Sarasota Herald-tribune E Edition

I knew there was no escaping it. My father’s sins would be my undoing. He was a wicked man, feared and hated by many, and now that he was dead, the weight of his crimes had fallen squarely on me. I didn’t even have the chance to grieve—or to breathe—before his Beta dragged me away from the south, from everything I’d ever known. I was supposed to be their Alpha. That was my birthright. But it didn’t matter. The pack had other plans for me, and being their leader wasn’t one of them. My father’s Beta delivered me to the northern Alphas, the very men who despised my father the most. And that’s when I learned the cruelest truth: they were my mates. But they didn’t want me. Warning: This is a reverse harem mild dark romance filled with intense emotions and themes that are not for the faint of heart. Read at your own risk. (This is an edited, well-structured version of the First Edition Scarlett) *******

I go to the city where my online boyfriend, Logan Wright, lives to surprise him without telling him first. Instead, I overhear him talking with his friends. "So what if her voice is nice? She's probably ugly as hell if she's reluctant to even send a picture. If the hottest girl on campus hadn't turned me down, I wouldn't even bother messing around with someone like her. "Not only is she ugly, but she's also horny as hell. She keeps saying she has to see what I'm packing down there before we even meet." One of his friends snickers. "So did you show her?" Logan let out a low grunt in agreement. "But it wasn't mine. It was Troy's." His friend blurts, "What the hell? Troy Levine? Your roommate? You said he was at least eight inches. Were you serious?" "Of course. Why would I lie to you? Troy is a real bro. Seeing that I didn't want to send that kind of picture, he offered to do it for me." They freeze for a second, then all burst out laughing. I laugh too. I've heard of body doubles in Showbiz. This is the first time I've seen a body double in online romance. I want every detail on Troy, and I want them in the next three minutes!

My roommate is the kind of person who has to get to the bottom of everything and doesn't stop asking questions until she's satisfied. One night, while I'm sound asleep, she suddenly stands by my bed and calls my name, "Melissa, are you asleep?" Having been awakened by her, I shoot her an annoyed glare, but she just says, "See? You weren't really asleep. Otherwise, how could you have answered me?" One day, she decides to skip class. Thinking that I could help by signing her in on my phone, I do just that. However, near the end of the lecture, she suddenly bursts into the room and asks the professor, "I wasn't here today, so why does it show I was marked present? Is the system down?" The professor traces it back to me, fails me on the spot, and makes me retake the class. Later on, I join a speech contest. My roommate stands up in front of everyone and asks why my speech sounded exactly like her ideas. I get disqualified, lose my scholarship, and am labeled a plagiarist. Devastated, I climb onto the rooftop late at night. When I open my eyes again, I'm back to the night when my roommate first asked if I was asleep.

Heather Cassia Del Puerto has every reason to be loved. Citing from people's definitions, she's the epitome of beauty and intelligence. In addition, she has enough wealth and power being the La Villamorés' second owner. However, everyone was suffocated by her so-called perfect insight, and the audacity to think she is always right. Her holier-than-thou attitude annoyed everybody, but a particular tycoon is an exception—Lord Lavigne. Consequently, she didn't bother to change a bit after countless troubles, confident enough that the man everybody has been dreaming of is not going to leave her . . . Or so she thought.

When men become murderers... See how these young men will fight fate. “Strange Noises in the Attic” There was a monster locked up in my attic. This monster was my biological brother. He was locked up by my parents for 24 years. My parents told me that my brother was mentally ill and had severely violent tendencies, so he could only be locked up to prevent him from hurting others. However, I once accidentally entered the room. My brother covered my mouth immediately and told me with a fearful look that those two people were not my real parents. “The Spirit House” When I was in college, I met a middle-aged rich woman on social media. She was very kind to me. She always gave me money and intimately called me "little boy". She said that she was born and raised in the countryside just like me. She liked me, and thus she would lead me to fortune after I graduated. I thought she was joking. However, she really came to me in a Porsche Cayenne when I graduated.

These young girls are overwhelmed by complicated society, human relations, and accidents. What they faced are not only relationships but also the cruelty of the adult world. There are so many scumbags. Their boyfriends, husbands, and even their fathers may harm them. What should they do to survive? See how these young women will fight back. “I Am a Scorpio” Mark Yeager sent my private photos to his buddy. [Doesn't my girlfriend have a good figure?] The words were followed by two smug-looking emojis. His buddy replied: [I prefer women with flat chests.] I felt disgusted reading the message. Mark shrugged indifferently. "You are all women. Why are you afraid of her seeing your photo?" Yes, his buddy was a woman. I felt like an unreasonable and resentful woman. I had had enough. It was not something a Scorpio like me would do. This time, I did not want to put up with them anymore. “The Kiss of Karma” He blocked me with a fierce look and said, "So... Does what you said about being with me still hold up?" "Of course." I hugged Yorrance Sonic. "I really like you." I heard something falling to the ground with a bang as Yorrance waved to someone behind me. "Mom!" I turned around and saw my husband holding hands with a woman, whom Yorrance called "mom".