Ana Reed is wallowing in huge debts with no means in sight to pay them, until she meets Asher Howard, the grandson and CFO of the multi-billionaire company, Howard Companies, who offers her more than enough money to pay her debts in exchange for a marriage contract with him. With her creditors threatening her and the mouth-watering offer, Ana is left with no choice than to accept Asher's proposal. Will their fake marriage blossom into something more beautiful or will the various obstacles such as Asher's conniving and overly ambitious cousin who is determined to bring Asher down, his wife, who would support her husband in everything he does, Ana's dirty past as a drug dealer and Asher's inner demons, swallow them whole?
"Call for you Ana!" Andy, my co-worker, calls from the back room. I leave my spot at the counter and head over.
"Who is it?" I whispered as I took the phone.
"Diane." She whispers back, and my heart drops as I take the phone from her. "I'll cover for you." She says as she heads to my spot at the counter.
I took a deep breath and put the phone to my ear. "Hey Diane. Are you good?"
"How would I be good when you left me all alone at home?"
I sigh and rub my temples. Not this again.
"Is that really what you called to tell me?" I asked. I'm already getting tired of her constant drama and need for attention, and some days I'm tempted to just give her the boot, but she's the only family I have left.
"You're so rude. Is that how you speak to your big sister, who is in fact recovering from very traumatic surgery?"
"Diane, the doctor said you're getting much better, and you're healing well."
"Ana, the doctor isn't the one to tell me how I'm feeling. It's my body, and my pain, not his."
"Is there a reason why you called me in the middle of my shift, Diane?"
"Still so rude." She murmurs. "Yes Ana. There is in fact a reason why I had to call you. I need you to help me get something from the store on your way back home."
"Diane, I don't think I can do that. I'll be leaving work really late, and the store is not on my way."
"So what? You want me to just stay here and starve?"
"Stop being dramatic, Diane. I told you I left some food at home so you could microwave it whenever you're ready to eat."
"And I told you that I wouldn't eat whatever disgusting concoction you decided to whip up in the name of food for me."
"That was what your doctor recommended!" I shouted out in frustration. The line goes silent for a while on the other side before Diane speaks again.
"So, because I cannot move around and run my errands myself, and I am begging you to help me do this one thing, you decided to raise your voice at me. Nice."
"Diane..."
"No, it's fine. I'll get better soon enough and get them done myself."
I take a deep ragged breath before I speak again.
"What do you need me to get you?" I asked in defeat.
"You don't have to. In fact, just forget about it. Forget I called."
"Diane, tell me what you need."
"Fine, if you insist," she says, and I roll my eyes as I listen to her list out the things she'll need.
I get back to work and countdown the seconds until I can be reunited with my bed. The contrast between the calm of the café and cheerful chatter, and the tense conversation I just had does not go unnoticed by me. Dealing with Diane is so stressful, both physically and mentally. She had surgery a few months ago to replace her kidney, and ever since then, she's been milking it every opportunity she gets, even though she's obviously better.
What pisses me off the most is the fact that she never asked how I got the money to pay for her dialysis and surgery, yet she's always demanding one thing or the other. I'm still fuming with rage when my inner dialogue is interrupted by a tap on my shoulder.
"Are you good?" Andy asked, looking at me with a worried look on her face.
"Yeah, just exhausted."
"You sure? Cause you look like you'd want to stab someone awfully."
"No, I don't." I answered defensively.
"The dessert knife you have in a death grip would beg to differ."
I looked down and instantly released the knife I didn't even realize I was even holding.
"Rough talk with Diane?" she asks, concern etched in her features.
"Is it that obvious?"
"Absolutely. You always have this murderous look in your eyes whenever you talk to her."
"Well, it's a good thing it's just a look and not the actual action."
"Only time will tell."
"Andy!" I gasp.
"What? Most actions stem from thoughts alone. One minute you're reminiscing about it, and the next minute, BAM! You're committing a crime."
"Okay, first off, you watch too many crime documentaries. And secondly, that's my sister you're talking about."
"Doesn't stop her from being the devil's spawn."
"Diane's not that bad. She has her good moments."
"And how many of those moments have you been on the receiving end of? No, better still, when was the last time you experienced any of those so-called moments?"
