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Caught in the thin line between destruction and preservation Malia is forced to marry one of the Winchester brothers to claim her inheritance and save her late father's business from falling into the hands of her conniving cousin. What does she do when she finds out that these two men are from her past? Will she choose her high school bully or her baby daddy? Can she turn this around and save her father's business?
Malia's POV
"WHAT?" I screamed as tears rolled down my face.
The eyes of everyone at the beach were suddenly on me but I didn't care.
"Please arrive at The William mansion within the next two days, have a nice day Ma'am," the voice on the other end of the call said sharply.
"What are you saying right now?" I asked in total confusion as my tears became uncontrollable.
"Wait... hello?" I asked in panic but I quickly realized that the call had ended.
"No....no...no," I repeated in disbelief as I tried to redial the number that had just called me.
It didn't ring and I was redirected to voicemail, my hands were shaking as I looked at the phone with my tear-blinded eyes.
My whole world crashed in an instant, and so many thoughts clouded my mind all at once, was this really happening, had my stubbornness finally gotten the best of me and led to my greatest pain?
"It's a lie... it's a prank," I said bursting out in laughter as the tears rolling down my cheeks didn't stop.
"It's just a sick prank," I shouted trying to convince myself that the news I just heard was fake.
My brain was functioning merely enough to think to call Lisa, the housekeeper, surely she could confirm for me that this news was a lie.
"H....Hello, Lisa," I stammered as she finally picked up the phone but I was met with silence followed by gentle sobs.
"NOOOOOO!!!" I screamed in absolute horror, this was all I needed to confirm that the news was true.
"Pleaseeeeee," I pleaded with Lisa, hoping she would say anything else.
But she ended the call as her sobs got louder and she couldn't contain the tears anymore.
"Why...?" I whispered as I suddenly felt very weak.
I didn't know where I was anymore, It felt like I was sinking into a black hole, I closed my eyes welcoming the darkness as it took over my mind but it did nothing to numb my pain.
"Mummy, mummy, mummy!!!" I heard from a distance, where was it coming from, was Ella somewhere in this darkness?
I suddenly felt someone shake me aggressively and my eyes popped open to the sight of my daughter's tear-stained face.
"Mummy, mummy," she kept crying and I wondered why, I was right there.
"Ella baby, mummy is right here," I said but it came out as a whisper, I might have lost my voice with all that screaming.
"Mummy?" she said as she cleaned her eyes, thankfully she heard my whisper.
"Come here, baby," I said as I hugged her tightly.
"What's going on Lia?" Susan, my best friend finally asked, her face puzzled and worried.
"My father is dead," I said dryly, just then the realization of those words hit me like a moving train.
I started feeling light-headed and the last thing I could hear were Ella and Susan's screams.
"Mummy.... Lia....." they screamed in unison as I felt myself fall back into the darkness.
I opened my eyes to the sight of a fireplace, I was lying on a big fluffy bed and it was raining outside.
I tried to sit up but I felt this sharp headache and immediately laid back down, I couldn't remember anything and I tried to probe my brain for details when it suddenly hit me.
"Attorney Edward on the line, I am calling to inform you that your father has passed away and you are required to be at his mansion in two days for the reading of his will," Those words.... The beginning of my misery and the reason I was wetting my pillow with tears.
I told myself I wasn't going to believe it till I saw it for myself so I got up ignoring the piercing headache, and looked around, I recognized this place to be Susan's room so I walked out, my room was just next door.
"Mummy?" Ella's voice came slicing out immediately I opened the door.
"Shhhhhh, mummy is here now," I silenced her as we hugged.
"Are you okay mummy?" she whispered with a concerned look.
"Yes, mummy, is fine, I was just a little tired," I lied not wanting her to worry about me.
"We are going back home," I said changing the topic and focusing on why I came to our room in the first place.
"Really," she almost screamed but I held her mouth forcing her to keep quiet.
"Go get your box, we are packing our things tonight," I instructed as I turned my face to our wardrobe.
It had been seven long years since I felt that city and planned never to look back till my child was at least sixteen but unexpected circumstances have changed my plans.
