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Lauren Gartner is betrayed, played for a fool and dies by the hands of her rich fiance, the man she thought she would spend the rest of her life with. She gets a rebirth, a second chance to fix her mistakes and find a better path. This time, she wants revenge. To get her desire, she needs the power and wealth of someone higher than her rich fiance in order to pull him down. Richard Harrison discovers he cannot take over his parents' companies completely unless he gets married. He insists he has no interest in love and proposes a contract marriage to Lauren Gartner, his new personal nutritionist. Desperate to pursue her cause for revenge, Lauren accepts the contract marriage while ignoring the instant attraction and love growing between them. Will things go smoothly as she planned? Or will she be at the mercy of a familiar enemy waiting for her downfall?
Nothing prepared her for this day. Nothing at all.
Lauren took a deep shaky breath as she grabbed the card key from the hands of the young hotel receptionist standing beside her.
She quickly tucked it in her bag and rubbed her sweaty palm against her black denim trouser.
"Are you sure you're ready to do this? You might not like what you see."
Lauren glanced at the receptionist who had offered her the key to the VIP room where her fiance had been staying or rather, hiding for a week.
It was against the rules of the hotel for the young lady to do this for her.
Hmm, what was it called again? Invading the customers privacy?
Lauren sighed. Did it matter what it was called? She didn't care.
All she wanted right now was to satisfy the curiosity that had been on her mind for weeks now.
"I'll never be ready. I might as well get on with it" Lauren mumbled in response, feeling fatigued all of a sudden.
"Alright." The lady smiled warmly. "My job is at stake here so you have to hurry up. We can call this a repayment for the days you helped me in university. I'll be waiting for you."
"Thank you" Lauren waved before she jogged off to the adjacent corridor that led to VIP room 431.....
The room that held the answers she had been seeking for a long time.
A few minutes later, Lauren stood in front of the door with a sign that read '431'. She froze on the spot as thoughts raced through her mind.
Stefano had been cheating on her right? It wasn't just her imagination....right?
Or was she just insecure and paranoid for no reason?
And besides that, why had he been ignoring her calls for two months now? Did that mean he didn't love her anymore?
They had so much to talk about regarding their lives together and the business agreement he had made with her. To think he had proposed to her two months ago and immediately started ghosting her almost drove her crazy.
Who was he playing games with?
"You can do this, Lauren" She whispered as she placed a hand on the left side of her chest and rubbed it gently, trying to calm her racing heart.
She swiped the card on the door knob censor and it unlocked, giving no sound of entrance away.
Thank Goodness!
Lauren bit her lower lip and pulled the door open. She walked in and shut it.
An hour at most. She had to get out of here after one hour unless that lady's job might be at stake.
A dimly lit short corridor led to the sitting room and bed room. She tiptoed slowly, moving into the VIP apartment and gazing at the luxurious taste of its furnishing.
Lauren frowned.
A night here cost nothing less than a few thousand dollars. This wasn't your average vip room.
Based on what the young receptionist told her, Stefano booked a whole month down at once.
Where did he get such money from?
Of course, Stefano earned good money at his workplace, she was well aware of that.
But not this 'kind of money'.
It would have cost him nothing less than $80,000 for a full month here, minus the extra expenses.
An uncomfortable shiver rippled down her spine and she shuddered from the effect. Something wasn't right.
She peeked into the open living room and after finding it empty, she turned and walked towards the bedroom door, her heart in her throat.
Lauren heard a muffling sound as she neared the bedroom door. She pulled it open gently, holding her breath and froze immediately as the muffled sound became clearer.
"She's so stupid and naive, poor thing..." The familiar voice of a woman chuckling hit Lauren's ears through the classical music that played from an MP3 speaker.
She was so shocked that she couldn't move for a full minute.
Lauren heard Stefano laugh at the woman's words and her vision blurred as she tightened her fists around the doorknob.
'Get a hold of yourself!' The voice in her head yelled.
Lauren forced herself to walk into the room. She took slow, careful steps and stood behind the wall corner.
She popped her head and peeped.
There he was, the man she was to marry soon, cuddling a naked woman under a thick blanket in the air-conditioned room.
Lauren felt something break inside of her.
It's one thing to suspect something, it's a different thing for the suspicion to be true.
