Calm Belt

I had my meal and was about to leave my sister's restaurant, but the manager stopped me. "Sorry, sir, but you haven't paid your tab." I never saw this guy before. He probably had no idea who I was. Kindly, I explained, "Put it on your boss' tab. She knows what to do." The manager instead gave me a look of derision. "Sir, we're a 3-star Michelin restaurant. We do not put anyone's bill on another person's tab." He handed me an itemized bill. The guy had it ready and printed. I went through the list. The meal alone cost 75 grand. The 'dining utensil gleam maintenance fee' ran up to 45 hundred. There was also an exclusive air purifier fee, which would cost 75 hundred. And there was a 'VIP calm headspace service fee' that ran up to 15 grand. Those were the ones that stood out, but they were far from the last. I had no idea my sister was running an extortion gig. Mirthlessly, I laughed. "I'm your boss' brother. Tell her she's talking to me when she comes home." The manager did not let me go. "Just say you can't afford it. You're not the first one to try and claim you know Ms. Grayheim. I know leeches like you well enough." I texted my secretary. 'Tell my sister she either fires this guy, or I pull my funds out.'

Yohan Dixon, the most wanted bachelor in his thirties, was the drunken man who rescued Sara Owen in the pitch-black night. He permits the terrified woman to stay with him in his villa, in which, no one is allowed to enter. He protects her out of trouble, pays for her schooling, and assists her in enhancing her mental well-being. She decides to be his slave, but she is shocked when one day he hands her a marriage certificate to sign. He said, “Sara Owen, I won’t give you a U-turn. You will have to tolerate my palms on your body. But, I will never be able to fall for you.” She did not disagree and said, “I have decided already. I have authorized you for my life. You can keep me alive however you want.” After becoming his wife from his maid, she reaches his bed but cannot reach his heart. The fake marriage turns into a physical relationship and he begin to calm his desires. Every night, every day, every moment, she sees him drowning in alcohol, ruining himself, burning his heart alone missing his girlfriend who had died in a plane crash years ago. Joining the pieces of her broken heart, Sara Owen falls in love with him, but it's too late when Yohan Dixon's ex-girlfriend comes back into his life. Will this sham marriage last? Or will Yohan Dixon throw Sara out of his life? What will happen to the child who may have been in Sara Owen's womb?

As my murderer's claws tear into my abdomen inch by inch, my father and brother are seated in our family's banquet hall. They're celebrating Carly's 18th birthday and coming-of-age. "You'll always be my little girl." "Happy birthday, Carly." They light 18 pink candles for her. On top of the exquisite red velvet cake is a wolf figurine that they carved for her, and there are well wishes and laughter all around. Meanwhile, I'm curled up in a sewer filled with liquid silver as I bleed to death. My phone has been crushed, and I can't get out. I can only cry for help. A few days later, my father and brother show up together at the autopsy room. My brother stands by the operating table with a scalpel. He slices open the body and sews it back up like it's nothing. My father just covers his nose as he shoots a disgusted glance at my body. He urges my brother to hurry up with the autopsy report. "The victim is a young female wolf presumed to be of pure lineage. Before her death, she was subjected to prolonged captivity and torture. Her throat is nearly severed, her cervical spine is dislocated, and her chest cavity has collapsed. She was also injected with liquid silver before death." Hearing the report, my father looks so calm that it's just like a case study of no consequence. Neither of them can recognize that the body belongs to me—their daughter and sister!

