Caught Me Off Guard Chapter 1 Novels & Stories

My son’s family suddenly returned from abroad. I did not understand a single word at the dinner table. They were speaking in a foreign language. My grandson, Aiden, looked me up and down and said loudly, “Dad, Grandpa’s face is all bumpy and scarred. He’s lame, too. He’s so ugly!” My son waved his hand nonchalantly and said, “That was caused by a shell blast. Anyone who served in the military looks like that.” I did not understand their conversation. I simply placed the fish I had deboned onto his plate in silence. My grandson, however, became agitated. He picked up the hot soup and splashed it on my face. Then he cursed at me in broken English, saying, “Stay away, ugly monster! If it weren’t for you refusing to die, Grandma Sloane and Grandpa Wallace could’ve come home years ago!” My mind went blank. My wife had passed away decades ago. Who was this “Grandpa Wallace”?

“Dad What do you mean, you sold me to the Russian mob?” Ana never thought her father capable of betrayal, but the truth hits harder than she ever imagined. Sold to New York’s most feared Bratva boss, Dmitri Orlov, Ana’s life turns into a waking nightmare. Dmitri is a man whispered about in dark alleys—a ruthless crime lord with a reputation carved in blood. With his sharp suits, chilling smile, and a voice that can command armies, he’s the very definition of danger. And now, he owns Ana. Their arrangement is simple: she’s the price her father paid, and Dmitri has no intention of letting her forget it. Cold and calculating, he’s determined to use Ana to exact his revenge. But there’s a darker, more complicated truth behind Dmitri’s anger. The beast with a soul as black as midnight has a weakness—and it’s her. Every heated touch, every possessive growl, chips away at Ana’s defenses. Despite her fear, she starts to see glimpses of the man behind the monster, the one who wants to claim her not just in body, but in soul. But falling for Dmitri was never part of the plan, especially when she discovers she’s carrying his child. Now Ana’s running for her life, caught between her father’s betrayal and Dmitri’s wrath. But there’s one thing she can’t escape—the fact that no matter how far she goes, she belongs to him. And Dmitri will stop at nothing to bring his wife—and his heir—home. Because in their world, “till death do us part” isn’t just a vow—it’s a warning.

I rush into work this morning and accidentally send the car photos meant for the dealership into the medical intern group chat. The new intern snaps at me. "Dr. Tyson, why are you sending me pictures of my car? Are you jealous and trying to steal attention?" I stop short and ask if she has mixed things up, because the car is mine. She fires back with a whole stack of photos of herself driving a G-class with one hand, plus videos to prove the car in my picture belongs to her. She even tacks on a snide little jab. "You're a shameless, broke wannabe. You want any spotlight you can grab. You think a picture of a car is going to make you the lady of the Reed family?" I frown and turn to my husband, Jackson Reed. "Since when does the Reed family have a second lady of the house?"

She was supposed to heal him, not crave him. Olivia Carter, a divorced physical therapist, thought her new job with the Chicago Blizzard hockey team would be simple—treat injuries, keep her head down, and cheer for her son on the ice. But when the team’s arrogant and devastatingly handsome captain, Xander Hayes, lands in her care, everything spirals out of control. He’s engaged. He’s her son’s best friend. And he’s forbidden. What begins as teasing flirtation turns into stolen touches, midnight encounters, and a dangerous obsession neither of them can resist. But secrets never stay buried—especially in the world of fame, fortune, and ruthless tabloids. When their affair explodes into the public eye, Olivia risks not only her career and reputation, but the one bond she can’t afford to lose: her son’s trust. Will Xander choose his fiancée, his career, and his best friend… or the woman he should never want?

I woke up naked beside a man I hadn’t seen in eight years. Before noon, the scandal was everywhere. By noon, I’d lost my position as CEO, my name, and my marriage. But the worst betrayal wasn’t the headlines. It wasn’t walking in on my husband and my best friend planning my downfall and mocking me. It was finding out the man I loved, my sweetheart of five years, made me a surrogate without my knowledge. The twins I'd been carrying for seven months weren't mine. But it failed to break me. It only made me stronger. After all, I wasn't just a mother—I was a CEO.

