Dabda Grief Stages

My husband, Hank, is dead.  On our wedding anniversary, he ventured out in the pouring rain to buy me a cake, only to be hit by a truck. His body was badly mangled in the crash.  My sister-in-law, Lyra, called me a killer, claiming that I did not deserve Hank’s inheritance.  My mother-in-law, Judy, kicked me out of the house.  Overwhelmed by grief and guilt, I often wondered if he would still be alive had I stopped him that day. Eventually, emotions gripped me, and I was diagnosed with cancer.  Judy came to visit me on my deathbed. “You’re an idiot to believe everything!”  She threw a family photo in my face.  The shock and anger were more than I could handle, and I breathed my last.  It turned out that Hank was never dead. He had a child with his old flame.  When I opened my eyes once more, I returned to the day my husband faked his death.

Eileen never chose this life—sold to a dangerous mafia family as a child to save her mother’s life. Years later, she escapes, finding fleeting happiness and love in the arms of a gentle man. But her past isn’t finished with her. Dragged back into the clutches of José Santiago—the man who claims to own her—Eileen must navigate a world of brutal control, twisted power, and secrets that could destroy the only people she’s ever cared about. He wants her body, her obedience, her soul. But he doesn't get to have her heart. To protect her son and the family she left behind, Eileen must play the game. But as she plots her revenge and buries her grief, the line between survival and surrender begins to blur. She’s no longer the girl who was taken. She’s the woman who will burn everything down to take her life back. A dark romance of obsession, betrayal, and the fight for freedom.

“Well done, Mr. Alexander. My baby’s dead. I want a divorce. You’ve taken the only reason I stayed.” ********************** Becky’s world turned upside down when she woke up in her boss’ bed. Expecting to be fired, she was blindsided by his proposal, a desperate move for Alexander to retain his CEO position in his father’s corporation. But behind closed doors, Alexander made a cruel promise to his childhood love, Helen: “It’s just for a year. I’ll get rid of her like a waste bin.”   Their marriage was all for show, glamorous on the outside but cold and harsh behind closed doors.    What happens when Alexander abandons Becky during labor, leading to the tragic loss of her baby? Her grief fuels her strength, and for the first time, Alexander fears losing her.   Now, Alexander  seeks a reunion, but Becky’s heart burns for revenge. Can she ever forgive him, or has his betrayal left a wound too deep to heal?

Everything Danielle has ever known changes in an instant when, on her eighteenth birthday, the Alpha arranges her a mate.Danielle has always wanted a mate—someday—but she just turned eighteen. Danielle argues that she’s too young, that she’s not ready. But no one can argue with the Alpha.So Danielle accepts her fate and prepares to meet her mate. But nothing could prepare her for who her mate is: Cameron. Not only is he from outside of their pack, but, to Danielle’s greatest disbelief, he is an Alpha.Cameron is a good man and a strong leader. But his true mate, the former leader, recently died, and he is still grieving. Danielle feels an instant connection, and she can’t understand why he is unable to reciprocate her feelings.Soon, Danielle finds herself caught amidst emotions deeper than she’s ever experienced before.Can Danielle help the Alpha move onto this new love? Or, at only eighteen years old, is she destined to a lifelong grief?

Theo Earl Andreas is an Alpha mafia; the leader of the Black Lotus organization and has great power in the underground business world in the Uthaman Empire. He is known as the heartless Alpha and is notorious for his way of torturing his enemies. What happens when this heartless Alpha meets a Mate who is his line of fate on the auction stage? Theo wanted to claim as well as mark Damelza even considering it a gift from the Moon Goddess. But he knew he wasn't good enough for her because he was the killer of his omega brother and the cause of her trauma. He also had no intention of staying away from her, even though his Omega refused him to do the mating bond. So, what should Theo do to keep Damelza by his side? Can he make the best decision when his enemies target his Omega, which turns out not to be as innocent as he thought? A journey of fate filled with bloody tragedies, revenge, grief, regret, and hope for a second chance.

