Freda Lewis has spent her life fighting against the odds, scraping her way through college with nothing but grit and determination. But when the world outside proves just as unforgiving, a desperate leap of faith lands her in an unexpected arrangement—a five-year contract marriage to the enigmatic billionaire, Williams Franklin. Williams needs a wife to secure his position as the rightful heir to the Franklin family empire. Freda needs an escape from her toxic past. It seems like the perfect deal: no strings, no emotions, and a generous payout. But the deeper Freda steps into Williams’ gilded world, the more she uncovers the cracks in his armor—and the secrets that threaten to tear them both apart. When a shocking revelation exposes Freda’s true identity as the long-lost heir of the powerful Harrington dynasty, she finds herself at the center of a dangerous game of power and betrayal. Torn between her growing feelings for Williams and the family that abandoned her, Freda must decide where her loyalty lies. But just as Freda begins to carve out her place in this treacherous new world, an unexpected betrayal leaves her questioning everything—and everyone. Who can Freda trust when her life has been planned from the start? And as the lines between love and duty blur, will she fight for her heart or risk losing everything? *The truth about Freda’s past is about to change everything… and Williams might not survive the fallout.*
View More"Freda." I was startled out of my reverie by Williams's voice. His eyes met mine, and his voice became more urgent. "You are no longer the only focus of this. This is about the business and the legacy of my family. Additionally, your family is currently under attack. Since trust is currently a luxury we cannot afford, we must know who we can trust.With a dry throat, I nodded. Every inch of my skin felt as though it were being studied, every thought I had clouded with mistrust. This was not merely a warning message. It was a proclamation. Too much was known by someone. My past was known to someone. And that changed everything, as Williams had stated.I had anticipated issues from my relationship with the Harringtons. However, this was something for which I was unprepared. There had always been layers of mystery around my birth family, keeping the truth hidden. My adopted parents, the family that had forster me, and the individuals I had believed I could trust were now at the centre of
Williams and I were in a suffocating quiet. There was a strange, uneasy silence that crept into our common area like an intruder. The man I'd been living with for months was a ruthless, cunning businessman with a polished façade and a dominating presence, and I'd thought I knew him. But until tonight, I had never seen him like this. Not after what he found out about me.Williams was someone I had grown to know as being extremely protective of his feelings, as though they were money he couldn't afford to waste. However, he had changed into a man I couldn't read in the silent years following the discovery of my true identity. His jaw was so tense that I feared it could crack, his eyes had darkened, and everything he did seemed to be planned out with icy accuracy. Even though it was brittle, the trust we had developed over the previous few months now rested on the thinnest of threads."How could you not tell me?" At last, in a low voice tinged with something I couldn't quite identify—bet
The gloom was oppressive. I was having trouble breathing. There was a strong, metallic smell in the air that I couldn't quite identify. I stood motionless as my chest constricted and my heart roared in my ears. I didn't know what was going on or where I was. I felt as though the world was spinning around me, confused and disoriented.I felt my fingers on the moist, chilly surface of what I knew to be a concrete wall. As I extended my hand further, searching for a window or door—anything that might provide me with a hint as to my location—a shiver went down my spine.I compelled myself to relax. No, I was unable to panic. Not right now. I needed to understand what was happening and what Williams was attempting to shield me from.Then I recalled—the black-clad man. The man with the mask who had suddenly materialised and left me unconscious. He had come for me, but why? What was going on? I wasn't sure if I was prepared for the answers to all of my enquiries.Long shadows extended across
After Marcel's appearance at the press conference, the days that followed were a haze of whirling media, constant interrogation, and increasing pressure from all sides. The Harrington name weighed heavily on me in a way I never would have thought possible. The stakes were much higher than I had imagined, and what had begun as an apparently simple contract marriage had quickly turned into a full-scale conflict.Although his tactics were frequently a convoluted combination of well-considered choices and covert intentions, Williams appeared committed to protecting me despite his icy and aloof manner. But despite his constant assurances, I couldn't shake the sensation that I was being drawn more into the vicious web of the Harrington family and that they were playing a game I didn't comprehend.I received another summons to the estate that morning. By this point, the scene was recognisable: a car waiting outside, the driver dutifully obeying commands without ever questioning them. My thou
