/0/71850/coverbig.jpg?v=7ffffe5c1d233c155a8709c037660634)
Nate's eyes darkened with anger as he took another step closer. "To my grandfather, to you and to everyone else, you may be my wife," his voice was as cold as ice when he bit out. "But to me, you are certainly not." Maddie's breath caught slightly at the sharpness of his words. "This entire facade is a business deal," Nate continued with a voice full of derision. "Nothing else. I did it to keep my grandfather from driving me insane and that's all it ever is." He let out a humorless chuckle. "So no, Maddie, you are not my wife. You're just a deal. Do you fucking understand?" **** Maddie Hayes never imagined she would ever crave the touch of the coldest and rudest billionaire ever, even though she had been trapped in a marriage with him. But life had other plans for her and her fake husband, Nate Blackwood. Just when their forced union had started to feel real, betrayal and secrets ripped them apart again. Heartbroken and furious, Maddie walked away but Nate wasn't ready to let her go and was willing to fight for her even though some wounds didn't heal so easily. Could love survive in a place where trust had been completely shattered?
"No way! There is no way in hell I'm getting married to her, grandfather."
Nathaniel Blackwood's furious and sharp voice sliced through the air like a blade as he spoke.
Maddie froze just outside the office door as she listened to him shout. Her hand which had been poised to knock on the door hung in the air as if it had been paralyzed.
She wasn't sure what she had expected when she walked into Blackwood Enterprises this morning but it certainly wasn't coming to see that her prospective husband was arguing-very loudly-about how much he didn't want her.
Inside the office, another voice, older, less loud but no less commanding, responded. "You need a wife, Nate. This is not up for discussion."
A sharp and bitter laugh followed in response. "Oh, it's very much up for discussion, Grandfather. I refuse to play the same twisted game my parents did. I refuse to play it with this stranger from God knows where that you were hooking me up with. "
Maddie's fingers curled tighter around the strap of her handbag.
The receptionist who had led her here gave her an uneasy glance as she clearly debated whether to announce her presence or quietly disappear. Maddie spared the woman a nod-she could handle this.
Or at least she hoped so.
So, steeling herself, she stepped forward and pushed the doors open.
Neither man noticed her as she walked in.
Nate's back was to her as he stood behind a massive oak desk. His broad shoulders were stiff and his hands were braced against the polished surface of the desk as he glared at the older man who was across from him. His grandfather, Bill Blackwood, sat in an imposing leather chair and his aged face was etched with frustration as he stared at the younger man.
Nate scoffed as he shook his head while he continued. "My parents' marriage was a disaster, grandfather. You know that so well. You forced them together and look what happened? My mother resented my father every single day of her life. He buried himself in work and she buried herself in her damn affairs and I-" He stopped abruptly and his jaw tightened before he let out a bitter breath. "I was just collateral damage in their perfect little business arrangement."
Bill exhaled slowly as he rubbed his graying temple. "That doesn't mean you shouldn't have a wife, Nate."
Maddie's pulse thrummed in her ears.
If she'd had any doubts about this marriage, they had just been multiplied one hundred fold.
One week ago, she had stood beside her grandfather's hospital bed while she gripped his frail hand and begged.
"Please, Grandfather. Don't do this. I don't need a husband to run Hayes Empires...I can do this on my own."
But his tired eyes had settled on her as he said firmly, "It's either this marriage, Madeline or you forfeit your position as CEO."
And so, she had agreed because the company and her grandfather were the most important to her.
Now, standing in this office and watching Nate Blackwood argue as if marrying her was the worst possible fate, she wasn't sure whether she should agreeing had been a good idea.
Bill slammed a hand on the desk. "This decision is final, Nate. You will marry-"
Maddie cleared her throat just then.
The room fell into silence and both men turned toward her.
For a second, Nate just stared at her and as he did so, his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that sent an uninvited jolt through her.
What the hell, she thought.
She had researched him-of course, she had. She knew he was attractive because she had seen countless pictures of him online to know this. But those photos hadn't done him justice.
Up close, he was magnetic.
He had dark hair that was slightly tousled as if he had run his fingers through it in frustration. Sharp cheekbones, a strong jawline and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through her. There was a raw edge to his features...something untamed beneath the crisp suit he was wearing and the polished businessman veneer that was to him that could not be hidden.
