Love and Crosses: What the Heart Wants

Love and Crosses: What the Heart Wants

ChoJoyce9414

4.9
Comment(s)
3.3K
View
107
Chapters

The heart wants what it wants, but sometimes it's not what it seems. In the high-fashion world of glamor and betrayal, small-town girl Riele sets out to heal the broken heart of billionaire CEO Kim. But her plan backfires when she finds herself falling for him, only to have her love rejected. Now, as Riele struggles to untangle her feelings for Kim and the truth about his past, she must navigate a treacherous path of secrets, lies, and hidden desires. But just when Riele thinks she's lost Kim forever, she discovers that his love for her rival, Jane, might not be what it seems. With her heart on the line, Riele must decide whether to fight for the man she loves or walk away from the pain and heartbreak that come with loving him. And Kim, tormented by his past and uncertain about his future, must confront the truth about his feelings for both women. Will he choose the safe, familiar path with Jane or take a chance on the unexpected passion that Riele ignites within him?

Love and Crosses: What the Heart Wants Chapter 1 The Offer

The feeling of waking up on Monday mornings can be very traumatizing.

Riele thought as she got up from bed.

Life has decided to cheat on her over everything.

Her mom is being hospitalized after the incident that happened a few years ago.

All she has now is her younger brother- Harry. A ten-year-old vibrant boy with glowing bronze eyes and shiny black hair that was believed he got from his dad.

Riele never really knew who her father was or what he looked like.

Her mom-Esmeralda had been the one taking care of them.

Anytime Riele brings up the topic of her dad, her mom always dodges the topic and she didn't understand why.

But she didn't mind because Esmeralda made sure her children weren't lacking anything at all.

Riele checked her time, it was just 7:45am which meant she had fifteen minutes to prepare herself for work, or the company bus would leave without her.

She entered the bathroom, did all she needed to, and in the next ten minutes, she was out.

She opened her wardrobe and scanned through all the clothes she had.

"I do need to go shopping," she said as she took out a blue crop top with black-tummy trousers. "When you work in a modeling industry, you've got to show it."

She quickly put her clothes on, brushed her wavy dark brown hair which she packed up in a ponytail, and wore her favorite moon-star-shaped necklace.

Glancing one more time at the mirror, she looked good to go. She brought out her blue canvas and wore it.

She was admiring herself when the company horn beeped.

Picking up her bag and trying to remember if she wasn't forgetting anything, she went out of the house, locked the door, and entered the bus.

"Good morning, Mr. Anderson," she greeted the bus driver who returned her greeting with a smile.

Since she was the first on the bus, she took her seat on the second seat by the right close to the window.

Riele is someone who loves watching the movement of things when the car is moving.

"How is Esmeralda?" Mr. Anderson asked as he started the engine and drove to the next house.

"Same old story," Riele answered trying not to feel the effect on her mother.

"And Harry?"

"He's having a sleepover at his friend's place. He should be back by this time next week," she answered.

The bus stopped at different stations as more company workers entered the bus.

Riele was the kind of person who kept to herself so she didn't talk to most of them, but she has a female bestie who means the world to her.

Checking her phone for any updates, a text came in from Charlotte. Riele opened the message.

Charlotte

Where the heaven are you? Don't tell me you overslept and forgot what day it is.

"Calm your bowels down! I'll be there before you even say the word Abracadabra." Riele pressed the sent icon as she kept her phone aside to enjoy the rest of the ride.

Thirty minutes ride and Riele was almost dozing off even though she slept early yesterday.

"Didn't have much sleep last night?" Allen asked as he tapped her shoulder.

"She was probably having a nightmare of being chased by crocodiles," Madison joked as she waited for Riele to get off the bus.

"Ah ah! Very funny!" Riele said as she got off the bus and waved to the two people she just had a conversation with.

Walking to the company, Riele's countenance fell, but she didn't understand why she was sad all of a sudden.

Entering the elevator which she was thankful was empty, she pressed the number 3 button on the elevator keypad since her office was on the third floor.

Waiting patiently for the elevator to make that clicking sound, the elevator door opened and she came out only for her to find her bestie in the whole world right in front of her with her arms folded across her chest.

