942 Book(s) Related to after school lessons for unripe apples characters

Sophia has always felt like the world was against her. Raised by a mother who worked tirelessly to make ends meet, she never knew the warmth of parental affection. Her father, the love of her mother's life, disappeared before she was born, leaving Sophia to silently resent him for the heartbreak he caused. Despite the odds, Sophia pushed through, working long hours at a bar while studying psychology at college. After her mother’s illness and passing, she learned early on how to survive on her own.

Sophia never showed interest in the opposite sex, avoiding relationships out of fear she'd fall into the same trap as her mother. That is, until one night, a handsome man enters the bar. His behavior is strange—he seems drawn to her, almost predatory, smelling her and claiming he wants more. For the first time, Sophia finds herself intrigued. She wonders why this man is so intensely focused on her and what he's hiding. As she digs deeper, she uncovers a shocking truth: he is an alpha, and she is his destined mate

Liam is a young selfmade multimillionaire who has never wanted a lasting relationship with a woman. All that matters is keeping his business stable. Then he meets Ariana, a sweet yet innocent girl.
Despite the fact that their first meeting is not the most graceful one, she manages to drill into his heart slowly by slowly until he can't stay away from her.
Pleasing a Billionaire is not easy, especially if he doesn't want anything to do with love or having a lasting relationship. Will Aria be able to convince him otherwise? Do you think Liam will adjust his preferences and end up letting Aria own his heart or will it only be for the pleasure?

“Don’t come any closer, Andy,” Zoe whispered.
He scoffed softly, leaning in anyway.
“Why, teacher?” his voice dropped near her ear.
“You scared of me?”Zoe swallowed, her fingers tightening around her pen.That was the problem.
Zoe Daniels knows better than to get involved with someone like Andy Charles.
At Westbridge High, he’s everything she avoids
the school hottie, the playboy, the boy every girl wants and no one keeps.And now?He’s her responsibility.Failing his classes means losing everything that keeps him on top, and Zoe has been assigned to tutor him.....whether she likes it or not.But Andy doesn’t take anything seriously.Not school.Not rules.And definitely not her.

She needs a fiancé—for only one night.Cassandra Daniels’ parents want to meet her fiancé. They’ve driven hours to have dinner with the man who stole their daughter’s heart. The only problem—he doesn’t exist. She made him up because her mom and dad are concerned about her. Cassandra could tell the truth, but she’s tired of always disappointing her family. Now, she must find a handsome, respectable-looking guy to be her fake fiancé.Troy McKnight can’t believe a gorgeous blonde wants to pretend to be engaged for the night. Why him? She’s his total opposite—impulsive, adventurous, and a risk-taker. He should say no. He’s not the type to go along with crazy schemes and drama, yet he can’t deny her pull. Giving into his attraction, he agrees to be her fiancé. What’s the worst thing that can happen?Turns out Cassandra’s father is a powerful venture capitalist who could make or break Troy's career, so they continue the ruse. But as their fake engagement spirals, their attempts to stop the madness fail. Troy wants to spend more time with Cassandra, but she fears losing her heart…to him. The charade must end, even if she wishes her fiancé for the night could be her perfect husband for life.One Night to Forever series:Book 1: Fiancé for the NightBook 2: The Wedding LullabyBook 3: A Little Bit EngagedBook 4: Love on the Slopes

A Latte for Two isn’t just a romance it’s a journey into the magic of small moments that change everything. When Clara walks into a cozy little café in Maplewood, she doesn’t expect a spilled latte to lead her to Ethan, the man who will challenge her heart in ways she never imagined.
What begins with shy smiles and clumsy apologies slowly turns into something deeper late-night conversations, promises whispered over coffee, and the kind of love that makes ordinary mornings unforgettable. But with every tender moment comes a question: can the simple comforts of lattes and laughter withstand the uncertainties of real life?
Sweet, emotional, and utterly captivating,
A Latte for Two is a slow-burn romance that proves the greatest love stories aren’t built on grand gestures, but on the quiet, everyday moments that stay with us forever.
Fall in love with Clara and Ethan’s story and discover why sometimes, the smallest beginnings lead to the biggest happily-ever-afters.

Leon is a waste collector. He collects waste from Leamington Enterprise and other commercial buildings. He's made friends in the company, interacting with them whenever he comes to collect the waste twice a week.

He sometimes interacts with the CEO whenever he's available. Everybody knows that the CEO and Leon know each other, but from where and how, they don't know.

Leon is a married man, who left his husband, home and accounting job to distress. He found his solace in the waste collection industry, where he's made friends and has a peace of mind.

This is about his life and how he tries to navigate each day that comes, with a pestering husband that won't admit the wrong he's done and trying to win him back.

