california burning

“What could I possibly use you for?” Don Antonio asked as he walked towards her. He lifted her chin, his gray eyes staring deep staring into hers burning with a mixture of curiosity and desire. He immediately left her chin and snapped his fingers. He had an idea. “If you are willing to be my companion for three years, I'll let your father go.” Her eyes widened at the sound of the word “companion”. The word tasted like hell. “I’m willing.” Giulia knew fully well that she was walking into hell, but did she really have a choice? Her father, Ricardo Moreau, a compulsive gambler, accumulated debt after losing big in one of Antonio's underground casinos and was locked up. She couldn't bear to see her father locked up and offered herself in exchange for him. Antonio made life unbearable for her, and at some point, she felt the urge to run away, but how possible was that? Giulia decided to stay calm and constantly reminded herself that it was only for three years. She was both physically and mentally abused. At some point, Antonio begins to look at Giulia in another way; he begins to see a side of her that he had never seen before, and Giulia, on the other hand, begins to fall for a man whom she had considered her enemy. Things then begin to get complicated when the boss of a rival Mafia family asks for Giulia in exchange for a deal. Will Antonio hand Giulia over to his rival, or will he do everything within his power to keep her safe? Will they put away the hate from the past and let their love blossom? Or will they break up when the contract expires, leaving their passion behind?

"One more step and I will make you regret" He hissed with his burning gaze on me. My body stiffened and I remained still at the same place. His threatening words choked me. I pitied myself for how helpless I'd become. But my intrusive thoughts said otherwise, what if I didn't listen to him and ran further away from him? I felt a pair of hands rise to my shoulder. My breath became unstable feeling his skin on me. "Good girl" he hushed in my ear letting out a silent gasp due the surprise act of his. I think I have just let my mind win over the fear I had for him. ~~~~~~~~~ Aster Di Fazio gets tangled into an arranged marriage with the heir of one the wealthiest families, Adagio Amato-the most feared and filthy rich. He never goes against his parents and hates the idea of commitment. As for Aster, she was a simple girl with a loving heart. She has always been under her parent's shield and was showered with love and comfort-a heart of generosity and happiness. They're opposite to each other in every way possible, but they carry the same last name. This marriage didn't look promising and every member of their family knew that. It is no more than a contract after which all of it will be burned and blown away with wind. Well, that's what everyone thought.

Raven Caldwell thought her life was perfect—until her one-year anniversary revealed the ultimate betrayal. Her husband, Alpha Emerson Blackwood, had been cheating on her with her best friend, Lila Hart, and now planned to marry her. In a heartbroken haze, Raven signed the divorce papers and stormed out, only to be involved in a fatal hit-and-run that ended her life. But fate had other plans. Reborn on the day of her wedding, Raven now has a second chance—not to love, but to seek revenge. With a renewed fire burning in her heart, she vows to destroy the people who betrayed her while uncovering the truth behind the hit-and-run that claimed her life. As she plots her vengeance, Emerson’s cousin, Clark Stone, arrives for the wedding. Handsome, brooding, and dangerously irresistible, Clark ignites a forbidden passion in Raven she didn’t expect. Torn between her revenge and the powerful attraction she feels for Clark, Raven walks a treacherous line, risking everything to settle old scores while discovering dangerous secrets that could shatter her world once again. Will Raven find justice—or lose herself in the heat of forbidden love?

"Jiang Zhimiao initially thought her relationship with Shen Zhuowen began with a one-night stand and would end at his engagement party. She planned to maintain the last bit of adult dignity and part ways amicably. However, at the scene of a car accident, she saw him abandon her without hesitation, rushing towards another woman. Jiang Zhimiao knew that maintaining dignity was no longer possible. After she left, the man went mad trying to find her, like a dog that had been abandoned. Unfortunately, she no longer wanted his sincerity. At her wedding with another man, Shen Zhuowen knelt on one knee, holding up a ring, his eyes burning with intensity. Jiang Zhimiao merely smiled and said, ""Did you forget? You said we were 'unfamiliar'."" So what if the spring breeze is tender? We are just 'unfamiliar' lovers.江

