Summary.

In 1898, a young girl named Vanetta James finds her world shattered when her mother dies suddenly from yellow fever. At just sixteen years old, Vanetta is left in the care of her cruel stepfather, Marshall Fletcher. Grief-stricken and vulnerable, she soon finds herself the target of inappropriate behavior from Marshall, who wastes no time remarrying after her mother's death. His new wife, Nadine, makes it clear that she sees Vanetta as a threat to her new marriage and immediately begins to mistreat her.

Unable to tolerate Vanetta’s presence, Nadine hatches a plan to rid herself of the young girl. After a particularly brutal night of abuse, Vanetta is sold to Nadine’s mentally unstable cousin, Jackson Porter. Jackson, a wealthy landowner, is the founder of Porter Homestead, a freed settlement in South Carolina. Located on the Beaufort, Port Royal, and Sea Islands, Porter Homestead is home to the largest Geechee community in the Southeast.

It is here, on this land, that the origins of the Porter family an influential Black mafia family begin. Vanetta is traded as a bargaining piece by her stepmother to preserve her marriage, but this sacrifice will test Vanetta’s resilience in unimaginable ways. Will she be strong enough to endure the hardships ahead and rise above the darkness of her past?

This is the story of Vanetta, Phillip Sr.’s grandmother, whose strength and determination paved the way for the powerful legacy of the Porters.

The Contractual Marriage is a contemporary romance novel that delves into themes of power dynamics, emotional manipulation, and the complexities of relationships forged out of necessity. The story follows Victoria Porter, a woman from a wealthy family who finds herself entangled in a marriage contract with Tracy McFields, a self-made billionaire with a tumultuous past.

Tracy, having risen from humble beginnings, is determined to solidify his status and control over his life and those around him. His marriage to Victoria is not born out of love but as a strategic move to assert dominance and secure his position. Victoria, while initially resistant, agrees to the arrangement, hoping to protect her family and maintain some semblance of autonomy.

As the narrative unfolds, the couple navigates the intricacies of their contractual relationship, facing challenges that test their boundaries and force them to confront their own desires and limitations. The novel explores the tension between personal ambition and emotional connection, highlighting the complexities of power and control within intimate relationships.

Through its portrayal of a marriage built on a contract rather than love, The Contractual Marriage offers a compelling examination of the human condition, examining how individuals negotiate their needs, desires, and identities within the confines of societal expectations and personal ambitions.

The story of Phillip Sr’s father Darius Porter and his father Jackson Porter. After fleeing their homestead in South Carolina from he Geechee community they migrated to Harlem, NY to join Jackson’s crime boss father Prentiss Jackson.

1st book of the porter series continued from the Union of Sovereigns.