Crying Shoulder

After my girlfriend returns from a month-long business trip with her first love, she notices that I've changed. She sides with him to take over my project, but I don't quit in anger. Instead, I throw myself into helping him, even drafting proposals for him. She destroys the design I worked so hard on to help him snag the year-end bonus, yet I don't try to defend myself. I take all the blame and let her punish me however she likes. Even when she goes as far as to promote him to general manager against the rules, I don't get upset. I hand over all my shares, letting her distribute them as she wishes. My girlfriend wonders why I've suddenly become so submissive, while her first love just grins smugly. "See? I told you—giving him the cold shoulder works. Once he's afraid of losing you, he'll fall in line," he says. It clicks for my girlfriend. She smiles, tells me I've been good, and offers me a promotion. Then, she unexpectedly asks me to propose. But she doesn't seem to realize that while we weren't speaking, she has already signed my resignation papers. And I've already broken up with her. From this moment on, I sever all ties with her, and we no longer have anything to do with each other.

"Fake dating a hot baseball player—what could go wrong? When aspiring actress Lucy Younger arrives on Hazel Island to film her first movie, she thinks she’s finally caught her big break. What could be better than spending her summer on a beautiful island while catching the attention of her mega-famous costar? Enter Carter Roberts: baseball player, playboy, and the most obnoxious, arrogant, and sexy man Lucy has ever had the misfortune to meet. Soon Carter offers her a role she can’t turn down: play his fake girlfriend and make her costar wild with jealousy. Never one to turn down a dare, Lucy agrees. But when she starts to fall for Carter, suddenly what was just a game becomes all too real. After a shoulder injury benches him for the season, star pitcher Carter Roberts is set adrift. When he travels to Hazel Island for work, he doesn’t expect to get anything out of it except an extended vacation. Until he meets a pretty little spitfire who sets his blood aflame with every barb she throws at him. Lucy thinks she’ll be able to resist him after she agrees to their bargain, but Carter knows that when he kisses her, she’ll forget all about her costar. Carter soon realizes he wants more than this made-up relationship. But unless he tears down the walls surrounding his heart, he’ll lose the only woman who’s ever mattered."

I saved his life when we were children. He gave him his mother's ring as a promise that he'd always love me. Then my father tore us apart, and I spent twenty years loving him from afar. When I finally convinced my father to arrange our marriage, I thought it was my second chance. Instead, Asha treated me like a burden—cold, distant, cruel. He made it clear there was only one woman he'd ever loved: the mysterious girl who saved him from a fire years ago. That girl was me. But he never knew. Because my twin sister—Victoria—stole my identity, claimed my heroic moment, and won his heart with my story. While I grieved my father's sudden death alone, she stole his heart and planned my destruction. I should have told him the truth. I should have shown him the burn scar on my shoulder—proof of the fire that nearly killed us both. Instead, I signed the divorce papers and disappeared, letting the world believe I was dead. Now I'm back to claim what's mine: my father's empire, my true identity, and maybe... my ex-husband's heart. But some secrets have deadly consequences. And the mother I thought was dead? She's very much alive—and she'll kill anyone who stands between her and my father's fortune. Even me.

Madison is a woman on the verge of destruction. She's nearing her 22nd birthday and still hasn't been sealed. If she doesn't find a partner to be her first physical meal, she risks going full demon and harming innocent people. She hoped to wait for one of her two mates to appear, but time is growing short. With guidance from an old notebook her sister kept, Madison heads to a dive bar and finds a perfect first meal, a man like no other. A king to her queen. Duncan "Ford" Stanford, the werewolf king ***************************************************************************************** Ford kissed my neck down to the curve where it met my shoulder, then started licking and nibbling. I moaned and moved my head to give him better access. It felt so good. His right arm gripped me tightly against him as the nibbling became firmer little bites. Every nerve in my body thrilled at the little shocks of pain that were then soothed away by his tongue. Suddenly, I realized what was happening. He was thinking of marking me. Even though I didn't really want to make him stop, I had to. At the next hard nibble, I squeaked. “That hurt! Don't bite so hard, Ford!” I scolded. “Sorry, baby. I got carried away. You just taste so good.” He said, moving away. The loss of his body on mine was difficult, but I couldn't let myself be marked by a werewolf. ******************************************************************************************* First of three books: The Demon Queen's Desire, The Demon Queen's Duty, The Demon Queen's Destiny

Eight years into marriage, and Fabian's mom finally gave me and my son her stamp of approval. Invited us to spend Christmas in his hometown. My son—Luca--and I were hyped. We picked out a gift for her and hit the road with Fabian. Right as we pulled into the village, Fabian's old friend called—crying, claiming she'd crashed her car. Fabian panicked. Left me and Luca in some random snowy mountain town and sped off. It was pitch black. Snow dumping down. Then Luca screamed. He'd stepped on a trap and dropped into a pit. Blood everywhere. I called Fabian, totally panicked. He goes, "Stella, Roxana's in a wreck. I need to be with her. Stop making everything a competition." Then he hung up. Blocked me. No time to fall apart. I wiped my face, called an ambulance. Too far out. By the time they got there, Luca was already gone. Cold. Broken. Gone. I held him and screamed until my lungs gave out. Meanwhile, Roxana's posting in the social media. All smiles in Fabian's arms. His face soft. Loving. [Highway jam turned into truth or dare. One word—"accident"—and he came flying. So happy.] I exhaled. Tagged Fabian. [Let's get a divorce.] This joke of a marriage should've ended forever ago.

