Banter Knife

Kryzelle Rivera is a hardworking and bubbly barista in a cozy café in Makati, well-known for her warm smile and her talent for crafting the perfect cappuccino. One day, a wealthy young entrepreneur named Zander Castillo walks into the café. He is known for his charm, striking good looks, and a slightly tsundere personality. Because of a small incident in the café—a spilled coffee and a misunderstanding—their awkward encounters begin, slowly turning into playful banter, heart-fluttering moments, and a sweet romance. As they get to know each other, they discover that both of them carry emotional scars and hidden secrets. Despite coming from completely different worlds—barista and rich businessman—it becomes harder to stop their feelings from growing. From simple coffee orders to fancy events, unexpected trips, and comedic situations, they slowly learn that love is much like a perfect cappuccino—smooth, warm, and balanced with just the right mix of sweetness and bitterness. Though their worlds are far apart, a love begins to bloom. But sometimes, love is like coffee—it needs the right blend, or it turns bitter. But what if one day, the man she loves is hiding a secret that should have stayed buried long ago? Will she run away from the struggle, or will she fight for love and protect the sweetness they’ve built together?

Love For The Wicked Book Three. In my eyes, the world is a huge sandbox created for the big boys. Girls, money, business… and I always strive to come out on top until my father gave me an ultimatum. I needed to find a wife, or I’d lose my rights to the family business. I found the perfect woman for the scheme I devised, of course. She was beautiful, feisty, the picture-perfect wife to make my father believe I was done playing games. In return, she needed a favor, the kind that takes nine months to deliver. The rules were laid out meticulously, from the no touching to fake falling in love. After a year, we would part ways amicably with no hassle, no demands, and no regrets; after all, it was all just a game. As my plan took its course, it dawned on me that playing house was a game I never should have played. She started to grow on me, from that sexy little pout to the late nightcap, the endless dirty banter, and even the fights we had. I realize I enjoyed having her around. Trouble is, how will I make her believe I am not playing games anymore? That I don’t want her to be just my contract wife, that I don’t want twelve months with her but more?

Celestine “Celine” Navarro has it all—wealth, influence, and a last name tied to a billion-peso coffee empire. But as the heiress of Navarro Coffee, her life feels like a gilded cage of boardrooms, family expectations, and insincere suitors. Longing for freedom, she disguises herself as an ordinary barista in one of her own cafés, determined to live a life where no one knows her name. That’s when she meets Liam Reyes, a talented but debt-stricken architect whose quiet intensity hides a storm of guilt and desperation. To him, Celine is just the clumsy new barista who can barely tame an espresso machine—but her wit and warmth begin to chip away at his walls. For the first time, Celine feels truly seen, not as an heiress but as a woman. But Liam carries a dangerous secret. Crushed under debts and blackmailed by Navarro Coffee’s fiercest rivals, he is forced into sabotage—stealing files and betraying the very company Celine is destined to inherit. What starts as banter over coffee turns into a fragile romance built on lies, one that teeters on collapse the moment truths spill over. When betrayal is uncovered and loyalties tested, Celine and Liam must face an impossible choice: protect the empire and the people they love, or risk everything for a love that was never meant to survive. A story of hidden identities, sabotage, and a love as intoxicating—and as dangerous—as the richest brew.

My sister, Aria Sawyer, stumbled drunk into a billionaire's room one night. Now, she was pregnant and wanted the whole family's advice. Something about it felt off. Forget about how mismatched they were. How could a billionaire's suite possibly have no security, letting anyone just wander in? When I pointed that out, Aria actually agreed. She decided to end the pregnancy and start fresh. But the very day she left the hospital, headlines exploded. The billionaire was marrying another woman carrying his child. Aria went mad with jealousy. Right in front of our parents, she grabbed a knife and stabbed me to death. "This is all your fault! That spot in high society should have been mine!" And then, my eyes opened again. Aria sat there, blushing sweetly, calling a family meeting. "I think I might be pregnant with Mr. Moore's child. What should I do now?"

