A masquerade ball. One night. Behind the mask. Anything can happen. Diana Thorton decided to have one night to herself, away from being Alexander Stone's Assistant. The whole point of a masquerade-themed ball is to conceal one's identity but what happens when the face behind the phantom of the opera mask turns out to be her boss? She recognized him and that didn't stop her from sharing an intense night in a bid to rebound over a recent heartbreak. Turns out that one night isn't enough and wanting more is being greedy. Will she reveal her identity to the one man who made her feel like a woman and is now looking for her or throw caution in the wind as she prepares to resign even after falling pregnant? Only a forced marriage can cover up her shame as well as also salvage that which the media has ruined for her boss's reputation. With a two-year contract and an annulment after, will love find its way back to the couple just as it did on the night of the ball?
Chapter 1
DIANA THORTON
"Fuck, fuck fuck!" I cursed as I raced through the crowd in my trusty sneakers with a handful of items in different shopping bags and coffee in the other- to get my boss's watch from the repair shop. I'd almost forgotten about Mr stick up his butt's overly expensive wristwatch. Hell hath no fury as a livid Alexander Stone should in case I show up without that watch.
"I am so sorry" I apologized after nearly colliding my coffee with a tourist. How did I know? Hat, shorts, sunglasses, a sling bag, and a map in hand- typical attributes of a tourist.
Pushing my glasses up by its bridge; a bad habit, I needed to get that stupid yet pricy enough to pay my salary for nearly a year wristwatch and then high tail it back to the office to finish up other looming tasks.
With my thighs rubbing against each other much to my chagrin as I raced on, beads of sweat forming a small pool and were now dripping down my face, damp armpits, and even my grey-rimmed glasses fogging up as a result of the heat emitting from my body, I knew without seeing my reflection that I looked a mess.
I silently cursed Alexander for making me go through this. I'd taken the job not entirely knowing what it entailed.
Amanda, the previous assistant didn't mention that the role required being at the beck and call of the CEO- maybe she did but it definitely did not include this.
She did list a few errands but did not include, gift shopping for his numerous easy lay arm candies, picking up laundry, treading up and down steep hills just to get his favorite coffee, and the ridiculous likes- or maybe she did, and I wasn't listening. The whole orientation process was a blur because I couldn't pinch myself out of what I thought was still a dream:La Belle freaking hiring me!
What a hidden epiphany I've come to unravel. They needed somebody to clean up his dirty laundry and who better than a girl who didn't go to the university?
Over time, I had concluded that Executive assistants are just as much as slaves and all that I could do was rant and curse to myself, not forgetting to hail my shitty luck.
I'd accepted the job even though I knew next to nothing about being a secretary or Assistant and had to binge the entire season of What's wrong with Assistant Nicki to know the basics. And no, in my case, I won't be working as an assistant for 9 years.
I also hoped that with time, they will come to realize my potential and allow me to work in the product development department- one I had applied for a few times and got rejected. The reason was 'underqualified', which was true. I'd ditched college to go to a vocational beauty school instead, and while I thought it should be enough to kick-start my career in the beauty industry, it looks like society's standard of obtaining a degree will never go extinct.
I needed to show my skills and working directly under the nose of the CEO didn't seem like a bad idea at that time for someone as desperate as I was but, out of all the bosses in the world, it had to be a stuck-up one.
Six months working in La Belle Beauty and now, I know him to the tooth. He is stuck up, intimidating, cold, self-absorbed, lacked self-awareness, and most importantly, didn't care how his actions impacted others. It's his way or the highway.
I joined the short queue of people waiting to get on the bus and finally sunk on a chair to collect myself, wipe the sweat off my face and enjoy the twenty minutes ride.
I quickly scanned through WhatsApp and my text messages while mentally praying that Alexander didn't leave me another errand. I heaved a sigh of relief when I found no outstanding message from him, and one from my boyfriend. I made a mental note to check his message later.
Finally, I felt like I could breathe even if it was only for twenty minutes.
People passed in my peripheral vision as the bus slipped into the light traffic. It took seeing a boy downing a drink to make me remember that I'd not had breakfast and that my coffee was not with me. A quick trip back in time made me realize that I must have dropped it at the repair shop.
Great! Can this day get any worse?
As if that was the cue mother earth was waiting for, my phone chimed loudly. I hurriedly picked up the call after seeing Alex's name - saved as Mr. Narcissist- stare vividly at me.
"You're late" His voice is as usual, cold
Telling my boss that I had to go back for the wristwatch I forgot which in return cost me an extra twenty minutes isn't exactly the way out. Alexander hates excuses, as well as expects you to own up to your shit with your full chest and then deal with the consequence which of course is his go-to catchphrase "You're fired"
In my six months of working for him, he'd have fired nearly fifteen people over something trivial.
Did somebody tell him being mean was the new cool?
"I will be there in fifteen. There's a lot of traffic and you know tomorrow is Christmas so there's a lot of hustle and bustle."
"Make it five, Ms. Thorton. I don't care if you have to walk, or fly, just be here in five."
The line went dead abruptly before I could say another word.
How am I supposed to get to the office in five?
How the hell did Amanda live through this? No wonder the poor lady had to go only after three months. Honestly, it took the light at the end of the tunnel- which is the big picture, which is my dream to work in La Belle, to stay this long... I would have called it quits after twenty-four hours, six months ago.
