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Mary Marshall never expected her life to turn into a nightmare. When a ruthless millionaire demands she marry him to erase her family's debt, she does the only thing she can-she runs. Desperate and with nowhere to turn, she finds herself face-to-face with Thomas Randolph-the billionaire CEO known for his cold heart and even colder business deals. He offers her a lifeline: Marry him instead. A contract marriage that will protect her, help him keep custody of his son, and end in one year. No feelings. No strings attached. But living under the same roof changes everything. Thomas isn't just a ruthless businessman-he's a devoted father, a man haunted by betrayal, and dangerously irresistible. The lines between their arrangement and reality blur with every lingering touch, every heated glance... and one unexpected kiss that neither of them can forget. Just when Mary begins to believe in their love, her past comes crashing back. A vengeful enemy, a shocking betrayal, and a life-altering secret force her to make the ultimate sacrifice-walking away from Thomas forever. But Thomas isn't a man who gives up easily. And when he discovers the truth, he will stop at nothing to bring his wife-and the mother of his unborn child-back where she belongs. A steamy, suspenseful billionaire romance full of passion, betrayal, and second chances. Will their love survive the ultimate test, or will their contract marriage end in heartbreak?
Mary's POV
The scent of crayons and chalk dust still clung to my clothes as I locked the preschool door behind me. The day had been long, but I didn't mind the exhaustion. If anything, it kept my mind from wandering to the things I couldn't control-like the stack of unpaid bills sitting on the kitchen counter or the leak in our ceiling that dripped every time it rained.
I adjusted my purse on my shoulder and made my way to the bus stop. The city hummed around me, cars honking, people rushing home, laughter spilling from the cafés lining the street. It was comforting in a way, this noise, this life because it distracted me from my own.
When the bus finally came, I slid into an empty seat by the window, resting my forehead against the cool glass. Another week, another paycheck barely stretching far enough. But at least her friend Wanda wedding was coming up soon, and for once, there would be something to celebrate. She deserved that much.
I smiled to myself, thinking about the way her eyes had lit up when she found her wedding dress. It was secondhand, but she loved it as if it had been made just for her. She had twirled in front of the mirror, laughing, making me and Amanda promise a hundred times that she didn't look ridiculous.
The thought warmed me all the way home. But as soon as I stepped into our front yard, that warmth vanished.
The lights in our apartment were on.
Not just on-blazing, every single one of them.
Something was wrong, I just knew it.
My stomach twisted as I climbed the stairs, my footsteps quickening on instinct. I pushed the door open, my heart hammering.
Inside, my father was pacing, sweat glistening on his forehead. Amanda sat stiffly on the couch, her lips pressed into a thin line. The air was heavy, suffocating, thick with something... something she couldn't quite place her finger on at the moment.
And then I saw him.
A man stood near the window, hands in his pockets, watching me like I was some kind of toy he was figuring out how to play and have fun with.
He was tall and effortlessly elegant in a dark suit that screamed wealth. His jet-black hair was slicked back, and his sharp features were enhanced by the glow of our cheap ceiling light. He didn't belong here, not in our small, crumbling apartment, not in our world of barely scraping by.
But that wasn't what sent a chill down my spine.
It was his eyes. Cold, ruthless, and then, he spoke.
"Ah," he mused, his voice deep and smooth, "you must be Mary."
A shiver crawled up my spine. He knew my name.
I turned to my father. "What's going on?"
He flinched at the sound of my voice. My mother looked away.
The man stepped forward, exuding an air of quiet dominance. "Your father owes me money."
My blood ran cold.
I glanced back at my father, searching for denial, for some kind of explanation that would make this all make sense.
But he wouldn't even look at me.
The man–Jason Martin, I realized suddenly studied my reaction with mild amusement. Everyone in the city knew his name. He was a businessman on paper, but in reality, he was far more than that. A man who collected debts, businesses, and lives.
And now, he was standing in our living room.
"How much?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Jason took his time answering like he enjoyed drawing out the suspense. "Three hundred thousand."
I nearly staggered back.
That was impossible. It was more money than I could even fathom, more than we could earn in ten lifetimes.
"How?" I asked, my voice cracking.
Jason sighed, like this whole conversation bored him. "Your father made a deal with me," he said simply. "I held up my end. He didn't."
I turned to my father, desperation clawing at my chest. "Dad?"
Tears welled in his eyes. "I'm sorry, my little girl."
The words were barely a whisper, but they slammed into me like a hammer.
Jason watched me, waiting for the reality to sink in. Then he said, "I'm a reasonable man, Mary."
I tore my gaze from my father, glaring at him. "If you were reasonable, you wouldn't be here."
His lips curved into a smirk. "That's where you're wrong." He took another step toward me, his presence overwhelming. "I don't believe in taking what can't be repaid."
A flicker of hope ignited in my chest.
Until he spoke again.
"That's why I'm offering an alternative."
Amanda shot up from the couch before I could even process his words. "No."
Jason didn't even look at her. His eyes stayed locked on mine.
"Marry me," he said, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The room went silent.
I blinked, sure I had misheard. "W-What?"
Jason leaned against the arm of the couch, entirely too comfortable. "You marry me, and your father's debt disappears. Simple and easy."
Amanda grabbed my arm. "She's not doing that."
Jason's expression didn't change. He just shrugged. "Then I take my payment another way."
My stomach dropped.
My father paled. "Please, Mr Jason-"
Jason held up a hand, silencing him effortlessly. "You have one day to decide."
He turned back to me, his smirk returning. "But let me make one thing clear, Mary. If you refuse..." He tilted his head. "Your father and mother won't like the consequences."
His words weren't a threat.
They were a promise.
He didn't wait for a response. He just turned and walked to the door, leaving behind an unbearable silence.
As soon as he was gone, my knees gave out, and I collapsed onto the couch.
Amanda knelt beside me. "We'll find another way."
I wanted to believe her. I needed to believe her but deep down, I already knew the truth.
I had no choice. Tomorrow, I would become Jason Martin's wife.
Maria Callo never imagined her job as Wesley Thompson's secretary would entangle her in the brutal world of the mafia. Cold, powerful, and dangerously irresistible, Wesley is the feared leader of the Redstar gang-one she knows better than to fall for. But when an ambush threatens his empire, Maria becomes his unexpected lifeline. Forced into an arranged marriage for power, Wesley refuses to let Maria go, binding her to him in a world of violence, loyalty, and deadly secrets. As betrayals mount and war brews with their enemies, Maria must decide if she can trust the man who owns her heart-or if loving him will be her ruin.
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?
Five years ago, he upped and left his wife without informing her. He had always felt unworthy. As a result, he decided to go and become a better man. It took him five whole years of daily hard work. When he was satisfied, he returned as a powerful and honorable man. He intended to start a family with his wife. But he got back to meet the greatest shocker of his life. He actually had a daughter!
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
Marriage was a bed of thorns for Stella. She lived like an overworked and unhappy slave for six years in her matrimonial home. One day, her uncaring husband, Waylon said to her, "Ayla will be back soon. You have to move out tomorrow." "I want a divorce," responded Stella. She left without shedding a tear or trying to change Waylon's stone-cold heart. Days after their divorce, they met again. Stella was in the arms of another man. Waylon's blood boiled at the sight of her looking so happy. "So, you couldn't even wait a while before jumping into another man's arms?" he queried distastefully. "And who are you to question my decision? It's my life, so I call the shots. Stay out of my business!" Stella fired at him before turning to look at her new man with shiny eyes. Waylon immediately lost it.
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
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.
"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."