When all life suddenly changes, everything we have known so far turns out to be a big lie. They were like machines, puppets obeying orders. Devoid of the past. Without families, without friends, without identities. Their free will was taken away, they were forbidden to make their own decisions. They weren't even left with names - instead, they were marked with numbers. Their eyes were empty and their gazes cold as ice. Ruthless, brutal, merciless. Free of remorse, stripped of emotions and feelings. On her way home, Alex witnesses a gruesome event. She sees a group of people whose bodies are burning alive. In the middle stands an unknown boy wielding a deadly fire. The incident is so monstrous and inexplicable that the girl wonders if they are hallucinations or a product of her exuberant imagination. This theory quickly falls apart when, the next day, Alex comes face to face with the mysterious boy from the woods…

Forced to take her sister's place as bride to the ruthless Lycan King Sebastian, Eleanor faces a marriage filled with cruelty and humiliation. Though she is his destined mate, Sebastian remains blind to their connection, his hatred for her ruining what should have been an unbreakable bond. When her powers emerge on her twentieth birthday, Eleanor finally gains the strength to defy her tormentor. But her bid for freedom ends in tragedy—captured, violated, and left for dead. In her final moments, she makes a desperate plea to the Moon Goddess for a second chance at life. Her wish is granted, sending her back in time with her memories intact and vengeance burning in her heart. But as Eleanor plots her revenge against the Lycan King, she stumbles upon dark secrets that change everything she thought she knew. The web of lies and betrayal runs deeper than she could have imagined, and the true villain may be hiding in plain sight.

Julie thought she had it all: a Husband who loves her, a promise of forever, and a love story born under the Montana sky. But betrayal shattered her world, leaving her a single mother on the run. Adam, the love of her life and the man she trusted, cheated and betrayed her, leaving a trail of lies and a burning past. Four years later, fate intervenes. A chance encounter with their son throws them together again. Adam, consumed by guilt and regret, fights for a second chance. Julie, hardened by hurt, grapples with the ghosts of their past and the constant attacks of the jealous socialite Elena, Adams new Fiance . Adam was laced with Drama, She'd never knew he was the Owner of Delta Tech and A playboy billionaire, that was until she saw the man she recently had divorced announce his new engagement to the world while she wasted away in a jail cell. She had finally started to build again and Adam comes back to flip her world upside down, she needs to protect her child. And although Adam is pleading for a second chance, and promising to right his wrongs she falls deeper and deeper into the whole she struggled so hard to get out of. As the truth unravels, secrets come to light, and a web of deceit threatens to tear them apart. Can they overcome the firestorm of lies and Elena's vengeful fury? Can their ranch love rekindle amidst the opulence of a billionaire's world?

"...By the way, let it be clear that I, Alpha Travon Kingston of the Silver Moon Pack reject you as my Luna and mate. It doesn't change anything though...I'll see you at the altar." In a modern world of werewolf packs and ancient traditions, Alpha heir Athena is forced to surrender her title and pack to marry the arrogant and rumored to be ruthless Alpha Travon, who rejects her as his mate. She accepts her fate but when she discovers a plot to end her life, she flees. Years later, Athena returns with a burning desire for revenge, but Alpha Travon seeks something different; forgiveness and a second chance, what will Athena chose?

My dream was simple: Build a quiet life with the person I adored after college. However, destiny had a different course in mind when my father revealed that I had to rescue my late mother's struggling business by marrying the merciless CEO, Alexander Blake. At first, life with Alexander appeared promising, but as the saying goes, nothing good lasts forever. That was until his childhood sweetheart barged in, shattering everything I held dear and leaving me with a whirlwind of shame, bitterness, and fury. I fled Texas for London, where I spent the next six years rebuilding my life. Now, I’m back in Texas with my son, Franklin, driven by a burning desire for revenge against everyone who has wronged me.

In the sterile calm of the operating room, Dr. Marcus Valencia is celebrated for his precision, his steady hands healing wounds that others deemed impossible. But beneath the surgeon’s blade lies a heart scarred by a past he’s struggled to bury. When he falls in love, a new chapter begins—until a shocking truth slices through, unearthing a dark secret that binds them both to a night of unspeakable horror. Now, Marcus faces an agonizing choice: fulfilling his duty or answering the resounding call for justice, now lying in front of him. With justice resting in his hands, immerse yourself in a novel where the call of duty, the depths of true love, and the burning desire for revenge for family clash in a poignant struggle.