Billionaires After Dark：Derek

In need of funds to settle her mother's hospital bills, Lana Miller finds herself in an arranged union with the enigmatic Derek White.

It's a win-win — she gets financial relief, he gets a wife.

But as Lana navigates this peculiar marriage, secrets unravel, identities shift, and unexpected twists emerge.

Would Lana's journey in this unconventional union steer towards love, or will it lead to unforeseen consequences?

❤Author: Carolyn Riley
❤Chapters: 128
❤Steam Level: 3/5

LANA

Every day of my life has been uneasy, and sometimes I wonder why I hold on so much to life.

I got home after a stressful day at work just to meet my boyfriend, Harold, sitting comfortably on the couch in the living room, his gaze focused on the television screen.

"Harold?"  I called out, surprised, and he turned his face to stare at me.

He got up immediately when his eyes settled on me, and a small smile formed on my lips.

"What are you doing here? I thought you said you'd be out of town." I covered the distance between us and hugged him, but he pulled away immediately and looked nervous as he fiddled with his fingers.

"Uhm, Lana... I—"

Harold and I still maintained our close space. "What's wrong?"  I inquired, my eyes searching his, but it didn't matter as I hugged him again, my way of comforting him in case he was going through some difficult time.

Suddenly, I was pulled apart from Harold forcefully, and an ear-piercing slap tore across my face. I staggered and gasped in shock, my hand rubbing where I'd been slapped.

I looked up and saw Kathy, my stepsister, glaring at me and her arms hooked with my boyfriend.

"Stay away from my man," she spat, and I gaped at her like she was drunk.

"Your man?"  I tried to confirm, like I hadn't just heard what she said at first, my eyes darting from her to my boyfriend, who had looked away.

"Yes, my man, Harold Lewis, and I advise you to keep your filthy body away from him."  She warned.

"Harold..."  My eyes got filled with tears right away. I stared at him, my heart feeling like it would stop any moment from now. "What's going on?"  I could barely hear myself speak.

Harold looked at me and sighed. He disentangled his arm from Kathy and took a step away from us.

"Lana, I can explain," he finally said.

"Explain what?" my voice quavered.

"Kathy and I are getting married soon," he broke the news without careful consideration of what might happen to me, and I felt a windy blow punch me on my face as I struggled so hard to catch my breath and breathe.

"What? You and Kathy? Getting married?"

My eyes wandered to Kathy, and she was giving me one of those malicious looks of hers. I tried so hard to fight back my tears, but they flowed down freely like a dam that had gotten hit by a bomb.

"You are my boyfriend. How did you and Kathy manage to end up together?"  I questioned him, still confused about what was happening.

"Ever since I knew you were not the inheritor of the family business and Kathy was, my family told me to go for her."
"And you did?"  I was beyond flabbergasted at his lame excuse.

"So, because I won't be owning the family business, you think marrying Kathy is a wise choice?"  My tone was dripping with anger.

"We've been dating for two years now, and you just want to throw all that away because my stepsister is the successor to some business?"

"You don't understand, Lana, but Kathy is the bigger catch here, and I have to go for it."

"You scumbag! I thought you loved me."

"Do you really believe if someone says they love you?"  Kathy expressed shock on her face while I glared at her.

"I mean... have you looked at yourself in the mirror? You are ugly!"  She laughed, and I shook my head.

"No, that's not true... Harold, tell her it's me you love; tell her this is not true."  I cried, staring at him.

"Oh, come off it, Lana, who wants to marry a nobody?"  Someone said behind me, followed by bogus laughter, and I knew that voice too well. It was my bitchy stepmother.

"I'm sorry, Lana," the effrontery of him to say that after shattering me.

"You don't need to be sorry for this wench," my stepsister rolled her eyes and snickered. Without saying anything, I ran upstairs like a coward, leaving them behind while I still heard the mocking laughter of my stepsister and stepmom.

I slumped on the bed, sobbing and crying my heart out... it hurts so bad, my entire body shaking profusely. Why does life have to be so cruel to me?

I was the first daughter of the Millers, a home and family I used to love when I was of tender age. The perfect family I had pictured for myself when I came into this world all came to an abrupt end when my dad decided to divorce my mom and get married to the wealthy successor of Ramirez's family, my stepmother.

Still pouring out my aching heart and muffling my cries into the pillow, a beeping sound erupted from my phone.
I sat up on the bed, wiping hot tears angrily from my face with the back of my hand. I grabbed my phone to check the message, and my face turned pale; my knuckles were white as I tried to keep my phone in place with my trembling fingers.

It was a reminder from the hospital about my mom's medical bills— a sum of sixty thousand dollars glaring at me from the screen of the phone.

