2384 Book(s) Related to arkan i don't give a damn

Force me to be a dog? I'll crush the top chaebol.

Force me to be a dog? I'll crush the top chaebol.

719 Views · Ongoing · Angela
Five years ago, my fiancée and a chaebol heir broke my ribs and threw me into the sewer like trash.

Five years later, they implanted a neurotoxin bomb into the back of my sister's neck, forcing me on all fours to crawl between the security guards' legs into their engagement banquet at a Manhattan penthouse hotel.

My ex-fiancée poured champagne over my wounds, while the chaebol heir ground caviar into the muddy water with his leather shoes, forcing me to lick it clean like a dog.

The room full of Wall Street elites laughed at my humiliation, thinking I was still the same bottom-tier temp worker from back then.

They had no idea that through my micro-earpiece, a heavy armored division was already on standby under the cover of night.

When the confirmation came that the bomb had been defused, I slowly stood up straight.

Outside the window, engines roared. Ten heavy Black Hawk helicopters tore through the curtain of rain, their heavy machine guns instantly shattering the banquet hall's reinforced glass.

Looking down at the chaebol heir who was now slumped in the muddy water, I drew my sidearm: "The debt from five years ago—today, I'm collecting it with your family's lives."
The reclusive city lord, a former wasteland resident, begged for survival

The reclusive city lord, a former wasteland resident, begged for survival

861 Views · Ongoing · Jack
Clad in gray mist, kneeling on iron rocks, working as a menial laborer, everyone thought he was just a worthless nobody, groveling in the dust for an old pocket watch. His
in-laws found him filthy, his fiancée defected to a new master, and Lord Calder treated his obsession like a leash, subjecting him to arbitrary humiliation and summons at will.
Until that day, Calder shattered his last hope with an arrow, throwing him into the horde of zombies as a human sacrifice. Everyone thought he was doomed, but no one suspected—
the man kneeling in the mud wiping his boots was actually the reclusive lord of the strongest city-state in this wasteland, possessing S-class superpowers and ultimate weaponry.
He endured, solely for the truth and reckoning.
When he returned from the horde of zombies, radiating overwhelming power, the once high and mighty man knelt outside the city gates, weeping and begging him to open a path to survival.
After My Death, the Godfather Slipped a Ring onto My Finger

After My Death, the Godfather Slipped a Ring onto My Finger

689 Views · Ongoing · Stella
All because I was unaware that Sophia had followed me on the mission, leaving her stranded in the chaotic dockyard.
My husband, Dante, was furious. He ordered his bodyguards to throw me into a seafood transfer warehouse.
“Cool off in the cold storage. Maybe then you’ll understand how helpless Sophia felt trapped in that container.”
It was a refrigeration unit for seafood, kept at a constant zero degrees, the air thick with the smell of fish.
I pounded on the door, pleading for help, but only Dante’s icy voice came through the intercom:
“Stop the act. The temperature in there won’t kill you. Stay inside and reflect until you learn your lesson.”
He cut the internal communication.
The temperature in the cold room kept dropping—someone had switched on the deep-freeze mode!
Shivering uncontrollably, I beat against the door until my nails left bloody scratches on the wall.
In agony, I curled into a ball. My consciousness faded, and my body grew stiff.
On the third day, Dante finally remembered me while celebrating the takeover of new territory.
In a rare show of mercy, he decided to have someone let me out.
But what he didn’t know was that my heart had already stopped beating from hypothermia long before.
I took the place of my wife in prison, she got together with my younger brother.

I took the place of my wife in prison, she got together with my younger brother.

1.1k Views · Ongoing · Angela
I took the blame for my wife and went to jail, thinking I was protecting our family.

Five years later, when I was released from prison, my mansion was confiscated, my company fell into the hands of my younger brother, and the woman I loved with all my heart was nestled in my brother's arms, mocking my misfortune.

They had been having an affair for a long time, and even my imprisonment was a conspiracy meticulously planned by this despicable couple! What makes me even more furious is that my precious daughter was abandoned on the street like a stray dog, and subjected to beatings and bullying by their illegitimate son .

They thought that by draining my blood, they could forever condemn me to oblivion.

But they forgot that I was once an unparalleled genius in the business world.
My Wife Wants My Heart—She Doesn’t Know I’m a Top Assassin

My Wife Wants My Heart—She Doesn’t Know I’m a Top Assassin

439 Views · Ongoing · August
I’m a top assassin.

Three years ago, on a rainy night, I was being hunted when a stranger took a bullet for me. As he lay dying, he grabbed my hand and begged me to protect his son—and to keep living in his place.

To escape my pursuers and keep that promise, I changed my face, took his identity, and stayed by the boy’s side as his father.

His wife was arrogant, cruel, and constantly cheating. For the child—and to protect my cover—I endured all of it.

Until today.

She drugged me.

When I woke up, a doctor was holding a blade over my chest. They were about to take my heart.

Lying on that operating table, I finally learned the truth: her family had been trafficking organs all along.

That man died three years ago because he discovered it, and she arranged the crash that killed him.

She murdered the man who saved me. Now she wants to kill me too.

She still thinks I’m the same weak doctor who gets out of breath after a short run.

She doesn’t know I’m resistant to anesthesia.

And she definitely doesn’t know these hands have held scalpels—and snapped far too many necks.
The day my wife was forced to put on a wedding dress.

The day my wife was forced to put on a wedding dress.

1.2k Views · Ongoing · Angela
My wife was forced to don a wedding dress to marry my sworn enemy, while my three-year-old daughter was locked in an iron cage suspended above the raging sea.

And I, the dignified Commander-in-Chief of the Blackwater Fleet, was forced to wear a dog collar, kneeling on broken glass and licking up red wine like a crippled stray dog.
All because embedded in their necks were biological bombs, the detonator held in the hands of my enemy.

The elites of the entire island ruthlessly mocked my cowardice, trampling me underfoot in ultimate humiliation.

That was until the climax of the maritime wedding, when my enemy smugly pressed the detonator, only for the collars to flash a safe green light—the full-frequency signal decryption was complete.
Amidst the dead silence of the crowd, I snapped the forged steel chains binding me and slowly stood tall.

The next second, ten nuclear-powered submarines violently breached the ocean surface, and tens of thousands of heavily armored death squads descended from the sky.