And for a split second-just one-she felt the unmistakable pull of attraction
Then his gaze hardened as it continued to be locked on her face. His lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smirk...that wasn't quite a sneer.
"Well," he drawled in a hard voice laced with disdain, "how long have you been standing there eavesdropping like a fool?"
Maddie's spine straightened immediately at his insult. And just like that, whatever ridiculous moment of attraction she'd felt disintegrated.
She lifted a brow while she tilted her head slightly and said coolly. "Long enough to know that you have the emotional range of a teaspoon."
Bill let out a bark of laughter at that while Nate's glare darkened and his jaw clenched. Then with a slow and deliberate shake of his head, he scoffed out loud.
"So, tell me, Madeline," he drawled out her name like it left a bitter taste in his mouth. "What kind of woman willingly allows herself to be sold into a marriage like this?"
Maddie remained perfectly still and did not say anything.
What could she say?
Nate took a step forward while he continued in a voice that dripped with disdain. "Let me guess...my grandfather waved a fat enough check in your face and you just couldn't resist?"
Maddie's fingers curled into fists at her sides but she forced her expression to remain calm.
It was going to be the first time ever that someone had assumed she was after money.
If only he knew.
But her grandfather had made himself clear to her before he died. "Nathaniel Blackwood cannot know what you're worth, Madeline. That is part of the agreement."
So, instead of insulting him like she wanted to, she simply tilted her head and regarded him with cool detachment. "Actually, I was promised a private island and a yacht. The check was just a bonus."
Bill let out another laugh but Nate wasn't amused. His glare only deepened. "You think this is funny?"
"No." Maddie's lips pressed together. "I think it's ridiculous. But here we are."
He exhaled sharply and turned away as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Of course we are," he muttered under his breath.
Maddie ignored the anger that was simmering beneath her skin and clasped her hands in front of her. "Since this wedding is happening in a week, I assume we should discuss the details?"
Nate let out a harsh laugh. "You assume wrong." He turned back to her with blue eyes that were burning with resentment. "This farce of a wedding is not my problem. You and my grandfather can sort it out like the business transaction it is."
Then, without another word, he strode past her and slammed the office door behind him.
Maddie let out a slow breath after he left.
She turned to Bill who was still watching her with an amused twinkle in his eyes.
"I apologize for my grandson," he said as he shook his head. "He's... resistant."
Maddie lifted a brow. "Resistant?" She sighed as she glanced at the door Nate had just stormed through. "That was certainly not resistant. That was more like full-blown hostility."
Bill chuckled at that. "Give him time."
She wasn't so sure.
After a moment, she met his gaze again. "You planned this with my grandfather."
It wasn't a question.
Bill nodded while his expression grew serious. "Yes."
"Does the wedding have to happen?" she asked.
Bill sighed while his features softened with remorse. "I'm afraid so, my dear. It has to happen."
Maddie swallowed the lump in her throat.
She had agreed to this arrangement out of duty to her grandfather. But standing here now and recalling the pure fury on Nate's face, she knew one thing for certain:
She was in for a nightmare.
Marcel Sterling is a quiet and hardworking obstetrics nurse who has little time or interest in dating. A former soldier with a soft heart and a knack for staying out of the spotlight, he's content with his routine life until his friends drag him into a blind date. Across town, Anna Blackwood , a sharp-witted heiress desperate to secure her inheritance, is on the hunt for the perfect fake husband. Fate throws them together, and what starts as a convenient arrangement quickly turns into something much more complicated and passionate. With jealous co-workers, manipulative family members and secrets threatening to tear them apart, Marcel and Anna must decide whether their fragile connection is strong enough to defy the odds-or if their contract was doomed from the start.
In a world of betrayal, secrets, and second chances, can love truly conquer all? Sophia Bennett thought her life was perfect-until the day she walked into her sister's wedding and saw her own husband standing at the altar. Devastated, she soon learns the cruel truth: her sister is pregnant with the man she loved, and the world-including her own family-stands behind them because she is barren. Feeling betrayed, Sophia runs away and makes a reckless decision that changes her life forever: she goes on a one-night stand with a stranger. But that stranger, Alexander Grayson, is no ordinary man. He's a billionaire tech mogul with a dark past, and who is entangled in a rivalry with Sophia's ex-husband. When fate brings them together again, Sophia is forced to confront her feelings for the man who could either heal or destroy her. As dark secrets unfold and Sophia's past and present collide especially as Liam and her mother want her back when she becomes pregnant, Sophia must decide if she's willing to find herself and take a chance on love again.
