109 Book(s) Related to rock paper scissors ultimate

A bad boy rockstar needs a fake girlfriend… Not a girl to fall in love with him when the cameras fall away… When I walked into the party that night, I was worried about my black minidress being too short… I never realized that I was going to meet him. Rhys Grant, lead singer of Misery, one of the hottest bands on the freaking planet. Rhys isn't just any tanned, muscular bad boy dripping with sex appeal. He's so hot he's practically Adonis himself. … and the way he sings… he owns that stage. And he's interested in me. Well, okay, fake interested. He needs a sweet girl on his arm for the cameras, to smile and look like he's settled down. Public Relations 101. I just happen to be in the right place at the right time. Right in the middle of that party, pulling down that mini skirt and feeling so out of place. Of course I said yes! How could I ever say no? But the more I find out about Rhys, the more I see the man behind the microphone and tabloids. I don't want to be one of a thousand screaming fans. When he kisses me, when he touches me... suddenly I want to be his one and only. Paparazzi, crazed band managers, overdoses… Rhys' lifestyle will either drive me away forever or ruin me for all other men. But one thing's for sure… he's going to rock me to my core.

"Shh, shut up!" Daniel hissed through gritted teeth, his hot breath grazing her ear as she screamed beneath him.
"The hall is not that big—everyone heard you."
She met his gaze, mischief glinting in her eyes. "Who cares?" she whispered, breathless. "Maybe I should scream—let Aria hear every last minute of it. Looks like you need a push to finally end things with her."
Aria had walked into the office with lunch in her hands and love in her heart—only to find her husband buried in his secretary, moaning like a man possessed.
What hurt more than the betrayal… was the fact that he didn't even deny it. When Aria confronted his mistress, Daniel stepped in—not to defend his wife, but to protect the other woman.
Shattered and humiliated, Aria fled—to a members-only nightclub where the rich and heartbroken go to forget. One drink turned into two, and by morning, she woke up tangled in silk sheets… and beside a mysterious stranger with a wicked smile and a tempting offer:
"One date. No games. No lies. Just you and me."
Will she continue in her marriage or leave with the stranger who requested for a date?"

“Honey, I'm on a business trip. I'll bring you and the girls back gifts when I get back.”
James and I have been married for many years, and he has always been the model husband in everyone's eyes.
I never doubted him, until this moment, when I saw on the live broadcast a back view of someone who looked a lot like James walking past the camera, accompanied by a woman.
（I highly recommend a captivating book that I couldn't put down for three days and nights. It's incredibly engaging and a must-read. The title of the book is "The Billionaire's Daughter" You can find it by searching for it in the search bar.）

Evelyn's eyes grew wide with shock as she stared at the dashingly handsome man standing before her. His bright smile reached his eyes and matched the safistication that he carried. The poor man that she had known was no longer poor.
"Goodday, Evelyn, missed me?" With a powerful, manly voice that demanded an audience from everyone nearby, Austin questioned her.
Just three years ago, Evelyn had done the unthinkable by succumbing to her rich family's pressure and choosing to marry another man, thus breaking Austin's heart.
Now Austin is back, richer than ever, and he makes it known that he is out for revenge and that he will have Evelyn, no matter how much he would have to pay to get her to become his.
Will his hatred for Evelyn be greater than his hate for her?

Arnold Blaze, a ruthless and calculated tycoon, has built his empire with an iron will, sealing deals and crushing competitors without hesitation. His life has always been defined by power and control—until Lilith steps into the picture. Mysterious and fiercely independent, Lilith challenges Arnold in ways he's never encountered, igniting a fire within him that shakes the very foundation of his disciplined world. From their first chaotic meeting—an accidental encounter at a nightclub—Arnold finds himself drawn to Lilith in ways he can't explain. She’s not just another conquest; she’s the one woman he can’t dominate or figure out. The passion between them is undeniable, but it comes with a price: Lilith is wrapped in secrets, and her past is as dangerous as Arnold’s present. As their relationship deepens, Arnold is forced to confront the one thing he’s always avoided—his own emotions. The stakes rise as his rivalry with Victor Sterling, the CEO of a competing company, takes a dark turn. A fierce battle for dominance ensues between Blaze Enterprises and Sterling Industries, with Arnold poised to strike a deal that could solidify his power forever. But just as he’s on the brink of victory, Lilith becomes a target in the cutthroat world of corporate warfare. As secrets from both their pasts unravel, Arnold faces a choice: protect the empire he has spent his life building or risk everything for the woman who’s captured his heart.

"Omega's are supposed to stay quiet. Omega's are supposed to obey. Omega's are supposed to do EVERYTHING I fucking say!" I lived each day in fear for my life.
I was the pack's slave, tortured, beaten, and treated worse than scum. To my pack- I was a nobody, especially to our alpha-to-be, Alpha Jaxon. But when he finds I am his mate, he takes it upon himself to reject me, and make my life hell. After all, how can a strong alpha be mated to the pack’s scum, right?
One destined night, a visiting pack and a ruthless alpha who no one dares defy may just be my savior. But will he accept me as his mate? A worthless omega from a weaker pack? Or will I be rejected again and become an enslaved she-wolf for the rest of my life?