"Put it all in," I instructed an eager Ella, ensuring she didn't forget anything.
"Are we going to come back here mummy?" she asked looking up at me.
"Maybe," I replied never really thinking of it until now.
As my father's only child, the weight of his entire business empire was going to be on my shoulders and I may not have the time to travel anymore.
"I need to get back home first, every other thing would sort itself out," I whispered reassuring myself of my decision.
We had finished packing after three long hours and were ready to go, I had buried the broken part of me deep within at this point, I needed to confirm the truth before anything else.
"Let's go, princess," I told her as we carried our bags and moved towards the door.
Coming out of our room, we saw Susan with an already packed bag walk out of her room also.
"You won't have to go through this alone," she said with a smile as we moved towards the exit of the beach house we were at and entered the cab.
"Thank you," I managed to whisper after what felt like hours, she just squeezed my hand in reply.
On getting to the airport, we took a sit waiting for the boarding of our flight.
"WHAT??" I screamed in shock as I looked at the TV screen, if the death of my father didn't destroy me, this definitely would.
It started with revenge. It turned into obsession. It might just become love. Lillian never meant to fall for her boss. Especially not after one reckless night, a steamy mistake she hoped to forget. But when Nathaniel Caldwell offers her a promotion, she realizes two things: 1. He remembers. 2. He's not letting her go. He's charming and calculating. She's guarded and vengeful. They're both broken, but they might be perfect for each other. Until secrets explode and Lillian finds out she was just a pawn... or was she the one holding the strings all along? Perhaps a plan to finding love after hours?
"Be my wife, I'll give you everything you want." Sheila never expected this offer from her ex-boyfriend whom she abandoned a few years ago for another man. She had just come out of prison heartbroken and was thinking of how to put her life together. Her beloved husband sent her there, after divorcing her to be with her best friend. She's not interested in jumping into another marriage but is pressured into accepting the offer for a short period. He already signed an agreement with her parents, and she was the price. Their marriage is based on a set of rules which enabled them to live peacefully with each other until an intruder sets in. Would she stay married to her ex-boyfriend until the contract expires? Or would she leave and damn the consequences?
You have to choose one, either become my rental wife or...pay the sum of 2 Million dollars for damaging my tires" The smirk on his face was so evil and she hated it so much. Carla was on the brink of snapping, in fact, she just snapped. She couldn't control her temper, so she did something she shouldn't have, and now she was in deep trouble. They said that all disappointments come with a blessing. But is this a blessing or a curse? Carla didn't know
A man who knows he's a catch. A sexy flawless billionaire. "For me, Sex is a way to relieve stress." A woman who has been broken by the ones she calls family. "I don't want to feel this much pain anymore." A sister who wants everything to herself. "The way to a man's heart is through sex." A mother who is nothing but evil. "A pushover like you can't be my daughter, I should have killed you when I had the chance." Zoey lives in a world where she could never be happy. And when she runs away, she made up her mind to kill herself but what happens when a sexy billionaire saves her life? Will he save her from the hell that is her reality? Would he turn out to be her sanctuary?
"I refuse." - my voice matched the hardness of my gaze. "I refuse to be your mate. So get out of my way!" I said as I shoved him aside and began to walk towards the door. *************************************** When power and money is involved, then a child's happiness is the least to be considered. In what is seen as business, Lily Frost's world crumbles when she learns that a deal has been put in place for her to become the Luna to the acting alpha, Dean. Despite attempts to reject her fate which seemed like a stain that has refused to leave, her efforts proved futile. Without a choice, she gives in and accepts her ugly fate but then, she has to put up with his reckless and questionable behaviors that seemed to take a toll on her health. However, in an unforeseen and dramatic turn of events, while he was out hunting, Dean was involved in a life-threatening accident, leaving him at the mercy of the very girl whom he had wronged all the while, Lily. Would she overlook his wrongdoings towards her in the past and stand by him or would she leave him to suffer his fate alone?