In the bustling corporate world of Metropolis an unexpected twist of fate occurs in the lives of two individuals Regina Jones, CEO of a well known corporate empire, finds herself thrust into a high-stakes battle for a pivotal business deal that could secure her family's legacy right after a devastating breakup with her boyfriend Alexander, who left her for her own sister. Regina seeks solace in a reckless one-night stand. Little did she know, her impulsive encounter was gonna be with her rival and her ex-uncle. Massimo Gomez , the most handsome, sexy and ruthless boss of the Sicilian Mafia family. His reputation was known for being a playboy, violence and strict when it comes to business. Every living thing on earth and beyond trembles at the mention of his name.
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.
After a one-night stand with Gavin Russell, the Powerful and cold alpha CEO, Iris Green was smitten and she thought there could be something between them after realizing they were fated mates. Her hopes were crushed by his harsh words, "I don't eat the same food twice." Broken, she returned to her city to manage her family business but soon realized that a seed had been planted. Giving birth to a set of twins, she could not endure raising them alone, when they looked exactly like him. She sent one of them to Gavin with a note, "Dessert after supper." Gavin frowned when he received the parcel, from his son. He sent people to fetch that blondie but it was as if she disappeared from the face of the earth. Of course, the Green family was mysterious and she was the new head of the family. She only gets seen whenever she wants to be.
"Lucien, let's get a divorce," I said in a peremptory tone that was long overdue, the most decisive farewell to this absurd marriage. We had been married for exactly three years-three years that, for me, were filled with nothing but endless loneliness and torment. For three years, the husband who should have stood by my side through every storm, Lucien Sullivan, had completely disappeared from my life as if he had never existed. He vanished without a trace, leaving me alone to endure this empty, desolate marriage. Today, I finally received his message: "I'm back. Come pick me up at the airport." When I read his words, my heart leapt with joy, and I raced to the airport, thinking that he finally understood my love and was coming back to me. But his cruelty was far worse than I could have ever imagined-he was accompanied by a pregnant woman, and that woman was Carla, my closest and most trusted friend. In that moment, all of my previous excitement, all my hope, and all of our shared laughter and tears turned into the sharpest of daggers, stabbing into my heart and leaving me gasping for air. Now, all I want is to escape from this place that has left me so broken-to lick my wounds in solitude. Even if these wounds will remain with me for the rest of my life, I refuse to have anything to do with him ever again. He should know that it was his own hand that trampled our love underfoot, that his coldness and betrayal created this irreparable situation. But when he heard those words, he desperately clung to this broken, crumbling marriage, unwilling to let it end-almost as though doing so could rewind time and return everything to how it used to be. "Aurora, come back. I regret everything!" Regret? Those simple words stirred no emotion in me-only endless sadness and fury. My heart let out a frantic, desperate scream: It's too late for any of this!
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!
Julia and Evan were the perfect couple-or so she thought. But everything changed when Evan abruptly ended their relationship, leaving her heartbroken and unable to tell him she was carrying his child. Years later, Julia has built a life for herself and her son, Andy, while Evan has risen to unimaginable wealth and success. Their paths cross again at a chance meeting, but Julia soon discovers Evan has moved on with someone else. Julia is done with the pain. She's fought battles alone, raising a son who deserves the truth about his father, even if Evan doesn't deserve her forgiveness. When Julia told Evan years ago she had something to say, he didn't listen. Now, it's time for him to listen. But is it too late to reclaim what he lost? "We should break up," he'd said, the words cutting through her like glass. The pregnancy test in her pocket stayed hidden, just like the child they would never share. Now, it's Evan's turn to hear the truth-and to face his deepest regret.
Married for four years, Emily remained childless. A hospital diagnosis plunged her life into hell. Unable to conceive? But her husband was rarely home during these four years, so how could she get pregnant? Emily and her billionaire husband were in a contractual marriage; she had hoped to win his love through effort. However, when her husband appeared with a pregnant woman, she despaired. After being kicked out, homeless Emily was taken in by a mysterious billionaire. Who was he? How did he know Emily? More importantly, Emily was pregnant.