The Billionaire’s Bartered Bride
/1/132171/coverbig.jpg?v=584949ea5c9e495cc0c21608874afceb)
Your Humble Ex-Wife Is Gone
Three years of marriage, and Jayson Mccormick never once looked at me the way he looks at my sister. I told myself he was just cold. That if I loved him hard enough, he'd eventually love me back. Then I crashed his secret wedding. The bride was Kate-the daughter my parents kept while I was lost. The guests? My entire family. They all knew. They all helped. "She's dying," Jayson said. "Let her have this." So I let her have it all. The husband. The family. The life they built around her. I walked away with nothing-because I knew I could make it all back. After years of silence, the legendary perfumer and the financial genius have returned. They think I have nothing. They don't know that, where they never bothered to look, I've already built an empire of my own. It's time to bury the obedient wife.
Chapter 1 The Secret Wedding
It was exactly seven o'clock in the evening.
The private manor, nestled on the outskirts of the city, was brilliantly illuminated, its grand facade glowing like a beacon against the darkening sky.
Corina Logan stood at the towering wrought-iron gates, her attire glaringly out of place. She wore a simple, unadorned plain dress, the kind one might wear for a quiet evening at home, standing in stark contrast to the opulence unfolding before her.
Just two hours ago, the illusion of her life had still been intact. Her husband, Jayson Mccormick, had called her, his voice carrying its usual clipped, authoritative tone. "There's a critical board meeting tonight that's going to run late," he had said through the receiver. "I won't be coming home. Go to sleep early, Corina."
Yet, here he was. Not in a boardroom surrounded by executives, but in this lavishly decorated estate, preparing to hold a wedding ceremony with another woman.
Through the grand windows of the manor's main hall, Corina could see the head table. Sitting there, adorned in their finest evening wear and beaming with pride, were her biological parents, Arthur and Eliza Logan, alongside her older brother, Oliver.
The guests mingling on the manicured lawns and inside the grand hall were a familiar crowd. They were the mutual friends, business associates, and extended family that made up the social circle she and Jayson shared.
Yet she, the lawful wife, had been kept entirely in the dark.
As Corina took a step closer, the evening breeze carried a scent that made her breath hitch. It was a complex, intoxicating fragrance-a masterful blend of deep, velvety rose intertwined with the rich, smoky notes of agarwood.
This specific perfume was named "Surrender." It was a unique, one-of-a-kind fragrance that Corina had personally formulated and blended as a wedding gift for Jayson three years ago. It was meant to symbolize a love that was absolute, a yielding of the heart.
Now, this very scent, representing possession and ultimate surrender, saturated the air of a wedding where her husband was the groom, and the bride was not her.
Her gaze traveled down the pristine white carpet that served as the aisle. At the end of it stood Jayson, looking breathtakingly impeccable in a custom-tailored, pure white high-fashion suit. His usually cold, calculating eyes were currently filled with a profound, melting affection as he looked at the woman standing opposite him.
The bride was Kate Logan.
Kate was the fake daughter who had occupied the Logan family's nest for over twenty years. Corina, on the other hand, was the true daughter, only found and brought back to the family a mere three years ago. Because their grandfather and the patriarch of the Mccormick family had been comrades in the trenches, they had arranged a marriage pact for their grandchildren.
When Corina returned to the family, she fulfilled that pact, marrying the heir to the Mccormick empire, Jayson. It felt like destiny to her, because Jayson was the man Corina had desperately, silently loved for seven long years. He was the man who had once pulled her out of the darkest abyss of her life.
She had truly believed this was a match made by fate, that she was destined to be the happiest woman in the world. But reality had just delivered a resounding, brutal slap across her face.
At this moment, Kate, draped in a voluminous, sparkling white wedding gown, leaned weakly against Jayson's chest, looking so fragile that a strong gust of wind might blow her away.
As Corina stepped fully into the light of the entrance, the melodious strains of the "Wedding March" suddenly warped. The musician had spotted her, and his fingers slipped, producing a harsh, piercingly discordant note that echoed across the lawn.
Instantly, every pair of eyes in the venue snapped toward Corina.
The joyous smiles on the faces of the Logan family froze, replaced by expressions of sheer panic and guilt.
Whispers erupted among the guests, spreading like wildfire.
"Is that... isn't that Corina? Why is she here?"
"I thought everyone agreed to keep this an absolute secret from her!"
"Who leaked the information? This is going to be a disaster."
The hushed voices were deafening. She was his actual wife, yet in this place, surrounded by her own family and friends, she was treated as an unwanted intruder.
When Jayson's eyes finally landed on her, a flash of genuine shock crossed his deep gaze, but it was almost instantly swallowed by his habitual, chilling composure.
He lowered his head, whispering a few soothing words to Kate, before gently handing the bride's hand over to a bridesmaid. He then stepped off the altar, his long legs eating up the distance as he strode purposefully toward Corina.
