Danielle blinked with disbelief, not having expected to see Knox here. The last time she had checked his social media account, he was well-settled in Denmark. When did he return from Denmark? Her life had changed drastically in the last eight years, and now Knox wasn’t her priority any longer. Life has been tough on her and her tinted visions of love have taken a backseat. Anyway, Knox was way beyond her league and she had realized it the hard way at a very tender age!
“Are you kidding me, woman? How the f*ck can you be Daniel Hartford?” he barked, his face flushed with fury. Danielle’s heart shattered, realizing he hadn’t recognized her at all.
His harsh words brought her out of her reverie, and she focused on the hard, ruthless man in front of her.
“I am Danielle from Happy Matchmakers. I’m here to meet Vincent Cromwell.” Although her instincts prompted her to run, she squared her shoulders to face him bravely. However, her announcement had the opposite effect on him, and he scoffed at her reply.
“Get out!” Danielle’s face paled at the insult, yet she didn’t bow down, shaking her head instead.
“I have an appointment with Mr. Cromwell.” Her defiance seemed to shock him, and she noted the tiny flare of his nose.
“Don’t f*cking play games with me for money, woman. My grandfather has agreed to meet the owner of Happy Matchmakers, Mr. Daniel Hartford.” His tone, his harsh words, brought Danielle out of her dreamland and she glared at him angrily. She knew he was doing well in his chosen field, but that didn’t give him the right to be arrogant.
“I am Danielle Hartford, co-owner and partner of Happy Matchmakers. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I would like to get on with the meeting without wasting more time.” His jaws clenched angrily, while his cold, calculating gaze swept over her body as if in disbelief.
“You cannot meet my grandfather without my permission. Sit down, Ms. Hartford. I have a deal for you first.” With him blocking her exit, Danielle had no other option than to sit down. She didn’t like his tone at all. Why would she consider his deal when it was Vincent Cromwell who had contacted her directly? Yet she didn’t react immediately and waited for him to discuss his so-called deal with her.
He sat down opposite her and pinned her with an angry glare. Danielle squirmed under his pointed gaze, wondering what had him so worked up.
“I want you to decline my grandfather’s request for a bride.” Danielle wanted to decline his deal right away but waited to hear him out.
“Why would I do that when your grandfather emailed us directly?” she asked as professionally as she could. Her question seemed to anger him and he got up to pace the floor in front of her.
“My grandfather has this crazy wish to get married and produce an heir to his empire since I’m not interested in marriage. It’s just to blackmail me into submission. It won’t make any difference to you since I’ll pay you generously for declining his request,” he said, sitting down again to wait for her decision.
“What if I decline your proposal?” He gave her a look of hatred and stood up agitatedly.
“How much money do you need? I’ll pay you four times your service charge.” Danielle’s face flushed with anger at his offer. How could he expect her to bow down to his wishes? This wasn’t only about money! Vincent Cromwell was like a jackpot to them. Through him, she had expected to restore the lost glory Happy Matchmakers enjoyed under her mom’s control. After this, they would get their share of fame and money, both of which they needed badly.
“I can’t accept your offer, Mr. Cromwell.” She politely declined him as a sense of disappointment washed over her. It seemed she would have to return empty-handed again. Without providing matchmaking services, her principles would never allow her to accept money from him. So there couldn’t be any deal at all!
Her words were enough to infuriate him further, and he clenched his hands into fists, pinning her with his angry stare.
“Ms. Hartford, I’m not someone you can fool with your fake ploys. If you’re playing a game to mint more money out of me, let me warn you, I’ll destroy your business in minutes. So just accept what I’m offering you peacefully and get out.” Danielle stood up, anger bubbling inside her, yet she gave him an icy stare, controlling the wish to punch his beautifully chiseled face. The absolute nerve of the man to insinuate that she was a money-grabber!
“I’m not interested in your offer, Mr. Cromwell. If we don’t provide any service to a client, we don’t charge any service fee. So your offer is quite meaningless here. I shall email your grandfather stating our inability to consider his request. As for your threats, they don’t affect me. I have struggled alone to reach where I am and will do so in the future, too. Have a good day!” She stormed out of the mansion with her head held high, without giving him another look.
Knox stood stunned by her rejection of his offer. To date, he hadn’t met a single person in his entire life who declined such a huge amount of money. Was she for real, or was she playing a game with him? Would she stick to her promise and send his grandfather an email? He would have to follow up. He couldn’t allow her to screw this up. In no way would he allow his grandfather to bring home a gold-digger. He couldn’t take that sort of stress right now.
