Chapter Nine

“Do you feel that, Rose?” He asked in a gruff tone. “The effect I have on you is real. Don’t deny it. Don’t deny me.” Rose’s cheeks burned with shame, even though she pushed her bosom more into his hand, seeking the pleasure she knew he could give her. Then, she recalled that they were in a restaurant, and stilled at once, eyes wide, heart thudding wildly, and breathless. “We’re in a bar,” she told him, her protest sounding weak even to her own ears. “A desert one,” he chuckled. She turned around, and saw that the restaurant was indeed vacant, save for them, and Enzo and Stefan who were standing by the door, their backs to them. It was rush hour, and that couldn’t have happened, even if the food was terrible — and it wasn’t. She understood immediately that the divillish man sitting next to her, who starred in all her fantasies as of late, had ensured that they would have the privacy they needed. For a ruthless mafia boss, he sure could be considerate. ... ... ... ... When Rose meets a mafia boss on one of her night shifts, she thinks he is a peculiar and unpleasant patient whom she would do well to avoid... Little does she know that that encounter is but the beginning to a tumultuous passionate chapter of her life. Risking everything for the man shouldn't be an option... And yet, she soon finds herself caught in his web of sin, desire, and obsession.

When a young girl named **Emilia** moves to an isolated, fog-drenched city in search of a fresh start, she quickly discovers that something is terribly wrong. The streets echo with silence, residents vanish without a trace, and time itself begins to twist and collapse. As doors appear in places they shouldn’t, and her own reflection begins acting on its own, Emilia realizes she’s trapped in a place that is not just haunted — it’s alive. Each chapter peels back a new layer of horror: shadowy watchers, eerie apparitions, underground tunnels, and ghostly echoes of past inhabitants. But the real terror lies within — the city seems to feed on fear, loneliness, and the feeling of failure. It reflects Emilia’s own anxieties back at her, warping her reality into a trial of the soul. As she searches for meaning, and later for escape, Emilia uncovers the city’s sinister purpose: it traps those most vulnerable and forces them to confront their darkest selves. With the help of other survivors — some real, some echoes — she must navigate psychological mazes and make impossible choices to survive. But survival isn't enough. Emilia must transform — not by escaping her fear, but by embracing it. In doing so, she becomes something more than a victim of the city. She becomes a guide, a witness, and eventually, a keeper of the door. *Trapped in the Hollow City* is a suspenseful, haunting exploration of inner demons, resilience, and the eerie beauty of choosing to become — even when the world seems built to break you.

A FANTASY ROMANCE AND ADVENTURE! “A man’s touch should never scare you.” His voice called for her attention and she gave it to him. “A man’s touch is something you are meant to enjoy. It will fulfill all your desires and protect you no matter what.” ~ "If she dies, he dies. So will his wolf." ~ High school was rough for Zaramanni who has features that are strange to other humans. Just when she was about to forget about her past that almost killed her, just when she was ready to open a new chapter in her boring life, she is pulled into a new world. When her soul is suddenly connected with the wolfless Alpha King of Zenrada, she becomes an open target for fairies and she finds her real identity as a half-fairy. Her stay in that strange universe gets riddled with strange occurrences, an unexpected mate bond, attempts to take her life and never-ending supernatural drama. But her stay in that universe may not be a terrible thing as she thought it would be. Asides from having powers others can only dream about, she learns what it means to be loved and to be touched by a man in ways she could never imagine. Her once boring life finally became fun and for once, living became bearable. [Contains triggering and mature scenes] ~ NB: THIS STORY CONTAINS TWO BOOKS BOOK ONE: THE POWERFUL HALF-FAIRY BOOK TWO: THE WAR THAT LOOMS

