once upon a time artinya

My husband died in a fire trying to save me, leaving behind a mountain of debt and a newborn child. I worked hard to pay off the debt while raising the child, only to unintentionally discover that my husband hadn’t died at all. Instead, he was sleeping with my cousin. “Honey, you’re so clever. You transferred all the company funds and faked your death, leaving that stupid wife of yours to shoulder all the debt. “She’s so clueless that she doesn’t even realize the son she’s raising isn’t hers, that I swapped him out. Once she’s done paying off the debts, the three of us can live a great life together.” I silently sneered, pretending I knew nothing, and continued to raise the child. Twenty years later, my son returned home after studying abroad. The company went public in New York. On the day of the IPO, my cousin appeared arm in arm with my husband, holding a paternity test. “Claire, your husband never died. We’ve been together all these years. Alex is my son. Now that you’ve been his mother for so long, isn’t it time to return him to me?” My husband also presented a divorce agreement. “I built this company from scratch. It’s premarital property. Sign the divorce papers, walk away with nothing, and you can leave now.” I smiled and told him, “I’ve prepared a special gift for you too. I wonder if you’ll like it."

I grew up with a plan. I already knew from the very beginning that my whole life would revolve around reclaiming the territory that rightfully belonged to my father's name. I wouldn't stop until I got it back, even if that meant playing a game of seduction with Alpha Maddox, the ruthless Alpha of the Dark Forest Pack, to get my way in. But what I didn't see coming was Xander Trevino — Alpha Maddox's brother and his new Beta. Xander was cold, dismissive, and my fated mate. His being distant and unbothered by me should have made it easier for me to put my game into action, but it didn't. Because every time we collide, sparks fly and I am left weak to my core. Being weak was not part of the game. ***** This book is a spin-off novel from the Alpha Blood Circle Series but can be read as a standalone.  ***** Follow me on my I G and F B for updates and teasers - author.cassa.m

The remnants of the pack gathering had barely faded when my whole world changed. My best friend, Hallie Richmond, vanished, snatched away by rogues. Only for her to reappear the next day, found bruised and bitten near the pack borders. My heart ached for her, so I went to her with her favourite apple pie. But the solace I intended to offer shattered into a million pieces the moment I heard the words of my boyfriend, Camilo White, our pack's beta. "...Hallie's family will destroy her if they learn of this. I have no choice but to mark her first.” "What about me, Camilo? I'm your girlfriend!" The words tumbled out. "You can be my secondary mate, Violet. It's just a small favor. Surely, if you truly loved me, you wouldn't hesitate to help?" Camilo's words ripped my heart out, breaking up with me and replacing me with Hallie for the marking ceremony we had both anticipated with such joy. From that moment forward, I became a shadow. The pack whispered words of how I was deflowered before my true mate could claim me. My family now regarded me with disappointment. My father's anger was a physical force, driving me to my knees beneath the icy waterfall. Then, the following day, a figure emerged from the mist. Alex Skye, the Alpha's son, pulled me from the water. He leaned close, his sky-blue eyes holding mine, and whispered the words that offered home: "I'm your true mate, Violet. Break up with that vile, idiotic boyfriend of yours. I believe you will be the perfect future Luna."

The little boy I had saved when we were kids grew up to be a possessive, obsessive CEO. For ten years, he kept me by his side, using my grandmother's illness as a bargaining chip to force me into marrying him. He tried everything to win my heart, pulling every trick in the book, but no matter what he did, he could never make me love him. In a fit of rage, he found a woman who looked almost exactly like me to take my place. They flaunted their relationship for everyone to see, and people whispered that the CEO had finally found his true love. But that day, the woman, riding on his affection, barged into the villa with her entourage. She broke my fingers one by one, slashed my face with a utility knife, and removed my clothes to humiliate me. "Even though you had surgery to look like me, I'll let that slide. But you even learned to paint like me, too? You really did your homework. Let's see how you try to seduce men now!" Just as I was bleeding out and on the verge of death, the obsessive CEO finally showed up. The stand-in grabbed my hair and dragged me in front of him, smugly reporting, "Honey, this wench was hiding in the villa trying to seduce you. I've made sure she can't succeed!"