Warily, he looked around to see if his grandfather had emerged from his study. Thankfully, he was still busy on a video call with his group of friends to notice the time. He knew his granddad was stubborn, just like he was. He would definitely pursue this until he got what he wanted, but he wouldn’t bow down at all.
Massaging his temples, he stormed towards the main door, ready to leave for work. This meeting was the reason he had to postpone all his appointments to the latter half.
“Knox, who were you fighting with a while ago?” His granddad’s voice stopped him from taking another step forward. Taking a deep breath, he slowly turned around, getting ready for war. This had been going on for the last five years and he was at his wit’s end. This time his granddad tried a different trick, and it seemed to work. He left everything and returned home to LA.
While his granddad tried everything in his power to get him married to Loraine Sylvester, his friend’s daughter, he remained firm in his decision. He would not marry at all! After seeing the bitter war between his parents, he and his twin, Andrea, hated commitments, relationships, and marriage. He didn’t need such complications in his life, especially with Loraine, who was the most infuriating woman in the entire world.
“Was it the Hartford guy? Don’t lie to me. I know you were threatening him!” said his granddad, walking up to him while his shrewd eyes studied him minutely. However, Knox remained unperturbed, being used to this scene for the last five years of his life.
“No, Granddad, a woman was here to take advantage of us. I shooed her away.” His grandfather frowned at him with disbelief, but seeing the unflinching look on his grandson’s face, he walked away.
“I’d better call them up to see what the holdup is all about. The guy should have been here ten minutes ago.” Knox’s eyes widened, realizing what his granddad was about to do. No, if his granddad called up the woman, she would surely give him away.
“Don’t call them, granddad. If they need the money, I’m sure they’ll pursue your case. These agencies can stoop to any level to please their clients.” However, he sighed at seeing the determined look on his granddad’s face while he picked up his mobile phone to call Happy Matchmakers. He waited for the call to end and the arguments to start all over again.
“Hello, Happy Matchmakers?” said his granddad into the phone. Curious got the better of him, and he inched closer to his granddad to follow the conversation.
“Yes, I’m Danielle Hartford from Happy Matchmakers. How may I help you?”
“Vincent Cromwell here. I was expecting Mr. Daniel Hartford at my residence at noon today but you seem to be a charming young lady,” chuckled his granddad while Knox rolled his eyes.
“Thank you, Mr. Cromwell. Actually, I’m sorry for the inconvenience caused to you. We currently don’t have anyone in our portfolio to match you with,” said Danielle, feeling guilty about discouraging the jolly old man.
“Oh, that’s alright. You can take your time. I’ll come down to your office to discuss the traits I’m looking for in a partner.” Knox seethed with anger at the woman. Despite his warnings, how could she go ahead with it? Did she have a death wish? He would have to see her before his granddad did!
“Why did you have to leave without seeing Vincent Cromwell? He’s the client, not his grandson,” scolded Loretta after taking an update from her. Danielle couldn’t tell her about her exact state of seeing Knox after so many years. It would take her some time, but she would definitely overcome her inhibitions. “No need to get so worked up. Vincent Cromwell called to announce that he would come down here for a discussion.” Loretta’s eyes widened, and she stopped complaining for a change. “When?” “Whenever he’s free, I guess.”They waited patiently all day, but Vincent Cromwell did not call, nor did he come down for a discussion as promised. Both friends were terribly disappointed as now Happy Matchmakers did not have a single client! Their only client, Robert Franklin, finally settled down with the woman Loretta chose for him and cleared their dues. “It’s just not happening, Lori. We have to think outside the box. We have to provide more services for today’s busy professionals, not
Danielle couldn’t concentrate on anything else for the rest of the day. Knox Cromwell’s strange proposition was all she could think of. It was true she needed the money, but was she ready to take the plunge? Was she ready to bear a child when she was struggling to save her business? Could she do justice to both? Of course, she knew the answer to all those questions, but Knox Cromwell hardly gave her a choice. The consequences she would face for declining his proposition were devastating. It would ruin her completely. What confused her was why he chose her to bear his heir? It was obvious he nurtured a low opinion of her. She was way below his league, too. Then why was he forcing her when he could choose someone experienced? Why was he paying her so much when he could get a surrogate mother for much less? “Hey, girl! What’s got you so worked up?” asked Loretta, walking into the office. Danielle looked up to focus her attention on her friend. For the last few hours, she had been so w
