When Valerie Adams gets to know that she is betrothed to the youngest billionaire in New York, just to save her father's dying company, it is two nights after she caught her boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend. She is upset with the news of the betrothal and becomes more pissed when she finally meets him. Ryan Lorenzo is the most arrogant, pompous, and cold-hearted guy she will ever cross paths with. He is less interested in keeping a woman but what he needs is a wife to satisfy his parent's desires for him to be married and considered responsible. Valerie decides to take advantage of the situation, to save her father's company and to make her cheating boyfriend jealous. She suggests a CONTRACT for their marriage and Ryan is making the RULES.
Valerie's POV
I get butterflies in my stomach a lot.
In fact, there are a lot of things that give me butterflies. It doesn't have to be love or sex that gives me that.
Clubbing does. Being with my best friend does. Being happy does.
But this news before me is definitely one of the things that doesn't give me those butterflies in my stomach, that makes me excited about something I haven't done before or something that is about to happen to me.
I never saw this coming. I never envisioned my life to be going along this path and I still find it very hard to believe because my jaws are still dropped open in shock.
"Val, we know this is coming as a shock to you but it's for the best", Mother begins, her hands touching my thighs, jerking me back to reality. Father is sitting opposite me, his face in a deep frown. He looks frailer than ever before.
"We need to save your father's dying business. We talked about it at length and we thought it's high time you knew. I think now is the time for you two to meet so you can get to know each other better."
Now I can't take it anymore. Not because I have a boyfriend. But because I don't want anyone to interfere with my life or make decisions for me.
"No, mother," I say sharply, startling her. I turn to face her squarely. "I am not meeting anyone and that is final."
"Valerie", Father calls with a harsh tone. This isn't about them, this is about me.
I am 23 years old for crying out loud. How can I be betrothed to some guy all my life without even knowing about it? I have a boyfriend. I have a life that I love. A life that gives me the right butterflies.
I am not doing this.
"Dad, I am not doing this", I voice out sincerely. "This is my life and I can choose to get to meet my so-called betrothed or not. I have a boyfriend for crying out loud!"
I didn't mean for my voice to be raised at my father but here I am doing that.
"I won't let you speak of my husband that way, you silly girl", Mother scolds me harshly, her hands leaving my thighs.
Did she just defend her husband? Last night, they were at each other's throats and I didn't even bother to ask what the problem was.
That is their shit, not mine and I have no reason to interfere in their affairs.
Ever since Father's company went bankrupt, he has been having issues with my Mother. Mother is finding it very hard to get accustomed to this new lifestyle he is offering us.
It was hard for me at first but I get used to new things or new places easily. Getting myself accustomed to being middle class is one of the easiest things for me.
"Really?" I peer down at her with a scoff.
"Really. Is this the lifestyle you want for yourself? When was the last time we went shopping, uhn? When was the last time we threw a huge party like we used to? I know this isn't what you want..."
"No", I laugh. This is definitely not what I want. This is what my Mother wants and she wants to use me to continue living that life.
What I want are butterflies. Always being present.
What I want is for Fred to stop cheating on me. Getting married at this age and to some strangers is not one of the things I want.
"You need to help your father, princess", she begins to use that tone on me. That soft, alluring tone she always uses whenever she wants me to comply. "Your father needs this help. The Lorenzos won't help us until we fulfill our promise of having you married to their son. You will like him, just try..."
"I have a BOYFRIEND, mother!" I shout, rising from the sofa in anger, my chest heaving up and down. "I have a boyfriend, for Goodness sake."
"The same one who is always cheating on you with other girls?" She retorts back sharply, standing up to my height.
What? How did she know about Fred's cheating?
He promised to change and I gave him another chance but I caught him again, two nights ago but this time it was with someone I know. She is one of those who give me those butterflies and who makes me happy.
She was fucking my boyfriend. I caught them in the act at a party I was invited to by the same girl who I caught with my boyfriend.
I told them I was running late and I guess they took the clue to get to the act before I was around. They must have been doing this for a very long time.
It broke me.
I cried.
But I am a strong girl. Fred always comes back to apologize and I was waiting all night for his calls. It never came until yesterday morning when his text came in.
He apologized for his mistake.
Brenda has always been a seductress and I am sure she seduced him. I don't want to have anything to do with Brenda ever again but I will make sure she regrets having sex with my boyfriend.
