Barely Synonym

York Langston locked me up for six months. Word on the street was he dropped over 100 million to buy me my own private island. Security here? Tight enough to rival the White House. Even a bird that flew past the area would get shot down on sight. But what nobody knew… All that luxury people envied? To me, it was just a gilded cage. It wasn't until he found a woman who looked almost like me that his interest began to fade. One day, she stormed the island with a gang at her back while he was away. She slashed my tendons and carved up my face with a blade before locking me inside a cage with a rabid dog. I was barely breathing by the time York finally found me. "York, this woman thought she could fool you by imitating me? She must be a spy! You'll have to flay her alive if you want her to talk!"

He leaned in, inhaling her sweet scent as his hands traveled from her back to her waist, and then down to her thigh. She felt her breath hitch as she let out a small gasp. "We shouldn't be doing this." She said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Then tell me to stop." His voice was low, daring, as his fingers traced slow circles on her skin. *** Lucy had always lived life on her own terms, until the night everything changed. One moment, she was free; the next, she was bound to Barry Cooper, a cold, dangerous man who ruled the underworld with an iron fist. She never expected to be trapped in a world of power struggles, deceit, and unspoken desires. But as the lines between captor and captive blur, Lucy realizes she’s caught in a deadly game, one where trust is a luxury and survival is not guaranteed. Will she escape the ruthless mobster who owns her… or will she become his greatest obsession?

Ada Okonkwo came to England with a master's degree and a broken heart she never fully acknowledged. Three years later, she is one of Sunridge Care Home's most dedicated workers the one who remembers every resident's favourite biscuit, who sings softly during the morning rounds, who gives love so freely to others that she has forgotten how to receive it herself. When social worker Daniel Osei walks into her care home for a routine assessment, Ada barely notices. But Daniel notices her the fierce way she advocates for her residents, the warmth she carries like a second uniform. Between demanding shifts, late-night phone calls with her mother in Nigeria, and the quiet wisdom of Gerald, an 81-year-old resident who sees Ada more clearly than she sees herself, love finds a way to clock in right on time. A story about care, connection, and the courage it takes to finally let someone take care of you.

Nina Manalo is out of options. Broke, bullied, and barely surviving in a run-down flat, she’s one missed rent payment away from being homeless. When a mysterious man offers her a job as a live-in nanny for a billionaire’s daughter, she jumps at the chance—despite knowing nothing about her new employer. Malachi Kane is cold, powerful, and used to getting what he wants. A single father with no time for distractions, he hires Nina out of necessity, never expecting the quiet, stubborn young woman to turn his carefully controlled world upside down. But when stolen glances turn into forbidden nights, Malachi fights to keep his distance. He can’t afford to want her. Yet, Nina has already fallen. And when her dark past resurfaces—dragging her into a deadly game with old enemies—Malachi will stop at nothing to protect her. She was supposed to be his daughter’s nanny. She became his obsession. And now, she’s his to keep.

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.

Asher and Sienna have been inseparable since childhood. The night before Asher leaves for Alpha training, they share one unforgettable moment, their first night together. He promises her that no matter what happens, when he returns, she will be his Luna, mate or not. Years later, Sienna stands at the edge of the packhouse crowd, her heart pounding with hope and their young son balanced on her hip. The moment Asher steps out of the car, his scent hits her like a wave, he’s her mate. Joy floods her chest… until he tenses, barely glancing her way. Without a word, Asher walks around the car and opens the door for a stunning, pregnant woman. And just like that, Sienna’s world begins to unravel. "I believed his promise. I carried his child... I waited for him, I was fateful to him and he came back with someone else. He broke his promise, but I won't let him break me."

In the silence of the night, I stumbled upon a secret that changed everything in my marriage. My mafia husband was going to set me up in another man's bed on the night of our 5th anniversary, so that he could be with his old lover. CHAPTER 1# "Five years together, and it still feels like a dream," Daniel whispered, his breath tickling my ear as we danced in the middle of the crowd. I smiled, feeling like the luckiest woman alive. “I know exactly what you mean”. I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. “Happy anniversary emily” I turned around and saw my sister in law Claire holding a glass of wine and standing in front of me with her eyes filled with malice. I stared at the drink for a while, filled with shock and fear. If I hadn't checked my beloved husband's phone last, would I ever have imagined that he planned on drugging me and getting my nude video leaked online just so he could run back to his old lover.

Rachel is about to turn 18 and set to wed the Alpha of her pack, the man every other girl wants. She knows she should be happy, and she can’t understand why, instead, she feels so confused. The Alpha is sure that Rachel is his mate. So why isn’t Rachel certain that they are destined for each other? With her birthday and wedding just days away, Rachel can’t handle the pressure of her swirling emotions. She flees to the forest, to clear her mind—but accidentally leaves her pack’s borders. She enters a rogue’s territory and finds herself face to face with a dangerous rogue. He is a boy unlike any she’s ever met, with eyes so hypnotizing she can barely breathe. Her entire body trembles as she looks into those eyes. She knows that to love him would be strictly forbidden, would go against everything she was raised to be. But she can’t deny her feelings. Has she finally found her true mate?

Two girlsTwo lives apartTwo girlsBoth traumatized. Adrianne Perez was once a girl who had everything a girl could ever ask for. Perfect life and perfect parents. Until her life turned around one night and she believes it's all her fault.Rebecca Jones has never known peace. A psychotic maniac has been on her tail since she was fourteen. She has lost everything. Innocence, trust, peace and her father. After being kidnapped by him, she barely escapes and her captor is never found and her story slowly fades away. Now, just when she thinks she's free from him, things start going wrong and soon, the lives of all she holds dear are in danger. Her best guess is that her captor is after her, but what if he isn't?An unlikely friendship blossoms between the two girls and together they unravel a dark, evil secret buried in the bowels of their little town. Becca's stalker is after her and only Adrianne can save her.

On the day our son, Lucas Smith, turned one month old, my husband, Xavier Smith, learned that his precious childhood sweetheart, Wendy Xander, had been kidnapped. The kidnappers made an outrageous demand. They wanted him to personally cut off our son’s legs. He acted indifferent, as if it didn’t matter. But behind my back, he drugged my drink with a heavy dose of sleeping pills. Dazed and barely able to stay awake, I forced myself toward the nursery. That was when I overheard his conversation with his bodyguard. “Mr. Smith, there’s a good chance Miss Xander staged this whole kidnapping. Are you really going to do this? What if something happens to Lucas?” “It’s just a kid. If he dies, he dies. “Even if this is all fake, I won’t take a single risk when it comes to Wendy.” My hands trembled as I gripped the doorframe. So this was what I meant to him. Eight years together. His own flesh and blood. And none of it mattered more than Wendy.