Handsome, toxic, dark and wild. Colton Dashner could be anything but one thing: loving someone. I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I decided to be a part of his world, I even thought I would be destroyed by him. However there was something beyond that tough, bad boy facade that he wouldn't let anyone see, I could do it. I didn't heed the warnings, I was stubborn and blind. And now... Now I wish I could go back to that first day I met him, never to have done it again. But time can't stand still, nor can my broken heart.

I tried closing my eyes while he's having his way with me. He instantly wraps a hand around my neck causing my eyes to fly open. "Don't close those eyes. I want them boring into mine as you please me. You are mine and as such you don't need to find anybody else" Gemma Russo, finds out about the loan contract her father made before he died and starts working her ass off to pay back the money after she's being pestered by the unknown lender and receiving a series of threats. Her little waitress salary was not enough to pay off the loan and feed herself. So she pays heed to her best friend's advice of being a stripper for one night. That night changes Gemma's life as she gets mixed up with one of the deadly mafia bosses and a dangerous drug syndicate and she gets accused of murdering one of Antonio Romano (Boss) men. Antonio Romano is the cold, horrible, ruthless leader of a mafia gang and a dangerous drug syndicate. When he learns about the death of one of his subordinates and he finds out that the suspect is the daughter of the man who made a loan contract with him, he makes her a prisoner in his house and forces her to be his sex slave for a hundred days. To be Antonio's sex slave came with so many difficult conditions which Gemma is never to break as each condition attracts a punishment, but she ends up breaking them all. Now, what are the conditions?

She was infertile. Her husband said he would love her no matter what. For three years, he had always been gentle to her, She was happy that she found someone who truly loved her and didn't mind that she couldn't give him a child. Until one day, She learned the fact that he's been cheating on her a long time ago, living a double life and having a baby with someone else. And that woman was someone she know. she was mad and slapped her, but didn't expect it would kill the baby. His husband was furious and sent his lawyer to force her to sign the divorce agreement. She was told not to take any jewelry he bought for her, and no property would belong to her, all she could do was just pack and leave. Three years later, She came back with another man...

Riya and Kayish were madly in love, so deeply that everyone believed that they would end up in a happy married life. That's how he loved her. He was very possessive of his property, especially when it comes to his girl.On the other hand, Riya was blindly in love with him. She left her parents because of him, she found her happiness within him and was ready to start a new life but an unexpected tragedy happened in their life that no one could have predicted.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~She had good news for him. She was so happy. After all those things that she has been through, finally, their family will be complete. She already waited a whole day and she now she just couldn't wait to share her happiness with him. But just as she was about to tell him, he broke her fragile heart into a million pieces and left her saying it was all just a drama he played with her all along; The marriage which she preached was just another key to win her trust and to fulfill his vengeance. He dumped her that day without knowing that he left a piece of him growing inside her.Does he get the chance to know about his child? What will happen when these two cross their paths in the future? Will they let go of their revenge and ego and hatred to get back their love? Or will it be too late for him to realize his mistake?Read to find out what happens. : )

A slap turned my face away and I could taste the metallic taste of blood in my mouth…well that was seven years ago when I told my dad I wanted to become a priest instead of taking care of his mafia family and his business.. he allowed me to be a priest but disowned me from the Vander family. Now seven years later I am seated listening to confession when I see the most beautiful woman walk into the confession room………. The truth is I don’t know if she led me astray or I went on my own.

Octavia was born a Princess. Her family has ruled the Shifters for centuries. With wealth and power, Octavia has it all. But none of that matters--not when her people have been at constant war with the Wyres, cursed Shifters chained to the lunar cycles. Wyres are monsters, everyone knows that. And now, their Bloody Prince has set his eyes…on her. She shouldn’t want him. He’s cold. Distant. Ruthless. The Dark Prince and his army of monsters are like nothing Octavia has ever known. And yet she can’t help but crave the wildness they unleash. The Bloody Prince and his guard lure her in despite her every instinct telling her to run. Octavia knows she has the power to end the war. But at what cost?