the old axolotl

In the small town of Eastwood, the mysterious disappearance of 12-year-old Daniel from his abusive family had left a void that no one could fill. Over a decade later, Daniel, now a suave, enigmatic billionaire arms dealer, returns to Eastwood with two purposes in mind: to reconcile with his past, particularly with his beloved younger sister, and to wage a secret war against the dangerous underbelly of the town. His first encounter in town is with Kate, a beautiful waitress with a challenging life of her own. They're immediately drawn to each other, sharing a connection that neither can explain. But with this connection come complications: Kate is tied to a world Daniel is fighting against, with a looming arranged marriage to a millionaire who has dark secrets. As Daniel delves deeper into the town's affairs, he uncovers a network of narcotics trade, child traffickers, and corrupt officials. All the while, he keeps his true identity hidden, trying to get closer to his family without revealing himself. Kate becomes both his anchor and his weakness. Her association with the town's malevolent forces, especially her fiancé, threatens to tear them apart. However, as they grow closer, their combined strength becomes a force to reckon with. Throughout their journey, they'll face intense challenges, both from external enemies and internal demons. The town of Eastwood will witness a storm of love, action, betrayal, and redemption. But the question remains: can love truly conquer all, even the shadows of a tortured past?

Lesley Hummer, my husband's sister, lies to me about being unable to conceive. She wants me to help her produce a child. To my shock and horror, my husband and mother-in-law agree with her! I refuse to give in, so they drug me and force me into bed with my her husband. When the pregnancy comes to term, I give birth to a daughter. My husband and his family go nuts because it's not a boy. They kill the baby before my very eyes! They even take away all my organs that can be exchanged for money. Then, they continue searching for a surrogate for Lesley. When I open my eyes again, I'm back to the day Lesley kneeled before me to beg me.

"I'm coming for you. No matter how far you think you can run, I can assure you that you can't hide and I'm closer to you than you think." Cassandra receives this letter from her mailbox. It's the millionth time she's been receiving these threats on a regular basis and her entire life is at stake and the tragedy of her life puts not only her but her husband, Mustafa on the edge as well, as Sandra is curious as to who is planning to desperately to put her in bondage again. Who could want to put her in captivity? Could it be her ex boyfriend, Dan? No. He didn't love her. He only broke her heart and cheated on her severally so there was no way on earth that he would want her. Could it be the loan shark that enslaved her when she was nine? Or could it be her mother placing yet another risky gamble over her life?

My parents take me to court to get my heart and save my adoptive sister. The judge uses advanced technology to extract our memories. A jury of 100 people decides the verdict. If my parents win the case, my organs will go to them. They think I won't dare to show up for the trial because they think I'm evil. However, everyone is overcome by tears when they see my memories and the truth of what happened!

The day that I divorced my third husband, the system told me that I had completely failed my mission. I had married three times in this world and they were all targets that were supposed to fall for me. But every single one of them chose to divorce me because of Wendy Somerfield. The system pitied me for doing my best for the past 30 years, so it asked me to target my son. It said that if my son could confidently choose me, between me and Wendy, then I could live. However, it was no exception that the son I gave birth to after 40 weeks of pregnancy chose Wendy, just like my three ex-husbands. They all even pinned the cause of Wendy's illness on me. My first husband, who was my childhood sweetheart, pretended to be softhearted, but he was actually ruthless. He actually tried to convince me to donate one of my kidneys to Wendy. My second husband, who I met on a blind date, used a scalpel to personally cut open my body. My third husband, who I fell in love with at first sight, even threatened me with my son. While spitting out blood from my mouth, I agreed to their requests with a smile. However, when they saw me being pushed out of the operating room, those people who turned their backs on me went crazy.

“I don't want any trouble, Easton.” She breathed. But he only stepped closer, running his fingers on her cheeks slowly as a smirk stretched the side of his mouth, “Well, that's too damn bad because I want to see you in trouble. I want to see you in pain until you're nothing but a shell in a body.” Tears rolled down her cheeks as she held back a sob, her throat was dry as she asked the question that was burning in her chest, “Do you hate me that much?” Seeing her tears made something in him shift but he quickly recovered. He took a few steps back and tucked his hands in his pockets before finding her gaze again, “That would make me too kind. What I feel for you isn't hate, Scarlet. It's deeper than that, but most importantly, I want to make you pay for ruining my life and taking my brother from me.” ……….. They say opposites attract, and for them, it was love at first sight. But love wasn’t enough to keep them together when fate tore them apart. She left him, convinced it was the only way to protect him. He believed she abandoned him out of cold-heartedness, and love for money. Blaming her for his brother’s tragic accident. For five long years, he’s harbored a fierce bitterness, a desire for revenge so intense it’s reshaped him, hardening his heart to ice. Now she’s back—stronger, wiser, but still haunted by the shadows of their past. And he’s waiting, ready to make her pay for what he believes she stole from him. She takes his anger, thinking it’s because she left, unaware of the deeper wound that fuels his wrath. But what happens when the truth finally comes out?

Laura Walker was forced to marry an old man by her mother so that her bride price could be used for her younger brother's wedding. However, Laura felt that she should be in control of her own life.Her blind date didn't go as planned. Instead, she ended up getting married to a stranger.The two of them had undergone a flash marriage and planned on setting guidelines so that they wouldn't disturb each other's lives. However, Laura didn't expect the man to cook for her, put her to bed and force her to call him "Honey"."Honey, I want a kiss.""Honey, I want a hug."Laura had thought that her husband was just a normal working class, so she had planned out their future in detail.That was until she realized that her husband had a garage full of luxury cars.Not only that, her husband looked identical to the richest man in Empfield!

Despised by her father, Emma Walker finds herself trapped in the net of the ruthless mafia boss in exchange for her Mother’s treatment, and revenge on her selfish father. Salvatore Barone was a nightmare everyone avoided, a man rumoured to be selfish, yet his mother was his weakness. Faced with the decision to give his dying mother, a daughter-in-law, he gets into a contract marriage with the daughter of his sworn enemy. What happens when they start to fall in love with one another? Especially when it turns out that his mother lied.

Layla was always separated from her pack group, not by her own will. He suffered prejudice from his brothers and parents for not being able to transform into the wolf he was born with. The village at the South Pole is in danger, a new threat surrounds all regions where lunar beings live. And only the strongest Alpha of ancient descent can save them from death, and as a bargain, the elders decide to donate a gift to the lone wolf. Lucien is the last of the lineage of wolves from the ancient clan, called "Mixed Fists" due to the fur of his ancient ancestors. Being the only alpha in his extinct family, he decided to live in the North Pole, alone and without a suitable companion. With the threat of another race killing all the villages of their species, one of them sends a seemingly unrefusable proposal. And now? Will Layla accept this fate so easily? Will Lucien put his loneliness aside to protect those who are no longer part of his new life?

Zana thought death would bring her peace, but the moon goddess had other plans. Betrayed and left to die by the ones she trusted, Zana's last wish was for a second chance—and she got one. Awaking in the body of Alpha Tia Moon, a powerful leader, Zana must navigate a new life in a dangerous world and with a Tia’s beta and mate, Ethan suspicious of her identity. But nothing could prepare her for the shocking discovery that her former mate, Alpha Richard, the one who betrayed her, is bound to her once again. As Zana battles to protect her secrets as she also faces the deep, unyielding mate bonds she feels for both Ethan, her Beta, and Richard from her past. Torn between revenge and love, Zana walks a thin line between her past mistakes and the future she must embrace. In a world where enemies become allies and love becomes war, will her new strength be enough to survive what’s coming?