Mae's family faces the threat of losing their home and business, leading her to seek help from the only man that can help: the cold-hearted billionaire to whom her family owes a debt. But when she is face to face with the billionaire, she recognizes him as the stranger she had a brief, sizzling encounter with, a night of fun that left her with a bitter taste of rejection, after he had dismissed her as nothing more than a one night stand. Ethan Crowe has had his full of charlatans and social climbers. When he finds Mae in his office, he remembers her as one of them but her appearance presents an opportunity to fulfill his own agenda. With his grandfather's ultimatum of marriage looming, Ethan strikes a deal with Mae. Despite their mutual animosity, they agree to a marriage of convenience to meet their respective needs. As they navigate the charade of love, can they fool the world and Ethan's grandfather, while adhering to the terms of their arrangement?
I was hiding again in the pantry for the third time that day. If mum called me again to ask where I
put the soy sauce, I would curl into a ball and disappear. Things were easier before, when dad was
still in charge. The restaurant scene was his shmuck anyway, but then he got sick and now we
were failing. Woefully.
My watch flashed, signaling the end of my five-minute hiatus. That was how long I could stay in
there without getting bothered. To prove my point, the door handle twisted above my head. When
the door did not budge, a voice called out.
"Ehh... Mae, is that you? I need to get some flour, we've run out."
I sighed, rose from the floor, and unlocked the door. Lisa's round face came into view. She
smiled kindly at me, before hurrying into the pantry. As I walked back to the kitchen, the sound of
clanging pots and knives on chop boards grew louder. My mum was yelling at José in Italian
again.
I was glad I only had to wait tables; a day in the kitchen with my mother would kill me.
With efficiency honed from working years in the restaurant, I set to work. My smile looked
natural as I waltzed through the room taking orders, returning meals and clearing tables.
My job wasn't a total bore. Gauging the customers through their outfits was the highlight of my
day. I could tell which customer would be trouble from the way they dressed. I had learnt to be
careful around women who wore their shades while in the restaurant. With men, it was harder to
tell.
The door chimed open for the thousandth time and a man walked in looking grim. My eyes
skimmed over him. Crisp suit, mouth pressed in a line and a I-mean-business expression. He
would be one of the easy ones.
Something about him made me nervous, and I wondered if I had attended to him before. Instead
of taking a seat at one of the empty tables, he made a beeline for me, the server closest to the
entrance. Oh, he was one of those ones, the snotty people who thought they could come in and
have everyone moving to their own beat.
"Good afternoon." He started.
"Good day sir, if you would just be seated, someone will be with you shortly." I responded, my
smile still strong.
"I'm actually here on business. It's about this property and I'd like to see the owner. It is very
important that I meet with him today." my curiosity was piqued.
"I'm his daughter, my mother is running things for a while now since his health got worse, she'll
be happy to talk to you if it's important." He paused for a bit, and then nodded.
"That'll be fine."
I led him to dad's small office ignoring the look Miles gave me when he saw us, and then I left to
fetch my mum from the kitchen. She looked just as puzzled as I was when I told her about our
guest. Discarding the apron, she followed me to the office. The strange man had already pulled
out a file from his case, which now sat lonely on the desk.
Mum greeted him and sat in dad's ginormous leather seat. It smelt of several spices and dad's
cologne.
"I am Samuel Mikhalov and I'm a representative of the late Mr. McCauley" He began. McCauley
had been the proprietor of half the buildings seaside in Arroyo Grande. His recent death had
worried everyone that was under his care. "As you know, McCauley has no Family here, but he
has a half brother who currently resides in Scotland, being the only living relative of McCauley,
his properties were automatically transferred to his name." he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"Unfortunately, Mr. Owen has no interest in keeping the property and has sold" -my heart
dropped- "the property to a new owner based here."
Mikhalov smiled sympathetically. "I'm afraid the two men were not on good terms in their youth,
this is his way to spite his brother for disappearing".
My mum glanced at me and I saw the fear in her eyes, so I squeezed her shoulder warmly. We did
not have to panic yet. Things could go either way, this new owner could be kinder and drop
McCauley's rates...or he could be worse.
"It's just a new owner right, there won't be some sort of hike in our rent, we can barely afford it
with my husband being ill." mum voiced both our fears.
"I'm afraid it's worse than that." Mikhalov answered. "The new owner-Mr. Crowe, plans on
renovating seaside Arroyo, Occupants in the properties formerly owned by McCauley need to be
evacuated within three months. I felt it would be impolite to send just the letters, so I am here to
deliver them myself." He extended a brown file to my mother but she just sat, stunned.