"So you'll break up with Lauren soon? And then, we'll get married?" The lady asked, her voice not very clear due to the music.
Lauren covered her mouth with both hands as she listened on. Against her will, the tears gathered in her eyes, threatening to fall. What did she just hear?
Stefano chuckled. "Sure, baby. I'm done with her now. She has served her purpose. Becoming a Managing Director at this young age is the icing on the cake for me. I no longer need her for anything...."
"She's probably still waiting for you to give her the share of money from your business agreement." The woman laughed. "It's been two whole months, she's very slow. A retard. She doesn't deserve you."
Lauren fell to her knees as those words hit her. She put the pieces together and almost screamed from the bile of anger that rose in her chest.
How dare he?! How dare Stefano do this to her?!
She gripped her chest where her heart hurt and whimpered as hot tears flowed down her cheeks.
The stench of his double betrayal was too much for her. She felt too tired to stand straight but no, she couldn't allow him get away with this.
She needed answers. She had to face him. She had to see the face of the woman who knew so much about her while she remained in the dark.
Lauren clenched her fists and dried her tears of anger with the sleeve of her blouse.
Keeping her face firm and jaw tightly clenched, she stood up straight and walked past the wall corner into the big bedroom.
Lauren yelled as loud as she could. "Stefano!!!"
"You've never imagined that you could be at my mercy one day. Life is weird" Margaret flipped her hair to the back and laughed so hard, waving her off with her hand. "Don't be silly. Stupid things like that only happen in dramas and movies, not in real life. That's what movie directors do to sell poor people like you the dream of having power and fame. Wake up, Elaine. I will never be at your mercy." ___________________________________________ Despite her poor background, Elaine Smith believes she is good enough to become the bride of Alexander Rogers, the CEO of the fastest growing health company in New York. Alexander has proven his love to her over and over. Their court wedding is done and all that is left is the white wedding. Everyone seems to be in support of their marriage..... Everyone except Alexander's proud mother, Margaret who believes Elaine is a terrible choice for her son, never failing to hurt and frustrate her any chance she gets. And not just her, there's also his ex-girlfriend who believes she is a better replacement as Alexander's bride, instead of Elaine. Elaine remains by Alexander's side despite everything, determined to show she is the right bride for him but.... After a dangerous threat targeting the life of her 'struggling' parents, Elaine fearfully decides to divorce Alexander, leaving him completely heartbroken and confused. Years pass by and life throws a twisted fate and they meet again.... Alexander's mother finds herself in a critical position and ONLY Elaine can give her the solution she desperately needs. What happens when two lovers meet again after a painful separation? Will Elaine choose revenge or love? What will the return of the 'new' Elaine bring?
Two months after he becomes the next heir to the multi-billion dollar beauty company, Imperial Hub Limited, George Scott finds himself in a terrible car crash accident that leaves him with a damaged and scarred skin. His life takes a miserable turn and his position as the CEO is threatened too. At the same time, Arthur Reeves, father of Rachel Reeves is suddenly accused of a crime he didn't commit and is thrown in jail. Five years later, George Scott has to make a decision to get married in order to save his reputation as the "Ugly Billionaire that no woman wants". The odds are against as it seems his stepbrother, James Scott has a better chance to become the new CEO of the company. He chooses a contract marriage with the woman he has always secretly loved, Rachel Reeves. George Scott has no idea that the destruction of Rachel Reeves father and family is linked to him.
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."
Lyric had spent her life being hated. Bullied for her scarred face and hated by everyone-including her own mate-she was always told she was ugly. Her mate only kept her around to gain territory, and the moment he got what he wanted, he rejected her, leaving her broken and alone. Then, she met him. The first man to call her beautiful. The first man to show her what it felt like to be loved. It was only one night, but it changed everything. For Lyric, he was a saint, a savior. For him, she was the only woman that had ever made him cum in bed-a problem he had been battling for years. Lyric thought her life would finally be different, but like everyone else in her life, he lied. And when she found out who he really was, she realized he wasn't just dangerous-he was the kind of man you don't escape from. Lyric wanted to run. She wanted freedom. But she desired to navigate her way and take back her respect, to rise above the ashes. Eventually, she was forced into a dark world she didn't wish to get involved with.
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
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.”
Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"
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.