“l’m here to make you more…..comfortable”
I gritted my teeth as the word left my mouth. For a bit, anger pushed against the fear in my body. How did my life get to this level?
“They sent a kid to make me more comfortable?”
“I’m not a kid,” my voice shook.
He stands up, the chain rattling as he moves. He’s taller than I thought, and looks even more dangerous and intimidating, if that was possible. He grabs my throat choking me until tears threaten to fall.
“Next time they send you here,” he says quietly. “It better be with a gun, because if you come back without one, I’ll show you the kind of monster your Alpha just captured.”
He pulled me up by my throat, my legs dangling above the ground and threw me against the door.
……………………
Auren was raised to be the heir of Silverveil pack until the night she woke up in the pool of her parents’ blood…..her wolf silent.
Her uncle took over as Alpha, branding her wolf less and cursed. Now she serves as nothing more than a slave in her own home. When her uncle’s men mistakenly capture the Demon King, Alpha Dravik—the most feared werewolf alive and the ruthless leader of the Bloodborn syndicate, he panics. To cover his mistake, he sends Auren to get close to him and use her body to get information.
Alpha Dravik is nothing like she expected. He should have killed her. Instead, he demands for her hand in front of the council to end the feud between the two packs. Everyone thinks it’s politics. Auren knows its punishment.
What happens when her wolf finally awakens and the first word it whispers is his name?

Eva moves with her father and older brother to a new town. Eva meets Kessler, her obnoxious neighbor, who is a strange and mysterious boy. Eva knows that there are wolves in the forest, but what she did not know is that her neighbor, Kessler, was one of them.Kessler and Eva get along badly but with the deal and the fights they begin to feel an uncontrollable attraction that they will not be able to contain. Kessler knows that Eva is his mate and despite not wanting to accept it at first, he does so. Kessler becomes obsessed with Eva as he never did with anyone and he doesn't want to be separated from her for any moment.

“Don’t do this.” I muttered, my voice shaky as I took a step back. He advanced towards me, his eyes lidded with emotions..

“Don't do what?” He asked, his voice deep and filled with so much pain that my heart aches.

“You know what.” I responded. I looked away from him, not able to stomach the pain in his eyes because I had caused that pain. “We're terrible for each other.” I added.

He stopped walking towards me and clenched his hands beside him. When he spoke again, his words shattered the remaining of my heart.

“Is it so bad to love me, Celia?”
.
.
.
Cecelia had her entire life planned out. She would graduate at the top of her class, go to an Ivy League school, and most importantly, make Alex Gomez's life miserable.

But life had other plans.

She was diagnosed with cancer in the middle of a school year. Even though, she ended up beating the illness, things had changed when she returned to school for senior year.

People had changed. Or so she thought.

Alex Gomez, her biggest rival, was still infuriating and competitive, but he had replaced her as the top student.

The worst part was that he was assigned to be her tutor.

Cecelia was going to make sure he regretted it. She didn't anticipate falling for him, or that he would feel the same way.

It was supposed to be a one night thing.

One reckless night to numb the agony of betrayal, seeing her long-distance boyfriend entangled in bed with her stepsister, the same person who had taken everything from her once.

But fate doesn’t forget so easily.

When Mireya comes face-to-face with the stranger once again, this time standing in front of her lecture hall as her professor, things spiral further out of control when she discovers he isn’t just her professor.

He was her ex-boyfriend’s uncle.

Pain forged Mireya’s grief into resolve. To get revenge on her ex-boyfriend, her target became his uncle.

Her plan was simple; seduce, control and destroy.

But who the real predator is, remains a mystery.

…

“Little flame, don’t play with fire.” He warned, voice dipping low into a deep growl that sent shivers to my spine.

My heart raced violently as I pressed my body against his, defiant and breathless. “I like it when it burns.”

She wants him to burn for her.

But like he said, she was playing with fire and when this fire rages, it was uncertain if she would still be able to hold on especially when it became clear that her Professor might actually be a mafia lord in disguise.

It’s the perfect arrangement.A secret NO ONE can know.The mountain man gets his family.And I avoid my biggest nightmare.But can Ab save us when we need him most?He’s everything I've ever wanted.A gifted surgeon. Tall. Dark. And handsome. And he wants to knock me up.But there’s one tiny technicality: I'm his surrogate.Everything goes as planned... Until darkness shows its ugly face.And our relationship blossoms into a full-on love affair.Will the man of my dreams save us from disaster?And will I ever be able to go back to my old life after I deliver the triplets to their father?

“Morgan Rice has come up with what promises to be another brilliant series, immersing us in a fantasy of valor, honor, courage, magic and faith in your destiny. Morgan has managed again to produce a strong set of characters that make us cheer for them on every page.…Recommended for the permanent library of all readers that love a well-written fantasy.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding Rise of the Dragons)From #1 Bestseller Morgan Rice comes an unforgettable new fantasy series. In A SONG FOR ORPHANS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Three), Sophia, 17, journeys in search of her parents. Her quest takes her to foreign and strange lands—and to a shocking secret she could never imagine.Kate, 15, is summoned by the witch, as her time has come to repay the favor. But Kate is changing, coming of age, become ever more powerful—and what will become of Kate if she makes a deal with darkness?Sebastian, a romantic, follows his heart, throwing it all away to reject his family and find Sophia. But Lady D’Angelica is still bent on killing her—and may have other plans.A SONG FOR ORPHANS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Three) is the third book in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, swords, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. Book #4 in the series will be released soon.“An action packed fantasy sure to please fans of Morgan Rice’s previous novels, along with fans of works such as The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini…. Fans of Young Adult Fiction will devour this latest work by Rice and beg for more.” --The Wanderer, A Literary Journal (regarding Rise of the Dragons)

