"If I can't have you, no one can" When Stella Marco moves to Manhattan to escape her psychotic ex boyfriend, she didn't plan on encountering the arrogant casanova and famed billionaire bachelor, Grayson Stone. After an altercation with him at a party, she finds herself in need of his help. But Grayson is as cunning as he is irresistibly handsome. He makes her a proposal in exchange for his help since he already had problems of his own; his mother had been on his neck for him to get a bride so that the Stone family legacy can be carried on. He planned to fake his marriage in order to pacify his mother. Stella, already desperate, reluctantly agrees to this proposal. As love finds it's way into their little arrangement, Stella is haunted by her traumatic past when her ex boyfriend, Frederick , is released from rehabilitation and begins to threaten her, her friends and family. Will their love truly conquer all or will Frederick 's presence in Manhattan disrupt their lives?....
Chapter 1 Prologue
Someone was following her. She could feel it.
She was certain it wasn't the wind, she could feel a presence around her. She walked faster. She took a quick glance at her surroundings. She saw no one.
She was a few blocks from her apartment, she could see her apartment now. She picked up her pace. The wind had picked up its speed, it was becoming intense, so she pulled the hood of her hoodie over her head as she silently hoped it wouldn't rain. She got to her apartment and was about to put the key into the lock when she caught some movement at the corner of her eye.
As she turned to see who it was, a gravely voice said, "you thought you could get away from me, didn't you peach?".
She straightened up. Her pupils widened in fear. Her blood ran cold. She recognized that voice.
It was the same voice she had been running away from for the past two years.
As she wanted to let out a scream, he held his hand firmly over her mouth. She struggled and writhed against him, but he was stronger than her.
"Why are you being so stubborn my peach? We could be very happy together my love", tears were trickling down her face now. He was dragging her into the elevator and taking her away.
"Shh shh, now, now Stella, don't you want to be good for me? Like the sweet little girl you are", he said as he smelled her hair and kissed her temple.
She was struggling for breath now. She managed to bite his hand, he grunted and pushed her against the door of the elevator. She was on the floor, and he advanced menacingly towards her.
She looked up at him, he looked disheveled and drunk, his clothes were dirty and he reeked of cheap alcohol.
He looked at his hand, he was bleeding from where she bit him, "you stupid bitch", he said and hit her across the face. She cried out and she started pleading, "leave me alone Frederick , please", her voice sounded so small and scared.
"I'm not going anywhere baby", he said and his voice suddenly softened, "don't you see, the world around us my peach, they want to take you away from me", he said with a maniacal look in his eye as he gestured towards no one in particular. "I can't let that happen", then, as he stooped down and reached to touch her, she pushed him away and screamed, "get the fuck off me you bastard!".
He began to laugh. He put his hand into his coat pocket and brought out a revolver.
Fear gripped her, "what are you doing?".
His laughter subsided, "you see peach, if I can't have you", then he aimed the gun at her, "sadly, no one can".
Two shots rang out.
Chapter 1 Prologue
26/11/2023
Chapter 2 One
26/11/2023
Chapter 3 Two
26/11/2023
Chapter 4 Three
26/11/2023
Chapter 5 Four
26/11/2023
Chapter 6 Five
26/11/2023
Chapter 7 Six
26/11/2023
Chapter 8 Seven
26/11/2023
Chapter 9 Eight
26/11/2023
Chapter 10 Nine
26/11/2023
Chapter 11 Ten
26/11/2023
Chapter 12 Eleven
26/11/2023
Chapter 13 Twelve
26/11/2023
Chapter 14 Thirteen
26/11/2023
Chapter 15 Fourteen
26/11/2023
Chapter 16 Fifteen
26/11/2023
Chapter 17 Sixteen
26/11/2023
Chapter 18 Seventeen
26/11/2023
Chapter 19 Eighteen
05/12/2023
Chapter 20 Nineteen
05/12/2023
Chapter 21 Twenty
05/12/2023
Chapter 22 Twenty one
06/12/2023
Chapter 23 Twenty two
07/12/2023
Chapter 24 Twenty three
07/12/2023
Chapter 25 Twenty four
07/12/2023
Chapter 26 Twenty five
07/12/2023
Chapter 27 Twenty six
09/12/2023
Chapter 28 Twenty seven
09/12/2023
Chapter 29 Twenty eight
12/12/2023
Chapter 30 Twenty nine
12/12/2023
Chapter 31 Thirty
12/12/2023
Chapter 32 Thirty one
12/12/2023
Chapter 33 Thirty two
12/12/2023
Chapter 34 Thirty three
12/12/2023
Chapter 35 Thirty four
12/12/2023
Chapter 36 Thirty five
12/12/2023
Chapter 37 Thirty six
12/12/2023
Chapter 38 Thirty seven
12/12/2023
Chapter 39 Thirty eight
22/12/2023
Chapter 40 Thirty nine
22/12/2023