quietly hostile

"Her knight in shining armour or her kidnapper?Allie has loved Jay forever. But he sent her away when she was eighteen and forced her to live her own life, away from the street and the gangs. Away from him. It had hurt, but she’d done it. For ten years she'd built a career and a life separate from him. Now he's back and he wants what belongs to him.Furious that Allie was hurt while out of his protection, Jay decides it's time to bring the woman he loves home where she belongs. Whether she wants to come or not. He's done lurking in the shadows, watching but never touching. She was always his. The difference is, now she knows it.Will Allie quietly accept her new life and let her old one go? Or will she fight the man she's loved her entire life because she can't risk losing herself again...Because You're Mine, Mine to Keep is created by Nikita Slater, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author."

[WARNING STRONG MATURED CONTENTS] Beside me, I sensed his movement as he turned towards me, his eyes searching for mine. I purposely avoided meeting his gaze, instead focusing on calming my racing breath. But try as I might, my breath still trembled, betraying my inner turmoil. Despite my rapid blinking, a single tear escaped, making its way down my cheek. I heard the covers rustle as he shifted closer to me. His finger gently brushed against my face, capturing the tear. "I'm sorry, Hailey," his voice resonated in the dimly lit room, both deep and gentle. His touch was followed by a soft stroke through my brunette hair and a tender kiss on the crook of my neck. "I know this isn't what you wanted," he murmured, regret evident in his voice. "It doesn't matter," I replied quietly, my gaze still fixed on the ceiling. His apology felt like a stab to the heart, but I couldn't hold him responsible. Our circumstances were far beyond our control.Swallowing hard, I tried to push down the ache in my chest. "It was unavoidable, it isn't your fault," I muttered, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. He sighed heavily, running a hand through his dark, tousled hair. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer to him. I allowed my cheek to rest against his strong chest, finding some solace in his comforting presence. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat brought a sliver of comfort to my shattered emotions. "I wish I could have given you more time to get to know me before all of this," he confessed, a touch of bitterness seeping into his words. "But those old Elders insisted on sealing our union immediately."

Lorden Weiss Fortalejo is a well -known CEO of Andromeda. Perhaps his brother Nigoel Fortalejo had settled quietly in Spain with his family, and he was in turn assigned to manage their company. Even though he quickly grew the company again, there were still many rumors about the man. Despite his good looks, elegance and intelligence, his delicate disposition prevails. The man is meticulous in everything, his staff must work perfectly, no dust must hit his skin, he would rather not hear greetings from the staff, and he will not stay in a crowded place. No one despises contradicting the man’s wishes. Whoever intends to disobey his order is liable to the law he himself made. Others view him as more than standard because of his behavior. A provincial woman with a hope of overcoming poverty will test the meticulous CEO of Andromeda. She is Kaihannah Kaguran. With the entry of the provincial woman into Andromeda, the man's life will be chaotic. When the woman enters the mansion of Fortalejos, the man will be filled with annoyance. Will the result of the arrival of a provincial woman in his life be just an annoyance, or will love appear that The Meticulous Fortalejo cannot escape?

Mia Johnson's life has been filled with heartache and mistreatment, after her father leaves. Her life takes an unexpected turn when her mother poisons her and her father possesses the antidote to a poison that plagues her, but he remains distant, seemingly never to return. As Mia turns eighteen, her mother devises a shocking plan to secure a business , offering Mia's hand in marriage to a man named Carlos. Trapped and desperate, Mia's life seems destined for misery until a mysterious man enters her life. On a fateful night, a stranger quietly slips into Mia's room, offering food and concern for her well-being. Their chance encounter marks the beginning of a unique connection, one that will leave Mia questioning the true intentions of this enigmatic man named Dave. Days later, Mia meets the same handsome stranger in a shopping mall. She looked up at him. "You were the man in my room that night..." "Do you let men in your room at night? If you don't want visitors, don't skip your meals," Dave responds stubbornly. Mia discovers that Dave is adopted by her own biological father, a man of immense power and influence in the country. But their relationship takes an unexpected turn when Dave confesses his true feelings. "Big brother wants to you, Mia," Dave admits, leaving Mia shocked and confused. Struggling to come to terms with her emotions, Mia rejects the idea of romance with her "brother." However, Dave is determined to shed the brotherly label, longing to become her partner in love. “No… you are my brother and ten tears older than me…” she says while trembling. Dave takes a step towards her. “Who cares about being your brother? I want you… I want to make you mine, forever…”

Grace Hammond lost the most important person in her life, her grandmother, Juliet. Left with little beyond a failing farm and not much clue how to run it, she's trapped-- either she gives up three generations of roots and leaves, or she finds some help and makes it work. When a mysterious letter from Juliet drops a much needed windfall in her lap, Grace knows she has one chance to save the only place she's ever called home and posts a want-ad.The knight that rides to her rescue is Robert Zhao, an Army veteran and struggling college student. A first generation Korean American, Rob is trying desperately to establish some roots, not just for himself, but for the parents he's trying to get through the immigration process, a secret he's keeping even from his best friends. Grace's posting for a local handyman, offering room and board in exchange for work he already loves doing, is exactly the situation he needs to put that process on track.Neither is prepared for the instant chemistry, the wild sweet desire that flares between them. But life in a small town isn't easy. At worst, strangers are regarded suspiciously, and at best, as profoundly flawed-- and the Hammond women have a habit of collecting obscure and ruthless enemies. Can their budding love take root in subtly hostile soil and weather the weeds seeking to choke them out?