Danielle didn’t waste a single minute in speculation. She dashed inside the building, straight to her apartment before her stalker could get to her. She wasn’t in the frame of mind to face anyone now.Once inside, she heaved a sigh of relief. Until the next morning, she was safe in the sanctity of her home. She could contemplate her next move later, before Knox Cromwell’s visit. The sight of her neatly furnished, cozy home soothed her jumpy nerves, and she headed for a shower. With no plans for tonight, she could retire early and rest her stressed mind. The moment she stepped out of the shower, her phone buzzed with an incoming call from Loretta. Danielle groaned with dread, knowing what this was all about. It definitely would be another of granny Emma’s loud get-togethers with her weird buddies! She hated those awkward parties where she and Loretta would be the only young people present. Therefore, they would overburden the duo with work! After five attempts, Loretta stopped, and
Danielle’s heart constricted with panic upon realizing his intentions. Was Loretta right in her assumptions? Would he sleep with her now until she conceived his heir? Her face paled considerably, and she beat upon his back. “Put me down right away, Mr. Cromwell. This wasn’t what I had agreed to.”He marched into the elevator, paying no heed to her protests. Thankfully, there wasn’t anyone around to witness the melodrama. “Mr. Cromwell, you’re taking advantage of your power.” Her thrashing didn’t have any effect on him.“I will do as I please. Don’t forget you’ve signed a contract with me.” He strode out of the elevator with her on his shoulder, straight to his car parked at the side.“You forced me to sign it.” “I gave you time to read it.” Danielle glared at the arrogant man’s hot ass, wondering what she saw in him exactly. He was the most dominating creature alive! “Yes, only five minutes to read a ten-page legal scroll that contained only one point repeatedly. I shouldn’t have
The scene in front of Danielle shocked her more than Knox Cromwell’s words did. How could Loretta backstab her when she clearly instructed her to back off? As partner at Happy Matchmakers, she couldn’t take such rash decisions on her own without consulting her! It would affect the goodwill of their company. Didn’t she know that? There was a pin-dropped silence the moment Knox Cromwell entered the place. His grandfather, however, didn’t at all look inconvenienced by his sudden arrival. There was a challenging sparkle in his eyes as he glanced at his grandson and Danielle. What was going on? “Well! Well! What a pleasant surprise seeing you here, my grandson! I want you to meet my date, Catherine Shelby. She is special,” said his grandfather. His eyes twinkled as he looked at the woman he chose for himself. “You’re coming home with me, grandpa. I have something important to discuss with you.” Danielle noticed how Knox clenched his teeth without acknowledging Catherine Shelby’s presenc
After thirty minutes, when Danielle emerged from the en-suite, Knox had left the room. She had purposely taken her time to avoid another confrontation with him. What was the use? He wouldn’t ever change his opinion of her. She rushed to lock the door and leaned against it with relief. Would he leave her at peace tonight? Or would he want to get the deed done to throw her out as soon as possible? A tremor went down her spine as she took out her clothes. She wasn’t ready for anything tonight. All she wanted to do was sleep, but her stomach grumbled for food, and she glanced at the door helplessly. If only she had grabbed something before leaving home! What was the use of thinking about it now? It didn’t look like she would get any dinner here. Putting on a pair of sweatpants and a pale pink top, she tied her hair up in a bun. It would be impossible to sleep on an empty stomach, but she had no other option tonight. Just as she lay down on the bed, a knock on the door alerted her. Who
The next morning Danielle arrived at her office to find Loretta sitting at her desk, looking pale and quiet, with dark circles under her eyes. It immediately alerted her, since it was a rare feat indeed. “Hey, girl! What’s up? What’s got you so worked up?” She sat down at her desk to gear up for the day. Despite their efforts, they still couldn’t fix a woman for their client, Dominic Huxley! With only a day to go, they were in a fix. Was that the reason Loretta looked so distressed? “Huxley wants me to warm his bed since we can’t produce a woman for him!” Danielle’s jaws dropped to the floor, and she gave her friend an agitated look. “What? Is he out of his mind?” “I just walked out on him, Dani!” She covered her face with her hands, totally disturbed by the sudden change of events. “You did the right thing. We’re not here to sell our bodies! We have given him ten options to choose from. Is it our fault if he has dismissed them all?” Loretta’s hands dropped in defeat by her side
