How Does 'Raybearer' Depict Family And Loyalty?

Before our wedding, my fiancée, Sarah Hargrave—a professor of medieval history—held a private ceremony in a secluded chapel in the countryside. But not with me. Under the glow of candlelight, she cradled Benjamin Wheeler—her first love, his face gaunt from the cancer consuming him—in her arms. Her smile was soft, almost reverent, as she murmured, "In the eyes of God, vows made before the altar are the only ones that matter. Even if the law says I belong to Daniel, my soul was never his." And so, to the faint echo of hymns and the scent of old incense, they drank from the same silver cup, exchanged rings, and stepped together into the dimly lit sacristy—their makeshift bridal chamber. I watched. Silent. Motionless. No outbursts, no demands for explanation. Just the quiet dialing of a clinic to undo the vasectomy I'd gotten for our future. From fifteen to thirty, I had loved Sarah for fifteen long years. But in all that time, there'd never been room for me. That space had always belonged to Benjamin, my stepbrother. So I let her go. Afterward, I joined a geological research team bound for the isolation of Antarctica—a land cut off from the world, quiet and clean. Before I left, I handed Sarah a divorce agreement…and a final gift to mark the end. I never anticipated that Sarah, who'd always met my devotion with frosty detachment, who'd never once glanced back as I walked away, would look ten years older overnight.

Erico Moretti has always been a loyal enforcer for the most ruthless mafia family in Italy. But when his boss, the mafia king Vincenzo, tasks him with bringing down rival mafia boss Antonio Romano, he’s given a dangerous mission: infiltrate the Romano empire as Bianca Romano’s bodyguard. Bianca, the sheltered yet fiercely independent daughter of Antonio, is the key to unraveling her father’s secrets. At first, Erico sees Bianca as nothing more than a pawn in his deadly game. She’s sharp, confident, and far more perceptive than he expected—qualities that make his job even harder. But when a sudden threat forces them into a marriage of convenience to protect her from her father’s enemies, Erico finds himself tangled in a web of deceit, loyalty, and blood. But in the world of crime and betrayal, no one is safe, and when secrets are exposed, their lives will hang by a thread. Will Erico choose vengeance, or will Bianca be the one to teach him that loyalty and love are not always at odds?

He was a Don, she was just a city girl. Their love was forbidden. Still,he wants her even when betrothed to another. What started as a random meeting turned into a causal argument then led to an unruly obsession and then a mutual agreement to a night of pleasure. It seemed normal until Eren Scott came crawling back for more.She was the distraction he never asked for, the temptation he couldn't resist and the love he never wanted. Elizabeth was willing to open her heart for him until she discovered he wasn't who he said he was. She found out too late that not only had she fallen in love with her best friend's fiancé, but she was also pregnant for him.

"You're killing him!" The old hag by the side of the road suddenly cried, glaring at me. "That poor boy! You only ruin what you touch, you abomination. You beast! Set him free!" *** Sex was all that mattered to Cyrus. Sex. Alcohol. Women. Sex. after all, that pleasure, lust and passion was all that mattered to a descendant of the god of lust. He just had to live up to the name. But when one little invisible mouse stepped into his vision, he was suddenly all Cyrus could see. A little game, he said. "Tease the obvious virgin boy," he planned. "Push him hard, press his buttons." something's wrong. The god of lust can't get it up anymore. Not for anyone who is not Damian Cross. Book 1 of Descendants of Lust

Whispers of Loyalty isn’t just a love story. It’s a storm of secrets, betrayal, and forbidden desire. Alana Vittore has always been the perfect daughter that’s delicate, graceful, and untouchable in the shadow of her powerful mafia family. But when Zach Pierce walks into her world, everything she thought she knew begins to crack. He’s reckless and raw, the kind of man who should have been nothing more than a distraction. Instead, he becomes her greatest temptation. What Alana doesn’t know is that Zach carries his own secrets, dark truths tied to bloodlines and betrayals that could destroy everything between them. In a world where loyalty is currency and love is weakness, the two of them are forced to choose: obey the empire that raised them or burn it all down for each other. Every glance is dangerous. Every kiss is a risk. And every whisper might be their undoing.

With a history like ours, the meaning of the word family tended to tangle into something unrecognizable. DNA and bloodlines didn’t tie us together, and neither did our last names. Various shades of grey blurred the branches of our twisted family tree. I wasn’t her brother. They weren’t my parents. Not that it mattered… She was off limits. Portia was my friend. Then my foster sister. And she’d always be the love of my life. Family Ties is created by Stephie Walls, an eGlobal Creative Publishing Signed Author.