Dimly Lighted

Before our wedding, my fiancée, Sarah Hargrave—a professor of medieval history—held a private ceremony in a secluded chapel in the countryside. But not with me. Under the glow of candlelight, she cradled Benjamin Wheeler—her first love, his face gaunt from the cancer consuming him—in her arms. Her smile was soft, almost reverent, as she murmured, "In the eyes of God, vows made before the altar are the only ones that matter. Even if the law says I belong to Daniel, my soul was never his." And so, to the faint echo of hymns and the scent of old incense, they drank from the same silver cup, exchanged rings, and stepped together into the dimly lit sacristy—their makeshift bridal chamber. I watched. Silent. Motionless. No outbursts, no demands for explanation. Just the quiet dialing of a clinic to undo the vasectomy I'd gotten for our future. From fifteen to thirty, I had loved Sarah for fifteen long years. But in all that time, there'd never been room for me. That space had always belonged to Benjamin, my stepbrother. So I let her go. Afterward, I joined a geological research team bound for the isolation of Antarctica—a land cut off from the world, quiet and clean. Before I left, I handed Sarah a divorce agreement…and a final gift to mark the end. I never anticipated that Sarah, who'd always met my devotion with frosty detachment, who'd never once glanced back as I walked away, would look ten years older overnight.

“I'm not a tool to satisfy your sexual cravings!" I yelled. But the moment I spilled those word as it stirred up something in him. “You are mine! Mine to keep, to rule. Your body, your soul, everything about you belongs to me!" He growled, pinning me against the wall. His hands traced every inch of my skin and I shiver at the thought of things he could do to me. ★★★ On the night of her 20th birthday, everything changed. In a bid to get out of her miserable life, Jasmine decides to run away from her abusive family into the arms of her mate/boyfriend, justin. The man she had trusted, the man she had given everything. He betrayed her in the most brutal way. Drugged, violated, and sold like property, she woke up in a dimly lit room, hands and feet bound. She wasn’t alone. Other women sat in silence, some sobbing, others too broken and hurt to react. It was only when she was dragged into a grand hall that the horrifying truth became clear. She was being auctioned and bought by a mysterious bidder. Alpha Jemah was everything the rumors said that he was, cold, calculating, and dangerously controlling. At the auction, the moment he set his eyes on Jasmine, he knew there was something special about her and immediately bought her. His rules were simple, a contract relationship in exchange for freedom. No feelings attached, No bridging of contract. With tension rising and chains breaking forbidden desires pull them closer but dark hidden secrets threaten to sever their bond.

In the dimly lit alleys of a bustling city, a secret society of supernatural spies lurked in the shadows, tasked with protecting the fragile balance between humans and the supernatural world. Among them was Aurora, a fierce and cunning werewolf with a keen intellect and unmatched combat skills. Aurora had always been dedicated to her mission, but her resolve was tested when she crossed paths with Vincent, a charming vampire with a mysterious past. Despite their opposing natures, they found themselves drawn to each other, their forbidden love sparking tension within the spy group. As Aurora grappled with her feelings for Vincent, she embarked on a dangerous mission to infiltrate a rival faction of werewolves led by the enigmatic pirate, Captain Sterling. Known for his daring exploits and thirst for treasure, Captain Sterling was rumored to possess ancient artifacts imbued with powerful magic. Caught between her duty and her heart, Aurora found herself entangled in a web of intrigue and betrayal as she delved deeper into Captain Sterling's world. Along the way, she uncovered long-buried secrets about her own lineage and the true nature of the supernatural realm. But just as Aurora thought she had everything figured out, fate intervened in the form of a ruggedly handsome pirate werewolf named Caleb. With his roguish charm and unwavering determination, Caleb swept Aurora off her feet, igniting a passion she had never known before. Together, Aurora and Caleb embarked on a thrilling adventure across the globe, hunting for hidden treasures and solving ancient mysteries. As they faced perilous challenges and encountered deadly adversaries, their bond only grew stronger. Aurora has to make a choice between duty and love, between the life she had known and the future she yearned for.

My throat burned as he wrapped his hand around it, his grip was firm but not crushing—cold steel pressed against my neck, the knife. I gasped, my bag slipping from my shoulder. It hit the ground with a dull thud, spilling open, and my book tumbled out. He glanced down, bent, picked it up, and flipped it open. His eyes skimmed the page. Then his mouth curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile, a dark smirk, like he knew exactly what I had been reading. And worse, he saw the notes. My handwriting in the margins, messy lines of ink: God, I wish someone would ruin me like this. I shouldn’t like it, but I do. Imagine the knife on me instead. Heat exploded in my face. I wanted the ground to swallow me. His eyes lifted back to mine, and I couldn’t breathe. ***** I was just a college freshman, lost in dark romance novels and fantasies of forbidden love. But my life took a deadly turn when I stumbled upon a mafia boss's secret in a dimly lit alley. Little did I know, the killer I witnessed would become my professor, and my obsession would become my downfall. Now, I'm trapped in a game of cat and mouse, where the stakes are higher than I ever imagined. My obsession grows with every passing moment, and I'm forced to confront the shadows within myself. But not everything is what it seems. What begins as an obsession may turn into something far more dangerous….. like revenge.