“Morgan Rice's imagination is limitless. In another series that promises to be as entertaining as the previous ones, A THRONE OF SISTERS presents us with the tale of two sisters (Sophia and Kate), orphans, fighting to survive in a cruel and demanding world of an orphanage. An instant success.”--Books and Movie Reviews (Roberto Mattos)The new #1 Bestselling epic fantasy series by Morgan Rice!In A CLASP FOR HEIRS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Eight), Sophia, Kate and Lucas finally meet their parents. Who are they? Why were they in exile?And what secret message might they hold for them about their identities?Meanwhile, the Master of Crows ravages Ashton, Stonehome lies in danger, and Sebastian must find a way to whisk Violet to safety.Will Sophie, Kate and Lucas return in time to save them?Will they return at all?A CLASP FOR HEIRS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Seven) is book #7 in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, swords, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. “[A Throne for Sisters is a] powerful opener to a series [that] will produce a combination of feisty protagonists and challenging circumstances to thoroughly involve not just young adults, but adult fantasy fans who seek epic stories fueled by powerful friendships and adversaries.”--Midwest Book Review (Diane Donovan)

“Morgan Rice's imagination is limitless. In another series that promises to be as entertaining as the previous ones, A THRONE OF SISTERS presents us with the tale of two sisters (Sophia and Kate), orphans, fighting to survive in a cruel and demanding world of an orphanage. An instant success. I can hardly wait to put my hands on the second and third books!”--Books and Movie Reviews (Roberto Mattos)The new #1 Bestselling epic fantasy series by Morgan Rice!In A CROWN FOR ASSASSINS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Seven), Sophia, Kate and Lucas finally get the chance to journey in search of their long-lost parents. Will they find them?Are they alive?And what message do they hold for them?Their journey demands a price, though. Ashton is left without a ruler, and the Master of Crows still lies in wait, ready to strike. As the fate of the realm lies in the balance, help may come from the most unlikely place of all: Stonehome.A CROWN FOR ASSASSINS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Seven) is book #7 in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, swords, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. Book #8 in the series will be released soon.“[A Throne for Sisters is a] powerful opener to a series [that] will produce a combination of feisty protagonists and challenging circumstances to thoroughly involve not just young adults, but adult fantasy fans who seek epic stories fueled by powerful friendships and adversaries.”--Midwest Book Review (Diane Donovan)

“Morgan Rice has come up with what promises to be another brilliant series, immersing us in a fantasy of valor, honor, courage, magic and faith in your destiny. Morgan has managed again to produce a strong set of characters that make us cheer for them on every page.…Recommended for the permanent library of all readers that love a well-written fantasy.”--Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos (regarding Rise of the Dragons)From #1 Bestseller Morgan Rice comes an unforgettable new fantasy series. In A COURT FOR THIEVES (A Throne for Sisters—Book Two), Sophia, 17, finds her world upside down as she is cast from the romantic world of aristocracy and back to the horrors of the orphanage. This time the nuns seem intent on killing her. Yet that doesn’t pain her as much as her broken heart. Will Sebastian realize his mistake and come back for her?Her younger sister Kate, 15, embarks on her training with the witch, coming of age under her auspices, mastering the sword, gaining more power than she ever imagined possible—and determined to embark on a quest to save her sister. She finds herself immersed in a world of violence and combat, of a magic she craves—and yet one that may consume her.A secret is revealed about Sophia and Kate’s lost parents, and all may not be what it seems for the sisters. Fate, indeed, may be turned on its head. A COURT FOR THIEVES (A Throne for Sisters—Book Two) is the second book in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. Book #3 in the series—A SONG FOR ORPHANS—will be released soon.“An action packed fantasy sure to please fans of Morgan Rice’s previous novels, along with fans of works such as The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini…. Fans of Young Adult Fiction will devour this latest work by Rice and beg for more.” --The Wanderer, A Literary Journal (regarding Rise of the Dragons)

“Morgan Rice's imagination is limitless. In another series that promises to be as entertaining as the previous ones, A THRONE OF SISTERS presents us with the tale of two sisters (Sophia and Kate), orphans, fighting to survive in a cruel and demanding world of an orphanage. An instant success. I can hardly wait to put my hands on the second and third books!”--Books and Movie Reviews (Roberto Mattos)From #1 Bestseller Morgan Rice comes an unforgettable new fantasy series. In A JEWEL FOR ROYALS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Five), Sophia, 17, gets word that Sebastian, her love, is imprisoned and set to be executed. Will she risk it all for love?Her sister Kate, 15, struggles to escape the witch’s power—but it may be too strong. Kate may be forced to pay the price for the deal she made—and to live a life she doesn’t want to.The Queen is furious at Lady D’Angelica for failing to woo her son, Sebastian. She is prepared to sentence her to the Lead Mask. But Lady D’Angelica has her own plans, and she won’t go down so easily.Cora and Emeline finally reach Stonehome—and what they find there shocks them.Most shocking of all, though, is Sophia and Kate’s brother, a man who will change their destinies forever. What secrets does he hold about their long-lost parents?A JEWEL FOR ROYALS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Five) is the fifth book in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, swords, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. Book #6 in the series will be released soon.“[A Throne for Sisters is a] powerful opener to a series [that] will produce a combination of feisty protagonists and challenging circumstances to thoroughly involve not just young adults, but adult fantasy fans who seek epic stories fueled by powerful friendships and adversaries.”--Midwest Book Review (Diane Donovan)

