Chapter 41 Birthday

There was a loud silence in Rayuwa. Certain things were never discussed, but everyone knew it was forbidden for the people of Rayuwa to leave the Island. The Only person that was allowed that privilege was the Sarki and his family. It was believed that in the past, to save Lafiya and prosper the land and people, the Island of Rayuwa and its people were sacrificed. They were to carry the burden of keeping the deities happy while they prospered the land and the country. The price that Rayuwa paid for this responsibility was confinement. They were never to leave the island. People had been rumoured to try and escape the Island, but they never made it. Some of them ended up as corpses washed onto the shores of Rayuwa. Soon the people just stopped trying to leave. Binta was born on the island with no hope of ever escaping until she met Adam and fell in love. When she becomes royalty, she can leave the island but the liberation of the people of Rayuwa is paramount and she and Adam work closely together to liberate the people. (The point of view of the story changes. In each chapter, different affected characters will tell the story from their point of view. This is to enable the reader to have the full understanding of the story and also understand how the characters reason.)

Business tycoon Kieran Kingsley swears that he will never marry. That is, until one day, a young wife is forced upon him. From that day on, Mr. Kingsley's life takes on a new chapter!"Mr. Kieran, Ms. Valerie just wrecked the Chesters' home.""Is she happy yet?""No …""Get a few more of our men to help her out.""Mr. Kieran, Ms. Valerie got into a fight with someone. The other party has just been admitted into the hospital.""Is she happy yet?""No …"Kieran carries on with his work. "Let her continue."One day, Kieran finds out that Valerie Wood got herself into a fight again. "Valerie Wood, do you need me to teach you a lesson?""Honey, you were never like this before," Valerie whines.Kieran points at her tummy. "Were you pregnant before?"At seven months pregnant, Valerie still gets herself into a fight? She succeeds in scaring the other party off and gets Kieran so scared that he nearly loses his mind. But she is elated that she won without doing anything!

Evelyn has always believed in love the kind that makes your heart race, the kind in movies, the kind that feels like destiny. Unfortunately, destiny seems to have a terrible sense of humor. At twenty six, Evelyn has fallen in love more times than she can count. Each time feels different. Each time feels like the one. Each time ends in heartbreak. There was the charming university senior who wrote poetry on her lecture notes. The ambitious doctor who promised forever but chose his career over her. The quiet neighbor who understood her silence better than anyone… until his secrets surfaced. And yet Evelyn never stops believing. Hopelessly Romantic follows Evelyn through a series of intense, beautiful, messy love stories, each chapter introducing a new man who changes her life in unexpected ways. Every love begins like magic. Every love ends in a way she never imagined. With humor, heartbreak, and hope, Evelyn learns that sometimes love isn’t about finding the right person but loving yourself.

To cheer up their depressed adopted daughter, Ashley Reid, my parents don't dare to treat me nicely. They've even locked me in a pitch-black room more than 700 times, just to put a smile on her face. At first, they feel guilty toward me. But eventually, even my older brother, Liam Reid, who used to care for me the most, treats it like it's all perfectly reasonable. When Ashley's depression finally starts to ease, I work up the courage to kneel and beg them to seal off that room for good. But at her birthday party, simply because I'm wearing the only T-shirt I own, she starts tearing up and asks my parents if I don't like her. My parents and Liam rush to comfort her and, yet again, lock me away in that dark, endless room. "Summer, you're her elder sister. You have to be more considerate of her feelings." "If you hadn't insisted on wearing something so tacky for her birthday party, she wouldn't have gotten so upset." "You've gotten used to it after all these years, right? One more time won't matter to you." I curl up in the corner, gripping my hair, unable to say a word. Three days later, they finally let me out. They remind me not to upset Ashley again. But I just stare at them blankly. "Sorry, who are you?"

In shifter society, Eden isn’t the paradise you’re used to hearing about in the Bible. It’s the place where all girls are housed from birth until their 18th birthday. A war between the humans and shifters left the werewolf population decimated and diseased due to poisonous agents used against the wolves. As a result, birth rates of purebred werewolves declined extraordinarily, while the presence of mutant werewolves rose. To combat their fertility crisis, the Elders invented Eden where young girls were kept locked away from society. Their knowledge of the outside world is very limited and their only purpose is to become breeders after their 18th birthday when they are selected by their mates during the Breeding Selection Ceremony. If the girls don’t prove they are purebred wolves or turn into mutants, then they are killed by the Alphas. Imani is shamelessly classified as a Breeder C–the most undesirable amongst the breeders. She hates that the girls are subjected to such barbaric practices and desires to escape from Eden. What she doesn’t expect is to run into Alpha Jackson, the man who was tasked to kill her on her 18th birthday if she didn’t prove to be a purebred wolf.  The Breeding Selection Ceremony commences and Imani is certain she doesn’t have a wolf. As her “sisters” are dying around her, Imani is shocked when Alpha Jackson spares her life. Not only does he spare her life, but he selects her as his Breeder! Alpha Jackson only kills when he’s 100% certain, but there is something off about Imani and the only way he can get to the bottom of it is if he keeps her close.