May Austin is left to care for her sick younger sister, Lily. Struggling to afford Lily’s medical treatment, May signs a surrogacy contract with the powerful Stones family, agreeing to bear a child for Damien Stone, the ruthless and handsome CEO. The procedure is impersonal—they never meet, and Damien only glimpses her in dimly lit rooms. May gives birth to twins, a boy and a girl. The family takes the boy, leaving May to flee with her daughter and sister, disappearing abroad to build a new life. For five years, she raises her daughter Aria while Lily grows healthy and excels academically. Their paths cross unexpectedly at an airport when Aria bumps into Damien. He feels an instant, inexplicable attachment to the girl, unaware she is his daughter. Sparks fly as Damien encounters May professionally when she returns as a director at his company. Attraction, tension, and unresolved pasts begin to surface. Meanwhile, their children play a pivotal role in reconnecting their parents. Damien’s grandfather, Daxton Stone, disapproves due to class differences and manipulates circumstances to challenge May and Damien, while Damien’s parents wholeheartedly support May. Corporate intrigue, sabotage, and a vindictive fiancée create further tension, especially as May’s son, Aiden, suffers domestic abuse and entrusts May to protect him. Alongside a parallel romance between Damien’s boyfriend, David, and May’s best friend, the story weaves love, resilience, and family into a gripping tapestry. As truths emerge and past grievances confront them, Damien and May must navigate threats, heal old wounds, and embrace the family destiny they never imagined. One Pregnancy, Two Babies is a story of love, sacrifice, second chances, and the unbreakable bonds of family, where children are the bridge that reconnects hearts separated by fate.

He left me there, naked and clamped my body exposed and vulnerable. The cold, dimly lit room terrified me; when I struggled against restraints, the metal biting into my wrists. The minutes stretched into hours, each passing moment filled with a mix of fear and anticipation. Where I was now? Where was my savior, my father? I did all this for him, I deceived Aris, let him suffer but now I was suffering. After what felt like an eternity, the heavy door creaked open once again, revealing his imposing figure. He entered the room, his eyes fixed on me, a mix of dominance and control emanating from his every move. His presence alone sent shivers down my spine, a reminder of my helpless state. He approached me slowly, a wicked smile playing on his lips. His intention was clear - to punish me and assert his authority. With each step, he exuded power, his confidence unwavering. He strode forward and grabbed me by the face, his grip like iron. “Don’t you know when master enters what should a slave to do?” He demanded an answer. I could see the rage in his eyes and I felt my own anger rising. As he tightened his grip, I spat in his face. This was sudden and unintentionally. His color changed in rage. I knew I did a mistake, a horrible mistake. - Lord Aris, a ruthless and cruel Mafia king, he just want one thing in his life, that was revenge. Emma William, a beautiful girl, is sold by her fiancé to cruel Mafia king ‘Aris Johnson’, who actually wants to take revenge on her by enslaving her. But what will happen when his revenge turns into his obsession? Will he fall for her? Will he able to keep her?

In a world ruled by power and betrayal, Atticus Escoban, the younger daughter of the influential Escoban family, has always lived away from the dangerous chaos of their criminal empire. For 21 years, she was sheltered, hidden, and protected. But her life changes forever when Alijax Costaloña, the cold and calculating heir of the Costaloña dynasty, violently confronts her father, leaving him gravely wounded. Atticus never expected to be caught in the crossfire of her family’s schemes. Worse, Alijax discovers her existence and shocks everyone by choosing her—over her older sister Anneth—to be his fiancée. The engagement is a sham, a dangerous ploy to secure alliances, but Alijax has plans no one can predict. Determined to protect her family at any cost, Atticus agrees to the engagement, kahit na lumalaban ang puso niya sa ideya. Behind her composed exterior, she plots her way out, refusing to let the Costaloñas dictate her future. But the closer she gets to Alijax, the harder it becomes to distinguish between the man who ruined her family and the one who seems capable of understanding her like no one else. “Do you think you can escape this, Atticus?” he said, his voice dangerously low as he cornered her in the dimly lit study. “You’re mine now. Whether you like it or not.” Her fists clenched, and she met his cold, unreadable gaze with defiance. “You can own the world, Alijax Costaloña, pero ako? Hindi mo ako makukuha.” In a game of power, deception, and forbidden emotions, Atticus must make the ultimate choice. Will she sacrifice her freedom to protect her family, or will she risk it all to claim the life she truly deserves? Love and survival collide in a story where nothing is what it seems, and every decision could be deadly.

