Sandra Saunters has never known love, only cruelty. Branded a bastard, she endures years of scorn from her indifferent father, venomous stepmother, and heartless half-siblings. The only solace she has is in the arms of her childhood sweetheart Armin Jacobs, until the night she finds him tangled in bed with her stepsister, shattering the last piece of her fragile world. Determined to rewrite her fate, Sandra escapes to a new city, vowing to bury her past. Years later, she returns not as the broken girl they discarded, but as a powerful, ambitious woman with a thirst for vengeance. Desmond Willis an enigmatic, silver-haired billionaire with a reputation as a ruthless heartbreaker. He doesn't believe in love, only in control. When he proposes a one-year contract marriage, Sandra sees the perfect opportunity to further her ambitions and exact revenge on the family that wronged her. But the game changes when passion ignites and unexpected emotions blur the lines. As Sandra finds herself torn between her growing love for Desmond and the reappearance of Armin who refuses to let her go, she must navigate a world of power, deceit, and betrayal. Yet, the greatest danger lies closer than she ever imagined. When the truth about her true enemies is revealed, Sandra must decide whether to let the past define her, or claim the future she was always meant to have.
Chapter 1 SANDRA'S POV
"I'm offering you a deal, Sandra," Desmond said, his piercing eyes burning with intensity, "Marry me for a year and I will give you all that you desire."
His voice was husky, yet it sent shivers down my spine.
I raised a brow, staring at him, incredulous.
"You can't be serious," I said and laughed. But Desmond's expression remained serious.
"Is this some twisted game?" I asked, my voice laced with skepticism. "Or is this your warped way of flirting with me?"
Desmond's gaze did not waver.
"I need a wife, and it has to be you, Sandra," he said, with a tone that sounded like a challenge.
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite myself. "Why me? Why not some socialite or a supermodel?" I asked, my voice dripping with disdain.
Desmond's smile was mischievous and predatory "Because, my dear Sandra, you're the only one who can help me achieve my goals. And as for age... it's just a number." His eyes seemed to bore into my soul, as if daring me to refuse.
I hesitated, weighing my options. Marrying Desmond would be a means to an end, a way to exact revenge on my family, the Saunters, for their past betrayals. They had destroyed me, left me for dead. Now that I had risen from the ashes, I was ready to strike back.
"I'll do it," I said finally, my voice firm. "I'll marry you."
Desmond smirked and said, his voice laced with satisfaction, "Then, I will begin making arrangements for our wedding immediately, my dear wife."
It all started a few weeks ago, when Desmond and I had first met. It had been 10:30 am.
I sat in my office, tapping my foot on the floor as I waited. The CEO of DesmondCorps had still not arrived. What the hell was keeping him?
I had heard a lot about Desmond Willis , the dashing silver fox billionaire, aged forty five but still in his prime, a famous heartbreaker from his younger days till now, who did not believe in love and only saw women as objects to satisfy his sexual desires.
Like me, he had built his company from scratch despite having a rich background. He was also in the tech business and a world-renowned tech genius like me. His company was behind so many popular inventions as of late and they made billions like it was paper. Every tech company in the industry looked up to them and people were rushing to secure deals with them.
And at the helm of it all was the charismatic Desmond Willis . He had started his company a long time before I started mine, though, probably when I was still in high school and he was miles ahead of me in the business world. I needed his partnership. His company had been the reigning company for almost two decades and it had taken me months to even get to meet them. One of their executives commented that the only reason they'd agreed to do business with me was because I owned one of the fastest growing tech companies in the country and that I had potential.
My work phone rang, and I picked it up.
"Ma'am, the CEO of DesmondCorps is here," Leo told me.
"Good. Send him in."
As soon as I dropped my phone, the door to my office flew open and in came a man.
No, not a man, a prince. Never in my entire life had I seen a man as handsome as this. He was about six feet tall, had grey, shiny hair and piercing eyes that stared unto your soul. He had a few wrinkles here and there on his face but he still looked good. He had a smirk plastered on that sexy lips of his as he approached me with his confident gaze.
He stopped right in front of my desk and held out his hand for a handshake, the sweet scent of his expensive cologne filling the air of my office.
"Miss Sandra, we finally met. I've heard so much about you."
I slowly took his hand, still mesmerized by his face. Snap out of it, Sandra! What was wrong with you? My heart was racing as I stared at this attractive man. Luckily, I had learned how to make my face cold, devoid of emotions, even if I felt the opposite. I shook his hand, scowled, and introduced myself.
"Sandra Saunters. And you are late."
The meeting ended faster than I expected. Desmond was strangely accepting of all my ideas. All the men I had dealt with in this business had always looked down on me because I was a woman, so I was prepared for Desmond to give me the same attitude, considering that I heard he only viewed women as objects.
But he was strangely cooperative, and we made a profitable business deal.
The rumors of him being a playboy were, however, true.
He kept staring at me and flirting subtly throughout our meeting.
"I heard you are a no-nonsense boss. Might you also be a no-nonsense boss in the other room?
As I sat across from Desmond, I couldn't help but notice the way his eyes sparkled as he spoke. They were an intense, piercing brown that seemed to see right through me.
"Damn, your eyes remind me of the obsidian necklace my sister auctioned last summer. Dark, gorgeous, and rare."
"Mr. Desmond, you are here to discuss our new business deal and not to flirt. Let's focus on what's important first," I said. I was attracted to him, alright. I admit it. He was handsome and cheesy, but it didn't mean I was falling for him. When we finally concluded the meeting, Desmond held onto my hand and wouldn't let go.
"Mr. Desmond, you said you only wanted a handshake". He smiled wryly, let go of my hand, winked, and walked out of my office. Such a silly man.
The next day was a weekend and yet my thoughts were full of Desmond Willis .
I sat in front of my luxurious mansion, enjoying the warmth radiating from the sun on my skin. I sighed in delight.
The waves of the sea crashed continuously on the shore, its sound evoking a strange feeling in my body as I rested.
It was good I had gotten a house by the seaside.
My grandmother was right beside me, knitting a blanket.
I looked at her.
"Grandma, you are still not finished with that?"
My grandmother smiled warmly. The wrinkles on her head were etched deeper in her forehead. She looked so much older now.
"Don't worry. I'll soon be done with it. Then you can have a blanket around your neck when winter arrives."
I giggled, rising from my chair and hugging my grandmother.
Chapter 1 SANDRA'S POV
31/01/2025
Chapter 2 SANDRA'S POV
31/01/2025
Chapter 3 DESMOND'S POV
31/01/2025
Chapter 4 A Dance with Chaos
31/01/2025
Chapter 5 A Familiar Stranger
31/01/2025
Chapter 6 A Friend's Warning
31/01/2025
Chapter 7 Caught in the Act
31/01/2025
Chapter 8 The Mask of Detachment
31/01/2025
Chapter 9 The Mistress's Trap
31/01/2025
Chapter 10 Scars That Never Fade
01/02/2025
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