“Morgan Rice's imagination is limitless. In another series that promises to be as entertaining as the previous ones, A THRONE OF SISTERS presents us with the tale of two sisters (Sophia and Kate), orphans, fighting to survive in a cruel and demanding world of an orphanage. An instant success. I can hardly wait to put my hands on the second and third books!”--Books and Movie Reviews (Roberto Mattos)The new #1 Bestselling epic fantasy series by Morgan Rice!In A KISS FOR QUEENS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Six), it is time for Sophia to come into her own. It is time for her to lead an army, to lead a nation, to step up and be the commander of the most epic battle the realm may ever see. Her love, Sebastian, remains imprisoned and set to be executed. Will they reunite in time?Kate has finally freed herself from the witch’s power, and is free to become the warrior she was meant to be. Her skills will be tested in the battle of her life, as she fights at her sister’s side. Will the sisters save each other?The Queen, furious at Rupert and Lady D’Angelica, exiles him and sentences her to execution. But they just may have their own agenda.And all of this converges in an epic battle that will decide the future of the crown—and the fate of the realm—forever.A KISS FOR QUEENS (A Throne for Sisters—Book Six) is book #6 in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, adventure, magic, swords, sorcery, dragons, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget. Book #7 in the series will be released soon.“[A Throne for Sisters is a] powerful opener to a series [that] will produce a combination of feisty protagonists and challenging circumstances to thoroughly involve not just young adults, but adult fantasy fans who seek epic stories fueled by powerful friendships and adversaries.”--Midwest Book Review (Diane Donovan)

When I woke up with a hangover, I found a handsome and naked stranger sleeping beside me.

I’m Tanya, a surrogate’s daughter, an omega with no wolf and no scent.
On my 18th birthday, when I planned to give my virginity to my boyfriend, I found him sleeping with my sister.
I went to the bar to get drunk, and accidentally had a one-night stand with the handsome stranger.
I thought he was just an ordinary werewolf, but they said he was Marco, the alpha prince and the most powerful Lycan in our kingdom.
‘You slut, you’re pregnant! Fortunately, Rick is kind enough to let you be his mistress and save you from shame.’ my stepmother said, tossing a pregnancy strip on the table.
Rick was an old pervert. No she-wolf could keep up with his sexual demand. No she-wolf could survive with him more than 1 year.
When I was in despair, Marco came to my rescue. He got down on one knee, took out a ring and said he would marry me.

I thought Marco married me because he loved me, but later I found that was not the truth…

For three years, she nursed her paralyzed husband, risked her own life testing experimental drugs, and nearly destroyed her health to pull him back from the brink of death.
But on the very day he fully recovered, he held his first love in his arms and declared, “I will take care of her and our child for the rest of my life.”
Heartbroken, she asked for a divorce. In return, he coldly froze all her bank accounts and forced her out of the house with nothing, sneering, “You are nothing without me.”
It was not until she hid her pregnancy test and walked away for good that he finally panicked.

I was just the mate of the Alpha fated mate and the nanny to my child, not his Luna.
I dedicated my life to him, but he never loved me—this was all because I was just a wolfless omega.
Until his ex returned, everyone, including my mate and even my child, looked down on me. Everyone believed she should be the Luna.
I turned and walked out of the house, choosing to live for myself.
Three months later, I became the world’s most renowned white wolf healer, appearing on television.
Son (shocked): "Dad, is that... my mom on TV?"

Barbara thought that she had married an ordinary man, but who knew that this man transformed into the CEO of her company.
Not only that, he was also the most mysterious successor of the richest empire in Asia.
In front of others, he was the decisive, cold-blooded leader of the business empire. While in front of her, he spoiled her very much.

One month before my wedding, I was trying on the wedding dress I'd designed myself when a message from a friend popped up: [Diana, get over here! Your fiancé just lost at Truth or Dare and has to kiss your rival.]

Eight years of marriage — she thought she'd married love itself.
Until the day she watched her husband's Bentley rocking on the roadside, and knew exactly why.
She played it cool. Maneuvered him into signing the divorce papers without a clue, then waited for her billion-dollar exit.
But before she could walk free, someone poisoned her drink and staged a crash that nearly killed her.
The man who saved her wasn't the husband who swore he loved her — it was Erwin, cold, dangerous, and ruler of a business empire.
The untouchable, legendary Erwin — shielding her, risking himself, again and again.
When Levi finally woke up to what he'd lost, he came back red-eyed and desperate: " I was wrong. Can we start over? I can't live without you."
Erwin simply tilted his head and kissed her — eyes cutting straight to Levi's ashen face:
"I don't think you understand. The moment you let her go, she became my wife."