Looking at my enemy, now terrified to the point of incontinence and shattering his own knees to frantically kowtow and beg for mercy, I picked up that very dog chain and slipped it around his neck.
I'm a (Broke) Wizard Streamer Who Does Not Teach Love Potion Brewing!

I'm a (Broke) Wizard Streamer Who Does Not Teach Love Potion Brewing!

723 Views · Ongoing ·
In the year 3000, magic and technology flourish side by side.
Wielders of magic are no longer myth… They’re real and revered.
“Joel,” a humble wizard living a quiet life,
accidentally spends his last coin on gemstones,
leaving him broke and desperate!
To make ends meet, he becomes a livestreamer,
broadcasting his mysterious magical lifestyle
just to get through each day.
But then…
His streams catch the attention of “Jaden,”
the heir to a gemstone empire and an art collector obsessed with a centuries-old painting of a ginger-haired, opal-eyed wizard—
a figure he’s searched for his whole life.
Until finally… he finds Joel online.
Is it fate, or something more, that draws them together?
Can Joel unlock the mysteries of Jaden’s past?
A timeless love story infused with magic and technology will change both of their lives forever…
Home After a Decade of Battle, My Daughter Lay Abandoned in Rubbish

Home After a Decade of Battle, My Daughter Lay Abandoned in Rubbish

1.1k Views · Ongoing · Cole
Ten years of secret service honed my Phantom Legion, a force I built that could make a small nation tremble. On the day I retired and returned to New York, I found a cardboard tent next to a garbage dump in a Bronx back alley. Curled up inside was my daughter, whom I hadn't seen in five years. She was covered in bruises, barefoot, and clutching half a moldy loaf of bread. I picked her up and dialed the phone—"I want everyone who wronged her to suffer a fate worse than death! "
Farming My Way to the Top with a Game in the Apocalypse

Farming My Way to the Top with a Game in the Apocalypse

470 Views · Ongoing · Chau
Before the apocalypse hit, my ex-girlfriend called me, laughing like a maniac: "Jack, you pathetic loser—still playing that stupid farming game? Gonna whack zombies with a hoe? Open the door right now, get on your knees, and beg us, and maybe we'll throw you some table scraps."
I listened to the faint scrape of a tactical knife being drawn on the other end of the line, and silently glanced at my computer screen—at the maxed-out Greenfield Manor game, with its gold cap glowing at [999,999,999] .
"You misheard." I dropped my voice, lacing it with just the right amount of embarrassment. "I was checking the weather forecast."
The other end erupted in unrestrained laughter: "Then forecast this—how you're gonna die today!"
I hung up without changing my expression, flipped open the system, and spent a million on the [Absolute Defense Shield] —then brought out a steaming plate of roasted meat.
Forecast?
I forecast that tonight, you'll be gnawed down to bare bones by zombies.
Woke Up After a Century, All the Weird Ones Are My Acquaintances

Woke Up After a Century, All the Weird Ones Are My Acquaintances

880 Views · Ongoing · Ryu
I was frozen for 100 years due to illness.
One hundred years later, the whole world was ravaged by strange phenomena, and humanity was huddled together in a few small places to survive.
I was awakened from my slumber by the investigation team. I thought I would be killed by the monster as soon as I woke up, but I found that the monster here was my good brother from college.
Besides him, the eerie owner of the barbecue restaurant, the matchmaking ghost who likes to harm people through blind dates, the S-class monstrous ghost in the cemetery... they are all my old friends...
The world a hundred years from now feels strangely familiar...
She Told Me to Raise Her "Illegitimate Child," So I Took Off My Ring and Went North

She Told Me to Raise Her "Illegitimate Child," So I Took Off My Ring and Went North

337 Views · Ongoing · Hades
We’ve been married for five years. Then, she got pregnant with someone else's child.
In front of everyone, she said: "Ethan doesn't want this baby. You've always wanted one, right? Fine, take it and raise it."
In that moment, I finally understood: she wasn’t incapable of loving someone—she simply never saw me as a human being.
I took off my wedding ring, left it on the tray, and bought a one-way ticket to the North. My family said I wouldn't survive in the frozen North; she said that without her, I was nothing.
Three years later, she tracked me down using the GPS hidden inside that ring. She pushed open the door to my attic room, finding only a note I’d left: "Don't look for me. We're square."
TAKEN BY THE DRAGON KING

TAKEN BY THE DRAGON KING

3.4k Views · Ongoing · Dawn Writes
He was ruthless and a killer, she knew, everyone knew. Everyone had heard takes of hus tyranny and feared for her life.

Yet she couldn't bring herself to run away from him when he had requested her father send her to him.

She was a princess and this was the price she would pay for her people.

But when she arrives and things are a lot more different than she'd ever known how does she find a way to tell everyone that all they knew was a lie?
THE BETA'S HUMAN MATE

THE BETA'S HUMAN MATE

3k Views · Ongoing · Dawn Writes
Kenzy is a journalist who had just found out her boyfriend was cheating on her with their neighbor.

Angrily, she calls off her engagement with her ex boyfriend Raymond and leaves the house.

In a bid to get the horrible thoughts in her mind, she gets drunk and sends a message to the wrong person.

Dylan is a werewolf, he had found out his secret and moved out to stay with his pack member.

An unexpected thing happens when he receives a message from Kenzy, his long time friend and he doesn't resist telling her he was in town and they could meet up.

Kenzy discovers something about Dylan had changed over the time. Now, she is determined to find out what happened the day he flew into the woods covered in blood.

Will Dylan take this as a threat or will he reveal his identity to her?