In the shifter city of Ancnix, strength is law, loyalty is survival, and every young warrior is taught that their soul belongs to the moon. Seventeen-year-old Elora Jardine has spent her life mastering control—of her shifting, of her temper, and of the secrets she keeps hidden behind a composed smile. Born into a respected warrior house yet trapped beneath her father’s cruelty, Elora’s only anchors are her younger brother, Micah, and her closest friend, Kailee Blackstone. But on the eve of her graduation, a violent confrontation awakens a power inside Elora that no Shifter should possess. When the city’s future king, Gregory Forstfang, moves to claim her under the guise of duty, Elora’s world collapses into fear, fractured trust, and a destiny she never asked for. Forced to flee Ancnix, Elora’s escape leads her deep into the untamed Outer Wilds, where she encounters two strangers whose paths intertwine with her own: Briar Vale, a gentle but powerful Strega guided by visions she doesn’t yet understand, and Declan Eldritch, a Farisee whose calm presence stirs ancient magic in the world around him. Each carries secrets. Each carries a purpose. And each seems mysteriously drawn to Elora’s growing, unstable power. Together, the unlikely trio must navigate haunted forests, forgotten ruins, and a rising darkness spreading across Nethara. As Elora’s abilities intensify beyond her control, the three uncover whispers of an old prophecy—a legend hinting that the fate of their world may rest in the hands of a girl who never wanted to be anything more than free.

My name is Addison Calder. During my first heat as an adult werewolf, Morgan Flint suddenly announces that he wants to end things. I can't stop crying—not from a broken heart but because the torment of my mating cycle is consuming me from within. Gripping his sleeve tightly, I lean closer, attempting to kiss away the tension. Impatient, Morgan shoves me toward his older brother, Tucker Flint. "Hey, Tucker. Addie's drunk and losing it. Can you help calm her down?" As Tucker steps forward, Morgan leans in and whispers, "Keep an eye on her. Don't let any other men get close. I'm only breaking up with her for now. Once I'm done fooling around, I'll get back together with her." Tucker nods and gently lifts me into the car. "It hurts, doesn't it?" he says softly. Overwhelmed by the pain, I clutch his tie with tears streaming down my face. "Please… Help me," I plead. Tucker's pupils contract, his voice low and hoarse. "And how exactly do you want me to help you?" In a flash, I lean in and press my lips to his. "Kiss me… or let me kiss you." Our passionate kiss melts away much of the tension gnawing at me. Noticing Tucker's reddened ears, I grab his tie once more. "Will you take me home?"

She was auctioned like an object, bought like a secret, and caged like a sin. After a brutal betrayal by the people she trusted most, Seraphina Vale is left drowning in debt and despair—until she’s sold at an underground auction to the one man every criminal fears: Lucien Marchesi, the ruthless head of a powerful mafia empire. Cold. Controlled. Deadly. The world assumes she’ll be discarded like the others who came before her. But Seraphina isn't a lamb sent to slaughter. She’s a lioness in velvet chains—calm, calculating, and waiting for her moment. Lucien didn’t expect her fire. She didn’t expect his scars. What begins as a twisted game of control and survival becomes something far more dangerous: emotion. As secrets unravel and obsession burns into something deeper, Seraphina edges dangerously close to what she swore she’d never feel again—trust. Love. Want. But she hasn’t forgotten her mission. Lucien was supposed to be her weapon, not her salvation. And when her revenge explodes into reality, both hearts will shatter under the weight of betrayal. Until he asks the one question that changes everything: “Have you ever loved me?” Chains of Velvet, Heart of Fire is a gripping dark mafia romance about love born from power, loyalty forged in fire, and two broken souls who dared to rewrite their fate. Perfect for fans of morally gray heroes, twist-filled emotional sagas, and heroines who take their power back—beautifully, mercilessly, and on their own terms.

