Bitter Chocolate

When betrayal hits home, Brenda's world crumbles. Chased out by those she trusted, she's left with nothing but shattered dreams and a heart full of tears. But fate has a surprise in store for her. A long-lost father, presumed dead, reveals a shocking truth - she's the sole heir to his vast fortune, making her the richest heiress in the country. With her newfound power, Brenda returns home, ready to reclaim her rightful place. As she walks into the board meeting, all eyes lock onto her, mesmerized by her poise and beauty. But one gaze pierces through the crowd - her ex-husband's. Their past was complicated, and his presence stirred up a mix of emotions she thought she'd long buried. Later, he approached her with a proposition that made her heart skip a beat: "Brenda, Let's do this again." But this time, it wasn't just about rekindling only their romance - it was about power, control, and unfinished business when they learned the bitter truth about their separation which was caused by none other than the people they trusted the most. Brenda was torn but and still hasn’t yet healed from everything that happened in the past but would she fall back into the same patterns with her ex-husband, or would she rise above the heartache and forge a new path? One thing was certain - she wouldn't be held back by her past.

In the dark underworld of Cosa Nostra, a hidden mafia princess is suddenly thrust into a deadly feud between two powerful mafia families. Lucia, a young woman who had no idea about her true lineage, is living a peaceful life in a nun's convent until the day her father's enemies come calling. Her world is turned upside down when she discovers she's been groomed her entire life to be the perfect mafia wife, because she's been promised to an enemy since birth. Forced into an arranged marriage with Giovanni Vittori, the ruthless eldest son of the Vittori Capo dei Capi, Lucia finds herself caught in a twisted game of power and vengeance. When the blood feud between their families rages on in the aftermath of a disastrous wedding, the stakes get higher and the danger grows. Lucia must rely on her wits and cunning to survive in a world where everyone is a potential enemy. Giovanni is torn between his duty to his family and his growing obsession with his beautiful bride. But as they fight to overcome their families' bitter past, they find themselves surrounded by enemies on all sides. In a world of vendettas and retribution, can they find love amidst the chaos, or will they be crushed under the weight of vengeance and sacrifice? *** Giovanni is Book 1 of 4. The subsequent sequels will be released under this book. BOOK 1: GIOVANNI - COMPLETED BOOK 2: EMILIA COMPLETED BOOK 3: DOM (TBA) BOOK 4: FRANKIE (TBA)

He raised one eyebrow and leaned down. "Is that a yes to my question or to my proposal?" His eyes were focused on my lips and I struggled to concentrate, but I nodded. "Yes." I looked into his eyes that were hazy with lust, and I nodded again. "It's a yes to the both of them." He tipped my face to him and pressed a hard kiss on my lips. "Good girl." He whispered. And as I shuddered at the praise, I had no idea I just sealed my fate with the devil. ~~~~~~ Kayla, twenty-two-years-old and a single mum, has only ever wanted to be loved, even though her parents never shared the same sentiments with her. But that changed when her boyfriend eloped, leaving her nineteen-year-old self with an unwanted pregnancy and nothing but a penny to her name. Years later, the word love left a bitter taste in her mouth. Until she meets Gabriel. Gabriel Marcello, a thirty-five-year-old cold-hearted billionaire, who is still reeling from his past, does not care about anyone but his daughter... until the night Kayla Warner ends up in his arms. It was only meant to be an innocent one-night stand. She was only meant to be his for the night. Until he wanted more. Until they both needed more. Will they be able to conquer all obstacles as many secrets unfold? Will they be willing to get over their past and love each other without bounds?