Will a werewolf fall in love with a human? Forsaken his mate to be with her?
VAMPIRE TEMPTATION

VAMPIRE TEMPTATION

7.8k Views · Ongoing · Dawn Writes
Getting a job at Vamp Investments is a big deal for Ruby. Then there's her boss..Ethan Klaus is the most arrogant, rude and irritating man she's ever met. He's also probably the sexiest man alive. Ruby has all the reasons in the world to resist him, but it feels like fighting nature. As she gets closer to Ethan, she starts to realize that there's something dark and unnatural going on at Vamp investments.
Life on the Back Roads

Life on the Back Roads

263 Views · Ongoing · Dawn Marie
A young woman trying to make it in a small town. She was born and raised here, everyone knew her and she knew everyone. That does not make life easy. The lies, manipulation, cover ups. Everyone knows the secrets, they see the scandals but no one is brave enough to say anything. To stand up for her. They will help when it seems like the time is right but they also use and abuse her when the time is right. How will she ever break free and become her own person. Abuse can come in many different ways. Mental and physical are the most common. She nees to get away from her home and everyone in this town. But at what means. What all will she lose?
One Night with My Fiance's Billionaire Uncle

One Night with My Fiance's Billionaire Uncle

1.3k Views · Ongoing · Lynn Dawn
On my wedding day, my fiancé's uncle—Hodgson—tore my wedding dress to shreds and pinned me beneath him.
He grabbed my hand and made me grip his cock. The scorching heat made me burn with shame.
Hodgson mocked me, "Damn it, Nicole, are you still a virgin?"
I pulled myself up and wrapped my arms around him. "That makes you my first man, Hodgson. Does it feel good fucking your nephew's bride?"
Hodgson roared and thrust inside me. I screamed.
Hodgson leaned close to my ear, telling me to keep it down. "Your fiancé is in the room. Aren't you afraid he'll hear?"
I clenched tighter around him with each thrust. "He's too busy screwing my sister to care."
Mated to Beta Twins

Mated to Beta Twins

3.1k Views · Ongoing · Dawn Sunfire
"Sooner or later, you're going to have to face what you feel for us."

We were standing close to each other, and I tried as much as I could to ignore the bond between us.
"You'll either reject us or accept us as your mate, Princess."

Lilian's life had been a nightmare under the tyranny of Alpha Jenkins of Nightstalkers Pack, enduring the role of pack slave and relentless harassment from the Alpha's family, all while plagued by amnesia about her past.

Rescued by Aldrich and Arsenio, the newly appointed Betas of the Werewolf Kingdom, Lilian's true identity is revealed. And what? ! The twins are actually her mates, BOTH?!

Caught in an unexpected romance with the Beta twins, Lilian faces a tumultuous journey of love, war, and duty, with the twins willing to sacrifice everything to protect her.

Will she embrace her destiny or resist the pull of the impossible love triangle?
Omega Luna’s Revenge

Omega Luna’s Revenge

688 Views · Ongoing · Cassandra Dawn
Being an Omega seemed not easy, especially after my parents, the only ones who truly loved me, were brutally killed. With their loss, my last trace of hope shattered.
From then on, I grew up amidst hatred, with my life's sole purpose being to avenge the individuals responsible for my parents' murder.
And then, on the day the Alpha's daughter rejected an arranged marriage and asked me to take her place in marrying the brutal Alpha Jacob, I discovered he was the person who had taken my parents' lives!
On our wedding day, he was tall and handsome, his touch against my body and his kiss made me sense his muscles and heated skin. His heartbeat was clear and powerful, mine too—
Because I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into his throat!
——
Upon learning that I agreed to marry the Alpha's daughter, my Beta asked me, "What about Mary? You've been searching for her for 10 years."
As an Alpha, I carried responsibilities, and I knew I couldn't be selfish.
"I won't look for her anymore. I'll accept the arranged marriage."
Hidden Pregnancy: The CEO Ex-husband's Regret

Hidden Pregnancy: The CEO Ex-husband's Regret

8k Views · Ongoing · Lynn Dawn
Married for three years, my husband Luca never touched me.
His heart belongs only to that bitch: my sister, Wendy.
I waited for him for birthday, but he celebrated her winning the dance competition championship.
As soon as she returned to the country, he kicked me out of the company and made her chief secretary.
On the day of the divorce, I fucked him hard:Wendy would only get second-hand goods.
As a result, I got pregnant.
——
Luca thought he didn't love Olivia, but after signing the divorce papers, he realized she was completely different.
His ex-wife is irresistibly charming, he can't help wanting to kiss her...
One day, she suddenly disappeared.
He stood in the empty room, recalling their one and only time making love.
His cock thrust deep into her pussy, the pleasure so intense it made his scalp tingle.
Oh no... where is she now? He's going insane...
After Divorce, My Alpha Husband Regrets

After Divorce, My Alpha Husband Regrets

8.1k Views · Ongoing · Lynn Dawn
“Klaus, I love you…” I spread my legs, wrapping them tightly around the alpha’s waist.
After learning I was pregnant, I stripped naked and let my alpha husband fuck me hard.
Klaus sucked on my nipple, growling: “Emma, ​​you bitch! You’re so alluring!”
After a passionate sex I wanted to show him the pregnancy test results, but Klaus coldly said: “Let’s get a divorce, Emma. Nancy needs me.”
——
Klaus thought Emma would always wait for him, love him.
But from the day she signed the divorce papers, Emma’s heart died.
She gave up all possessions, left the wolf pack, and never looked back.
Klaus went mad.
This supreme alpha chased after his ex-wife countless times, just wanting her to look at him one more time.
The Indentured Slave of Alpha

The Indentured Slave of Alpha

14.3k Views · Ongoing · Lynn Dawn
I was bullied by several girls in the locker room and stripped naked.
Theo Ellis, the pack's alpha, happened to pass by and saved me. He claimed I was his woman, but I am just an Omega without a wolf.
I became a slave to the twin alphas.
Theo violently shoved his fingers into my vagina.
"Sophia? You slept with Fabian, didn't you? Do you like it when I finger-fuck you?"
Just as I was about to orgasm, he abruptly pulled his fingers out: "Remember this feeling, savor it."
Fabian vigorously sucked on my clit, and I spread my legs and screamed.
"Do you like me kissing you here? Did Theo ever do this to you?"
I hate alphas, especially these twins.
They make me miserable, they bully me, and they force me into various positions for them to fuck me.
But, at the same time, I fall hopelessly in love with them...
Vengeance of the Luna:My Possessive Alpha

Vengeance of the Luna:My Possessive Alpha

50 Views · Ongoing · Dawn Sunfire
Sebastian trapped me against the wall, his eyes fixated on my lips. "I warned you," he snarled. "I do not want to see him near you!" He leaned in, blowing air on my neck before inhaling deeply. "Just because I haven't marked you yet doesn't mean you can be around other men. I don't want to be covered in another man's blood, but if you have a twisted desire to see me kill, bring it on!"I scoffed, meeting his gaze defiantly. "Does that make you my hero or my Alpha?"

He chuckled, his breath tickling my ear. "No," he growled. "It makes you mine. And I don't mind proving it right now." His words sent a shiver down my spine, making my eyes dilate. "Let's start from this dress, then.”