Every time my husband wants to make me give in, he slaps divorce papers on the table. Every time my parents want me to cave, they threaten to disown me.

What they want is simple: give everything to my twin sister.

I used to fight back. I cried. I demanded to know why it always had to be me.

But when the doctor slides the test results across his desk and tells me in that pitying voice, "Stage four brain cancer. You have a month, maybe less," something in me just... stops caring.

I'm dying anyway. They can do whatever the hell they want.

Love is not part of why Kane Beaumont marries Emilia Taylor.
It was purely a contract deal to him and nothing more. Saving her family's business from the claws of evil loan sharks is Emilia's motive for marrying a man she barely knew.
However, she doesn't count on being hopelessly attracted to him even when he treats her like a worthless peasant.
Their relationship is chaotic, thanks to Kane's lover who is determined to ruin any opportunity of their romance ever blooming.
Even if it means putting Emilia's life in danger, setting her up, and turning the world against her.
When sparks begin to fly between Kane and Emilia after an unfortunate accident, their relationship goes through a tough test that destroys the tiny flames of love burning between them.
Will love eventually find a way in the end or will this marriage continue to be a high-stakes business deal with dangerous rewards?

But Owen. You can’t just quit your job, sell your house, and run away with a band. People just don’t do that.

When her childhood sweetheart Owen breaks off their engagement, quits his job, and sells his house to pursue a career as the lead guitarist of a band, Emily’s world comes crashing down around her.

Owen was, after all, her best friend and always had been. They had grown up next-door neighbors, gone to the same school, the same university. They had even bought houses next to each other.

They had been each other’s first for everything. Absolutely everything. There had never been anyone else, not even for a moment.

Just as Emily begins to find her feet again and form her own plans, Owen’s backup singer calls in sick, and Emily steps in to save the day.

Soon she finds herself swept up in a crazy ride to the top of the music industry which might just save her relationship with Owen or end it completely.

My fingers grasped his hair and gave it a tug as my desire burned higher. Lapping at my slick folds, delving deep into me— it didn’t take long for me to cry out his name and then come in his arms. When I threw back my head, the tips of my long hair teased his thighs. Bunching the black lace teddy up around my waist, he settled me over his rock-hard erection.


Rain Wild was my first love, my first heartbreak—my everything.
I left so he could chase his dream of becoming a rockstar, even though it broke my heart.

He’s the rockstar on every billboard.
The man I never stopped loving.
And my child’s daddy.

But when my daughter sneaks to meet her idol…
I come face-to-face with a past I was forced to bury.
Rain wants answers—and his daughter.

Beautiful, kind and loyal.
Who would have thought this would happen to her?
When Piper steps in to help a friend, she would never expect she would land in serious trouble. Abused, broken and used as a pawn in a conspiracy to bring down her best friend’s husband’s company, her life takes on a sudden somersault.
Will she ever walk out of this living hell or will she be drawn in by the temptation of the evil within?

"You think this is love?" Victor growls, his grip tightening around my wrist. "This is survival. Don't mistake me for someone who cares."
Valerie Bridge had everything—until betrayal landed her in prison. Now she's forced to marry Victor Regal, a ruthless man who sees her as nothing but a pawn. His touch burns like ownership though he belongs to another.
When passion ignites between them, Valerie finds herself trapped between desire and deception. Her past haunts her, enemies circle, and the truth threatens to destroy what remains of her soul.
Will she fight for freedom—or will love be the thing that finally breaks her?

Ryker Hale’s sister died during an unauthorized neural enhancement trial. Three years passed before he uncovered the lab, the records, and what really happened.
And then, a countdown: 100 days until dimensional rifts rip through Earth, triggering the collapse of civilization.
It sounded absurd, until he tested the prediction. Three events, each deemed impossible, unfolded exactly as forecasted. The world had 100 days left, and he was the only one who knew.
One dose of the enhancement remained, the same experimental technology that killed Mira. It came with an 87% fatality rate. Two paths lay ahead: face extinction in three months with no power, or risk transformation. He chose the later.
Now, Ryker sees disasters before they happen. He calculates odds with precision, and detects order in apparent chaos. A timer is permanently etched into his sight: 99 DAYS, 18 HOURS, 14 MINUTES
His first decision: stay silent. No warnings. His second: survive at any cost. Let everyone else face the fire. But then very choice rescues one person and every choice dooms another.
The dimensional breaches have begun, and Ryker begins to understand: the real danger isn’t the coming apocalypse.
It’s him. The more intelligent he becomes, the more humanity slips away. In 100 days, the world ends. But the true horror is who or what he will become by then.

Ethan Ashworth had nothing — no money, no family, no future. Just a rundown room, a handsome face that brought him nothing but pain, and the daily beatings from rich bullies who saw him as trash.