I attempted to answer her question but no words came out. It's a struggle to even pinpoint the last time my sister was nice to me or appreciative of anything I did.
"You see? You can't even answer that question, yet you are here defending her imaginary niceness. Aren't you tired of her stepping all over you? Manipulating and gas-lighting you every chance she gets?"
"I am but..."
"No buts Ana. You need to grow a pair and set some boundaries."
"But she's my sister. The only family I have left."
"And you are also HER sister and HER only family. It's high time she started acting like that."
"I guess you're right."
"You know damn well I am," she says.
Just then, a sleek black Maybach is parked in front of the bakery and a man in a tailored black suit, jet black hair and dark glasses steps out of the passenger seat and walks into the bakery.
"Hello, and welcome to Bakes ad Dates. How can we help you?" Andy says, plastering her customer service smile on her face while I head to the back of the bakery, relieved that my shift is finally over, and I get to go home.
I leave the bakery and head to the opposite way from my usual route when a chill suddenly runs down my spine. I feel like I'm being watched or followed and that propels me to quicken my steps. Everywhere is dark, and I'm practically the only person on the road. I turn back and see no one, so I try calming myself down as I take deep breaths. I'm about to take a corner when I feel strong arms wrap around me and the world goes black.
When billionaire Alexander Westfield acquires a quaint small-town bakery as part of a corporate takeover, he's stunned to learn that the previous owner, spirited baker Lily Monroe, fabricated a fake engagement to him in a bid to save her struggling business. As the media catches wind, Alexander insists they continue the charade to preserve his public image. But as they navigate glitzy galas, intense paparazzi scrutiny, and the undeniable chemistry between them, both Lily and Alexander begin to wonder if their "royal ruse" is turning into the real deal.
All Lyla remembered was waking up in a pool of blood. She was supposed to get married to Alpha Thorn the following morning but everything was going wrong for her. " I didn't do this. Please believe me." She pleaded with the teary eyes. " Have her locked up!" Thorn shouted seeing the corpses of his father. Lyla had been chosen by the moon goddess to be the next Luna of the Silver moon pack but Georgina had been ever jealous. She was from a prestigious family and a powerful blood line while Lyla was from a lowborn. In fact she didn't know who her biological parents were. She had always believed she was a nobody and she grew up in the orphanage The day Alpha Thorn was to be married to Georgina was the same day Lyla was to be killed but on that day. Lyla was immediately killed but then the. moon goddess gave her a chance to avenge herself. Waking up in the body of the most powerful daughter of the neighbouring Alpha pack. Lyla decided to take revenge on those who lied about her killing Alpha Thorn's parents.
Jason, a hardworking student barely making ends meet, is constantly manipulated by his girlfriend, Linda, who takes advantage of his earnings for her extravagant lifestyle. When Jason discovers that Linda has been secretly involved with Ethan, a wealthy classmate, his world falls apart. Publicly humiliated as Linda denies their relationship and sides with Ethan, Jason resolves to turn his life around and seek revenge on both Linda and Ethan
Maria took her sister’s place and was engaged to Anthony, a disabled man who had lost his status as the family heir. At first, they were just a nominal couple. However, things changed when things about Maria were gradually exposed. It turned out she was a professional hacker, a mysterious composer, and the sole successor to an international jade sculpting master… The more that was revealed about her, the less Anthony could rest easy. A famous singer, an award-winning actor, an heir of a rich family—so many excellent men were chasing after his fiancee, Maria. What should Anthony do?
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.
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
"I want a divorce!" Ryan demanded, despite the fact that he had cheated on her with his ex. ~ Serena is no longer the quiet, romantic lady Ryan Winters married and divorced five years ago. Now the CEO of Rocky's Designs, she is bright, unwavering, and unapologetic about her independence-a far cry from the woman Ryan remembers. When fate brings them back into one another's lives, Ryan is forced to confront the truth about their past, their newfound hot chemistry, and a surprising revelation; Serena has a daughter who may be his. But Ryan's girlfriend, Kate, isn't prepared to lose him again. She will do whatever it takes to keep Ryan in her grasp-even if it means destroying Serena's life and the corporate empire she has built. What happens when Serena's now peaceful life is being disrupted? Will Serena lose once again or will she seize this billionaire's heart?