David Engelmann, born in 1946, from a German Jewish family that was rescued from The Holocaust, brought to Illinois, USA, and given a small farm, by some relatives that had been settled in the United States for over twenty years. Growing up, David realized he didn't want to be a farmboy. He knew exactly what he wanted out of life. He knew he'd have to leave the farm, headed into an unknown world, and work hard, in order to achieve his dreams. And he was ready to face the difficulties that might appear in his way-being the first one: the resistance represented by Mika, his overprotective mother, who was absolutely against her son leaving the farm, on his own, for some uncertain fate. And she'd do everything in her power, in order to prevent it. Fortunately, he had on his side people who believed in him, including Ettel, his father. Until he was old enough to be on his own, he'd have his own little 'war' to fight, aided by his own 'allies'. What would be the outcome of it? Which side would win? If the 'allies' came out victorious, would David really be free and able to leave his place and start anew? Or would he leave just to fight a new war?
When does the history of someone start? When the person is born? Nope. Neither it only goes back to when their parents met. It goes as far back as all the involved ones can remember, considering what they actually know about their own history.
This one will take us back to 1946. That's when David Engelmann, son of Ettel and Mika Engelmann, was born, in a small town in Illinois – U.S.A., where his parents owned a small farm, where his brothers and he, starting at age 7, were put to labor from the time they got home from school almost until supper time.
Both Ettel and Mika were German – Mika was half Japanese – immigrants of Jewish heritage, saved from The Holocaust by the Allies, then brought to the U.S., where they already had family, German farmers, who had immigrated there over twenty years before them. They had already taken in Ettel and Mika's oldest child, in 1939. So, Ettel, Mika and another child, a four-year-old son, who was living in Belgium with a friendly Dutch family, during World War II, were also taken in and given a piece of land, where they could start anew.
Growing up, David realized he didn't want to be a farmboy, though. He didn't have that in him. Even though he loved nature, he didn't want to spend his whole life doing the same things, every day, over and over. He had dreams, goals that he wanted to achieve. First of all, he wanted to be free to go, do and be wherever, whatever and however he pleased. He dreamed of getting to know new places, new cultures, learning new languages. He wanted to study and learn lots of stuff. He wanted to make money, so he could buy a car to travel around the country, and even a house of his own, preferably in a beach state, since he really loved the ocean. Maybe he could even travel around the world. But he knew he'd have to get way out of his so-called comfort zone and work hard, if he wanted those dreams to become reality.
David's parents were no picnic. Especially his mother, who was very strict. His father was a bit rough around the edges, but was more easygoing, in general.
As soon as Mika had heard of David's plans of leaving the farm for some uncertain fate, she had convinced her husband to suspend the boy's allowance, so that he couldn't possibly manage to afford leaving.
Ettel made the boys work so much and so hard, but he was open to the idea of his kids leaving the farm and trying to make a life of their own, when they were grown and seemed smart enough to take care of themselves – and he was even willing to help them, financially, whenever that time came.
On the other hand, Mika saw that idea as utter ungratefulness and stupidity, and was not about to allow anyone to go anywhere, until they got married and could afford more than just to make ends meet. Because she hadn't carried those children in her womb for over forty weeks just to let them go unnecessarily struggling and stumbling their ways through life.
"But that's what living is all about, Ma. We live and we learn through experience, like when the mother birds push their little ones off the nest, so they can learn how to fly, you know," said David, while his mother was sitting at the breakfast table, in the kitchen, looking rather annoyed, and he was calmly cooking his own toasts, bacon and scrambled eggs.
For a boy his age, he was pretty decent at cooking. Well, that's the least one would expect from a person who wants to go live on their own.
Everyone else had already eaten, except for David. He was exceptionally allowed to wake up later than his siblings, that morning, because he had to stay up late, the night before, to finish an assignment for school. He was supposed to hand it in on the previous day, but he wasn't able to finish it on time, since labor had been even more time-consuming than usual, that whole week. So, Ettel went along with David to school, explained what had happened, apologized to the teacher, on his son's behalf, and promised that it wouldn't happen again. Then the teacher, Miss Fletcher, gave David permission to come by her house and hand the paper in on the next day, a Saturday.
