Linda's world shatters in a single day when her parents and younger brother die in a tragic accident. But grief turns to fury when she catches Damien, her dad's best friend and the man she's secretly obsessed with, wrapped in a kiss with her cousin on the night of the funeral. Determined to escape him, she flees to a new university, cutting all ties. But Damien isn't just a ghost from her past-he's bound to her by her father's will. Now, he's her professor in college, but Linda refuses to be his obligation. She'll ruin him before he ruins her. Only Damien isn't just a man-he's something else. And he was never meant to let her go.
I always knew my sister disliked me, but it wasn't until my eighteenth birthday that I realized just how deep her bitterness truly went.
Dad, our only living parent, lavished me with gifts. Across the room, my sister brooded in the shadows, sulking like a spoiled brat.
But nothing could spoil my happiness. Especially when Dad confirmed his friend and the man of my dreams, Damien, would be attending my birthday.
"Dad, you're spoiling Linda too much,"Erica whined, her face scrunched up like she'd just bitten into a rotten lemon. "You didn't celebrate my eighteenth like this. You weren't even in town!"
I tuned her out immediately, because I've heard this jealous statement countless times. I picked up the short, black gown I'd been saving for tonight-the one that hugged every curve like a second skin and left just enough to the imagination. I glanced at my reflection, admiring the way it revealed the entire length of my back.
My phone buzzed. It was Damien's daughter, my best friend, confirming they were almost here.
Perfect.
My birthday was a cruel reminder of my mother's death as she'd died giving birth to me, and the anniversary always made this day hard. But for the first time, I was happy because Damien would be here.
Damien was many things to me: my dad's closest friend, my best friend's ridiculously attractive father, and my crush of the past two years.
From the day he and his daughter moved to town, he'd been the center of my attention-and pretty much everyone else's too. It was like he walked in with a spotlight attached, turning heads left and right.
Tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome, with that mysterious vibe. Every girl with a pulse practically drooled over him. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to notice me. No stolen glances, no casual smiles in my direction-nothing.
I was just another face in a crowd, and that stung more than I'd care to admit. The competition was fierce, and I was stuck on the sidelines. A classic case of one-sided love, and let me tell you, it sucked.
I'd picture him looking at me, actually seeing me, not just as his friend's daughter but as a woman who loved him. In my mind, he'd flash that roguish smile, call me by name in that deep voice, maybe even brush my hair behind my ear like they do in the movies. But nope-real life wasn't that generous.
No one knew about my feelings for Damien except my sister Erica, who had stubbornly read my journal. She threatened to report to Dad and I had to tone my obsession for Damien down.
"He's twenty years older than you, stupid. How are you not seeing that?"
Erica had no idea what it was like to be in love with someone you couldn't control your feelings for.
"All I want is for him to notice me as a woman, not a little girl."
"Are you out of your mind?" Erica bristled. "You're going to embarrass yourself, and when it blows up in your face, I'll be right there to tell you 'I told you so.' Mimi is your best friend. Do you honestly think she'll be okay with you dating her dad? If the roles were reversed, would you want her hooking up with our dad?"
I ignored Erica. She'd been riding the "I'm the older, wiser sister" wave for so long. But I was eighteen now, technically a full adult. What was so wrong with telling Damien how I felt? It wasn't like I was breaking some law by having a crush-especially one as serious as this.
And if he didn't like me back and ended up rejecting me, I'd live.
Sure, it might sting, but I could move on.
The party was in full swing, with music blaring and people dancing. My dad, ever the eccentric, was dancing around with my classmates, his long, scraggly hair flopping around his face like an old rock star.
Despite the fun atmosphere, I couldn't relax. I scanned the room, searching for Damien. He hadn't arrived yet, and without him, the whole party felt pointless.
The night dragged on. I kept my eyes glued to the driveway, waiting for that familiar black Range Rover to pull in.
After what felt like forever, Damien arrived. His daughter rushed ahead of him, excitedly holding a bag of gifts. She was saying something, but I barely heard her. All I could see was Damien, stepping out of his car with that same calm, commanding presence that made my heart race.