Then came the brutal ambush behind the school building. Left bleeding and alone as the weekend began, Ethan finally gave up on life.

That was when the voice spoke.

[Bloodline Legacy Contract activated.]

Suddenly, the frail orphan from the slums was thrust into another world — a realm of magic, kings, and monsters. With a mysterious system at his side and a sword in his hand, Ethan must complete deadly missions to grow stronger.

Because back home, the rich still rule… and he has a score to settle.

My ribs are the hottest thing in town—there’s always a line out the door—but they’ve got no idea the secret that makes them so damn good is…

The day Elodie was diagnosed with late-stage cancer, she received intimate photos of her husband and his mistress.

Five years of marriage, and she had been nothing more than a presentable servant — her mother-in-law barked orders at will, her husband saved every tender moment for someone else, and even the money to treat her illness had to pass through layers of approval.

Finally, she slid the divorce papers across the table to him, picked up her luggage, and moved into a rented room. In her pocket: the cheapest painkillers she could find. On the bill: Initial Treatment Cost — $100,000.

No one knew she was sick. And no one remembered that this so-called "useless young madam" had once been a legendary prodigy at law school.

A light buried under dust for too long.

It was time to dig it back out.

I was the reincarnation of the Ancient Star God and the fated mate of the Obsidian Dragon King, Ignis.

For seven years, I nearly bled my divine blood dry to break his curses. Everyone knew I loved him unconditionally.

Until his cold sneer shattered it all.

"Seraphina has laid my egg. After the Hunting Festival, I'll crown her as my queen. Keep Elara around to placate the Alliance. She's so madly in love with me, she'll gladly be a shield for them."

Something snapped deep within my chest. My empathy veins—the very magic that bound my emotions to him—shattered.

No heartbreak. No hysteria. That suffocating love was erased in an instant. Looking at Ignis now was like looking at a worthless stone.

I calmly returned to the temple and activated the marriage decree sent by the Elven High King, Aurelius.

The realm portal was charging. Departure: three days.

As the eldest daughter of North America’s most feared Mafia family, the Romanos, I married Matteo purely for love. For five years, everyone constantly envied me, thinking I was the luckiest woman alive.

Until I opened that video file.

The screen flickered to life, and my world violently collapsed.

The woman he had completely pinned against the wall, thrusting into her with feral desperation, was Valentina. His sweet, innocent adopted sister. The girl we had both carefully grown up with.

And the hands gripping her waist so tightly they bruised? They bore the exact wedding band I had lovingly slipped onto Matteo’s finger.

"Oh God, brother… you're so hard. If your perfect wife knew you were deep inside me right now, she’d lose her mind."

"Good girl, then stop talking about that boring piece of wood."

My refined, elegant husband was groaning, his voice filthy and depraved between loud, wet slaps of skin. "Squeeze tighter, fuck... You drive me insane, baby. The moment I successfully drain all her family’s stock, you’ll be the true mistress of this whole estate."

Every sweet nothing he had ever whispered to me was a calculated lie, designed to completely destroy me.

Those two despicable cheaters believe they have successfully won. They think my marriage was built on submission.

Well, since this rising Mafia star completely forgot that I am a Romano first and a wife second, it’s severely past time I gave him a taste of my own wicked performance.

Playtime is over. Matteo thinks he can steal my empire while burying his face in his sister’s bed?

I am going to carefully tear down his "perfect husband" facade piece by bleeding piece, and aggressively send them both straight to hell.

On the anniversary of my mother's death, Thomas promised he'd come pay his respects with me. I waited at the cemetery all day, only to see media reports of him vacationing with his first love.

Everyone assumed Thomas had a secret child with her. That they were about to get married.

And me? His actual wife?

I went home, left the divorce papers on the table, and burned our marriage certificate.

Graciella's father is the Alpha of the Crescent Pack in Northern America, she lives her life around her loving family. Being the lastborn, she is treated like a pet. Her father fails to perform the annual full moon festival, as a result, the moon goddess demands to be appeased. The lot falls on Graciella, she is given out as the sacrifice, her wolf is taken away from her by the moon goddess and she becomes human.
Out of hatred for her family, feeling betrayed, she runs away from home and wanders to the outskirts of her pack where she comes across the forbidden Alpha, Romeo who is cursed.
He is very handsome but an Ultima wolf, a mere look of his eyes when angry can destroy any werewolf or human. His anger had made him eliminate his father in his previous life to take over the control of his pack. The moon goddess got angry with him and cursed him, the curse turned him into an Ultima wolf as he reincarnated.
The only remedy for him to turn back to a normal werewolf would be true love from a woman. He is hopeless to get this as all ladies run away from him and he cannot live in the pack with others due to his dangerous nature despite being extremely handsome and wealthy.
Graciella and Romeo notice a strong pull and feelings for each other as they meet.
Would Graciella stay and redeem Romeo from his curse or would she run away like other ladies?