After the Holocaust, Ettel and Mika were so traumatized, that they had decided to drop or adapt most of their Jewish customs, fearing they might suffer more discrimination, even in the land of the free, the United States, their new home. Therefore, since Sunday is the seventh day of the week, in the United States, they decided Shabbat would now be observed on Sundays, instead. They also decided to end their restriction on the consumption of pork, since it was what most gave them away as Jews. Ending the abstinence didn't mean they'd have to disregard the principle behind it, in their hearts.
"Did you just hear this boy, Ettel? Don't you wonder how he comes up with such crazy ideas? If I were the type who likes bets, I would bet you that he's learned such nonsense at school. From his colleagues, probably, because I don't believe the teachers would be absurd and incite kids to recklessly run away from their homes," Mika blurted, while pouring herself some coffee into hot milk she had previously reserved in a brown porcelain mug.
"Well, where's the nonsense in it? I didn't hear any. It's actually quite mature and admirable, if you ask me. And it is not running away. Don't you think you're overreacting a little?"
After Ettel's response, Mika carefully laid her mug back down on the table and glowered at him, leaning in towards him.
"How am I overreacting, now, Ettel? If it's not running away, what do you call it? And, please, do explain to me how his reckless plans sound admirable to you. And mature?? He's only twelve years old. Twelve, for crying out loud!"
"I'm not going to leave at my current age, Mom. I want to finish school, first. So, I'll see if I can hold on until then."
The other two boys were already outside, taking care of their chores. Otto, the oldest, was trying to pull Johann, the youngest, off the window he was eavesdropping from. David noticed it and shooed Johann off with a hand gesture.
"Be quiet, boy! I was talking to your father, not to you. And, no, you are not going anywhere. Do you hear me?"
"My point, exactly. He's only twelve, but his mentality and maturity are far above what's expected of a kid his age. And what he said makes sense. How can someone learn how to live, without going through things in their lives? How do kids learn how to walk?" Ettel replied, avoiding Mika's glare.
"There's a big difference between those situations you're trying to compare. When kids are learning how to walk, we are there to prevent them from hurting themselves."
"But not the whole time. We can't possibly be there the entire time, to prevent them from falling down, can we? They will stumble and they will fall, and that's okay, because that's how they will learn how to get back on their feet and keep trying to walk, and eventually they will be walking on their own. We cannot protect them from everything, Mika."
'Exactly! Wow, I love you, Pops,' David thought, while picking up his toasts, placing them on his plate and trying to lose his grin, before turning around and heading to the table. 'Why can't you be at least a bit as understanding as he is, Ma? I don't get why you make such a big deal out of it.'
"Ettel, if I'm not watching my kids, and they twist an ankle, while learning how to walk, that'll be my fault. Period."
"Well, we'll have plenty of time to discuss the matter, later. Alright? For now, let the kid eat in peace." He winked and smiled at her.
"You coddle him too much, you know? That's another thing for us to discuss, later on."
"Ok, sweetheart. It's gonna be a long talk, then. Well, I'm gonna check on the boys." Ettel got up from the table, picked up his hat from the coat hanger and headed out the backdoor. "Dave, as soon as you're back from Ms. Fletcher's, come help me and Johann shear the sheep. Try to not get distracted and forget all about it, on your way back."
"Yes, sir!" David got up and responded, then sat back down, after his father left.
"I've warned you from the beginning. Don't marry him, but you won't listen." She stood close to me and smiled with concern. "You are not a woman worthy of a man as handsome, rich, smart, and virile as Blaze." My whole body trembled at her words. "Have you no shame?" I asked in a quivering voice. "Take a good look at yourself, Heather." She looked at me in the mirror. "You can't even look at your ugly face. Do you think Blaze can endure a lifetime of looking at that face?" Heather Bailey had a surprise from her husband that night: a divorce agreement. After a year of marriage and facing ups and downs, she couldn't believe Blaze intended to divorce her. But she was devastated when she saw him gazing lovingly at another woman because that person was closest to her. Shortly after she put her signature on their divorce papers, shock waves caught her up. Her flower shop was severely burnt, beyond repair. Her father's company collapsed, and her parents blamed her. She struggled to rebuild her life from the ground up and became more successful than ever. Having many customers who came from influential families, she started her action against Blaze. She won the very thing he wanted. But that was just the beginning.
