As It Seems By Lily Kershaw

‘I always thought my wedding - should I ever have one - would be elegant and beautiful, filled with joy and laughter. And whilst this wedding was elegant, it wasn't really mine.’ ~ Dante Rizzo made a big mistake, leading to his rival wanting payback years later in the form of a trophy wife. Out of his four daughters, Rizzo only had the choice of two: an elegant dress-maker or a naive girl who could hardly get a sentence out. But on the day of the wedding, the dress-maker backs out, leaving a new set of options for Rizzo. With the pressure of his rival breathing down his neck, he makes a split decision to switch daughters, and there’s nothing she can do about it.

The forest within the quiet village of Gashea is a dangerous place. Within the trees lies something dark, cursed, and wicked. For centuries, a demon with malevolent power terrorizes the villagers of the small valley home. He had brought droughts, disease, and famine. To ensure that he will keep his powers at bay, the village of Gashea offers a bride to the demon every night. And by dawn, without fail, they would see the corpse of the offered brides floating along their bright, shining river. With the next choosing fast approaching, the head villagers made a shocking decision. They had chosen Fyn. A man. When Fyn starts to slowly fall in love with the demon within the forest, secrets of the past unravel. The truth makes them wonder whether it’s the right monster Gashea fears.

Lorenzo and Selena secretly love each other, even though it should be forbidden by agents. Especially since Lorenzo was a captain and Selena was a member of his team. No romantic relationship should occur between agents. But Lorenzo was desperate to love Selena and marry her. During their five years of marriage, all was well and they had a son who was hidden from the public. But a new mission gets Selena killed and all the secrets they've been tightly hiding for so long are revealed to the surface. The FBI's elite board was furious and suspended Lorenzo for his misdeeds. Everyone shunned Lorenzo when he was in the most difficult phase of his life because Selena's death brought a threat to his son. Lorenzo was always blaming himself after all the weeks since Selena's death. He secretly investigates Selena's bizarre death case in order to viciously punish Selena's murderer. But when he gets close to the mastermind behind Selena's murder, he meets a woman who looks like Selena who works for his enemy. Lorenzo thought that the woman might be Selena. And as long as he was breathing, he would continue to pursue that woman to prove that she might be his dead wife.

Riven Vale is Hollywood’s star boy—talented, handsome, untouchable. But when a late-night scandal with a billionaire’s son explodes across every tabloid, his once-soaring career crashes to dust. To quell the frenzy, his team ships him off to a sleepy coastal town in Maine, ostensibly “to rest and recharge.” Unofficially? He stumbled onto something dark: a clandestine meeting between studio executives and a shadowy investor, planning to traffic stolen military tech.He refused their hush-money,and the threats began. At the edge of a misty harbor stands Kael Quinn, a rugged carpenter with a haunted gaze and zero patience for movie stars. Riven doesn’t recognize him at first, but Kael remembers the boy who crushed a small-town heart in high school—and walked away without a second glance. This time, he’s not letting Riven leave until he makes amends. Only, Kael doesn't just want an apology; he wants the truth, the whole story, and he’s ready to use every tool in his belt to pry it out. “Tell me, Hollywood—do you kiss better when you're lying, or when you're scared?” Tension ignites into obsession as Riven fights to stay alive—and to win back the man he once broke. With every secret laid bare, they’re drawn together by danger, by guilt, by the promise of something more. But the label’s mercenaries are closing in, and in a town too quiet to be safe, love might be the deadliest risk of all.

"Hi there, I'd like to emigrate." Christina stood at the counter and handed over the neatly prepared documents to the clerk on the other side of the glass. The clerk quickly stamped each page. The red ink spread like tiny ripples on still water. Then, without looking up, he pulled out another form and passed it back to her. "Ma'am, your paperwork will be processed in fifteen days." Christina nodded, turned on her heel, and headed for the exit. But before she could step outside, whispers trailed after her. "Did I see that right? Mrs. Waldorf is applying for emigration? Did she have a squabble with Mr. Waldorf?" "Even if they argued, would it go this far? Mr. Waldorf practically worships her. What could possibly make her leave so decisively?" "Exactly. Five years ago, their wedding was the event of the century. Even someone like me, who barely goes online, heard about it. And three years ago, after her car accident, the blood bank ran out of stock. Mr. Waldorf ignored everyone's objections and nearly drained himself to save her. Then, just last year, when she disappeared for an hour, he mobilized every media outlet worldwide to find her. Now she's leaving without a word—won't that drive him insane?" The murmurs swirled and lingered, but Christina only smiled faintly. Her expression was calm, but her eyes darkened with a bitterness that deepened with every step. Yes, she thought. Everyone knew just how much Lucien Waldorf loved her.