“Mind your fucking business, Cromwell!” gritted out Mr. Huxley, his attention now focused on Knox. Seeing her opportunity, Danielle snatched her hand out of his hold. Did these two know one another? Of course! Both were arrogant jerks! They deserved each other’s company. “This is my business. Danielle belongs to me. Ask her if you’re in doubt!” Mr. Huxley turned to glare at her. “I don’t fucking care! You should learn to keep your commitments. I’ll finish your little business, Ms. Hartford!” Before she could think of a fitting reply, Knox Cromwell grabbed her wrist and pulled her away with him. “See you in court, Huxley!” Danielle’s eyes widened at the implication. Was he challenging the Trillionaire to sue Happy Matchmakers? This was getting way out of her hand and it was all because of Loretta! Why did she have to disappear, leaving her to face the music? Dominic Huxley muttered curses at him, but Knox didn’t seem to care. Once they were out of sight, Danielle struggled to free
Knox came out of his daze and gazed at her glistening, wet, and juicy folds with longing. He wanted to please her before pumping into her. Maybe that would excite her more. He wanted her to shed all her inhibitions and enjoy the moment. He parted her legs further and embedded his face into her feminine folds, making her gasp with pleasure. She was so fresh, innocent, and inexperienced. He loved the feeling of being the first man to touch her. She deserved so much better for saving herself for him, although he had been a jerk to her. “Oh! Oh!” She was breathing heavily as Knox plundered her sweet nectar, using his tongue to devour and suck her clean. “Like it?” He looked up to gaze at the sheer pleasure on her face. It was clear she was enjoying it. “Mm, don’t stop.” It was enough encouragement for him to continue, and he did so with a satisfied smile on his face. She moaned, tugging at his hair when his tongue hit the most sensitive spot. It felt heavenly! He used his tongue in lo
Danielle’s heart filled up with happiness while her throat choked with emotions. She hadn’t expected him to love her back after so many years, but he did. “You love me?” she whispered breathlessly, cupping his cheeks with both hands. Her eyes shimmered with tears and they spilled over! She just couldn’t believe her ears. She had accepted her unrequited love for so long; it had become a part and parcel of her life. How did this miracle happen? “Yes, Ellie! I love you more than you can think of. So much that it had become an obsession with me. I couldn’t see you with another man. It forced me to commit many blunders.” “It’s the same with me. I couldn’t see you with Kendall.”“I never kissed or spent time with her. I sort of ignored her all my life except for the few months when we were in a relationship during my college days! So you had nothing to worry about.” Danielle smiled and released his cheeks. “Neither have I kissed or done anything with any of the clients of Happy Matchma
Danielle’s heart melted at the effort the twins made for them. She hugged them close and Knox looked relieved. He had been expecting her to back out any minute. Instead, she thanked his family, Kathy, and the twins. “Why don’t you check if you need something more?” suggested Cathy. “For how many days are we staying there?”“A week!” chorused the twins, making her eyes go wide. “Oh, that’s too long. What about the office? How about the twins?” She gave Knox a helpless look, but he looked relaxed instead of getting worked up. How was he so relaxed? “Richardson will take care of your office.” “We’ll be fine, mom. We’ve grown up. Don’t worry about us,” said Zane with an eye roll. Yet Danielle worried almost all evening until bedtime. It was a mother’s nature to worry, and they left her alone. Although Knox wanted her to move into his room, he thought of waiting until the next day. Maybe he should take it slow as she had requested. It was the most arduous task, and he had to take a co
Knox’s eyes filled up with tears, yet he couldn’t say a single word to her. His heart felt lighter, as if a tremendous burden had been lifted! After so many years, for the first time, he felt guilt-free and relieved. Danielle closed the distance between them and snaked her arms around his neck. A staggering sigh escaped from his throat and he buried his face into her hair like before. “Thank you, Ellie! I was dying to hear that!” He sniffed, choking the tears away. “I’m sorry for hurting you, for pushing you away, for destroying you.” She raised his head, forcing him to look at her. “Shh, Knox! Don’t apologize ever again. I know you had your trust issues, yet you’ve changed yourself for me. You’ve given me more than you’ve taken from me. I’ve forgiven you with all my heart. Let’s move on now and see where our feelings lead us to, but I have one request for you.” His eyes sparkled with hope and something else. Danielle was too scared to believe in the love reflected in his eyes. Di
