The only thing SALLY BRUSSEL could recall after a wild club party was being pushed to bed by a handsome demi Greek god. She rose up to see a tiny streak of blood on the bed. Then it dawned on her, that she had just lost her pride - her dignity as a woman. Disheveled and disoriented, she searched the whole room for a trace of the man who had defiled her but he had left already leaving no traces behind. With bitterness in her heart, she leaves the place with a promise to never forgive the man. She concluded that all men were scum and vowed to never have anything with a man. TWELVE YEARS LATER.... Her path crosses with a man whom she considers ungrateful and stern. A fiery love kindles between them. Their love is threatened when a deep secret is discovered. What would they do? Stay together or break apart?
SALLY
I just ended an hour and forty-five seconds call with Dad and Morgan. I can't help but smile broadly as I recall her chatty voice.
Morgan is the result of the one-night wild party I attended thirteen years ago. I threw my phone into my bag as I got into my old convertible, a second-hand model.
I cranked the engine, and it gave one loud, smoky sound before finally gliding down the dusty path. My life in the past thirteen years has been nothing short of goodness. After Morgan's birth, I moved to the bustling city to get started in life.
My little earnings from my job as a clerical staff in one of the prestigious companies in New York have been able to make life comfortable for my father, Morgan, Leslie, and me as well.
A soft beep sound drew my gaze to the dashboard. I was running low on gas and if I don't get a refill, I'll be stuck.
"Shoot!!!" I exclaimed through my teeth when the car started acting up. Luckily, I caught sight of a gas station a few meters away. Sucking in a breath and praying inwardly that the car doesn't stop running, I pedal towards the station. The car breaks down just at the entrance of the station.
I released a soft exhale and lowered my head on the steering wheel. I took some money from my purse, picked a can from the back seat, and jogged down to get some gas.
All done.
My gas tank is filled and I'm ready to continue my journey. It's the weekend, and I always spend the weekend with Dad and Morgan. Leslie comes home only on Sundays.
I decided to pull over at a mall and get some chocolate bars for Morgan and also a bottle of liquor for Dad.
"Good evening," I flashed a smile at the pretty, dark woman sitting behind the counter. She flashes a sweet smile in return.
Her eyes skate through the items I've got, and then she names the bills.
"That would cost €30," She smiles and I nod while digging through my bag for money.
I paid up and I made my way out. My phone chimed in my back pockets, almost startling me. I reached out for it.
My brows furrowed in curiosity, seeing 'Papa', a name which I have used to save Dad's contact.
Why was he calling again?
I just ended a call with him an hour ago, what could be so urgent. I wondered as the ringtone died down and the call ended.
The phone rang again as soon as the first call ended. This time around, I flew out of my skin cos it startled me.
The phone almost slipped off my fingers. My heartbeat accelerated tremendously as I struggled to catch my breath. I stared at the caller ID, It was Dad again.
"Get your shit out of the road!!!" A mad driver hollered aggressively at me. I didn't realize that I had gone into the road without looking. I was all lost in thoughts as I needed to cross over to the other side to get to my car.
I quickly muttered an apology which the driver didn't hear.
"What's up, Dad?" I answer the phone in a panicked tone. First, I hear unsteady breaths from the other end as though he was struggling to get something off his chest.
"Dad, What is going on?" The silence from the other end confirmed my fears. Something is up.
"Morgan.... I can't find Morgan," He finally responded. His voice was thicker and heavier. Things spun quickly around me as the news hit.
I felt a nauseous wave course through my whole body as my hands trembled.
"H... How is that possible? Where is Morgan, Dad?" I almost half-yelled.
My Dad starts sobbing, "I can't find Morgan. She left the house to go catch butterflies. It's past nine PM and she isn't back."
My ears twitched. Morgan doesn't stay out late. She always returns before 7pm whenever she goes for a butterfly hunt. Morgan's passionate love for butterflies is so extreme. I tried hard to keep my breath steady as I gave a short reply, "I'll be right there, Dad."
I hung up. The engines revved up and I quickly sped off. I drove at the highest speed. I felt fear and panic coursing through me as I drove down to the outskirts where my father lived with Morgan.
Immediately, I turned off the engine. I ran all the way to the doorway.
"Dad!!" I shrieked in fear and trudged into the house. My Dad sat on the old cushion looking all drenched and shriveled.
My heart crashed.
He lifted his head slowly. Tears welled up in my eyes when I saw his sunken eyes. His face is tear-stained and drained.
"It is 9:54 Pm. Morgan isn't back," he spoke calmly but in a distressed tone. Lost for words, I drew him to an embrace as I let my own tears flow freely.