His shirt was unbuttoned at the top, revealing just enough of his muscular chest to make my head spin. He was like something out of a dream.
He caught my gaze and gave me a brief nod, his face as unreadable as ever.
"Happy birthday, Linda," he said, handing me a neatly wrapped gift. "I'm not great at picking out presents, but I hope this is something you'll like."
Our fingers brushed as I took the gift, and the contact sent a jolt through my body. I quickly opened it to find a beautifully illustrated encyclopedia about forests. I smiled, remembering how he used to humor me when I'd pester him with questions about his environmental research.
"Thank you," I whispered, trying not to let my voice shake. He gave me a small smile but quickly looked away when I adjusted my top.
Before I could say anything else, Mimi dragged me inside, completely oblivious to the moment I'd just shared with her dad.
"So, tonight's the night you finally get laid?" she teased, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "I mean, seriously, how are you still single with that hot body? Are the boys blind or what?"
I shrugged, glancing over at her dad as he made his way toward the art studio.
"I don't need a boy. I'm waiting for the right man," I said proudly, letting the words roll off my tongue like a mantra.
Because, seriously, who had time for the immature, clueless boys running around with no ambition beyond their next video game session? Boys were fine for passing time, but I wasn't here to play games.
No, I was holding out for someone like Damien, a man who walked into a room and made every head turn. Someone who knew who he was, who didn't need to prove anything.
Mimi wrinkled her nose. "You sound like you're straight out of one of those weird romance novels you're always reading."
I laughed it off, but my mind was elsewhere. All I could think about was finding Damien alone. My heart pounded with anticipation.
I slipped away when Mimi got distracted, searching the house for Damien. I found him in the studio, but my blood turned cold when I saw him. He wasn't alone.
Erica's hands were on his neck, and she was kissing his neck!
My heart dropped into my stomach.
"Erica!" I blurted out, my voice trembling with shock.
Both of them froze, turning to look at me. Erica's face went blank, but Damien's eyes were filled with guilt.
"No," I whispered, shaking my head in disbelief.
"Linda," Erica said, stepping toward me. "It's not what you think-"
I didn't wait for her to finish. I bolted upstairs, tears blurring my vision. I slammed my bedroom door shut and collapsed onto the floor, my heart shattering into pieces.
With shaking hands, I logged onto the college admissions website and accepted my spot at Brookstones University, far away from everything and everyone I'd ever known.
I needed to get out of here. Away from Erica. Away from Damien. Away from the broken pieces of my heart.
Marissa always knew something was wrong with her. She suffered endless rejection despite looking like she stepped out of a magazine. But at the annual festival, fate finally plays its hand. She locks eyes with Justin, the ruthless heir to the Lycan throne. Her mate and salvation. Or so she thinks. Rejection would be too easy. Instead, he does something far worse-he ignores the bond entirely, treating her like nothing more than a plaything at his mercy. But Marissa isn't the type to kneel. If her mate wants to act like a heartless bastard, she'll give him a reason to suffer. She'll unravel him, break past his stone-cold defenses, and make him regret ever underestimating her. If he wants a game, then he better be ready to lose.
"You can't deny it. Every time I touch you, I see the desire in your eyes. He stole you from me, and I'm taking you back," Alex's voice rumbled low, fingers grazing my skin like he owned every inch of me.Alexis's life spirals into a dangerous game of love, power, and betrayal when she uncovers that her husband's estranged twin brother is not only her mate but holds even deeper secrets; everything she thought she knew crumbles.With this forbidden temptation threatening to rip apart the Campbell legacy and the son she fought to protect, Alexis must choose love or remain in a loveless marriage.
At twenty-one, Iris is a mateless virgin-a dangerous taboo in her world. Desperate to escape humiliation, she flees and enters a fierce competition for the hand of Adonis, the Lycan King who the loss of his first wife had shattered. But Iris doesn't know that her father is responsible for Adonis' tragedy and that behind the Adonis charm lurks a man consumed by a dark, smoldering fire-one that could either spark a burning passion or burn her to ashes. Will this contest be her salvation or her downfall? "What we share isn't love," his voice purred against my ear, "It's madness-an addiction that will ruin us both. In life or death, you're forever mine."
