Eleanor had no idea that crossing paths with Gannon Starks the popular CEO who would turn out to be her mate was about to make her life take a huge turn, changing who she thought she was and giving her a new set of responsibilities. Was she going to accept her true self and responsibilities or run away from them?
Eleanora
"Is this how you ladies act? You stalk wealthy men so you can leech off them?" The man in front of me yelled drawing the attention of those in the restaurant to us.
"Sir, I think you are misunderstanding me. What are you talking about? I don't under...."
"Save your lies, I don't want to hear them." His lips drew back in a snarl his cold voice cutting me off.
What a great day! I sighed trying to keep my cool as I peered at him. His eyes were filled with contempt as they looked down at me.
I had to be polite to this rude customer regardless, it was the reason why I hated the saying customers are always right. I took a deep breath still staring at him, he had hazel eyes, which were charming but fierce as well, there was something enticing about those eyes, they could make someone get lost in them. That wasn't his only noticeable feature, he had full dark beautiful brows, a straight nose that highlighted his face and luscious pink lips. His black shiny hair fell on his shoulders, he was very tall probably 6ft3. Scolding myself mentally for drooling over him, I reminded myself that even though the man was enticing he was this good looking but his character was the total opposite, repulsive.
"Wow, I thought you were just a stalker but you are way more than that, are you this desperate? I don't do your type, you are not my type." The man mumbled his lips curling up in disgust as his eyes crinkled.
"I have only come to take your order, sir, what would you like to have?" I asked again ignoring his cruel words.
"You!" The man answered staring at me. His response made me cock my head to look at him.
I couldn't help but wonder if this man only had a bad attitude or if he had lost his mind as well. I curled my fist in a ball and nibbled on my lower lip trying my very best not to lose the last bit of patience I had left in me.
"Excuse me! Are you out of your mind, what do you think? That every lady you see is interested in you or your money. I'm sure no lady will want a man with such a dirty attitude." I snapped the moment I lost every bit of patience left in me. I watched as the man's eyes widened and surprise crossed his face.
"Don't you dare talk to me in that tone, I wonder who the hell employed someone as rude as you are to be a waiter. And do not act like all I said wasn't the truth. I know you want to warm my bed, isn't that what you want? I'm giving you a chance, and you are acting this way or is it because I said it in front of all these people? Tell me how much do you want?" He smirked, his eyes scanning my face.
"You are an idiot, you lack common sense and I think you should use that money to get yourself a brain replacement and some manners!" I fired back, my fist clenched tightly, anger coursing through every one of my veins.
"Eleanor, is that the way to speak to a customer?" I heard Mr Frank's voice making me shift my gaze from the man. Mr Frank was the manager of the restaurant, he was now standing beside me. He must have heard the commotion going on and decided to come see what was happening and I was glad he did.
"I'm sorry Sir, but I just couldn't take it anymore. This man right here lacks manners," I stated.
"Eleanor, have you forgotten the rules? Never be rude to a customer, they are always right remember?" He said fixing his eyes on me, his lips pressed together, and he shook his head in disappointment.
"You need to teach your workers how to behave with customers. She is rude!" The man whose name I didn't know spoke. I returned my gaze to him, I hated the sound of his voice, it made my ears ache.
"I'm sorry Eleanor but this man right here is reputable, you are fired! I can't risk letting you treat any more of our customers this way." Mr Frank uttered.
"Fired..." I stuttered unable to believe my ears. I became speechless her eyelid blinking rapidly as she tried to process what I had just heard, it was barely three months since I started working here and now I was getting fired all thanks to this arrogant man who had an ego twice his size.
"Don't worry, I'll pay you your full salary since only five days are left before the end of the month, also you've been a great worker here, I'm sad it has to end this way," Mr Frank said to me before turning his attention to the Man.
"I'm sorry sir, I hope you don't hold this against us." Mr Frank let out putting on a small smile, the man nodded before taking his seat.
I glared at the man expecting to see guilt or remorse but there was none, his face held no expression. I shook her head in annoyance before walking away and headed to the worker quarters.
Getting there, I untied my apron and took it off. Picked up my jacket which was on the chair and slipped it on, and then reached for my sling bag which was lying on the table, when I was sure I had all of my things, I made to leave but heard someone call my name, I turned and it was Aria one of my coworkers.
"Where are you going? Is there a problem?" Aria asked approaching me.
"Well, I got fired so I have to leave." I let out, a pronounced sigh escaped my lips.
"Fired! Why?" Aria asked her eyes narrowed and she cocked her head.
Eleanor sighed, " Well I had to deal with a rude customer and I just lost it," she answered biting the inside of my cheek.
"I'm sorry, the customer must have crossed all limits I guess, you are not the type to be rude, I can talk to the manager he might reconsider his decision," Aria mumbled placing her hand on my shoulder. Her eyes moistened and she pouted, I knew she was unhappy that I was leaving, we had become close since I started to work in the restaurant, Aria who was much older treated me like her daughter.
