Brazen Virtue

My mother-in-law is extremely frugal. She reuses paper others have discarded, carefully saving the unmarked portions. She even takes the black waste oil from the kitchen range hood and uses it to cook our meals. She says, "Frugality is a virtue—it brings blessings!" I try tirelessly to convince her otherwise, throwing out all her filthy items to protect my family's health. But while she praises me to my face, behind my back, she uses my baby's food scissors to clip her grimy toenails. My child eventually dies of a lung infection, leaving me heartbroken. My mother-in-law, however, points her finger at me, saying I'm unlucky and that I've brought misfortune to their family. Even my husband blames me. In the end, they use a knitting needle to pierce my throat and stab me to death. When I open my eyes again, I find myself back on the day I first see her picking up dirty paper. The first thing I do is hide all the high-quality tissue paper I had stocked up on before my pregnancy, pretending I knew nothing. She calls these blessings, right? Fine. The blessings of this miserly frugality—she can reap them all herself!

Just one week before my marking ceremony with Lucien, I discovered his heart already belonged to someone else. His secretary, Anika, walked out of his office with a smirk that was a little too knowing. Her blouse was askew, her usually neat hair a tangled mess, and only the faintest trace of her crimson lipstick remained. My heart seized in my chest, and my fingers went cold on the doorknob. Two years ago, she had been a timid girl fresh from the countryside. All that pretense of innocence had vanished, replaced by a brazen ambition written across her face. Her relentless eagerness around Lucien had always grated on my nerves, and I had asked him more than once. "Lucien, can't you replace her?" His smile would always fade. "Anika saved my life," he'd say. "I can't be so heartless." Now, that single triumphant smirk was all it took for me to understand. What others once envied in me had already been trampled beneath her heels. My phone vibrated. It was a new proposal from the event planner. [The marking ceremony plan is nearly perfect. Can we finalize it?] I refused to be consumed by sorrow. I wiped a tear from my cheek and made one last adjustment to the document.——Replaced the bride's name withAnika I didn't want a false love, or a fake Alpha Lucien. Let them have the marking ceremony. Let Anika stand at his side as his Luna, his chosen mate. In seven days, I would be gone with my pup.

Her parent's death had taken a part of Beatrice. Having grown into a cold-blooded vampire, she was weak, unlike the others. The Coldblooded vampires were the ancient virtue of the night. Passed down to generations and lineages, the blood never lies. After her parent's death, she moved to the other part of the land. The land of Viscoria unlike the other lands was ruled and settled in by the other creatures, the wolves. Having met the Lord of Viscoria, Beatrice was determined to unlock her powers and become the hybrid Hostess of land of Viscoria. **** "Aye Milord, this maiden does not need a broth," Beatrice said with a smile. "Did you have fun Beatrice, I heard you went to the brothel to meet a friend. "...."

“You know the consequence of your decision?” Edwin’s tone was as indifferent as usual. He never cared for her, Janet knew this. It didn’t affect her before because she always knew her place, but it was hurting then. Three months. They were living together, sharing a life; she didn’t know it was only a moment of passion for Edwin, and it was unacceptable. She hardened her demeanor and gulped her sadness inside to face Edwin. “I know,” Her reply was short but determined. “You are being stubborn,” Edwin replied. This time, she was getting on his nerves. “Mr. Wilson, I can accept any of your demands. But I would never be a second woman in someone’s relationship.” Janet didn't want to compromise anymore. One rainy night, they met each other and fate connected them. Janet didn’t know that night not only did she lose her virtue, but she would lose her heart, too. But being someone’s mistress wasn’t something she would ever accept.

Born a high-ranking duke’s successor, Lady Francesca Chandler was sure of her future, not until the appearance of her stepmother, who robs her of father’s attention. In order to gain his favor, she would intentionally involve herself in petty society scandals, garnering the infamous label of being the scandalous lady. But things get more complicated with the sudden death of her father and put her right over the much loved duchy at stake! Vicious Lady Carlotta is taking advantage of young Francesca’s minority to ship her off before she hits legal age where she can decide on her own. In response, young duke’s daughter pulled a boldest unladylike move. She would mind less being called scandalous again if that would mean to save her house and her freedom. Throwing her virtue to a rich, wealthy man of her own taste, with a respectable ancient title, was the only prospect available. A rakehell like the Lord of Syford would definitely do.

