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Jayce Smith randomly meets Evelyn Thomas, who is hiding her identity. After her secret is exposed, he forces her to stay with him. They engage in a battle of wits and courage: Evelyn defies the world, and Jayce vows to spoil her. They are close but each has their own secrets. As the internal struggle of a family gradually comes to light, their unwanted pasts are also revealed. From a small town to New York, from New York to Singapore, they move from fighting each other to becoming friends, ultimately winning the final match-a grand gamble!
Evelyn Thomas was sitting behind the counter reading the newspaper when the casino door was pushed open, allowing a bone-chilling wind to quickly fill the room. An unlucky patron, enraged, roared towards the outside, but upon seeing that the new arrival was Norman, the patron mumbled something under his breath and pretended to continue feeling his cards, no longer daring to shout.
Norman owned a service company that mainly handled 'security', turning protection fees into protection services. Everything seemed legal, and no one in the Tumessa area dared to cross him.
Today was New Year's Eve. The locals had finished their reunion dinners and, with nothing else to do, habitually came to indulge their gambling cravings. Norman also came to scratch his gambling itch. Upon entering, he fixed his gaze on the young woman behind the counter engrossed in her newspaper, smiling as he signaled his men to keep quiet. He took a few steps toward the counter, stretching his arm forward. Just as his fingers were about to touch the girl's cheek, the newspaper in front of her rustled, blocking his hand.
Only then did Evelyn look up, unsurprised, and smile, "Liam, you've arrived. Shall I open a table for you?"
Inside the casino, unlike the snowy world outside, the air conditioning units maintained at twenty-nine degrees Celsius the temperature. Smoke swirled around the card tables, casting a faint peach-colored hue on Evelyn's face. Her long black hair partially covered her collarbones, giving off a lazy and casual vibe. She wore a loose V-neck shirt, indifferent to the snowy conditions outside.
Norman felt his addiction growing stronger. He retracted his hand and, to avoid losing face in front of his men, jokingly said, "Open a table? Will you play with me?"
Evelyn chuckled softly, "Sadly, I've been working here for months and still haven't learned to play French-suited cards."
Evelyn had arrived in Tumessa at the end of summer. The casino was short-staffed and had just posted a job opening when she applied. Norman, not sitting in the private room, had Evelyn set up a table for him near the air conditioner. A television on the wall played a New Year's comedy show. This was the best spot, and Norman was pleased. He asked Evelyn, "A young girl like you, working on New Year's, doesn't your family say anything? Oh, right, where are you from?"
Evelyn poured tea into the cups and served them to the four men, smiling, "Working on New Year's means more bonuses; no one says no to money."
Norman liked money and enjoyed hearing such words, forgetting Evelyn's evasive answer. He then persuaded her to join his service company, offering top-notch salary and benefits. As he spoke, his phone rang inconveniently. Norman answered it angrily, but upon hearing the voice, he jumped up, nearly knocking his chair over. Not knowing who was on the other end, he rarely lowered his head so submissively, said a few words, and hurried out. Evelyn continued to smile as she poured tea for another table.
Norman stepped outside, shivering in the cold, his breath forming into clouds. This year, the city was unimaginably cold.
He was a bit annoyed. "What to do? Didn't they say it would be next week? Why are they here today?"
He walked a few steps, then remembered he should wait until the ignorant men left before rushing to the entrance of Tumessa. Standing in the icy wind for five minutes, he finally saw car lights in the distance and quickly approached, smiling obsequiously as he got into the first car, asking, "Boss, is your boss in the car behind?"
Nathan Lee, sitting alone in the car, glanced at him and said, "Lead the way!" Not another word was spoken. Norman cursed inwardly but kept his face pleasant, leading the way with two curtain-covered cars following closely behind.
Tumessa was remote, untouched by economic planning, with its architecture unchanged for decades. Rows of houses along the river were abandoned, with shops and residences mixed. Despite a significant population, property prices remained low, with no interest from buyers. The streets became wider and houses sparser as they went further, with no streetlights and silence all around. Finally, they arrived. The cars stopped outside a wall. Norman jumped out and opened the gate. A courtyard lit by bright lights revealed an ancient three-story building with white walls and black tiles, featuring a large open balcony on the third floor and a dense tree growing above it, its survival a mystery.
Norman welcomed all the curtain-covered cars into the small courtyard, which soon became crowded. He glanced at the cars while saying to Nathan, "I didn't know you were coming today. The house has been cleaned, and the furniture replaced, but the courtyard hasn't been tidied yet."
As he spoke, two men got out of the third car-one wearing glasses with a refined face, the other short and ordinary-looking. Norman wondered which one was the 'boss' until he saw the driver of the second car get out, slightly bowing as he opened the back door.