After a devastating valentine's breakup, Miracle never expected to find herself caught in a web of deceit and desire. A mysterious stranger approached her with an offer she couldn't refuse. Three million dollars to be a fake girlfriend to his wealthy client, with one catch: falling in love with him disqualifies her from the deal. Skeptical at first, Miracle agrees to the arrangement, but she quickly realizes that it's not as simple as she thought. Especially when her client turns out to be the infamous Leonel Hamilton, a billionaire with a reputation for breaking hearts without mercy. As Miracle navigates the complexities of their fake relationship, she finds herself torn between her desire for money and her growing feelings for Leonel. But when some truths are revealed, she must decide if the contract is worth the risk or if the lure of money is too strong to resist. Read on to discover the rollercoaster of romance and deceit.
"You are my curse, my obsession, my addiction. How can I love you when you are so filthy, so wrong?" Kira lives in a world where omegas are despised and shunned by everyone. An Alpha's bond with an omega is instant rejection or worse still, death But fate has a cruel twist for Kira. She discovers that her mate is none other than Alpha D'Angelo, the most feared and ruthless alpha in the land. She knows he will either reject her or kill her without mercy. What she doesn't know is that he has other plans. Plans that would either make her wish she were dead, or maybe, a spark in the alpha's heart that would either save or consume her.
Stella Judd worked hard for her entire life, in return, she only got endless deception and oppression and died without dignity. However, she was reborn with time turning back. She vowed to never again let anyone who had bullied her get anything out of her. She got away from a very vicious family and got rich by her own hands. Nevertheless, she felt in love with a cripple. Although he was a cripple, Stella wanted to protect her husband and live in peace, but she didn't expect that her crippled husband suddenly turned into the distinguished Prime Minister! What's more, not only he was not lame anymore, but also he walked with her through life and death.
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"
6 years ago, Lydia suffered a brutal betrayal orchestrated by her own husband and step-sister, who drugged her and framed her. In a twist of fate, she ended up having a one-night stand with a stranger. Don't even remember what he looked like. Later, in the throes of death, she discovered the truth about her mother's death all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, she lost everything. 6 years later, Lydia returned with her genius son, vowing to exact revenge on all her enemies! Little did she know, she encountered an incredibly familiar man at the airport! *** The man was briskly pushing open the door to the restroom, heading to the urinal. Even with such a mundane action, he did it with unparalleled elegance and grace. Lydia, following him in a daze, saw his fierce lower body and suddenly snapped back to reality. She let out a high-pitched scream, instinctively covering her eyes with her hands, her cheeks flushed, and stood there stiffly, unsure of what to do. Lambert furrowed his brows slightly but remained calm as he continued to relieve himself. The sound of water hitting the urinal made Lydia's face even redder. She angrily shouted, "You pervert!" Little did Lydia know that Lambert, seeing her in this state, had a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Memories from many years ago flashed through his mind, and his heart couldn't help but stir. It was her!
I'm a Luna. After three years of marriage to Alpha Nathaniel Blackwood, I'm finally pregnant with his pup. But he's unclaimed me for his first love. I'm leaving the pack with this secret, praying he never finds out. Nathaniel Blackwood is a handsome, powerful Alpha. In a world where humans and werewolves coexist, he has it all: a billion-dollar empire, untold power, a massive pack, and, most importantly, the perfect Luna. But the return of his first love shattered our marriage. When he finds out the secret I've been hiding, will he regret rejecting me? Will I ever be able to forgive him? Dive into this gripping serialized novel to find out more-Enjoy the ride!
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"
June Rivera was divorced by her husband after three years of marriage because he wanted to be with her sister who was pregnant for him. Kicked to the curb with a divorce and rejected by her parents,she struggles to make ends meet and get a job until she saves Luis Ambrose from an accident - the only child of Rafael Ambrose, a widowed man and the CEO of Ambrose Corporation. When little Luis asks to have her as a nanny, and Rafael's mother pressures him to get married, they draw a contract. To be Luis's nanny and his fake wife for one year in exchange for 50 million dollars!