Arena Manager

I’m Oliver Lance. Yes, the Oliver Lance. The one that all men want to be and all women want to be with. Every Sunday a million fans watch me throw a ball down a field, win games, and sign huge endorsement deals. Everything was going perfectly, until a car accident tore it all away from me. I want it back, and only she can help me. At first, I think about ‘Doc’ Elsie the same way I think of every other woman. Just another possible conquest, another notch on my bedpost. Only Elsie is different. She’s not starstruck by me. She’s not interested in my money. She’s the most real woman I’ve ever met, and those tempting curves are making it hard to stay focused on my recovery. Now, I’ll do anything to keep her by my side. I’ll defy my manager, my coach, even lay down my career as quarterback to stay with her. It’s third and long, and I’m gonna make my play Hard and Deep. From New York Times bestselling author Krista Lakes comes this sexy story of sports romance!

Ang tagumpay ni Amaraiah “Aya” Reyes bilang Senior Marketing Manager ng Madriaga Enterprises ay patunay ng kanyang husay at sipag. This is what the public sees, her confident smile, her flawless image. Pero sa likod ng lahat ng iyon, she carries a secret that could change everything. She is secretly married to the company’s CEO, Zedrick “Zed” Madriaga—ang lalaking una niyang minahal. It was a marriage born from complicated circumstances, isang kasunduang parehong nagbubuklod at naglalayo sa kanila. Through the years, Aya learned to play the role expected of her—prim, proper, and untouchable. Kahit kapalit nito ang tunay niyang damdamin. But now, Zed wants more than shadows and silence. Gusto niyang mabuhay sa mundong hindi nila kailangang itago ang isa’t isa. With Aya’s rising success drawing public attention—at may mga taong handang ilantad ang katotohanan—she must decide: will she keep living the perfect lie, o ipaglalaban na rin niya ang totoong siya… kahit ang kapalit nito ay lahat ng meron siya?

Overnight, an electronic notification sounded in the minds of all office workers. It was from a "Performance-Share System". The rules: employees who paired off could split their year-end bonuses 50/50. I was a junior associate at Summit Financial, one of the biggest wealth management firms in Manhattan. In my previous life, I agreed to pair with my manager, Jared, and the intern he brought in — Stephanie. By the time the project went into its crunch phase, they'd shoved every garbage task and every blown deadline onto me. I pulled all-nighters for months. My body was running on fumes. When the one promotion that could have saved me came up, they cut me out of the team without a second thought. In the end I was fired for "burnout and poor performance." I couldn't make my mortgage. I jumped. They took the work I'd done with me, walked out with million-dollar bonuses each, and flew off on vacation together. Then I opened my eyes again. I was back, on the exact day the pair-binding system went live. This time, I'm not just keeping every cent of what I earn. This time, I'm putting them in prison.

‎ ‎I died on Christmas Eve. ‎Poisoned by my sister… betrayed by the man I loved. ‎ ‎Death should have been my end. ‎Instead, it became my beginning. ‎ ‎When I wake up in a blood-soaked alley, a cold voice welcomes me to the “Demon Games" — a brutal survival arena where one hundred humans fight monstrous trials for a chance at rebirth. ‎ ‎The reward? ‎Ten years of life… and one impossible wish. ‎ ‎I am weak. ‎Near-blind. ‎And the easiest prey. ‎Which is why it makes no sense when “he" starts protecting me. ‎ ‎Tall. Masked. Dangerous. ‎His presence alone silences monsters… and makes my heart race for all the wrong reasons. ‎ ‎"Stay close," he whispers, his breath brushing my ear. ‎"Or I'll enjoy watching you beg." ‎They call him a demon. ‎A king. ‎A monster. ‎ ‎But when his hand grips my waist in the dark… ‎When his fingers tilt my chin up… ‎When his voice drops to a husky murmur. ‎"You're safer in my arms… don't make me prove it." ‎ ‎—I realize something far more dangerous. ‎I'm not just surviving the games anymore. ‎I'm becoming addicted to the man who could kill me. ‎ ‎Because the truth is… ‎The masked protector is the “Lycan King” — an overlord bound by rules that demand my death. ‎Yet every time we get too close… ‎Every time his control slips… ‎Every time his gaze lingers on my lips… ‎ ‎It feels less like protection… ‎And more like possession. ‎In a world where survival demands sacrifice and desire is a weakness… ‎I must choose— ‎Escape hell alone… ‎Or fall into the arms of the monster who wants to claim me. ‎ ‎

Our Black Friday sales broke ten million. I allocated a budget of $100,000 and told my deputy to organize a celebration dinner for the team. However, after the party ended, everyone in the team looked at me in disdain. I only realized the reason when I heard their complaints in the break room one day. “Ms. Heaton is such a cheapskate. We made ten million in sales, and she treated us with a $3.99 budget takeout for the celebration.” “Seriously, I heard from Ms. Reiser that Ms. Heaton kept the money for herself! She just didn’t want to spend it on us.” My assistant even showed me a post circulating online, accusing me of exploiting employees and lining my own pockets. I summoned my deputy manager, Casey Reiser, to my office. She fell to her knees in tears and confessed everything. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Heaton! My daughter needed emergency heart surgery. In a moment of weakness, I misused the funds!” However, I had clearly seen her daughter sign up for a dance class just yesterday! Since everyone was so quick to judge without knowing the truth, I would retract the team’s monthly budget of one million then!

