four pillars of investing

"Bind her up," I heard a woman's stern command. They roughly shoved me to the ground, placing my arms on a bench and tying them with ropes. "It’s an honor for you to be a surrogate candidate for our King! HOW DARE YOU try to escape?! Now you’ll pay the price!" As his partner handed him a pair of pliers, he flashed me a purely evil smile. My heart sank into my stomach. The king? Surrogate?! I had no idea what he was talking about... "NO PLEASE! Listen, you’ve got the wrong person..." They didn't even let me finish before they pulled out the nail on my index finger. "Ah-----" I thought I knew pain, but his actions proved I didn't. I had never experienced such torture; my helpless screams filled the entire dungeon. Tears streamed down my face, and my hands were soaked with innocent blood. The woman sat not far away, legs crossed, smiling at me. Soon, she raised her hand to signal everyone to leave and then crouched in front of me, slowly untying the ropes around me. "I know it's not you, but a she-wolf escaped. We'll use you to replace her. So, if you want to survive here, shut your mouth and do as you're told." Just like that, everything changed... *** Betrayed by my fated mate and my best friend. I, the powerful daughter of an Alpha, was scheduled to be executed on the false allegations of murdering my father and his comrades. Fate had other plans as I escaped but landed myself on an island ruled by a mysterious king, Asher Ludwig... No matter how difficult it is, I will fight my way back and reclaim everything that belongs to me!

The rules are simple: Do not call or text him except on Tuesdays. Never speak to him in public. And most importantly, never fall in love. This is not a relationship. It's a brief arrangement that should last only three months. The almighty Nickolas Reign, future alpha and heir to the Reign empire, needs the time to secretly overcome his uncontrollable lust for the omega. But how long can Sara abide by these rules with the werewolf who is her fated mate? Why did he renew the contract if all he feels for her is mere lust? Unable to keep pretending, Sara mistakenly blurts out the forbidden three little words, and it brings the contract to an end. However, that's the least of her problems. Someone has leaked their secret contract to the cruel luna. Now, Sara and her father will be kicked out of the pack. To top it all up, she's pregnant, and Nick is offering her a huge sum to get rid of the "mistake!" He wants nothing to do with her and the unborn child... Until four years later when he bumps into her in a small town.

Jackson is an heir to the fortune built on the suffering of enslaved werewolves. Angry at the injustice of it all, he has no choice but to play along with his father's wishes and bend to the society's pressure. Until one day he is ordered to purchase a werewolf 'worthy of standing by his side' at the market. So, maybe he obeyed his father's wishes, but to him it's the first step in his one-man rebellion, a spark that will kindle the flames, when he chooses a werewolf who is needier than the rest. Now Jackson must stoke those flames, while nurturing the traumatized wolf to health, before the world crushes his soul for good. Check out the artwork from chapter ‘Date’ on my Instagram (willowwrites1994) here - https://www.instagram.com/p/CIgP2PQFF8W/

Another name: TEARS OF A FLOWER "What do you want, Victoria?" Victoria walked closer to Vega, her eyes held hatred in them. "Look, let me warn you, don't even dare try to ruin my marriage, or else I will make your life a living hell!" "You knew he wasn't your mate, and you let him mark you, didn't you?" Vega asked with anger brewing inside her. Victoria lowered her gaze a little, which meant she actually knew. "So what if I know? I'm the one he marked, not you!" She yelled, showing Vega her marked neck. ****************************** What happens when your twin sister is accidentally marked by your one true mate? Victoria and Vega are twin sisters born to the Alpha of white snow pack. These sisters are so identical that it was very difficult to differentiate between them. Their Father Alpha Blake Gilbert sometimes found it hard to tell their differences too. Fortunately they had two distinct features that separated them, one is the fact that Victoria who happened to be the eldest was reckless and stubborn, while Vega was calm and quiet. But sadly, Vega was the one who always got punished for her sister's crime. Everyone in the white snow pack thought Vega was the black sheep among the two. Vega suffered silently. Secondly, Victoria's wolf was brown while Vega's was white, but no one had seen Vega's wolf which was a rare kind. Alpha Reynold Flames of Blue Stone Pack happens to be the most famous and well-respected Alpha in the northern province of Westland. He is a Lycan and he was very powerful. At the age of thirty, Reynold was still without a mate. When he visited white snow pack, his wolf sensed the presence of their mate. Excited as he was to find his mate, he was deceived into marking the wrong woman (Victoria) since she smelled just like his mate (Vega). What will happen to these three lives which have become entangled for life? Will there be a breakthrough for them or will things get even worse?

