For three years, Joanna had dedicated herself as both Anthony's secretary and his secret lover, all for her family's sake. Upon discovering Anthony's engagement to the woman he truly loved, Joanna chose to break off their affair, resign from her role, conceal her pregnancy, and leave without a trace. Five years later, Joanna had ascended to the role of CEO of a formidable business empire. In a bold public declaration, she announced her plans to acquire Anthony's group within three years. In a private moment, Anthony cornered Joanna, pressing her against the wall and softly kissing her near her lips. "If you desire it, I'm ready to offer it to you, okay? Just promise you won't leave me again."
"Relax."
A man's hand softly brushed Joanna Peters' collarbone, gliding along her body's contours.
A faint moan escaped her.
Joanna nibbled her lip, her voice trembling. "Anthony, we're at the office..."
Pressed against the expansive floor-to-ceiling window, her face, now a shade of deep red, mirrored back at her.
She attempted to move away, but Anthony Dixon's hands, familiar with every curve, teased her sensitively.
Her delicate body shook with intensity.
The heat of the moment seemed to fuel his desire even more.
Footsteps echoed in the hallway. Despite the closed blinds, her anxiety spiked.
Only ten minutes remained until the morning meeting. Several senior executives were already gathered in the conference room, secretaries bustling about just outside.
"Where's Joanna?"
"She was just here. Maybe she went to check the equipment in the conference room? Let's go."
A lump formed in Joanna's throat, the fear of being discovered overwhelming her.
She clasped a hand over her mouth, fearful of letting any sound escape.
Yet, the man looming behind her was relentless, his teasing and tormenting nearly pushing her to the brink of crying out.
"Anthony, you've lost your mind..." she whispered, her voice trembling.
In the reflection of the glass, Anthony's robust upper body and his cold, emotionless eyes were apparent. He seemed to relish her combined arousal and panic.
"When you pleaded to be my lover, you must have known a day like this would come." Anthony smirked, straightening up.
Waves of humiliation and embarrassment crashed over her. Joanna's eyes brimmed with tears that she could no longer contain.
The tears traced paths down her delicate cheeks, falling into her mouth and tasting unbearably bitter.
Three years prior, the Peters family's business endeavors were systematically sabotaged, and her father, Henrik Peters, saw his shares steadily diluted. Consumed by corporate affairs, he suffered a stroke at the office of Peters Group, leaving him paralyzed to this day.
On the same day, her brother Kyson Peters was arrested. In a matter of three hours, evidence was gathered, a trial was conducted, and he entered a guilty plea. At the peak of his youth, he received a sixteen-year sentence.
From behind the stark visitation glass in prison, he had instructed Joanna, "Look after the Peters Group for Dad."
Their mother had died young, and their stepmother, Mabel Peters, a woman of scholarly lineage from a small town, possessed a gentle and refined air but knew nothing of running a business. When disaster struck the Peters family, all she could manage was to weep beside her husband's bed.
The Peters family was struggling to survive amid the onslaught from more dominant clans, clinging to their existence by a thread.
Joanna, only eighteen at that time, shouldered all their burdens.
She soothed her stepmother and then ventured alone to the Dixon Group.
Fueled by a few drinks for courage, Joanna approached Anthony with boldness. She perched on his lap, looped her arms around his neck, and ventured, "Anthony, are you looking for a woman?"
Anthony, preoccupied with analyzing the Peters Group's shares, gently removed her hand and asked with a sly grin, "Which woman are you referring to?"
Once the beloved jewel of the Peters family, Joanna was the epitome of purity and innocence.
Yet, on that day, she transformed into a figure of tantalizing allure. Tilting her head back, she planted a soft kiss on the corner of Anthony's mouth and whispered, "Me."
With a chuckle, Anthony brushed the lipstick from his lips with his fingertip and playfully prodded, "And then?"
"Take me," she implored.
Shedding her coat, Joanna revealed striking lace lingerie in black and red - her usual demureness replaced by a blend of shyness and seduction, rendering her utterly captivating.
Without a word, Anthony shut his documents.
His gaze fixed on Joanna with predatory intensity, as if ready to consume her whole.
That day, they had sex.
In a moment of passion, Joanna clung to his muscular frame and pleaded, "Anthony, help me."
That night, she forged a devilish alliance, sacrificing herself to salvage the Peters Group.
"Alright. Join my company as my secretary," he proposed.
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?
Katie was forced to marry Dillan, a notorious ruffian. Her younger sister mocked her, "You're just an adopted daughter. Count your blessings for marrying him!" The world anticipated Katie's tribulations, but her married life unfurled with unexpected serenity. She even snagged a lavish mansion in a raffle! Katie jumped into Dillan's arms, credited him as her lucky charm. "No, Katie, it's you who brings me all this luck," Dillan replied. Then, one fateful day, Dillan's childhood friend came to her. "You're not worthy of him. Take this 50 million and leave him!" Katie finally grasped Dillan's true stature—the wealthiest man on the planet. That night, trembling with trepidation, she broached the subject of divorce with Dillan. However, with a domineering embrace, he told her, "I'd give you everything I have. Divorce is off the table!"
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
"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."