Apple Never Falls

Rivergate's most elite social circle had always shared an unspoken rule. Men were free to play the field as they pleased, drifting from one woman to the next. Women, on the other hand, were only allowed a single, discreet indulgence on the day they came of age—a privately hired "life assistant" meant to take care of their physical needs. … On my coming-of-age day, I picked Elliot at first glance from a hundred applicants who came in for interviews. He wore gold-rimmed glasses, looked composed and restrained, and carried himself with a calm maturity that set him apart. He was steady, meticulous, and obsessively clean. The only condition he agreed to was that there would be no bodily contact—hands only. And after every encounter, he would scrub his hands with disinfectant alcohol a hundred times. Over five years, the empty bottles alone were enough to circle the villa seven times. I used to think that one day, I'd help him overcome his barriers and truly make him mine. That illusion shattered the night I got drunk and accidentally wandered into Elliot's room. Hidden beneath his pillow was a DV camera, and inside were several videos of him pleasuring himself. On the screen, the same man who had always been calm and rational with me was staring at the lingerie of the adopted sister who had caused my mother's death, his Adam's apple bobbing as he moaned her name, "Chloe… I love you…" Only then did I realize that every step he had taken toward me had never been about me at all. It had always been a carefully concealed, long-nurtured love for her. So, it was very odd that he cried when I took my adopted sister's place in marrying someone else.

My mom has always been biased toward my younger sister, Nina Henderson. But before she passes away, she leaves the only house she owns to me. Meanwhile, Nina, who has always been the apple of my mom's eye, obtains nothing but a jewelry box. Just as I'm about to feel touched, I see comments springing in front of my eyes. "The truth is, their mom owes someone a huge sum of money. She left Leah her house because she wants Leah to take over the debt. In the end, Leah is forced to jump off a building by the debt collector. What a poor woman." "Nina, on the other hand, is able to marry the richest man's son thanks to the photo hidden inside the jewelry box. She gets to enjoy a lavish and comfortable life." "It's such a shame that Nina begins cursing at her mother the moment she hears the will being uttered. Because of that, her mother dies of anger before she can tell Nina the whole truth." I'm left feeling dumbstruck. That night, I dig up the jewelry box that Nina has thrown away. Then, I'm able to track down the richest man's villa.

"Kiss me." The words leave her mouth in a breathless whisper surprising the two of them "I won't, because if I do I won't stop there." "Who says I want you to stop." In a world ruled by vampires, one girl holds the key to freedom. When she's sold into the vampire court, she finds herself in a dangerous new world But when she falls in love with the vampire prince, she discovers a power she never knew she had. Now, she must choose between her duty to her people, and her heart's desire. But in a world of darkness and betrayal, is there any hope for true love?

Nadia Thompson had been in a high-profile, five-year relationship with Harry Jones, the kind everyone in Highport City’s upper social circle knew about. On the day they were supposed to get married and register their marriage, she got ditched. Nadia had enough. She swore a vicious oath, walked away, and turned her fiance into her ex-boyfriend. After one phone call from a certain someone, she got married on impulse. She registered her marriage with Julian Jones, Harry's older brother, despite them not getting along well. Julian was a well-known heir in Highport City’s upper social circle and a terrifying financial shark who built his own empire overseas. After they married, he spoiled Nadia and indulged her in everything. When Harry humiliated Nadia and called her worthless, Julian sent him crashing straight to the floor. "My wife's the apple of my eye, the one I hold the dearest. No matter how she is, I will spoil her. If you say one more word about her, I can get your name erased from the Jones family records!" Only much later did Nadia learn that the man she used to fear had loved her in secret for a decade, and that their marriage was part of a plan he laid long ago…

My first day back home and my husband's secretary was already flexing her muscles, trying to grab my antique right out of my hands. Before I could get a word out, she smacked me across the face. Twice. She sneered at me with a look that could freeze fire. "This piece caught my eye, and I'm being nice to you. Better apologize and thank me, pronto!" I moved to confront her, but before I knew it, her bodyguard had me pinned to the ground. She looked down at me like I was nothing. "Trying to challenge me? I'm Mrs. Collins of the Collins family here in Riverton City. You're nothing! One word from my husband and you're out of here!" Passersby started chiming in: "Aren't you going to bow down and beg? She's the apple of Mr. Collins' eye." "Play your cards right, and maybe you'll still be scrubbing toilets in Riverton City." I was ready to set things straight when her title hit me like a ton of bricks. The Collins family of Riverton City? When did Eric get another wife? I dialed Eric's number and laughed calmly. "Eric, since when did you secretly marry someone behind my back?"

