2nd-glance

Halo Remington has spent her entire life in the shadows of her perfect twin sister, Scarlet, the golden child, the chosen one, the family's heiress. No one ever sees Halo, and that’s just the way her family prefers it. Until Talon Ashwood walks into their home with a contract and a choice that was never meant to be hers. Talon needs a bride, quickly. His father had made it clear, no marriage, no inheriting the Ashwood empire. Choosing Scarlet should be simple, expected. But when a single glance at an old portrait reveals a hidden twin, Talon makes a last-minute decision that shatters the room’s expectations. He no longer wants the golden daughter. No, he wants the quiet lamb hidden in the shadows. Pulled from her place behind the closed doors of her room, Halo is thrust into a deal she never saw coming. Marry him, and she would finally be free of her family’s control. Walk away, and she would remain unseen and unwanted, a ghost in her own life and a shadow in the footsteps of her sister. After coming to a decision and going through with it, Halo steps into a world of power, deception, and an attraction she never anticipated. But as secrets unravel and ruthless tactics ensue, Halo realizes that this marriage harboured far more than just a business deal. It was the cost of being chosen by an Ashwood.

"The Secret of a Forbidden Heart" Akira Quezon, better known as Kira, is a young woman with a sweet smile and a loyal heart. Despite her youth, she harbors a secret love — a feeling ordained by fate but forbidden by society. Her heart continues to beat for Axel, her handsome and mysterious godfather, who, despite being 40 years old, remains dashing and alluring. But behind every glance and secret smile lies a complex past. Axel is a man seemingly shrouded in the shadows of his own secrets. Between their silent gazes and inexplicable closeness, the question hangs — how far will they fight for a love that defies all norms? As secrets gradually unravel, Kira discovers that the man she loves has wounds from the past that he desperately tries to hide. Between truth and desire, they must confront their fears. Will their love prevail, or will they be consumed by the shadows of the past?

This book contains graphic violence, explicit sexual content, scenes of coercion and assault, and intense emotional trauma. It is not for the faint-hearted. If you are sensitive to dark, disturbing, or triggering content, please proceed with care. This is a tale of obsession, survival, and forbidden craving, unfiltered, and haunting. Reader discretion is not just advised, it’s essential. *** He bought her to break her. But she just might be the one to break him. Sold to the cruelest Alpha in the land, Valentina is nothing more than an Omega, broken,owned. Ryker wants revenge. Her parents took his sister’s life, and now he’s taking hers, piece by piece. Every punishment is fueled by his pain. Every glance hides a fury and something far more dangerous: desire. But Valentina isn't the girl he expected. And Ryker isn’t the monster he pretends to be. As secrets unravel and past sins resurface, Valentina must decide if freedom is worth the cost or if the chains she wants to escape are the very ones tying her to a love she was never meant to find.

“You're still my wife! ”Ryan yelled clutching onto her arm. “ oh please, spare me that crap”. Valerie said, rolling her. eyes. ” Can we at least talk ?”. He asked her Instead, she yanked her arm from his, and without a second glance or word she turned to leave, but then she halted and turned to him. “ I'm going to make this very clear and I'll do it once only, the Valerie you are looking for is dead and long gone, so stop following me about because I won't hesitate to deal with you, now if you'll excuse me I have better things to do with my time “. Valerie said and turned to leave. “ I looked for you Val, I did. I searched for you for three whole years. None one knew where you were, what else could I have done !”. He yelled. “ we’re still married you know, I did not sign those papers“, Ryan told her. “ see yourself out of my house and don't show your face around here again “. And she left. “Oh, but we will see each other again very soon “, he smirked. **************************************************** Valerie and Ryan’s marriage wasn’t near perfect .Ryan, forced to leave his girlfriend and marry Valerie yet Valerie loved Ryan so much and was the perfect wife to him she gave him her life and did everything to please him yet he never cared about her. Until that night. The night he chose his girlfriend over her and her baby’s life. Barely making it out alive Valerie left and never looked back. Five years later. Valerie is back in town and she and Ryan's paths cross but she is no longer the same girl he once knew.

A single rose can bind two fates forever. When her family’s fortunes crumble, Catherine never imagines her father’s desperation will lead him to barter her freedom. Promised as payment to the reclusive Lord Kieran—master of a castle steeped in legend and whispered curses—she is thrust into a world of shadows, secrets, and a predator’s gaze that both terrifies and captivates her. Kieran is more than a man; he is a wolf bound by an ancient curse, his life ruled by the prophecy: The rose will bring her. Catherine’s arrival is no accident—it is destiny. But claiming her means awakening a dangerous magic neither of them fully understands, one that threatens to unravel the fragile truce between man and beast. As moonlight sharpens the edge between desire and danger, Catherine must navigate the perilous game of a lord who guards both his heart and his curse with deadly resolve. In a place where every shadow hides a secret, every glance is a test, and love itself may be the deadliest bargain of all—one question remains: Will the rose bind them together… or doom them both? Perfect for fans of dark fairy-tale retellings, shifter romance, and gothic intrigue.