"It's fine, I'll miss you," I smiled hugging her, I was trying to lighten up the mood after seeing the expression on Aria's face.
"Me too, take care of yourself," Aria smiled after we disengaged the hug.
"Finally you are leaving, at least now we know who the rude one is," Kathryn mocked. She had always hated me ever since I started to work at the restaurant. I huffed turning to face her.
Kathryn was always picking up fights for the silliest reasons and no one was spared from her hostility. Kathryn was always on the go to sabotage me. She was always grumpy and impolite to coworkers but it was really surprising that she got along with customers, she was like a chameleon.
"Come on Kathryn, can't you be nice for once?" Aria cautioned crossing her arms.
Kathryn glared at Aria before shifting her to me, she gazed at me intensely her mouth curling up with dislike. She rolled her eyes before bursting into laughter.
"I thought you were the best worker, the manager's favourite or did that change so quickly, I pity you." She chortled before she continued. "I lied, I don't pity you, you deserve this you've always acted like you own the place, I guess now you know where you belong." She snickered before walking off.
Aria turned to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. " You shouldn't take her words to heart, I wish she could learn to be nice."
I chuckled lightly and bobbed my head," You are right, and I didn't take any of those things she said seriously. I'd heard that a thousand times so it's like music in my ears, bad music actually." I shrugged which made Aria laugh.
I said my goodbyes to the rest of the workers before leaving the premises. I got home about thirty minutes later since I had to wait for the bus to arrive. Getting home, I met Peyton seated on the couch.
"Hey Peyton, you are home. I thought I wouldn't find anyone home, " I mumbled.
Peyton tilted her head to look at me, she hissed rolling her eyes at me.
"Why are you home by this time of the day? Shouldn't you be at the restaurant working?" She asked.
"I got fired," I told her plopping on the couch.
"Huh, you are kidding right?" Peyton exclaimed not taking her gaze off me.
"No, I'm not. And why are you acting like you care," I arched my brows in confusion. I knew very well that my cousin Peyton didn't give a damn about me except she had something to gain from it.
"You know what mom is going to do when she finds out that you got fired," Peyton mocked shaking her head.
"Just leave me be girl, you've never had a job ever since you graduated college and yet no one has bugged you about it," I retorted. Peyton's brows furrowed into a frown, she wasn't expecting me to say that to her but I had to. Since Peyton graduated from college, she never thought it was necessary to get a job since her mom provided all she needed, and her group of friends were super-wealthy and had open hands so she leeched off them.
"Don't say that to me, I'm sure you know no one is going to cater for you right, you are an adult." Peyton shrugged, she opened the box of pizza which was beside her, picked a slice and munched on it.
"Umm, yummy!" She muttered burping loudly.
"Eww girl, that's rude." I scowled covering my nose with her hands.
"Whatever!" Peyton shrugged and continued to chew noisily while glancing at me, that moment I knew she was doing all of that just to spite me.
"You want some?" Peyton asked stretching the half-bitten slice of pizza which was in her hand to me.
Just then the door creaked open and Nova walked in.
"Hey girl, how are you?" I smiled straightening myself from the couch and hugged her.
We got seated after disengaging the hug.
"I'm good, I had to go to the restaurant they told me you left because you were fired. You deserve a much better job than that, it is their loss after all." Nova grinned. When her gaze darted to Peyton her countenance changed, her eyes darkened, and her skin stretched into a snarl.
"Didn't see you there Peyton," she jibed.
Peyton chuckled rolling her eyes," Like I care." Seeing the tense atmosphere, I knew I had to intervene before it escalated into a fight since the two had a dislike for each other.
"I'm glad you brought pizza, I'm famished. I was almost tempted to take some pizza from Peyton when she offered me," she yawned.
"What, I'm sure the pizza must have been infested with her no joy only trouble syndrome." Nova joked turning to me, I was trying so hard to stop herself from bursting Into laughter.
Peyton scoffed gawking at both of us then she burst out into hysterical laughter," So funny! Hahaha!"
"Did you really think I was offering you pizza? Never! Go work for yours!" She snapped.
Nova moved her gaze to Peyton, she folded her arms across her chest grimacing at her. " Just like you worked for yours on a man's bed right? Well, Eleanor isn't that type."
Peyton's eyes widened, and she bit her lips glancing away in embarrassment, she seemed to have lost words but when she finally regained composure, she forced a burst of laughter. " You'll pay for this insult," she threatened with her visage contorting in anger before storming out of the living room.