Isla Quinn came to Southridge Hospital seeking a fresh start after the death of her brother, leaving her partner and past behind. Only to discover a world rich with hidden wonders. A feverish child begins to glow from within, while her brother speaks of fire that burns in unique ways. Isla is drawn into this extraordinary reality, which she never could have imagined existed. Kael Draven has long protected his sister’s secret, buried beneath ash and silence. But Ember is changing, shifting, with the eyes of a rival clan upon them. Isla’s presence is both unexpected and grounding; her knowing gaze offers strength and vulnerability intertwining in beautiful dance. But she’s human. She’s vulnerable. And she’s already part of the storm. As ancient powers awaken and challenges arise, Isla and Kael must forge a fragile alliance built on trust, shared grief, and the heat that flickers between them. Ember is the key. But some keys unlock more than doors—they ignite destinies.

Trust is a weapon. Love is a weakness. And revenge? It's the only thing keeping her alive. They took everything from her. Now she's in their house, cleaning floors, serving their meals, and plotting their downfall. When Inés Montoya loses her family in a fire no one dares investigate, she trades her grief for grit. Her only lead? A symbol linked to the notorious Delgado Mafia family. To get answers, she becomes their maid; silent, invisible, watching. But nothing in the Delgado mansion is what it seems. The twin heirs, Alejandro- ice cold and unreadable, and Alonso- reckless and magnetic, both want to claim her. So do two other men sworn to the family's bloodstained throne. Caught in a dangerous web of obsession, secrets, and seduction, Inés must play a deadly game; earn their trust, uncover the truth, and destroy them from within. But what happens when the lines between hatred and desire begin to blur? What if the man she's falling for, is the one who lit the match? Revenge has never been this intimate.

A few years ago, Olivia Sheridan packed her bags and moved to a new country, hoping to bury her grief and past so she could start a new life. Her only rule is ‘no attachments.’ You can't lose what you don't have. The rule serves her well until she moves into a house and meets her new roommate's brother. Dominic Moore always gets what he wants, and what he wants is a naked Olivia sprawled on his bed. But the playboy billionaire soon sees how reluctant she is, so starting a relationship with this reclusive girl will be difficult. Because of this, Dominic proposes an arrangement that will suit their wild attraction for one another while having no strings attached. The offer is almost too good to be true. Olivia accepts the terms, but not all is what it seems. Dominic has other plans and won't stop at lustful passion and desire. He intends to break her carefully guarded world so all her secrets are laid bare…

There are a lot more truths in the books we read, than we’d like to admit. What if a book delves into the lives of the very town you live in? Reveals to you some personal stories of people you know? Or thought you knew. Bookstore owner Kevin Ellison faces this truth when a mysterious book shows up in Through a Mirror, Darkly by Kevin Lucia. Through a Mirror, Darkly is a Supernatural Thriller collection masked as a novel. With elements of mystery, suspense, and otherworldly horror, Through a Mirror, Darkly successfully delves into the worlds of Lovecraft, Grant, and the mysterious Carcosa. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing Arcane Delights. Clifton Heights' premier rare and used bookstore. In it, new owner Kevin Ellison has inherited far more than a family legacy, for inside are tales that will amaze, astound, thrill...and terrify: An ancient evil thirsty for lost souls. A very different kind of taxi service with destinations not on any known map. Three coins that grant the bearer's fondest wish, and a father whose crippling grief gives birth to something dark and hungry.

She married him for revenge. They say grief makes you fragile. They're wrong. Six months ago, Carmela Ferrara’s sister Elena died under the protection of the one man that was supposed to keep her safe—Don Gabriele Conti. Her husband. Now Carmela has one goal: revenge. But nothing in the mafia is ever as simple as it seems. Gabriele is dangerous, damaged, and hiding deadly secrets about the night Elena died. And the closer Carmela gets to destroying him, the more she realizes her sister's death wasn't what everyone believes. In a world built on blood and betrayal, where every vow is a weapon and trust is fatal, Carmela must choose: continue her revenge or uncover the truth. Because the real killer is closer than she thinks. And in the mafia, that mistake could cost her everything. Some vows are made to be kept. Others are made to ruin. 'Til vengeance do us part. An enemies-to-lovers, dark, morally gray romance novel built on revenge, betrayal, self-destruction and revenge.