I took it from him and reached inside, pulling out a letter. It said the exact thing the lawyer had
said just with more words.
"That's impossible! This is too short a notice, this can't be applicable in court, and it's illegal!"
"I am aware of McCauley's love for this place and I would do everything in my power to stop this,
but there was nothing in the contract you signed with McCauley that states that this is illegal. Mr.
Crowe's actions do not violate any contracts."
"We've been here for thirty years." My mother said in disbelief. "This is our home."
He shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do. I am sorry. Perhaps you could try
talking to Mr. Crowe, he might reconsider..." but even as he said it, he did not seem confident.
Mum remained frozen. She just looked on at him opposite her, a few times, she'd break into a
smile and then, her face would contort to show confusion. Mikhalov had broken my mother.
"Thank you for your..." life altering news? Soul destroying revelation. "I think it's time you
leave." I managed to get out. The urge to point comically at the door then yell "And stay out!" left
my body the second, Miles walked in.
I had completely forgotten about my brother and his tendency to pokenose. He was holding a
plate of food and no doubt had a great excuse for coming in here, but one look at my face, mum's
dead expression and the guilty one of the lawyer, and it died in his throat.
"What's wrong?" he asked me accusingly.
"I will leave your family to deal with this. Once again, I truly am sorry." Mikhalov said before he
shuffled out of his office with his head down, no doubt going to someone else's job or home to
break the bad news.
He walked out, leaving me to repeat the dreadful news to my brother, and no doubt to my father
when we got home.
Hailey Evans, a hardworking server in Minneapolis, is barely making ends meet, balancing hours at a high-end restaurant while caring for her sick mother. Fate takes an unexpected turn when she meets Damien Williams, a 44-year-old billionaire with a cold heart and arrogance to match his wealth. They had an unforgettable one-night stand, but Hailey leaves, trying to forget about him. Damien, on the other hand, is not a man who gives up easily. Damien is obsessed with finding Hailey after that night, so he uses his wealth and position to pursue her, only to learn the tangled reality of her situation. Just as he begins to realize that Hailey may be more than a passing passion, his history resurfaces in the form of Elena, his manipulative ex-lover, and Rachel, his business associate with hidden motives. As Hailey becomes caught in a hazardous web of secrets, betrayals, and billion-dollar stakes, she is forced to negotiate a high-society world she never desired to be a part of. She has no idea that her hidden past has the potential to destroy everything, including her burgeoning affections for Damien. In a world where trust is as uncommon as love, will Damien and Haily overcome the lies, or will their story end tragically?
James Carter, a 44-year-old billionaire, is not your usual business mogul. He's the Alpha of the Silver Crescent Pack, one of the most powerful werewolf dynasties in the 24th century. On the surface, he's a ruthless businessman who rose to remarkable heights in the corporate world, but beneath that lies a dark secret. For years, James has been battling the curse of his bloodline: a prophecy that foretells a fated betrayal and a war that could put the supernatural world apart. Amanda, a 27-year-old brilliant scientist, comes into James' life, full of her own agenda. While he's drawn to her vicious intelligence and beauty, Amanda keeps a deadly secret. She's connected to a group of rivals with ambitions of their own. Her brother, Mike, and their allies, Liam and Kathy, seek to depose James and gain control over the ancient werewolf bloodline that holds the key to ultimate power. As power battles deepen, James finds himself cleaved between his feelings for Amanda and his loyalty to his pack. Dark forces begin to rise, and James must decide: will he sacrifice love for power, or will the prophecy lead to his inevitable downfall? Betrayals run deep, alliances shift, and love is tested. With the fate of the werewolf world hanging in the balance, James must face the ultimate battle, not only for survival but for his soul.
Mary Smith is a lady in her era of working hard to put food on her table, her goal is to work at a big company and become a successful person one day. She has been able to keep this goal in mind all these years and her life is going smoothly until she has broken up with her boyfriend. Two different wounded souls meet at the restroom, drunk and heartbroken looking for a way out of their misery, Dwayne gets hold of her and she can't deny him. Lost in his looks and comfortable in his arms, she wanted to forget about her pains and have fun but what do she do? The fun she wanted to have seems to have kept her bonded with this man. “What do you mean? Pregnant? It was once!” His cold voice echoed in her ear as she shivered in fear. “It was once I knew but how am I supposed to know that it is going to get me pregnant?” She yells in tears watching his fiance on his lap with disgust. “Get out of here now! You’re just a bitch trying to pin this trash on me and you’re fired too!” He said without giving her a last glance.
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?
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."
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?"
Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.
"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?