When Hayley Winters meets an elderly woman on the beach, she has no idea the turn her life is about to take. The elderly woman turns out to be Helen Dominic, grandmother of billionaire Xander Dominic, one of the most gorgeous, sought after bachelors around. Having just found out she is unwell, Grandma Helen decides its time her playboy grandson settled down. Preferably with someone that would care for him more than his money. Hayley is her choice. Sparks fly between Hayley and Xander from the second they meet and a marriage of convenience soon turns into something more special than either of them could have envisioned. However external forces like ex's, backstabbing friends and personal insecurities all work together to try and cause a rift between the happy couple. With the odds stacked against them from the start, will their blossoming love and a grandmothers well wishes be enough to keep them together when the contract ends or will they give in to the forces working against them?
Prologue
Sometimes life has a way of wearing you down. You realize no-one is coming to rescue you and you're tired of being strong.
-Nicole Young.
Hayley
I keep dialing his number like a mad woman. It goes straight to voicemail. Despite the overwhelming evidence, my heart cannot comprehend what my mind is telling me to be true. That I've been played. That the last year of my life has been a lie. That the person that I thought loved me....doesn't.
An hour earlier....
"Hayley, I don't know how to tell you this but if it where me I would want to know." Says Callie, my work colleague.
"The guys have been talking about Keith, they say he's engaged to someone else".
"What?" I say uncomprehending.
Keith is my boyfriend of twelve months, we work for the same company in different departments. Work is where we met. We see each other almost everyday. Speak on the phone constantly when we're apart. How could what she's saying be true?
"Some of the guys have met her" she continues, "Look, I feel bad for you. We love you and you don't deserve to be treated like this. No women does and I'm sorry to be the one to tell you but I just had to. I couldn't stand it anymore."
My heart has stopped. As if it's on pause. Like it needs a timeout.
"No, I'm glad you came to me...please tell me everything you know." I say with a calmness I am far from feeling.
"Well...apparently they live together and ....and she's pregnant."
You can't be serious.
Knowing this conversation cannot wait, I ask Callie to cover for me while I try to find a quiet place to phone Keith. I end up in the store room and wedge myself between two rows of stacked boxes before I dial his number. "Hey babe" he answers.
"Hi" I reply
"What are you doing?"
"Actually, there's something I need to talk to you about. Do you think you can stop by today? It's important".
He must hear something in my voice because he answers apprehensively "I can't today babe. Can't you just tell me over the phone?"
"I would rather speak to you in person"
"Well I just said I can't make it Hayley so tell me what the matter is now?"
I'm feeling so emotional. I know I should wait until I see him but instead I burst out "Are you seeing someone else?"
The line goes silent for a minute. A minute too long.
"No. What are you talking about?"
"The guys at work say you're engaged to someone else, that you're living with her and she's pregnant" I say as the first tears make their trail down my face. "Why would they say that Keith?"
"I don't know, maybe they want to get into your pants" he says arrogantly. "Are you crying? Stop it. You're crying for no reason, I can't talk to you when you're like this. I'm hanging up now. I'll talk to you when you're calmer. Bye.
Before I can utter a response, the line goes dead.
Chapter 1 Prologue
05/09/2021
Chapter 2 one
05/09/2021
Chapter 3 two
05/09/2021
Chapter 4 three
05/09/2021
Chapter 5 four
05/09/2021
Chapter 6 five
05/09/2021
Chapter 7 six
05/09/2021
Chapter 8 seven
05/09/2021
Chapter 9 eight
07/09/2021
Chapter 10 nine
07/09/2021
Chapter 11 ten
07/09/2021
Chapter 12 eleven
07/09/2021
Chapter 13 twelve
07/09/2021
Chapter 14 thirteen
07/09/2021
Chapter 15 fourteen
07/09/2021
Chapter 16 fifteen
07/09/2021
Chapter 17 sixteen
07/09/2021
Chapter 18 seventeen
07/09/2021
Chapter 19 eighteen
07/09/2021
Chapter 20 nineteen
07/09/2021
Chapter 21 twenty
07/09/2021
Chapter 22 twenty - one
07/09/2021
Chapter 23 twenty - two
07/09/2021
Chapter 24 Twenty - three
10/09/2021
Chapter 25 twenty - four
10/09/2021
Chapter 26 Twenty - five
10/09/2021
Chapter 27 twenty - six
10/09/2021
Chapter 28 twenty - seven
11/09/2021
Chapter 29 twenty - eight
11/09/2021
Chapter 30 twenty - nine
11/09/2021
Chapter 31 thirty
12/09/2021
Chapter 32 thirty - one
12/09/2021
Chapter 33 thirty - two
16/09/2021
Chapter 34 thirty - three
19/09/2021
Chapter 35 thirty - four
19/09/2021
Chapter 36 thirty five
19/09/2021
Chapter 37 thirty six
20/09/2021
Chapter 38 thirty seven
26/09/2021
Chapter 39 thirty eight
28/09/2021
Chapter 40 thirty nine
02/10/2021