“You’re so wet for me, baby.” I yank on his clothes and pull him closer, “Always so hungry for my cock,” he groans, His eyes are on me as he pushes into me, and I whimper impatiently. He’s taking his sweet time filling me up, loving how he’s driving me crazy. “Good girl,” he murmurs. “Taking my cock like that.” He pulls back almost all the way and then slams into me, finally giving me what I want. I moan in delight and Alexander buries his hand in my hair, pulling me closer. He kisses me roughly, and I lose myself in him. “Tell me how you want it, baby. I want you to come for me,” he says, his lips lingering on mine. “Just like this,” I tell him. “More.” ___________________ In a desperate bid to save her mother's life, Elena finds herself at a crossroads she never imagined. Stepping into the dimly lit embrace of a gentlemen's club, she prepares to make a sacrifice she never thought she would have to make. But fate has a twisted sense of humor, as she comes face to face with a man she never expected to encounter in such a place - Alexander Kennedy. What starts as a chance encounter quickly spirals into a proposition that turns Elena's world upside down. Instead of selling her body, Alexander offers her a marriage of convenience. A deal that promises to save her mother's life, but at a cost she never anticipated. For hidden beneath his charming facade lies a web of revenge, and Elena becomes a pawn in his dangerous game. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Elena is left with an impossible choice. Does she embrace the devil she knows, Alexander, and risk losing herself in his twisted plans?

As I walked through the dimly lit hallway, my heart was still racing, my breath uneven from the whirlwind of emotions that had consumed me in the last few hours. Then, my eyes flickered up, catching sight of the metal plaque bolted to the doorpost "Wing 1." A cold chill ran down my spine. My body went rigid as Otto’s letter flashed vividly in my mind, the words echoing as if he said it directly to my face "Room 316. Wing 2." No. No. No. No. Oh, God. A sickening wave of realization crashed over me, leaving me breathless. The man in the grey suit… He had smiled, nodded, and gestured me down this hallway. So confident. So sure. And like a fool, I had followed. I had made a mistake. A colossal, irreversible mistake. My stomach twisted violently as the truth settled in, thick and suffocating. I had entered the wrong wing. The wrong room. The wrong bed. I had given myself to a stranger. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, drowning out everything else. The world tilted, my vision blurred. What had I done? How far is too far? In this encapsulating masterpiesce, Sucre is down for whatever gets him closer to taking revenge on Otto - his twin brother's killer. But, would he really do all that is necessary? Would he chose his ambition over that of Luca the cartel’s underboss and his lover? Can he stop the knife and gun violence on campus and win the five million dollars prize money? Dive into a story of love, betrayal, romance and suspense. The Cartel’s Forbidden Love is a gripping and intriguing read that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Serene’s heart raced as she stood in Nicholas’s dimly lit study, the scent of leather and whiskey heavy in the air. She’d been dusting the bookshelves when he entered, his presence filling the room like a storm. Now, he stood inches away, his black suit hugging his broad shoulders, his dark mullet framing a gaze that burned with intent. “You missed a spot,” he murmured, his voice a low growl, pointing to a shelf she’d already cleaned. Her cheeks flushed as she turned, the hem of her maid uniform riding up her thighs. “I-I’ll get it, Mr. Volkov,” she stammered, reaching up, but his hand caught her wrist, firm yet gentle. “No,” he said, stepping closer, his breath warm against her ear. “Let me show you.” His fingers slid down her arm, leaving a trail of heat, before guiding her hand to the shelf. His chest pressed against her back, and she gasped at the hardness of his body, the evidence of his arousal unmistakable. “You’re trembling, little maid,” he whispered, his lips brushing her neck, sending shivers down her spine. “Do I scare you… or do I excite you?” Her breath hitched as his free hand trailed up her thigh, slipping beneath the lace of her uniform. “Mr. Volkov…” she whimpered, but her protest melted into a moan as his fingers found her, teasing her through the thin fabric of her panties. “ Nicholas,” he corrected, his voice rough with desire, his touch growing bolder, circling her most sensitive spot until her knees buckled. “Say it,” he demanded, nipping her earlobe. “N-Nicholas,” she gasped, her body arching into him, surrendering to the fire he’d ignited. In that moment, the billionaire and his naive maid were bound by a hunger neither could deny.