Seven years of marriage turned to ash the moment I discovered my husband had arranged for his sister-in-law to carry his dead brother's child—using his own sperm to continue the family bloodline.
Lorenzo Corvino—New York's most ruthless don—would drive three hours through a storm just to get me imported cherries. He held me at my mother's funeral, crying until dawn. He hospitalized a man for disrespecting me at a charity gala.
I thought I was the center of his world.
Until the private investigator's flash drive revealed the truth: Lorenzo at the clinic for Claudia's prenatal appointments, his hand on her pregnant belly, whispering "Marco would be so proud."
In the end, on the Corvino family's scale of priorities, continuing his dead brother's bloodline would always outweigh his infertile wife.
The night the yacht exploded, the New York sky burned red. The news reported the mafia don's wife had perished in the flames. He collapsed on the dock, clutching the charred wreckage, breaking down completely.
But he didn't know—
That "dead" woman was across the Atlantic on the Amalfi Coast, one hand on her seven-week baby bump, protecting the secret he'd never discover.
Seven months later, when he stepped into my new life and saw the infant with his deep brown eyes cradled in my arms—
This man who'd built an empire on violence and fear finally understood what he'd truly lost.
And I'll spend the rest of my life making sure he knows: some betrayals are so deep, even "I'm sorry" is more than he'll ever deserve.

My marriage to Matthew was a transaction, a substitute—everything except love. When his white moonlight came back, I was abandoned, diagnosed with gastric cancer, and carrying his child. His late regret could never bring back my life, nor could it keep our unborn baby.

I divorced the same man nine times.
The first eight times, I was the one sobbing, begging him not to go.
The ninth time, I was the one who slid the papers across the table.
He signed them, then told me we'd remarry once she left.
I said okay.
What he didn't know was that my flight was already booked.
This time, I was leaving for good.

Our engagement has gone unfulfilled for ten years.

My parents saved his family in that yacht accident. With their dying breath, they asked his family to look after me. In return, we go to city hall every year, trying to fulfill this obligation.

Ten attempts. Ten failures.

Elevator malfunctions, food poisoning, home invasions, car crashes... Every single time, I get hurt at the worst possible moment while he walks away without a scratch.

This makes ten. A truck slams into the passenger side, my head smashes against the window, and he's already running across the street, pulling that woman into his arms.

On my way to find him after they stitch me up, I hear his assistant's voice in the hospital corridor:

"Mr. Ashford, the truck driver's been taken care of. Money'll hit his account like we agreed... but is this really fair to Miss Bennett? It's been ten years, every single year—"

William's voice comes out low and tired. "I don't have a choice. Her parents saved me, but I'm in love with Emma."

I look down at the diagnosis. ALS. Late stage.

Turns out I've been trying to marry a lie this whole time.

An hour ago, at the company’s press conference, I had just helped my husband Carlisle quell the ninety-ninth scandal of his affair.
Now, he has my assistant Russell pinned against my office desk, kissing him, his hand slipping under Russell’s miniskirt and groping wildly.
In that moment, I’ve already planned the publicity spin for the hundredth time.
But I’m not sure if my dear husband Carlisle and his lover will make it that far.
Because the revenge banquet I’ve been preparing for three years is about to begin.

He broke down the morgue door, his guttural scream echoing off the cold tiles as he yanked open drawer after drawer.

"Emily!"

Ethan's hands shook violently as he pulled it open. She lay inside, a white sheet draped over her face. With trembling fingers, he peeled back the fabric. Her face was paper-white, lips bloodless, her eyelashes casting faint shadows. So still.

This wasn't the Emily he knew. The Emily he knew could smile, could cry, could clumsily try to warm his frozen heart. But now, she was just a corpse. A corpse because of him.

"Cancer... stage four..." he whispered, drowning in a tidal wave of panic.

He remembered all those times she had clutched her stomach in agony, and he had mocked her. He remembered demanding she give her heart to his lover. He remembered her final silent words through the surgical glass: "I hate you."

"AHHH—!!" A raw scream tore from his throat. He slammed his fist into the metal drawer, blood blooming across his knuckles.

He collapsed beside her, pulling her stiff, freezing body into his arms. She was so light. Like holding air.

"Emily, I was wrong. I was so wrong," he choked out, crying for the first time in years. "Wake up. Hit me. Hate me. I'm begging you..."

But death is the most absolute silence of all. How far will a man go when he realizes he murdered his only salvation?

My fiancé accused me of not caring about family.
To appease him, I planned a family vacation.
But the night before we left, he informed me that he'd given my first-class seat to his childhood sweetheart.
And me? He stuck me in coach on a flight flagged for possible terror threats.
Everyone in his family thought I should just go along with it.
That was the moment I woke up.
I tore up the itinerary and booked myself a trip to Hawaii instead.
Then I turned off my phone and let them sweat over the hotel bill.
It wasn't until their reservation got canceled that they finally started to panic.

In her previous life, her mother suffered heartbreak and betrayal from her father, who misplaced his trust and met a tragic end. After a cruel twist of fate, she was exiled to a remote village for 19 years and ultimately lost her life at the hands of the Hampton family.
Now, given a second chance at life, she vows to avenge her mother and herself. Fueled by fierce determination, she embarks on a mission to dismantle the treacherous scumbag and the deceitful white lotus who betrayed her. Along the way, she finds herself in an unexpected, sweet relationship with her seemingly "cheap" husband.
The world is shocked and confused by her return.
"Isn't she the village girl who was exiled for 19 years and killed by the Hampton family?" they whisper.
But powerful allies emerge from her past:
Her Uncle, a powerful corporate president, declares, "That's my precious niece."
Her Second Uncle, a top celebrity, states, "I'm here for a discussion."
Her Little Uncle, a champion in electronic competitions, stands ready to support her.
And then there’s her husband. Known to many as a disabled man, he surprises everyone by saying, "That's my wife." When questioned about his disability, a knowing smile spreads across his face.
"I'll only be crippled in front of her," he reveals, his mysterious aura hinting at hidden depths and formidable strength.
Together, they form an unbreakable alliance, ready to dominate the world and take down anyone who dares to stand in their way.

