SOPHIA'S POV“Come on, Sophia,” Samantha gently touched my arm. “Drink up. It’s your birthday, babe. You need to celebrate.”“I don’t want to, Sam. I’ve never drunk before, and you know that, no?” I frowned at her.Sitting at the bar, I stared at the glass in front of me. It’s my birthday, but it doesn’t feel like it. My heart felt too heavy to care.“Exactly! There’s a first time for everything.” She grinned and slid the glass closer. “Just one sip. It’ll help you forget about that jerk, Fred.”Fred. His name hit me like a punch to the gut. I bit my lips and tried to hold back the tears that had been threatening to fall all night. I don’t want to think about him. About how I caught him making out with another woman.“Sam, I don’t know if this is a good idea, but I don’t think drinking is going to help.” I slightly pushed the glass away.“Trust me, it will,” she insisted. “Just let loose for once, Sophy. You deserve it after everything that happened.”I glanced at my other friends, Ke
SOPHIA'S POV The buzzing of my phone woke me up. My head ached so much that I felt like it was splitting in two. I blinked, trying to make sense of my surroundings. My eyes suddenly dilated when I realized that I wasn't in my bedroom.‘Oh my God!’“Where am I? This isn’t my bed!” I began to panic as I reached for my phone which was lying on the floor. It stopped ringing as I made to pick the call.“15 missed calls?”“Holy Molly!”I looked at my side, only to see the sleeping figure of a man, half-covered by the sheets, his back to me. He had a beautiful tattoo on the upper part of his left arm. I couldn't see his face. I tried to recollect what transpired between us, and the memories of last night came rushing back. The club, my friends, the drinks, the bar, the kiss, the hotel. Then the….“Oh, shit!” I freaked out as I realized what I had done. I slept with a stranger, thinking it was Fred? ‘Oh jeez! Sophia, what have you done?’I felt a sharp pain in between my thighs as I dresse
THE GRAHAM GROUP PLC.DAMON'S POVOne of the best black shiny limousines I own, stopped in front of my company's headquarters. The chauffeur came out and opened the back seat door for me. My foot, on a pair of black shiny shoes, first stepped out of the car before the whole me came out.I was impeccably dressed in a tailored navy-blue suit, with my black hair neatly combed to the back. Immediately my guards and my Personal Assistant, Mr. Leo, set their eyes on me, they all bowed their heads.“Morning Sir” They chorused.I nodded to their greetings and entered into the company, with them following suit.The lobby was bustling with activities. Some employees scurry by with papers, while the lazy ones busied themselves with gossip. They all stopped their activities and bowed when they noticed my presence.“Good morning, sir”“Good morning, boss”With my eyes focused ahead, I ignored their greetings as though they didn't exist. My expression remained stern and unbothered, all business.
GOD'S WILL ORPHANAGEDEBRA'S POV“Ma'am Debra's here! Ma'am Debra's here!” The cute little angels excitedly rushed forward immediately I stepped out of my car. They formed a small, energetic crowd around me.I knelt down, smiling warmly at them. “Hello, my darlings! I’ve brought something for each of you.”“Yeeehhhhh” They jumped up happily, and I found my lips smiling at their innocence.My driver and two bodyguards brought out the large bags filled with food and toys I brought. My guards took the bags of raw food to the storeroom while I began handing out the toys to the kids.“Look! I got a football!”“I got a new doll!”“Mine is a drawing board!”“I love puzzles!”They all gasped enthusiastically and their faces lit up in pure joy.“Thank you, Ma'am Debra! We love you!” They bowed gratefully.‘Awwwn! Such cutie pies!’“Every time you come, you bring more smiles than I can count.” Mrs. Rose Beckley, the head matron, approached from behind as she watched the scene with fondness.“It
DAMON'S POV“Marry me, Miss Sophia Clark.”“W-what?” She stammered.“You heard me. Marry me.”“Mr. Graham… you can’t be serious.” She tried to find her voice, though it came out barely a whisper. “Why... why me?” Her voice trembled.“I need you to marry me.” I cleared my throat. “A marriage in name only, of course. A contract. It wouldn’t be real.”She shook her head, still stunned. “Mr. Graham, I… I don’t understand. Why…why would you ask me to do something like that?”“I’ll pay you £10 million if you agree to marry me, for a year. All you have to do is sign the contract, and pretend to be my wife, only in the presence of my family.”Her eyes widened, but she didn’t speak.“£10 million will change your life. I know it will. And for me… well, let’s just say I need to show my family that I’ve settled down. That I’m capable of ‘commitment’. I practically spat the word. “But it’s all for show. You won’t be involved in anything beyond the paperwork.”I studied her closely, noticing the w
SOPHIA'S POV“I’ll marry you. Just… Please save my Hayden.” My words barely escaped my lips, and I couldn't bring myself to look Mr. Graham in the eyes. My hands trembled as they clutched at my clothes.“I'll talk to you later, buddy” I heard him hang up his call. “Stand up, Miss Clark” he said, his voice deep but surprisingly soft, as though he pitied me. My legs wobbled as I struggled to get back to my feet. “Thanks sir. I…I'm ready to marry you. Please, I urgently need the money you offered.” Not even the full amount.“I heard you the first time, Miss Clark. I knew you would come running back to me for help after you ran out yesterday.” He smirked.His words disgusted me.I thought he pitied me some minutes ago? Was it just an act?“By the way, who is this Hayden?”I was about to reply when he quickly cut me off.“Your boyfriend? Ohh! He's so unlucky you're sacrificing your love to save his life” He laughed.“He's not my boyfriend. Hayden is the name of my…” He cut me off again.