"We will find her, Dad."
"What if some wild beasts have..."
I couldn't let him complete his words. I placed my trembling hands over his mouth.
"Morgan is fine and safe, Dad," I spoke to him, reassuring him even when I was feeling unsure.
I was able to soothe my father and he was soon sleeping away. Although his face was still stained and pale. I pulled my phone out in an attempt to put a call across to the cops.
I hesitated at first because they would always insist that it lasted up to 24 hours before I could file a case. I let out a sigh as I paced about, allowing my gaze to stray off to the wall clock at times.
10: 15 pm. My chest rose heavily and I was soon losing my assurance.
I decided to step out and maybe call out to her. As soon as I stepped outside the house, a cool rushing wind slapped my skin hard. I shivered.
Morgan was out there in the cold without a hoodie or an overall.
Oh, the heavens keep her safe. I mumbled, placing my hands on my chest as I walked into the dark. I uttered silent prayers for her safety.
My lips had parted slightly, and I was about to yell out her name when I made out the figure of a tiny silhouette running towards me. Fear had its tight grip on me as I clutched my hands tightly.
I could hear loud pants as the image was only a few distance away from me. My feet stood still at a spot as my chest rose heavily.
The figure stopped running, bent over, and gasped unsteadily.
"M...M...Morgan?!" I stuttered. My eyes twitched as I tried to decipher the figure before me. Its features fit the features of Morgan.
Thin, long athletic legs, short brown hair, and quite a thin body frame. My heart leaped for joy. It was her.
"Sally!!" She says, maybe out of excitement, and ran into my arms, which were now flying and calling for her tiny form.
The thick scent of wood emanating from her hair hit my nostrils. Her thick cotton shirt had prickly twigs on it. Her hair looked disheveled with dry leaves on them.
"Oh, thank heavens!" I whispered as I caressed her hair making the leaves fall off bit by bit.
"Sally, there is a man in the woods!!" She said as soon as she caught her breath. Her eyes widened with terrifying fear.
"A man?"
"He is in a bad condition and could lose his breath.... We need to save him, Sally," She said, her gaze piercing into mine. She took my hands into hers. Her soft tiny hands held mine gently. Her gaze was so sincere and warm that I struggled to resist.
"Morgan....."
"Please, don't say no," She whined, throwing her hands around my neck.
Between duty and desire, Gina Washington chooses duty, sacrificing her dreams to save her family's crumbling legacy. Married off to a stranger, she is trapped in a gilded cage of manipulation and control, her heart slowly suffocating under the weight of expectation. But when her husband's cruelty pushes her to the brink, Gina seizes freedom, escaping with a secret that could change everything - a week-old pregnancy. As she navigates the treacherous landscape of her new reality, she meets Ethan, the brother of the man she left behind. His kindness and compassion cradle her shattered soul, and for the first time, Gina dares to dream of love. Yet, as past and present collide, a explosive rivalry between brothers threatens to destroy the fragile haven she's found - and the heart she's beginning to trust.
Avenging the loss of her clan and the death of her father was all Adeline Shanks, the Luna of the Moon Claw clan, could think about. Her twentieth birthday was around the corner, an age she had eagerly anticipated sharing with her father, the alpha. She had dreamed of his proud smile and the thoughtful gift he would bestow upon her. But on the eve of her birthday, hellish flames engulfed the entire clan. Adeline's world crumbled as she watched her home, her family and her father fall. The screams of her loved ones still echoed in her mind, haunting her. The acrid smell of smoke and char clung to her skin, a constant reminder of the devastation. As she stumbled through the ruins, Adeline's heart felt like it had been ripped apart. Her father's lifeless body lay before her, his warm eyes now cold and still. The weight of her grief threatened to consume her. She remembered his strong embrace, his guidance, and his unwavering love. The pain of losing him suffocated her. With a strong determination, Adeline vowed to honor her father's memory and seek revenge for his death. But fate's cruel twist awaited her: the killer was her mate, the one destined to be her life partner. Adeline faced an impossible choice: follow her heart or pursue her quest for justice.
"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?
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?"
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
On her wedding day, Khloe’s sister connived with her groom, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. She was sentenced to three years in prison, where she endured much suffering. When Khloe was finally released, her evil sister used their mother to coerce Khloe into an indecent liaison with an elderly man. As fate would have it, Khloe crossed paths with Henrik, the dashing yet ruthless mobster who sought to alter the course of her life. Despite Henrik’s cold exterior, he cherished Khloe like no other. He helped her take retribution from her tormentors and kept her from being bullied again.
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.