I'm 29 years old, nearly 30 and so far, my sister and Photography have been my life and soul. Ever since I stepped foot in my first darkroom during my Sophomore year I always had a hunch that this would be my true passion. Since I held my first camera. Set up my first tripod, captured my first photo and filmed my first piece. I just knew that this is what I wanted to do. My life has been a complicated mess since I was 10 years old. My life was thrown away by my parents because I was a burden to them, I had a pen pal who I vented my anger out on for years yet he had become a huge part of my life. I haven't had a serious relationship in...well...ever and It's not every day that you find a man wanting to talk to you...granted, this man is the one who spilt his coffee down me the first time we met and from then on he became the Baine of my existence. I live in Texas City, Houston and I love what I do, the freedom it gives me being behind a camera but it also comes with a price when you least expect it. My life was complicated enough but when I vent out on a secret to this man, my feelings towards him become stir crazy and a whirlwind of emotions. One's I didn't want in the first place because 2 weeks before meeting said man...I was applying for a year long fellow ship abroad. A once in a lifetime opportunity to go to one of Spain's most explored and cultured cities - Barcelona.

Jasmine tried to save her relationship with her husband, but it still led to divorce. Jasmine and Travis have been sweethearts since college. After graduation, he proposed to her, and she agreed happily. After four years in a relationship, her husband slowly changed. She was often ignored, and he was always busy with work. Despite being sad and puzzled, she couldn’t bring herself to be angry with her husband. One day, she found out that her husband was having an affair with another woman. She was deeply hurt. She couldn’t continue anymore. She signed the divorce paper and left their house without knowing she was carrying his child.

Book Two of the Luminary Quartet Veronica's life was thrown into turmoil with the beginning of the war and the abrupt loss of her parents. One night of bliss was all she had been granted as compensation before her brother’s best friend absconded without a trace the next morning. Yet, the wheels of fate had already been set in motion, forever changing the course of Ronnie’s life as she struggles to rebuild her future in the South on her own. Ryker had been pushed around his whole life, up until that tragic night that he had fled his home without a backward glance and somehow found himself in the middle of the Northern Province with no recollection of how he had arrived there. Still reeling from the loss, only the effervescent emerald eyes-of who he learned much later was his mate-was able to break him out of the haze that had taken hold. One night was all he got before she became just another ghost that haunted him from his past, but all bets are off now that Ryker is finally returning home to reclaim his rightful role. Tension mounts as secrets are spilled and the elders treachery is further exposed in this riveting sequel to 'Mated to the Alpha of the North.' *Note: While the main characters all receive their HEA in each individual story, I would not recommend reading them out of order due to the overarching storyline that continues throughout them all. ****Warning**** This book is intended for adults 18+ only. There is mature scenes and adult language included. Please read at your own discretion.

Dahil sa sakit ni Rosie na autism, hindi niya akalain na ito ang magdadala sa kanya sa kanyang bulag na mapapangasawa. — Hindi akalain ni Rosie Samaniego na siya ang ipapadala ng kanyang mga kinalakihang magulang upang ikasal sa bulag na si Sebastian Villfuerte, ang dapat na papakasalan ng kanyang stepsister na si Ivy. Ngunit dahil siya’y may autism, wala siyang nagawa kundi sumang-ayon at para na rin makalaya sa mga ito. Magkasundo kaya ang isang bulag at autistic? Makakabuo ba sila ng isang pamilya gaya ng matagal nang inaasam ng lolo ni Sebastian?

All I ever wanted was to be loved for who I am, not what I am. It sucks, especially since I have been declared the alpha of alpha’s by none other than Selene our Moon Goddess. I never had a say. I shifted early at 16 and things went to shit. My only true friend Malachi stayed away from me and I never understood why. Not until I turned 21 and knew in that moment that history would repeat itself.

PART 1 - NIKOLAI AND NOVA: Nikolai is the youngest brother of Kai and Konstantin Volkov. Since his torture and kidnapping, he's become a cold, distant shell of the man he used to be, making a name for himself as a Ripper. The only light in his life is Nova Lorelei, the mate he rejected while he was under the control of a demonic entity. But even as he yearns for her, he knows she's better off without him in her life. So he keeps to the shadows and watches over her. This worked out fine until he saw his mate being abused by another. Will Nikolai be able to keep his distance from Nova, or is the Mate Bond stronger than his willpower? ----- PART 2 - DIMITRI AND ARYA: Wracked with guilt at nearly killing his human mate four years ago, Dimitri Volkov let Arya go so she could live a normal life. He didn't feel worthy of a mate or happiness after almost killing her and betraying his entire pack, so he settled to living a life filled with blood and pain as his brother and Alpha's Lead Enforcer. A trip to Brooklyn changes everything for him when he finds his way onto Brooklyn Bridge only to see his mate about to commit suicide. He saves her again, but the Mate Bond Sighting clicks, and the traitorous Gamma finds himself in quite the position: reject Arya or accept what Fate has given him? Book 1 - Alpha Kai Book 2 - Konstantin: The Heartless Beta **Can be read as a standalone as I delve into what happened in the previous books**