Fred is still my boyfriend. What happened two nights ago didn't change that fact. Because he was with my best friend doesn't mean I will let him go. I won't let her have him. Fred and I are still a thing and I am patiently waiting for him to summon up the courage to come to beg me.
Here.
"That idiot that keeps hurting you?" My mother's voice is raised. "Do you even know what you are doing? He always cheats on you yet you keep accepting him back?"
Who told her this? I ask within me, tears threatening to fall down my eyes.
Was it Brenda? Brenda is my best friend but she is close to my mother too and they talk about everything and anything.
Did she tell my mother about Fred's cheating? She had always condemned him and wanted me to leave him but now I know why she is so enthusiastic about me leaving Fred.
She wants him for herself and that won't be happening.
"This is a good life we are offering you", she is still talking. "This guy is handsome and wealthy. He is the younger billionaire in New York. What more do you want?"
"What do I want?" I ask back, then point my index finger at her. "What I want is for you two to stop interfering with my life."
She is surprised that I am talking to her this way. Father is silently watching us. Sparing him a glance, I move past Mother to leave when her voice stops me.
"You are getting married to Ryan whether you like it or not, Valerie. You two were betrothed to each other since you were still a child and I won't have you make a wrong decision when he is obviously better than your cheating boyfriend."
I am tempted to go back to her and tell her how Fred makes me feel. This is not just about the butterflies. There is more to it.
I want to shout out how much I love Fred and how much of a real man he is. He might not be as wealthy as this so-called billionaire but he is a real man.
Instead of doing what I have in mind, I walk out of the living room to the front door with one intention in mind.
I am going to have him back.
Brenda won't.
Annette Vasquez is broken and desperate to talk to Ryan, her ex-boyfriend who broke up with her a month ago. When an intimidating man appears on her door dressed in all blacks, she runs for cover and sends Ryan a text for help. Vicente Di Alberto is the Don of the Italian Mafia, cold, ruthless and untouchable. A strange message pops up on his phone which has him acting on impulse. He hates men who hurts women and he is ready to save and protect the woman calling for his help. Rescued by a sinfully handsome man, Ann feels safe around him until she finds out his real identity and also finds herself married accidentally to the most feared man in Italy. She wants out but Vicente is ready to use the accidental marriage to his advantage.
Claire thought she had everything figured out. After discovering that another woman was pregnant with her husband's child, she made up her mind-she was done with Xandros. Armed with divorce papers, she walked out of his life, ready to take control of her own future. But what she didn't expect was for Xandros to let her go so easily. Then everything went dark. When Claire woke up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there, she's stunned to learn from her friend, Quinn, that she's married to Xandros-and that she's just ended their marriage the night before. But there's more-her father won't say a word about who Xandros really was. What happened to her? Why was she divorcing him? And what exactly did Xandros do to ruin her so completely? With nothing but a blurry past and a dangerous need for revenge, Claire is determined to reclaim her memory and get back at the man who betrayed her-even if she's carrying his babies.
Andrea Silva was forced to marry her twin sister’s supposed boyfriend after her twin sister, Camila Silva ran away. Andrea was deeply heartbroken when she found out the man she had just wedded was in love with her sister and she was just a substitute till Camila was back. Andrea thought she could make Damine Fel fall for her but what would happens when her sister comes back and want her boyfriend back? What would happen when her husband forced her to agree to a divorce? What would happen when she found out she was pregnant for him but he didn’t want anything to do with her?
Arabella finds out she is pregnant with a child for her husband, Richard Giodano. She wants to inform him about it when she hears him speaking on the phone with Eve Rogers, his ex-lover. Because of Eve's arrival back into the states, Richard wants a divorce. That has always been the plan until he finds Eve cheating on him with his best friend. Five years later, they bump into each other at a party and Richard finds out his ex-wife is not only back with a child but is also a hot sexy CEO of Eagle Homes and Interiors. Even when she pretends not to know him, he vows to stop at nothing to chase after and win her back.