My name is Eleanor Keating. In my past life, my older sister—Alice Keating—and I were entrusted to the McKellen family in Arborhill by our parents for arranged marriages. I married John McKellen, the eldest son. While he might not be conventionally handsome, his calm demeanor and unwavering reliability stood out. Alice married Xavier McKellen, the younger son. Handsome as he was, he was equally carefree and unpredictable in his actions. Eager for a grandchild, the family patriarch—Henry McKellen—made a promise. The first to bear a child would have their offspring named the next heir of the family. After our wedding, John and I conceived. Our child was naturally declared the next heir, and with that, John and I gained influence and power within the family. Tensions between Alice and Xavier escalated into frequent fights. Eventually, both had affairs, and their marriage ended in a bitter divorce. Believing they had dishonored the family, John banished them from the household. Blinded by jealousy, Alice poisoned me and my child, ending both our lives. When I open my eyes again, I find myself back on the first day I arrived at the McKellen residence. But this time, Alice makes the first move and sleeps with John. In that moment, I realize she, too, has been given a second chance at life. Unfortunately, she has no clue that John is a twisted man. Not only is he devoid of love, but he also sees women as mere stepping stones in his relentless pursuit of power.

A man once admired for his beauty and wealth, Adrian Lancaster, loses everything when he contracts a mysterious virus that alters his appearance. His ex-lover abandons him, his family shuns him, and the world treats him like a curse. Heartbroken and weary, Adrian vanishes from society, choosing isolation over the cruel judgment of those who once adored him. He wanders until he stumbles upon a small, remote village, where he hopes to disappear forever. However, the villagers, just like the rest of the world, treat him as an outcast—except for Elara Whitmore, a quiet yet strong-willed woman who lives alone on the village outskirts, caring for injured and abandoned animals. Elara sees something in Adrian that reminds her of her own painful past. She reaches out to help him, but he rejects her kindness again and again, too wounded by betrayal to believe in compassion. Yet Elara refuses to give up. Slowly, her warmth and persistence break through his defenses, and Adrian begins to trust her. As time passes, their connection deepens, and Adrian's condition begins to improve—not through medicine, but through Elara’s love and care. She becomes his light in the darkness, and he, in turn, finds himself drawn to her in ways he never expected. But the world is not done testing them. A cruel villager, bitter and envious, seeks to drive Adrian away, and just when he finds happiness, his ex-lover returns, desperate to reclaim him now that he is healing. Adrian must decide—does he return to the life he lost, or embrace the love that saved him?

“I, Alpha Killian Strox, reject you, this filthy human as my fated mate at this very moment. May the bond be broken and may we be provided more suitable mates.” Alpha Killian spat with disgust clouding his feature and Erika smiled, a bitter one that didn’t mirror how much pain she was feeling. **** Erika grew up knowing she was the hate symbol, the girl nobody wanted to be associated with. Her own family didn’t want her and the church could only keep her for a few months before she was tossed unto the streets. Erika knew what it felt like to be hated by people who didn’t even know you. A quest for a better life and a life without all of these hate was what pushed Erika to find a better future. What she didn’t expect was stumbling upon a world with supernatural beings and what’s worse? Erika wasn’t allowed to leave for knowing the secrets of the realm. A chance for salvation comes when the pack is attacked by a stronger alpha. The nemesis of every other pack, Alpha Killian. Killian is the strongest alpha to have ever lived and one that other supernatural creatures fear and revere. With his life and several clans under his power, he would have never expected that a simple take over trip would lead him to his mate. He had always a mate but the goddess seemed to enjoy toying with him. What is even worse is finding out his mate is human. The moon goddess had him given a weak human mate?

In a world where love and betrayal collide, Aria's heartache led her on a rollercoaster ride of passion, deception, and redemption. As she grappled with the bitter sting of infidelity, little did she know that her life would soon be engulfed in a web of secrets and lies. When she caught her boyfriend Caleb entwined with her arch-nemesis Amy, Aria's world crumbled. As she severed ties with Caleb, a twist of fate brought Jacob into her life – a charismatic stranger who ignited an electric connection. But their burgeoning love story took a startling turn when Aria realized that Jacob was the father of a boy she was to babysit. Fueled by jealousy and greed, Caleb conspired with the manipulative Chastity to destroy Aria's newfound happiness. They plotted to make Aria look like a gold digger and Jacob a victim, using fabricated evidence to tear them apart. Through a relentless pursuit of the truth and unwavering support from her friend Bianca, Aria exposed the web of deceit woven by Caleb and Chastity. Her determination only deepened her bond with Jacob, who stood by her side, vowing to protect their love. As their love blossomed, Caleb and Chastity grew increasingly desperate, unveiling Aria's initial intentions to use Jacob as a pawn. Jacob, devastated, cast Aria out of his life, leaving her heartbroken and begging for a second chance. But a sinister revelation changed everything – Chastity claimed she was pregnant with Jacob's child, and the test results seemed to confirm her story. In her darkest hour, Aria found herself working at the clinic where the truth would ultimately unravel.

