Vice And Virtue

Closing the door shut, I exhaled lowly and turned around to make a dash into the room when my eyes met with a pair of raging fireballs glaring into my soul. How come he is here? I made sure to lock the door. “And you think that a wooden door is strong enough to prevent me from meeting my mate?” He answered my unsaid question, his tone strident and laced with pure rage making me cower back. But still, I mustered up courage and shot him a defiant look. “And I made it clear to you that I don’t accept you as my mate,” I spoke confidently while looking straight into his eyes. My breath hitched when I noticed his eyes darkening. He was clearly pissed by my protest but I stood my ground. Taking a deep breath I continued, “Listen, I can’t be with you nor with anyone. What happened that night was just a mistake and I never accepted you so stop harassing me and just leave-“ Before I could complete it, my neck was grabbed in a vice grip as I was pinned against the door. I quickly shielded my belly with my arms dreading he would hurt my children. But irrespective of my fear-stricken face, he leaned dangerously closer to my face and flashed me a diabolical smirk that dripped with menace. “I think I made it clear to you last night Ms. Evans. I had never asked for your consent in the first place so you… don't really have a choice. ‘Cause once you enter Xavier’s maze, there is no going back, Grace.”

"You let another man touch what belongs to me?" Lucian’s hand, a possessive vice, encircled her throat. "How dare you? You're mine. The next man who lays a finger on you will beg for death." Lyra’s bitter laugh filled the silence. "Since when do you care? Wasn't I your 'land whale'? Your 'disgusting she-hippopotamus'?" CRACK. His fist splintered the plaster beside her head. "I. FUCKING. CARED. You were always MINE." "I counted every breath you took in his arms," Lucian whispered, his lips grazing the scar he’d given her. "Now he'll count his as I carve them out." Lyra stood unyielding. "You discarded me like trash. He picked up the pieces." The mirror shattered as he hurled her against it. "I WAS SAVING YOU." From what? The forced marriage? The dehumanizing weight loss clinics? The night she miscarried, utterly alone? Lucian’s "care" came too late. Lyra never wanted this marriage—a gilded cage to a billionaire who systematically broke her. But with her mother’s life hanging by a thread, she sold herself to the monster who devoured her soul. Lucian crushed her, made her beg for scraps of dignity. Then, his best friend offered everything Lucian withheld—gentle hands, tender words, a love that didn't wound. Lucian returned. Now, he's a shadow, everywhere: watching her with hungry eyes, touching her with possessive hands, swearing this time will be different. He pleaded, on his knees, for her heart. But Lyra knows better. She’s uncovered three explosive truths: Lucian's first wife wasn't just gone; she was murdered. Her sister didn't disappeared. And the most dangerous lie of all? She's been sleeping with it. Game over? Or game just beginning? As Lucian's obsession escalates and the past claws its way back, Lyra will choose between revenge, accept or reject.

Introduction: Après mon obtention du diplôme de licence en traduction, j'étais à la recherche d'un emploi. J'avais entendu parler d'une opportunité de job dans l'entreprise White angel. C'est une entreprise spécialisée dans la réalisation des vêtements et la production des produits cosmétiques. Ils avaient besoin d'une secrétaire bilingue qui soit capable de traduire et interpréter de l'anglais vers le français et vice versa. C'était comme une coïncidence,j'avais le profile demandé. J'ai déposé ma candidature. Mais le jour de mon entretien avec le PDG de l'entreprise,ma vie change complètement. Apparemment, il venait de perdre son épouse. Il m' a embauché pour devenir la nourrice de sa fille et non sa secrétaire. Moi: Pourquoi moi? Pourquoi ne cherchez vous pas une autre personne pour ce job? Lui: Ma fille se sent à l'aise avec vous Mlle Catherine Bintcha. Vous êtes là seule personne qui sait la consoler quand t'elle pleure. Moi: Mais j'ai été embauché comme secrétaire déjà. Je ne pourrai remplir deux tâches à la fois! Lui: Ma fille a plus besoin de vous que moi. Je m' en passerai de vos services de secrétariat. Moi.... Lui: Combien d'argent devrai-je vous payez pour le poste de secrétaire? Je promets de quadrupler cette somme si vous acceptez de travail pour ma fille. Moi: Euh...Je dois réfléchir. Lui: Je prends cette réponse pour un oui. Revenez demain matin à la première heure et je vous ferai signer la première partie de votre chèque. .....

“Is trusting you a sin?” Hannah asked. “It wouldn't have been a sin if you were nothing but sand under my feet. You’ve always had it all—the grades, the charm, the spotlight. Teachers adored you. Boys wanted you. Even James, the only one I ever looked at like that, fell for you despite your boring look.” Her best friend’s laugh was dry. Cruel. Hannah’s heart squeezed, her breath catching in her throat. “You think you’ve won?” she said, voice shaking. “Because you slept with my husband and fed him lies?” “I don’t think, Hannah. I won.” “You didn’t win. You settled. You crawled into my leftovers and tried to wear my skin like it would turn you into something better—but it didn’t.” --- On her first wedding anniversary, Hannah Reyes was drugged—by her husband and her best friend. The betrayal shattered her world, and cost her the one thing she was holding onto: her unborn child. The next day, still lying in a hospital bed, her husband handed her divorce papers... then ordered her thrown out. Lost, bleeding, and alone, she was hit by a car. But fate wasn’t done with her yet. The driver? Matthew DeLacruz—her husband’s former friend, now bitter enemy, and a man he once scammed. And Matthew made her an offer she couldn’t ignore: "Be my vice president, and I’ll help you destroy him." What began as revenge turned into something else, something thrilling, empowering, and dangerously beautiful. And just when she thought she had nothing left to lose, Matthew made her a different offer: Marriage. Now Hannah must ask herself: Can she truly trust again? Or will this new beginning become just another ending?