Ambush Doors

In the bustling streets of New York City, Kathrine is determined to make a name for herself and build a successful life. However, her dreams come crashing down when she gets fired from her job for constantly being late. Feeling defeated, she seeks solace in the company of her loyal friend, Dylan. As they venture out into the vibrant nightlife of the city, fate takes an unexpected turn. Kathrine and Dylan find themselves at the renowned Medusa Lounge, a place known for its mysterious allure. Little does she know that this encounter will change her life forever. Inside the lounge, Kathrine catches the eye of Andrew, the enigmatic owner and the secret Mafia boss of New York. Drawn to her resilience and determination, Andrew offers Kathrine a chance at redemption. He sees potential in her and offers her a job at the lounge, a position that could open doors to a world she never imagined. Caught between the allure of a dangerous lifestyle and the desire to make a living, Kathrine finds herself torn. As she delves deeper into the dark underbelly of New York's criminal underworld, she must navigate treacherous waters, balancing her loyalty to Andrew and her own moral compass. In this thrilling tale of ambition, love, and danger, Kathrine must decide how far she is willing to go to survive in a city that never sleeps. Will she succumb to the seductive power of the Medusa Lounge and its enigmatic owner, or will she find a way to rise above the shadows and forge her own path?

LUNA He came for my sister. The scarred, brutal Bratva king from Russia, the one whispered about in mafia circles like a ghost story, traveled halfway across the world to claim her. But my sister was too fragile for a man like him. I tried to protect her. I didn’t know I was the one he truly wanted. From the moment Misha Petrov saw me, I became his obsession. He struck a deal with my father and took me instead. Forced me into a sham marriage, dragged me into his icy empire, and made me pretend in public that I belonged to him. But behind closed doors, the lines began to blur. I hated him. I needed him. And then, I ran. MISHA She thinks she escaped. She thinks I’ll let her go. But Luna Rojas was never going to leave me, not truly. I burned everything that stood between us, including the man she thought she loved. The one I had to kill. And when she fled to attend his funeral, I followed with five hundred men and a vow carved in blood. I cleared the graveyard. Claimed her—body, soul, and screams, right there, over his bones. Because if I can’t have her love… I’ll take her fear. And I haven’t even started yet.

From the outside, her life looked like a storybook — young love, a growing family, and the hope of a future built on hard work and devotion. But behind closed doors, it was a different world — one filled with control, silence, and bruises too deep for anyone to see. Before she turned twenty-one, she had already survived a violent marriage, the constant threat of losing her children, and a battle between truth and lies that nearly destroyed her. Every time she tried to rebuild, life seemed to find a new way to break her — a false accusation that stole her children, a fire that turned into murder, and the death of the man who had helped her believe in love again. Echos of Ruin is the raw, unflinching story of a woman who refuses to stay broken. Through violence, betrayal, and unbearable loss, she finds the courage to keep moving — to fight for her truth even when no one will listen. It’s a story of motherhood and survival, of loving and losing, and of discovering that sometimes the only way to save yourself is to walk through the fire. Told with haunting honesty and sharp clarity, this memoir is not just about what was taken from her — it’s about what she refused to surrender: her spirit, her strength, and her voice. Because even when the world tried to silence her, she learned the most powerful truth of all — the human heart can shatter a thousand times and still find the strength to beat again.