(21 years ago) It was the darkest of all nights and the hunt had begun. The glorious light of the moon was shining bright, spreading its silver glow throughout the forest and not a single animal moved, for they all knew what was about to happen. The ground shook as the park tore through the forest and emerging first through the shadow was the Alpha. His amber eyes glowed and his snout twitched as he breathed in the damp fresh air. He growled a loud howl and in response a hundred other roars were heard. Then beside him another wolf appeared, blue eyes and the whitest fur – his mate and the Luna of the pack. Both wolves shared a glance and as their eyes met they shared a conversation. In the midst of the hunt Alexia finds a human baby kept in a carton barely covered and left to be killed by the cold or wild animals. WHAT WILL SHE DO WITH THE BABY?

Isabella Rossi thought the worst thing in the world was losing her boyfriend to her best friend. She was wrong. Her best friend handed her to another man. Drugged. Betrayed. Claimed. She woke up under the cold, ruthless body of a stranger—only he wasn’t a stranger at all. Vincent Sinclair: her company’s new CEO, heir to one of Manhattan’s most elite dynasties… and her ex-best friend Chloe’s older brother. He doesn’t remember her face. He's nothing but an entitled playboy...or so she believes He thought she was just another social climber. She thought she’d only lost her innocence. Until two pink lines shattered everything. She tries to keep her distance. He decides she belongs to him. Now she's caught between a man who devours her with a glance, a child she never planned for, and a betrayal that still bleeds. And Vincent? He’s made one thing terrifyingly clear: He doesn’t share.

My heart was never meant to be divided… but my soul belongs to both of them." When I fled into the wilderness, I never expected to be hunted by rival wolves, by fate, by them. Kain is the ruthless Alpha who took me captive. His command is law, his touch a punishment… and his claim on me is absolute. But then there’s Darius, his brother, wild, untamed, and the only one who sees the fire in me instead of trying to extinguish it. The problem? I’m mated to both. Kain says the bond is a mistake. Darius swears it’s destiny. And the pack? They’re ready to tear me apart for daring to come between their Alphas. Now, every stolen glance, every forbidden touch, is a betrayal. Every choice could start a war. I don’t know which bond is real. I don’t know which brother is lying. But I do know this: One of them will kill for me. The other will die for me. And when the truth comes out… I might not survive the fallout

My twin sister died in my arms with his name on her lips. Five years later, I wear red lipstick and heels to seduce the man who murdered her. ~ Five years ago, Anastasia’s world ended in gunfire and ash. Her entire family was slaughtered on her eighteenth birthday, by the man her twin sister loved. Left for dead, Anastasia was saved by a stranger. Broken, enraged, and alone, she was taken in by a woman who taught her how to disappear… and how to kill. Now, she’s Skye, trained to seduce, infiltrate, and destroy. Her mission is simple: get close to Nikolaus Volkov, close enough to break him. But killing him isn’t enough. She wants to make him suffer, to crave her, to need her. And when he’s completely at her mercy… she’ll rip him apart the way he tore her world to pieces. A kiss meant to disarm ignites something deadly, Desire. Obsession. Confusion. Nikolaus is not the cold-blooded monster she expected. He’s worse. And yet, with every stolen glance and kiss, Skye begins to slip. Revenge was the plan. Desire was never part of it. Now, she’s playing a game she might not win. Under Her Skirt: The Last Kiss is a dark, twisted mafia romance of seduction, revenge, and ruin, where every kiss could be a betrayal… and every heartbeat could be your last.

They weren’t supposed to meet. They weren’t supposed to fall. But when the heart breaks the rules—everything shatters.Isabel Buster has always known where she stands—on the outside of power, watching the world of wealth and privilege from behind glass. Quiet, hardworking, and determined to build her own future, she’s spent her high school years avoiding her estranged father’s new billionaire family. But one impulsive night at an exclusive club changes everything.Alessandro De’Luca is used to getting what he wants. The ruthless heir to a billion-dollar empire, he’s dominant, controlled—and completely unprepared for the girl who crashes into his life with wide eyes and fierce defiance. Their connection is instant, electric, and unspeakably dangerous.Because the next day, he becomes her stepbrother.Trapped under the same Sicilian roof, their chemistry burns through every glance and argument. What starts as temptation spirals into obsession, secrets, and betrayal. And when the truth of a cruel bet comes to light, it threatens to destroy not just their fragile bond—but everything Isabel thought she knew about love, loyalty, and herself.As public scandal erupts, lies unravel, betrayal from a close friend and a buried pregnancy changes everything, Isabel must choose: walk away to protect her heart—or fight for a love that was never meant to survive.