Book 1: Collateral To The Mafia's Don This is book two, it can be read as a stand-alone but I would suggest reading book one first. Alyona was broken to pieces the moment she found her boyfriend Greg in bed with her best friend Alice and she resulted to go to a bar. After getting drunk she decides to go home but bumps into strange dangerous men who attack her but before she loses consciousness the last thing she sees is a pair of green emerald eyes like spellbinding lode stars. Days later at college, she collides with someone upon gazing at him, she finds him familiar, it is him the green-eyed guy but unknown to her she just got into a war. A war that started years ago with her father the powerful, feared, popular, ruthless Mafia Don Vladivostok Konstantin Kostya.
A collision of two worlds brought them together. Two single parents, with different personalities and distinct parenting styles. Playboy billionaire Henderson Bain is in search of a nanny for his daughter Itzel. Lena Cohen a single mother applies for the job though qualified, Henderson refuses to offer her the job because of their first encounter but seeing how Lena and Itzel get along, he decides to employ her. With their adorable kids in the picture, Lena and Henderson discover that they have much more in common, but they ignore all rising sparks and burning desires because of their past gruesome experiences with love. Will they finally let go of their past, and give love a chance? Or try to suppress their feelings for each other? And what if their past comes knocking at their doors once again?
He was dubbed the Devil's incarnate because of his fierce persona. After all, he was the feared, ruthless American Russian mafia Don Vladivostok Konstantin Kostya. Love wasn't meant for him, he had his demons until he met her. She was never enough, she was the thorn amid beautiful roses. Everything she wanted and had was taken away from her and she was ok with that, having only a boyfriend who loved her but soon that too was taken away. After she had just returned from a date with her boyfriend Zeus, she got the news. "Get ready Margaret. You'll be getting married tomorrow." Those were her father's words, he said them with coldness evident in his voice, no sign of compassion in his eyes. The moment she heard those words her world crumbled, and her heart ached as she felt her breath get stuck in her throat. And when she found out the identity of her soon-to-be husband she thought it was the end of her. Never did she think it would happen but she fell for him, the man she was supposed to hate!
Eva Primes had never imagined that her life could change so much in the twinkling of an eye, when her cousin Kiara elopes on the day of her wedding, she is forced to take her place as the bride, getting married to this Man Neron stones whom she hated so much and of course, the feeling was mutual. Having no way of escape, her thought all through was how her life was going to be after the wedding. But to her surprise, all she expected was not what she got, rather she got to see the loving side of Neron, which made her suspect that he was up to something. Was he sincere or did he have an ulterior motive? And what happens when Eva's cousin makes a return when things start to blossom between Eva and Neron?
"Mason, Mr McGrath is your Father," Dr Ben let out. Stacey's brows creased, she pursed her lips in response to what she had just heard," You mean to say my boyfriend is my brother, how's that even possible?" She asked in stutters. When Stacey and her Sister Chelsey move to a new school, little does she know that there's a lot in store for her, secrets, lies and betrayals that had been kept in the dark are brought to light. Falling in love with the school's Golden boy Mason gets her into a situation she never wanted, makes her enemies with the school's most popular girls Scarlett and Camilla, also worsens the already strained relationship she has with her sister Chelsey.
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"
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."
Five years ago, Alessia La Rosa's life took a drastic turn when, suffering from memory loss, she wed to Dominic Carter under her grandfather's mysterious arrangement. But their marriage was a facade, bringing her only humiliation and heartache as Dominic showed no love, and she couldn't conceive. Upon discovering Dominic's infidelity, Alessia sought liberation through divorce. Yet, fate had more in store for her. Five years later, spurred by an anonymous email hinting at her lost child's whereabouts, she returns to the city with her twin babies in tow, determined to uncover the truth. As she navigates the tangled web of her past, a surprising twist awaits. Dominic, upon meeting her again, finds himself drawn to the woman she has become, unaware of her true identity as his former wife. Little does he know, the woman he's falling for is not only his ex-wife but also a powerful Doctor and Master Hacker.
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
Life was a bed of roses for Debra, the daughter of Alpha. That was until she had a one-night stand with Caleb. She was sure he was her mate as determined by Moon Goddess. But this hateful man refused to accept her. Weeks passed before Debra discovered that she was pregnant. Her pregnancy brought shame to her and everyone she loved. Not only was she driven out, but her father was also hunted down by usurpers. Fortunately, she survived with the help of the mysterious Thorn Edge Pack. Five years passed and Debra didn't hear anything from Caleb. One day, their paths crossed again. They were both on the same mission—carrying out secret investigations in the dangerous Roz Town for the safety and posterity of their respective packs. Caleb was still cold toward her. But as time went on, he fell head over heels in love with her. He tried to make up for abandoning her, but Debra wasn't having any of it. She was hell-bent on hiding her daughter from him and also making a clean break. What did the future hold for the two as they journeyed in Roz Town? What kind of secrets would they find? Would Caleb win Debra's heart and get to know his lovely daughter? Find out!