Maximus Wallace, a billionaire at the age of thirty. He rose from being miserable to being the richest bachelor. At his age he thought where would he leave all his fortune. He's an orphan and he can't stay in a relationship because all the woman he dated was just after his money. So in order to prevent him from marrying a gold digger he just look for a surrogate who will carry his heir/heiress. He put out an advertisement and soon enough lots of women are flooding in front of Wallace Empire Corp. Winona Taylor, an average woman working two to three jobs to make ends meet happened to hear the advertisement of Maximus Wallace wanting a child. She suddenly look at the adorable tiny human that looks so much like him. Surrogate no more because she will bring him his heir.
Lihat lebih banyakNo one threw parties like Maximus Wallace. Not in Midtown section of Manhattan, not in the '80s, and certainly not in 1986—the year he decided to throw his most opulent bash yet: The Electric Ball.
His empire, a gleaming modernist fortress perched on the heart of New York, pulsed with color from the city lights. The entire Wallace mansion had been transformed into a time capsule—if the capsule were built from pure cocaine dreams and limitless cash. Spotlights cut through the night sky, casting beams across the manicured lawn where chrome panthers prowled, and a full-sized neon-lit replica of the Back to the Future DeLorean rotated slowly on a glass pedestal.
Limousines purred up the drive in a constant stream. Out stepped socialites, pop stars, Wall Street titans, and European royalty—each wrapped in satin, sequins, and smugness. Men in pastel Armani suits with pushed-up sleeves walked beside women whose shoulder pads looked like weapons. A few guests showed up as their favorite 80s icons—one hedge fund manager came dressed as Bowie in Labyrinth, complete with crystal ball.
Inside, Wallace had spared no expense. The ballroom was lit like a nightclub, but layered with old-world decadence: Baccarat chandeliers flickered in rhythm with pulsing synth bass, and walls of video monitors played a looping montage of MTV classics, Reagan speeches, and digital art that could cause seizures if you stared too long. A custom-built floor-to-ceiling disco ball reflected a thousand versions of every guest, each flash of light a different decade.
Maximus made his entrance around ten, descending a staircase like a crowned prince, clad in a white armani tuxedo. He didn’t speak. He just raised his champagne glass and grinned—he was already high on his own myth.
On the main dance floor, the crowd surged to the beat of a surprise set by Grace Jones, who emerged from a fog of dry ice riding a white stallion. Somewhere in the back lounges, models and moguls whispered lines of powdered ambition on mirrored tabletops. Someone lit a hundred-dollar bill just to light a cigar. There were rumors that Prince might perform later—Maximus had sent his private jet.
Maximus went to the stage and raised his hand holding the champagne—that’s when the music stops and all the people gathered in the middle to hear him talk.
“Good evening, everyone,” he paused and smiled. “I just want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for being here tonight. Your presence means more than you know—not just to me, but to the journey we’ve all taken together or in parallel.” He took a deep breath before continuing.
“This isn’t just a celebration of milestones or wealth—it’s a celebration of relationships, hard work and the people who believed when belief wasn’t easy. I’ve always said success is never a solo act. Behind every deal, every risk, every breakthrough—there are people. People who inspire, challenge, support, and sometimes even question us—and that’s how it goes. Cheers to lasting connections and continued partnerships. Thank you, and enjoy the rest of the evening.” He drank the wine straight and went down on the stage. People gave him a round of applause but he didn’t appreciate it because they are all a bunch of hypocrite predator.
Maximus went to his office to be alone. Being in a crowd gave him a headache. He poured bourbon in his glass and drink it straight when Brent Williams—his right hand came in. Brent is with him since day one. When he was struggling with his business and now that he’s a Billionaire.
“What?” he asked sternly.
“Nothing. I just want to check on you. Do you need anything?” he asked.
“Get someone here now. I want to be entertained while everyone was doing their shit,” he demanded. Brent nodded and left him.
After a few minutes someone knock in the glass door and a woman in red cocktail dress went inside. He can’t see her face because of the mask and the light was dim.
“How will you entertain me?” he asked while pouring liquor in his glass.
“I-I can dance…” she answered with a hint of innocence in her beautiful but nervous voice.
“You better be good because I’ll pay you a hefty amount,” he sat on the couch and stared at the stranger in front of him.
Maximus felt a surge of electricity when the woman started dancing. From how she moved her hips and her cleavage kept on moving closer to his face. He can’t help but to grab her and the next thing he knew he was kissing her. The woman tried to push him away but he’s strong and he likes that she’s resisting.
Maximus nibbled her ear while his hand was busy with one of her temples.
“P-please, stop, Mister Wallace,” she pleaded in her weak voice. But he didn’t listen to her. In his mind he will just pay her a large sum. He just needs to release the heat inside him.
Everything happened so fast and before Maximus can process everything—the woman stormed out of his office. She even forgot her pumps. He ran to chase her—half naked and he’s zipping his pants when he saw Brent.
“Where is the woman?” he asked panting.
Brent’s eyebrow creased in confusion. “What? Who? I came here to tell you that I can’t find anyone to entertain you,” he answered.
Now, he’s also confused. If Brent is not the one who sent her, then who? How did she end up in his office? He massaged his temple and turned his back to go back in his office.
“Did something happen, Maximus?” he asked.
“No. Nothing. Just go downstairs. Make sure the party is going on smoothly,” he answered.