On our third anniversary, I gave my husband my pregnancy test results as a gift. What I got back was a photo—a man's hand on a woman's chest. The wedding ring on his finger told me everything I needed to know. He was my husband. And he was cheating.

The plan was simple: Break the nephew by seducing the uncle.
Wesley Vance didn't just break my heart; he tried to sell my dignity. So, I went after the only man he feared. The man who owned the city, the empire, and Wesley’s future.
Lance Lawson. He’s cold. He’s untouchable. He’s my ex-boyfriend’s uncle. I thought I was the one setting the trap. I wore his shirts, haunted his penthouse, and chipped away at his legendary control until the ice finally cracked.
But I made one fatal mistake. I thought Lance was a man I could use and discard. I didn't realize that once you wake a predator, he never goes back to sleep.
Now, Wesley is gone, the Vance family is in ruins, and I’m trapped in a gilded cage of my own making. Because Lance doesn't want my loyalty. He wants my soul.
I wanted revenge. I got an obsession.

I’m Emily, a twenty-two-year-old fresh graduate with no job, no prospects, and nothing but fear for my future. Dozens of job applications ended in rejection, leaving me desperate and broken.
Then I met him.
In an elevator on my way to what I thought would be my dream interview, I crashed into Liam Black—the ruthless CEO of New York’s fastest-rising enterprise, and the city’s most infamous playboy.
Charming, seductive, and impossibly handsome, he offered me a position as his personal secretary. I was overjoyed and accepted at once.
But my fairy tale quickly turned into a nightmare. On our first night out, he got me drunk and took my virginity.
When I woke up the next morning, he was gone, leaving me alone and humiliated in that hotel room.
Months later, I got the shattering news: I was pregnant.
I mustered every ounce of courage to tell him, only to be met with cold rejection. He abandoned me without a second thought.
Now I’m trapped with an impossible choice: keep this baby, or have an abortion?
Can I ever survive the wreckage of my secret affair with my boss?

"Let’s divorce."

After three years of marriage, my husband’s true love has returned. He ended our three-year marriage with his own lips. Just like that, I was ruthlessly abandoned, and everyone is laughing at my misery.

I hid the news of my pregnancy and vanished from his world completely. I thought my sacrifice would give him the happiness he wanted. I never expected that when we met again, my ex-husband would confront me with bloodshot eyes.

"Whose child is this?"

——

As for the story after I left, I heard a different version. From the moment I disappeared, my ex-husband went insane searching for me all over the world...

"Use me to get back at your ex. Make him jealous. Even if he doesn't love you, he won't handle seeing you with someone else. Especially someone like me."
I blinked at him, confused. "Especially someone like you? Why would he be jealous? He doesn't even like me."
He smirked. "Trust me. Derek will lose his mind watching his ex-wife move on. He'll wonder if you ever loved him... and why you replaced him so easily. That's when he starts running back."
"Deal?"
His eyes glittered with danger. My brain screamed run. But I still found myself nodding.
"Deal."
Vanessa Holland thought signing divorce papers with Derek—a man with the emotional depth of a teaspoon—was the worst day of her life.
She was wrong.
Rock bottom has a basement... and Ryker Holland is waiting there, handsome, ruthless, and armed with a plan.
Ryker, Derek's half-brother and the real power behind the Holland empire, offers Vanessa a deal she's not supposed to refuse: Make Derek jealous enough to crawl back in humiliation, while Ryker secures the CEO throne he's been denied.
But this isn't kindness. Ryker is petty. He is cruel. And he wants to destroy Derek—piece by piece.
Vanessa is the perfect weapon: a discarded wife with nothing left to lose... and maybe just enough vengeance in her heart to play along.
Except fake dating Ryker doesn't stay fake for long.
Emotions blur. Lines cross.
The man she should fear becomes the one she can't stay away from.
Now Vanessa must decide: Is she Ryker's pawn? Or has she learned how to play the Hollands better than either brother ever expected?
Two brothers. One broken heart.
Revenge never looked this tempting...
And the Holland boys are going down—
one will break, and the other will enjoy every second of it.
Disclaimer: Contains morally grey characters, power games, manipulation, emotional cruelty, and a whole lot of chemistry. Reader discretion advised.

With the death of her parents, the bankruptcy of the company, and the betrayal of her fiancé, Rebecca went to a bar to get drunk, but accidentally took Thomas as a pimp and slept with him, and the next day Rebecca was afraid to see Thomas's face and left in a hurry. Four years later, Rebbeca returned with three children, but accidentally reunited with Thomas.
How the next?

The night I asked for a divorce, my husband—the one who swore he loved someone else—begged me to stay.

