Despair

Evelyn Ward never imagined that a routine walk home could shatter her life. Taken from her small Oregon town, she’s thrown into a velvet prison known as The Bidding Room, an elite underground auction where innocence is rare, and the most powerful men in the world come to buy it. Dressed like a doll, paraded as prey, Evelyn is thrust into a world of wealth, cruelty, and obsession. What should have ended in despair becomes the start of something more twisted - because the man who buys her isn’t a collector or a sadist. He’s something far worse. Lucien Moretti - The Devil of Verona - rules a vast criminal empire, built on fear and blood. He doesn’t pay for what he wants. He takes it. Yet something about Evelyn stops him. A silent challenge in her eyes, a trembling defiance that speaks louder than screams. He buys her not for pleasure - but to destroy what is pure. Except she doesn’t break. And that enrages him more than he expected. Their lives spiral in a dangerous dance of power and obsession. Lucien's enemies circle like vultures, and his own people begin to question his judgment. Evelyn isn’t just a girl anymore - she’s a symbol of his weakness, and they want to exploit that. As Evelyn is drawn deeper into the mafia world, her morality blurs. Can she resist becoming like them? Or is the darkness already inside her? In a story of violence, betrayal, and unnatural love, Evelyn and Lucien are caught in a storm they may not survive. And even if they do - what will be left of them?

On the day the Cole family went bankrupt, Adrian Cole left behind a suicide note and went alone to the snow mountains to end his life. I chased after him without hesitation, searching for him in the snow for a full ten hours. Just as despair hollowed me out completely, I saw his secretary, Zoe Bennett, livestreaming Adrian's proposal on social media. One of his friends joked in the comments, "You're about to be a groom. Aren't you afraid your woman will get mad?" His reply was icy cold. "I only promised her the title of Mrs. Cole. She shouldn't even think about anything else." Another comment followed. "She's marrying in with ten billion in investment. Is she really willing to swallow that kind of grievance?" I could almost see Adrian sneering as he typed, "She got ten billion for the position of Mrs. Cole. She's not losing out. If it weren't for her, Zoe wouldn't have been forced to go abroad. These last few days are my compensation to Zoe." My fingernails dug deep into my flesh. Calmly, I burned everything that had anything to do with him. On the day of the wedding, he went mad searching for me everywhere. In the upscale venue across the street, I had just slipped on a diamond ring given to me by another man, Julian Cross. Unbeknownst to him, while he was calculating the countdown to our breakup, I was also preparing to marry someone else.

SIS (Social Issue Series) #4: Bullying They say that beauty is a luxury. That good looks is the only privilege that matters. That the world is only in favor of those who were born pretty.Sa panahon nga raw ngayon, parang kasalanan na ang pagiging less attractive. You're unappealing? Emotionally weak? Naive? How pathetic. Now you gotta deal with the consequences, loser. Sounds like bullshit? Yup. The truth may be harsh but it is what it is. Once you failed to reach the very high standards set by the society, you're doomed. Yara Isabelle got the deadliest combination of being unattractive, soft-hearted and innocent. But she used to get by and survive the bullying just fine. Because she got her knight-in-shining armor. Her childhood sweetheart. Not until he stopped saving her. Not until he stopped caring. Not until he got fed up of everything.Sky Edison used to be full of compassion. But that was before something terrible happened within their family. His perception had changed. He now finds it ridiculous that people let themselves get treated badly.However, the downside is that for some significant circumstances, these two have to share a condo as they enter senior high school. What could possibly happen given their situation?How would it feel like living under the same roof not with your bully but your former superhero who's now just a witness of your despair? How would it feel like going home to a place with a person who gets to see you getting bullied everyday at school?

