Death By A Thousand Cuts

You... you did say you'd pay me 1,000€ euros for an hour, right?" she asked. "Yes, Allysa, I confirm that's what I said," he replied with a big smile. Allysa lay down on the bed, and the second man approached her. She thought she should be wary, but strangely, the man inspired confidence. "Now, you're going to have to take off your clothes," he said in his soft, warm voice... There are encounters that turn a life upside down, moments when fate knocks at the door with disconcerting brutality. Allysa Moreau never imagined that losing her virginity for 1,000€ euros in a sordid basement would lead her to cross paths with Paolo Mancini, a billionaire and mafioso whose empire extended far beyond her comprehension. Driven from her apartment, desperate and confronted with the relentless reality of poverty, Allysa had made a decision she could never forget. She had sold herself, not for pleasure at first, but as events unfolded, she developed a taste for it, and to prove herself right, she told herself it was for survival. For Paolo, this story was not trivial. Allysa had his youthful features and palpable innocence, a curiosity in a world where everyone wore masks. Their story was not meant to exist. A mafia billionaire and a homeless teenager had nothing in common. But in a world where rules are meant to be broken, Allysa and Paolo would discover that chance doesn't exist. Desire, fear, and secrets would forge bonds.

I jolt awake to splash of ice cold water making contact with my warm skin and ripping me from my dreams. Looking up I see my perpetrator and best friend Bailey giggling, and holding a now half-emptied bucket. “Wake up loser! Last day on the beach and you choose to sleep?” I roll my eyes in annoyance at her bubbly enthusiasm. “Alright I’ll get in for a bit but I’m not going to stay long,” I state with a huff. We each grab a floatie and make our way waist deep before hopping on and linking arms to keep from drifting apart. “Are you excited to be heading back tomorrow? I know I am!” Bailey quipped. Honestly I’d been avoiding that thought the whole trip. Returning to our pack was the last thing I wanted to think about. This week at the beach had been the calm environment I desperately needed after senior year. Returning would mean I would have to finally confront the drama that has become my life the last three months. All through high school I kept my head down, focusing on my team and training. Despite keeping to myself there was always one person stirring sh*t up, my ex, Austin. His father, the Alpha to our pack, gave his life in one of the pack battles last year. Leaving his Luna to raise Austin and his sister on her own. Austin would now be eligible for the Alpha title which worried me. Up until we left he had shown blatant disrespect to my father, Beta to our pack. Not to mention he still had his eyes and ears on me. Returning was the last thing I had on my mind, knowing sh*t is about to hit the fan.

DUA AGHA KHAN. Dua agha Khan is a 28 year old woman trying to make her way through the judging gazes of people around her, being mute and divorced in a Desi society, she was gifted with criticism, harassment and Unhealed trauma. Her passion was writing began when she lost her voice admist the hustle of her haunting past and she had never felt more lucky to have become one of the finest writer out there. Escaping an abusive marriage was a hard task that almost cost her, her life. Surviving as a mute girl in the society she is met with yet problem of being arranged for a second marriage. It wasn’t something that she wanted, it wasn’t something that she would’ve probably looked forward to but it was happening. Not having the courage to say no she’soff to another ride of what seemed like an endless tunnel of darkness for her. RAZA SHOAIB Raza Shoaib is a 32 year old man with a serious personality. He doesn’t like getting involved in much and like to stay in his own boundaries. After having his fiancée cheat on him and run away a day before their wedding the image of loyal women had been ruined in his mind. He wasn’t looking forward to get settled and was happy living the life of an infamous playboy when his father arranges his marriage with the daughter of his Best friend. The girl he never approved of, having his father constantly on his tail with sharp glares and words he says yes to the proposal but with an intention to bring hell upon the woman’s life.

Agatha Ignacio, the woman who does not have her own decisions in life. Submissive to my husband, Dymon Ignacio- the man I was forced to marry, as payment for my parents' debt. No matter how hard I tried to love Dymon, I couldn't. It's hard to force love on someone who I will never like because of his bad attitude. Joseph Ignacio, the real son of Don Jose Ignacio. Grew up in another country, because his parents were separated. So when Joseph was still young his Mommy took him to New York. While Don Jose adopted so that everyone would recognize that this is his son. But Joseph's sudden arrival at the mansion. Even the Don was surprised by the son's sudden return home. Can Agatha survive the hands of her abusive husband? What if the exchange of saving Joseph is Agatha's love? How will they fight the relationship that the only one who has the right is Dymon?

Colette cares about two things; love and love songs. Her heart is filled with butterflies and yet no one ever loved her back. Sometimes it feels like her loveless fate had been destined and sometimes she wanted to fight this stupid fate by letting herself love shamelessly and pushing for the best case scenario. It started with Hussein. A dear friend of hers with cute afro but Hussein said he loved another girl. He promised to be friends with her forever but why does he still look at her...that way? Then she met Romeo by chance, a charming young popstar with the eyes of the sun. It was only natural, she fell for him. But Romeo turned out to be a jerk to her incapable of loving anyone. But the issue here was her heart couldn't stop loving them so she never stopped trying. Will Colette ever find the love she so desperately wanted? Or will the love she searches for be the very thing that will ruin her beyond repair?

I was the best healer alive. My gift saved lives, and Death hated me for it. When he came to claim the soul of my dying Luna, I defied him and dragged her back from the brink of death. But Death had come for a soul, and he claimed one...mine. Now, the monster everyone fears, the wolf who walks between life and death, calls me his mate.

Rhaenyx Maltalor, an assassin of the Henla guild is captured and her identity changed. In exchange for her freedom and pardon for her crimes, she must work with a competing guild to overthrow the monarchy. Will she find love in the man that changed her face? Or in the princess who works to restore peace to the kingdom? Will her skills be up for the challenges she faces, or will her arrogance be her downfall.

Aryn's journey begins with the gift of strange and life-altering book. Aptly titled 'Rules of Death' it doesn't stop with the exposure of her own identity. The book holds knowledge and power Aryn can only begin to understand.

She's the world's treasure, both cursed and graced with a voice that enchants anyone that hears it. Nicknamed as a siren, it's almost ironic how she is truly a mermaid. Ines is a mermaid with one wish; To return home to the Sea. But having been cursed into a contract with the CEO of her company, she is stuck on land with human legs, forced to create music for the world to hear. But that's all about to change with one fateful meeting. Alaric Clemente is an actor gracing the world with his talents; The embodiment of perfection blessed with good looks, money, fame, and influence, he has it all, but when he meets Ines Agua, a woman always racked in all kinds of rumours, he learns that she's nothing like what the rumours made her out to be, if anything, she's the complete opposite. With the spark of intrigue lighting their meeting, both Alaric and Ines learn that more than just their feelings are at stake in this game of love. With people striving to tear her down, curses chaining her to a land she hates, and a man making her want to risk everything, both the questions and answers are blurred beyond recognition.

I die in the basement after being burned by acid. My family doesn't recognize me, and they don't call the cops. My mother picks up the scalpel that hasn't been used in years and debones me. My father excitedly mixes my skeleton with concrete and turns me into an exquisite statue. My sister uses the sculpture she's made out of my flesh and portrays herself as a genius sculptor whom everyone admires. Later, the sculpture is shattered, revealing half a broken finger inside. That's when everyone panics.