Dead Hills Heroic Adventures

My fiancee was diagnosed with cancer and needed a liver transplant. When I found out I'm a match, I agreed to undergo the surgery without a second thought. They removed two-thirds of my liver. The pain is excruciating, but the moment I wake up, I force myself to check on her. Outside her hospital room, I overhear her talking to a friend. "Trish, you're a genius! This revenge plan is brilliant!" her friend exclaims. Patricia Zeller laughs. "If I weren't trying to keep it low-key, I would've taken a kidney just for fun. It's all his fault that Warren messed up his college entrance exam and had to study abroad. Warren's coming back in a month. Once he does, I'm done with him for good."

My husband and I have been legally married for five years. This is the tenth time he's canceled our wedding ceremony. This time? His student, Laura, is competing in her first international violin competition—and he 'needs' to be there. I still remember the last cancellation: an awards ceremony he had to attend with her. The time before that? She fell ill, and he stayed at her hospital bedside. The other times? I've lost count of the excuses, but it doesn't matter. The reason is always Laura. Her needs always outweighed my wedding. My marriage. My life. Fine. If he wanted to stand by Laura so badly, he could stay there forever. This hollow, five-year farce of a marriage? It's over.

On New Year's Eve, I prepare a feast. The clock strikes twelve, but my husband, Vincent Porter, still isn't home. My daughter, Lorelei Porter, tugs at my sleeve and holds up my phone. "Look Mommy, Daddy is at this lady's house!" Vincent has posted an update on Twitter. He is with Christine Snow, his childhood sweetheart. They are smiling at the camera, with a boy who looks about ten standing between them. In front of them sits a swan-shaped cake. The caption reads, "The most special day for the most special you." My heart sinks into my stomach. A marriage that came later in life can never compete with a pair of childhood sweethearts. I accept defeat.

At ten years old, I watched my mom jump to her death in a rainstorm. That same night, my dad brought home a glamorous woman and her nine-year-old daughter. I had feared and hated rainy days since then. My husband once helped me face that childhood trauma, staying by my side through every storm and promising, "Don't worry, Lena, you'll never face your fears alone." But when I refused to pick up his new assistant, he abandoned me on a highway in pouring rain, saying, "Marie is your sister, and you left her out there? Walk home!" That night, the rain never stopped, and I walked thirteen hours along a dark, endless road. That was when I decided I was done with him.

I receive a message one day. "Your condoms have been delivered. Total to be paid: XX dollars." I distinctly remember that I've never made such an order, but the address and phone number are mine. I call my husband, but he only says differently, "My godsister ordered them. She's too shy to use her details, so she used yours. It's not like it'll affect you." I nod silently. She might as well not have them if she can't afford to pay for them.

While inspecting the hotel owned by my family, I start to feel hungry after ordering some food at the hotel restaurant. Before the food is served, I munch on a small piece of bread roll for the time being. Suddenly, the lobby manager comes up to me and hands me a piece of paper. "Hello, sir. We do not allow outside food here. It has been 8 minutes and 30 seconds since you entered our restaurant. The total cost of your meal is 1,500 dollars. You'll be fined 1.28 million dollars." I am briefly stunned as I look at the piece of paper detailing the amount I should pay. Then, I take a picture of the piece of paper and send it to the group chat that has all the members of the board of directors. I tag my elder sister in the next message I send. "I've received a fine at the hotel owned by my family. Is this how you've increased the hotel's revenue?"

In the heart of the opulent Veridian Heights, two souls from opposite ends of the spectrum are drawn together by forces beyond their control, setting the stage for a love story as tumultuous as it is irresistible. Meet Mace Sinclair, a formidable business mastermind with a ruthless edge, a genius mind, and a grin that could seduce the devil himself. The heir to the city's most influential dynasty, he thrives on control, power, and dominance. Yet beneath his cold, manipulative exterior lies a man haunted by a tragic past, and a thirst for redemption he never thought possible. Then there's Nysaa Everhart, a spirited and sharp-tongued troublemaker who refuses to bow to anyone. Beneath her fearless facade, she carries the scars of a painful history that has left her with trust issues and a determination to never rely on anyone but herself. Her unyielding spirit and unpredictable nature make her a force to be reckoned with. When their paths collide, the sparks of conflict ignite a slow-burning desire that neither can deny. Mace, in a twisted game of power, coerces Nysaa into taking care of his defiant niece, Seraphina, as payback for her challenges. As they navigate the forced proximity and constant battles of wills, their banter evolves into something deeper and more dangerous. Can they withstand it? Can they withstand the haunting clutches of their past?

“You’re paid to protect me, not touch me,” Aria snapped, backing into the velvet wall of the limousine. Aria Kingsley had been kissed before. But never like this. Not against the cold wall of her father’s mansion. Not by the one man sworn to guard her body, not steal it. Aria has been raised like a jewel in a glass box—perfect, untouchable, and suffocated by her father’s power. When a threat against her life surfaces, Damon Cross, a brooding ex-special forces soldier with scars he doesn’t talk about, is hired as her personal bodyguard. Aria hates his rules. Damon hates her defiance. But the more they clash, the hotter the tension burns. Every stolen glance, every forbidden touch threatens to destroy the walls between them. Yet Damon’s past is as dangerous as Aria’s future. Enemies close in, secrets unravel, and passion becomes a risk neither can afford. In a world where loyalty can be bought and betrayal is inevitable, one question remains— Can Aria survive falling in love with the one man she was never meant to have?

When Aria, an unassuming omega with a mysterious power she can't control, is named the fated mate of Alpha Caden, chaos ensues. Caden, too proud to accept a weak mate, plans a public humiliation to rid himself of her. But when Aria’s latent abilities begin to surface, the pack is thrown into turmoil. As a ruthless rogue Alpha threatens to overthrow the pack, Caden must choose between protecting his pride or embracing a destiny he cannot deny. In a world where strength is everything, the only thing more powerful than fate is the force of an unexpected love.

In the glitzy world of Ryan Barnes, Sofia finds her soulmate. But can their love survive the clash between his superstar life and her next-door charm? Sparks ignite, but will they burn bright or fizzle out?