Seventeen-year-old Elena Romano has spent her life staying out of trouble. Growing up in the shadows of a powerful mafia family, she knows the rules: keep your head down, don't ask questions, and never get involved. But when she accidentally overhears a secret she was never meant to know, she becomes a target. Luca DeLuca is the heir to one of the most feared crime families in the city. Cold, untouchable, and dangerous, he doesn't believe in love-only loyalty and power. But when Elena's life is put in jeopardy, he makes a risky choice: to protect her. Thrown into a world she swore to avoid, Elena doesn't know who to trust-especially not Luca, whose reputation is built on deception. Yet, the more time she spends with him, the more she realizes that beneath his icy exterior, there's something even more dangerous than his enemies... his heart. But in a world where alliances shift like shadows and betrayal is just a heartbeat away, Elena will have to decide: walk away before it's too late, or risk everything for the boy she was never supposed to love.
The dim glow of the bar's neon lights flickered as Elena Vasquez wiped down the counter, exhaustion settling deep into her bones. The place was nearly empty, save for a few stragglers nursing their drinks. She glanced at the clock-just past midnight. Another long shift, another night of barely scraping by.
Then the door slammed open.
Elena's heart jumped as two men in black suits strode inside, their presence suffocating. They moved with a quiet menace, their eyes scanning the room before locking onto her.
"Elena Vasquez?" one of them asked.
Her grip on the rag tightened. She didn't need to ask who they were-she already knew.
"I-I think you have the wrong person," she stammered, stepping back.
The taller of the two men smirked. "No, sweetheart, we don't." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small black notebook. Flipping it open, he read aloud, "Luis Vasquez. Twenty-six years old. Gambler. Druggie. And as of last week, owes the Castellano family fifty grand."
Elena's stomach twisted into knots. Luis. Her brother.
She had tried so hard to keep him out of trouble, to protect him from the streets that had swallowed so many others. But once again, he had made a reckless choice-one that now had deadly consequences.
"I don't have that kind of money," she said, voice shaking.
The second man, Matteo, leaned against the bar, his dark eyes unwavering. "We know. That's why the boss wants to see you."
"The boss?" she whispered.
The Castellanos were the most feared mafia family in the city. Their name alone sent shivers down spines. And at the top of their empire was Luca Castellano-the heir, the king of the underworld, and a man rumored to be as ruthless as he was untouchable.
Elena shook her head. "I'll talk to my brother-"
"Your brother is gone," Matteo cut in. "Disappeared. Probably running. That means his debt falls on you now ."
Her heart pounded. This couldn't be happening.
"Come quietly, Elena," the taller man warned. "Or we drag you there. Either way, you're seeing Luca tonight."
Elena took a shaky breath. She didn't have a choice.
As the men led her out of the bar and into the black SUV waiting outside, one thought echoed in her mind.
She was walking into the lion's den.
In the heart of the African savannah lies the village of Ndomo, where Amina, a young girl with a mysterious heritage, discovers an ancient artifact linked to her ancestors' forgotten power. The artifact, long buried in the earth, holds immense energy capable of shaping the future of her people and the land itself. As Amina comes to understand her connection to this force, she is torn between embracing its power to protect her village or resisting its dangerous influence, knowing that the same power led to the fall of her ancestors. Amina's journey is fraught with internal and external conflicts, as rival clans seek the artifact to control the land, and Amina grapples with the temptation to wield its strength. Betrayal, self-doubt, and the weight of legacy shadow her every step. The artifact's power, a force that once corrupted and destroyed her ancestors, now seeks to possess her, forcing Amina to make choices that will define her future-and the future of Ndomo. As the darkness returns, Amina must confront not only the external threats that endanger her people but also the dangerous pull of the artifact within her. The line between good and evil blurs as she faces the ultimate question: can she control the artifact's power, or will it consume her like it did those before her? With a suspenseful cliffhanger, the novel explores themes of identity, the burden of legacy, the corrupting influence of power, and the courage to make difficult choices for the greater good.
This story is about a young lady coming from an average to almost a poor background. How would she pay her fees, what will also happen in her love life would she end up with her crush or will she get married to someone else? Find out.
The story is about the king who was looking for a wife but later saw but she was accused of poisoning him did he later marry her?? He had a daughter was she really his daughter? Did his wife have an affair was there a conspiracy find out
She was a diamond covered by ashes.... King Dakota was known as the most Powerful Alpha King of all times - more powerful than any other King that had ruled from his lineage. He was cold hearted, introverted and dangerous in anger. Cursed by the Moon goddess, King Dakota had to get married to three wives all in search of a male child that would become his heir, but it was impossible as the curse would only let his wives bear she -wolves. But on a different day, the King meets a lady who offends him and as a punishment, he took her home as his fourth wife. Her name was Shilah. Shilah was a powerless wolf and as a result, was disregarded and intimidated by all. But, when she begins to do things that the King had never felt for years, he began to wonder who she really was. Slowly, she crawled her way into his icy heart and turned out to be something nobody ever expected - a storm.
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
Eveline married Shane, an obstetrician, at the age of 24. Two years later, when she was five months pregnant, Shane aborted the baby himself and proceeded to divorce her. It was during these dark times that Eveline met Derek. He treated her tenderly and gave her warmth like she had never known before. He also caused her the greatest pain she ever had to endure. Eveline only grew stronger after everything she experienced, but would she be able to bear the truth when it was finally revealed? Who was Derek behind his charismatic facade? And what would Eveline do once she found out the answer?
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
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!