40 Seconds

Aurelio Bertram, 24, a dangerously handsome billionaire with a legacy drenched in power and shadows. Grandson of a notorious mob boss. Son of one of the city’s most respected businessmen. Aurelio was a perfect storm—charming, ruthless, and reckless. But at the moment, he was temporarily nothing. Until he fulfilled their one condition. Just as he was plotting revenge on a childhood rival and preparing to attend one of the biggest underground events of the year, the unexpected hit—his family wouldn’t grant him the reins to their empire unless he produced an heir. Easy enough, right? After all, Aurelio Bertram was known in his circle as the king of flings—a man who could charm a woman in seconds and leave her breathless. Getting someone pregnant? A walk in the park. Except… it wasn’t. Weeks turned into months. Not one woman came back with a positive test. Not a single one. Until Erica James. A simple, middle-class hotel waitress with curves that could stop time and a heart hardened by abandonment. Her parents had written her off in high school, convinced she’d never amount to anything. But Erica didn’t need their approval. One night. That’s all it took. Aurelio never expected it. Neither did she. And when the test turned positive, Erica wanted nothing more than to disappear—run far away from the shame, the chaos, and the power that surrounded Aurelio Bertram. But how do you run from a man who owns the city? From the father of your unborn child? From a man who refuses to let go? "Even in the woods, I’d find you, babycakes," Aurelio whispered into her ear, his voice low and possessive. "From now on, you belong to me. You, and everything that has to do with my baby."

I waited for Kai to speak, to claim me as his own. But he didn’t. Seconds passed. He just stared at me, his expression unreadable. What was going on? “I don’t.” My entire body froze as I heard those words. “I reject her.” Gaps erupted from the crowd. My chest tightened. It felt like I was being stabbed with a physical knife. ~•~ Halle’s world is turned upside down after being betrayed by her twin sister and boyfriend on her wedding day. Forced to flee, she finds refuge with a powerful Alpha. But as secrets begin to unravel, she realizes her past is more complicated than she thought. Can she reclaim her destiny and rise above the lies that have haunted her family for years?

"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?

There’s a thin line between desperation and destiny ****** Sophia Jenkins has lived her life in the shadows of hardship. At 23, she juggles multiple jobs, trying to lift her family out of debt while caring for her terminally ill mother. Her only dream is to escape the weight of her broken home and rewrite her family’s fate. But fate had other plans. On her birthday, when relentless debt collectors humiliate her and her father, Sophia’s world shatters—until a mysterious man steps out of a sleek black car, commanding the chaos with nothing but his presence. Leonard Morano. At 40, Leonard is the ruthless head of the Morano mafia empire, a billionaire controlling over a hundred businesses and underground casinos. What no one knows is that he was once Martin Jenkins’ best friend—and the man who silently watched Sophia grow from afar before vanishing when she was fifteen. Now, he’s back. And he’s not offering help. He’s demanding marriage. With the chilling words, “Marry me, and I will smash every obstacle in your way,” Leo pulls her into a world of luxury, power, and deadly secrets. But can Sophia survive the dark underworld Leo rules? Can love truly bloom in the cracks of fear, obligation, and a past that refuses to stay buried?

ศิลา **หนุ่มใหญ่ในวัยใกล้ 40เขาต้องสูญเสียมารดาไปเพราะนักเลงเก่ารุ่นพ่อ เขาก็กลับมาเพื่อทวงคืนความยุติธรรมในฐานะทายาทเพียงคนเดียวของนักธุรกิจที่ทรงอิทธิพล สายป่าน **สาวน้อยอายุ23 ลูกสาวอุดมนักเลงเก่าเธอถูกเลือกเป็นเครื่องมือในการแก้แค้นครั้งนี้ ศิลากลับมาครั้งนี้เพื่อแก้แค้นแต่ใครจะรู้ว่าแท้จริงแล้วผู้หญิงที่เขาเลือกใช้เป็นเครื่องมือ เธอก็คือคนที่ถูกทำร้ายจากศัตรูของเขาเหมือนกัน ทุกอย่างมันไม่จบง่ายอย่างที่คิดเพราะผลพวงจากความแค้นก่อให้เกิดอีกชีวิตหนึ่งขึ้นมาด้วย...............