Veronica devoted three years of her life to Chase Pemberton… the only man she had ever loved since her childhood. Even her toxic, hard-to-please father approved of their relationship, and for a while, she believed she had won in her life. But her world comes crashing down when she finds out that Chase is sleeping with many other women, and he even calls Veronica a ‘boring maid’ who doesn’t turn him on anymore. As if that heartbreak isn’t enough, her toxic father sides with Chase and pressures her to win back the man who literally cheated on her. Drowning in despair and convinced she has nothing left to live for, Veronica stands on the edge of a rooftop, ready to end it all… until the Ashford brothers arrive at the right moment and save her life. The Ashford brothers, known as the 'billionaire brothers', are extremely handsome and dangerously irresistible… they become her strength. With their help, Veronica begins to rebuild her life independently, and fights with her rivals… And proves her worth to the world that once mocked her. But then, a new storm brews within her heart… as she finds herself caught in an irresistible ‘love triangle’ with the billionaire brothers who equally desire her. Two hot 🔥 brothers! “Can she choose between one of them without breaking the heart ❤️ of another?” One choice could make her. One betrayal could break her. And one forbidden love could change everything. 💎 This story promises: ❤️🔥 A scorching love triangle between two billionaire brothers. 🏛️💼 High-stakes family, business, and betrayal drama. 👑✨ The rise of a fierce, independent heroine who claims her power.

She was auctioned like an object, bought like a secret, and caged like a sin. After a brutal betrayal by the people she trusted most, Seraphina Vale is left drowning in debt and despair—until she’s sold at an underground auction to the one man every criminal fears: Lucien Marchesi, the ruthless head of a powerful mafia empire. Cold. Controlled. Deadly. The world assumes she’ll be discarded like the others who came before her. But Seraphina isn't a lamb sent to slaughter. She’s a lioness in velvet chains—calm, calculating, and waiting for her moment. Lucien didn’t expect her fire. She didn’t expect his scars. What begins as a twisted game of control and survival becomes something far more dangerous: emotion. As secrets unravel and obsession burns into something deeper, Seraphina edges dangerously close to what she swore she’d never feel again—trust. Love. Want. But she hasn’t forgotten her mission. Lucien was supposed to be her weapon, not her salvation. And when her revenge explodes into reality, both hearts will shatter under the weight of betrayal. Until he asks the one question that changes everything: “Have you ever loved me?” Chains of Velvet, Heart of Fire is a gripping dark mafia romance about love born from power, loyalty forged in fire, and two broken souls who dared to rewrite their fate. Perfect for fans of morally gray heroes, twist-filled emotional sagas, and heroines who take their power back—beautifully, mercilessly, and on their own terms.

I'm reincarnated a week before the college entrance exam. Despite being the soon-to-be top scorer, I stab my eye with a syringe. In my past life, Marianne Quentin, my boyfriend Lance Russell's childhood friend, reported me for cheating off her during the final mock exam. The teacher compared our papers and found that my essay was identical to hers. He harshly criticized me and warned me not to repeat my mistake. However, Marianne reported me for copying her answers again during the math exam. Once again, my answers were found to be identical to hers. The teacher scolded me for being incorrigible and sent me home to reflect on my actions. I couldn't understand what had happened. Clearly, I'd never cheated, but my answers were nearly identical to Marianne's, whether in writing and language or in math. As the SAT exam loomed over me, I could only suppress my doubts as I stepped into the exam hall. I finished the writing paper and thought I was safe. However, Marianne stepped out and accused me of cheating again. I tried to defend myself, yet the answers on my paper were identical to hers. In the end, I was disqualified, kicked out of the exam hall, and banned from taking any exams in the next two years—just because I "cheated". I succumbed to despair and leaped from the rooftop. When I open my eyes again, I'm back to one week before the SAT.

The day I went into labor with the twins, I bribed the family doctor to shoot me up with every heavy-duty suppressant he could get his hands on. Anything to stall the birth. Why? Because in my last life, Vincent—my husband, the Don—claimed to have a low sperm count. To guarantee an heir, he lined up ten mistresses and told the whole house: whoever popped out a son first, her kid would be the next Corleone Don. He promised if I delivered first, he'd ditch the others. Said our baby would inherit the throne. I bought every word. When I found out I was carrying twins, I couldn't stop shaking—I thought I'd won. But after I gave birth, he tossed me and the babies into the freezing wine cellar and locked the place down. "Lucy came from nothing. I just wanted to give her kid a name. You started rumors, pushed her into despair, and now she's dead—her and the baby. You're vile. Not fit to be the Don's wife. Think about what you've done. I'll open the door in three days." Then he had the butler seal it shut. What he didn't know? That night, the cellar caught fire. Me and my babies? Burned alive. When I opened my eyes again, I was back—right before labor. This time, I'm not staying. Soon as I deliver and get back on my feet, I'm taking my kids and disappearing for good.