Betrayed by the man she had loved and devoted her life to, Isabella found her world shattered when her husband cheated on her and impregnated her best friend. To make matters worse, everyone seemed to side with the ones who had wronged her. Broken and alone, Isabella had no choice but to relinquish her Luna title and become a rogue. Then she encountered Sebastian, the cold, arrogant Alpha of Silver Pine, and made a dangerous deal with him to seek revenge. Despite knowing it was a mistake, Isabella couldn't deny the way he made her heart race. When she met Vincent, Alexander's sweet and yet possessive brother, she found herself torn between the two men who would do anything for her. But their lives would forever change when they discover a secret that would bind them together in unexpected ways.
Being the Mate of My Ex's Uncle

Being the Mate of My Ex's Uncle

929 Views · Ongoing · Cassandra Dawn
"I love you, Winnie. Your sister Lottie is nothing more than a substitute for you. You know what? Whenever I'm sleeping with her, I will imagine that I was with you..."

I'm Lottie Hendrix, naively holding onto the belief that my boyfriend, Lewis loves me.

It took me a year to figure out that he is only with me because of my resemblance to my sister, Winnie Hendrix.

To get back at him, I didn't just limit myself to openly flirting with all his friends; I even went on to date his uncle, Alfie.
Mafia: The Heir's Mistress

Mafia: The Heir's Mistress

1.1k Views · Ongoing · Lynn Dawn
This is my third year as Gavin's mistress.
I bend over, seducing my sugar daddy.
"Mia, you're such a slut. We just fucked two days ago, and your pussy is already dripping wet."
His hot cock plunges into my body, the pleasure making my eyes roll back. I need more.
I'm addicted to being fucked by Gavin, it makes me forget he's about to marry my sister.
————
Gavin Adams is the future godfather of the Mafia. Mia can't escape his control.
Eva knocks outside while Gavin fucks Mia hard on the sofa.
Eva plans her wedding to Gavin while he slips a diamond ring onto Mia's finger.
Mia stares at this dangerous, intoxicating man.
Could he ever truly love a woman? Impossible.
Alpha Logan's Chosen Luna

Alpha Logan's Chosen Luna

1.3k Views · Ongoing · Cassandra Dawn
My birth brought death to my mother, and my father grew to hate me for it, leaving me vulnerable to the abuse of my stepmother and stepsister.

My mere appearance served as a constant reminder to my stepmother of the woman my father once loved the most - my mother. Consumed by jealousy, she relentlessly sought to destroy my life, but will she succeed?

"Sign this contract, become my Luna, and after the contract term ends, you will receive generous rewards and freedom."

"What do I need to do during the contract? Sleep with you?"

"You just need to play the role of my Luna. We will only pretend to be a couple in public, and there's no need for marking each other,"

"It seems arrogance is indeed a common trait among every Alpha,"

"What?"

"Alpha Logan, what makes you think I would readily accept your proposal?" I continued, my voice now laced with a mix of anger and defiance. "Just because I'm a wolf-less unwanted daughter? Or do you think you're so noble and handsome that I should be grateful and accept your offer for a large sum of money?"

"I didn't mean it like that," he stumbled.

I once thought the man who saved me was just an insignificant nobody, but little did I know he was the most ruthless Alpha on the entire continent, responsible for killing his own Mate.

What stunned me was that he wanted me to become his Luna?!
Starry Seoul

Starry Seoul

68 Views · Ongoing · I am KOJI
Starla and Luna, an inseparable pair of friends, decided to take a vacation to Seoul, South Korea. There, Starla accidentally met a charismatic Korean man named Kim Ha-neul. This encounter led to a connection between them, eventually leading to them becoming a couple.

As time passed, Starla, a novelist, became busy with various activities after her novel became a bestseller. Unfortunately, this happened when Kim Ha-neul visited London to meet her, resulting in them rarely seeing each other. However, Starla asked Luna to accompany Ha-neul and show him around London.

With the intention of helping her friend, Luna ended up falling in love with Starla's boyfriend. She realized that this feeling would hurt the woman she cared about, but on the other hand, it was challenging for her to dismiss this emotion.

How will the love relationship between Starla and Ha-neul unfold? Can Luna eventually sets aside her feelings for the sake of Starla? Follow their love triangle in the story titled "Starry Seoul"!
Rebirth in the Apocalypse: I Claimed the Power for Myself, While My Enemy Froze into an Ice Statue

Rebirth in the Apocalypse: I Claimed the Power for Myself, While My Enemy Froze into an Ice Statue

350 Views · Ongoing · Hades
In my past life, I personally dug up two alien meteorites, handing the blue one that granted "Frost Mastery" to my childhood friend, Mike. He repaid me by sealing me inside an ice wall, cursing me to "die like a piece of trash" in the minus 70-degree blizzard.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the initial blast site.
This time, I didn't even spare him a glance; I stuffed both meteorites into my pocket.
I transformed a missile silo into a doomsday bunker, brought my parents inside, and stockpiled ten years' worth of supplies.
When Mike arrived with a gang of thugs to smash my door down, I stood in the warm command center, watching half his face rot with frostbite on the monitor.
I didn't open the door.
This time, I am sending back the despair of my past life tenfold.
The Ghostly Grounds: Scandal and Supper (A Canine Casper Cozy Mystery—Book 5)

The Ghostly Grounds: Scandal and Supper (A Canine Casper Cozy Mystery—Book 5)

499 Views · Ongoing · Sophie Love
“The perfect romance or beach read, with a difference: its enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions offer an unexpected attention to the complexity of not just evolving love, but evolving psyches. It's a delightful recommendation for romance readers looking for a touch more complexity from their romance reads.”--Midwest Book Review (For Now and Forever)THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: SCANDAL AND SUPPER is Book #5 in a charming new cozy mystery series by bestselling author Sophie Love, author of The Inn at Sunset Harbor series, a #1 Bestseller with over 200 five-star reviews!Marie Fortune, 39, a successful dog groomer in Boston, leaves the stressful life behind and heads to a small town in coastal Maine to create a new life. She remains intent on renovating the old, historic house her great-aunt left her and giving it a new life as a B&B. Yet there was one thing she couldn’t plan for: the house is haunted. Two things, actually: her great-aunt also left her a dog—and he is far from a typical dog.When Marie is hired to cleanse a unique and massive hotel in a nearby town, the scope of it is beyond anything she has encountered before. Just as she wonders if she has finally met her match, she learns that her local Mayor is trying to re-zone the downtown—and to shut down her B&B while he’s at it. Having a murder in the mix—for which she is pinned—hardly helps matters, either. In a multi-front war for her survival, can Marie manage to purge the ghosts, stay out of jail, and keep her livelihood?A page-turning cozy, packed with mystery, love, hauntings, travel, pets and food—anchored around a small town and a B&B in need of renovation that will capture your heart—THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS is an un-putdownable cozy series that will keep you turning pages (and laughing out loud) late into the night.“The romance is there, but not overdosed. Kudos to the author for this amazing start of a series that promises to be very entertaining.”--Books and Movies Reviews (For Now and Forever)
Dark Revenge The Sequel to Dark Obsession. A King of New York Book