I’m the Vettori family princess. The only one. It was our fifth anniversary. A big dinner party at the estate. A waiter spilled red wine on my husband Marco, heir to the Rossi family. My best friend, Sofia, slapped the waiter. Hard. Then she was all over Marco, helping him out of his jacket. Her hand lingered on his waist. A second too long. I just stood there, watching. Sofia saw me. "I was just closer, that's all. Helping him clean up. Don't overthink it." I just smiled. Grabbed my glass. I went to make the rounds with the old dons from the other families. I would finish this night with my head held high. Later that night, Marco crawled into my bed, stinking of booze. His hands were on my waist. He wanted sex. I pushed him off. "The alliance is over," I said, my voice dead. "We're finished." Marco sobered up fast. His face went cold. "I'm trying to apologize here. You're divorcing me because Sofia helped me with my jacket?" I laughed. He didn’t get it. Not until I threw the proof of his betrayal in his face. Not until I cut him off from my family. Then he was on his knees, crying, begging me to forgive him.

The dying heir to Silverbay's showbiz empire suddenly announces he'll select a bride at random from the city's prominent families, hoping the marriage can bring some luck and save his life. On the night before my own wedding, his men arrive and inform us that the Simmons family has been chosen. My parents have just three days to deliver a daughter to him. As soon as my sister, Roxanne Simmons, hears the news, she breaks down in tears and rushes to my fiance for help. When he sees her crying, Clinton Whitfield drops to his knees in front of me, under everyone's gaze. "Mr. Sterling enjoys tormenting virgins. If Roxanne marries him, who knows what he'll do to her? "But you're already past the marrying age, so he won't be interested in you. Please, help Roxy this once!" He looks away, his voice heavy with guilt as he continues, "Besides, he doesn't have much time left. When you return, I'll marry you." Tears well up in my eyes. I ask, stunned, "And what if I don't want to?" Clinton's gaze turns cold, his earlier guilt replaced by ruthless intent. "Then I'll make sure you go to him myself." I laugh bitterly as a chill runs through me. "Fine. I'll go instead."

"Please don't do it!"She pleaded, seeing the gun in my hand which was ready to fire."I beg you!"She was crying, it was hurting me to see her sobbing so badly, but I had no choice...I have to do this."I thought, you love me!" She yelled at me with a hint of disgust in her voice and hate in her eyes.I let out a small chuckle at her innocence, "I do love you babe, but someone has to pay the price for betraying me. ""It is a huge misunderstanding...Please, listen to me. " I ignored her, I wish it has to be the same way as she said, but it wasn't. I never felt so betrayed before."Andrew...Think twice, " Sam spoke, entering the room, looking shocked yet worried."I've decided, it's already too late to stop me, Sam, before I change my gun's direction to your head, move back and handle her so I won't miss my aim, " I responded with a voice filled with venom.He didn't utter a word after that as She was screaming at me with all the energy she had. I didn't believe I was doing this, I wasn't only punishing someone but her and myself as well in the process.The sound of a gun fired echoed in the room, everyone remained stunned as the flood of blood made its way down the ground, it was sort of satisfying to me, I took my revenge.....------Read the book to know more...

After a fire broke out at the company, I shoved the only rescue rope into the hands of my husband, Peyton Shepherd. However, he yanked the smoke mask off my face and turned to secure it on his secretary, Hannah Russell, instead. Peyton escaped using the rescue rope, and Hannah remained unharmed thanks to the mask. I collapsed from inhaling toxic smoke, and then a falling pillar crashed into my stomach. Blood pooled beneath me. Just as the firefighters lifted me onto a stretcher, Peyton grabbed me and pulled me back down. "Serena, it's just a minor injury. Why are you lying on the stretcher? Let Hannah go to the hospital first. Her condition is serious, and she needs a comprehensive medical exam!" The firefighters and paramedics stared in shock. They looked at my blood-soaked dress, then Hannah crying pitifully over her blistered hand. My colleagues tried to intervene. "But Mr. Shepherd, Serena's injuries are clearly more severe!" Peyton snarled through gritted teeth. "Enough! I'm Serena's husband. Don't you think I know her condition? If Hannah's treatment gets delayed because of this, none of you will escape the consequences!" I pressed my hand against my slightly swollen lower abdomen and nodded, agreeing to let Hannah take the ambulance first. I decided that from this moment forward, neither I nor my unborn child owed Peyton anything.

We were on our way to celebrate our son’s birthday when we got into a car crash. When I woke up, I looked at my family gathered around my hospital bed and cracked a joke: “Sorry, but who are you guys?” I held back a smile, curious to see how they'd humor their "amnesiac" patient. Would my mother grab my hand in a panic? Would my husband look at me with worry? Would my son rush over, crying and calling me Mom? What I didn't expect was for them to freeze for a moment—and then, almost in unison, let out sighs of relief. My mother was the first to speak, her tone unmistakably lighter, as if a huge weight had been lifted. "If you don’t remember, it’s probably for the best. This is Lindsay—your sister, she’s my daughter. You were adopted." My husband then pointed at me and said to our son, "You should call her Aunt Wendy." Before the shock could even sink in, I watched the child I'd fought so hard to protect turn and throw himself into the arms of Lindsay. "Mom! I played outside all day. I missed you so much!" So that was the truth. My amnesia was exactly what they'd been hoping for. In that case, I didn't need this made-up life anymore.