Wanting to forget her tragedy-filled past, Vivian worked as a cleaning lady in Malcolm Incorporated. No one paid attention to her because of the hideous knife scar on her face. But her peaceful life was turned upside down when the company's visitor, the enigmatic CEO Steve noticed her. Steve began paying lavish attention to her. When her job as a cleaning lady no longer gave her stability, she needed to find another job. Steve offers her a job with his company, and the best part, he was willing to pay for her surgery to remove the scar on her face under salary deduction scheme, no strings attached. Without her knowledge, Steve had already dug into her past. When Vivian finally accepted Steve's offer, her past and present collided. Will she go back to her chaotic past and reconcile with the man who owns her heart or forget everything and create a secure and fulfilling life with Steve?

“You are going to be my wife because of the agreement that your parents and my uncle Jack arranged. You can keep running your café business and I can make my uncle happy. It is a win-win situation for the both of us. Nothing's going to change really, you can do whatever you want and of course same goes with me. However, you are going to carry my surname. I won’t do anything to embarrass you and I expect that you will do the same.” I felt a knife stab my heart after saying those words, but it stung more when Lucy said “Of course, I completely understand. I know my role and I know my place. I may not be as rich as you are nor have the stage that you are on, but I am absolutely capable. Do not underestimate me Mr. Lowell or shall I say my future husband.”

Hailey meticulously plans a Valentine's Day surprise for her husband, Leo. It's supposed to be a day to mend the growing chasm in their relationship, but fate has a different plan. As Hailey steps into their home, the sight that greets her shatters her world: Leo, entangled in a passionate affair with a woman, right in their bedroom. The betrayal is like a knife to her heart, twisting deeper as the truth unravels. This is not a one-time indiscretion but a web of deceit spun over the years. Hailey's mind races as the reality of her situation settles in. Determined not to be a victim, Hailey vows to seek vengeance. But how? Should she reveal her long-hidden identity as the sole heir to a vast fortune? Or should she embrace the affections of the attentive suitor who has been vying for her heart? As Hailey embarks on her journey for retribution, will she discover a new self amidst the ruins and start anew? From a Divorcee to a Billionaire is created by Ivan TaleSmith, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

I'm the Moonlight pack's Luna. Today is my tenth wedding anniversary with my Alpha, Aaron Renfield. To my surprise, I find out he has a pair of twin pups. He says to me matter-of-factly, "Don't overthink this, Ruth. I'm an Alpha, so I need an heir. With this, the elders won't keep complaining about you failing to give birth to an Alpha heir. You'll still be my Luna forever." I can't believe my ears. As the pack's Luna, I've given it my all for the past decade. My uterus was permanently damaged by a knife covered in wolfsbane when trying to save Aaron, and the healer diagnosed that I would never be able to have my own pups. Yet now, the elders are using that to reprimand me. I turn to leave this wolf I've loved for years—I reject our mate bond. But later, Aaron begs me not to go.

Sasha Hawkins gave her best to save her marriage but her husband, Roland, never considered her his wife and when his childhood crush returned after so many years, he didn’t think twice before divorcing Sasha. His childhood crush, Anastasia, framed Sasha for hurting her wrist with a small knife at the welcome party. The incident went viral and caused a fatal blow for Sasha and most of her big investors pulled out from her business. With no one to turn towards and no home to return to, Sasha had no option but to turn to her worst enemy, her ex-husband’s step-brother, Noah Beck. Using her vulnerability against her, he offered to help if she became his wife for a year. Given the opportunity to get back on her feet and face-slap all who had made mockery of her, will Sasha accept the offer? Or will she seek help somewhere else considering the fact that she can’t stand staying in a place with her Ex-husband’s step-brother?

Seven years into their marriage, Bella got hit with a truth—Steven had a kid. A six-year-old. She crouched behind the preschool slide, barely breathing, as Steven bent down to scoop the boy up. "Daddy, you haven't come to see me in forever." "Be good, Ollie. Work's been crazy. Listen to your mom, alright?" Bella froze. Same face. Same eyes. It was obvious. Everything about them screamed it—The man who swore he'd love her forever had been cheating on her this whole time. Steven and Bella weren't just a couple. They were childhood sweethearts. She once took a knife for him. Nearly died. Lost their baby. Lost the chance to ever have one again. Steven had held her hand back then, eyes red, saying, "I don't care if we never have kids. As long as I have you, that's enough." She still heard the shake in his voice. Now? Every promise. Every memory. All of it—gone.