SOPHIA'S POVI stepped out of the cab, feeling the morning breeze against my skin. It was my wedding day. I chose to wear a simple, cream-colored dress I could afford for my fake marriage. As I made my way to the entrance of the marriage registry, I saw Mr. Graham standing by his car. He was dressed in a black suit. He looked every bit the powerful and handsome businessman he was. As usual, he wore a stern expression, “You’re late, Miss Clark” he said as he pocketed his phone.‘Aren’t I just five minutes late?’ I hissed inwardly.Without a word, he turned to one of his bodyguards who gave him a curt nod. The guard stepped forward, opening the trunk of the car. He pulled out a large white bag and gave it to Mr. Graham.“What’s that?” I asked, confused.“A dress. Put it on.” He handed it to me.“What?” I blinked.“You can’t wear that,” he said, motioning to my simple dress. “It’s not fitting for the occasion.”“This is a fake wedding, Sir. It doesn’t matter what I wear.”“It does,” he
DAMON'S POVI clenched my fists as I watched Miss Clark run off after her conversation with whoever it was on the phone. My family was confused by her sudden exit, which left them in shock. My mother’s voice cut through the awkward silence.“Who was on the phone? Why would she leave like that without saying anything?”I could feel their eyes on me, expecting answers. But I had none.“I don’t know,” I muttered through clenched teeth, frustrated. “Damon, you have to call her!” Linda, one of my cousin sisters, insisted. “Something might be wrong with her.”“She’ll be fine,” I replied, my voice was colder than I intended. How was I supposed to do that when I didn't even have her number. “You all should get going, it's getting late. I’ll let you know when she’s back.” I needed them out of my house. I couldn’t deal with their worries and questions.“Are you sure, Damon? This is your wife we're talking about here. Shouldn't you be concerned?” My mom asked, worrisome written all over her
DAMON'S POV My mind was racing with uneasy thoughts. I couldn’t shake off the discomfort of leaving Sophia in the house with Sharon. What if she did something terrible to her? Especially after the way she kept staring at Sophia and asked who she was.Or what if Sophia lashes out at Sharon because of how I carried her in yesterday, or simply for showing up in my life again now?I knew I made a grave mistake by asking Sophia to stay back home to attend to Sharon. Especially when I acted rude to her.“Sir?” Leo tapped my side of the table, jotting me back to reality. I remembered I was in the meeting room with my senior staff, going over a tech company’s proposal to buy our shares. But my mind was elsewhere, tangled in thoughts about my personal life.“Are you listening, sir?” Leo demanded, to be sure I wasn't lost in their way of presentation.“Me?” I pointed at myself, confused like a lost dog. “Yes. Yes, Mr. Leo. I'm listening.” I lied, letting out a fake smile. “Go on with the pres
SOPHIA'S POVDamon had given me the task of taking care of Sharon today, and I couldn't help but feel frustrated. Why me? Why did I have to be the one to look after her?Before leaving for work this morning, he had asked the workers to clean up one of the guest rooms upstairs and made sure Sharon moved there. Because she spent the night in his room.Of course, Damon hadn’t stayed in his room. He had slept in his study. As much as I tried to deny it, I was still feeling elated for boldly telling Sharon that I was Damon's wife last night. But after I went to give her some of my clothes, I saw a mix of sadness and bitterness in her eyes. She was surely not happy that Damon had moved on.She should be sad actually if she was indeed kidnapped like she claimed, because she would feel betrayed that Damon didn't search for her. But, who would? When all evidence pointed at her to have sent the text, and stole from him. ‘Wait, Am I jealous?’“C’mon, Sophy!” I laughed at myself. Why would I b
SOPHIA'S POV I couldn't shake off the uneasiness Sharon’s arrival brought. It gnawed at me like a warning I couldn’t hear clearly. Like a nagging feeling echoing in my mind, hinting me that something bad was about to happen.I quickly shrugged it off. “Nothing’s gonna happen.” I muttered under my breath, as I walked into the kitchen, forcing myself to take a deep breath.Almost immediately, two familiar voices—the mansion’s legendary gossip duo, bombarded me with whispered questions.“Ms. Sophia, what's happening?” Genny whispered eagerly.“Who’s that woman Mr. Graham carried upstairs?” Bella added, glancing around like she expected the woman to pop out at any second.I sighed. “Don’t you girls know her?” I asked, turning to them.“No, we don’t.” They both shook their heads.They most likely weren't employed back when Damon and Sharon were an item.“When did you two start working here?” I asked, arching a brow.“Going on five years now,” Genny said.“Four for me,” Bella chipped in.“
DAMON’S POVI was delighted that Sophia liked the necklace I got her. I’d been jogging that same route for years, yet I’d never noticed the big store tucked away down the lane until today. On a whim, I went in and picked something out for her. A small gesture to show her that I hadn’t tricked her into being intimate with me. I just wanted to feel her warmth.By afternoon, I got done with my work on the laptop, letting out a tired yawn. "You should take a break, sir," Sophia suggested, sitting beside me in the living room as she peeled an orange.I looked at her, uncertain about my feelings. I couldn’t quite understand why I was acting so affectionately toward her. Part of me thought I might be experiencing a genuine change of heart, while another part believed I was only treating her this way because I’d learned she was the one who came through for me the day Sharon ended things with me. And for that, I wanted to treat her kindly.‘She's a perfect woman.’ My inner voice mumbled. I
