"You're married, Carlos! You need to learn to commit. That's what marriage comes with. Commitment!" Bailey yelled at him, as she stared up at him. She wouldn't be intimidated by him this time. She had been quiet for too long. "Sweetheart, do you know the meaning of my name? It means 'free man'. I'm free to do what I want and have sex with who I want to. So why don't you be a good little wife and shut up?" He replied, smirking as he patted her head. He looked down at the sexy nightie she had donned and his eyes blazed with pure lust. "You're tempting, Bailey. But don't ever forget; I will never want you. I will not stoop so low as to touch you again." He spat out venomously and left her standing, needy for him Bailey Whitney never believed in karma, so she was shocked when her past actions came back to bite her, in the form of her ex-lover; the hot, walking sex of a man. But she's disappointed when the only thing Carlos Aston wanted was nothing to do with her. But Bailey is determined to get him to fall for her again and most importantly sustain her marriage. But that seemed impossible when Carlos could not stay faithful to one woman. Will she be able to win his heart again? Can she tame the wild billionaire?
"Hello everyone! I apologize for the delay but we have gotten word from the groom. And, due to some personal, unforeseen circumstances, the wedding has been canceled. We are sorry for the inconvenience, everyone. Do have a nice day."
That was Miguel Santiago, Carlos's best friend.
If anyone had told Carlos Aston that he would be happy to hear Miguel's annoying voice any day, he would have punched the joker. But as Carlos heard the words he had been waiting so impatiently to hear, a slight smile found its way to his lips.
"That Ferrari better be hot and waiting for me because that was the scariest thing I've ever done in my life," Miguel warned in a stern voice as he quickly boarded the waiting vehicle Carlos came with.
Carlos didn't need to be told before he started the engine of his Audi and sped out of the event center. The last thing he needed was for his father to start a drama before everyone. So Carlos knew better than to waste any more time at the wedding venue.
"But seriously dude! I never knew you had it in you. You just gave me the best idea ever. Abandon my future wife at the altar haha!." Carlos began to say, dramatically clutching his heart.
"Remind me why I'm the getaway driver again!" he said as he shot his best friend a glare, and pressed his leg down on the clutch pedal.
"Anyway, since you jilted your hot bride..." Miguel began, but Carlos cut him short immediately and said.
"Impudent! That's the right word. She's an impudent woman, that one." Carlos corrected immediately, making Miguel roll his eyes.
"Well, whatever. Can I have her now that you've jilted her?" Miguel asked, smiling mischievously. The smirk on Miguel's face irritated Carlos and made his blood boil.
How dare Miguel want to take over his abandoned bride?
Angrily, Carlos pulled over and gave his friend his deadliest glare ever. He quickly unlocked the passenger door and tried to push him out, but Miguel wouldn't budge.
"Get lost!" Carlos growled.
"Nope. You know Carl, if your beautiful bride should see the way you are currently feeling me up because of her, she would know the reason for your dramatic rejection." Miguel advised, putting on a pitiful face. Carlos dropped his hands, as he ran his fingers through his hair angrily.
"Get out of this car now or I will blame you when Dad starts ranting." Carlos threatened. Before he could finish the sentence, Miguel was out of the car and hailing a cab.
"Good riddance," Carlos said as he drove to the family house.
Carlos was so satisfied with what he had done that he got himself a bottle of wine. He had disgraced the bitch most embarrassingly, he hadn't even shown up to his wedding and never planned to. His sweatshirt and sweatpants he's putting on confirmed it.
The only problem Carlos had now was explaining to his father why he decided to ditch the sloven. Not that he cared what his father thought. He had called off the wedding and that was all that mattered. He would celebrate later with Vivian; the only woman he could tolerate.
Carlos was still thinking about how he planned to celebrate his victory by going to his favorite club that night when the sight of his father's housekeeper, Mr Barnes interrupted him. Mr Barnes has been their butler and housekeeper even before Carlos was born and he was always uptight and grumpy.
"Hey Mr Barnes! How's the arthritis coming along?" He asked the housekeeper, with a dazzling smile on his lips.
Mr Barnes turned to face Carlos with his signature stoic face and bowed.
"Hello, Mr Aston. I regret to inform you that I do not experience any pain in my joints." He answered in his monotonous voice.