Amelia is shattered, meeting with an ex from six years ago, at an event. She, however, returns to the same apartment after some time for a job, since funds are needed to secure the life of her mother. Things turn out well between Eddie and Amelia, one last time and an uncertain relationship begins, indirectly. Eddie is happy to be with her once again, not until the arrival of his ex-wife, Jenna. Amelia, sensing she cannot cope with a rude woman as Jenna, quits her job and heads back to her home. Eddie becomes unhappy once more. Fate happens and it is discovered that Chloe, a daughter Jenna claimed to have for him, is not his. He is now determined to go for Amelia again, but Amelia on the other hand, may not be willing to return with him. Find out in the enthralling novel what fate holds for these individuals.
22-year-old Evelyn Carter is attempting to start over in California while avoiding her past. She will be embarking on a new career path as a private school teacher. She is smart, attractive, and doesn't put up with nonsense. Who wouldn't notice her? However, what happens when she attracts the attention of someone unwilling to let her go? Who wants her and nothing else after falling in love at first sight? A 25-year-old billionaire CEO and single father, Lucian Carrington. He takes what he wants and he is also a very dangerous man. All it needed was one look at a stunning woman to realize she was HIS, even though he doesn't believe in relationships because they always end. Preview: Miss Carter, you will be mine. I say firmly. "Release my arm, Mr. Carrington, before I force you to." She says, seeming to smile at me. I give her a sly smile. Squeezing my wrist with her other hand, she twists it uncomfortably. I gave a painful hiss. "Don't underestimate me, Mr. Carrington." "This is the only time I will allow you to walk away from me, Miss Carter." She glared at me as she turned. "Mr. Carrington, I am no possession of yours." I was left standing there when she opened the classroom door and left.
June Rivera was divorced by her husband after three years of marriage because he wanted to be with her sister who was pregnant for him. Kicked to the curb with a divorce and rejected by her parents,she struggles to make ends meet and get a job until she saves Luis Ambrose from an accident - the only child of Rafael Ambrose, a widowed man and the CEO of Ambrose Corporation. When little Luis asks to have her as a nanny, and Rafael's mother pressures him to get married, they draw a contract. To be Luis's nanny and his fake wife for one year in exchange for 50 million dollars!
Due to the plight of her family, Phoebe had no choice but to embark on the path of selling herself. In an accident, she had a tangled night with Alexander. Everything began to derail, and even if she fled to the ends of the earth, she would still be found by him and entangled... *** Phoebe screamed in frustration, "What do you want from me?" What was this supposed to be? He raised an eyebrow wickedly. "What do I want? You'll find out soon enough." With that, he hoisted her up and carried her back into the office. The door slammed shut with a kick, and he cleared the desk with a sweep of his arm before laying her down on it, his body pinning hers in place, completely trapping her in his grasp. Every cell in his body was telling him he wanted her. He wanted to claim her again. This time, there would be no escape for her-he wouldn't let her slip away. Never again. If he had suffered for five years, then this woman wouldn't get off easily either!
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
Allison fell in love with Ethan Iversen, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Moonlight Crown pack. She always wanted him to notice her. Meanwhile, Ethan was an arrogant Alpha who thought a weak Omega could not be his companion. Ethan's cousin, Ryan Iversen, who came back from abroad and was the actual heir of the pack, never tried to get the position nor did he show any interest in it. He was a popular playboy Alpha but when he came back to the pack, one thing captured his eyes and that was Allison.
"I stood at the edge of my heart and watched him choose her. In the end, I was not the one he needed. I was simply the one he settled for." - Noelle ~~~~~~~ I thought I was the one he loved. But a few days before our wedding, I saw him in a way I never had before. His eyes softened as he spoke to her. His first love, and the very woman who had left him in pieces. Heartbreak was something I knew too well. And as I watched the love he still held for her in his eyes, I realized what I had to do. I couldn't marry a man who wasn't truly mine. With no means to cancel the wedding and lacking the courage to confront him, I made a desperate choice to leave. I painfully gave his first love my treasured engagement ring thinking it was for the best and the only way to free myself. But when he saw that ring on her finger, the fragile world I had tried to escape began to shatter. His obsession to find me and bring me back ignited a dangerous game of cat and mouse.