"Marry me and save your family's reputation or stand the chance of loosing everything." He said, his face stoic. She stood there watching him, the same man she had hated and wished death on for most of her adult life. "I'll marry you." She answered, defeated. Sophia Tyler never thought she would meet Bran Garner, the heartless billionaire who previously broke her heart. But when her family's debts became overwhelming, she was left with no option but to meet him again and put her signature on the line. The agreement? In just a year being his wife, her family's money problems will be resolved. Will she survive in a world filled with a lot more than luxury? where her strength is tested and secrets threatening to tear everything apart?
SOPHIA'S POV
"You did what?"
My voice trembled as I stared at the man I called my father. The walls of his office seemed to close in as he refused to look up at me.
"It was a bad business deal. I had no idea it would lead us here. I didn't know it was a scam, " he said, bending his head.
If I had not known him better, I would have believed he was genuinely remorseful, this had been the drill for the longest time.
"Dad, you gambled away a business the whole family has been depending on. This is not even the first time you're doing this. How could you continue even after we almost lost everything the last time?" I said, trying to control my voice out of respect.
"It wasn't supposed to end like this, it seemed a fair deal, the benefits were mouth-watering –"
"I can't believe you would do this, you even used my shop as collateral, you know how things have been for me, you still want to take everything from me?" I asked, tears rolling down my cheeks.
I had woken up that morning with the intention of resuming work, a little fashion-designing house I had been running since I turned 18, it wasn't doing too well, but it was enough to sort our bills every time my dad gambled and landed us in trouble.
I got to work, and the place was locked; my things were thrown outside, with security officials not letting me go in. I had fought, but my efforts were futile, and they had insisted I go talk to my father.
"Who do we owe this time? How do you come out of this mess?" I asked, my voice crossing the line I had set for it.
"Don't talk to Father like that." My sister Henna shouted from the corner she had been standing the whole time.
I turned to face her, my insides boiling with suppressed anger threatening to burst out, "What did you say?"
"Come on, Sophia, it was just one bad mistake, it's not like those things are not supposed to happen in businesses, it's called risk, and it's unavoidable, don't be a brat." She said and walked off to stand close to my father, who had his head buried between his hands.
I bent my head in frustration, biting my lips to fight back tears "I must be the only sane person in this house, Henna at your age, I was already paying for the family's bills, I was working more than expected to make sure we didn't lack, what have you done with your life so far if not constantly causing trouble?"
She rolled her eyes and flipped her hair.
"I don't know how you guys don't understand that I'm tired, my business is falling, and I haven't taken time to create a good life for myself because I've been sacrificing everything to make this family stable. The only business we have had been gambled away, how did it even get up to that extent, Dad?"
"If it's not gambling, then a police case or some fight over jewelry, can I please catch a break?" I yelled, my chest rising and falling in anger.
"I'm sorry, Sophia, I honestly didn't mean for things to turn out like this. It was a good game, and I was close to winning. I just kept putting everything down, and I unfortunately ended up losing everything." He said and started hitting his chest.
"Just like that?"
"They were going to arrest me till he came, he helped me out and I had to put the business down, he said he'll give me everything back if I can grant him a favour, I had no choice."
"He? Who? And what has that even got to do with my shop being locked up?" I asked, walking closer to his table.
"I'm sorry, Baby." He said, his voice trembling.
I sank to my knees. He had gotten me that shop on my 16th birthday when we still had things to our name; it was the only way I could assist the family, and he just gave that away too. I was immediately reminded of the knot I felt in my stomach when I realized my helplessness, I felt sick.
I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.
"So I can't get my shop or the company back if we don't do as "he" says?" I asked.
"Yes, he has everything, and I'm indebted to him. It was the last option, the other guys wouldn't listen, he seemed like a decent rich man, so I agreed, I signed everything to him."
I scoffed.
"Who is he and what does he want?"
"Bran Garner"
I staggered backwards, my breath rising again.
"Which one?" I asked, not believing my ears.
"There's only one Bran Garner Sis, the Multimillionaire." She said and rolled her eyes.
I knew that, I knew him too, but how? Why? I couldn't believe what was happening, it was like the universe was throwing me into the same hole that I had fought hard and long to escape from.
Not this name again, not him again.
"Is there nothing else we can do? Do we have to go through him?" I asked, trying desperately to find a little hope in the situation.
"No, I signed everything to him, we're indebted to him, he was the safest option, and we have to do as he says." He said, avoiding my eyes again.
"We? How convenient," I said.
My head was already running in different directions, This wasn't the kind of situation I wanted myself in; it was like having your life placed in the hands of the devil.
"Just think of something else, is there nothing we can do, no other solution?" I asked, and I was already livid.
"I had no choice, Sophia, neither do you." He said, finally looking up at me, his eyes filled with something I couldn't name, something more than desperation.
"What do you mean?" I asked, walking up to him, there was something in the air that made my eyes water and my heart sink.
His voice came in a whisper, almost inaudible, "You have to marry Bran, Sophia."
The room spun, and the floor felt unsteady beneath me.
Brenna lived with her adoptive parents for twenty years, enduring their exploitation. When their real daughter appeared, they sent Brenna back to her true parents, thinking they were broke. In reality, her birth parents belonged to a top circle that her adoptive family could never reach. Hoping Brenna would fail, they gasped at her status: a global finance expert, a gifted engineer, the fastest racer... Was there any end to the identities she kept hidden? After her fiancé ended their engagement, Brenna met his twin brother. Unexpectedly, her ex-fiancé showed up, confessing his love...
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.
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
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.
Anabel found out she was pregnant and dialed her husband's number to share the good news to him. They have been married for two years without a child. Desmond's mother had been accusing her of being barren and unproductive. When the call was picked, she was flabbergasted and broken. She was hearing a loud moan of feminine voice. "Ohh! Yeah! Don't stop fucking me! Fuck me harder baby!" accompanied with sound of skins slapping against the other. She went home to confront her husband and end up receiving a divorce paper. Desmond divorced him for a lady his mother was rooting. Few months later when he found out that his ex-wife is a billionaire heiress and she is pregnant with twins, he went crazy!
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.