By Hook Or By Crook Meaning

Damien's life was ruined two decades ago by betrayal: his dearest friend Ethan and sister Serena betrayed him, leaving him impoverished and broken. Damien was consumed by vengeance and spent years rebuilding his kingdom, preparing to strike revenge. His plan is now being carried out: he sends his son Nate to seduce Ethan's daughter, Evangeline, intending to break her heart and destroy her family. But as old secrets resurface, Nate discovers harsh facts about his father's betrayals, compelling him to doubt everything. Meanwhile, a shadow from Damien and Ethan's past, James, reappears with his own desire for vengeance, threatening to destroy both families in the concept of killing two birds with one stone. Betrayal by Love is a compelling story about love, vengeance, and the deadly consequences of justice. Who will ultimately triumph in this battle?

After the real son, Asher Vale, was brought back, everything in our house became tied to drawing lots. The chef of the day, who would have to cook a particular person's preferred dishes, had to be decided by drawing lots. Even our parents' kisses and hugs were chosen the same way. I always drew the short stick. The long stick, by default, belonged to Asher. He never had to do anything to receive our parents' love. Whenever I felt it was unfair and wanted to cry, Mom would scold me sharply, "I bought the lot-drawing box because I was afraid you'd feel hurt. I wanted to be fair to both of you. If you want something, decide it yourselves. Your father and I won't interfere. If you can't draw the long stick, you can only blame your bad luck." So I began practicing every day, shaking the box diligently, over and over, in hopes that one day, it would help me earn my parents' love. Unfortunately, for ten years, I never once drew the long stick. Until my birthday. Asher wanted to go to the amusement park, and Mom once again told us to decide by drawing lots. I secretly glued the two short sticks together and handed them to Mom, hoping to keep her with me. She slapped me hard across the face, screaming that I was cheating and disobedient. Then she stormed out of the house with Asher. When I fell to the ground, the short stick stabbed deep into my neck. 'I'm sorry, Mom. Next time, I'll work harder. Next time, I'll definitely draw the long stick.'

Their love was a product of a mistake, in terms that Barbara De-Luca is the unknown mistress of the well-known MARRIED businessman, Keith Ramírez. But what has gotten into Keith? He said that he will keep Barbara as mistress if she abort the baby she was carrying. Barbara was pushed into a situation where she needs to make a choice, and she chooses, the baby. But what if the clueless Keith suddenly founds out about the existence of his own blood and flesh? Will he take his child away from Barbara? Or will he, choose to keep them alongside her?

She never meant to become his wife. Aria Hale had only stepped into the marriage registry to deliver her sister’s documents. Yet somehow, she walked out as the legal wife of Leon Mercer—the city’s most ruthless billionaire. One signature. One mistake. One furious husband determined to make her regret it. “You trapped me,” he growls, ice lacing every word. “You’ll pay for this.” But Aria isn’t who he thinks she is. She carries secrets he could never imagine—an identity carefully hidden, a fortune he never suspected, and a strength that refuses to break under his cruelty. He assumes she’s a gold-digger. She lets him believe it. When he insists she stay until the divorce is finalized, she agrees—but only because she has her own plans. And then he notices. The way she never begs. The subtle power in her laughter. The way other men glance at her… and how his chest tightens in ways he can’t explain. By the time the truth comes crashing down—when he finally discovers who she really is—it’s too late. Aria is gone. Now the hunter becomes the hunted. The billionaire married the wrong woman by mistake. And losing her will be his greatest regret.

Nora’s tarot readings were never meant to matter. They were simple moments. A card flip. A quiet truth. Nothing that could ever disturb fate itself. Until the night the cards tremble in her hands. Until the air in the café sharpens and chills. Until something impossible steps out of the shadows. He does not belong to the world around him. His presence presses against it, ancient and heavy, unseen by everyone else. People walk past him without noticing a thing. But Nora sees him. And he is not pleased. He came to investigate the force that dared to bend fate. He expected danger. He expected power. He did not expect the girl sitting at the table with trembling cards. Every instinct tells Nora she should fear him. He is not human. Not mortal. He was never created to feel. Yet something in her pulls at him with a gravity he cannot escape. The more he watches her, the more impossible she becomes. And the more he realizes that whatever awakens inside him will not fade quietly. She may have changed someone’s fate. Now she has his attention. A forbidden attraction. A girl with a gift she barely understands. An immortal who was never meant to want. Until her. Once their paths cross, fate doesn’t just unravel. It begins to fight back.