As he neared, the familiar, crisp scent of cedarwood that always clung to him enveloped Corina. It was the scent she had once been so hopelessly addicted to.
"What are you doing here?"
Those were his first words. Not an explanation, not an apology, but a cold, hard interrogation.
Corina looked up at the face she had loved for seven years. The sharp, aristocratic line of his brow, the thin, cool lips she had kissed a thousand times. Suddenly, she found the entire situation utterly laughable.
"Shouldn't I be here?" Corina's voice was incredibly soft, as casual as if she were inquiring about the weather. "My husband is getting married here today. Shouldn't I come to offer my congratulations?"
Jayson's brow furrowed deeply, a clear precursor to his impatience.
He took a sudden step forward, his large hand shooting out to clamp down hard on her slender wrist. Without another word, he dragged her away from the prying eyes of the crowd, pulling her into the shadows of a secluded stone corridor.
Once they were enveloped in the dim light of the corridor, he stopped and released her wrist.
"Corina, don't make a scene," he commanded, his voice tight.
"Kate... she doesn't have much time left." Jayson reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket, pulling out a silver cigarette case. He extracted a cigarette but didn't light it, instead rolling it restlessly between his long fingers, a sign of his internal agitation. "Late-stage liver cancer. The doctors have confirmed she has, at most, half a month left to live."
Corina stood perfectly still, her eyes locked onto his.
"And so?" she asked, her voice devoid of inflection.
"Her final, greatest wish in this life was to wear a wedding dress and marry me," Jayson said, meeting her gaze with a look that suggested his actions were the most logical, reasonable thing in the world. "This wedding is entirely fake. I am simply putting on a performance for her, allowing her to leave this world without any lingering regrets. Do you understand?"
He paused, taking a breath, and when he spoke again, his tone softened marginally, sounding like a king offering a generous concession to a peasant. "Corina, it is merely a ceremony. Why must you be so petty and hold a grudge against a dying woman?"
Petty? Holding a grudge?
Corina's gaze drifted past his broad shoulders, looking out toward the distant, brightly lit lawn where the guests were still murmuring, their faces painted with a mix of celebration and nervous anticipation.
/0/37137/coverbig.jpg?v=3edea742da5e023bc2f9b7b58f3eb6f6)
The Billionaire’s Bartered Bride
“Natalie, you know you want me, we are married, why are you trying to resist?” He whispered grabbing her neck seductively and pulling her closer, Nicole took in a much needed breath, no he didn’t under, even in this moment, she wanted him so much even though she knew just how wrong it was, she wasn’
/0/27659/coverbig.jpg?v=f7e921d6449f1d51ec496e2497b4bcc6)
Billionaire’s Bride
Hailey Parker, a naive young woman of twenty-one, gets more than she bargained for when she gets into a deal in an attempt to protect her fiancé. Leaving the only place she had known all her life, she soon realizes that she had gotten way more than she'd bargained for and lots of buried secrets spi
/0/41715/coverbig.jpg?v=ae1eec58a2ea23e781226a23a3479b64)
The Billionaire’s Delinquent Bride
For years, Sofia had always dreamed of escaping her privileged and drama-filled life in France. And when her engagement to her boyfriend fell through, she finally had an excuse to make that dream a reality. She packed her bags and left for Los Angeles with the hopes of starting fresh, but she had no
/0/59113/coverbig.jpg?v=733915536397297535f516ffec90dcb9)
Billionaire’s bride..
In the dazzling heart of New York City, Olivia Morgan, a fiercely independent lawyer, finds her world turned upside down when she’s forced into a contract marriage with the ruthless CEO, Alexander Knight, to save her family's legacy. With a sharp tongue and an unyielding spirit, Olivia detests Alex’
/0/47637/coverbig.jpg?v=e18532a742c172b2611209e4099f84d6)
The Billionaire’s Contract Bride
It was a stormy night when Tracey's world fell apart. She lost her father to the storm, and her mother, an alcoholic, blamed her for his death. Tracey worked at a coffee shop to make ends meet, but her life was far from perfect. She had a boyfriend, Tristan, but he was unfaithful, and she felt like
/0/52034/coverbig.jpg?v=d632bf45836ac000a0878458d160d080)
THE TWIN BILLIONAIRE’S BRIDE
A dangerous and forbidden love triangle ensues when Ruby Lakewood finds herself stuck between the famous Riverstone twins. . . Ruby Lakewood's life is going smoothly until her father suffers a heart attack because he's at the brink of losing all that he has worked for. In other to save her father a
/0/32881/coverbig.jpg?v=bc80c2fdf47a3aa4c8d2dfd213cbc55a)
Billionaire’s Runaway Bride
Carissa is caught between two worlds that mean a lot to her; Her family and her lover. She either get married to Ethan; the rich and wealthy billionaire’s son who have helped in her family financial crises. Or her lover and first love, Stan, who is struggling to attain financial stability. Stan lea
/0/49748/coverbig.jpg?v=80db78e76b5ed70ecca96dd2d9d7845d)
Billionaire’s One-Night-Stand Bride
Ixora Benedict, a very shy young lady who was well endowed, considered fat by females but sexually objectified by males. She was full of love, loved to show affection openly and dreamed of having a family someday. She had been in a few relationships but none was genuine. They couldn’t see past her f
/0/54963/coverbig.jpg?v=577f3c30b5c194d3127a7068a5bf8a09)
The Billionaire’s Assistant.