Warning... or Invitation? That choice is yours. This isn’t a fairytale. This isn’t about sweet kisses beneath cherry blossoms or soft smiles under the stars. No. This is raw, This is reckless, This is “Burning Embers: Scorching Tales of Desire” A collection of BL short stories carved from lust, laced with obsession, and kissed by chaos. Each chapter stands on its own, a world where strangers become addictions, roommates cross lines, enemies blur into lovers, and the line between want and need snaps without warning. These men don’t fall in love. They fall into temptation. They crash into each other like lightning against the sea, loud, unforgiving, and beautiful in their destruction. You’ll find no gentle romance here. Only the ache of fingertips brushing where they shouldn't, the weight of glances held too long, the gasp before the plunge. This is for the ones who know love isn’t always tender. That sometimes, the most unforgettable stories are the ones written in bruises and longing. This is for those who crave stories that leave a mark, who don’t flinch when desire gets messy, when hearts bleed a little before they beat as one. Not for the faint-hearted. Not for the clean-handed. This is for the bold, the brave, the ones who dare to touch the flame even if it burns. So turn the page. Step into the fire. But don’t say I didn’t warn you--- Because once the embers catch, they never go out.

Important Note to Readers: This story includes two books in the same series. Each book focuses on a different generation of the powerful Wyndham family. Book 1: Gabriel & Isla (Completed) A scandal forces Isla Ainsworth to marry Gabriel Wyndham, the billionaire heir she never wanted. Tied down by duty, surrounded by enemies, and trapped in a loveless marriage, Isla has to survive in a family that never accepted her. He gave her his fame, wealth, protection, and his whole world… but never his heart. Until the truth changes everything. “Please, give me one more chance.”The proud billionaire kneels on one knee and kisses her hand earnestly. “Sorry, Mr. Billionaire. I already have a new life.” Book 2 (Start from Chapter 261) : Mercy & Aurelian (Ongoing) Betrayed by her fiancé. Sold by her parents. And used for profit. Mercy loses everything in one night. Determined to rebuild her life, she takes a job at Wyndham Holdings, only to catch the attention of its powerful, reclusive heir. Aurelian Wyndham doesn’t date. He doesn’t trust. And he’s not the type to marry. But when his family pressures him into an arranged match, he shocks everyone by proposing to Mercy instead. It was supposed to be a convenient marriage. Until living under the same roof begins to reveal secrets about Mercy’s past… secrets tied to the Wyndham empire itself. And now, walking away is no longer an option.

"I, Logan Carter, Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, reject you, Emma Parker of the Crescent Moon Pack." I could feel my heart breaking. Leon was howling inside me, and I could feel his pain. She was looking right at me, and I could see the pain in her eyes, but she refused to show it. Most wolves fall to their knees from pain. I wanted to fall to my knees and claw at my chest. But she didn’t. She was standing there with her head held high. She took a deep breath and closed her wonderful eyes. "I, Emma Parker of the Crescent Moon Pack, accept your rejection." When Emma turns 18, she is surprised that her mate is the Alpha of her pack. But her happiness about finding her mate didn't last long. Her mate rejected her for a stronger she-wolf. That she-wolf hates Emma and wants to get rid of her, but that isn't the only thing Emma has to deal with. Emma finds out that she is not an ordinary wolf and that there are people who want to use her. They are dangerous. They will do everything to get what they want. What will Emma do? Will her mate regret rejecting her? Will her mate save her from the people around them? This book combines Book One and Book Two in the series. Book Two starts after chapter 96!

Five years ago, Olivia Derie made a deal with the devil himself. To save her mother from dying from stage-four brain cancer and settle her crushing debts, she signed away her freedom to ruthless Mafia don Vincenzo Moretti. The terms were simple: marry him, give him a child within nine months, and disappear from his life. But Olivia quickly realized Vincenzo’s cruelty knew no bounds. Beneath the cold façade was a man who viewed her as nothing more than a means to an end. When she discovered she was pregnant, the stakes became higher than her own survival. Fearing for her unborn child’s life—especially when Vincenzo made it clear he intended to dispose of her after the birth—Olivia did the unthinkable. She ran. Now she is back thinking she could start all over again with her daughter but the one person she never expected to see again walks back alive to her life: Vincenzo Moretti, But he doesn’t forgive, and he doesn’t forget. Now he’s found her. And he wants everything she took from him: He wants his heir. His wife. And the revenge he’s patiently waited years to exact. Olivia isn’t just his bride—she’s his obsession. Even though she ran, even though she stabbed him and vanished, he’s never let go. Now that he’s found her, he won’t let her slip away again. “When we meet again, Princess,” he whispers, “you’ll learn you were never free. You’re mine—now and always.” ---