After years of battling several illnesses, I died and woke up in a werewolf romance as a girl named Selene. It was uncertain what book I reincarnated into but as an avid reader of werewolf web novels, I knew the basic plot-line so I didn’t panic. From what I learned about my character, I was obsessed with the Alpha’s son and I bullied the women around him. I was ‘that’ woman; the one that stands between the Alpha and his abused omega mate and meets an unlucky end. All I had to do was sever ties with the Alpha and enjoy my new life so how did I end up in bed with him!? And why was the Alpha who was supposed to hate me following me around like a lost puppy? ** To Xander, Selene is nothing more than his best friend’s arrogant, stalker sister. He hates her but one day things change. After a night of shared passion, she begins to avoid him. At first, he believes it’s a new trick to get his attention and later, he thinks she used him for his body and he wants her attention back on him. Xander and Selene seem like a match made in heaven but they aren’t. When Xander meets his fated mate, Selene’s worst nightmare is confirmed. She’s grown attached. Xander is unwilling to let Selene go but how can he hold on when his destiny lies with another woman? Is the love between the two strong enough to resist destiny?

Kelsey Morgan thought she had the perfect life. Married to billionaire Flinn Morgan for three years, she gave up her architecture dreams to be his devoted wife. But at a glamorous party, her fairy tale shatters when she discovers Flinn's affair with Victoria Chen—his ex-fiancée and business partner. Heartbroken and humiliated, Kelsey receives an unexpected message from Sebastian Hart, her first love from seven years ago. Now a powerful tech billionaire, Sebastian has never forgotten her. He's been watching, waiting, and building a case against Flinn that goes beyond simple infidelity. Sebastian reveals the truth: Flinn isn't just a cheater—he's a criminal involved in financial fraud and illegal dealings. Victoria isn't just his mistress; she's his blackmailer, threatening to expose everything unless Flinn gives her what she wants. Caught between love and leverage, Flinn claims he's protecting Kelsey, but his lies run too deep. With Sebastian's help, Kelsey files for divorce and prepares to destroy the empire built on deception. But as she navigates this dangerous game of revenge between two powerful billionaires, she must ask herself: Is Sebastian truly her savior, or is she just another piece in his war against Flinn? In a world where billions can't buy loyalty and betrayal comes with a price, Kelsey must choose between the husband who broke her heart and the ex-lover who promises to heal it—before both men destroy her completely.

Series One: On her wedding day, Isabella Hernando stared into the mirror and wondered— how could she possibly marry someone she barely remembered? Miguel Martez, the man she was arranged to wed, was only a childhood friend who had long since disappeared. But just before the ceremony was about to begin, Miguel vanished without a trace. To save the family’s reputation, Maximilian Martez, his elder brother, was forced to take his place at the altar— without anyone knowing, not even the bride herself. But when Isabella finally stood before the man, she was shocked. That face, those eyes… that voice… Series Two: Adeline Martez is a quiet, introverted girl who grew up cherished and spoiled by her parents. Marriage was never something she worried about—until the day her parents announced her arranged match. Her groom-to-be? Jason Castello—the man she despised most. Her senior. Her tormentor. The shameless bully who had made her school days miserable. Adeline fought with everything she had to escape the engagement. But the harder she pushed him away, the tighter Jason held on. One stubborn cat. One relentless dog. When hatred sparks, tempers clash, and neither is willing to surrender— how does a battlefield turn into a marriage?

Demon | Slave | Possessive | Steamy | Stockholm syndrome Fay has been captured by Satan, the ruthless demon king infamous for his torturous ways. He thrives on pain, war, and domination, and has finally found a human he desires to make his sex slave. However, Fay is unlike any human the demon realm has encountered. No man can break her spirit or bend her to his will. Even when Satan unleashes his dark powers to force her submission, Fay stands defiant. Intrigued by her resilience, Satan becomes obsessed with the one being who dares to oppose him. This is a story of fire and ice, where two powerful forces collide. As Fay and Satan discover a mutual pleasure in pain and biting, their relationship takes a twisted turn. Amidst this dangerous game, Satan's wife looms in the background, and the Envy war rages on, threatening everything. Can Satan keep Fay safe from his own world? Obsession is a very, very dangerous thing... Note: It is recommended to read "Captured by the Demon King" first for a richer experience. The first page of this book provides a brief overview of that book (beware of spoilers!). While this book is a sequel, it can also be read as a standalone novel.

Book Two of the Fatebound Trilogy Born of prophecy. Forged in pain. Chosen by the Moon Goddess—whether she wants it or not. After surviving her father’s brutality and discovering the truth of the white wolf within her, Zahra Larkin thought the worst was behind her. But evil doesn’t die—it waits. Beyond the borders of the supernatural kingdoms, a dark god stirs. Monvar, Lord of Shadows, feeds on fear and faithlessness, twisting hearts and turning packs against one another. As belief in the Moon Goddess fades, his power grows, and Zahra’s very existence becomes both a beacon of hope and a target for destruction. When Zahra is taken by Monvar’s followers, her world shatters again. Tortured, broken, and isolated, she must find a way to survive long enough to escape—and to face what she’s becoming. Because the blood of Selene runs in her veins, and if she falls, the Goddess’s light could die with her. Haunted by trauma and hunted by darkness, Zahra must learn to trust the four fated mates bound to her soul. Together they hold the key to awakening her Lycan power—and saving the supernatural world from annihilation. But love and destiny demand sacrifice. And the girl who was once marked by fate must now decide whether to embrace her divine power… or let the shadows win.