“Hmm.” Luca lowered himself, his groin making contact with mine. He brought his nose to my hair and sniffed, letting out an appreciative moan. “Roses. I like it.” “Luca…” his name came out as a moan when he nibbled my ear. “Don't hurt Matt, please.” He looked at me with an indescribable look. “And what are you willing to give me in return for sparing your lover's life?” I gaped at him in surprise. He knew? That Matt was my ex boyfriend? “How did you…” He shook his head with a humorless laugh. “You wound me, honey. I know a lot of things. I just choose not to say it.” “I haven't threatened to kill you in your sleep, have I?” I asked, then let out a defeated sigh when he raised a brow in disbelief at me. “Fine. What do you want in return?” He stared down at me for one… two… five seconds and then said, “I'd like to watch you come undone. With my tongue.” ********** Born into a family of generational tradition, Ariadne has a duty to uphold. She has been engaged to part of the society's son Santiago Russo since birth. Never having met or talked to her fiancè, she's accepted her fate that she could never be married to the one her heart wants. On the day of her debut, she is hit with an avalanche of shock when she discovers after an unforseen circumstance that Santiago won't be the one marrying her, but his Uncle, Luca Russo, the infamous, ruthless, billionaire bachelor in New York will be the one she will be tying the knot with. Caught between accepting her new fate or rebelling, Ariadne learns that there's nowhere to escape the beast and the only way to survive is abiding by his rules.

Sebuah perusahaan elit, Mengantara Luxury, membuka lowongan sebagai sekretaris pribadi CEO dengan syarat yang tak masuk akal: harus perawan, harus menggunakan rok span, anggun, cekatan, dan bergaji fantastis 50 juta per bulan! "Bapak ngaco! Masa harus tes keperawanan segala?" protes Arumi dengan wajah penuh kemarahan. HRD hanya tersenyum tipis, tanpa ragu menunjuk ke arah pintu. "Kalau tidak mau, sekarang kamu bisa angkat kaki dari perusahaan kami. Pintu keluarnya ada di sana. Atau… kalau berubah pikiran, silakan langsung ke lantai 40 menemui Pak Bastian Mengantara." Arumi terdiam. "Gimana ya… gue butuh buat operasi jantung Mama." Apakah Arumi akan menerima tawaran tersebut demi ibunya? Atau justru menolak dan melawan sistem yang tak adil? Saksikan kisah penuh intrik, drama, dan romansa ini hanya di sini!

I was moments from freedom—seconds from marrying the Beta who loved me—when he walked in.Lucien Hale. Alpha of Crescent Ridge. Billionaire. Cold-blooded. And somehow my fated mate. He didn’t speak to me. He didn’t ask.He simply claimed me—right there in front of everyone.Now I’m trapped in his world of glass towers and growling shadows. He says he hates me. That he’ll never love the daughter of the man who ruined his family. But his hands say otherwise. His eyes say otherwise.And every time I try to run, he pulls me back… like he’s punishing himself as much as he’s punishing me.I want to hate him. I should hate him.But the bond is breaking us both.

Katherine Harrison swore one night with Dorian would be nothing more than a reckless mistake. A secret to bury. But when her father drags her into a summer of forced family bonding with her new stepmother, Katherine finds herself under the same roof as the one man she can’t stand and can’t stop craving. Dorian lives to provoke her. Every smirk, every filthy word, every brush of his body against hers feels like a dare she’s seconds away from losing. He knows exactly how to get under her skin, and the line between hate and desire blurs more with every stolen glance. She tells herself to ignore him. To remember he’s off-limits. To keep her distance. But Dorian has other plans…plans that could expose their darkest secret and burn their world to the ground. This summer, Katherine will have to decide, fight the fire or let it consume her whole.

I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to graduate top of my class, get into the best law firm, and make my brother proud. What I’m not here for? Sharing an apartment with Cade freaking West. My brother’s best friend. Tattooed, cocky, insufferable. A walking red flag on skates with a motorcycle named Roxie and a different girl in his bed every night. We don’t get along. We never have—especially not after what happened. He hates me for it. I don’t regret it. I was right. But the longer we’re forced to live under the same roof, the harder it gets to ignore the heat. The tension. The way he looks at me like he’s two seconds from ruining my entire life.