Two years ago, as a graduate of Werewolf Medical School, I volunteered to go to the most remote and poorest pack, as it had always been my dream to help werewolf patients in need. I heard from my teacher that the werewolves in the Rogue Pack were the poorest and that their living conditions were the worst. Most of the werewolves there were old and weak, so I volunteered to go to that pack as soon as I graduated. After I arrived, I helped them build an infirmary and even set up a blood station. Every year, I led them in voluntary blood donations. But one time—right after I had taken a short break following a blood donation—they turned on me. They slandered me, calling me a selfish and heartless healer. Worse still, they accused me of faking illness, claiming I was lying comfortably in bed while patients were dying—refusing to lift a finger to save them. Not only that, they stormed into the infirmary, seized all my herbs and equipment, and completely trashed the place I had built for them with my own hands. Recalling the days I had spent day and night healing them—only to see my infirmary destroyed and my dream shattered—I let out a bitter smile. I picked up the phone and called the dean of my home pack. "I'm ready to return," I said. "I want to serve the patients in our own pack." Then, without a trace of regret, I left that place behind. However, after I gave up, the whole pack regretted it and begged me to return.

*Excerpt* “You don't understand, Xavier," I take a step back, “Brandon will find me. He always does. And when he finds me this time, he'll kill you. As much as I want to be free of him, this isn't the way.” “I'll protect you–” “You're not listening to me. I'm not worried about me. If he catches us, he'll just punish me but he won't kill me. I'm too important to him. But you…” My throat closes up as I turn to leave, but Xavier grabs me by the elbow as I push back the door. I turn to look at him, my heart aching for us. There's a cold indifference in his eyes though, and for the first time ever, I'm scared of what he's capable of. “We can do this the hard way or the easy way, Audrey. All I know is that I'm not leaving you here.” *** Audrey Watson has been scared of dreaming about a better life, because as the saying goes, dreams are for losers. But Xavier came to the scene as her knight, albeit one with rude behavior. This was it, her better life. Or so she thought. Little did she know that this was basically a new chapter of hard decisions and regrets. They always say that when life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade out of them. But what if life gives you bitter kola instead? How do you go about making it into something sweet? Find out more about Audrey and Xavier's journey in this captivating novel.

Ethan smiled. “Nothing. I love hearing you say my name. It sounds so good to hear it from your mouth.” "Oh! You’re teasing me!” I pouted. “You’re mean. You know I’m in a weak state right now, but you take advantage of my situation and tease me.” "Helena Starr.” I stopped when he mentioned my full name. “Yes?” "Your name is appropriate for you since your blue eyes shine brightly like stars.” It was unexpected, so I bent my head and blushed again. “Oh, thank you.” If he kept saying sweet things like that, how could I survive? My heart, oh, my heart, I was in danger! *** As an orphan, Helena doesn’t know her real parents. She only knows they have passed away. Living with Freya, her adoptive mother, and having a relationship with her boyfriend, Kenneth, is the peaceful life she wants. Until Kenneth ends the relationship. Then her life turns upside down. But it is the moment Helena meets with Ethan that she experiences many confusions, as Ethan has hidden something. As an Alpha King, Ethan lives his life to lead his people. A bitter past hinders him from finding his true mate and love until he meets Helena. Ethan cannot resist the instant connection and affection with Helena, but his secret will put her in danger. He knows he must protect Helena at all costs. Will Helena find out Ethan’s secret and have the happily ever after she longs for?