What happens when you are caught in a love triangle between your first love, new love, and best friend? Claire June was orphaned at the age of ten; her parents were killed right before her by a psychopath out to get revenge. She was then adopted by her neighbors whose son Lucas Jackson turns out to be her best friend and has always been in love with her but she has always seen him as a brother and friend; nothing more. She then fell with Justin Cruise, their love was magical and genuine; they became soulmates and decides to get married. On the day of their wedding, Claire is shot by the same person who kills her parents. She wakes up having battled with life and death to an entirely different world; a world that has moved on two years forward without her. She is devastated when she finds out she had been in a coma but the biggest shock came when she realized, that Justin her one true love is a multi-billionaire and co-founder of the biggest tech company and married to a model name Emily Chase. Overwhelmed by despair and heartbreak. She is broke and is offered a job to be the personal assistant of Gabriel Jones who is also the co-founder of the tech company, wealthy billionaire, and best friend to Justin. Justin begins to get jealous of the growing attachment between Claire and Gabriel, what will happen when Lucas confesses his feelings to Claire and is willing to do anything to fight for her love? Stuck in a tangled triangle between first love, new love, and best friend. Who would she decide to go the long road with?

"What am I?" Diana whispered, staring unbelievably at the lightning bolts flickering from her fingertips. "Why am I different?" "You aren't just different, Diana." Freya said, and she cupped Diana's face and stared into her eyes. "You are special, and you are exactly what this realm needs to restore balance." "What if I can't do it?" Diana asked worriedly, closing her palms to contain the power trying to break out. "You must try, because this is only the beginning." Freya looked to the distance, her eyes reflecting the dying light. "Enemies will arise, and they will try to destroy you." "They will have to go through us." A deep voice spoke behind them. Diana turned and her gaze connected with three handsome men. Alden, Asher and Axel. Her mates. ... Diana's world is shattered by a revelation that shakes the very foundation of her existence: Alden, Asher, and Axel, the brothers she's grown up and fallen in love with, are not her real siblings, but her destined mates. Struggling to come to terms with this unexpected discovery, Diana finds herself thrust into a dangerous game of deception and betrayal. As former allies become adversaries, and sinister plots threaten to tear apart the bonds between her and her mates, Diana must navigate a treacherous path where every step could lead to her downfall. With danger lurking around every corner, Diana's fate hangs in the balance. Can she defy destiny and carve out her own future, or will she succumb to the forces working against her, plunging into an abyss of uncertainty and despair?

Mirabella had built her life around love, trust, and devotion, believing that her marriage to Ethan was the very definition of a perfect union. Despite struggling with infertility, she held onto the dream of a future filled with happiness, willing to sacrifice anything for the man she loved. However, her world is irreversibly shattered when she unexpectedly walks in on Ethan in bed with her older sister, Sienna—the one person she had always trusted. Instead of guilt or remorse, Ethan throws divorce papers in her face, blaming her for her inability to conceive, while Sienna mocks and humiliates her, making it clear that Mirabella has been replaced. Left homeless, heartbroken, and utterly betrayed by those she once considered her entire world, Mirabella spirals into despair, her once-glamorous life crumbling around her. As she drowns in hopelessness, a powerful yet mysterious ally steps forward, offering her the support, resources, and guidance she needs to rise from the ashes of her past. Fueled by pain but strengthened by newfound determination, Mirabella reinvents herself, stepping into a world of power, influence, and ruthless ambition. No longer the fragile woman Ethan and Sienna discarded, she meticulously orchestrates a masterful plan to reclaim her dignity and dismantle the lives of those who wronged her. But as Ethan and Sienna’s world begins to crumble under the weight of their own greed and deception, Mirabella is faced with an unexpected realization—true power is not in revenge but in the ability to walk away. Will she take her vengeance to the bitter end, or will she choose to embrace a new beginning, where her happiness is no longer tied to the past?