Allysa Hall is a 25-year-old brazen yet beautiful lady. Heir to her father’s big company but due to her elder step-sister’s scheme she lost the favor of her father. She was called many names, the black sheep of the respectable Hall family. She once believed that she was the luckiest girl in the world having both parents that love her, but the moment her mother died everything changed. Her father, Andrew Hall remarried three years after his wife's death and it was the start of Allysa’s nightmare. She was forced to restart her life. Finding relief and temporary happiness she found herself in a cheap bar recommended by one of her friends. She drank and partied till dawn to forget all the bad things that happened. Being single for almost all of her life she decided to make a bold move on the hot guy sitting next to her. “Hi, there! Can you grant this miserable woman who’s never been in a relationship, a favor?” Allysa asked pretty boldly, cheeks flushed red due to alcohol. The man looked up from his drink and saw a drunk lady on his left side. “What?” he asked irritably. “Can I kiss you?” Allysa asked with a grin on her beautiful face. Little did she know that due to her impulsiveness, she had no idea that her miserable life would turn upside-down.

"Why did you poison my drink?" Yelled a woman, her gaze glaring daggers at the man who stood with a brazen look as he placed both his hands in his pocket simply watching her. His steps echoed his movement as he entered the room, his presence filled the air. "Because you want to leave me" he said, his words angering the woman who reached out to strike him but stumbled in the process, her body swaying to the ground but right before she could fall, she was pulled into a firm sturdy chest. "I hate it when you run from me. I hate it when men linger around you. I hate it when they touch what's mine" he said stroking her head. "You lost the right to call me that Mr DONOVAN. I don't belong to you" With a smirk playing on his lips he said. "If I can't have you, then no one can" *** Never did Lilly realize her peaceful life could turn into her worst nightmare when she fell in love with her childhood crush. 15yrs ago she had brought him into her home. 15yrs later, he reigned down chaos, destroying her peaceful home. He blamed her for the death of his parents, treated her like a slave and left her for dead. But 5yrs later, she returned. She was no longer the weak being she once were. But all hell broke lose when after so long, she crossed paths with him. In her heart she despised him but in his heart, a sudden sense of obsession emerged. A dark desire to keep her with him. Will Lilly be able to forgive him? What happens when she harbours a great secret from him? "Mom, who is that man on the television?" "No one dear. He's your worst nightmare"

My elder sister, Emma Rothschild, longs for a life of luxury. As such, she requests to marry the prince of Northia, Matias Redburn. On the other hand, I'm married off to an elven scholar visiting human territory, Aleron Glintwood. After the wedding with Emma, Matias leaves Northia and visits the giant clan's territory to establish a trade route. He's never heard of again. Meanwhile, I accompany Aleron to Empiria. He obtains a teaching position at the Royal Academy of Magic by virtue of his elven talent for magic. As for me, I become a highly envied professor's wife. Emma continues to live alone in the Northian Frozen Plains. She's later discovered to be having an affair with a human knight. When the Draconian Council of Elders exiles her from their lands, our father—Gareth Rothschild—furiously declares that he's severing ties with her. She's thus forever cut off from the Rothschild family. While I'm on my way home for the festival, Emma forcibly stops my carriage. She begs me to take her home and put in a good word for her. Along the way, she suddenly grabs the reins. As a result, the carriage goes out of control and tumbles over a cliff. When I regain consciousness, I see Emma on the floor. She's crying and demanding a change in engagement plans. At that moment, I realize that she's also been reborn. However, Emma doesn't know that life with the elves isn't as wonderful as she imagines. I immediately begin preparing for the magic academy's entrance exam. This time, I'll spare no effort to be admitted into the academy myself.

The mystery of love is greater than the mystery of death.~Oscar Wilde~Adoration is not profound enough a word to express the depth of my love for her. From the moment she walked into my life and set my heart and soul on fire, not a day's gone by that she hasn't plagued my every thought.We were each other's completion. She was everything I wasn't--the sigh to my roar, the virtue to my sin, the cure to my wounds.We Were One.Until the unthinkable happened.That I've survived such a tragedy without having completely lost it, is a mystery in itself. But as my mind starts to blur the lines between reality and my delusional heart, I begin to question everything, including my sanity.And then the real mystery begins . . .Author's note: We Were One is an alternate POV to Girl In The Mirror but both books can be read as stand alones without the need to read the other to follow along!We Were One is created by Elizabeth Reyes, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

The Mafia World is shaken by the fall of top families. It appears that this feared world has its more evil root. It is called the "Mirage". Saint D'Angelli is a merciless and heartless punisher of the arrogant families and is ready to eradicate them without the outside world knowing about their secrets. His looks, aura, and combat skills made him the most fearsome Underground Boss of Mirage System. Women would swoon over his sexy appeal but he is cold-hearted and sucks at dating. However, a brazen top secret agent appears and tries to unravel the secret. She is Keira Vince. She entered the Mafia World because of her dark past. With that, she was tasked to disguise herself as a Lady Consigliere of a top family that is scheduled for Mirage's eradication. She needs to seduce the underground boss to unravel the secrets of the Mafia World. Little did she know that Saint is also tasked to seduce her. Many obstacles will arise and secrets to be unraveled from both Saint's and Keira's pasts that will lead them to team up with each other until the end. With their seduction tasks, who will fall in the trap first: the Underground Boss or the Lady Consigliere?