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Sandra Saunters has never known love, only cruelty. Branded a bastard, she endures years of scorn from her indifferent father, venomous stepmother, and heartless half-siblings. The only solace she has is in the arms of her childhood sweetheart Armin Jacobs, until the night she finds him tangled in bed with her stepsister, shattering the last piece of her fragile world. Determined to rewrite her fate, Sandra escapes to a new city, vowing to bury her past. Years later, she returns not as the broken girl they discarded, but as a powerful, ambitious woman with a thirst for vengeance. Desmond Willis an enigmatic, silver-haired billionaire with a reputation as a ruthless heartbreaker. He doesn't believe in love, only in control. When he proposes a one-year contract marriage, Sandra sees the perfect opportunity to further her ambitions and exact revenge on the family that wronged her. But the game changes when passion ignites and unexpected emotions blur the lines. As Sandra finds herself torn between her growing love for Desmond and the reappearance of Armin who refuses to let her go, she must navigate a world of power, deceit, and betrayal. Yet, the greatest danger lies closer than she ever imagined. When the truth about her true enemies is revealed, Sandra must decide whether to let the past define her, or claim the future she was always meant to have.
"I'm offering you a deal, Sandra," Desmond said, his piercing eyes burning with intensity, "Marry me for a year and I will give you all that you desire."
His voice was husky, yet it sent shivers down my spine.
I raised a brow, staring at him, incredulous.
"You can't be serious," I said and laughed. But Desmond's expression remained serious.
"Is this some twisted game?" I asked, my voice laced with skepticism. "Or is this your warped way of flirting with me?"
Desmond's gaze did not waver.
"I need a wife, and it has to be you, Sandra," he said, with a tone that sounded like a challenge.
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite myself. "Why me? Why not some socialite or a supermodel?" I asked, my voice dripping with disdain.
Desmond's smile was mischievous and predatory "Because, my dear Sandra, you're the only one who can help me achieve my goals. And as for age... it's just a number." His eyes seemed to bore into my soul, as if daring me to refuse.
I hesitated, weighing my options. Marrying Desmond would be a means to an end, a way to exact revenge on my family, the Saunters, for their past betrayals. They had destroyed me, left me for dead. Now that I had risen from the ashes, I was ready to strike back.
"I'll do it," I said finally, my voice firm. "I'll marry you."
Desmond smirked and said, his voice laced with satisfaction, "Then, I will begin making arrangements for our wedding immediately, my dear wife."
It all started a few weeks ago, when Desmond and I had first met. It had been 10:30 am.
I sat in my office, tapping my foot on the floor as I waited. The CEO of DesmondCorps had still not arrived. What the hell was keeping him?
I had heard a lot about Desmond Willis , the dashing silver fox billionaire, aged forty five but still in his prime, a famous heartbreaker from his younger days till now, who did not believe in love and only saw women as objects to satisfy his sexual desires.
Like me, he had built his company from scratch despite having a rich background. He was also in the tech business and a world-renowned tech genius like me. His company was behind so many popular inventions as of late and they made billions like it was paper. Every tech company in the industry looked up to them and people were rushing to secure deals with them.
And at the helm of it all was the charismatic Desmond Willis . He had started his company a long time before I started mine, though, probably when I was still in high school and he was miles ahead of me in the business world. I needed his partnership. His company had been the reigning company for almost two decades and it had taken me months to even get to meet them. One of their executives commented that the only reason they'd agreed to do business with me was because I owned one of the fastest growing tech companies in the country and that I had potential.
My work phone rang, and I picked it up.
"Ma'am, the CEO of DesmondCorps is here," Leo told me.
"Good. Send him in."
As soon as I dropped my phone, the door to my office flew open and in came a man.
No, not a man, a prince. Never in my entire life had I seen a man as handsome as this. He was about six feet tall, had grey, shiny hair and piercing eyes that stared unto your soul. He had a few wrinkles here and there on his face but he still looked good. He had a smirk plastered on that sexy lips of his as he approached me with his confident gaze.
He stopped right in front of my desk and held out his hand for a handshake, the sweet scent of his expensive cologne filling the air of my office.
"Miss Sandra, we finally met. I've heard so much about you."
I slowly took his hand, still mesmerized by his face. Snap out of it, Sandra! What was wrong with you? My heart was racing as I stared at this attractive man. Luckily, I had learned how to make my face cold, devoid of emotions, even if I felt the opposite. I shook his hand, scowled, and introduced myself.
"Sandra Saunters. And you are late."
The meeting ended faster than I expected. Desmond was strangely accepting of all my ideas. All the men I had dealt with in this business had always looked down on me because I was a woman, so I was prepared for Desmond to give me the same attitude, considering that I heard he only viewed women as objects.