Three years of marriage. Harper gave up her career, cut off her friends, and made herself invisible for Evan.
Then on her birthday, the blow came. Claire showed up pregnant: "Mrs. Morgan's spot will be mine eventually. What's the point of you holding onto it?"
Harper finally woke up. She filed for divorce without looking back.
The day she signed the papers, she smiled calmly at the reporters waiting outside: "The reason for the divorce? Mr. Morgan was simply never able to satisfy me. In that department."
The untouchable CEO became a punchline overnight.
Evan assumed she was getting back at him. He had no idea Harper was no longer the caged bird he remembered.
Her design talent shook the industry. His own business rivals fell for her.
By the time he realized the partner he had been desperately chasing was his ex-wife, it was already too late.
"Harper, can we start over?"
"Mr. Morgan, if something's wrong with you, go see a doctor. Do you need me to pay for the appointment?"

When the apocalypse came, my materialistic ex-girlfriend not only complained that I only knew how to play games, but also conspired with relatives to poison me, cruelly steal my superpower crystal core, and degrade me into a hopeless cripple!
She thought that by taking away my power she could curry favor with the powerful and live a carefree life, but little did she know that not only did I not die, but the "League of Legends max level system" in my mind had actually completed its ultimate upgrade!
Sylas uses his ultimate to regain his power, Pyke's X-shaped slash breaks his enemy's limbs; a horde of 100,000 zombies presses in, and the whole city is in despair, when I descend from the sky with my treasure girl who is my life partner!
Pantheon's slam, Miss Fortune's barrage, Ziggs's nuke... Five LOL ultimate moves in a row wiped out the entire field, evaporating 100,000 zombies in one minute and directly ascending to the throne of the wasteland god!
Looking at my stunningly beautiful and god-level support character whom I had spoiled rotten, my ex-girlfriend, who had fallen into the mire, was filled with remorse. She knelt in the sewage, kowtowing and crying, begging to be a foot-washing maid.
I looked down at them and sneered, "Sorry, my five-player squad is already full."

Ruby Steele, 30, beautiful, fit, seems just like any other ex-pat hiding out in the Bahamas and playing local bartender. But unruly patrons find out the hard way: Ruby is a mixed-martial-arts pro, and not one you’d want to cross.In fact, Ruby would be a champion if she hadn’t been forced to walk away and hide out in the Bahamas.Because Ruby knows too much. She knows where the bodies are buried. And she knows when it’s time to get out of town.But what Ruby doesn’t know is why there is a dead tourist in the dumpster behind her seedy bar.Or why, she, of all people, had to find it.Or why this guy was out at 3am when he had a pretty fiancé waiting in a hotel room a mile away.Or why the local cops are pinning her.Or why she’s gonna be forced into a choice: find the killer, or do hard time herself.For Ruby, good choices have never been her strong point.And this one’s definitely not going to be good…Welcome to the Bahamian world of Ruby Steele, replete with her local dive bar, her wily pet monkey, her major drinking problem, her (way) too many fights, her inability to get herself out of trouble, and her fists made of stone. Ruby’s life is a complete wreck. But there’s one thing she’s good at: capturing your heart.ON THE ROCKS (A RUBY STEELE COZY MYSTERY) is the debut novel in a page-turning cozy mystery/thriller series, one that will linger with you long after the last page is read. Books #2 (EXTRA DIRTY) and #3 (FULL-BODIED) in the series are also available.

After Grandpa passed away, he left two inheritances behind.
One was an underground shelter costing over a hundred million yuan.
The other was a crumbling old house on the brink of collapse in the village.
My younger sister Su Rou rushed to pick the underground shelter first, so I settled for the old house.
No one expected an extreme cold apocalypse to descend just days later.
Su Rou moved into the shelter with her boyfriend.
But her boyfriend leaked the gate password, attracting a mob of thugs.
Su Rou was reduced to their plaything, trapped in a fate worse than death.
As for me, I discovered the old house’s cellar connected to a natural underground hot spring. I managed to survive by sheer luck.
When Su Rou heard the news, she was consumed by envy. She led the thugs straight to me, forcing me to take her place.
"Sister, you’ve always been the nicest to me since we were kids. You’ll save me, right? You take my place and serve them instead."
I could no longer endure the humiliation. I set fire to the place and died alongside them all.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the very moment we chose the inheritances.
Seeing Su Rou pick the run-down old house without the slightest hesitation, I knew she had also been reborn.
I bowed my head to hide all my emotions, then silently chose the underground shelter.
My dear sister… that drafty, ramshackle old house is nowhere near as wonderful as you think it is.

Do all men lose interest in their wives after marriage?

We’ve been married for five years, and he never touched me.

At first he said he wasn’t well, so I was understanding. Later he recovered, but still kept me far away.

On our fifth wedding anniversary, my sister came in for a check-up, clearly pregnant with his child.

The truth hit me hard: he wasn’t incapable. He was just incapable with me.

I drew up the divorce papers, ready to end this empty marriage.