Bisi, a timid Nigerian boy, discovers that he is attracted to the same sex, but he is determined to change his preference, leading to more frustration. Bisi meets and falls in love with his married boss Ebuka and a sizzling affair begins between them, an homophonic waitress, a jealous wife, and his own family make his life a living hell. Betrayed by his bisexual lover JUDE, Bisi escapes Nigeria in search of love. Fate connects him with a foreigner Scott and he experiences true and unjudgemental love. love as he had never felt before. Would the world and his family accept him for who he is or would it be over his dead body?

When Killian Grafton hires Daniela Marinelli as a nanny for his sons, she expects nothing more than a paycheck. Her goal is simple, work hard, save money, and one day reclaim her late father's company from her ruthless uncle. But sparks fly and tensions rise after Killian's sons secretly pull strings behind. They want her as their mummy and the only way they can be with her forever is if daddy falls in love with her. So they make it their mission to make sure their daddy falls in love with her, which he does. Daniela’s presence in his home ignites something possessive inside him, something dangerous, and before long, her world collides with his in a way she never imagined. But whenever Killian sees her around her male friends, it always unsettles him. Fueled by jealousy and obsession, Killian traps her in a marriage contract, under the guise of protection, control, or whatever excuse suits him. As days blur into nights, Daniela starts becoming more of a wife than a nanny, drawn into a web of passion, power, and secrets. But what happens when a love rival appears? Killian's love for Daniela is put to a test. He must decide between giving up everything he has or doing whatever it takes to keep her by his side.

***What happens when a girl falls in love with the one person she's not supposed to?*** "You and me, and never us: a complicated series of almost-interactions." It's the summer before college and Kara is forced to spend the holidays with her new family. Little does she know, a lot can happen in one hot summer. The moment Kara lays her eyes on Ryder, she knows she's a goner. She has never met anyone as sexy, fun, and liberating. But she's made a promise that she won't give herself away before marriage. The moment Ryder lays his eyes on Kara, he knows his life wouldn't be the same again. He has never met a girl so pure and genuine. He's made it his life mission to be with her, for better or for worse. "If God is love, you're my religion." Sometimes we can't choose who we fall in love with. Kara and Ryder's love for one another is the kind of love that only comes once in a blue moon, but unfortunately, they can never be anything more than a brother and sister. All that love, yet it is barely anything at all...

Amelia Rose was never meant to survive. At twenty-two, she works three jobs to keep her drug-addicted parents alive, only to be beaten and sold by the very people she sacrificed everything for. When she wakes chained in a black-market auction house, her fate is sealed with a single bid. Four billion dollars. Kade Silvano never planned to buy a woman. A respected CEO by day and an untouchable king of the underground by night, he attends the auction out of obligation, not interest, until Amelia steps onto the stage. Silent. Defiant. Unbroken. Instead of making her his possession, he brings her into his world as the nanny to his three-year-old daughter. A rule. A boundary. A lie they both pretend to believe. Because the closer Amelia gets, the more dangerous Kade becomes. And the deeper she falls, the harder it is to tell where captivity ends and desire begins. In a world ruled by blood, power, and obsession, love is not soft. It is chosen. And it always comes at a price.

"Shadows of the Past" is a story about *Natasha Fernandez* (26),the daughter of a billionaire who never enjoyed her childhood due to the loss of her mother and her father's busy schedule. She struggles with health issues and finding true love until she meets *Jamal smith* (29) who rescues her from a robber and becomes her friend, and eventually her husband. Years later, Natasha hires her childhood friend *Imade Martins*(25) a home tutor for her adopted daughter *Tessa* (3). However, Natasha is heartbroken when she discovers Jamal's affair with Imade, and she uses her power to frustrate Imade's business life. Unbeknownst to them all, Jamal is the biological father of Imade's daughter, whom she lost in the hands of a matron to an orphanage some years back. Imade leaves for another city where she falls in love with her boss, Mr. *George Henry,*(34) an influential business tycoon and a single father. Twenty years later, *Roy Henry,* George's son, falls in love with Tessa, Natasha's daughter. However, their love is jeopardized after a family introduction takes place, and complicated truths unravel, putting Tessa's life at stake. The story explores the drama and chaos that ensue as the characters confront their past and navigate their present relationships.