When 17-year-old omega, Robin Douglass falls discovers the true reason her pack went to war with the vampires, she must decide what to do with that knowledge. Give her loyalties to her mate, the alpha’s son, and the pack that treated her like she was nothing, or to the vampire master who showed her who she really was and helped her power grow. Before she or her heart can choose, the alpha is determined to keep events of the past war hidden, even if it means starting another war.

“This is Abraham Blackwood, heir to the Blackwood empire, one of the richest families in the country." The moment I stepped ahead, he turned slowly and my breath caught in my throat. The shock of seeing him again struck me like a bolt of lightning. No… It can’t be him. But it was. Sitting there, casually sipping tea, was him—the man from the bar. The same piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, his expression shifting from mild amusement to disbelief. His sharp blue eyes pierced through the room and locked onto mine with an intensity that made my breath freeze in my throat. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. The memories of the night in the bar flooded back—his arrogance, his rude comments, his piercing gaze that had felt so unsettling. I stared at Alexander, still in shock. The man sitting across from me wasn't just any stranger. He was a billionaire—an heir to a vast fortune. My brother had been friends with him for years, and their families had arranged this marriage as part of a business partnership.

My fiancee, Josephine Carter, tells me she is too busy with work to go home with me for Christmas just yesterday. But today, I find out that she has secretly booked a flight ticket to my hometown. I am delighted. Josephine has always been good at creating surprises during our relationship. I do not expect her to still be doing this now that we have practically been dating for years already. Just as I am about to tell my mom the good news, my stepbrother, Daniel Reed, suddenly announces in the family group chat that he is bringing his girlfriend home for Christmas as well. My relatives immediately start teasing him in the group chat, asking to see the beautiful lady. In the next second, photos of Josephine and him embracing like a couple appear in the chat. Daniel texts, "See? I told you she is gorgeous. Not only that, she's rich too." "Wow. You won the heart of such an amazing woman. That's impressive, Daniel." Daniel replies smugly, "Of course! She is totally in love with me." My breath catches in my throat, and the veins on the back of my hand bulge as I grip my phone. No wonder Josephine says she cannot come home with me after learning I am spending the New Year at my mother's place. She doesn't expect that we will run into each other. I close my eyes for a moment and send her one last message, "I have transferred back the 500 thousand dollars you asked me to manage for our wedding. It's over between us."

Strapped to a torture table, his body almost shrivelled up from lack of vitality left to sustain him. He made a wish before breathing his last breath. He wishes to reincarnate into a world with no complications. A peaceful world where he would reunite with Nimalaya and make her the happiest woman. A world where there is peace. A world where he wouldn't die on her as he was about to. His wishes were granted.  He reincarnated into the future. The human world. A CEO at a young age, a top-class hacker born into a happy family and blessed with a friend who was like a brother to him. A peaceful life he got, but is the human realm a peaceful world? ********** After losing her mate to a human scientist and trying to burn everyone and everything with her flame, she was eventually killed. Finding her way to the human realm to find her mate, Nimalaya had no memory of her past life yet found herself repulsed by humans.  She had come to be with her mate in the supposed peaceful world. A powerful and possessive demon had come after her. Someone who will go to any length to have her for himself.  ……… This is a love story between a sex coach and a nosy CEO. Death had once separated them, but fate beats that. They were meant to reunite and be together.

Natasha Reese believed love could survive the end of the world. She gave up everything for Josh — her dangerous past as a special forces operative, her freedom, and her deepest secrets — to build a safe home with the man she loved. But when his childhood friend Evelyn stepped into their lives, Natasha watched her marriage slowly crumble. Her husband grew distant. Her mother-in-law turned against her. And when her hidden truth was exposed, the man she adored cast her out into the dead world to die. She should have died. Instead, Natasha rose stronger than ever, leading an elite strike team and carrying a power that could save what remains of humanity. The infected won’t touch her. The survivors look to her with hope. But when Josh returns, haunted by regret and desperate to win back the heart he broke, he finds Natasha in the arms of another man. Aaron Ross — powerful, dangerous, and willing to burn the world down for her. The only man who offers Natasha the kind of love and devotion Josh never could. Now torn between the husband who betrayed her and the man who wants to claim her completely, Natasha must make a choice that will decide not only her heart… but the future of humanity itself.