Dark Revenge The Sequel to Dark Obsession. A King of New York Book

1.7k Views · Ongoing · Kerry Kennedy Author kennedy
My target should be terrified of me.
Instead, he's smirking like he already knows I'll never pull the trigger.
My heart races in my chest. This isn't me.
I am born to kill. I am born to take orders.
Yet those eyes, they're killing me.

She was born into power.
Now she chooses revenge.

Valentina Santangelo doesn’t belong in the shadows.
She was raised in them.

Daughter of a legacy built on blood, secrets, and ruthless control, Valentina has spent her life watching empires rise… and enemies fall. She knows the rules of this world. She knows how to survive it.

What she didn’t expect…
was to become its most dangerous player.

When betrayal rips through her family and threatens everything her father built, Valentina is done standing on the side-lines. She steps into the game—cold, calculated, and ready to make them pay.

But revenge has a price.

And the man standing in her way?
He’s not just her enemy…
He’s the one man who sees through every wall she’s built.

Dark. Dangerous. Impossible to resist.

As loyalty turns to obsession and desire collides with vengeance, Valentina must decide how far she’s willing to go—
and whether love is worth the risk of losing everything.

Because in her world…
you don’t fall in love.

You survive it.
She Treated Me Like a Dog, Now Kneeling in the Rain Begging Me

She Treated Me Like a Dog, Now Kneeling in the Rain Begging Me

314 Views · Ongoing · Ryu
She knelt in the pouring rain, pounding on my glass door, covered in mud, her voice hoarse from shouting. I stood inside, holding Lily's hand. She called my name, over and over, like calling a dead person. I lowered my head and said to Lily, "Come on, Daddy will take you to dinner." Then I turned and closed the door. From beginning to end, I didn't look at her once. Not because I still hated her. It was because she meant nothing to me anymore. And that woman didn't know—three years ago, when she threw me away like trash, I had already learned not to cling to trash.
The Intern Switched Our Dinner to a Yacht, and Got Us All Arrested

The Intern Switched Our Dinner to a Yacht, and Got Us All Arrested

563 Views · Ongoing · Noah
At the company's annual client appreciation dinner, I was the one in charge of booking the venue.
To save the company money, I picked my aunt's upscale restaurant with a skyline view. Since we were family, she only charged us at cost. When I posted the details in our Slack channel to confirm with the team, no one had any objections—except for the intern, who slowly tagged me in the chat:
[Arthur, I don't mean anything by it.]
[I just want to ask—how big a kickback did you get for booking your family's restaurant?]
[After all, the money for this dinner is coming out of our bonus pool.]
[So you should return that money to the rest of us, right?]
The other coworkers started liking the message and chiming in to support him.
So I dropped the whole thing on the spot and handed the task over to that intern, who loved talking about "fixing workplace injustice."
Then the night of the dinner came.
From the CEO all the way down to the investors, everyone was pinned on the deck and searched by armed Coast Guard officers.
The most important client contact collapsed from a heart attack on the spot and was airlifted by helicopter straight to the ICU, costing the company a multimillion-dollar enterprise cybersecurity contract.
The Ghostly Grounds: Murder and Breakfast (A Canine Casper Cozy Mystery—Book 1)

The Ghostly Grounds: Murder and Breakfast (A Canine Casper Cozy Mystery—Book 1)

385 Views · Ongoing · Sophie Love
“The perfect romance or beach read, with a difference: its enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions offer an unexpected attention to the complexity of not just evolving love, but evolving psyches. It's a delightful recommendation for romance readers looking for a touch more complexity from their romance reads.”--Midwest Book Review (For Now and Forever)THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: MURDER AND BREAKFAST is the debut novel in a charming new cozy mystery series by bestselling author Sophie Love, author of The Inn at Sunset Harbor series, a #1 Bestseller with over 200 five-star reviews.Marie Fortune, 39, a successful dog groomer in Boston, has had enough of catering to the wealthy and their pampered dogs. Realizing it is time to make a change, she quits and heads to a small coastal town in Maine where she remembers fond summers as a kid. Marie expects to go for a brief getaway—and is shocked to learn that her great-aunt left her an inheritance: a dilapidated, historic house high up on a hill overlooking the harbor. Marie feels an instant connection. Although the locals tell her it would be folly, Marie decides to renovate and give it a second life as a B&B.But there is one thing she couldn’t have planned for: the house is haunted.Two things, actually: her great-aunt also left her a dog—and he is far from a typical dog.When an unexpected death occurs soon thereafter, solving the crime will be more than just a matter of curiosity for Marie—her very future may depend on it.A page-turning cozy, packed with mystery, love, hauntings, travel, pets and food—anchored around a small town and a B&B in need of renovation that will capture your heart—THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS is an un-putdownable cozy that will keep you turning pages (and laughing out loud) late into the night.“The romance is there, but not overdosed. Kudos to the author for this amazing start of a series that promises to be very entertaining.”--Books and Movies Reviews (For Now and Forever)Books #2 and #3 in the series—DEATH AND BRUNCH and MALICE AND LUNCH—are now also available!
Doomsday: Trapped with the Ice Queen CEO on a Ghost Ship of Mimics