On the reason for divorce, I wrote with my own hand:

“Male sexual dysfunction; no marital relations in five years.”

He only smiled coldly when he saw it.

A week later, in the urology clinic.

I put on my medical gloves, looked at him, and said calmly:

“Sir, will you undress yourself, or shall I help you?”

His disapproval didn’t take away my confidence.

I still embraced better things in my career and love life!

But his life started to be filled with one accident after another.

She was killed by her mate and was dumped in the forest for bird to feed on but was saved by a soccerrer who turned her into an hybrid with a black magic.... How cruel must fate be when she got mated to the same man in her new body?

"Do you think you are worthy of being mated to the Alpha's son? Huh?" Emily said to me as she looked down at me, with disgust.
My mate's arm wound around her waist, showing his decision.
I was rejected cruelly while my mate succumbed to Emily's charms.
I was hurt and slowly dying, inwardly. I was alone and helpless.
__
Anna Marie, strong and independent was abandoned by her mate all because of her stepsister!
It turned out that Anna had to be a substitute bride for her sister! Unexpectedly, she was rejected the second time!
What happens when Anna has to navigate her own life? Would she take revenge on those who had humiliated her?
Damon Drew, the Alpha Prince, known to be useless. He sought help from Anna but then didn't expect the unexpected.
What would he do when he finds out she wasn't who she really was? Will they defeat their enemies together or will they turn against each other?

"In a world where rejection meant isolation and pain, Ellen, an Omega with no pack, endured the harsh words of Alpha Greg, the one who should have been her mate. But the Moon Goddess had a different plan for her.

With unwavering determination, Ellen fought back against her alpha's cruelty and found solace in the arms of a stranger - the enigmatic Lycan king. Their passionate encounter left her with more than just memories; it left her with a secret that could change everything.

As the new moon approaches, Ellen's life takes a dramatic turn. The Lycan king is set to return, but he remains oblivious to the truth she carries. How will he recognize the woman who once stood before him, and will he uncover the astonishing secret of her unborn children?

In a world woven with hidden alliances and long-buried truths, Ellen's journey is poised to shatter all expectations. Prepare yourself for a story of love, betrayal, and the unbreakable strength of motherhood in a world where destiny's twists are boundless."

Warning : 21+
(This story will contain adult content, violence, murder, and weapons)

"Do you really not remember me, Arandelle? I am the great Diavolos, I am your king, I am your master. I created you and you have come this far, all because of me."

"That's not true. I don't know you! I don't know who you are!"

"Hahaha... you're so funny, my baby girl. You are my beautiful sword. I want you back, and you must return to me. I will take you to where you belong, whether you like it or not!"


Nami decides to follow the advice of Levi, the young, super-genius professor, to join the Yeager Academy, a training ground that forges new Yeager soldiers to eradicate the monsters of Greek Legend that have reappeared in modern times through mysterious holes known as the gates to hell after a solar eclipse 28 years ago.

Despite being considered a troublemaker, armed with her immense strength and incredible speed, Nami manages to become humanity's strongest soldier alongside Prince Jacob Konstantinides, the king's second son, who considers her as his greatest rival, Kael Okeanos, a mysterious singer capable of creating storms and Aiden Nikolaidis, her childhood friend who reappears in her life as a half-robot.

The battle with the monsters brings Nami face-to-face with Adonis Zephyr, the most feared mafia leader and considered the incarnation of Diavolos, the demon king who opened the gates of hell to lure his beautiful, powerful weapon "Arandelle" once owned by the descendants of the three gods, Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon for back into his hands as the creator of Arandelle.

"Don't call her a bitch, asshole," Sierra hissed.
"What's it got to do with you?" the greasy creep demanded.
"Oh, I don't know, Stimpy, maybe because you're harassing my woman and she just got here."
"Oh, shit, Orion. Sorry, man. Didn't realize she was with you."
Orion: As the heir apparent to the Primal Howlers' MC President patch, a chance encounter with a beautiful woman pulls me into a war I wasn't expecting that could bring the whole club down. But when she runs from me, I will pursue her to the end of the earth to find her and bring her back.
Whether she likes it or not.
Raquel: I moved to Monument, Colorado to write my thesis and get some much-needed distance from my overbearing family. What I didn't expect was to find myself hung up on a biker who appears to have nothing to lose.
I, however, have everything to lose and I'm worried Orion just might be my downfall.