"Took you long enough," Charlotte teased.

Riele smiled and hugged her. "Did you miss me that much?"

"Of course, I did. I was almost dying of boredom," Charlotte exagerrated. Riele shook her head as she listened to her friend. "Guess what,"

"You know I suck at that." Riele rolled her eyes at Charlotte. "Did something interesting happen?"

Charlotte dragged her chair closer to Riele who was setting her table.

"Yes."

"Really?"

Charlotte nodded. "Guess who is retiring?" she asked.

Riele stopped what she was doing as she glanced at her friend who seemed happy about the whole thing.

"Blow me away," Riele said, not interested in the story.

"Mr. Owen."

"What?!"

Mr. Owen is the CEO of the company, but he is a transferee. Talk about a man in his latest fifties who can dress a monkey to look beautiful. This man was gifted.

"Why is he retiring?" Riele asked.

"He is old?" Charlotte said, but it sounded like she was asking a question while stating the obvious. She pushed her chair back to her desk.

Riele didn't know whether to be sad or happy, but if the man is happy about leaving, then, she should be happy about it too.

"Riele Grants!" A voice called.

"Talk about the devil!" Charlotte whispered loud enough for Riele to hear.

"Miss Grants!" He called again.

"Yes, I'm here," she raised her hand for identification.

"Good thing you are here," Mr. Owen said. Riele looked at Charlotte who was also looking at her. "I need you in my office immediately." As if sensing he Riele wasn't following him, he yelled, "Now!"

That was enough to get Riele moving.

Riele was confused, but she followed Mr. Owen to his office.

"Please, take your seat," the man gestured as he pointed to a seat in front of him. He sat facing her. "I know you might be wondering why I called you," he started. "I am retiring. I've been having some health issues that I need to take care of and because of that, I need someone who is vibrant to take over the position."

"But, what does that have to do with me?" Riele asked.

She didn't understand how his retirement and the new CEO were her business.

Mr. Owen moved closer to her, his hands on his chin as he said, "that's where you come in as the personal assistant of the new CEO." He smiled before resting his back on his chair while expecting Riele's happy remark, but Riele's expression shocked him.

"What?! I don't understand. No one discussed this with me. No vote was carried out. How then did I end up as the personal assistant?"

"We have checked and cross-checked and it's proven that you're the lady for the job. You will be a Personal Assistant to the world's best model. I also heard that he is a member of a boyband in New York City.What's there not to like?" The man asked, crossing his arms across his chest as he stared at the shocked Riele.

"Don't I at least have a say on this?" Mr. Owen shook his head. "Do I have the right to refuse?"

"No. It's been settled"

"This is so not fair. What if I don't like him? Or what if I don't like the idea of working with him?" She bombarded him with questions. "What if my presence irritates him or what if he ends up giving me a sack letter on my first day as his personal assistant?!"

Riele has never felt as anxious as she was today.

"Your pay will increase, don't you want that?" Mr. Owen asked before passing her a file. Riele became silent. "That's his file. Read through it thoroughly." Riele collected it as she flipped the pages over.

Mr. Owen stood up and was about to leave when he remembered something. "And one more thing..." Rifle looked up at him before he continue. "...you will be picking him up at the airport. Make sure nothing happens to him."

Before Riele could raise a complaint, the man had already left the office.

Riele sunk to her seat as she went through the file given to her. She will be picking up the new CEO tomorrow around two in the afternoon. "Kim Huxley," she says his name before she closed the file.

Was this the reason she was feeling sad?

What kind of person is CEO Kim Huxley? She wondered.