His hands gripped my waist. His breath burned against my neck.
“Who is the man?”

I tried to push him away. He only pulled me closer.
“Can he make you feel this good?”

Three years of marriage. I thought I could warm his cold heart.
Then his ex came back. And I became the villain.

He forced me to apologize to her. Never once questioned her lies.
So I signed the papers and walked out.

Now? I’m successful. Beautiful. The one he can’t have.
He kneels in front of me with a diamond ring.
“Let’s remarry.”

I smile—and turn to the man who saved me when I was a child.
He’s been waiting for years.

Let my ex kneel there forever.

Will a man learn to love me if I’m good to him long enough?

I tried for seven years to warm his heart.
I thought if I just held on a little longer, he’d finally see me.
Because I loved him so deeply.

But what did I get in return?
His endless tenderness for another woman.
I pretended I didn’t care, until pneumonia landed me in the hospital.

On the day I was discharged, I found him standing there with our daughter, his whole world focused on caring for that woman.
Even my daughter, whom I’d raised with everything I had, wished that woman was her mother.

In that moment, my heart died completely.

I left the divorce papers, gave up custody, and walked back into the chemical industry.
So what if seven years of marriage had worn me down?
I was still the top genius in my field.

But the divorce I’d wanted so badly never went through.
The man who once couldn’t have been colder to me now held on to me tighter than ever.
Our daughter refused to leave my side.

When he found my divorce papers,
the always cold and arrogant man pushed me against the wall and growled:

“Divorce? You’re mine. For life.”

<>



Vanessa thought rock bottom was signing divorce papers with Derek Holland, a man with the emotional depth of a teaspoon. Turns out, rock bottom had a basement, and Ryker Holland was waiting for her down there with a smirk and a plan.

Ryker, Derek's older half-brother (aka the family's dirty little secret), shows up offering Vanessa a deal: help her make her ex-husband, Derek Holland, jealous enough to come crawling back. In exchange, he secures his position as CEO.

But Ryker isn't doing this out of kindness. He is petty and cruel. He would do anything to trample all over Derek, and now he has the perfect weapon. Vanessa, freshly dumped and just desperate enough to play along. And if she happens to enjoy making her ex suffer too? Well, that's just a bonus.

As Vanessa sinks deeper into Ryker's twisted world of fake romance, secrecy and family dysfunction, things start getting real. Because fake love? It's a lot easier to control than real feelings. And Ryker has no idea what to do when the game stops being a game.

Is Vanessa walking into a trap or building one of her own? Either way, the Holland brothers are going down. One's going to break, and the other's going to enjoy every second of it.

_Disclaimer:

This story contains morally complex and flawed characters, who often operate with hidden motives and questionable ethics. Themes explored include emotional manipulation, gaslighting, power imbalance, dual identities, and blurred lines between love, control, and obsession. Certain scenes may be intense or unsettling. Reader discretion is strongly advised.

Zoe Marshall thought her marriage was unbreakable. She built her life around Ethan Carter—powerful, brilliant, and untouchable. Until his betrayal shattered her so deeply that filing for divorce became her only way to breathe again. She thought leaving him would set her free. But freedom is never that simple when your ex-husband is a ruthless billionaire who turns regret into obsession.
Ethan is determined to win her back, to claim what he believes is still his—no matter what it takes. Just as Zoe begins to rediscover her strength, Mason King enters her life: dangerous, wealthy, and hiding secrets darker than midnight shadows. He offers her protection and a passion she never imagined. But his world is deadly, and his past is painted with blood.
When an enemy obsessed with Ethan threatens Zoe’s life to erase her forever, and Mason’s hidden demons resurface, she finds herself trapped between two powerful men fighting for her love... or her destruction. Who will truly protect her? Who will destroy her? Because when love becomes a battlefield, only the strongest hearts survive—and Zoe isn’t letting anyone else decide her fate.

“You watched me burn… and chose to save your lover?” I whispered, hatred blazing in my eyes.
“Then I will watch you and your empire turn to ashes.”
“Wife, come home,” the cold Don said warmly. “The bed is empty without you.”
“Mommy, please come home,” my son cried with big fat tears. “I want to hug you to sleep.”
I laughed bitterly. “I hate you both.”
“Yes, Mommy,” they said at the same time, “we love you too.”
“WHY ARE YOU TWO NOT FOLLOWING THE SCRIPT?”
—----
Once, Elena Moretti was the perfect Mafia wife. Silent, loyal, and willing to sacrifice everything for her husband and son. And for that devotion, she was repaid with betrayal and death.
Reborn in the fifth year of her marriage, just before everything spirals out of control, Elena refuses to love blindly again.
This time, she chooses herself.
She divorces the man she once worshipped.
She walks away from the child who loathes her and calls another woman “Mom.”
But fate is treacherous.
The cold Mafia Don who slowly realizes he has lost the only woman who ever truly loved him.
The son who begins to feel the emptiness left by his mother’s absence.
Join Elena’s journey of self love, healing and a second chance at love.