Before the start of the marking ceremony, my mate's childhood sweetheart, Gracie Green, almost drowns in the swimming pool. Simon Lloyd is bent on thinking that I was the one who pushed Gracie into the pool with the intent to murder her. So, he has me tied up in the bathtub as a punishment. "One year ago, you pushed Gracie down the stairs and cost her her pup! Now, you even intend to drown her! Why are you such a vile and selfish she-wolf? "Anyway, the marking ceremony shall only be held once you've finally acknowledged your mistakes!" When I'm in the middle of getting corroded by silver nitrate, Simon is busy celebrating Gracie's birthday with her. When Gracie pretends to be all gracious by suggesting to Simon that I should be released, he replies instantly, "Hmph! I'll only let Juliette out when she finally apologizes for her mistakes! This is what she gets for bullying you all the time, anyway!" After that, he gives my favorite moonstone necklace to Gracie as her birthday gift. One week later, Simon receives the prenatal vitamins that I've bought beforehand. He's finally willing to release me from the bathroom. The news of my pregnancy delights him so much that he keeps telling everyone he meets that he's about to become a father. But what he doesn't know is that the water running from the bathtub's tap has been changed to silver nitrate. My body has gotten corroded to the point that I'm now a pile of bones.

Trope #1 "It is over between us Joe! I am done!" Emily fired at Joe heavily. Joe couldn't believe his eyes, "you mean you called me here to tell me it is over?" He asked in disbelief. His heart shattered into pieces at an instant. "Don't you get it? You are just too broke. I can't be with a person like you! No… not any more," she emptied with disgust rustling out of her voice. ………………………………………………. Joe Wolford has lived all his life trying to please his girlfriend, but his girlfriend is nauseated about his status. She broke up with him and became his Ex. Joe Wolford couldn't hold together his shattered heart, the hurt he felt led him to find out about his innate power; Joe is a seer. One day Joe saw a vision to his Ex that she is going to die on her birthday. He had to meet his Ex and tell her about the vision, but she wasn't moved by his words. Instead, she invited him to her birthday for him to witness what would become of his vision. Joe, on a mission to prove himself went to his Ex birthday party, unfortunately, Joe's vision didn't come to fulfillment. He was mocked that very day that he lost confidence in himself and his innate ability. "What happened?" "Why didn't his vision come to pass?" "What would Joe do?" "Will he be able to confront his Ex ever again?" Find out in this captivating romance novel.

I’d been in love with Cassian Cross—my brother’s best friend, the one and only mafia boss in the NYC—for as long as I could remember. On the night of my twentieth birthday, my brother promised me a surprise. I didn’t expect that surprise to be a very drunk, very kissable Cassian. One reckless night. One baby boy. Cassian agreed to marry me after giving birth. But the day I gave birth to Leo, Cassian said nothing. He just packed up and vanished to France for nearly five years. Then he returned with Alessia. His first love. And when she saw Leo and me, she ran away and disappeared. After that, Cassian never left my side. Like he was trying to be the man I needed all along, that we were finally going to have our chance. But fairytales are lies wrapped in pretty paper. On Leo’s sixth birthday, we were driving to dinner. The brakes failed. The car spun onto the highway, flames licking at the engine. Cassian got out. And then he locked the door. “If it weren’t for you, Alessia would still be by my side. Now? It’s your turn to suffer.” It wasn’t until that moment I understood—Cassian had never loved me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at my twenties birthday. Cassian was in my bed, exactly where I’d left him in the past. This time, I didn’t hesitate. I ran. And on my way out, I made the call I should’ve made the first time. To Alessia.

When Elena decides to surprise her boyfriend Jason on his birthday, things take an unexpected turn. In the darkness, she mistakes her best friend Asher for Jason, and they share a passionate night. But the truth comes to light, and Elena is left to grapple with the consequences of her actions. Lost in the guilt of sleeping with her best friend who was friend’s boyfriend, what happens when she finds out that her bestie is her mate and accepts her fate? As Elena navigates the complex web of relationships and emotions, she must confront the guilt and shame that threaten to consume her? Dive into this steamy and emotional rollercoaster. Read for more.

The underprivileged student I've been sponsoring suddenly shows up at my birthday party, swaggering in and waving around a pregnancy report. "Look—Pheebs is pregnant with my baby! You'd better be smart and divorce her already!" I point at the report, stunned and confused. "Are you sure it's Phoebe who's pregnant with your child?" Victor Thompson, my beneficiary, smirks proudly as he fiddles with the pregnancy report. "Duh! We conceived the baby last month on our cruise trip!" The entire room falls into a stunned silence. My ex-wife, Phoebe Jackman, has been dead for three years.