A runaway with nothing to lose. A powerful man with everything at stake. A fate neither saw coming. Sheila'Lning has spent her life running-from her past, from her captors, from the cruel hands that sought to claim her. But when a desperate escape lands her in the arms of Dean'Changli, a brooding businessman with a mysterious past and a baby in his care, her world takes an unexpected turn. Mistaken for a nanny, she seizes the chance for safety-only to realize she's stepped into a dangerous game of power, deception, and hidden enemies. Dean has no patience for complications, especially not ones wrapped in lies and defiance. But when an attempt on his life forces him and Sheila into the unknown, their survival depends on trust-something neither of them can afford. As secrets unravel and passions ignite, they find themselves bound by more than just circumstance. But danger is never far behind, and Sheila's past isn't the only one with unfinished business. In a world where loyalty is a rare commodity and betrayal lurks in the shadows, can they protect what truly matters before it's too late? Love. Power. Survival. Some bonds are written in starlight... and forged in fire
RUNNING FROM THE PAST
CHAPTER ONE
SHEILA'LNING
I ran without looking back as I dashed through the stuffed market square almost hitting a fruit seller's stall. "Look at where you are going!" the merchant screeched after me.
Ignoring the looks I got as I dart through the market place like a headless chicken, I pick clothing items from the stalls of fabric sellers haggling prices with their numerous customers. My stomach rumbled with hunger, reminding me it hadn't received any food for a few days now.
I slow down a bit as I looked around not knowing where to head to, a food seller parking her cart just at the skirt of the market draws my attention. I dip my hand into the pocket I had found stitched to the innards of my garment, fingers dancing along the coins I had managed to have stolen from Jules. It should be enough to get a decent noon meal, with that thought in mind I headed to the food seller's cart. The woman had been kind enough to offer me a pair of too tight shoes which I was thankful for.
From where I stood, I could see my new owner scrambling through the market looking for me in the aftermath of the brief but chaotic stampede that had occurred due to the mad dash everyone was engaged in to see the city's Mayor who had been sick.
I dash into the lane in front of the market skirt, following the lane for hours. As I advanced further from the market, I noticed the buildings looked much more spectacular than the ones I saw after the market skirt.
I slowed down my hurried pace to gaze around me. Since I had been taken from Ovale city, if I was not busy adapting to my newest master, I was too busy trying to survive each day I did not have all that time to sight see.
The part of town I was in had no stalls in them, just rows of neatly structured shops. In front of most shops various size and color of hovercars were parked indicating rich people were the ones who patronizes them.
I approached one of the shops, peeping into the place through the large side window. The place was painted an off-white color splashed at some places a dull yellow, both men and women mingled around the building. Confused as to what they are doing, I made a move to continue on my way.
A voice beside me stopped me by saying "Miss Genvre, I am sure I did not ask you to meet me here so that you can peep at the people inside the establishment". I turned my head to the owner of the voice, my throat swollen with a trapped scream.
The man before me was very tall considering my height, his eyes a mash between coin gold and champagne gold narrowed at me in irritation. "Excuse me?" I croaked out my eyes wide in fear.
"Are you not here for the Job?" he questioned, rising an eyebrow. His eyes ran a scan of my body before bouncing back to meet my gaze. "I am?" I said in reply not sure I wanted to deceive the man I was the person he was meant to meet here. Just then, a cry rings out in the air angrily.
The man before me swipes a hand down his face before heading to one of the hovercars parked, he yanks the handle to the passenger's door open pulling out a car seat in which a small bundle was residing in.
"Well are you just going to stand there?" the man says his angry gaze resting on me. On autopilot I collect the car seat from him, my hand trembling a bit. "We agree on a thousand zure coin, I take it?" he says before stalking into the weirdly colored shop.
I watched as he approached a group of older men on a circular platform who looked like they were few seconds from leaving. The bundle lets out another cry, snapping my focus back to the car seat in my hand, with slightly trembling hands I lift the satin material covering the car seat to reveal a baby who had its face screwed in preparation for another round of scream before it set it eyes on me. The baby and I engaged in a stare off before it actually dawned on me.
I was holding a baby and I was currently been employed as a nanny by a man I don't know who refers to me as miss Genvre. "Keffing shit!" I say as I stare wide eyed at the baby before I looked up into the shop to find where the baby's dad was.
