Alison Palmier's life is unraveling, and just when she thinks it can't get worse, she's coerced into signing a contract with California's most influential and dangerous man. His singular goal? To make her suffer in ways she never imagined. Suddenly, Alison becomes a pawn in a high stakes game of chess, where every move leads her deeper into a world of dark secrets, deadly risks, and treacherous alliances. As she navigates this perilous path, she must confront the cruel devil pulling the strings and survive his twisted mind games. But will she find a way to thaw his ice cold heart, or will his buried secrets prove too powerful, trapping her in a web of destruction from which there's no escape?
Alison's POV
I gazed absently across the mirror at my own reflection...an empty girl, ashen broken and alone. I couldn't help but replay the moments in my mind, how my life changed for the worse, in just one month. I couldn't help but recount on how i lost both my parents, our family mansion, wealth and how i nearly lost the only family i had left....my twin brother, Riley....just within a month?! Now he was in the hospital, fighting for his life.
A knock on the door shook me from my deep thoughts, i could feel the anxiety rising from deep within me. I knew exactly who it was. The door slid open, i glanced up to see a man, middle age, average height, he wore dark sunglasses and a mocking grin plastered on his face. He slammed the door shut and advanced towards me. I hastily rose up and wiped every trace of tear on my face with hardened resolve.
"W-why are you here?", I mustered, inwardly cursing myself again r stuttering.. I had to be strong for Riley's sake
"I don't have to answer your question miss palmier", he smirked, "but nevertheless, i just wanted to see if you were doing alright. You don't look so good".
"Spare me the fake concern", i rolled my eyes. "I know fully well you don't give a damn about my well being. All you care about is body and how it's gonna make money for you".
" That's why I'm here to warn you", his smirk faded and was replaced with a cold icy voice that made mevery uncomfortable. He approached me, making me feel small under his piercing gaze. He didn't stop until our faces were just a few inches from each other, i could feel his alcohol washed breath on my face, i held back the vomit threatening to come up
" This is your adorable twin's life on the line".
My eyes narrowed at the reference to my brother "You better not mess up" he warned.
I tried to create distance between us but before i could make a move, he grabbed my wrists and pulled me closer until i could very much feel his heavy breath down my neck making me uncomfortable and unable to keep a straight face without faltering.
His eyes scanned me from head to toe giving me chills, "you have a very nice body, your beauty is breathtaking, people will pay good money just to see you dance for them".
I clenched my fists, "don't forget your other end of the deal", Trying to make my voice sound firm made him frown.
"I won't, as long as you do what is required of you ". He pushed me with so much force i hit the cupboard behind me, a sharp pain traveled through my spine as I fought the urge to sink to the floor and cry.
"Act like the fuckin whore that you are". He spat before turning and casually walking out of the room like nothing ever happened.
The door slammed shut making me flinch as I grabbed the chair for support, feeling dazed.
I wasn't a whore. Just a victim of life's unfair treatment . I thought, slowly letting myself slide to the floor as I felt a few tears fall freely down my cheeks, I didn't bother to clean it.
The memories came played in my head over and over again
The day my life began to crumble.... the day everything changed....It happened on a cold winter morning.. ironic right?!. I remember at standing by the floor to ceiling mirror in my room, awaiting my best friend, Kaira's arrival. We had planned the day before to go shopping for the end if school year dance happening the following Friday. The news had warned of an upcoming blizzard.. I was starting to wonder if our plans would have to be canceled because of it. My mind went to my parents, they went on a business trip and were meant to have arrived the night before but still no word from them since then, i was starting to get worried and the blizzard wasn't making things easier. I set my phone down on my vanity table and walked to the door, i needed to see Riley, talking to him would make me feel better. But then the my phone started to ring making me stop in my tracks... Could be kaira or even my parents...I thought exicted as I hurried to it.
"Hello?"
"Good day..", there was a short pause, "Are you Alison palmier?". That didn't sound like my parents or kaira or anyone i knew. It was a lady's voice.
"Yes. Is everything alright?", My voice sounded unsteady.
There was dead silence for a few seconds, the atmosphere suddenly became heavy as i awaited her response, then there was a sound of rustling of papers from the other line. After what felt like a minute had gone by I heard her voice again, this time gravely low, "Your parents, Henry palmier and Emily Palmier passed away last night in an automobile accident".
No... That simply can't be true, my parents can't be dead, i couldn't bring myself to believe that I shook my head, I couldn't believe that, this had to be a joke. I thought about these Cell phone pranks teenagers played on random people, that made me clench my fists in anger.
"You're joking. Is this some kind of sick game to you??" I heard myself say, rage filling me, "What the hell is wrong with you?".
Still, the voice on the other line remained as calm as ever, "this might come as a shock to you and I understand, you're in denial, it's totally normal, I'll let you think about it. I'm so sorry for your loss".
The call ended. My mind was blink for a while as I sat down in silence.
Then the realization set in
My parents were dead...this couldn't be possible, i talked with them just yesterday, they sounded fine. They can't be dead.
I lost my grip on the phone and let it fall to the ground with a loud thud and like my heart, it shattered to pieces.
Almost immediately the door opened, Riley hurried in, I glanced at him, was he really the only family i had left, his face was a mixture of shock and hardened resolve,
"Alison..are you alright?".
Judging from the grave look he gave me, i could tell he already knew about my parents long ago.
He looked down, guilt clouded his expression, "They passed away yesterday, car accident". He was unable to meet my gaze, "I'm sorry,".
I didn't know i was crying until he embraced me tightly, I Burst into tears, crying into his warm embrace, they were gone.. "Why? Why did it have to be them?" I sobbed. He remained silent, slowly caressing my hair, I knew he was doing all he could to stay strong for me, I had to do that too...stay strong for myself and Riley and from then on, that was what I decided to do.
That was a month ago.
3 days ago, Riley was hit by a speeding car, it was a hit and run case, he's been in a coma ever since.
24 hours ago, I lost my parents property, wealth, business, our family house along with the rest of our mansions to a cruel business tycoon. His identity wasn't known to me, but Riley knew him.
All my friends deserted me, all except kaira and Jayden, my best friend since....well forever, we grew up together and we're inseparable as kids..our parents even joked about getting the both of us married, but we were just best friends, we preferred it that way. Kaira and Jay stood by me through everything, Kaira offered me a place to stay in her apartment, wasn't as big as my mansion, but it was perfect. Jayden offered financial support, for I and Riley's wellbeing, I wished I could repay the favor somehow, although he declined all my efforts to do that saying he wasn't doing me a favor. I knew that.
Now the hospital demanded for a huge sum of money, for Riley's surgery and the only thing that could save his life. Jayden wanted to pay but i refused, it would take a toll on him coughing out money like that, he's done enough as it is. I was done being a burden. The only way i could get that amount of money in time was to accept the deal with a rich, influential owner of a hotel, to be a stripper and entertain men for that night, it seemed unreasonable and something i would never do, but at this point, I'd do anything for Riley. It was my only chance.
My whole life was falling apart.
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?"
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!"
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
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."