Mumbai. The city of dreams. Shining bright with impressive skyscrapers, glamorous filmstars, and glittering malls. Standing tall on the shimmering coast of the Arabian Sea. Everywhere Sun hits here, this city dazzles. But beneath this warm dazzle, there is another Mumbai. The cold Mumbai. The dark Mumbai. The stronghold of the mafia. Where narrow alleys are splattered with gun-powder and blood. Where lives are discarded like tissue papers. Where an obscene amount of money circulates unaudited. And since years now, this formidable underworld is under Lala Amarnath Vaghela's thumb. The powerful mafia kingpin who started his ascent from the slums of Dharavi years back, today he controls most of the Indian subcontinent's illegal dealings and organized crime with an iron fist. But not without help. Kunal Ranjan Vaghela. Lalaji's grandson and his heir apparent. Apple of his grandfather's eyes, he is calculative, sly, and cold-blooded. Samar Jagtap. Lalaji's ruthless and cunning protege. Indispensable, he is as unapologetic as they come in this business. Everything is working smoothly in Lalaji's world. Like a well-oiled machine. Or is it? Because apart from sharing Lalaji's trust, apparently these two capable young men also share an undisguised hatred for each other. Not above playing dirty in this high-stakes arena, both are merely bidding their time to tear one another down. But no matter who emerges the winner out of the two, there is someone who will only lose. A torn heart that refuses to take sides. A girl who dared to love them both. Stubborn and loyal-to-a-fault Maahi. Full name Maahi Ranjan Vaghela. Kunal Vaghela's beloved baby sister. And the beautiful confusion of Samar Jagtap's life.

Everyone in town knows Jeffrey Williams—the hometown star who went from small productions to Broadway and television fame. But after years in the spotlight, Jeff has returned home, craving the quiet of familiar streets and the comfort of community theater. Daniel Lewis, the assistant stage manager, never expected his latest show to come with a front-row seat to his longtime crush. Shy, meticulous, and still nursing the wounds of a past relationship, Daniel wants nothing more than to keep his head down and do his job. But when Jeff’s piercing blue eyes land on him, the stage lights aren’t the only thing leaving him breathless. As rehearsals stretch into late nights and the line between performance and reality begins to blur, Jeff and Daniel find themselves drawn into a connection neither of them anticipated. But with gossip swirling backstage, old insecurities rising, and Jeff facing new offers that could pull him away again, both men must decide— is this just a fleeting spotlight romance, or the start of something real when the curtain falls? A heartfelt, slow-burn M/M romance filled with stage banter, stolen glances, and the magic of love found in unexpected places.

"Never be vulnerable." Those were the words Adrian Blackwood’s father left him before his death. Now, as the most powerful billionaire in San Francisco, Adrian has built his life around that rule—untouchable, invincible, and ruthless. But what he doesn’t know is that his survival has never been his own doing. Elena Martinez, a humble cleaning manager, has been secretly saving him from the shadows—again and again. And despite his coldness, despite his sharp tongue, she never stops. He doesn’t know her name. He doesn’t know her face. But every time danger closes in, she’s there, risking everything for a man who sees her as nothing. Yet, something unexpected stirs between them—a connection neither of them understands. But what happens when Adrian discovers the truth? When he realizes the woman he’s overlooked holds the key to his life? Will he embrace th8e only person who has ever truly protected him, or will his pride destroy them both? Because secrets don’t stay buried forever. And when Adrian finally uncovers his hidden savior, it might be too late…

The air in the Parisian haute couture salon smelled like money and fear. I’d waited six months for my wedding dress. Now, it was draped over the shoulders of Sofia Ross—the trending influencer, and my mafia fiancé Vincent Cassio’s god-sister. The salon manager was sweating bullets, his eyes darting between me and the man lounging on the velvet sofa. Vincent Cassio stood up. He adjusted a fold of the diamond-encrusted train on Sofia with a casual flick of his wrist. “Her premiere next week needs a statement piece. She’s borrowing it. Pick something off the rack and stop making a scene.” His tone was flat, final. Under the crystal chandeliers, Sofia admired herself in the full-length mirror, a triumphant smile on her lips. I looked at my reflection in the same mirror, wearing jeans and a soaked trench coat. I looked like a lost tourist. Suddenly, the entire past year of planning felt like a sick joke. I didn’t yell. I just felt cold. Numb. I slipped the five-carat engagement ring off my finger. It hit the glass coffee table with a sharp, final click. “You’re right, Vincent. I don’t need this wedding dress. This wedding… I don’t need it either.”

Lauren Cordelia "Lia" worked as a housekeeper in Aldridge Hotel and Resort in Buenavista, a coastal town where she grew up. Nagawa niyang huminto sa pag-aaral nang isang taon bago mag kolehiyo para makapag-ipon dahil malaki ang sasahurin niya sa trabaho. She never thought that her young heart would fall in love with their new general manager, Evander Aldridge, despite his stern and elusive demeanor towards her. Hindi naman siya umasa na masusuklian ang nararamdaman niya dahil sa layo ng agwat ng estado nila sa buhay but she was wrong because he reciprocated her feelings for him! But their happiness came to an end. Lia left Buenavista without a word carrying his child in her womb and did not show up to Evander again. At ang liit nga ng mundo. Muli silang nagkita dahil ito pala ang golden boy ng lolo niyang mayaman. She had no choice but to see him every day since she became his temporary secretary for three months, and he was the only one who could teach her about the company. Evander is mad at her for leaving him, and she won't be able to escape the punishment of the billionaire she hurt.