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From Ugly Duckling To Mrs Livingston: The Perfect Candidate Novel Cover

From Ugly Duckling To Mrs Livingston: The Perfect Candidate

Maximus Livingston, New York's most arrogant CEO, faces an ultimatum from the grandmother who raised him: marry within a month or forfeit his inheritance and his playboy freedom. Desperate, he hires the city's top matchmaker, Rosie Harper. But Rosie hides a painful secret—years ago, Maximus publicly humiliated her at prom, and she still burns with resentment. Buried in debt and needing this job to survive, she takes the assignment anyway. Then the matriarch arrives unannounced, takes one look at Rosie, and declares her the perfect candidate for Mrs. Livingston. Now Rosie must decide whether to become the wife of the man who broke her heart, while Maximus grapples with his grandmother's shocking order. A modern billionaire romance of revenge, passion, and unexpected comedy.
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Chapter 1

New York's most eligible Livingston is in his prime as CEO of the company he inherited from his parents: "Livingston Aurea Fashion." However, his grandmother, who has raised him since he was nine years old because his parents died in an accident, has put a stop to his 'romantic-sexual' disorder (as the matriarch calls it so that what her beloved grandson does with women, including the company's models, does not sound so vulgar).

His height of 1.80 m is alluring to women. He is muscular, dresses to perfection, and yes... he is perfect in every aspect. Everyone surrenders at his feet, humiliating themselves and fulfilling his every whim just to spend a single night, since the handsome man carved by the gods never repeats; as he says: "a single lay and goodbye."

Just when he was about to spend a highly enjoyable moment with one of the new models who had been making eyes at him since he saw her, the door is thrown wide open. "Again!" the matriarch exclaimed, striking the fine floor with her cane and showing her displeasure.

"Grandmother, I've told you to knock on the door," he buttons his pants with obstinacy.

"Mrs. Livingston, it's a pleasure to meet you..." the girl quickly adjusts her dress.

"Get out of here!" The matriarch throws a murderous gaze at her only grandson, who seems not to care about absolutely anything.

"But I... I came for the interview," she tries to explain.

"Out!" she exclaimed harshly again. The girl turned to look at Maximus Livingston, thinking the man would defend her or that perhaps his beautiful, intense blue eyes would look at her with mercy. The only thing she found was a rejection that made her feel small between the two of them, so she ran out of the elegant and refined office. "Until when?!" The woman looks at him with disdain. "Tell me when the hell are you going to settle down?! You are 26 years old, Maximus. You have a list of high-society women interested in you."

"In my money, in my power, Grandmother," he approaches the minibar to pour himself a drink.

"So what? No one in our family has married for love, and since you don't plan to take something as important as giving heirs to the family seriously, then I will have to take matters into my own hands!" she speaks with determination. Nonetheless, Maximus takes a seat in his large boss chair. He looks unconcerned, and that is something that angers the matriarch even more: "Since your parents..."

"I don't want to talk about my parents," he said, as it is a wound that has not healed. It was his birthday when they had that accident that took their lives. It was a very difficult time.

"We will have to talk, whether you like it or not!" The matriarch strikes the floor with her cane, demonstrating her authority: "I promised your parents that I would take charge of you, that I would take care of you, and that I was going to make a good man out of you."

"I am a successful CEO! That should be enough for you!"

"You must understand, Maximus, that if you don't marry, our last name dies! We need to continue our legacy!!"

"But I'm still young!"

"Enough!!" she shouted, already tired of him not understanding it: "Everyone in this family has sacrificed their love life, and let me tell you right now, I do not accept that girlfriend you have as a wife, that Aria girl..."

"Aria, Grandmother, her name is Aria."

"Whatever! I don't accept her! You must have a normal wife, a woman who isn't 'pure plastic,' whose nobility can be seen in her gaze. A beautiful woman so that your children have a good lineage."

"It's absurd," Maximus drank his drink to the bottom; his grandmother has been on the same topic for two years.

"I have been patient with you, but that is over."

"What do you mean?"

"You may think I'm a witch, but I do everything for your own good and to fulfill my promise to my son and your mother. If you don't marry in less than a month, you are out of my inheritance."

"You can't do that..." he smiles, because since he is the sole heir, he doesn't believe his grandmother would do that.

"Even though you are of legal age, you do not yet have possession of all the Livingston assets. Everything is in my power, and even though you are the only grandson, I prefer to leave you out of the inheritance and donate everything to foundations that I know will do something productive with the money and won't spend it on parties and women."

"Grandmother... you wouldn't do that to me. As the sole heir, everything passes into my hands."

"Well, I'm telling you, Maximus Livingston, that if you don't marry in less than a month, you will be left in total ruin! Let's see if one of those women will remain at your feet!" The matriarch turned around and left the office where her faithful butler, Mariano, was waiting for her.

Maximus felt stressed by his grandmother's demand. Having to marry and have a child by obligation irritates him. So he throws the empty glass at the nearest wall to vent some of his fury. He thinks over and over again: where will he find a woman like the one his grandmother demands?

"Congratulations, Rosie!" Her boss, Scarlett, hugs her.

"What is this sudden celebration for?" She looks somewhat nervously at her colleagues.

"Because you have officially managed to unite another couple! It's already your 30th!" she says excitedly. Rosie smiles, although inside... she got her hopes up all by herself. She thought that it would finally be her promotion, the one she needs to earn more money and thus pay off a debt that has her against the ropes.

"Great!" she smiles forcedly.

"Let's go to my office. There is something I want to talk to you about, and it will be very important in your career as Cupid, as the most popular matchmaker in my company. Girls, you can leave now! See you tomorrow!" she says goodbye to the group of women who are part of her team.

Rosie allows herself to be guided to her boss's office and, unfortunately, she gets her hopes up again about the promotion she longs for and needs. "Close the door, dear. What I'm about to tell you is confidential."

"Oh, sure!" she proceeds to close the door.

"Take a seat because this news will leave you breathless."

"Sure..." the beautiful girl with "jeweled green" eyes takes a seat. Her hands began to sweat. As she takes a seat, she swallows hard and her heart beats wildly: "What is it that is so important?"

"Rosie, this will be important for you. You are one of the best matchmakers I have in my company, so when I received that important call, I thought of you first because you deserve that position," Rosie smiles. Her boss's words are giving her the reassurance that it is what she thinks.

"Please, boss, you have my nerves on edge. Tell me what is so important."

"Well," the boss takes a breath and then, with great excitement, said: "You will be the Cupid, the matchmaker for none other than Maximus Livingston!" She said it so excitedly that Rosie's expression dampened the mood. "I thought that would excite you, dear... anyone would want your position."

"I'm sorry, but I refuse to be a part of it. Maximus Livingston and I are like oil and water, we are FIRE AND WATER. Besides, I can't tolerate his presence; he is conceited, cocky, selfish, and has no humility at all... he is, he is..." She falls silent, so her boss continues.

"He is handsome, drop-dead gorgeous, and you must admit it, plus he's a billionaire. He is willing to pay a large sum of money to find him the perfect wife, Rosie."

"I'm sorry, boss, but I refuse to work with that man," there is a knock on the door and Rosie stands up.

"I'm sorry, but there's no turning back. Mr. Livingston has just arrived," Rosie, hearing that from her boss, feels her body tremble. Her worst nightmare is about to come true: crossing paths with the cold CEO again after so much time.

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