bare bones synonym

Valeria was just a wife on paper. Three years of a hellish marriage with the only man she had ever loved but it ended in divorce one rainy night. “Sign them. I can no longer stand to see your face or pretend like I don't want to strangle you with my bare hands everytime I lay eyes on you.” He barked coldly, throwing the papers on the table in front of her. She couldn't say it was unexpected. It had always been a matter of time. Once childhood friends, everything had gone to hell because of one woman, Isis Whittaker, Luka's late fianceé. An unfortunate accident. An incriminating message. Somehow, Luka came to believe Valeria was responsible for the death of the woman he loved and took it upon himself to punish her personally. Three years of torment and being labelled a murderer. She'd never thought the ending would be so…cathartic. Her hand lightly grazed her stomach as she signed the papers. Terrified of how she would explain she was pregnant from a night of passion he didn't even remember, she no longer needed to tell him. She would make sure he was never going to find out that she was carrying his son, the heir to the Thorne Empire. But then again, things never quite go as planned, she should have realized this by now…

“Sorry Evelyn, my love for you has died. I can't help. Since I began this affair with your sister, I've been feeling so rosy. It's been a month now, just that it's been a secret from you.” His cold face swelled into a faint smirk. Turning around, he walked away with Dorlin. She gave him a perk on the cheek, turning around to see if I was watching. I sank to my knees, crying my lungs out. I loved Frank with all of my heart and so far he's been supporting me. He happened to be my fated mate and it has been my greatest dream right from childhood to marry my fated mate. This broke through my bones and ended up with my wolf, she suddenly went blank like she died. If Frank had rejected me without cheating on me, it would have been different. Something was telling me from their attitudes that they were secretly fucking behind my back. With this heartbreak, I got drunk and ended up in a one-night stand with a stranger. My world crumbles when he turns out to be the new Alpha of the pack, the cold, ruthless and mysterious Alpha Caleb. Worst still, I'm pregnant and I'm required to marry him within 24 hours or turn a rogue.

After being forced to marry a man she didn’t know to save her father’s business, Cassandra thought her life would change. But it didn’t. The marriage was married on paper that meaning nothing. After she married, she was still allowed to continue living as she wished. A year after her marriage, Cassie applied for a job at a big company that brought many changes to her life. That was when she discovered that her boss was a cold-blooded mafia who killed with his bare hands—the worst man she had ever met. Their first encounter happened when she accidentally walked into her boss’s room and caught him having sex with a woman. And to her shock, her boss turned out to be her husband—the man who hadn’t shown up on their wedding day. *** “Cassandra Ainsley Floyd?” Chris repeated the name, then looked up to see the woman standing in front of his desk. “Yes, Sir." “Are you married?” The question slipped freely from his lips as he waited for an answer. “No, Sir. I’m not married.” Her answer broke the silence between them. “Alright, you’re hired, Miss Floyd. Starting tomorrow, you’ll work as my secretary. Come in tomorrow morning, and my personal assistant will show you what you need to do.” As soon as Cassandra walked out of his office, Chris called his trusted person impatiently. “Yes, Christ?” “Do you still have my wife’s information? I’ve forgotten her name, but as long I remember, her last name is Floyd, isn’t she? I think she just applied for a job at my company without knowing I’m her husband. Interestingly, it seems she has a special relationship with my cousin.”