I looked up, desperation rising in my chest. With no way to repay the debt, begging was all I had left. “Please... give me a year. I’ll pay back the loan. I just need time to find—” “No. There is no time,” he cut in, his voice calm but final. “You have only one choice,” he said. “Marry me—since you didn’t bring the money to clear your family’s debts.” My throat went dry as I stared at him. “It’s simple. Marry me for one year. That’s the deal. You want your mother out of jail? You want your father not to join her after getting out of that hospital bed? This is how.” * Natasha Williams had two dreams; to become a successful doctor and start a family with the love of her life. Everything seemed perfect until her sister ran away and bailed on her arranged marriage, putting their family in a tough position. Now Natasha was the only one who could fill her shoes and save her family’s reputation, but she couldn’t abandon everything she’d worked for. But when she catches her boyfriend proposing to another woman, her whole world shatters. Heartbroken, she had no choice but to agree to the marriage proposal. Her groom, Sylvester Manson was not a man to reckon with. He was the infamous billionaire heir of the Manson empire, and all he needed was a wife to secure his inheritance. Bound by a contract marriage, their fates are intertwined, but what happens when they blur the lines between reality and fantasy? Will they be consumed by their duty or passion?

Bloody ! Those dark blue eyes pierces me like he can actually see my soul, like he could see the demons lurking in my mind “W–who a–re you?” I stutter unable to form a single word right under his burning gaze. His dark, soulless eyes rake my body in a ravenous manner. “I am your Alpha.” he growls, stretching his hand forward. He spins me around and slams my body against the wall. A grunt leaves my lips at the force that presses my front to the wall. “You are mine.” he whispered, his calm voice sending shivers down my spine. *** Grace's life takes a tragic turn when her father dies mysteriously, and all his wealth is taken in a claim of paying an unknown debt. It gets even worse when her mother becomes a drunkard, and she has to be the breadwinner of the family to ensure her brother is well taken care of. Dreams shattered, and abandoned when she found out about her cheating boyfriend. She feels it's all when life throws her another curveball as someone sets her up to be raped. What happens when her turns out to be none other than Nelson Divine. The richest man in the country. Not only that, he is her mate. Love, hate, betrayal, and nigh more is Grace faced with. Will her life change after encountering the demigod of an Alpha? Or is she bound to suffer forever?

Have you ever thought, what would you do if you meet back with your first love after separated for years and suddenly you were about to marry your own childhood crush because of some unexpected event?.."Asher, did you have any girlfriend right now?” Richard asks making Asher who just drinks his juice suddenly choked a bit."Uh..” he wants to say no. But it feels like he had one. Even though he never said anything to Hyejin Kim, but their relationship more likely looks like a couple.“What happens actually? Andy asks again."Our daughter, the bride for tomorrow has been run away to find the groom that also has been run away." Hai Rin finally spill out the situation they're facing right now"Adrian already married a few years ago, I only had two daughters left. One already run away, so the only choice I have is..” He turns to look at Athena again.Athena knows what his father meant, she bit her bottom of lips.'Relax..it just for helping my family. Nothing could go wrong from doing a good deed.’ she tries to calm her heart right now.Athena finally nod. "I'm ready, dad.” "One side is settled, now the problem is...where do I find the groom?" Richard finally let out his worries.

On Christmas Day, I put on a reindeer-themed lingerie set, ready to spend an unforgettable night with my CEO boyfriend. Noah Levine eagerly unbuttons my top, kissing my body with feverish intensity. Just then, his phone rings. He answers impatiently. "What is it?" A sweet voice comes through from the other end, speaking in Farylian. "Noah, what time are you coming tonight? I have a Christmas present for you." Hearing those words, my eyes fly wide open. That woman is my younger sister, Heidi Miller. Noah's expression turns serious, like he's handling a work call. He responds in Farylian. "What present?" The voice on the other end laughs softly. "The present is me, wrapped head to toe in red ribbon. Come over and help me unwrap it. I can't wait anymore." That night, Noah doesn't touch me. He helps me dress, kissing my cheek with reluctance. "Work call. Something urgent at the company I need to handle. We'll pick this up another time. "Remember to wear this outfit next time, though. It's very enticing." His lie sounds calm and natural. He clearly assumes I don't understand, but I know Farylian. I hear everything crystal clear. I pretend to nod calmly. After he leaves, I accept the company's overseas assignment. In three days, I'll vanish completely from his world.