When a young girl named **Emilia** moves to an isolated, fog-drenched city in search of a fresh start, she quickly discovers that something is terribly wrong. The streets echo with silence, residents vanish without a trace, and time itself begins to twist and collapse. As doors appear in places they shouldn’t, and her own reflection begins acting on its own, Emilia realizes she’s trapped in a place that is not just haunted — it’s alive. Each chapter peels back a new layer of horror: shadowy watchers, eerie apparitions, underground tunnels, and ghostly echoes of past inhabitants. But the real terror lies within — the city seems to feed on fear, loneliness, and the feeling of failure. It reflects Emilia’s own anxieties back at her, warping her reality into a trial of the soul. As she searches for meaning, and later for escape, Emilia uncovers the city’s sinister purpose: it traps those most vulnerable and forces them to confront their darkest selves. With the help of other survivors — some real, some echoes — she must navigate psychological mazes and make impossible choices to survive. But survival isn't enough. Emilia must transform — not by escaping her fear, but by embracing it. In doing so, she becomes something more than a victim of the city. She becomes a guide, a witness, and eventually, a keeper of the door. *Trapped in the Hollow City* is a suspenseful, haunting exploration of inner demons, resilience, and the eerie beauty of choosing to become — even when the world seems built to break you.

“Summer,” he called her name. She ran to Osiris and hugged him as she cried. "We broke up. He hurt me and cheated many times. This must be my karma for what I did to you." Tears streaming down her face, she asked for his forgiveness. "If I could turn back time, I would choose you. If I'm given the chance to love you again, I will make it right." Osiris and Summer walked through the rain-soaked gardens, their clothes clinging to their skin. Just as they reached the grand doors of the mansion, they swung open, revealing Osiris' wife standing in the doorway, Martha, in her pregnant state. --- When a chance encounter leads to an unusual pact, Summer becomes the unlikely tutor for Osiris in the art of domesticity. As they navigate the trials of chores and life's uncertainties, a unique bond blossoms. But destiny has more in store as their paths diverge, only to reunite in a twist of fate. Osiris, driven by a silent admiration, becomes the steadfast pillar in Summer's whirlwind rise to stardom. Amid the glitz and glamour of showbiz, a stolen kiss in the moonlit confines of a car reveals hidden desires, setting the stage for a passionate dance of emotions. In a tale of love and longing, Osiris yearns to bridge the gap between their worlds, all while concealing his true identity as a powerful CEO. Summer, caught in a web of emotions, grapples with secrets she's compelled to keep. The stage is set for a heart-wrenching encounter when past promises collide with present desires, challenging the very fabric of their connection.

"I'm scheduling the C-section for tomorrow. The doctor will extract her bone marrow during the procedure." Those were the words that shattered Selena's world. Her husband, Ellis Winston, the most ruthless Mafia Don in New York, was going to force her to deliver their baby at twenty-seven weeks. To him, her pregnant body was just a blood farm to cure Jennifer, the manipulative half-sister who supposedly saved his life. So, Selena ran. She left behind a pool of blood, a crushed ultrasound photo, and a destroyed wedding ring. The world thought she was dead. Six years later, Ellis is a walking corpse. He rules the global underworld, but he is tormented by the ghost of the wife he pushed to the grave. During his company's grand anniversary banquet, the heavy ballroom doors burst open. Selena is back. But she isn't the weak, obedient housewife in a cheap housewife anymore. She is the untouchable heiress of the Merrick billionaire empire. She strides down the red carpet, a signed divorce agreement in hand, ready to crush the man who ruined her. Ellis refuses to let her go. He is willing to go to war with Wall Street to drag her back. But what will the arrogant Don do when he comes face-to-face with a genius six-year-old boy who looks exactly like him? He will pay any price to win her back. Even if it costs him his empire, his organs, and his life.

Isabella Martinez never expected to trade her dreams for a marriage contract, but when her conniving step-sister flees an arranged marriage, she's forced to take her place. The groom? Alexander Kane, Manhattan's most ruthless CEO, a man known for destroying companies and breaking spirits. The same man who nearly ruined her father's company years ago. At forty, Alexander Kane has everything money can buy, except revenge against the Martinez family. When his intended bride escapes, he finds an even better alternative in her younger sister Isabella – the one person his rival truly loves. It's the perfect opportunity to complete his vendetta. What starts as a cold business arrangement soon turns into a dangerous game of attraction. Behind closed doors, Alexander's icy facade melts away, revealing a man haunted by past betrayals and unexpected tenderness. Isabella discovers that living with her enemy awakens desires she never knew existed, even as she uncovers the dark secrets that drive him. As their fake marriage transforms into something real, Isabella must choose between her family's loyalty and her growing love for Alexander. Meanwhile, Alexander faces his own demons: can he trust in love again, or will his quest for revenge cost him the only woman who's ever touched his heart?

