Six years ago, Irene shared a one-night stand with a stranger she quickly forgot. But when she crosses paths with Daniel Blackwood, the CEO of BC Company, he instantly recognizes her—and the two boys she’s with, who bear a striking resemblance to him. Furious, Daniel forces Irene into a marriage contract, threatening to take her children unless she agrees. Trapped, Irene signs, but their forced union sparks a dangerous attraction neither of them expected. Secrets, desire, and power collide—can Irene escape Daniel’s hold, or will he claim more than just her name?
View More“Elias, are you sure this is a good idea?” Ethan asked, tightening the straps of his tiny backpack as they walked side by side. Elias grinned mischievously, hugging his little hoodie closer. “Of course it is. Don’t you want to see where Mama works?” “I do,” Ethan muttered, then glanced around. “But we’re gonna get in so much trouble. You know she’s gonna be mad when she finds out we left after school!” “She won’t be mad if we surprise her,” Elias said confidently. “It’ll make her happy.” Ethan shot him a skeptical look. “You sure about that?” “Very sure.” There was a beat of silence before Ethan mumbled, “Do we even know how to get there?” Elias smirked and patted his chest proudly. “I took it for myself.” “Took what?” “The card. Mama’s card. It has the name of her company on it. BIC Enterprises.” Ethan’s eyes widened. “You stole her business card?” “I didn’t steal it! I borrowed it. I’m gonna give it back.” They reached the sidewalk where a few cabs were parked. One of t
Irene moved through the office like a machine. From the moment she clocked in that morning, her mind had been spinning. Ethan and Elias's question from earlier haunted her like a shadow clinging to her heels. "Mama, do we have a dad?" Her lips had gone dry immediately and her heart had nearly stopped. And ever since, everything around her had felt like a blur. Her hands moved on their own—filing documents, passing forms, replying “yes sir” and “on it” to her boss's endless commands—but she wasn’t there. Not really. Her body was present, but her soul was elsewhere, trapped in that single question she had no answer to. Mr. Blackwood had barked orders all morning. "Where are the Peterson files?" "Did you cross-check the shareholder update?" "That email should’ve been sent ten minutes ago!" She didn’t even flinch. She did everything without protest, without expression—just like a robot. It was around midday. She had just returned from submitting paperwork to the PR departme
Irene lay on her bed, eyes wide open, the dim light from the window casting soft shadows on the wall. She had not slept a wink. All through the night, her mind had been a restless reel, playing and replaying the moments from the trip with Mr. Blackwood. The hotel. His voice. His gaze. Each time she tried to shake the memories away, they returned stronger—clearer. And every time, she found herself blushing like a schoolgirl. She tossed on the bed, tangled in her sheets, her cheeks warm from embarrassment. “Ugh, stop it,” she mumbled into her pillow. “He probably doesn’t even think about you. Get a grip, Irene.” Just then—beep! beep! beep! The sharp sound of the alarm pierced the silence. She jolted upright, heart pounding, momentarily dazed. “What?” She reached for her phone, blinking at the time. “Did I really stay up all night thinking about a man who might not even care about me?” she muttered, dragging a hand down her face. With a groan, she threw off the covers and s
Knock. Knock. Irene bounced lightly on the balls of her feet as she waited at Levi's front door, her heart thumping with a mix of nervousness and excitement. From inside, she heard the unmistakable thudding of tiny feet—running, stomping, probably jumping on something they shouldn’t. Her face broke into a wide grin. Before she could knock again, the door flung open. Levi stood there, eyes wide, arms outstretched. “Irene! You’re back!” Irene laughed, practically jumping forward to hug her. “Girl! I’ve missed you like crazy.” Levi pulled back with a smirk. “Missed me? You were gone for, what, two days? Please. Acting like you left for a whole year.” “Two days too long,” Irene teased, brushing past her into the house. “Where are my babies?” Levi shut the door behind her with a little dramatic click. “Mmm... I think you’ve got some serious begging to do first.” “Begging?” Irene frowned, confused. “What do you mean?” “They’re upstairs,” Levi said, walking ahead. “But brace yourse
Irene was still replaying the humiliating moment on the plane in her mind when the car rolled to a smooth stop in front of an opulent five-star resort. The towering building loomed before them, bathed in golden lights, its grand entrance adorned with luxury cars and uniformed doormen assisting well-dressed guests. She barely had time to adjust to the sight before Mr. Blackwood stepped out, straightening his cuffs as if this were just another mundane stop on his schedule. Irene hesitated. She didn’t belong in places like this. The marble floors, the crystal chandeliers visible from the entrance, the air of exclusivity—it all screamed money. And not the casual kind. The kind that whispered in private jets and dined on meals worth more than her monthly rent. Swallowing hard, she gathered her courage and stepped out of the car. The moment she did, she felt entirely out of place. Even in the sleek black dress, which now felt like a poor attempt at blending in, she stuck out. She was st
