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RACTERISATION:FEMALE LEAD: Janice. Black hair, green eyes, slender and curvy, 5'5. The mother to Theo. She was Ryders secretary but resigned after a one night stand with him got her pregnant. She has a quiet strength and is caring. MALE LEAD: Ryder Ambrose. Brown hair, blue eyes, muscular and tall, 6'3. CEO of Ambrosia. Theo's father. He is icy and calculating and can be insensitive, but he's protective, possessive and has a secret soft side. THEO: Janice's and Ryder's son, the product of their one night stand. He has his fathers characteristics and his mother's mischievousness. CREED: Blond, blue eyes, muscular and tall, 6'2. A police officer from the small city Janice moved to after her resignation to Ryder. He has feelings for Janice and played a sort of father/uncle role in Theo's life. His jealousy makes him a victim to Claudia's machinations. CLAUDIA: Ryder's ex fiancée who tricked him into an engagement but lost him when he found out. She manipulates Creed into making Janice an accomplice in her scheme to get what she wants. She is later arrested. PLOT. EXPOSITION: Janice has worked for Ryder for three years as his secretary, and has been his longest lasting, being meticulous and a perfect secretary despite his ruthlessness and iciness. Ryder himself has been distant, and they keep their relationship professional despite the undercurrents of attraction and tension between them. INCITING INCIDENT: They go for a business gala in Prague where a deal collapses unexpectedly, leading them to drink, which heightens the usual tension between them, exposing it as attraction. They end up sharing an explosive night together with Janice leaving before he wakes. They both convince themselves that it was mistake and act like it never happened. A month later, she finds out that she's pregnant and panics, realizing that she can't tell Ryder who will see it as a loss of his control. So she resigns with an excuse. Ryder is unbalanced by her resignation and is unbelieving of her excuse but he does nothing, letting her go. RISING ACTIONS: Janice moves to another city and gives birth to a boy named Theo, who Z is like the carbon copy of his father with her own mischievousness. She starts a small consulting firm and raises Theo on her own. When her biggest client is acquired by another company, she's called for a merger meeting and sees Ryder again after six years. The tension between them is higher than ever before. Janice is worried about what having to partner with Ryder would do in her life, and about him finding out about Theo. Initially, it's hard working with him but she quickly gets the hang of it and has to constantly remind herself that this time, she's her own manager and not his secretary. Ryder is just as icy and calculating as he'd always been but this time, he struggles with the deep seated desire to always be around Janice, realizing that he'd missed her presence in his life but he doesn't let himself admit that. He soon learns of Creed, a higher up police officer that has taken a liking to Janice and who Theo is familiar with(he hasn't learned of Theo yet). And he is jealous of the close relationship they both share and it worsens when he finds out that they had dated briefly. However, soon enough, Ryder meets with Theo in a chance encounter and discovers the secret Janice had worked so hard to keep hidden. He experiences a mix of emotions, but mainly disbelief, betrayal and hope. He is furious at her keeping him a secret and realizes that he now has leverage over her. Creed, who learns that the father of Theo is Ryder feels threatened in his place in Janice and Theo's life. Ryder confronts Janice and makes a brutal deal: 'Marry me for one year. Let me be in Theo's life. Or I'll destroy everything you've built.'Janice can glaringly see the ruthlessness she'd known Ryder for and she's determined to not let her son be in the midst of a man like that, so she stubbornly fights back. But she underestimates Ryder's ruthlessness. The next day, she loses her biggest clients and rumours circulate about her business. Her meager employees start resigning. And then she's faced with a legal battle against Ryder for Theo's custody. Creed wants her to hold out a bit, that they could still retain custody over Theo but Janice now knows better. She could never win against Ryder. With no choice, she agrees to the deal and signs the contract. A week later, she walks down the aisle to Ryder, feeling unbalanced and like she was walking into trouble. Ryder then moves Janice and Theo into his estate. Theo is untrusting of Ryder and refers to him as a stranger. Being forced to live under the same roof with each other is hell and all interactions are stilted and awkward. Still the tension between Ryder and Janice becomes stronger than ever. They frequently butt heads and one night, an argument explodes in which they realize that their sexual attraction hasn't dimmed at all despite all these years. But Janice is determined to not make the same mistake twice even though Ryder is ready to reignite what they shared that one night. Soon, the public learns of Theo. A