Continue Reading

Other books by ChoJoyce9414

More

You'll also like

The Ghost Wife's Billion Dollar Tech Comeback

The Ghost Wife's Billion Dollar Tech Comeback

Huo Wuer
5.0

Today is October 14th, my birthday. I returned to New York after months away, dragging my suitcase through the biting wind, but the VIP pickup zone where my husband’s Maybach usually idled was empty. When I finally let myself into our Upper East Side penthouse, I didn’t find a cake or a "welcome home" banner. Instead, I found my husband, Caden, kneeling on the floor, helping our five-year-old daughter wrap a massive gift for my half-sister, Adalynn. Caden didn’t even look up when I walked in; he was too busy laughing with the girl who had already stolen my father’s legacy and was now moving in on my family. "Auntie Addie is a million times better than Mommy," my daughter Elara chirped, clutching a plush toy Caden had once forbidden me from buying for her. "Mommy is mean," she whispered loudly, while Caden just smirked, calling me a "drill sergeant" before whisking her off to Adalynn’s party without a second glance. Later that night, I saw a video Adalynn posted online where my husband and child laughed while mocking my "sensitive" nature, treating me like an inconvenient ghost in my own home. I had spent five years researching nutrition for Elara’s health and managing every detail of Caden’s empire, only to be discarded the moment I wasn't in the room. How could the man who set his safe combination to my birthday completely forget I even existed? The realization didn't break me; it turned me into ice. I didn't scream or beg for an explanation. I simply walked into the study, pulled out the divorce papers I’d drafted months ago, and took a black marker to the terms. I crossed out the alimony, the mansion, and even the custody clause—if they wanted a life without me, I would give them exactly what they asked for. I left my four-carat diamond ring on the console table and walked out into the rain with nothing but a heavily encrypted hard drive. The submissive Mrs. Holloway was gone, and "Ghost," the most lethal architect in the tech world, was finally back online to take back everything they thought I’d forgotten.

Rising From Wreckage: Starfall's Epic Comeback

Rising From Wreckage: Starfall's Epic Comeback

Huo Wuer
4.5

Rain hammered against the asphalt as my sedan spun violently into the guardrail on the I-95. Blood trickled down my temple, stinging my eyes, while the rhythmic slap of the windshield wipers mocked my panic. Trembling, I dialed my husband, Clive. His executive assistant answered instead, his voice professional and utterly cold. "Mr. Wilson says to stop the theatrics. He said, and I quote, 'Hang up. Tell her I don’t have time for her emotional blackmail tonight.'" The line went dead while I was still trapped in the wreckage. At the hospital, I watched the news footage of Clive wrapping his jacket around his "fragile" ex-girlfriend, Angelena, shielding her from the storm I was currently bleeding in. When I returned to our penthouse, I found a prenatal ultrasound in his suit pocket, dated the day he claimed to be on a business trip. Instead of an apology, Clive met me with a sneer. He told me I was nothing but an "expensive decoration" his father bought to make him look stable. He froze my bank accounts and cut off my cards, waiting for the hunger to drive me back to his feet. I stared at the man I had loved for four years, realizing he didn't just want a wife; he wanted a prop he could switch off. He thought he could starve me into submission while he played father to another woman's child. But Clive forgot one thing. Before I was his trophy wife, I was Starfall—the legendary voice actress who vanished at the height of her fame. "I'm not jealous, Clive. I'm done." I grabbed my old microphone and walked out. I’m not just leaving him; I’m taking the lead role in the biggest saga in Hollywood—the one Angelena is desperate for. This time, the "decoration" is going to burn his world down.

Phoenix Rising: The Scarred Heiress's Revenge

Phoenix Rising: The Scarred Heiress's Revenge

Xiao Hong Mao
4.5

I lived as the "scarred ghost" of the Stephens penthouse, a wife kept in the shadows because my facial burns offended my billionaire husband’s aesthetic. For years, I endured Kason’s coldness and my family's abuse, a submissive puppet who believed she had nowhere else to go. The end came with a blue folder tossed onto my silk sheets. Kason’s mistress was back, and he wanted me out by sunset, offering a five-million-dollar "silence fee" to go hide my face in the countryside. The betrayal cut deep when I discovered my father had already traded my divorce for a corporate bailout. My step-sister mocked my "trashy" appearance at a high-end boutique, while the sales staff treated me like a common thief. At home, my father threatened to cut off my mother's life-saving medicine unless I crawled back to Kason to beg for a better deal. I was the girl who took the blame for a fire she didn't start, the wife who worshipped a man who never looked her in the eye, and the daughter used as a human bargaining chip. I was supposed to be broken, penniless, and desperate. But the woman who stood up wasn't the weak Elease Finch anymore; she was Phoenix, a tactical predator with a $500 million secret. I signed the divorce papers without a single tear, walked past my stunned husband, and wiped the Finch family's bank accounts clean with a few taps on my phone. "Your money is dirty," I told Kason with a cold smile. "I prefer clean hands." The cage is open, the hunt has begun, and I’m starting with the people who thought a scar made me weak.