CATALEYA DOMINGO, nakasumpong ng pagpapanibagong buhay sa mala-paraisong bayan ng El Nido sa Palawan. May stable job siya bilang isang secretary at isang lihim na online romance writer. Kinalimutan na niya ang mga hindi magandang nangyari sa buhay niya noong nasa Manila pa siya. Kung may isang bagay siyang hinihiling sa kasalukuyan, iyon ay magkaroon ng mapagmahal na asawa at sariling pamilya. LUKAS ADRIATICO, isang mayamang binata na galing sa prominenteng pamilya. May nakatanim na galit sa puso niya dahil nahuli niya ang asawa na pinagtataksilan siya bago namatay sa isang car accident. Naging woman hater siya at ang tingin niya sa mga kalahi ni Eva ay isang laruan lang. Takot siyang magmahal muli dahil baka lolokohin na naman siya. Tanging pangarap niya ang mapamahalaan ang kanilang malaking kompanya. Walang kamalay-malay si Lukas na siya ang ginawang character peg ni Cataleya sa sinusulat nitong romance novel. Parang naglalaro ang tadhana, na sa pagkamatay ng boss niya, ang binata naman ang magiging boss ng dalagang secretary. Sa kabila ng pagiging hostile na boss ni Lukas kay Cataleya, magkakalapit pa rin ang mga loob nila. Ngunit may isang malaking kasinungalingan sa nakaraan ang nag-uugnay pala sa kanilang dalawa.

L'amour prend souvent des chemins escarpés, il arrive qu’il frappe à votre porte sous forme de testament. Anaëlle en sait quelque chose. Elle accepte d’épouser Scott afin d’empocher la fortune que son oncle François lui a léguée. En plus de devoir s’unir à un inconnu, elle devra aussi franchir des milliers de kilomètres pour se rendre au Texas. Là-bas, sur cette terre hostile, il n’y a pas que le désert de dangereux. Il y a les Hommes… aussi. Leave you again (Te quitter encore), une romance teintée de rouge sang.

The day Yancy Shepherd died, Benedict Page poisoned our dinner. His eyes were wild, and bloodshot, as he watched me writhe in agony. There was a madness in his gaze, but worse was the hatred, a disgust so deep it twisted his face into something unrecognizable. "If it weren't for you forcing your way into our lives, Yancy wouldn’t have died from heartbreak. You ruined us! It’s all your fault!" A photo slipped from his trembling hand and landed at my feet—Yancy at twenty, looking radiant, her smile as bright as a blooming flower. I collapsed to the ground, my strength fading fast like a rose withering in the final grasp of winter. Helpless, I waited for the darkness to claim me, consumed by despair and bitter regret. Why hadn’t I listened to the system and killed him when I had the chance? But when I opened my eyes again, everything was different. I stood watching Benedict flee our engagement ceremony. My brother moved to chase after him, but I quietly raised a hand, stopping him. This time, things would be different.

"Did you think you could run away from me? is that it, Cat?" Ace asked, his hand tightening around her neck at every seconds. Catherine gasped her hand resting on Ace's as she fought to tear his hand off her. "I asked you a question, kitten. Did you think you could run away from me?" he questioned yet again, this time his voice was so gently that it sent shivers down her spine. Ace doesn't need to shout to show off his dominant bully side, he was like a predator, setting his trap quietly and killing cruelly. "I....I...I never tried to run, Ace. I won't try it ever." She gasped out, Ace smirked and brought her face closer to his. "That's right, Catherine. You are for me, mine to use however I please!" he said and slammed his lips on hers. *A dark highschool novel*

My mom had a sudden heart attack, and the medical bills were piling up faster than I could breathe. I was desperate, so I turned to my rich boyfriend, hoping he could help, or at least offer some kind of solution. But instead of the support I expected, he unleashed a tirade that hit harder than anything I'd ever heard. "So this is why you're with me? Just for my money? You're no different from those other women throwing themselves at me. You're all the same—pathetic and shameless!" Before I could even react, he shoved me out the door. Later, when he finally understood the full story, he handed me a bank card, no questions asked. "Candice," he said quietly, his tone almost remorseful. "The password is your birthday." I didn't say a word. I just let the card drop onto the floor and walked away without looking back.