Road to Joy
Join the members of the Dogs of Fire Motorcycle Club as they prepare for their Christmas Celebration. Revisit your favorite characters during the most festive holiday of the year.
Unwrapped
Christmas is approaching for the Dogs of Fire and Burning Saints Motorcycle Clubs, but rather than the usual holiday cheer, the air is filled with the tension of a brewing civil war.
The Gresham Spiders, a local 1% MC, is hellbent on expansion and both clubs lie directly in their path. Will assistance from an outside ally help diffuse the situation long enough to keep the peace during the holiday season?
Join Hatch and Minus, along with these two beloved MCs, as they celebrate the holidays and try to keep their clubs from splintering under the pressure.
Rocky Mountain Christmas
Mouse
There's only one gift I want this Christmas, but the closer I get to Kennedy, the more she pushes me away. I'll do whatever it takes to get onto her nice list, even if it means riding my bike all the way to the North Pole and strong-arming Santa myself.
Kennedy
I have two choices. Open myself up to a man who has the power to shatter me. Or run and protect my heart once and for all. The problem is, a murderous Douglas Fir gets in the way of my perfectly planned escape.
Is it a sign, or merely a roadblock on the path to finding true love?
And does a scrooge like me, even deserve to find herself under the mistletoe this Christmas?

Everyone thinks I'm the wild child of the family, the one who won't fall in line.

Blake's the young king of the business world—rational, cold, always in those perfectly cut suits.

But every night, he's got me pinned underneath him, breathing my name.

He said I was his, but never let me see daylight. Until she came back—my father's mistress's daughter, in her white dress, smiling like an angel.

On my birthday, he went to pick her up from the airport. When the chandelier crashed down, he carried her to the hospital and left me bleeding on the floor. When she smashed my mother's heirloom, he made me apologize on my knees. He said she was fragile, needed care; said I was strong enough to understand.

Then I heard them on my bed, her moaning his name.

So I left. Married a man who truly loved me. And he went insane.

He kidnapped me, forced a wedding, announced to the world I was his wife.

But this time, I just smiled and shook my head.

"Let go. It's too late."

I used to be the Blackwells' best killer. For him, I walked away from that life and became his wife. I even gave him a daughter.

I thought it was redemption. Turns out, it was the start of something worse.

Three years ago, during that shootout at the docks, his first love showed up with his bastard son. When the rival family put guns to both kids' heads, he didn't hesitate. He chose to save her son.

My daughter burned in the explosion.

That was the day the man I loved for ten years died. What's left is just my sworn enemy.

At the Met Gala, I heard my husband tell his friends in French that I'm "boring." That his 22-year-old girlfriend is "so much more exciting in bed."

He laughed when they asked if I knew. "Elle ne comprend même pas 'bonjour'." (She doesn't even understand 'bonjour'.)

What Marcus doesn't know: I spent two years at the Sorbonne.

Je comprends tout, Marcus. I understand everything.

The diamond necklace he gave me after my miscarriage suddenly feels too tight. I smile at him across the champagne and candlelight.

He has no idea what's coming.

Everyone says he loved me more than anything. So I chose to answer that love with death.

Forbes cover stories, tearful speeches at charity galas, shutting down Fifth Avenue every Valentine's Day just to watch fireworks with me. They said he ruled a business empire but would kneel in front of the entire world and call me his reason to live.

I used to believe it.

Until I discovered my perfect husband had built another home with another woman. A warm one, filled with laughter and his child.

So I chose to disappear the night the storm swallowed everything.

They say he spent three days on his knees at the cliff's edge, screaming my name into the black ocean. The man worth billions couldn't even find his wife's body.

When the rescue team recovered that burned-out car, he finally opened the safe I'd left for him. Inside was a positive pregnancy test and a divorce agreement that would never be signed.

By then, nothing mattered anymore.

At the bar, I watched Ethan get publicly dumped and made a crazy proposal fueled by liquid courage—a three-month fake dating contract.

I thought this was my only chance after twenty years of secret crushing. Until his ex showed me the text: "With Mia? Pretty convenient. She's been following me around since we were kids."

So I was just a tool.

The day we broke up, he shouted with red eyes: "I've been crazy about you for twenty years!" I thought he was acting, until his mom handed me a worn journal—

That careless comment I made at thirteen, "I'm never marrying Ethan," he'd remembered for twenty whole years.

Every page of that diary was filled with my name...

Three years after returning to the Duke's estate, I finally admit the truth: the phoenix I poured my heart into raising doesn't love me. He only spreads his brilliant tail feathers for the replacement.

I was six when traffickers took me, stuck in the slums for twenty years. A year after losing me, the Duke and Duchess adopted an infant from the church.

That girl became the new daughter, enjoying everything that should have been mine.

When they found me at twenty-six, my parents looked at me with guilt, yes, but mostly like I was a stranger. They loved the daughter they raised more.

I don't blame them.

Twenty years in the slums taught me: don't count on anyone's love. Only power and gold won't betray you.

So when he refused me for the third time, I went to the black market auction and bought a battered wolf slave.

The phoenix finally panicked, feathers flaring, voice shaking:

"Master, you promised you'd only keep one magical beast..."

Ethan and I grew up together. We were supposed to exchange rings at the altar, make our vows. But on our wedding day, he left me standing there to go save his so-called suicidal ex. Almost killed my parents from the shame.

Four years later, I'm back in Portland with my husband. The city isn't that big, and of course fate decides to throw him in my path again.

He has the nerve to ask me to be his mistress.

I hold up my left hand, the ring catching the light. "Are you blind?"

The day I get diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, I can finally stop selling plasma.