Doomsday: Trapped with the Ice Queen CEO on a Ghost Ship of Mimics

1.3k Views · Ongoing · Ryu
The luxury cruise ship in the high seas had become a floating steel coffin for the beautiful CEO and me.
Just a door away, the corridor was teeming with slithering, tentacled Mimics. The wet, crunching sounds of them chewing on raw flesh were enough to make anyone’s scalp go numb.
Inside the pitch-black storage cabin—measuring barely three square meters—the usually aloof and untouchable Ice Queen of the corporate world was so terrified she had her flawless body pressed desperately against my chest.
In this extreme claustrophobia, her scalding body heat generated a fierce friction against me in the face of absolute despair.
"Keep me alive. Everything I have... is yours."
No Longer Your Luna

No Longer Your Luna

6.5k Views · Ongoing · A. Vitiosis
Book 1
Amethyst prayed for her childhood best friend to be her mate. Everyone stares, they tease, they bully her for being an orphan but Mason was different. He protected her, he defended her. The Alpha's son loved her since they were pups.
But you can't be kids forever. Everything turned sour when Mason began training to take over the Stone Heart Pack. He turned on her just like everyone else, Mason made her the target of his ruthless antics and when they turned of age - it got worse.
Mason doesn't want an orphan for a mate. She has no power, no status and he wants someone with wealth to carry the Luna title.
Amethyst isn't it.
Everything crashes down, the humiliation and rejection too much to bare, turning Rogue was her only option. She couldn't submit any longer to the torture and living in the woods for a couple years before death seemed less painful.
Until a man arrives.
Claiming that Amethyst isn't an orphan.
That she belongs to one of the five founding families.
Amethyst thought that rejection was where her life ended.
Wait till she finds out that it's only the beginning and neither her heart or life are safe.


Book 2
Maverick's past is a secret for a reason, there are rumors spread that he made deals with ancient witches to get the power every member longs for.
But it's just a rumor....or is it?
There is a reason why his mind and heart are always at war because if he claims Sage as his, hell would rip her from this earth. The best option is to stay away from her, to not have contact with her.
What can he do when she shows up at his territory? Desperate to escape her grief.
The problem is, Maverick made promises and with Sage in the picture - he can't keep them.
There is a reason why Maverick is the Forbidden Alpha.. and Sage is about to find out what being a Fated Mate truly means.


Book 3
Jasmine Ravenstone gave up everything for a man who couldn't speak.
Renouncing her Alpha title and fleeing with Kyson Zero, she has no idea of the past he carries or the Fated Mate curse she will endure.
Being born from the first witch in existence, Kyson and Kier had to go through lifetimes to kill their father and never succeeded in their destiny. Now, the seal has been broken and they are down to their last life. If they don't kill their father then the supernatural world will cease to exist.
Kyson didn't realize the ramifications of his actions. Stealing a Fated comes with consequences, a sirebond that ties Jasmine to him.
He didn't expect a curse that will cause damnation.


Book 4
Kier Zero returns to his life as Alpha, after ultimately killing his first tormentor. But that was only his first demon, there is a second one that haunts him.
Marked by Olivia Aspen, he wants as much distance away from her as possible.
Until she arrives, with a mysterious power that everyone seems to want and a debt to a deadly vampire. She has no one to consult, stranded and lost in a world without a pack or home.
Olivia chooses to repay her debt, but that comes with strings attached when the charming vampire has more to offer than she ever could have imagined.
King's Replaced Queen

King's Replaced Queen

275 Views · Ongoing · Shikha A
“Strip...” I looked at him, not believing what he just said. “I said strip.” His voice held authority not to ignore his order. I started discarding my clothes one by one, shivering in fear. His gaze pierces my skin from head to toe, while disgust was loud and clear on his face. “You don't interest me anymore. Get out.”
Her Redemption

Her Redemption

2.3k Views · Ongoing · Aisha A
She discovers her fiancé and her sister having s*x before her wedding. Determined to expose their betrayal, she plays the tape at the ceremony—only to be told the wedding cannot be called off. If she refuses to go through with it, her parents insist her sister will take her place instead.

Now, offered a chance at a fresh start through a contracted marriage with a wealthy, mysterious man, she steps into a new life.

Will she get her revenge on the man who broke her heart? And could this fake relationship turn into something real?
Betrayed Luna's Fated Mate

Betrayed Luna's Fated Mate

7.5k Views · Ongoing · A. Wings
He undressed right in front of me, his whole body coming into view


“Am I to do all the work, beautiful?” he teased me.

“Brendon,” I panted.

Brendon grabbed my hands, placing them on his stomach and sliding them down, and I grew instantly wet between my legs.

Then he undressed right in front of me, his whole body coming into view, and his cock… Goddess! I had been taken that inside me. I must have. We were mates, and we had had sex, right? Why couldn’t I remember anything?


Celeste thought her life was perfect. Her pack was small, but she had the love of her life by her side, yet little by little her life starts to crumble. First, her alpha throws his attention on a new she-wolf, next her pack turns on her, and in the end, she looses her life. Yet never had she expected to be given a second chance, and who stands by her side? The last person she would ever ask for help: Her old childhood bully.
Bitten by The Vampire Curse

Bitten by The Vampire Curse

1.5k Views · Ongoing · Fade A
"What have you done to me, Alicia?" I closed my eyes, feeling her warmth on my hands as I caressed her cheeks, sliding my fingers through her hair and sniffing her vanilla fragrance until it filled my whole body. My eyes turned red as I looked at her sexy collarbone to her neck.

"Hmm…" She moved her head sideways, still inside the dream I created for us. "Aki…hmm…ohhh…"

My heart stole a beat when I heard her say my name. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. When I opened my eyes, she was still moaning about my name.

I found myself sniffing her hair until my mouth reached for her neck. I licked it…positioning my fangs…

Akihiro is a pureblood vampire who has been living for a hundred years. He is the next in line to be the King of the Vampires so through the years he focused on being the greatest of all pureblood vampires and trained himself. His family has been ruling an Old Town in the countryside where they built a day class and night class, dividing the vampires and humans.

Alicia is a normal university student, top of her class, soon to be doctor, and a part of the drama club where Akihiro formed it. Her family moved to the Old Town when she was in high school due to some personal reasons she isn’t aware of. But, soon she will find out that it is all connected to Akihiro, the man she hates.