Vic, the loyal female bodyguard, harbored two hidden truths. Firstly, she carried an unrequited love for her employer, Martin Cadell - the Chairman of Crimson Corporation. Secondly, she battled a terminal illness, knowing her time was limited. Wrongly accused of a crime, Vic took her secrets to the grave. But fate had other plans as she awoke in the body of Victoria Red - a comatose heiress set to wed her former boss, Martin Cadell. From protector to betrothed, can Vic maintain her facade from Martin, who had just discovered his feelings for his departed guard? Or is it time for her to embrace a new beginning and pursue genuine love?

I yelped, squirming, but I quickly stopped myself because I knew that, judging by the position he had me in, one wrong move and I'd fall. And sure as hell, London wasn't going to catch me. The glint in his eyes said so. He had me trapped, subjected to taking whatever he was ready to dish without writhing. His head peeked up at me from in-between my legs, and he squinted before hoarsely saying, "Oh, and one more thing... not a single sound from you, and don't touch me. Don't say I didn't warn you." What? He wasn't expecting me to just shut my eyes and keep it in. Hell, soft were already leaving my lips when he was me like a deprived lunatic a few minutes ago, and now I was... "What?" I asked in blurry understanding. "Meaning, you're not allowed to make any sound, and you're not allowed to touch me, and that includes tugging on my hair; you'd give me a headache." He huskily said this before licking my inner thighs again, inching closer to my wetness. "Or else?" I dared to ask. He gave me a devilish smile before chuckling,"You're free to find out, no?" *************** London was a devoted Gamma in his former life but was reborn as the Alpha and Lycan King and harbors a deep hatred for women and the concept of a mate bond. Although he couldn't call his past life,he gets a second chance in his new life with a woman who had lost everything precious to her in one night, but he rejected her, and now his rejection might cause him to lose everything he had ever wanted, especially since his mate was hiding an important secret, or maybe he wouldn't since he doesn't give a damn.

Aria thought she was human ordinary, unwanted, and heartbreakingly rejected by her fated mate, the ruthless Alpha King, Kael. Cast aside and humiliated in front of the entire pack, Aria flees, believing she's nothing more than a broken soul with no place in the werewolf world. But fate has other plans. When a hidden power awakens within her, secrets buried by time rise to the surface she is no mere human. She is the last descendant of a royal bloodline long thought extinct. A Queen in waiting. Now, with power surging through her veins and vengeance burning in her heart, Aria must return not as the girl who was cast away, but as the Queen she was born to become. But the Alpha King who rejected her isn’t the same man anymore. Darker. Colder. And dangerously drawn to the woman he once let go. Will Aria rule beside him or destroy the very kingdom that once shattered her?

Angela Bailey spent six years believing her marriage was built on love, only to discover her devoted husband was nothing more than a polished illusion. When she filed for divorce and asked her daughter to leave with her, the little girl clung to another woman’s hand and called her “Mom.” Donald Turner, cold and entitled, told her, “As long as you apologize to Nina, you can still live your high-society life.” Angela scoffed. “You might not even stay in high society yourself.” She walked out of the Turner household with nothing, determined to rebuild her life from the ground up. With her own talent and grit, she joined a new company and went head-to-head with her ex. Just when Donald realized his mistake and wanted her back, another man stepped into Angela’s life—someone who protected her openly, supported her quietly, and cherished her without hesitation. Donald regretted everything and wanted her back. He appeared with their daughter, eyes red as he pleaded, “I’ll give you the entire Turner family. Please love me and our daughter again.” The man beside Angela laughed. “The Turner family? That means nothing. Angela doesn’t need it. And as for a daughter…” He looked at Angela, and together they said, “We already have one.”

Was It Worth It Taking The Risk? When was taking the risk became worth it? When can we say that taking the risk was worth it? Is once enough? Here is the story. Strangers to fuck buddies, to lover, to... siblings? Two fell, one hole. How will they face the shocking truth that will shake their newly build love? Will they rebuild the love and trust... again? Or... continue believing what's best to know the lie to be the truth? Talliana Aracosa, a fresh topnotcher from the CPA Licensure Exam. Psalm Saint Sinco, son of the known fuck boy and business tycoon man, mothered by a beautiful and popular actress.