Chapters
Read Now
Download Book
Love and Crosses: What the Heart Wants Love and Crosses: What the Heart Wants ChoJoyce9414 Romance
“The heart wants what it wants, but sometimes it's not what it seems. In the high-fashion world of glamor and betrayal, small-town girl Riele sets out to heal the broken heart of billionaire CEO Kim. But her plan backfires when she finds herself falling for him, only to have her love rejected. Now, as Riele struggles to untangle her feelings for Kim and the truth about his past, she must navigate a treacherous path of secrets, lies, and hidden desires. But just when Riele thinks she's lost Kim forever, she discovers that his love for her rival, Jane, might not be what it seems. With her heart on the line, Riele must decide whether to fight for the man she loves or walk away from the pain and heartbreak that come with loving him. And Kim, tormented by his past and uncertain about his future, must confront the truth about his feelings for both women. Will he choose the safe, familiar path with Jane or take a chance on the unexpected passion that Riele ignites within him?”
1

Chapter 1 The Offer

30/06/2025

2

Chapter 2 Charlotte's Confession

30/06/2025

3

Chapter 3 Diamond Boy's Identity

30/06/2025

4

Chapter 4 The New CEO's Arrival

30/06/2025

5

Chapter 5 Officially the New CEO's Assistant

30/06/2025

6

Chapter 6 Operation get Kim Utter

30/06/2025

7

Chapter 7 The Stripper becomes a Model

30/06/2025

8

Chapter 8 Have we met

30/06/2025

9

Chapter 9 The meeting with the new guy

30/06/2025

10

Chapter 10 This isn't a date

30/06/2025

11

Chapter 11 Signing a Deal with the devil

30/06/2025

12

Chapter 12 Kim's First Love

04/07/2025

13

Chapter 13 Riele gets Kim's attention

04/07/2025

14

Chapter 14 It was an accident

04/07/2025

15

Chapter 15 The cold hearted boss has a good heart

04/07/2025

16

Chapter 16 Charlotte reveals the truth

04/07/2025

17

Chapter 17 It started with a kiss

04/07/2025

18

Chapter 18 Prove that you know about love

04/07/2025

19

Chapter 19 Never say never

04/07/2025

20

Chapter 20 Jay plans to confess his feelings to Riele

04/07/2025

21

Chapter 21 Kim gives Riele a surprise visit

04/07/2025

22

Chapter 22 Tension and passion

04/07/2025

23

Chapter 23 Warrior Riele

04/07/2025

24

Chapter 24 Hurt

04/07/2025

25

Chapter 25 Utter threatens Charlotte

04/07/2025

26

Chapter 26 Kim is a good guy

04/07/2025

27

Chapter 27 Worried Kim follows Riele

04/07/2025

28

Chapter 28 Doctor's report

04/07/2025

29

Chapter 29 Riele talks to her mom

04/07/2025

30

Chapter 30 Charlotte tells Riele about Utter's threats

04/07/2025

31

Chapter 31 Will you be my Girlfriend

05/08/2025

32

Chapter 32 Madison's Plan

05/08/2025

33

Chapter 33 The Broken Promise

05/08/2025

34

Chapter 34 Unexpected encounter

05/08/2025

35

Chapter 35 Tension brewing

05/08/2025

36

Chapter 36 Utter talks about his secret weapon

05/08/2025

37

Chapter 37 The secret weapon

05/08/2025

38

Chapter 38 Unholy Alliances

05/08/2025

39

Chapter 39 The fall

05/08/2025

40

Chapter 40 The confrontation

05/08/2025