A shiny black leather shoe stepped out, followed by long trousers. Half a face appeared, clad in a black overcoat of fine material, with sharp lines. The figure stood tall, adjusting his coat. His powerful frame, tightly pressed lips, and prominent nose were immediately noticeable. As he straightened up, he slightly adjusted his coat and his towering figure loomed, with a sharp gaze sweeping past the dumbfounded Norman. He showed no expression, but his presence was imposing. Norman dared not look directly at him, quickly smiling ingratiatingly but nervously fumbling with the lock.
Nathan had inspected the place from top to bottom, carefully checking the main bedroom on the second floor. Finally, he felt satisfied as he found the bed linens and bedding neatly arranged in the wardrobe, free from any dust. Cutting off Norman's continuous chatter, Nathan said, "General Manager Smith likes peace and quiet. Your men are unnecessary, and keep this quiet!"
Norman said, "I know, I know. That's why I didn't let the guys follow me here. If there's anything else you need, just let me know, and I'll bring it tomorrow!"
As they descended the stairs, the man with glasses was fiddling with the TV, and the short man emerged from the kitchen, saying, "There's no food, so I just boiled some water!"
Nathan looked at Norman. "Do you have anything to eat?"
Her parents had passed away. It was a day when she was twelve years old. Her parents died, and she was about to be killed by shapeshifters. Daenerys was terrified. Her eyes welled up with tears, but they also gleamed with hatred as she looked at them. 'Go to hell!' The moonlight bathed their claws, a silver light flashing in Daenerys's pupils. But she wasn't afraid. Faced with death, her gaze didn't waver; it was filled only with hatred. Just before the moment of life and death, a loud noise suddenly rang out. He appeared like a guardian angel. Each step he took made the moonlight retreat. He approached and saved her. He was the Alpha of the Black Wolf pack. He took Daenerys home, raised her, and cared for her in silence. But she was very afraid of him because this uncle Austin always had the look of 'the Grim Reaper.' Originally, they had an uncle and niece-in-law relationship, but in truth, he wanted more. Will this girl realize his feelings and accept them or not?
Is it true that touching love, playing with it, will burn and hurt, and the only person who gets hurt is yourself? Chloe once lost a daughter, but fate brought her back to meet her child again, which led to entanglement with the man she had secretly loved for many years. But he still despised her, just like in the past. One day, the man coldly said, "Chloe, let's get married. Stop wasting your efforts seducing other men. I can give you what you want."
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
"Who is she?" I asked, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "He met her at the Alpha training camp," he said. "She is a perfect suitor for him. It snowed last night, indicating that his wolf is happy with his choice." My heart sank, and tears made their way down my cheeks. Alexander took my innocence last night, and now he is taking that thing in his office as his Luna. **** Emily never shifted on her 18th birthday and became the laughingstock of the pack. When her old crush, Alexander Black, returns from Alpha Training, she never expected him to be her mate. After a night of passionate love, Emily finds out that young Alpha Alexander has taken a chosen mate. Heartbroken and humiliated, Emily runs off and disappears from the pack. Now, five years later, Emily is a high-ranking warrior in King Alpha's army, specializing in sensitive matters. When her best friend invites her to a night of music and laughter, she never expects to run into her mate, Alexander. Will Alexander figure out it is Emily? Will he chase after her, and most of all, will Emily be able to keep her secrets safe?
Rumors claimed that Fernanda, newly back with her family, was nothing more than a violent country bumpkin. Fernanda just flashed a casual, dismissive grin in response. Another rumorĀ suggested that the usually rational Cristian had lost all sense, madly in love with Fernanda. This frustrated her. She could tolerate gossip about herself, but slander against her beloved crossed the line! Gradually, as Fernanda's multiple identities as a celebrated designer, a savvy gamer, an acclaimed painter, and a successful business magnate came to light, everyone realized they were the ones who had been fooled.
Mia's life is spiraling out of control. Abandoned by her mother, bullied mercilessly at school, and thrown into a household of four dangerously attractive stepbrothers, she's desperate to find her footing. "You look absolutely edible," Sean growled, his eyes devouring her. Mia felt a rush of heat between her thighs "Oh, you think so?" she purred, turning to face him. She reached out and traced her fingers along the ribbon that wrapped around his waist. "Well, I've been waiting for this all day. And I'm starving." Sean's smile grew into a predatory grin. "Then let us feast," he said, and in a flash, the ribbon fell away, exposing his rock-hard length. He stepped closer, and Mia felt the warmth of his breath on her face as he whispered, "You're going to take every inch of us tonight, aren't you?" With Rolex's teasing smirk and Sean's quiet, hot stares, Mia doesn't know where to turn-or who to trust. Every glance, every touch leaves her breathless, confused, and craving more than she should. Will Mia survive their games, or will she lose herself in a dangerous world of secrets, seduction, and forbidden desire? One house. Four brothers. Endless temptation.
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it allāfrom standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didnāt return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachelās terminal illness and realized she didnāt have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."