woman named Claudia, comes forward, labeling Janice a gold digger who trapped Ryder in this sham of a marriage. Janice learns that Ryder and Claudia were engaged during the time that they had that one night stand in Prague and she's in disbelief. When she confronts him about it, Ryder stays stonily silent, making no effort to defend himself and her view of him worsens. Their clashes and frequent become more frequent and they're both so wound up. Janice worries about the environment and what it would do to Theo. Then one day, she and Ryder share an explosive kiss and they both let go of all pretenses and share a night together again. The next morning, Ryder is cold once more. Janice hates how much it hurts. Meanwhile, Theo and Ryder are both drawn to each other in a curious sort of way. Soon, they begin to spend some silent time together and Ryder begins to teach Theo how to play chess after Theo shows interest in it. Janice remains unaware of this. Janice soon learns of a hidden clause in the contract: if Theo shows familial bonding with Ryder when the one year mark is up, then Janice is required to stay married to Ryder as he exercises his full paternal rights, or she may leave, forfeiting shared custody of Theo with him. She feels betrayed and Ryder shows no remorse for his actions. Meanwhile, Claudia stalks Janice's life and learns of Creed. She plays into his desires and offers him a deal: he could get custody of Theo and have Janice in his life if damning evidence can be gotten on Ryder, enabling Creed to marry Janice after. Creed reaches out to Janice with this idea, but she's unwilling to go that far, a part of her still being attached to Ryder despite his insensitivity. When she gets involved in a car accident, she uses it as a means to initiate her plan of escape. She fakes amnesia, only remembering Theo. The doctors narrow it down to psychological trauma and Ryder believes this. Soon, she uses it as a way to try to break free from the marriage, making Ryder out to be a strange man and a danger to her and Theo. Ryder begins to show his vulnerable side to Janice, in the belief that she has truly lost her memories. He reveals the truth about he and Claudia's engagement: she'd tricked him into it and when he'd realized it, he'd called it off and that was after Janice left. He sees this opportunity as being granted a clean slate to start over and believes he can make her fall in love with him before the one year mark is up. Janice, who sees him start letting go, sees that there's another side to him. They get closer and Janice realizes that she has fallen for him. Ryder too, realizes he's done the same, which wasn't part of his plan. But he lets himself want Janice's affection and even starts going to therapy. Yet, Janice, who has been snooping around Ryder's office for evidence that could damn him(just in case of anything), finds out Ryder's plan to make her fall for him. Feeling too betrayed and heart broken, she decides to leave everything once and for all. She gets evidence against him, which Claudia planted, takes Theo and a few of their things and leaves. CLIMAX: Ryder comes home to discover them gone and Janice's letter and realizes that her amnesia was all a hoax. He's unsure how to feel and tries to act like them leaving doesn't bother him, but he finds out that it does. He's hurt and afraid and he becomes determined to stop them from leaving this time. Meanwhile, Janice meets with Creed with the evidence and realizes too late that he was in coalition with Claudia. She tries to leave but Claudia doesn't let her, revealing a set of gunmen she brought with her to take down Ryder when he comes after them. Janice believes he won't come after them like last time, but ends up being wrong when he shows up. Ryder is taken by Claudia and her men despite Janice's futile attempts to stop them. Janice feels incredibly betrayed by Creed and Creed, suffering from his own guilt and folly, employs the resources of the police to track down Claudia and rescue Ryder. When Theo asks Janice if 'Daddy is going to be okay', Janice breaks down, realizing how deeply she has fallen for Ryder and how he'd become a part of their lives regardless. Ryder's kidnap makes the news and soon, Claudia is traced and Ryder is successfully rescued. But Claudia makes a last second decision and shoots Ryder before she's disarmed and arrested. DENOUEMENT: Ryder is rushed to the hospital and undergoes life threatening surgery. It's very tricky but he manages to survive it. As he's recuperating, Janice and Creed have a talk where they agree to stay as friends and Creed shows remorse for his actions. After a week in coma, Ryder wakes up to Janice and Theo around his bedside. He is still infuriating as he'd always been but he confesses that he loves them and they return the sentiment. Fast forward to a year later, Ryder and Theo are seen seated on a balcony, playing chess, with Theo greatly improved. Janice joins them with her swollen tummy and shares a kiss with Ryder, watching them play. Ryder soon wins and Theo whines for another round which Ryder laughs and obliges to as the sun sets. The story ends on a sweet note.