It's Christmas Eve and nothing is Christmassy for me, which is a bummer because Christmas is usually my favorite holiday of the year.
It's Alexander's way or the highway and in this case, the highway meant not giving a shit and calling it quits. I didn't want to do that. La Belle would be an eye-opener and a great reference for me in the industry.
In summary, I needed the job for my portfolio and enough money to start my own company which I plan on making when I win the annual La Belle Beauty Entrepreneur competition.
An initiative to fund entrepreneurs with excellent business ideas with one million dollars as the grand prize, I am sure that I am going to win with my killer facial mask for older people idea. There's nothing like it in the beauty world. That part of the industry is too invested in the younger generation to realize that older people need confidence building too and that things like wrinkles and the likes shouldn't limit them from feeling beautiful.
After a brief back-and-forth discussion with myself, I decided it was Alexander's way which meant, running thirty blocks to get to the office building.
"You look like you just got hit by a tornado" Caroline, the receptionist and possibly one of my two work friends in the office couldn't help but point out the obvious.
"Tell me about it." I gave her a tired eye roll as I walked past.
"Break a leg! I heard Mr. Hot Pants is feisty at the moment. He probably has zero endorphins" She added.
Oh no! Here we go again.
Olivia Donovan is almost Forty while Jason Ice is younger -- a lot younger than her. Divorced because her former best friend had an affair and is now pregnant with her former husband while they were still married, Olivia moved to the city and single handedly raised her two kids. Single, gorgeous and bad boy billionaire, Jason Ice succeeds in life despite an apalling childhood. Falling in love with Olivia was love at first sight on New Year's Eve and this twenty-something-year old guy is not ready to take no for an answer.
April Denver's Erotic message to a constant one night stand was mistakenly sent to someone else after siri chose scum instead of sean as the receiver on her contact list. Alpha male billionaire Jordan Cross sees a message from April indicating her sexual need for him. He sets out to her apartment and from that night onward, his virginity taken by her, he knew he was done for. She doesn't feel the same and for this to happen, there's one thing Jordan Cross must do to own all of her. Fulfil her request.
"Brian I am your Godmother!" Jayda reminded him in case he forgot she is ten years older than him. A whole decade. "Age is just a number, I don't care," Brian said as he continued to walk closer to her until her back hit the wall of his office and his arms secured on each side. "Adeline would flip in her grave to find out her best friend and son are romantically involved" She added "She would be happy for me" "What about society?" "Enough Jayda!" His eyes appeared bloodshot as he stared into the eyes of the woman that dominated his thoughts since his childhood. "I have waited long enough to have you. I. Can't. Wait. Any more. You are mine and I will kill anyone that tries to steal my happiness away from me. Get that into your thick skull" She was supposed to feel mad for being reprimanded like a toddler but instead, her core craved for him most sinfully. A night of passion turned her God-son into her lover but how long will this fairytale last?
"Carroll Brown is dead! But you have to marry him in your sister's name." My mother said to me in a cold tone. My sister was engaged to the hottest billionaire. It should have been a perfect marriage. Unexpectedly, Carroll was dead in an accident. My sister didn't want to become a widow, so she forced me to marry her dead fiance. And I had no right to refuse her. Actually, I was the biological daughter of the Smith family. My sister was an adoptive one. My sister and I had been swapped at the hospital when we were just born. My parents had already had a deep relationship with her. So they chose to sacrifice me. On the wedding day, I was taken to the mourning hall. "Ma'am, please keep Master company and let him feel warm." The housekeeper said with a cold expression. I couldn't help but look up at the portrait above the coffin, and my heart skipped a beat at this glance. The man in the portrait was more handsome than the superstars in Hollywood. Carroll Brown? My dead husband? Wow, he was really handsome! I didn't know how long had passed when my stomach began to rebel. After one glance at the coffin, I swallowed my saliva and then begged with my fingers crossed. "Mr. Carroll, I'm starving! May I eat your pastries? You don't mind, do you?" "I do." "Ah!" Scared, I broke out in a cold sweat. My legs went limp, and I fell to the ground. I shouted, "Ghost!" Carroll curled his lips, leaned over, and touched the black coffin. "Mr. Carroll has risen from the dead. What do you think of this headline tomorrow?"
"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.
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!
"Who is she?" I asked, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "He met her at the Alpha training camp," he said. "She is a perfect suitor for him. It snowed last night, indicating that his wolf is happy with his choice." My heart sank, and tears made their way down my cheeks. Alexander took my innocence last night, and now he is taking that thing in his office as his Luna. **** Emily never shifted on her 18th birthday and became the laughingstock of the pack. When her old crush, Alexander Black, returns from Alpha Training, she never expected him to be her mate. After a night of passionate love, Emily finds out that young Alpha Alexander has taken a chosen mate. Heartbroken and humiliated, Emily runs off and disappears from the pack. Now, five years later, Emily is a high-ranking warrior in King Alpha's army, specializing in sensitive matters. When her best friend invites her to a night of music and laughter, she never expects to run into her mate, Alexander. Will Alexander figure out it is Emily? Will he chase after her, and most of all, will Emily be able to keep her secrets safe?
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."
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.