To ensure fairness, my daughter said that she would draw lots to choose whose family to spend the New Year’s with every year. However, for the past nine years, she had spent the New Year’s with her in-laws. The latest draw was no different. On New Year’s Eve, my daughter gave me specific instructions. “Mom, we’re spending the New Year’s with my in-laws. We’ve made a reservation at the most expensive restaurant in town. Please help me save some money. You can just make some food at home for your dinner.” Hence, on New Year’s Eve, I ate alone while watching TV at home. When I stood up, I accidentally knocked over the raffle box. All the lots inside the box had my daughter’s handwriting. The words ‘in-laws’ were clearly written on every single one of them. For the past ten years, the lots had been fake. My daughter was willingly spending the New Year’s celebration with her in-laws, and she had never once thought of spending it with me, her biological mother, who had spent so much money on her. At the same time, I got a notification on my phone. Her mother-in-law posted something on social media. [My daughter-in-law is so lovely. She bought me so many gifts and chose to spend the New Year’s with us. It’s as if she’s our own daughter!] They smiled brightly in the video. On the table were gifts that she bought using my retirement fund. I did not sleep for the whole night. The next morning, I called the bank. “Please remove all the auto-debit accounts from my retirement account.” From then on, I would only spend my money on myself.

Nine-year-old Samara is the youngest of three Alpha children. When her parents and pack are attacked, Samara watches her brother murdered by someone that her family trusted. At her brother’s urgent request she runs, finding refuge in a southern pack and hiding her true identity. When she finds out that her family is gone, she begins planning her revenge. Roman is the Alpha heir to his father’s pack when his best friend, Theodore’s, pack is attacked. He finds Theodore dead, not knowing who murdered him. They search for Samara and not finding her, they assume that she is dead as well. Nine years later, Samara’s new Alpha has a party, inviting several Alphas to attend. Samara’s wolf senses one of the Alphas is her mate, but Samara recognizes him as one of the men who betrayed her brother. She attempts to reject him, but Roman has been waiting eight long years to find his mate. His curiosity is peaked when he realizes that this Alpha female has been hiding as an omega and he wants to know more. Having planned her revenge since her family’s murder, Samara is angry that Roman insists that she accept him, threatening to wage war against the kind Alpha who has raised her. She accepts her fate, agreeing to leave with Roman while still planning to take her revenge. What will happen when Roman realizes that his mate is the long-lost sister of his best friend? Will he be able to convince her that he wasn’t part of her brother’s betrayal? And when she finds out that another person close to her has betrayed her, will Samara turn to the only person who is willing to stand beside her and help her find the truth?

*BOOK 1 - COMPLETED - 148 Chapters (Chapter 1 to Final Epilogue) —No cliffhanger *BOOK 2 - Mr. CEO, Hold My Heart Forever (Continued ) *Spin Off — I KISSED MY EX-BOYFRIEND, & IT WENT WRONG— Available Now on GOODNOVEL — Can be read standalone. ~~~~ "You're not a victim, Ivanna. Nor am I a culprit," he hisses. "Let's do the business properly" I ogle at him, sniffing in wrath, anger burning inside me. He only knows the business. ~~~~~ Ivanna left her favourite city Texas to reunite with her family that she could never accept. With a vow to be a good daughter to her father and stepmother, Ivanna reached her city Dallas on her stepsister Irene's wedding, only to find out that she would be replacing Irene as a Bride. Her vow to be a good daughter turned out to be the worst decision of her life when she felt manipulated by her father. However, Ivanna was not a damsel in distress type of girl. She sent a message to the suitor, Christian Scott, the most eligible bachelor and the most powerful business tycoon of the city, placing the three most smart conditions to marry her. She thought that he would turn such conditions down and leave the thought of marrying her. But Ivanna's life turned upside down as he accepted all her conditions, completely determined to make her his and make her aware of the most crucial truths of her life. *The Cover picture is especially designed for the book 2. There's no child role in book 1*