I'm the forgotten eldest son of the Cross family.
My parents see me as a walking blood bag for my brother Colin, while my wife views me as a sinner destined to spend my life atoning for my mistakes.
When Audrey pressured me to donate a kidney, I agreed.
Not only did I agree, but I also liquidated all my assets and transferred them to my lab.
They thought I was foolish, that I was still begging for their love.
In reality, I was just tying up loose ends.
The night before the surgery, I coughed up a pool of blood.
Audrey laughed coldly over the phone: "Stop the act, Evan. You just want to dodge responsibility. You'll go to any lengths for attention."
The surgery was a "success."
Colin got the kidney he'd always dreamed of.
And I died in the recovery room.
My soul floated in the air as I watched Audrey push open the hospital door, wearing a smile that dripped with pity, ready to put on a show of "redemption."
"Evan, I know you've been wronged. Let's start over..."
The only response to her was the white sheet covering my lifeless body.

Three torturous years hauling bodies on the mortuary night shift, and I'd finally scraped together the cash for my brother Charles's heart transplant.
He just waved it off.
"My heart is fine. Mom and Dad didn't die in that gang war, either. I orchestrated the hit. You were the only casualty."
Nearby, my husband, Gerald, casually lit a cigar to deliver his own confession. "I never went bankrupt. 'Laying low' was just my excuse to avoid squeezing into that dingy funeral home dorm with you. I've been at the Long Island estate."
"I was going to punish you for another three years," Charles added, "but the stench of formaldehyde on you is nauseating. We couldn't take it anymore."
I froze, still clutching the credit card. Charles plucked the plastic from my numb fingers and shoved his phone screen in my face. A banking app stared back at me.
Balance: exactly zero.
"My name is still on the joint account," he sneered, tossing the card into the trash. "I drained it this morning. That blood money you made bagging stiffs is being handed out to street junkies as we speak. We'd never touch that filth."
Before the sheer absurdity of it could suffocate me, my parents walked in. Flanked by bodyguards, they kept their distance, eyeing me like a plague rat.
"You thought being the biological daughter gave you the right to ruthlessly bully Violet. We simply wanted to put you in your place."
"Swear you'll never cross Violet again, and you can remain a Falcone," my mother added coolly. "Otherwise, you're dead to us."
In the stifling silence that followed, my phone buzzed. A text from my oncologist.
[Mrs. Castello, the results are back. It's terminal. Do you consent to initiating the hospice and DNR protocols we discussed?]

On our fifth anniversary, Caspian gifted me a luxury yacht bearing my name. Everyone said I was the luckiest woman alive.
But when I finally conceived his child and prepared to share the news, his mistress sent me photos—him cradling a baby she'd given him, his eyes filled with a tenderness I'd never seen.
Five years of waiting, five years of infertility—all an elaborate lie.
He once whispered in my ear: "Even if every man in the world betrays his wife, I never will. You're my life. Without you, I can't survive."
I quietly packed, left behind my pregnancy report and all the evidence, and drove away. Three hours later, he received the call: my car exploded on the highway. No survivors.
From that day on, the most powerful man in Valen City lost his mind completely.

I was dead, and the whole world was celebrating for my sister.

For twenty-two years, I had been the hardest-working but most invisible daughter in the Sterling family, forever living in the shadow of my gymnastics prodigy sister.

Running a high fever, I begged my family to take me to the hospital, only to hear: "Don't you DARE ruin Bella's award ceremony!"

When I was tricked into the abandoned equipment room and used my last breath to call my boyfriend while lying in a pool of blood, all I heard was: "Grace, quit the drama! Bella's accepting her award on stage!"

On stage, thunderous applause erupted as Bella lifted the "Young Gymnast of the Year" trophy.

And I drew my final breath.

When they returned home triumphant, thinking I had run away in a tantrum, they had no idea I was already dead right under their noses.

“Gabriel Bryce, how can you stand being so shameless?” Leonica asked, staring daggers at her atrocious husband and his mistress. “This is the house gifted to my by grandmother, yet you dare bring another woman into it? Aren’t you afraid that grandmother would be disappointed with you actions…?”
Leonica’s words remained unfinished as an enraged Gabriel swung his hand through the air, smacking his palm clean on her left cheek.
Leonica held her throbbing cheek, eyes wide and teary as she stared at her husband who glared down at her ferociously.
“The nerves of you to mention my grandmother. You have no right to do so!” He spat, taking a step forward and jabbing his index finger painfully into her shoulder, making her take several steps back. “Bare this in mind, Leonica Romero, if not for the wishes of my late grandmother, I’d much rather be dead than associate myself with somebody like you.”
~* *~
Leonica Romero has always had a long time crush on Gabriel Bryce, CEO of Bryce Empire and Norway’s Business tyrant. Fortunately, at the request of his Ill grandmother, her family’s long time friend, Leonica gets the chance to marry her beloved.
Feeling elated, she abandoned her position and dream job in the Romero household and becomes a humble housewife for Gabriel. However, Three years later, on the day of Gabriel’s grandmother’s funeral, Leonica is stunned speechless when he demands for a divorce, as his ex girlfriend Angelina Fernandez had suddenly returned, proclaiming her undying love for him.
But that wasn’t the only shock Leonica received that day. Hours after Gabriel’s declaration for a divorce, Leonica wakes up in the hospital to a shocking news.
She was two months pregnant.
And Gabriel knew nothing about this!