I pushed the door to the shop to give back the baby and apologize for whatever keffing shit just went down outside. The baby's father got to me before I could attempt to look around for him. "Miss Genvre I would like to assume you know where the childcare center is located here" he says pinning me with his gaze as irritation with a splash of frustration flash through his eyes. "I think there is a mix up her-'' I was saying before he cuts in anger pouring off him in waves.
"Look, I really don't have time for this back and forth with you. If you did not want the job you would not have come here today, so just do your damn job'' he says tone cold and voice so low I could have sworn he was talking to himself and not me.
Just then the baby lets out another sharp cry, everyone in the shop went silent at that, eyes snapping to our direction. The baby's dad wrapped his hand around my arm, dragging me along with him to what I think is the childcare center. The room was empty as we stepped in, before I could say anything he left.
In a world where the supernatural has stepped out of the shadows, Clara is one of the few who stand between humankind and the deadly creatures lurking in plain sight. As an enforcer for the Guild, she's trained to keep Otherworld beings in check-but when she's assigned to steal the Dark Prince of the Fae's crown, she knows she's walking into a death trap. With secrets buried deep in her past and a thirst for vengeance against the Fae who murdered her family, Clara is prepared for danger-but nothing can prepare her for Ryan, the Dark Prince himself. Deadly, seductive, and impossibly powerful, he sees through her deception with a single touch. Now, bound by magic and caught in a web of betrayal, Clara must play a dangerous game of survival. As forbidden desires ignite and the lines between enemy and ally blur, Clara faces an impossible choice: betray the Guild, or surrender to the darkness calling her name. But in a world where power is everything, can she afford to lose herself to the most dangerous Fae of all?
Adrianna Banner doesn't do love-at least, not anymore. After a string of heartbreaks, she's sworn off relationships, opting for uncomplicated fun instead. But when a weekend getaway at Ransom Canyon throws her back into the orbit of Jackson Dune-the one man who burned her the most-Adrianna is forced to face the fire she thought she'd extinguished. Jackson has never been the settling-down type. A whiskey-fueled bad boy with a past as reckless as his charm, he's always lived life on the edge. But seeing Adrianna again reminds him of everything he lost...and everything he still craves. Between old wounds, undeniable chemistry, and a family drama that could shake them both, Adrianna and Jackson are playing with fire. And this time, one of them might get burned for good.
Joanna never imagined that a desperate job interview would lead to a whirlwind of unexpected opportunities-and complications. Hired as a personal assistant to the enigmatic billionaire Zac Cross, she quickly learns that working for him means navigating not just high-stakes business but also undeniable chemistry. But Zac isn't looking for help, and Joanna isn't looking for trouble. As their worlds collide, will they be each other's downfall-or their greatest chance at something real?
Allison fell in love with Ethan Iversen, the soon-to-be Alpha of the Moonlight Crown pack. She always wanted him to notice her. Meanwhile, Ethan was an arrogant Alpha who thought a weak Omega could not be his companion. Ethan's cousin, Ryan Iversen, who came back from abroad and was the actual heir of the pack, never tried to get the position nor did he show any interest in it. He was a popular playboy Alpha but when he came back to the pack, one thing captured his eyes and that was Allison.
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, “Either you or the baby survives!” Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, “I’m sorry, men no longer interest me.”
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."
Elisa watched as the most important people in her life showered the evil imposter-The fake heiress, with love. Elisa, the lost daughter of one of the most wealthiest family was found 18 years later and was brought back to her rightful home. However, someone had already taken her place. A fake heiress, the pampered little princess. Her coy acting and innocent façade made Elisa's real mother love her more than Elisa, her real daughter. That made Elisa, though, the true daughter end up as an adopted child. "Elisa, could you try not to appear in front of her too much as it could trigger her insecurities." Her parents had told her because of the fake heiress. "Elisa, You've taken everything away from her. Why can't you give her a little more?" Her fiancé had ordered her. Because of an unfortunate accident plotted by Isabelle-The fake heiress, Elisa was sent to prison and her family cut ties with her without a second thought. Four years, after much torture which led to her being crippled and blind on one eye, she was released, but got hit by a truck. While laying on the pool of her blood, she wanted to question, Why? Why had they all treated her so cruelly, while they love Isabelle unconditionally? She badly wanted to rip off Isabelle's mask of innocence, to reveal the fake, manipulative woman beneath. She was full of hatred. But after her death, she woke up back to when she was 18 years like all that happened were all nightmare. She was elated. She was reborn to re-live all that had happened in her last life, but now, her mission was to reveal mask beneath that woman and make everyone that made her suffer in her past life pay. It was her time for revenge! And definitely, she won't mess this up!