BLURB "Beg for it, Bella," his rasped voice whispered against my ears as his dick rubbed against my thighs. "I want you to f**k me until my tongue knows nothing but your name. Please, Daddy," I begged shamelessly until he finally slipped into me. - The first time I saw him, I understood why people ruin their lives for dicks. He was standing in the sunlight, watching me like he already knew how the story would end. I had a boyfriend. He was my best friend's father. And ninety days should have been easy to survive. Then I opened the wrong door, and after everything burned. Alexander Moreau doesn't touch you first. He studies you, learns you, and makes you feel like the only person in the room. And somewhere between midnight swims and locked doors, I stopped pretending I didn't want him. I'd go through hell and come back friends with the devil if it would mean him sticking his dick inside me again. But houses made of glass don't protect secrets, and by the time summer ended, I had lost my best friend, my relationship, my future, and the version of myself I thought I was. Because falling for Alexander Moreau wasn't the danger. His ex-wife was.

In the coastal quiet of Baler, a studio is born—not of architecture, but of intention.* Founded by Yam, a poet whose words cradle pain gently, and Franc, an artist who paints tenderness into walls, the studio becomes a refuge for those learning to stay—with grief, love, longing, and themselves. As visitors arrive, they leave behind more than footprints: a sigh recorded in bamboo, a poem tucked into the “Found Letters” shelf, a mural painted in crooked lines. Through zines, tea, silence, and sketchbooks, the studio teaches softness as revolution. Ren creates the *Window of Soft Returns*, an installation of anonymous voice recordings—each whisper forming a community of echoes. Drew builds the *Staircase With No Wrong Turns*, inviting people to walk through emotions without shame. Franc offers brushstrokes as brave work, and Yam curates writing circles that map healing in half sentences. Together, they host festivals that feel like hugs, and they begin traveling their archive, letting softness cross oceans. Even those who once left—like Miguel—return, discovering that some doors never truly close. Others, like Tala, capture the studio’s sound and turn it into a podcast of breath and becoming. Over seventy chapters, the studio transforms into something larger than itself: a mural of memory, a sanctuary for second chances, a place where return is sacred and voice is proof of survival. In the final bloom, the studio stands not as a monument—but as a reminder: > *“Staying isn’t easy. > But chosen together, > it becomes home.”*

On our son's birthday, a few aggressive and fierce dogs have suddenly barged into our home for no reason. But my wife, Jacinda Redmont, is quick to order for all doors and windows to be closed. "Our son's still in there! Hurry up and open the door!" I quickly stop Jacinda, only to get slapped in return. That's when I notice hatred and disgust written all over her face. "You weren't alarmed in the slightest when Benny suffered from a fright yesterday, and yet you claim that you'll treat both children fairly! You're filled with nothing but lies, Vincent Fuller! "Since you're that selfish, I'll personally teach you a lesson in fairness and just!" It turns out that Jacinda is exacting vengeance on her bastard son's behalf. Yesterday, her first love, Jaden Sutton, and his son, Benson Sutton, returned to the country without a warning. The dog that I've reared for five years did nothing but bark at them a few times, only for Jacinda to order her men to beat it. "By the way, Benny shall be the one replacing Timmy in the birthday banquet. We should use this opportunity to announce his status publicly." As I gaze at the heavily bandaged child in the ward as well as the hint of provocation in Jaden's eyes, I can't help but laugh. What makes them think that my son, Timothy Fuller, is the one who got injured by the dogs?