53 Steps Laurence

There’s a thin line between desperation and destiny ****** Sophia Jenkins has lived her life in the shadows of hardship. At 23, she juggles multiple jobs, trying to lift her family out of debt while caring for her terminally ill mother. Her only dream is to escape the weight of her broken home and rewrite her family’s fate. But fate had other plans. On her birthday, when relentless debt collectors humiliate her and her father, Sophia’s world shatters—until a mysterious man steps out of a sleek black car, commanding the chaos with nothing but his presence. Leonard Morano. At 40, Leonard is the ruthless head of the Morano mafia empire, a billionaire controlling over a hundred businesses and underground casinos. What no one knows is that he was once Martin Jenkins’ best friend—and the man who silently watched Sophia grow from afar before vanishing when she was fifteen. Now, he’s back. And he’s not offering help. He’s demanding marriage. With the chilling words, “Marry me, and I will smash every obstacle in your way,” Leo pulls her into a world of luxury, power, and deadly secrets. But can Sophia survive the dark underworld Leo rules? Can love truly bloom in the cracks of fear, obligation, and a past that refuses to stay buried?

"I am your master, I own you. Until your father is able to pay me what he owes, you are just a body for me to fuck and dispose of as soon as you give me an heir" His grip on my chin grew more hurtful as he said those words to me. His menacing scowl made him look like he would want want nothing more than to kill me on the spot. "I am going to pay you back, Tell me how much he owes you right now and I'm going to pay everything back, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" I scream as hard as I can into his face. My hand balling into a fist. His head snapped back as he erupted into a wicked laughter, you think you can pay me what your father owes me?" He released my chin then moved to steps backward. His voice dropped to a whisper, vibrating with restrained anger as he continue to speak, "I dare you to try. Your father owes me half a million dollars, but since you have decided to take on this debt, I give you a month." Rue; Freedom was everything I have ever yearned for, a time when I can finally breathe a breath of relief, a time when I can finally be relieved of the burden of my alcoholic, selfish and gambling addicted father. Until my father sold me to the ruthless mafia Don, Alessandro Vanillin as a payment of five hundred thousand dollars. It was stupid of me to think I was better away from my father.

BLURB  A sister who vanishes.   A wedding built on lies.   And a bride who never planned to fall in love. When Charlotte’s twin sister, Scarlett, disappears days before her high-profile wedding to billionaire Stefan Reimann, she leaves behind two things: letters and proof her pregnancy was fake.  Bound by blood and sacrifice, Charlotte steps into Scarlett’s shoes, sealing herself into a marriage contract and marrying the man they swore to destroy.  Stefan is haunted by the woman he lost and tormented by the one now living in his house.  But Charlotte is hiding more than a heart full of anger and vengeance, and can only fight attraction and desire for so long when she realizes Stefan isn't the villain she expected.  Torn between revenge and a love she never wanted, Charlotte must survive a world of betrayal, buried truths, and bonds meant to be broken. What was supposed to be a one-year contract spirals into something far more dangerous. In a world where vengeance wears a wedding ring, can love survive the truth?