For five years, I thought I was paying for the fire that killed my parents and son, left my brother disabled. Selling plasma, joining drug trials, doing the worst jobs imaginable, all to pay back a debt that wasn't even real.

The doctor says I have a few weeks left. I clutch the diagnosis report and head home to tell them.

The moment I push open the door, I see my parents in the kitchen, the ones who supposedly died in the fire. My brother, who was supposed to be in a wheelchair, stands there raising a glass, laughing with my husband.

My brother shrugs like it's nothing. "The broken leg was fake the whole time. You were the only one hurt in the fire. We just wanted to teach you a lesson, make you appreciate things."

"We were going to tell you eventually." My husband pats my shoulder. "Go apologize to Vanessa. Stop giving her a hard time."

"All the money you gave us went to Vanessa," Dad says. "That's what you get for throwing your bio-daughter status in her face."

I touch the diagnosis in my pocket. Everything was a lie. The only truth is that I'm dying.

The first thing I do with my second chance is sell off my perfect fiancé for ten million dollars.

The first time around, I became someone else for Julian Whitmore.

He likes nude-toned dresses. Hates when I wear anything with color. He won't let me have more than one glass of champagne in public. Won't let me laugh too loud. Won't let me initiate anything in bed.

His voice is always so calm, like he's correcting a disobedient pet.

I spend three years turning myself into what he wants: docile, proper, flawless. Until depression drags me under. Until that night I lay in the bathtub and watched the water turn red.

When I die, he's still downstairs in his study, editing my speech for tomorrow's charity gala.

When I open my eyes again, I'm sitting in the Winters' living room with that unsigned arrangement in front of me.

This time? Fuck perfect.

But when he lifts that veil at the wedding and realizes the bride isn't me, this man who's spent his whole life in control completely loses it.

It's supposed to be our last class trip before graduation. The bus loses control on a mountain road and goes over the edge.

I think we're all going to die.

When I open my eyes again, I'm sitting in a classroom that looks like it's been rotting for decades.

A system alert blares through my skull:

【Welcome to Ravenwood High. Unnameable creatures roam the campus. Survive 7 days. Uncover the truth behind the campus Boss's death. Every player who dies adds $800,000 to the prize pool. Make it out, and the money is yours.】

Everyone loses it. Screaming, crying, total chaos. The first thing Brett does is shove me toward the door to check the hallway. Because of course he does. I'm the class punching bag. The girl nobody would miss.

Everyone assumes I'll be the first to die.

What nobody sees is the smile pulling at the corner of my mouth as I stand at that door, staring at whatever is writhing in the shadows of the hallway.

The night the team wins again, the roar inside the arena could raise the roof.

On the ice, the captain has his arm around the new cheer captain, spinning her under the lights. His skates cut clean lines across the ice. Teammates whistle and shout, someone yells "ask her out!", someone else films on their phone. Everyone waits for me to show up and make a scene. Cry, stumble onto the ice, drop to my knees and beg him to come back. Pathetic, like every time before.

But no one knows I'm in the back of the locker room right now, pressed against a cold metal locker.

The quiet backup player has his hand on the back of my neck, his voice barely steady. "You sure about this?"

I push up on my toes and kiss him first.

Three months ago, I was kidnapped. When Alexander rescued me, I woke up in a hospital bed with my clothes disheveled and bruises covering my body. What happened during those hours? I don't remember any of it.

A week ago, I found out I was pregnant. He held me as I shook and told me that it wasn't my fault. That he failed to protect me. Even if the baby wasn't his, he'd raise it. He'd still give me the perfect wedding.

But the guilt ate me alive until depression took hold.

Every night, sleep stays out of reach. Nightmares find me the moment I close my eyes. I've tried to end it. Three times now. Each time, someone found me just in time.

After the third failed attempt, I make tea and head toward his study to apologize. Voices drift through the door before I reach it.

"Are you out of your mind? Evelyn's your fiancée!" His friend sounds disbelieving. "You actually hired someone to kidnap her? Made her think she was assaulted? Just so Lily could take her place? Do you know how messed up that is? What that does to someone?"

Alexander's voice comes out calm. "Lily got sick because of me. Her dying wish is to marry me once before she goes. If I didn't push Evelyn out of the picture, her father would never let Lily take her place."

All those nights. All those nightmares. All those times I scrubbed my hands raw until they bled. It was all a lie. A setup.

For another woman.

I pull out my phone and call my father.

"Dad. I'll agree to the arrangement."

Being born a Moretti daughter means one thing: the family owns you.

In my past life, Vivian thought she had what it took. She promised Dad she could handle it, swore up and down she'd make him proud. Six months later, she'd burned through three generations of work and left us with nothing but an empty shell. Our enemies found her eventually. Broke both her legs.

And me? I married Marco Rossi.

Everyone envied me for marrying into one of the most powerful families in the city. What they didn't know was that I was his prisoner. He used me, turned my family's connections into stepping stones for himself, spent my money on his mistresses, used my body as a bargaining chip at his deals.