Looking out for him, taking care of him, and prioritizing him are her daily goals. She is like his slave, but little does she know that she started falling for him already. Can her love end up with something positive? Or it will end up with nothing?
/0/45375/coverbig.jpg?v=45534e54ad36109b6f207435dbe4052f)
The Billionaire’s Fate
"When Liam is ostracized by his wife's family for being poor, he sets out on a path to success, becoming wealthy beyond their wildest dreams. He decides to start up a business with the help of his uncle, and fortunately for him the business booms. Fate plays a game on him and he gets to reunite with
/0/49392/coverbig.jpg?v=998d0fdf57b6e92f9f8f94df98806e2d)
The Billionaire’s Secret Affair
Zendaya is a shy but smart young woman who finds herself weaving through the intricacies of life. A graduate with no job and losing her father at the age of eight with a crippled mother to take care of, life does not go well for her as she struggles with bills and responsibilities. Getting a surpris
/0/44663/coverbig.jpg?v=dc7e17fffeb00d7e9564975a591e3b4b)
The Billionaire’s Trapped Wife
"Did you think you could just leave like that after getting married to me?" Blaine Sinclair's voice cut through the air, freezing the room. Yazmin's heart raced as his gaze locked onto her. "We are married, Yazmin, and you cannot walk out of this marriage unless I let you." … In the glisterin
/0/50106/coverbig.jpg?v=20240206171822)
Carrying the Billionaire’s Heir
Hot Billionaire Series #6 Carrying the Billionaire’s Heir Binge and read more with the hot billionaire series! Find out how the second daughter of the Heartwell family fight for her life and correct her past mistakes.
/0/60925/coverbig.jpg?v=c0ea26fa6b3e9ccb6273ebe44463a9e0)
The Billionaire’s Nerdy Secretary
Jayce Smith randomly meets Evelyn Thomas, who is hiding her identity. After her secret is exposed, he forces her to stay with him. They engage in a battle of wits and courage: Evelyn defies the world, and Jayce vows to spoil her. They are close but each has their own secrets. As the internal strugg
/0/41139/coverbig.jpg?v=05c2d07fea1609114a9faa044efab093)
The Billionaire’s Secret Crush
Olivia has only been in love once, and it didn't end well it only led her to becoming a single mom, not that she doesn't love her daughter if there's one good thing the relationship gave her it's Aria her 7yr old daughter. She has sworn off love and focused on her daughter and her business and has n
/0/33736/coverbig.jpg?v=a7db8eb0928dd52f94ecad85f258c761)
Billionaire’s proposal
He was my first love. Shattered me, then left without a goodbye. Eight years have passed, and now he's back. But, I'm engaged. And he will do anything to make sure I'm his...again. I've fought hard to rebuild my life. So when the ever-so-perfect Julian Baker proposes marriage, I'm ready to forget t
/0/47855/coverbig.jpg?v=20260525191148)
The Billionaire’s Betrayal
Allyson a 22 years old lady with lots of ambition. She grew up with zero knowledge about her real mom .She craved the love of a mother while growing up but she never had anyone to fill up that space. Her step mother whom she lived with only made her life miserable . Allyson was a product of a o
/0/37328/coverbig.jpg?v=5b463c799d0aef8b42d14cb745636fd2)
The Billionaire’s Unexpected Baby
Luna Hadid, a young woman with an average background has just gotten promoted to being a full-time worker and was to celebrate with her Boss and other workers. “Do you drink?” She replied; “No Sir, I have zero tolerance for alcohol” “It doesn’t kill, just have a sip” She had no choice but to dri
/0/22199/coverbig.jpg?v=20220121164226)
The billionaire’s Maid
When Davina Dalton a desperate college student moves in with her alluring, arrogant and terrifying boss Aiden Smith. Her life takes a thrilling turn. With his caramel skin, deep brown eyes, defined jaws, masculinity and a mesmerizing voice, Aiden is irresistible. Davina is determined to uncover wh
/0/52623/coverbig.jpg?v=0a9221e5b3a5aac3e004ba96142f6b16)
The Billionaire’s Great Seducer
Liam's visit to Roseville town was to work on a project. The plan was to get everything done in two months: the construction of a wellness center. What Liam didn't expect was to get swindled by a con artist upon his arrival in Roseville. It was a deliberate approach. Delilah needed the money to pay
