Heartbroken and deceived by her ex-boyfriend, Mark, Ella has to live with her Aunt and her daughter who treat her like shit. Mark ran away with his high school sweetheart, leaving Ella with nothing but debt. Ella gets in trouble for messing with Edmund Fox and now out of the blue, he's forcing her to sign a marriage contract. Edmund makes Ella's Aunt kick her out of the house, so she's left with no other choice then signing the contract papers. Edmund Fox is the heir of the country's biggest law firm and news channel, he loves his bachelor life but his father wants him to get married to his friend's daughter, Harper. Edmund tries to trick his father since he doesn't want to marry Harper, who's obsessed with him. Edmund accidently gets Ella involved in his plan, and now his father wants him to get married to her or else he'll donate everything he owns to charity. Edmund isn't going to see his years of hard work get donated to charity, so he makes Ella sign the marriage contract. Now Ella has to stay with Edmund for a year in this marriage of convenience, so she can pay her debt and Edmund can get his company back.
Ella's POV
"Please, just give me some time. I'll pay back all the debt in three months," I beg, with my knees on the ground, my head down and bruises all over my face. From the corner of my eye, I see one of the three men approaching me, I don't dare to look up. All three of them had tattoos all over their bodies and you don't mess with those kind of people.
"You better pay us every single penny your boyfriend borrowed," he said as he grabbed my hair and squeezed my face with full force, " or you can also choose to pay us back with your body," he smirked at me and the two behind him laughed at his statement. At that moment I felt like they were vultures, ready to tear my body apart as they desired.
I felt disgusted but I was no position to fight, my ribs felt like they broke from all the beating I endured. One woman against three men, it would have been a clean fight.
"I-l promise you'll get your money back," I struggled to speak.
I could hear all three of them laughing, their voices increasing. It's getting harder to breath and I gasp for some air.
"ELLA! WAKE UP, YOU USELESS WHORE," I hear someone shouting.
I slowly open my eyes, still adjusting to the bright light coming from the window.
"You think you're living in a hotel. Get up now, start cleaning the counter and open the shop. You also have some deliveries to make," Aunt Maggie handed me keys in one hand and cleaner soap in other.
I have been living with her since my boyfriend ran away with his ex-girlfriend. That damn bastard, he's the only reason I'm living like this even after having a law degree.
My boyfriend, Mark Raymond, was my classmate in law school. He was quite famous for being handsome but had no brains. Mark used to hit on me every time he got a chance, I played hard to get at first as I thought he was just a playboy who was going to break my heart eventually and I had my own big dreams to achieve.
Mark kept trying and after 2 years I said yes to being his girlfriend. I truly loved him, but I didn't know he had other plans.
He wanted to open a law firm together and I was happy that was finally thinking about bringing things to the next level, the day I thought he was going to propose me was the day he left me in debt and my account bankrupt. He not only took a loan from bank but also burrowed money from the loan sharks.
I had no money, my license got cancelled and no place to live. I was basically homeless for two weeks but then I found out about my mother's cousin, Aunt Maggie, from the orphanage.
Let me tell you, Aunt Maggie wasn't very happy to see me. I had nothing to offer her except myself so I begged her to let me live in her house and in return I offered her to look after cafƩ she owned. That's how I became a delivery girl, even after having a degree in law. Aunt Maggie didn't pay me much so I had to work hard, making deliveries during the day and working as a cleaner in a bar at night. Sometimes I felt like I wasn't a human anymore, but just a working robot.
"Nikki, your breakfast's ready," I say in a low voice. Nikki is Aunt Maggie's daughter. Ever since I came here, Nikki disapproved of me. I wish I could just smack her face one day for making me do all her chores and college work. She doesn't treat me like a human, I am just a mere slave to her.
Nikki takes her sleep mask off and the first thing she does instead of giving me a proper reply is she picks up the mirror form the side table and checks her face.
"Did you make my lemon tea as I told you," she replies still staring at herself in the mirror.
"Yes I made it exactly like you wanted."
"And what about my assignment?"