SOPHIA'S POVI slowly opened my eyes, the corners of my lips curling into a smile. Damon and I fell asleep after our intense and passionate intercourse. I still couldn't believe we both did it.My body felt refreshed, I felt like a whole. Like I just accomplished a mission. I've been in the dark for years. Not knowing what it feels like to be a woman, sexually. At that moment, I felt complete.My eyes drifted to the wall clock.‘6:30?’ I gasped. ‘PM?’‘Did we sleep for that long?’I tried to rush out of bed, but my body felt numb. Damon was completely looming over me. A smile tugged at my lips. I knew what we felt for each other couldn't be termed ‘love’, but I felt an inner joy.I slightly nudged him aside so I could get up, but what I saw on his body made me widen my eyes.Tatoo? Damon has a tattoo at the upper part of his right arm? It was an image of a crown with ‘Her King’ etched beneath it.‘Awwwn! It looks beautiful.’ I admired it.But then, it suddenly struck me. ‘This tattoo
SOPHIA’S POVDamon has been different lately. I noticed quite some changes in him ever since he regained his memory. At first, I thought he was back to being a chameleon. But, he hasn't changed his positive attitude towards everyone since then. The way he had been staring at me as well. I just hoped he would continue being this way.I've been doing my best to satisfy his persistence of me preparing his meal. I had begun watching YouTube videos on how to prepare some international meals, and I'm glad he always thanks me for the meals. Every. Single. Time.That wasn’t the Damon I married, or signed a contract with, rather. It was someone new. And honestly, I hoped this version would stay.When he’d asked me to join him in his room “for work,” I had a feeling it wasn’t about files or emails, because we hardly talk business at home. But I still went.I knocked once and, finding the door open, stepped in.“I’m here, sir,” I said, unsure of what to expect.He was on the sofa, typing someth
DAMON’S POVIt had been a month since I regained my lost memory of six years ago. I felt like I had been reborn. Like someone turning a new leaf. From my cold attitude to a calm one.But then again, could it be because of Sophia? Ever since I found out that I had a one night stand with my contract wife, I had been feeling elated. I should be having mixed feelings, right? Why am I having an unexplainable feeling towards her? It was definitely not romantic feelings. Then what? No wonder I felt a sense of familiarity between us the first day I laid my eyes on her at the office. Had no idea we had a history together.For the past few weeks, I found myself yelling less, talking softly, not getting annoyed over unnecessary things. And Sophia, something in me always keeps looking deep into her eyes whenever she talks. I even recently noticed how beautiful her brown eyes were.‘Gosh! Damon, this isn't you.’I insisted on her preparing my daily meal, and truth be told, I always enjoyed her f
SOPHIA’S POVI saw Damon blinking his eyes and quickly alerted Mom that her son was regaining consciousness. His mom immediately stood at the other side of the bed.He had been admitted at the hospital since yesterday after we received a call from Mr. Leo that he fell unconscious. “Sophia” I heard him call me and my head snapped in his direction. He was smiling. Wait, Smiling!Did he once again hit his head on some rock in his unconscious state? He never seized to amaze me.Just then, the doctor walked in, checking his vitals. “He’s okay now, ma’am. You don’t have to worry.”Mom let out a relieved sigh, folding her hands in gratitude. “Thank goodness. I thought I was going to lose you, Damon.”“You worry too much, Mom,” He muttered.She sat beside him, helping him sit up, but he still didn’t take his eyes off me, making me grow uncomfortable. What was he planning now?“What exactly happened, my dear?” Mom asked gently. “Leo refused to tell me why you fell unconscious. He insisted I
DAMON'S POVAround 5 PM that day, I stepped out of the boardroom, my employees following behind me. We had just concluded a meeting, and it was also the end of the workday.As I walked out, I noticed Leo approaching. His expression was difficult to read, somewhere between sadness and frustration."You just received a text, sir," he said, handing me my phone. From the look on his face, it was clear he had already read it.Curious and slightly concerned, I wondered what kind of message could have made Leo look so troubled.I brought my phone closer to my face, to read the text."Hi, Damon. This will likely be the last time you hear from me, as I’m about to discard my SIM card and leave the country.I’ve successfully completed my mission in your life and home. The truth is, I never loved you. Everything was carefully planned by my real boyfriend and me. Our only goal was to drain you of your wealth.In fact, I managed to take even more from you than we originally intended, and believe me