By 3 a.m., people were dancing barefoot in the fountains. Helicopters hovered overhead, filming for posterity, or perhaps just for Maximus’ private archive. He liked to rewatch his own parties, like some people rewatch war documentaries.
No one knew how much the night cost—rumors ranged from three to eight million. But money wasn’t the point. Power was. Image was. And in that moment, bathed in neon and synth, Maximus Wallace was the wealthiest bachelor in New york that never cared how it ended, only how brightly it burned.
Winona’s POVA few hours later, Mason was finally transferred to a private room, and the doctor assured me he was out of danger. Only then did I breathe a sigh of relief. But even as I sat there, it wasn’t just his recovery weighing on my mind—it was the hospital bills. I didn’t have health insurance, and I hadn’t realized until too late that my son had been moved to such an expensive room, where every night cost a fortune.The doctor said we could go home the next morning. Maximus had already left for an urgent meeting, though he promised he’d be back. I exhaled deeply and gently brushed Mason’s hair as he slept.He was still on oxygen, but his breathing was steady, and he was resting peacefully.My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. When I turned, I saw an older woman in a maid’s uniform. My brows furrowed as I tried to place where I had seen her before.“Master Max sent me to help you take care of the child,” she said as she stepped into the room.I blinked, then nod
Winona’s POV.The moment I stepped inside the apartment, I was greeted by thick smoke. I immediately started coughing at the suffocating stench as I hurried into the living room.“Ma…!” I called out, but froze in shock at the sight before me. Mason was sitting on the floor watching TV, while Francisco lounged on the sofa, puffing on marijuana. My mother was leaning comfortably against his shoulder, scrolling on her phone.“For God’s sake, Ma! How can you let Mason inhale all this smoke?” I screamed hysterically as I scooped my son into my arms. In a fit of rage, I kicked the center table where Francisco’s beer and other things were scattered.They both jumped to their feet in surprise.“It’s not like your kid is the one smoking! What the hell are you yelling about?” my mother snapped back.Tears welled in my eyes, the pain and anger crashing down on me all at once.“And why are you home so early? Weren’t you supposed to be out until later?” she deflected as they scrambled to gather th
Winona’s POVEven now, I’m still trembling from the tension after what happened between me and Vivienne. I’m in the staff lounge, trying to calm myself down. Brent is still here, talking with my supervisor.My chest tightens with a mix of anger and betrayal. Why is it only now that I realize Maximus is behind all of this—the reason I have a stable job and a high salary?From the very beginning, he has been manipulating me. He’s taking control over my life.I suddenly stood up, drawing in deep breaths, my chest rising and falling with the weight of my fury. But I forced myself to keep it together.After that, I walked over to where Brent and my supervisor were talking. They both turned to me with puzzled expressions.“Sir, I’m resigning from my job effective immediately. I’m sorry,” I said quietly, lowering my head. Shame washed over me, and I knew it was all because of Maximus.“Wait, Taylor—you can’t just resign like this. We can still fix this,” my supervisor interjected. I could de
Winona’s POVDays had passed since my conversation with Maximus in his penthouse, yet his words lingered in my mind. I was still weighing the decisions I had to make.I was at the hotel now, on my break, walking toward the housekeeping department to meet Marti so we could have lunch together.As I walked, I noticed the stares of the other employees—curious, almost meaningful. They whispered among themselves, and I couldn’t tell if it was me they were talking about. Whenever I caught someone’s eye, they’d quickly look away or leave in a hurry.I tried to shrug it off, convincing myself I was just overthinking. They didn’t even know me, and I didn’t know them.When I arrived at the housekeeping department, Marti was just stepping out with her lunchbox. I smiled immediately when I saw her.“I’m starving. Good thing our breaks lined up,” I said, looping my arm through hers. But she didn’t smile back. Her face was serious, and she stayed quiet.“Is something wrong?” I asked as we headed to
Maximus’ POVWinona had long since left, yet I remained on the terrace, a glass of rum in hand. I kept replaying our conversation in my head—her accusations that I would use our son for my own gain, and the way she called her own mother an opportunist.I had lied to her about one thing: my real reason for introducing our son to the public. It wasn’t just to acknowledge him—it was also a diversion to steer the media away from the murder of one of my employees. But that could wait.Right now, I needed to earn her trust completely. And before that, I had to face her mother.My thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of my phone. A message from Vivienne lit up the screen. I opened it and read:“Didn’t know your standards dropped this low. You can still come back to me, and I’ll welcome you with open arms…” A kiss emoji followed. Even though the words were just text, I could almost hear her mocking tone in my head.I ignored it and was about to put my phone down when her name suddenly f
Winona’s POVAs the night deepened, the air on Maximus’s penthouse terrace grew colder. The chill seeped into my bones, and without realizing it, I wrapped my arms around myself. I wondered why I had even thought of wearing a backless, below-the-knee dress tonight.I flinched when something warm brushed my shoulders—a jacket. Looking up, I met Maximus’s serious face, his gaze steady and unwavering as it settled on me.We were already on dessert, yet neither of us had dared to start a conversation. My tongue felt tied, though before I came here, I had so many things I wanted to tell him.“T-Thank you,” I murmured softly.He didn’t respond. Instead, he returned to his chair and sipped from the glass of rum the server had just refilled. I had lost count of how many he’d had, but the flush on his face was undeniable—proof that the liquor was catching up to him.I kept my gelato untouched, more focused on the man across from me. I wanted to speak, to break the silence, but the words refuse
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