Danielle stared at the beautiful platinum bracelet she had bought for Knox on his birthday. It had the letters D loves K with a pierced heart symbol in place of the word loves. She had it personalized for him and the result was quite satisfying. Although expensive, she didn’t wish to settle for anything else, using some of her savings to buy it for the man she loved. For the last few weeks, she had been dying to confess her feelings for him, but at the last minute, she developed cold feet. Therefore, this would be a perfect way to express her feelings for him. The door opened, and she quickly slipped the gift into her handbag. She looked up to see Knox entering the office. “What were you doing?” Danielle looked ill at ease. Did he see the gift? “Nothing much. I just wrapped up the work for the day. So, what do you want to do tomorrow?” She wanted to plan something for him on his special day, but no one at home cooperated with her idea of a dinner party. They only harped on one th
Knox closed his eyes, feeling her soft body molded against him. It healed the ache in his heart a little. He couldn’t stay away anymore. He hadn’t promised to not touch her if she did. Wrapping his arms around her, he embedded his face in her hair. “I missed you so much!” she whispered, causing his heart to skip a beat. “So have I, Ellie. You have no idea how much!” Danielle clung to him, unable to let go. This was what she had been longing to do for years. A throat cleared at the door, and Knox released her reluctantly. He glared at an uncomfortable Richardson, who wanted to vanish upon realizing what he interrupted. “Umm, sorry, sir. I have seen nothing! I’ll come back later.” Knox rolled his eyes while Danielle wanted to hide somewhere in embarrassment. “No need. Have the employees of Happy Matchmakers joined today?” Danielle gaped at him for a split second. Had he appointed employees too? “Yes sir. They’ve started working as well. The response is tremendous. We’ve got innum
The week flew by, settling Angel in her new school and helping her cope with the pending work. Thankfully, she was in the same section as Zane! It helped immensely.Knox had to leave for New York on a work trip and strangely Danielle too missed him, along with the kids. After the outing they went to last, Danielle had expected Knox to propose to her, yet he didn’t. In the evening, he left instead for an unknown period. She waited for him every day, but he didn’t call her or return home.“Yay, Dad’s coming home tomorrow!” announced Zane, making her heart skip a beat. She couldn’t wait until tomorrow. Yet she didn’t show her state. She was upset with him. Why couldn’t he call her once when he could call the twins and grandpa every day? “Yes. I had a word with him an hour ago. He’ll arrive home late in the night.” Danielle sighed and walked away to the kitchen. “Please, can I stay awake, G-Pa?” asked Angel. “Let’s see when he returns. You can stay awake until 11.” The next night they
Danielle didn’t get to savor another of Knox’s meals. The twins were getting impatient to see her, and she loaded everything into Knox’s car to go to Cromwell Mansion forever. She hadn’t considered it as forever. It was Knox who insisted he would keep her there with him forever! “Oh, I promised Angel a stuffed panda. Can we get it on the way?” “I promised them toys if they let me get you. So I guess we ought to buy those first to get an entry into the house.” They chuckled and Knox steered the car towards a shopping mall. It was the first time she went shopping with Knox and she had to agree it was a novel experience for her. Knox not only bought toys for the twins, he splurged on her as well, buying everything he fancied. Danielle gave up protesting when he turned a deaf ear to her rantings. “Gosh! It seems we’ve robbed a supermarket!” After the way he kept his promise and didn’t make a move towards her, Danielle relaxed a lot around him. The moment they entered the house, the t
Danielle’s heart skipped a beat at his explanation. All she could think was Knox was free. He wasn’t married as she had thought. So could she hope? “Oh! Why didn’t you tell me before?” Her cheeks flushed with color and she got up to clear the table. Her reaction bowled Knox over. “You didn’t ask me directly. Now you know I’m crazy about you, always was, and always will be! So, what have you thought about going home with me?” She nodded and went to the kitchen with her heart thumping wildly in her chest. She had never expected Knox to like her back! If he was so crazy about her, why did he hurt her? This was a question only Knox could answer. She couldn’t ask him now and disrupt the cordial relationship between them. She was tired of fighting with him. He followed her into the kitchen to help her. “So, is it a yes or no? Will you come home with me?” He hovered around her, staring at her with hooded eyes. She was acutely aware of his gaze wandering all over her. “Yes.” Knox couldn’t