Claire thought her life couldn’t get any worse when her boyfriend broke her heart, but a night out with her best friends turned her world upside down. A spiked drink, an unforgettable one-night stand, and an awkward morning-after encounter lead her straight into the arms of Mackenzie Allister—a powerful CEO and the man who now claims she’s destined to be his wife. Mack’s offer seems absurd, but his charm, persistence, and a shocking family rivalry involving her ex-boyfriend, Liam, pull Claire into a whirlwind of passion, deceit, and schemes. Forced into a marriage of convenience, Claire navigates the complications of corporate power plays, bitter betrayals from her closest friends, and a family determined to tear her apart from Mack. As enemies close in, Claire must decide who she can trust and whether she’s willing to risk her heart for a man whose motives may not be entirely pure. Will she succumb to the chaos of revenge and ambition, or can love and loyalty triumph against all odds?
ดูเพิ่มเติม***********************Claire's POV********************** Liam's gaze met mine, as we came face to face. There was a flicker of surprise in his voice masked by cold calculation. Sadie stood beside him, her smile tight, there was a coldness in her in her gaze as well. Liam and I seemed to exude the tension from the years gone by_ years we had spent together. The years I had spent with him only to be discarded like a broken toy. But that was the past, tonight was about something else. "So the rumours were true then; I didn't think you would move on so quick,", Liam said as his lips curled in a tight smile. "I'd never thought you would be the one to settle for second best _ Claire." His voice was ice-crime as he turned to Mack. "Second best?" I asked as I glanced at him. "I think you're mistaken, Liam; I've always been more than enough. You're the one who settled for her." My voice was steady as I pointed at Sadie. My eyes flickered to Sadie, who gave a tight polite smile, b
***********************Claire's POV*************************"Mack," I whispered with tension in my voice."I didn't expect it to feel this way....like we're pretending to be something we're not.""It's all part of the plan, Claire. Focus," Mack said, his lips twitching to a smile that didn't reach his eyes.I nodded as I got an eyeful of the grandeur of the Decoration_the grand ballroom glittered golden chandelier that reflected off the marble floor. The air was filled with laughter and light conversation from the guests. The elegant atmosphere, with its soft lighting and polished de, cor should have made this a celebration, but for me, it felt like an act.I glanced at Mack_ who stood beside me, the man that made me realise how a goody bag I was, and how to love myself, I couldn't help but find myself falling for him. But then, I had agreed to marry him to get my revenge on his brother under a contract marriage. To anyone else, we were simply the glamorous couple celebrating a lavis
********************Claire's POV*************************"I didn't expect to see you so soon," Mack said as he glanced up from his desk. "Thought you'd be stuck in the hotel for hours."I was, but I couldn't stand not seeing you," I said teasingly.I smiled as I entered the office, the scent of his perfume filling the space." Plus, I ran into Liz," I said as my gaze met his."You did?" He asked concerned."Yes, I did," I replied."So what's she doing in New York?" He asked "They want to relocate here", I replied."They?" He asked curious "Liz and Aliana," I said. Trying to conceal the pain I felt when I mentioned that name."Mmmm, Aliana.....""Her proximity is all I need to execute my revenge, she has no idea what awaits her here," I said. My resolve strengthened."But more than that, I think you missed me." He said with a teasing smile on his lips, but his sincerity was obvious."I did miss you," I said as I walked towards his desk.My hands brushed his but he held onto my hand
*****************************Claire's POV****************** The heavy door to my hotel room swung open with a small creak; I stepped inside, and the air smelled of the familiar scent of wood polish and fine linen. My heart beat in rhythm with my footsteps as I walked toward the bedside where I left my pendant _my father's pendant. It has been years since my father left, and the anger I felt towards him kept growing as the years passed, but here I was, retrieving a piece of him that felt like the last remaining thread connecting me to a time before I was swallowed by a storm of emotions. The pendant was small, emerald, shaped like a vine wrapping around a gemstone, glinting softly in the muted light. I couldn't help but feel a pang of loss as my fingers brushed over it. My father's face, his laugh and the scent of his aftershave _all felt like a dream. I held the pendant for a while closing my eyes for a moment to steady myself. Then, I heard voices outside the hotel room; it did
******************Claire's POV ******************************"Good day, Ma'am, kindly follow me" she smiled, her dentition perfect and linearly arranged.I glanced at Mack, confused; he nodded in agreement."I will be with you shortly." He whispered as he continued the meeting with another set of investors.I followed the lady; she was in her late twenties if I bit wrong, her blouse perfectly ironed, clung to her body like it was made just for her. Her skirt swirled with her steps as she led to through Mack's office. The