But he was strangely cooperative, and we made a profitable business deal.
The rumors of him being a playboy were, however, true.
He kept staring at me and flirting subtly throughout our meeting.
"I heard you are a no-nonsense boss. Might you also be a no-nonsense boss in the other room?
As I sat across from Desmond, I couldn't help but notice the way his eyes sparkled as he spoke. They were an intense, piercing brown that seemed to see right through me.
"Damn, your eyes remind me of the obsidian necklace my sister auctioned last summer. Dark, gorgeous, and rare."
"Mr. Desmond, you are here to discuss our new business deal and not to flirt. Let's focus on what's important first," I said. I was attracted to him, alright. I admit it. He was handsome and cheesy, but it didn't mean I was falling for him. When we finally concluded the meeting, Desmond held onto my hand and wouldn't let go.
"Mr. Desmond, you said you only wanted a handshake". He smiled wryly, let go of my hand, winked, and walked out of my office. Such a silly man.
The next day was a weekend and yet my thoughts were full of Desmond Willis .
I sat in front of my luxurious mansion, enjoying the warmth radiating from the sun on my skin. I sighed in delight.
The waves of the sea crashed continuously on the shore, its sound evoking a strange feeling in my body as I rested.
It was good I had gotten a house by the seaside.
My grandmother was right beside me, knitting a blanket.
I looked at her.
"Grandma, you are still not finished with that?"
My grandmother smiled warmly. The wrinkles on her head were etched deeper in her forehead. She looked so much older now.
"Don't worry. I'll soon be done with it. Then you can have a blanket around your neck when winter arrives."
I giggled, rising from my chair and hugging my grandmother.
Tobias has always been the Beta, the loyal second-in-command, the enforcer of pack law, and the protector of his Alpha's family. For years, he's watched Lily Blackthorn, his Alpha's sweet, innocent younger sister, grow into a woman. He knows she is forbidden to him, but when she goes into her first heat, the scent of her awakens something dark and primal within him. Tobias fights it. He tries to stay away. But his wolf is relentless, whispering one undeniable truth: She is mine. Lily has always admired Tobias, the brooding, disciplined warrior who guards her brother's side. But when her heat takes hold, she sees the hunger in his eyes. She feels the pull between them. And she wants to surrender. One night. One forbidden taste. And Tobias is lost. But when the Alpha discovers their betrayal, Tobias is forced to make an impossible choice, fight for the love that could tear the pack apart, or abandon his mate to save himself.
In a city that never sleeps, temptation lurks in the shadows... When Isabella starts college, she envisions a life filled with new friendships, thrilling experiences, and a future with Alex, her devoted, loving boyfriend. Together, they share a bond built on trust and years of unwavering companionship. But beneath the surface of their perfect love, a quiet restlessness brews within her, a craving for something more... something dangerous. Then she meets him. Professor James is enigmatic, confident, and intoxicating, a man whose very presence sends a shiver down Isabella's spine. What begins as a fleeting fascination soon ignites into an illicit affair, one that consumes her with a passion she never knew she was capable of feeling. With every stolen glance, every whispered secret, she spirals deeper into a forbidden world, where desire eclipses reason and every choice carries consequences. Torn between the comforting love of Alex and the electrifying pull of James, Isabella teeters on the edge of ruin. But in a game where hearts and reputations are at stake, can she truly have it all... or will she lose everything?
After a humiliating betrayal leaves her life in ruins, gentle and self-effacing Amara Blake crosses paths with the enigmatic billionaire, Damian St. Clair, during a chance encounter at a lavish charity gala. A single night of unbridled passion leads to a cascade of complications when Damian cold, commanding, and utterly unattainable enters her life for good. Struggling to reclaim her shattered confidence, Amara must navigate the complexities of Damian's world while rediscovering her own strength. But beneath his marble exterior lies a man burdened by secrets. Can their fragile connection survive the storm brewing on the horizon, or will it crumble under the weight of their scars?
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
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?
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
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?"
Iris grew from an orphaned child to the adopted daughter of the Stewart family at age ten, finding warmth in her nominal uncle Vincent's kindness. Seven years later, she became his secret lover. When Vincent's engagement was announced, gossip spread about the notorious playboy CEO finally settling down. But only Iris knew the extent of his cold, two-faced nature. Iris fell for Vincent and, through tears, begged, "Marry me," only to be met with his frosty refusal. Defeated, she accepted a lawyer's proposal, sparking public excitement. Then, on her wedding day, Vincent pleaded desperately, "Don't marry him…"