Irene gasped, her heart slamming against her ribs as she stared without blinking at Mr Blackwood. Sir I did not get what you said she finally manage to blurt out after the shock. But Mr. Blackwood barely spared her a glance as he straightened his cufflinks, his voice calm and unyielding. "I said we leave now. Pack your things." Her fingers trembled around the phone in her grasp. "But I—I can't just leave like that. My sons—Ethan, Elias—I promised I'd pick them up early today. I told them we'd get ice cream!" Her voice cracked, the weight of her broken promise sinking deep into her chest. Mr. Blackwood remained indifferent. "Then find someone else to pick them up." His words were a punch to her stomach. Find someone else? Did he think it was that simple? Panic clawed up her throat as she scrambled to think of a solution. Levi. Maybe Levi could help. Her thoughts were in chaos as she turned, ready to call—but the soft click of the door closing made her freeze. He was already gone
Irene let out a long, weary sigh, the sound barely audible over the steady thud of her aching footsteps against the stairs. Her legs trembled beneath her, the strain of repeated trips up and down the floors sapping what little energy she had left. Her arms burned from the weight of the thick files she clutched to her chest, and every muscle in her body screamed in protest. She had lost track of how many times she had climbed these stairs today. Three? Four? Maybe even more. It didn’t matter anymore. The only thing that mattered was the fact that she had no choice but to keep going. Her first day at work, and she was already being punished. The thought made her chest tighten with frustration, but she swallowed it down, forcing herself to focus on placing one foot in front of the other. She had been in a hurry earlier, just trying to do her job, and in her desperation, she had unknowingly stepped into the CEO’s private elevator. A simple mistake. One that should have warranted
The elevator chimed softly as it came to a halt. The doors slid open with a quiet whoosh, revealing the pristine, glass-walled corridor beyond. Irene stood frozen, her heart still hammering from the tension that had filled the small space just moments ago.The man in front of her—tall, powerful, and exuding an effortless authority—finally lifted his head from his phone. His gaze flickered toward her, and for the briefest second, something unreadable passed over his face. Then, his lips curved into the faintest ghost of a smile—so quick, so subtle, that Irene almost doubted she had seen it.Before she could even process the expression, he looked away, his sharp, calculating eyes masking whatever emotion had briefly surfaced. He took a single step forward, closing the small gap between them, and then, with an ease that made her breath hitch, he reached out.His fingers brushed against her arm—just a whisper of contact—as he helped her up to a fully standing position. The touch was
The sun had barely risen, painting the streets in soft, golden hues as Irene walked hand-in-hand with her twin sons, Ethan and Elias, toward their school. The gentle breeze carried with it a sense of promise, but Irene's mind was clouded with the weight of unfinished tasks and looming deadlines.“Mom,” Ethan began hesitantly, breaking the silence. His tone was thoughtful, as though he’d been rehearsing the question in his head. “Why do you always look so tired?”Irene blinked, caught off guard. She glanced down at him, his small face full of concern far beyond his years.“Because grown-ups have a lot to think about,” she replied softly, trying to keep her tone light. “But don’t worry about me. You’re my biggest reason to keep going.”Ethan frowned, his tiny brows knitting together. “But I don’t want you to be tired because of me.”“You’re not the reason I’m tired, sweetheart. You’re the reason I smile every day,” Irene said, crouching to his level. She cupped his cheek gently, her h
The afternoon sunlight filtered through the glass panes of the office building, painting soft golden streaks on the polished floor. Irene glanced at her watch as she packed her things. For once, the ticking hands brought no urgency. Her workload was lighter today, and for the first time in weeks, she was finishing early.A faint smile played on her lips as she thought about the evening ahead. Today was Dave’s birthday—a day she had been planning for weeks. Four years together had taught her how much he valued small surprises, and this year, she intended to make it unforgettable.As she stepped out of the office, the familiar hum of the city greeted her. Cars honked in the distance, and pedestrians moved past with hurried strides, their faces painted with end-of-day weariness. But Irene’s heart was light, her steps steady with purpose.“Irene!”She turned to see Sarah and a few of her colleagues gathered near the building's entrance. Sarah waved her over, her bright smile framed...
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Comments