"Well, grow older, man! I have been fantasizing about seeing you wobbling. Wanna see how you do that with that stick up your backside." Carlos whined as he took out the bottle of Pinot Grigio he got for himself.
"I shall see to that, Sir." Mr Barnes retorted and was about to leave when he stopped abruptly. He peered at Carlos, his face creased in a frown.
"Forgive my forwardness, Sir, but aren't you supposed to be getting married today? Or, is the wedding over?" Mr Barnes asked.
"Oh, John, the wedding is over," Carlos replied as he swirled his wine.
He heard the roar of car engines and he knew his time of momentary peace was over. His father, Henry Aston was back and from the slamming of the car door, he was mad.
"Carlos Alexander Aston! You have just one second to explain yourself!" Mr Henry's angry voice preceded him. Seconds later, a very livid man stormed into the sitting room nearly breaking down the door.
Mr. Henry Aston was so angry that his veins were popping out and his face so red that a tomato would be shy of the intimidating color. He was tall, but not as tall as his son. And he walked up to Carlos and knocked off the glass from his hand.
"Woah! Chill man! That was my favorite glass! What crawled up your shriveled backside?" Carlos said, smiling widely. He loved to rile up his father and he didn't hesitate to do that at any opportunity.
"One word, Carlos. Just tell me in a single word, why?" Henry asked, sounding defeated. He had a stony relationship with his son and he had been trying to amend it but Carlos was just too stubborn and hotheaded to handle.
"Well, in a single word. It's my favorite glass because..."
"Not that, you idiot! Why did you not show up at your wedding? Why did you cancel it? Why did you abandon that young girl at the altar like that, Carlos? Just why?" Henry yelled. He was almost at the breaking point.
His son had made a lot of money for Aston Realtors and he was dedicated to his job, but that was the only good quality he had. Apart from his physical appearance of course. Carlos was an utter pain in the butt, but he was his only child and Henry Aston loved him so much.
"Did you think you could make me marry whoever you want? That you can arrange a marriage without my consent and suddenly drop the bomb a day before the wedding? Newsflash Dad, that was a gross move." Carlos said, returning to his grumpy self.
Twenty-four hours ago, his father suddenly told him he was getting married. And that he didn't have a choice in the matter.
"I'm sorry I only told you about the wedding yesterday, but I didn't want you to refuse. The board is getting worried. Every day the tabloids have bad news about your habits and I'm really surprised that you aren't with a woman right now." Henry said calmly. He was guilty of springing up the marriage on Carlos the day before the wedding, but he was scared his son would do something disastrous.
"Trust me, I will have the board under control. I know enough to keep them on their toes. Just find out their weaknesses." Carlos retorted heartlessly.
"You need to surround yourself with people who trust you, Carlos. If that's your way of handling things, then I guess they were right." Henry said with an air of finality.
"Right about what? Whatever. The main issue is that if it's a wife that's going to get you out of my hair, then Vivian is available." Carlos said as he walked towards the door.
He was done with this conversation. He wasn't marrying that tramp, Bailey Whitney, no matter what his father said.
"Vivian?" Henry asked, laughing. He would rather die than let his son marry the leech.
"Yes, Viv. She's way better than that loosed woman, Bailey or whatever her name is." Carlos spat out, not looking back.
"Loosed? Who said Bailey's a loosed woman? Have you heard the news lately? You're the greatest manwhore in New York!" Henry said. This was a pure case of hypocrisy.
"Trust me, Dad. She's not the angel you think she is." Carlos said as he turned to break the sweet news to his father. He wondered how Henry would react on hearing it.
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
"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!
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."
The dream of everyone with regards to marriage is to be able to find that special someone and settle down with them. Even arranged marriages grant you an opportunity to meet your partner briefly before the wedding. How will you feel about waking up in the morning with someone sleeping next to you who is not just anyone but your legally married partner yet with no memory of how that had happened in just a few hours of going out the previous day? This is the story of Jason Haward and Julia Harrison, two strangers trapped in a marriage they never planned. The quest to find out why led to the unfolding of a mystery which made them realize they are both living a lie. To find out more, read this amazing story of love, betrayal, revenge and murder.
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?