Falling in love with a human is forbidden especially when he is the next king of the pureblood vampire. Well, if that was the case, Akihiro is willing to let go of his throne. However, Alicia is no ordinary human. She is the daughter of the strongest vampire hunter clan who had been their family's rival for a thousand years. Will their love with each other win or is it still their blood against their beating heart?
The Luna's Secret

The Luna's Secret

10.6k Views · Ongoing · Asmitha A
I closed my eyes and announced, "I am not Anna!"
He said calmly, "Well, I knew about it already."
My eyes flared open in shock, "How - How did you know?"
He looked deeply into my eyes and replied, "I met Anna at a ball but didn't feel anything. But when I saw you for the first time in the carriage, I felt the bond between us."
Sweat beads covered my forehead as I tried to process his words. Did it mean…?
The man knew what was going on in my head and replied, "Yes, you are right! You are my mate."
————————————————
Licia’s world collapsed when her father, the previous maniac Alpha King, was killed and then she lost her identity as a prince. Yes, a prince, not a princess! She was born a girl, but her mother sealed her identity and raised her like a boy.

Until the day, her father and mother died...she was not a big person anymore.
She turned into a nobody but finally lived like a girl.

While Licia’s life was not easy, she was forced to be a substitute bride for an Alpha’s daughter and marry Enrique Collins, Alpha of the Ravenwood pack, he is the current king's right-hand man, and he was known to be cool, powerful and ruthless.

But one thing Licia didn’t know is Alpha Enrique loves his wife more than anything.
The Ghostly Grounds: Disaster and Dessert (A Canine Casper Cozy Mystery—Book 6)

The Ghostly Grounds: Disaster and Dessert (A Canine Casper Cozy Mystery—Book 6)

256 Views · Ongoing · Sophie Love
“The perfect romance or beach read, with a difference: its enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions offer an unexpected attention to the complexity of not just evolving love, but evolving psyches. It's a delightful recommendation for romance readers looking for a touch more complexity from their romance reads.”--Midwest Book Review (For Now and Forever)THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: DISASTER AND DESSERT is Book #6—and the finale!—in a charming new cozy mystery series by bestselling author Sophie Love, author of The Inn at Sunset Harbor series, a #1 Bestseller with over 200 five-star reviews!Marie Fortune, 39, a successful dog groomer in Boston, leaves the stressful life behind and heads to a small town in coastal Maine to create a new life. She remains intent on renovating the old, historic house her great-aunt left her and giving it a new life as a B&B. Yet there was one thing she couldn’t plan for: the house is haunted. Two things, actually: her great-aunt also left her a dog—and he is far from a typical dog.In the series finale, Marie finds her own future on the line as a murder occurs near her premises, and she is forced to solve it or else be implicated. With her rival innkeeper involved, it could hardly get any worse.As if that is not enough, this series finale brings to a head many questions: will Marie finally find her mother and what will happen between them? Will Marie end up with Robbie? With Brendan? Will she finally be able to claim her gifts, without Boo's help? And will she decide to stay and run the B&B—or be forced to leave this small town that has become her life?A page-turning cozy, packed with mystery, love, hauntings, travel, pets and food—anchored around a small town and a B&B in need of renovation that will capture your heart—THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS is an un-putdownable cozy series that will keep you turning pages (and laughing out loud) late into the night.“The romance is there, but not overdosed. Kudos to the author for this amazing start of a series that promises to be very entertaining.”--Books and Movies Reviews (For Now and Forever)Don’t forget to check out Sophie Love’s other cozy mystery series, A CURIOUS BOOKSTORE, which begins with A FATAL FOLIO (Book #1), a bestseller with over 50 five-star reviews!
The Ghostly Grounds: Death and Brunch (A Canine Casper Cozy Mystery—Book 2)

The Ghostly Grounds: Death and Brunch (A Canine Casper Cozy Mystery—Book 2)

892 Views · Ongoing · Sophie Love
“The perfect romance or beach read, with a difference: its enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions offer an unexpected attention to the complexity of not just evolving love, but evolving psyches. It's a delightful recommendation for romance readers looking for a touch more complexity from their romance reads.”--Midwest Book Review (For Now and Forever)THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: DEATH AND BRUNCH is Book #2 in a charming new cozy mystery series by bestselling author Sophie Love, author of The Inn at Sunset Harbor series, a #1 Bestseller with over 200 five-star reviews! Marie Fortune, 39, a successful dog groomer in Boston, leaves the stressful life behind and heads to a small town in coastal Maine to create a new life. She remains intent on renovating the old, historic house her great-aunt left her and giving it a new life as a B&B. Yet there was one thing she couldn’t plan for: the house is haunted. Two things, actually: her great-aunt also left her a dog—and he is far from a typical dog.Other B&B owners have heard of Marie’s ability to expel ghosts, and she finds herself, to her own surprise, in demand for her “services” from neighboring towns. It seems there are many B&Bs that need to have their ghosts cleansed. With her B&B failing, Marie, her trusted dog as her sidekick, has nothing to lose.But when she arrives to her first client—and someone unexpectedly dies—Marie realizes she may be in for more than she bargained for. Once again, she may have to solve the crime to save her own future.A page-turning cozy, packed with mystery, love, hauntings, travel, pets and food—anchored around a small town and a B&B in need of renovation that will capture your heart—THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: DEATH AND BRUNCH is an un-putdownable cozy that will keep you turning pages (and laughing out loud) late into the night.“The romance is there, but not overdosed. Kudos to the author for this amazing start of a series that promises to be very entertaining.”--Books and Movies Reviews (For Now and Forever)Book #3 in the series—MALICE AND LUNCH—is now also available!
The Ghostly Grounds: Malice and Lunch (A Canine Casper Cozy Mystery—Book 3)

The Ghostly Grounds: Malice and Lunch (A Canine Casper Cozy Mystery—Book 3)

219 Views · Ongoing · Sophie Love
“The perfect romance or beach read, with a difference: its enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions offer an unexpected attention to the complexity of not just evolving love, but evolving psyches. It's a delightful recommendation for romance readers looking for a touch more complexity from their romance reads.”--Midwest Book Review (For Now and Forever)THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: MALICE AND LUNCH is Book #3 in a charming new cozy mystery series by bestselling author Sophie Love, author of The Inn at Sunset Harbor series, a #1 Bestseller with over 200 five-star reviews!Marie Fortune, 39, a successful dog groomer in Boston, leaves the stressful life behind and heads to a small town in coastal Maine to create a new life. She remains intent on renovating the old, historic house her great-aunt left her and giving it a new life as a B&B. Yet there was one thing she couldn’t plan for: the house is haunted. Two things, actually: her great-aunt also left her a dog—and he is far from a typical dog.When Marie, her reputation for ghost-cleansing growing, is summoned to exorcise an old manor house, she finds more than she bargained for: an unexpected death occurs.Worse, her trusted dog gets so sick, he is sent to the vet indefinitely.Marie, on her own, must solve the murder and expel the ghosts all by herself.Is she up to the task?A page-turning cozy, packed with mystery, love, hauntings, travel, pets and food—anchored around a small town and a B&B in need of renovation that will capture your heart—THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: MALICE AND LUNCH is an un-putdownable cozy that will keep you turning pages (and laughing out loud) late into the night.“The romance is there, but not overdosed. Kudos to the author for this amazing start of a series that promises to be very entertaining.”--Books and Movies Reviews (For Now and Forever)
The Ghostly Grounds: Vengeance and Dinner (A Canine Casper Cozy Mystery—Book 4)

