.....I stood in front of the big nursing school. Finally I'll be able to pursue something I really love without anyone giving me conditions or telling me what to do. And as for love...I've left all that behind. Love is not for me. It didn't exist with Liam, it won't exist with anyone else. There's only one person I love with all my heart and that's my son. However, there is one whose kindness was slowly seeping into my shielded heart. ****** Audrey is given out for marriage to her childhood crush but things don't exactly go the way that she expects. The married life only brings tears and pains and her heart-throb and crush only crushes her heart and her dreams. Through it all, Audrey remains strong for her and her son but just how long can she hold it more forces that will test her, will arise. Will Audrey be able to pull through or will she succumb to the cruel hands of fate? The one who has caused her immense pain returns and she finds her heart wavering, just what will Audrey do to save herself, her heart and her son? Find out in this thrilling book of self discovery, love and deception.
AUDREY'S POV
"This is for the good of our family, Audrey. You must never lose sight of your duty as my only daughter." My father said,
"And beside I know that you have a secret crush on Liam. This is finally your opportunity to be with him. Don't blow it." He says and leaves me to my raging thoughts.
I sighed after the door to my room closed.
Yes! I did have a crush on Liam but that was when I was so little. Mother wasn't alive to help me out of this situation. My eyes was stinging at this point and a lump seemed to erupt in my throat.
I felt very sad that my life would experience nothing fun because sadly I would be married off very early. I was just twenty-three for God's sake.
"It can't be so bad." I thought to myself, after I had fought back the tears that threatened to fall from my eyes earnestly.
I used this to make myself feel a lot better.
I slept that night thinking about how the next day would be. I could not understand why my father would so easily throw me off into a marriage I have never anticipated.
The next day, Liam came by. He was looking a lot better now. He had broad shoulders compared to the times when I had known him as a child.
He was scrawny and small but now he looked manly and very handsome. Butterflies flew around in my stomach when I saw him. His father came out of the limousine behind him.
My father had made me wait at the door to welcome them into the house. His father smoked when he saw me,
"Dear Audrey, you're now so grown. That's really wonderful. You'll make the most beautiful bride." His father says.
I smile in response.
Liam remained mute not showing any expression. I could not even see his eyes because of the black shades he had on.
"Your father?" He asks.
"Please follow me." I said to them,
We got to the front porch where father was waiting for his friend, Liam's father, Robert.
"I'm glad you chose to honor me with your visit." My father exclaims and engulfs his friend in a very tight manly hug.
A mini feast was held in front of our house on the front porch.
"It will be the best the city has ever seen, I will make sure of it." Robert, Liam's father says.
"I can't wait." My father chip in
"When do you want it to be held?" My father asks Liam.
Liam clears his throat and replies, "In the following week from now."
His voice sounded so sweet in my ears but I wasn't very happy that he had made that decision without me.
I cleared my throat to signal my presence which they all seemed to ignore. I was the one who they were marrying off for goodness' sake.
"I believe that I did not agree to that." I said with a smoke plastered on my face.
"Audrey!" My father called my name.
"No dad, he can't come to this decision without telling me about it. You all are planning a wedding I never agreed to in the first place at least give me this." I said to both of them.
Robert sighed and looked at my father who looked at me, "enough of this Audrey, you're getting married in one week."
My father said with a tone of finality. My heart sank.
"Father!!" I exclaimed but he said nothing.
I scoffed and angrily went inside.
Just breathe Audrey. It really can't be that bad.
My father opened my door and shut the door quietly behind him.
"Look Audrey, don't spoil my hard work alright." He said.
"I wish mom were here, she would never have agreed to this." I yelled
"Don't ever talk about your mother again. I won't talk about this again either. Come back downstairs. " He instructed.
My mouth gaped. How could he just tell me to do that?
I was rooted to that spot without moving because I was so scared and angry. I was feeling a lot at that point. My father then held my hands and pulled me towards where he was hosting his mini feast.
He plastered a smile on his face ,"I'm so sorry, she didn't mean to he disrespectful."
"It's fine. We can't stay for long anymore. We will send her all she needs to start getting ready for the wedding." Robert says.
My father stands up and stretches his hands out to Robert who took it in glee.
"We shall see once again. I can't wait for this perfect union." He says and then looks at me ,
"I know how you must feel but it's normal to feel that way . Please, take good care of yourself ." He said to me and then turned to leave.
Liam also stands but doesn't say a word as he follows suit behind his father.