"All done. I pulled an all nighter just to complete it."
"If I don't get an A+ this time , you're going to have to take the responsibility. Do you understand."
I could have done a lot of things in that moment but I decided to just smile and nod. Nikki gives me a disgusted look before gesturing me to leave.
I open up the cafƩ and start to clean and set the tables while thinking about all the debt I have to pay because of my dear boyfriend, Mark. I curse him under my breath, even his name leaves a distaste on my tongue.
Mark was great in bed though, it would be a lie if I said otherwise. He made me feel all sorts of things, gave me all he pleasure I wanted when he thirsted inside me, I begged him for more. Sometimes I miss the sex we had but I won't ever forgive that piece of shit. One day I'll find him and I'm going to make him pay for everything.
While I'm organizing the stock, I hear someone enter from the front door.
"Are you open?" a woman asks in a low voice, I turn towards him to reply and my face glows up with joy and I forget all my worries after seeing Nora, my best friend. We've been friends for years now, she's the only one I have left now.
Nora is the only family I have. We met in the Sunrise Orphan home, her parents abandoned her while my parents died in a car accident when I was eight.
I remember glimpses of my childhood memories, but the only thing I have left of my parents is a locket and a picture of mom, dad and me standing in front of a Ferris Wheel. I know my parents loved me, I meant the world to them but my world collapsed after their accident.
Nora was the reason I survived, she's my soul sister. Even after she got adopted by a family, she never broke contact with me.
"I've asked you a million times, Ella. Leave your crazy Aunt Maggie and come live with us," Nora says as he hands me a cookie.
"I can't Nora, you know that," I give her a sad smile. I don't want to bother Nora or her new family, I don't want to worry her.
I have no idea how I'm going to pay my debt back, I've only two months left and I have barely saved any money. The only thing that can save me now is a miracle.
Chapter 1 Cinderella's Misery
24/08/2023
Chapter 2 The Beginning
24/08/2023
Chapter 3 Meeting the Prince
24/08/2023
Chapter 4 Love is in the Air
24/08/2023
Chapter 5 What are the odds
24/08/2023
Chapter 6 Accepting the Fate
25/08/2023
Chapter 7 Contracted to a Billionaire
26/08/2023
Chapter 8 A Challenging Encounter
26/08/2023
Chapter 9 Broken Hearts
26/08/2023
Chapter 10 Side Romance
26/08/2023
Chapter 11 Prince Charming is a Playboy
02/09/2023
Chapter 12 Soulmates
02/09/2023
Chapter 13 You're The One
03/09/2023
Chapter 14 Building Trust
03/09/2023
Chapter 15 Event of the Year
03/09/2023
Chapter 16 Faking It All
04/09/2023
Chapter 17 War Declaration
04/09/2023
Chapter 18 A Stolen Kiss
05/09/2023
Chapter 19 Loyalty Binds
05/09/2023
Chapter 20 Resentment
07/09/2023
Chapter 21 Chains Of The Past
08/09/2023
Chapter 22 Confiding In You
09/09/2023
Chapter 23 Rescuing Cinderella
11/09/2023
Chapter 24 A Fierce Fight
16/09/2023
Chapter 25 Denial
16/09/2023
Chapter 26 Confession
20/09/2023
Chapter 27 Unraveling Emotions
30/09/2023
Chapter 28 So This Is Love
30/09/2023
Chapter 29 Take Me Into Your Loving Arms
30/09/2023
Chapter 30 The Next Move
30/09/2023
Chapter 31 Be Kind And Have Courage
30/09/2023
Chapter 32 Stand By Me
30/09/2023
Chapter 33 Don't Wanna Let You Go
02/10/2023
Chapter 34 Deception
03/10/2023
Chapter 35 Crazy For My Love
04/10/2023
Chapter 36 Secrets
05/10/2023
Chapter 37 Twisted Games
05/10/2023
Chapter 38 Confrontation
06/10/2023
Chapter 39 Blossoming Romance
07/10/2023
Chapter 40 Deep Desires
08/10/2023
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