, his mind started racing. He needs to find a woman, marry her, and have a child within a year.
The thought of being stuck in a marriage, out of family obligation rather than passion, made his stomach churn. As he stood there, deep in thoughts, the only sound in the room was the ticking of the wall clock as if it was reminding him that he did not have time.
Nothing can be compared to the feeling of being hated and despised by the very person you love. Ayla would do anything to make CEO Jaxon love her and change his opinion about her but nothing seemed to change him. Forced to perform her wifely duties even though he didn't love her, Ayla was getting fed up of lying to herself that she could change him and that he would love her if she kept trying. " I can't do this anymore," she cried silently as she rubbed the bump on her stomach. She knew she had reached her limits when she became pregnant with his children, that only meant their divorce was around the corner. Choosing not to be dumped and separated from her children, she flees to give them a better life while doing the thing she loves most. She was no longer going to sacrifice her life to please anyone else, only then does the stern CEO realize the value of what he had lost. Now, he has to win her back.
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.
Despite being an illegitimate daughter, Lena bore a striking resemblance to the young lady of the Evans family. Faced with their threats, she was forced to take her half-sister’s place and marry Dylan. As an act of defiance, Lena seduced Dylan night after night, until she had him completely wrapped around her finger. Using his affections to her advantage, she set out to undermine the Evans family. Over time, Dylan began to notice something odd about his beloved wife...
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."