The Ghostly Grounds: Vengeance and Dinner (A Canine Casper Cozy Mystery—Book 4)

553 Views · Ongoing · Sophie Love
“The perfect romance or beach read, with a difference: its enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions offer an unexpected attention to the complexity of not just evolving love, but evolving psyches. It's a delightful recommendation for romance readers looking for a touch more complexity from their romance reads.”--Midwest Book Review (For Now and Forever)THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS: VENGEANCE AND DINNER is Book #4 in a charming new cozy mystery series by bestselling author Sophie Love, author of The Inn at Sunset Harbor series, a #1 Bestseller with over 200 five-star reviews!Marie Fortune, 39, a successful dog groomer in Boston, leaves the stressful life behind and heads to a small town in coastal Maine to create a new life. She remains intent on renovating the old, historic house her great-aunt left her and giving it a new life as a B&B. Yet there was one thing she couldn’t plan for: the house is haunted. Two things, actually: her great-aunt also left her a dog—and he is far from a typical dog.When Marie is invited to exorcise a supposedly haunted house, she encounters a twist she never could have anticipated. But before she can wrap her mind around the situation, a man turns up dead—forcing her to solve the case and to clear her own name.A page-turning cozy, packed with mystery, love, hauntings, travel, pets and food—anchored around a small town and a B&B in need of renovation that will capture your heart—THE GHOSTLY GROUNDS is an un-putdownable cozy series that will keep you turning pages (and laughing out loud) late into the night.“The romance is there, but not overdosed. Kudos to the author for this amazing start of a series that promises to be very entertaining.”--Books and Movies Reviews (For Now and Forever)
The Witching Place: Murder by Manuscript (A Curious Bookstore Cozy Mystery—Book 2)

The Witching Place: Murder by Manuscript (A Curious Bookstore Cozy Mystery—Book 2)

146 Views · Ongoing · Sophie Love
“The perfect romance or beach read, with a difference: its enthusiasm and beautiful descriptions offer an unexpected attention to the complexity of not just evolving love, but evolving psyches. It's a delightful recommendation for romance readers looking for a touch more complexity from their romance reads.”--Midwest Book Review (For Now and Forever)THE WITCHING PLACE: MURDER BY MANUSCRIPT is book #2 in a charming new cozy mystery series by bestselling author Sophie Love, author of The Inn at Sunset Harbor series, a #1 Bestseller with over 200 five-star reviews.When Alexis Blair, 29, is fired from her book publishing job and breaks up with her boyfriend on the same day, she wonders if life is urging her to make a fresh start. She decides it’s time to pursue her lifelong dream of opening a bookstore of her own—even if that means leaving Boston and accepting a job in a curious bookstore in a small seaside town an hour away.When Alexis is dispatched to scout out some books in an estate sale in a gothic mansion, she finds something she does not expect: one book is incredibly rare, the only one of its kind in existence, worth millions of dollars.She also soon finds something else she does not expect: a dead body.Thrust in the middle of the crime, will Alexis be able to clear her name?And will she discover the mystery at the heart of her very own store?A page-turning cozy, rife with the supernatural, mystery, secrets and love—and centered around a small town as odd and endearing as its shop—A CURIOUS BOOKSTORE will make you fall in love and keep you laughing out loud as you turn pages late into the night.“The romance is there, but not overdosed. Kudos to the author for this amazing start of a series that promises to be very entertaining.”--Books and Movies Reviews (For Now and Forever)Book #3 in the series—A PERILOUS PAGE—is now also available!
Three Years Surviving the Wasteland, And You Tell Me It's a Reality Show?

Three Years Surviving the Wasteland, And You Tell Me It's a Reality Show?

1.2k Views · Ongoing · Ryu
In our third year of surviving the wasteland, my companions and I finally realized it was all a reality show.

The elites and billionaires on the outside had built a massive dome, tossing us into this irradiated hellhole to be tortured. They broadcasted it globally, watching us drink toxic wastewater and eat mutated meat, treating us like monkeys in a zoo.

The mole in our team knelt in the mud, sobbing, begging me to understand that it was all a script—that as long as I played along, I could live.

Without a second thought, I swung my blade. Right in front of ten million VIP viewers, I chopped off his leg.

"Crappy script," I sneered, kicking aside the severed limbs and blood on the floor. Gripping my machete, I walked toward the real world beyond the heavy gates.

To those who used our lives for entertainment: I'm coming for yours.
My Ex Called Me a Sidekick—Until the Gala Put Me on Stage

My Ex Called Me a Sidekick—Until the Gala Put Me on Stage

583 Views · Ongoing · August
My ex and I used to live inside a romance movie.

She was the heroine’s best friend. I was the hero’s loyal sidekick. When the leads got their happy ending, we—the two “extras”—ended up together like an afterthought.

Then the credits rolled, and real life didn’t. The heroine died in a car crash, the hero fell apart, and my girlfriend chose that moment to leave me.

She said she was done being a supporting role. She wanted the spotlight—she wanted the heroine’s place.

I didn’t beg. I left the city alone and started over from nothing.

Five years later, I returned with my own company group—and ran into her again at a charity gala.

She still looked flawless, moving through the room of power and money, keeping up the image of success. She assumed I was still the same guy trailing behind someone else, and she spoke to me with that familiar, pitying superiority—offering to “help” me back into the circle.

Until the lights dimmed, and the host read my name with respectful clarity, inviting me to the stage.

That was when she realized the gala’s biggest sponsor was me—and the “sidekick” she thought she’d left behind was now someone she could never reach again.