I never thought I would be in the spotlight myself. In this setting, privacy became a luxury, and I no longer possessed it, despite my constant preference for the silence, distant from the limelight. The reporters were persistent, their cameras snapping as they pressed me with inquiries I wasn't prepared to answer. It began rather casually. A headline here, a picture there. They had first only been interested in my abrupt arrival at Williams' side and had questioned the terms of our "contract" marriage. But the rumours became stronger as the days passed. The journalists sucked up every tidbit of rumours they could find. That morning, as I sat at the library trying to piece together the missing pieces of my life, I heard my phone ring. I knew the area code—it was the press office—but the number was unknown. I sighed and swiped the screen to respond."Freda, we have a small issue," the voice was saying. "What issue?" Trying to speak in a neutral tone, I asked.The voice went on, "A t
The magnificent Harrington estate was a flurry of activity, a never-ending procession of wealth, influence, and power. Every look felt like a chess play in a game I was only starting to grasp, and every area appeared to hold mysteries. That morning, as I came down the grand staircase, Marcel and Sophia were already sitting in the bright parlour, speaking softly but firmly. As soon as I walked in, their laughter stopped and was replaced by rehearsed smiles that stopped short of their eyes. "Freda," Sophia remarked with ease, pointing to a vacant chair. Come along with us. I was just talking to Marcel about the charity gala that is coming up. I paused, my gut telling me that this was a test, not an invitation. I sat down, maintaining a neutral expression while forcing a courteous grin. "Good morning. How about the gala?” Marcel reclined on his seat, evaluating me with his keen eyes. “It's among the year's most significant occasions. As Williams' spouse, you must be... ready. You
The Harrington Estate Library was an architectural masterpiece, featuring towering shelves that appeared to stretch infinitely upward, filled with books so ancient they seemed poised to crumble into dust. A solitary, flickering light on the large wooden desk at the center of the room provided the sole source of light. I glanced at my watch. 11:58 PM The enigmatic message of the note echoed in my mind constantly, burning in my pocket. *The truth will set you free.* Whose truth, though? Why now, too? I encircled myself with my arms in an attempt to stay warm as the room's coldness crept into my body. At the exact moment of midnight, a shadow appeared in the doorway. "Who is there?" My voice was sharper than I meant when I cried out. A wiry man in his sixties with a severely creased face and grey hair slicked back emerged as the person moved into the light. He exuded a sense of authority that seemed strangely familiar. "Ms. Freda," he uttered softly. "I've known about you for a
The tension in the air was oppressive, but the Harrington mansion was surprisingly silent. I sensed it as soon as we entered the expansive foyer, with Williams taking deliberate steps in front of me. I had learnt to identify the harsh glint in his eyes and his set jaw as the quiet before the storm. "Remain here," he remarked in a hurried tone. "Why? What is happening?” He answered, "It's family business," but his refusal to let me alone was evident from the way his fingers lingered on my arm. I started to protest, but he had already left, vanishing into the opulent study at the end of the hallway. Behind him, the big oak doors slammed, and soon after, the muffled sound of heated voices came. After a brief moment of hesitation, I walked down the hall and pressed my ear to the door. "You're allowing her to sabotage everything!" Anger was evident in Marcel's piercing voice. With a dangerously low tone, Williams retorted, "Freda has nothing to do with this." "Marcel, this is
The Harrington Estate was a gilded maze with expansive marble floors, glistening chandeliers, and an air of riches that seemed to emanate from every nook and cranny. I felt like an imposter wearing someone else's flesh as I stood at the base of the grand staircase and looked up at the hundreds of faces that had arrived for tonight's soirée. Williams said next to me, his hand grazing mine, "Just breathe." Despite his apparent comforting presence, the issue just became more pressing. I muttered, "I don't belong here," as I adjusted the diamond bracelet that was a tad too dazzling on my wrist. He reminded me, "You're Mrs. Williams Harrington now." "You do, then." However, his statements seemed vacuous. As we walked into the room, I could feel the looks and the murmurs that followed. I was a stranger who had suddenly become the centre of attention in their elite world, and to them, I was nothing. A flurry of small conversation and introductions characterised the evening. William
The rain that drenched the evening turned everything into a swirl of city shadows and headlights. I gripped the shabby strap of my purse tighter as my heels clicked on the damp sidewalk. The cold was biting, but I felt trapped for more reasons than the weather. Tonight served as yet another reminder that life has a humorous way of leading you into traps. "Hey, take a look!" As I staggered back, the man's voice was piercing, a howl of frustration. He had bumped into my shoulder as I ran to stay out of a puddle. As I struggled with the strap that had fallen off my shoulder, I murmured, "Sorry," without raising my eyes. "And you have a great ability to ignore your surroundings." Irritation surfaced as my head surged upward. I anticipated a conceited urbanite who believed that their exquisitely fitted coat was the centre of the universe. What I saw was worse: a man with a jawline carved from arrogance, dressed too sharply for his own good. He didn't appear to mind that his umbre...
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