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.
Arabella's POV
Effortlessly, the liquid leaves my bladder. With closed eyes, my heart hammers wildly within my ribcage anxiously.
For no reason, I don't want to do this anymore. For a moment, I begin to think of the very step to take as soon as this is confirmed.
Should I still go ahead with it?
Ignorance, they say, is bliss. What if he doesn't want a child now?
Realizing I have been staring at my urine for more than a minute, I summon up enough courage as I grab the container and dip the absorbent tip of the PT test strip before counting from 1 to 10 and then recapping it.
With trembling hands, I place the strip on the flat counter while fidgeting with my hands and watching the timer on my phone.
In five minutes, I would know my fate.
In five minutes, I would have to choose.
In five minutes, I would have to know whether to see him tonight or not.
In five minutes, my world would either change or remain the same.
I shut my eyes, clamp my hands together and stamp my feet impatiently on the floor. When I flicker my eyes back open, traces of the doubtful expression of a woman I can barely recognise in just a few minutes stares back at me from the mirror.
I can barely recognize myself.
What then will happen if I am indeed pregnant?
I try to smile but it falters.
I try to stay calm but the trembling won't stop.
I try to look upset too, perhaps it might help with how I feel but I don't look angry.
My expression is filled with nothing but anxiety, hope, doubts and optimism.
Something dings and it occurs to me that it is the timer. Five minutes is up.
It is time to see the results of what we did a month ago.
Even though my curiosity led me to this, I can't brace myself up to look down at the strip right in front of me. My eyes are looking directly into the mirror.
Suddenly, my eyes water.
A lump is stuck in my throat. My chest is heavy too.
Balling my hand into a fist and letting out a long sigh, I drop my head down to stare at the two red lines staring right back at me.
My heart stops for a minute.
My breathing hitched too.
When it finally dawns on me that this is what I want, I clasp my hand over my mouth, stepping back with laughter erupting from my throat.
Finally!
I'm pregnant.
I'm having a baby.
When my back hits the wall, it sinks in, making my laughter stop halfway.
My initial fear was to know if he would want this too. This is not just about me. It is about us. Our child.
I should tell him. Then I would know if he wants a baby as much as I do.
Hurriedly, I grab the strip and dump it in the bin before rushing outside, unable to hide my excitement.
Richard and I have been married for three years. Our relationship didn't kick off right. We started on the wrong foot.
Our marriage was arranged.
From my side, it wasn't arranged. It was what I wanted. I loved Richard right from the very first day I set my eyes on him.
As I race up the stairs, my heart keeps pounding harder. When I get to the last stairs, I grab onto the stairwell to take in a long breath before moving towards his home office door.
But a sound stops me from opening the door as my hand goes numb on the door handle.
"I love you, Eve", Richard's voice booms loudly, shocking the living hell out of me.
When his deep rich laughter follows, I know I am not imagining things and this is real. I imagine how his Adam's apple will go back and forth as he chuckles. I imagine how his eyes will beam with delight as he spills the love word without a hassle.
Eve.
Who the hell is that?
Intense anger mixed with jealousy sets in.
Who the hell is Eve? Who is she to have had him laughing that way when it took me three good years to finally see his genuine laughter?
Unconsciously, I open the door just in time to see him standing up from behind the huge mahogany brown desk.
Our eyes interlock for a second.
I don't know if he can see the anger in my eyes or whether he chooses to ignore them because he looks away as though he wasn't being unfaithful a while ago.
Just before I can ask him who he was on the phone with just now and why he was telling another woman he loves her, he beats me to it.
"I was just about to come see you", he states, reminding me of the reason why I am also here.
Whenever he is in here, I don't disturb him. I rarely come here to see him because he hates interruptions and distractions. Yet he was on a call with a woman telling her he loved her when he was supposed to be working.
Rage bubbles inside of me.
"Did you get the papers?" He demands almost immediately, not staring at me. Instead, he is picking up some files from the desk and dumping them inside his briefcase. He looks like he is going out.
If I hadn't overheard his conversation with the so-called Eve, I would have assumed he was heading to work. This is usual.
But no.
Deep down, I know work isn't coming. This is Eve calling.
"What papers?" My curiosity gets the better of me. I am supposed to ignore him and go straight to the point about the baby. Perhaps, that will make him change his mind about being unfaithful.
"The divorce papers", he blurts out indifferently.
My jaws drop and I take a step backwards.
I didn't see that coming.
Divorce? What happened to the changes between us these past few weeks? Is this because of this Eve? How can he do this?
"Di...Divorce?" I find myself stuttering as I clench my stomach as though it will vanish into thin air.
He nods and darts his eyes towards me.
"My girlfriend, Eve Rogers is back", he announces without any atom of shame. "Remember the agreement we had? Now that Eve is back, we should get a divorce so I can marry her."
Eve Rogers?
How could I have forgotten?
I take another step backwards, tears welling up in my eyes and lumps upon lumps getting stuck in my throat.
I shake my head, desperately wanting to say something. To fight for us. Keep my marriage intact. To tell him we are expecting a baby.
But I know nothing can change his mind. The tall strong handsome man before me is staring at me with hope and strong determination.
Richard
's mind can not be changed.
Eve Rogers is his obsession. If my arranged marriage to him didn't stop him from loving her all these years, then there is nothing that can stop him from marrying her at this point.
Realizing that the loser here is me, I turn back on my heels and take the exit before tears roll down my eyes.
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?
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.
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?
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!"
Kallie, a mute who had been ignored by her husband for five years since their wedding, also suffered the loss of her pregnancy due to her cruel mother-in-law. After the divorce, she learned that her ex-husband had quickly gotten engaged to the woman he truly loved. Holding her slightly rounded belly, she realized that he had never really cared for her. Determined, she left him behind, treating him as a stranger. Yet, after she left, he scoured the globe in search of her. When their paths crossed once more, Kallie had already found new happiness. For the first time, he pleaded humbly, "Please don't leave me..." But Kallie's response was firm and dismissive, cutting through any lingering ties. "Get lost!"
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?
Natalie used to think she could melt Connor’s icy heart, but she was sorely mistaken. When at last she decided to leave, she discovered that she was pregnant. Even so, she chose to quietly leave his world, prompting Connor to mobilize all of his resources and expand his business to a global scale—all in a bid to find her. But there was no trace of Natalie. Connor slowly spiraled into madness, turning the city upside down and leaving chaos in his wake. Natalie finally surfaced years later, with wealth and power of her own, only to find herself entangled with Connor once again.
"I'm going to tell you what I have in mind," he murmured. "First you're going to strip down until you're completely naked," he whispered against her ear. "Then I'm going to tie you up so you're completely powerless and subject to my every whim." "Mmm, sounds good so far," she murmured. "Then I'm going to insert a plug to prepare you for me. After that I'm going to spank that sweet ass of yours until it's rosy with my marks." She shivered uncontrollably, her mind exploding with the images he evoked. She let out a small whimper as he sucked the lobe of her ear into his mouth. God, she could cum with just his words. She was already aching with need. Her nipples tingled and hardened to painful points. Her clit pulsed and twitched between her legs until she clamped her thighs together to alleviate the burn. "And then I'm going to f**k your mouth. But I won't cum. Not yet. When I'm close, I'll flog you again until your ass is burning and you're on fire with the need for relief. And then I'm going to f**k that ass. I'm going to take you hard and rough, to the very limits of what you can withstand. I won't be gentle. Not tonight. I'm going to take you as roughly as you can stand. And then I'm going to cum all over your ass. Are you ready to be completely and utterly dominated?"
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.