I've been working my butt off for the past two years, when my mother got diagnosed with a stage 4 brain tumor. I've tried all my possible means to gather money, but the little I could get was spent on medication to keep her immune system in balance.

No one offered to help, not even my dad, and I've hated him. I've hated him since the day he brought in another woman to take my mom's place and how he watched her treat me like trash, a nobody in his own home.

Hardly do people believe I was even related to the Miller family, much less being the first daughter; it was as if I didn't exist at all. My stepsister, Kathy, stole the spotlight ever since she was born into this world and had all the privileges I always longed for in my heart.

Mother's state was getting critical, and I needed to act fast if I wanted her alive. She has to... She's the only family that I had and probably one of the main reasons I kept pushing and thriving in life to become a better person for.

After college, all the money I saved up for myself was swallowed by Mum's treatment, and I had to work different jobs a day to make ends meet.

Still staring at my phone, I thought of what to do, and my last resort was to go meet my dad even if I didn't want to.
I sniffed, cleaning every tear on my face with my hand, and got down from bed. I need to do this for my mom.

*

"Dad, how can you be so heartless?"  I screamed at him.
"Even if you don't do it for Mum, do it for me, your daughter. Once in your life, do something for me and don't always make me regret having a father like you—"

"Shut up!"

"How dare you speak to your father in such a manner, you rag?" My stepmom sprang to her feet where she was sitting beside my father, ready to latch on to me.

He's not even worthy to be called a father.

I had walked in on them, interrupting their conversation about the preparation of Kathy and Harold's wedding. Those two were present, and I ignored them... especially Harold.

I hated him with everything in me.

"Felicia, leave her be."  My father said calmly.

"Humph!" she grumbled and sat.

"Mum's dying, Dad... I need this money for her medical bills, please."  I begged desperately, and I swore I heard Kathy laugh.

I was not one to show my weakness, but in this state, I have to lower every pride and self-worth I had left of myself.

My father leaned closer to my stepmother and whispered God knows what in her ear, and she flared, shifting away from him.

"No way, I'm helping that bitch!"

"Please, Felicia... it's the girl's mother."  My father said, and my burning hatred for him ignited to its very peak.
I went on my knees; I didn't know why I did that, but if this was how vulnerable they wanted me to be, I would for the sake of my mother.

"Please, help me with the bills. I will do anything you want, anything," I begged.

"What does a dirt like you want me to help you with?"  My stepmom glared at me.

"You mean, you would do anything?" my stepsister said, coyly entering the conversation.

I looked at her; her head was resting on Harold's shoulder, and their hands were entwined together.

I saw a flash of remorse on Harold's face, but I'm sure he saw nothing but hatred and betrayal on mine.

"Anything," I gritted, responding to Kathy, and a sinister smile curled up on her lips.

"Mother, we will help her."  She said, and I batted my eyelashes at her.

What was this she-devil up to? I know for certain that no good could ever come from her.

"What?" her mother frowned at her.

"I have just a great idea: we will pay her mom's medical bills if she agrees to marry Derek White!"

My stepmother burst out laughing and clapping her hands at the same time. "What an excellent idea! I always knew you to be smart, my lovely daughter."

"Derek White?"  I find myself saying out loud.

"Yes, Derek, the illegitimate son of the White family. You will marry him, and I will sort out your mother's medical bill," she smirked at me like I had no choice but to oblige while I fisted my hands.

How could they? I fumed inwardly, but if this is what it takes to save my mother's life, then I accept.

With a deadpan expression, I spoke. "I will marry Derek White."

Where is my book?

If you can’t find the email with your book download in your inbox, here are some tips:

1.Check your spam/junk box.  Sometimes overzealous spam filters get in the way and deliver the email there instead of your inbox.

2.If the email address you used at checkout is different from the email address you normally use, the book may be delivered to the email address you used at checkout (this happens more often than you think!).

3.You can find it on your Bookfunnel Library. The email address you used to purchase the book is your login (might be your Paypal email). https://my.BookFunnel.com

4.If you still don’t see it, email hello@novelbingenow.com and I can help you get your download link! 

What is Bookfunnel?

Bookfunnel is a small, independent software company that delivers more than 2 million ebooks every month for self-published authors!

My Bookstore is connected to Bookfunnel. Once you purchase an e-book or audiobook from me, Bookfunnel's system is alerted and it triggers an automatic email that will send you the links to download your e-books and/or audiobooks in less than five minutes! The email comes from help@bookfunnel.com

Refund Policy

All sales are final.

There are no refunds given on digital products.

If you have any questions or need help, click the “Need Help” button at the top of the BookFunnel page or email hello@novelbingenow.com 

Happy reading!