In the end, Vivian killed me. Jealous of my "perfect life," she dragged herself over on those broken legs and put a bullet in me.

When I open my eyes again, I'm sitting in Dad's study.

The door slams open. Vivian bursts in, cutting me off before I can speak. "Dad! I'm marrying Marco Rossi! Give the family to Sienna!"

I look at her and smile.

This time, I'm going to survive. And I'm going to do a hell of a lot better than just survive.

In my past life, we were camping in the wilderness area of a state park when my best friend handed out "lucky charms" to the whole group. Charms she'd secretly packed full of wildlife attractant.

A wild boar knocked me to the ground outside the cabin door. Its tusks tore into my stomach. I pounded on the wood with both fists, screaming. "Help! Open the door!"

Inside were my boyfriend of two years and the best friend I'd been quietly supporting for just as long. Autumn Warren.

"I'm so sorry, Brynn." Autumn's voice broke into sobs, but her weight stayed pressed hard against the door. "There are boars everywhere. We open that door, we're all dead."

"Just hold on! I'm calling 911!" Wyatt Fletcher's voice rang out with the kind of conviction that cost him absolutely nothing.

I paid for that trip. I'd fallen behind because I'd stopped to pull Autumn along.

And they stood on the other side of that door, my blood soaking into the dirt, and locked me out.

I open my eyes. I'm back. It's the day we left.

I spent seven years being Preston Maddox's personal errand girl.

Did his homework, took his father's belt for him, cut off every friend I had because he said he didn't like me talking to other guys.

I told myself that if I was good enough, patient enough, he'd eventually see me.

Then came the school's centennial gala. In front of everyone, he locked me, a girl with severe aquaphobia, inside a water tank filled to the brim with ice-cold water, so Vanessa Sinclair could have a pretty backdrop for her ballet number.

The audience roared. He watched Vanessa take her bow with this soft, adoring smile on his face. The only time he glanced at me was when he noticed I'd made a mess, and all he did was wrinkle his nose.

The water rose over my head, and something in me finally understood.

To Preston Maddox, I wasn't even worth as much as a dog.

If a dog was drowning, its owner would at least care.

Me? I just disgusted him.

For the top university in the North American wolf packs, transfer students aren't exactly breaking news. But this one sets the entire forum on fire.

It starts with a photo. A girl standing next to a tall, imposing man. Both faces are deliberately blurred, but that build, that presence... every wolf in North America recognizes it. The Alpha King. The caption reads: "Dad why'd you send me this 😭 I'm not ready to go public yet."

Minutes later, the post vanishes. But screenshots flood the forum.

"Moon Goddess above! Is that really the Alpha King?"

"The girl in the photo... could she be the royal princess no one's ever seen?"

The comments explode. Compliments flood in. Even my aloof boyfriend joins in.

Something feels off. I type out a comment: "The Alpha King keeps a low profile. His daughter should do the same. Posting photos like this... doesn't seem right."

Less than a minute later, the replies come.

"Who do you think you are to question her?"

"Can't stand seeing someone else do well, huh?"

My boyfriend chimes in too: "Quit it. You're embarrassing yourself."

I pick up my phone and dial a number. "Dad, since when do you have another daughter?"

Beau and I have been together for three years. I paid for the entire yacht charter out of my own pocket, and he shows up with his childhood best friend Sadie in tow, then goes around telling everyone it was his idea, his grand gesture.

Out on the water, Sadie spots a small octopus drifting near the surface and decides she has to have it. The thing pulses with glowing blue rings.

I'm a certified expert diver. I know exactly what it is the second I see it. I try to stop her.

She bursts into tears and tells Beau I'm going after her.

So Beau, ever the hero where Sadie's concerned, jumps in himself and fishes the thing out.

Sadie plays with it. It bites her. She's on the deck before she even knows what hit her.

Beau grabs me, screaming at me to suck out the venom. I refuse. He calls me a cold, heartless bitch, and in the chaos, shoves me overboard into shark-infested water.

I die out there. Nothing left of me.

They use my phone to fake a suicide note. Depression, they say. Jumped on her own. Then they take my company, my assets, everything.

They post online hinting I tried to push Sadie in and slipped.

My parents, worn down by the online harassment and the grief of losing me, both die of heart attacks.

Then I open my eyes. And I'm back. The morning of the trip.

The moment I gave up wasn't when I found out my husband was cheating. It was when I heard my ten-year-old daughter laugh into the phone and say, "Mom's so clueless. She has no idea about Dad and Summer."

Ten years ago, I was a top biomedical researcher, making six figures. I gave it all up for his promotion and our newborn daughter. Ten years later, the perfect marriage I traded my career and youth for turned out to be nothing but an elaborate lie.

He called me his safe haven, then got in our bed with his mistress and discussed how to keep me in the dark.

This time, I'm not going to cry or make a scene. I'm going to quietly gather my evidence and call the lab director I've turned down seven times.