Warning! Mature Contents! ***Excerpt*** "You belong to me, Sheila. I alone am capable of making you feel this way. Your moans and body belong to me. Your soul and your body are all mine!" *** Alpha Killian Reid, the most dreaded Alpha in all of the North, wealthy, powerful and widely feared in the supernatural world, was the envy of all other packs. He was thought to have it all... power, fame, wealth and favour from the moon goddess, little was it known to his rivals that he has been under a curse, which has been kept a secret for so many years, and only the one with the gift of the moon goddess can lift the curse. Sheila, the daughter of Alpha Lucius who was an arch enemy to Killian, had grown up with so much hatred, detest and maltreatment from her father. She was the fated mate to Alpha Killian. He refused to reject her, yet he loathed her and treated her poorly, because he was in love with another woman, Thea. But one of these two women was the cure to his curse, while the other was an enemy within. How would he find out? Let's find out in this heart racing piece, filled with suspense, steamy romance and betrayal.
She thought she was the love of his life, and he became the love of her life that fateful day she had seen him at the pack's party. Selene Grace was only a replica of Alpha Leo's real mate, and when he spotted her, Leo immediately claimed her as his Luna in order to suppress the rumors of him being mateless. Being unable to conceive turns Selene's marriage into a nightmare, and as if that wasn't enough, Alpha Leo finally reunites with his long time lover and mate, rejecting a pregnant Selene as a result. 5 years later, Selene, a now successful doctor, receives an invitation to the moon shadow pack in order to rid the pack of a deadly disease which has struck it. Will Selene return back to the pack which had caused her so much pain, and what would she do when she realizes that she is mated to the Alpha who had betrayed her in the past?
Once upon a time, there were two kingdoms once at peace. The kingdom of Salem and the kingdom of Mombana... Until the day, the king of Mombana passed away and a new monarch took over, Prince Cone. Prince Cone, has always been hungry for more power and more and more. After his coronation, he attacked Salem. The attack was so unexpected, Salem never prepared for it. They were caught off guard. The king and Queen was killed, the prince was taken into slavery. The people of Salem that survived the war was enslaved, their land taken from them. Their women were made sex slaves. They lost everything, including their land. Evil befall the land of Salem in form of Prince Cone, and the prince of Salem in his slavery was filled with so much rage. The prince of Salem, Prince Lucien swore revenge. 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳 Ten years later, thirty-years old Lucien and his people raided a coup and escaped slavery. They went into hiding and recuperated. They trained day and night under the leadership of the fearless and cold Lucien who was driven with everything in him to get back their land, and take Mombana land too. It took them five years before they ambushed and attacked Mombana. They killed Prince Cone and reclaimed everything. As they screamed out their victory, Lucien's eyes found and pinned the proud princess of Mombana. Princess Danika. The daughter of Prince Cone. As Lucien stared at her with the coldest eyes anyone can ever possess, he felt victory for the first time. He walked to the princess with the slave collar he'd won for ten years rattling in his hand as he walked. He reached close to her and with a swift movement, he collared her neck. Then, he tilted her chin up, staring into the bluest eyes and the most beautiful face ever created, he gave her a cold smile. "You are my acquisition. My slave. My sex slave. My property. I will pay you in spades, everything you and your father ever did to me and my people." He stated curtly. Pure hatred, coldness and victory was the only emotion on his face. .
Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!
On their wedding night, Rogelio wrapped his fingers around Marian's neck and spat at her, "Congratulations! From now on, you live in hell!" The reason for his wrath was that he believed she was responsible for the death of his elder brother. So, he married her but refused to touch her, determined to make her suffer for the rest of her pitiful life! However, due to an unforeseen accident, Marian was forced to sleep with Rogelio in order to save him, and she ended up getting pregnant. Concealing her pregnancy, Marian lived cautiously under Rogelio's watchful eyes. He hated her and relentlessly humiliated her, yet he would never allow anyone else to lay a finger on her— "Mr. Bailey, your wife got into a fight with someone!" Rogelio secretly took action, eliminating that person completely. "Sir, your wife claimed that all of your family's wealth belongs to her!" Rogelio quietly transferred all the shares to her. Unaware of all this, Marian only wanted to escape, but Rogelio pulled her into his warm embrace, whispering, "Mrs. Bailey, where do you intend to go with our unborn child?"