office was a palatial retreat, the interior design sleek and sophisticated, featuring rich wood tones, luxurious fabrics and modern artwork. The office was roomy, with plenty of natural light and a stunning city view from the floor-to-ceiling window. The air was thick with the scent of leather and freshly brewed coffee, and the soft hum of the Expresso machine provided soothing background noise. A rare collection of books lined on one side of the wall, revealing Mac
************************Mack's POV ************************As she made her way towards me across the parking lot, each step appeared purposeful yet effortlessly graceful like a dancer gliding across a stage.Her heels clicked softly on the pavement, her footsteps in sync with the beat of my heart. She was dressed with quite an elegance, her tailored dress highlighting the delicate curves of her dress. The soft fabric fluttered in the breeze a gentle stride in contrast to her confidence.Her brown hair was neatly pinned at the base of her neck, caught the light, framing her face with a warmth that mirrored the glow in her blue eyes. It was her first day as a worker in my company; there was something about the way she carried herself: a mixture of fear, excitement and purpose. That made everything new.As she drew closer, her smile blossomed, bright enough to cut through the morning sun, and in that moment I couldn't help but feel the gravity of how everything was about to change, inc
*********************Mack's POV ***************************"What about the company?" My Expression was dark with anger and fury.Kelvin hesitated for a moment, clearly struggling with the weight of what he was about to say."It's about the investors sir. They've pulled out, half of them have already pulled their shares, and the other half are threatening to do so, it's a complete disaster.""What the hell do you mean? Why would they pull out now?" My expression already darkened.Kelvin shook his head, gazing down at the floor, as if unwilling to meet my gaze." It's Liam sir.... he's been sabotaging the company behind your back."The words hit me like a punch to my gut. I quickly stood up which made my chair tip over. I couldn't care less about the chair."What?" I spat. My voice was low and menacing."Yes," Kelvin confirmed."He's been giving out inside information to our competitors. He's been undermining the business for months now, and it's starting to unravel. The investors foun
********************Claire's POV****************************My stomach gave out a loud growl, betraying the hunger I'd been trying to ignore all day.The air smelled faintly of rich herbs and something I hadn't tasted before. Amelia's food.This was the first time I'd be trying her cooking, and the anticipation was almost unbearable.My eyes darted towards the dish in front. In front of me_roasted chicken, golden and tender, the scent so inviting it almost felt like a tease.Mack looked up from his plate, his eyes flickering over me, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips."I know you're famished, you should dig in"My hands trembled slightly as I reached for the fork."I hope it's worth your hype""Worth more than the hype, darling", he said, his voice smooth, almost teasing."She's got a knack for turning a simple meal into something unforgettable" He speared a piece of chicken with practised ease, taking his time.I glanced down at the plate again. The fragrance of rosem
**************************Claire's POV**********************"You owe me one" I tossed my heels by the side, they've accomplished their mission for the day." Huh?" Confusion was written all over his face." I just did what you couldn't do" I gestured to the door then back at him." Sadie?" "Yes, silly" I exhaled heavily." You know I would've still done it without your help." He said bluntly." Mmmm," I shook my head in disagreement." You wouldn't have" I refused to agree with him."I was just trying not to get on my mother's bad side; it won't be a good start for you", his voice smooth as silk." Oh really?""Yes, really", he responded"But, you still owe me," I said"I've never met someone whose presence has so much effect on a room," he smiled genuinely, gesturing to the door."You made her leave," he said proudly."Well, I've got the skill you know " I chuckled trying to hide the blush on my cheeks.He threw his head in the air as he laughed, holding his stomach." Now, what's
CLAIRE’S POV“C’mon Claire, don’t be like this,” Aliana whined for the hundredth time that night. She was trying to get me out of my comfort zone and make me drunk as shit, but I didn’t want that. I wanted to feel every ache my broken heart had to offer me and I wanted to be depressed as far as depression went.“If you’re going to keep sulking like a little bitch, we’re going to…” Aliana quickly covered Liz’s mouth, stopping her from exposing whatever sick plans they had for me tonight. Liz’s eyes widened in surprise but she quickly recovered and smacked Aliana’s hand away.“Okay, I get it. Don’t smudge my lipstick.”The sound of loud music emanating from the speakers of the club succeeded in making me almost hearing impaired, and the stench of alcohol and sweat got me reeling with nausea. I didn’t want to come out today. In all honesty, I would have very much liked to continue to wallow in self-pity back in my hotel room. But my friends had traveled all the way here to be with me dur...
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