Few days later, my father came up to meet me. He was holding a box in his hands. Ever since that mini feast, all he ever does is complain and tell me how I'm going to be a terrible wife.
He knocked and then peered his head through the open space.
"You're still awake." He said but I didn't reply.
Our relationship has been strained ever since.
He sat down beside me and placed the box in front of me.
"Look I know that this has been really hard for you but also consider how hard it is for the one who will be getting married to you." He started.
"Since you know then why are you subjecting me to this father?" I asked him frankly
"It's for the good of our family and I wish I didn't have to but I believe that you will be in good hands ." He said.
"And how can you be so sure about that?" I asked him.
He smiled, "Robert promised me."
"I'm not getting married to Robert, father, I'm getting married to his son ." I had to remind him .
He sighed, "there's nothing else we can do. Just prepare for the wedding tomorrow."
He said and dropped the box in front of me.
A wedding or a funeral, I wouldn't know what kind of marriage im getting into until I've had a taste of it.
SYNOPSIS: Struggling to make ends meet, Kate Grey has all but given up on her dream of becoming an actress-until a mysterious billionaire, Jared Cole, offers her a deal too tempting to refuse. If she agrees to pose as his companion at glittering galas and high-society events for three months, he'll bankroll her career. The catch? Jared isn't just looking for a pretty face, he's trying to save his shattered reputation, and Kate is his ticket to redemption. Jared's polished charm conceals a world of secrets, and as Kate steps into his opulent and wealthy life, the lines between business and desire blur. Beneath his polished exterior lies a man grappling with loneliness, guilt and an unfulfilled need for genuine connection. For Kate, it's a chance to finally chase her dreams, but the deeper she's pulled into Jared's world, the more she realizes his offer isn't as simple as it seems. As the events grow increasingly elaborate, Kate finds herself drawn into Jared's opulent yet mysterious world-a place where wealth hides deadly secrets, and power comes with a price. But when she discovers the real reason behind Jared's generous offer, she's faced with a choice, walk away and protect her heart, or risk everything for a man who's learning to love for the first time, and how does she explain her name on a marriage certificate signed four years ago? In a whirlwind of passion, betrayal, and self-discovery, THE COST OF LOVE AND PASSION explores the question: Can love bridge the gap between two lives built on secrets?
"...Even after everything I do to you, you still want me?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "More than you can imagine," I replied, breathless. His hand slid up my body, pausing at the back of my neck. He pulled me closer, his voice a low growl. "You do know what that means, right?" I stiffened, my heart racing. I was his pet, after all. And I was ready to take my chances. *. *. *. *. *. *. * Rose Carlton's life is a shattered puzzle. After a devastating accident robbed her of half her memories, she thought nothing could feel more incomplete-until she's sold to Grey Manchester Moretti, the city's most feared mafia boss. What begins as captivity quickly spirals into something far more dangerous. As Rose navigates Grey's dark, violent world, secrets from her forgotten past resurface, threatening to unravel everything she thought she knew. Blood will be spilled, boundaries will be crossed, and passion will ignite in ways she never imagined. But when she learns the truth about her life-and her connection to Grey-Rose will face an impossible choice: surrender to the man who holds her heart or fight for the freedom she's never truly had. Can Rose survive the chaos of her tumultuous life, or will she surrender to the darkness?
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
When Zora was sick during the early days of her pregnancy, Ezrah was with his first love, Piper. When Zora got into an accident and called Ezrah, he said he was busy, when in actual fact, he was buying shoes for Piper. Zora lost her baby because of the accident, and throughout her stay at the hospital, Ezrah never showed up. She already knew that he didn't love her, but that was the last straw for the camel's back, and her fragile heart could not take it anymore. When Ezrah arrived home a few days after Zora was discharged from the hospital, he no longer met the woman who always greeted him with a smile and cared for him. Zora stood at the top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, "Good news, Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us anymore, so let's get a divorce." The man who claimed not to have any feelings for Zora, being cold and distant towards her, and having asked her for a divorce twice, instantly panicked.
It was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, but Carrie made the mistake of falling in love with Kristopher. When the time came that she needed him the most, her husband was in the company of another woman. Enough was enough. Carrie chose to divorce Kristopher and move on with her life. Only when she left did Kristopher realize how important she was to him. In the face of his ex-wife’s countless admirers, Kristopher offered her 20 million dollars and proposed a new deal. “Let’s get married again.”
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.