“Help me, please,” Bella pleaded, grasping his hands. His dark eyes, devoid of warmth, pierced through hers with an unsettling coldness. "Why should I mess with those goons to help you?" he asked callously. “I’ll do anything you say,” she said without thinking, desperate. “Just save me from them.” He demanded something that Bella had never anticipated even in her dreams. A contract marriage! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bella Dawn was already in distress to pay her step father’s debts. To add her misery, her mother was diagnosed with liver disease and needed immediate transplant. Where would she get that much money? Then, like a cruel twist of fate, she accidentally encountered a handsome man, Theodore Reid, the enigmatic CEO of Ace Group. Rumors said that he was a ruthless businessman with a heart as cold as ice. Yet, to Bella, he was kind, rescuing her from the clutches of those who sought to exploit her. She was grateful to him until he demanded something weird, shattering her pervious assumptions. He wanted to marry her. No He wanted a contract marriage. In exchange, he would take care of her mother's treatment and compensate her generously at the end of their arrangement. For Theodore, it was a solution born out of necessity, a means to appease his grandfather's demands for an heir while he searched for the one who had once saved him, his angel. Bella’s appearance reminded him of his savior. So, he offered her a contract marriage. It was a temporary solution to his grandfather’s demand to get an heir until he found his angel. With no other options left, Bella reluctantly agreed to the terms of the contract. But little did she know it would test her resolve and resilience like never before. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Remember one thing, never fall in love with me,” he said, cold and dangerous. Bella gulped, nervous. “What if I do?” A sliver of defiance, a foolish question escaped her lips. She was already attracted to his handsome appearance. He squeezed her jaw and hissed, “You will regret it.” “What if you started liking me?” she dared to ask. He leaned closer, his breath warm against her ear. "No chance," he scoffed. "You're not my type." Bella’s heart sank. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can check my other books. Accidentally Married to Mr. Billionaire - Completed The Billionaire's Sick Wife - Completed Temptation of Billionaire's Secret Lover: A tale of love and revenge - Completed. My Ex-Husband Begged Me To Take Him Back - Ongoing, daily updated.
Disgust churned in Bella's stomach. This was the same Olivia who had moments ago been so eager to brand her a thief. Now, cornered and exposed, she craved forgiveness. The thought left a bitter taste in Bella's mouth. Even if she forgave her, there was no guarantee Olivia wouldn't resume her harassment later.
This wasn't a genuine apology, it was a desperate attempt at saving her own skin.
'No way,' Bella thought, her resolve hardening. She knew that forgiving Olivia would only give her the chance to strike again later. She stood her ground, her expression firm and unyielding as she faced Olivia.
"Have you considered letting this matter go earlier?" Bella scoffed. "You were practically marching me to the police station just moments ago. You did everything in your power to paint me a thief. Now you're caught in your own tangled web of lies, and suddenly you expect me to forget everything and offer forgiveness? Why on earth should I?"