When Jasmine Cooper runs into a drunk rapist, a man saves her. It is Xavier Ravarivelo, the billionaire Mafia whose bride left him at the altar. Jasmine Cooper looks just like his run-away bride, Andre, who was being forced to walk down the aisles with Xavier. Jasmine has the same look and tattoo as Andre but different hair color and personality. Taking her against her will; he forces her to marry him. He wants revenge for the humiliation he got after his supposed bride left him at the altar but Jasmine is hell-ass sure she never abandoned anyone at the altar. How will Xavier find out that Jasmine is different from his runaway bride? How long will it take for Xavier to note the difference between Jasmine and Andre?
"He is not yours!" She affirms with a confident and unwavering look. "Whose child is he, then?" I question, my eyes wandering to the boy with piercing blue eyes like mine. Celine narrows her eyes with her hands clenched. "He is mine!" "What about his father? Who is he?" I drop my hands lazily and watch her intensely. "That is none of your business." She says defensively. "It means he is mine and I am taking him", I conclude with a smile and walk past her to pick up the child who is already dozing off. "No, no, no!" Celine chants, blocking my way. "Please, don't take him. I beg you!" **** After realizing she was pregnant which was not part of the deal she made with Billionaire Bryan Martinez, Celine left his mansion before the end of the contract. When they meet again and he discovered the secret she was hiding from him, he decided to punish her by taking custody of the child. What will happen when the baby wants his mother close to him? Will this reunion blossom the love between them before her departure? How sweet will Bryan's revenge be for Celine?
WARNING! This book is not suitable for young readers or sensitive minds. Some parts contain graphic sex scenes, adult language, and situations intended for mature readers only! BLURB She saved herself for the man she thought would be her forever. She believed in love, in promises, in happily ever after. Until she caught her fiancé tangled in another woman's arms. Betrayal burned through her veins, leaving behind only one desire. REVENGE. And what better way to break him than to seduce the one man who could shatter his pride-his powerful, dangerously handsome billionaire uncle? He's older, untouchable, and completely off-limits. But she's willing to play dirty, willing to risk everything, just to watch her ex suffer. But what happens when the game turns on her? Because the moment she steps into his world, she realizes he's not just a pawn in her twisted little plan. He's a man who dominates, consumes, and makes her feel things she's never felt before. And the worst part? She might not want to escape.
"Listen, Gadreel Ødegaar," she looked at him, not hesitating this time. "It's my anniversary present for you. Let's divorce." *** Ivory Remington had sacrificed five years to look after her husband Gadreel who was in a vegetative state after an accident and a few months ago, he finally awakened like a miracle. She thought it was the start of their happy life but Gadreel still had no heart for her. On their anniversary and her birthday, she received a cheating video of her dear husband and her stepsister. Heartbroken, Ivory chose to quit this stupid game. She decided to set him free but the reason she left on the divorce agreement pierced Gadreel's noble pride. *** "Impotent? Are you serious?" He gripped her wrist and a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes. "I'm a woman, Gadreel. I'm tired of being in a sexless marriage. Let's end it once and for all." "Sexless, huh?" he chuckled lowly and without warning grabbed her chin in between his hands, pulling her face closer. "Turns out my wife was so eager to get a man between her legs? "
Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"
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!"
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
Follow the two lives of Alex Brim on Azurath and Sakamo Ryu on Earth. On Earth, he is a fifteen-year-old boy with ascendency of English-Japanese. His father was English, and died before he was born. His mother was Japanese and died of tiredness when he was three, trying to keep two jobs to grant him a house and food, after his father’s death. He is a Part-time worker and has a lot of secrets that grants him an easy going life as a High School student. On the Magical World Azurath to where he can travel by using a magical pendant, he is Alex Brim, a Hero for hire and a Mage Summoner, a rare evolution of a Mage that enables him to make contracts with different Spirits of the elements and use their powers. His help is needed from time to time, because of the Magical Voids that appear in the sky from where Monsters fall, making the lives of the different species that lives there, a very hard one. … Alex shouted to the Orc, surprising everyone: - “Eat him already! He is in my way, I want your head and the pretty Magical Orb you have inside you! You are not dead already because that dumbass is still there, but as soon as you kill him, you are all mine!” The Orc let his hostage go that fell on the ground with a muffled bump. The Orc raised his mace to the sky and screamed, giving the signal for the Goblins to attack. At the same time, Alex whispered: - “Give me a little of your strength, Shinatobe.” A small dot of light near his right ear answered in a low voice: - “As you say, Master.” ...