Downfall Crossword Clue Novels & Stories

Celeste Montgomery once had everything—wealth, status, and beauty but after her family’s downfall, she’s now struggling to make ends meet as a waitress in a high-end restaurant. When she runs into her old friends, they taunt her about Leo Kingsley—the one man she once won over, only to break his heart and is now above her league. Desperate to save face, Celeste lies, claiming that Leo still wants her back. When the video of her boasting goes viral, the internet has a field day. To her shock, Leo, now a powerful billionaire, publicly plays along, calling her the love of his life. But the Leo she knew is no more—he’s ruthless, cold and most importantly a formidable force , a man she could never have. Caught in a whirlwind of media attention and forced to fake date Leo to appease his dying grandmother, Celeste finds herself navigating a world of luxury and hidden emotions. The chemistry between them still burns, but can she survive the lies she told and the heart she once broke?

She was the girl he once raised, now she’s the wife he demands an heir from. Just five years after their scandalous marriage and her immediate exile, Madelyn thought she had been left in the past by her cold, and untouchable guardian turned husband—a man she hated, but still couldn’t forget. Then Zachary returns with a proposition: “Come home with me. Give me an heir and I'll help you get back what is yours.” When her failing business, stolen inheritance and a thirst for revenge leave her no choice, she boards his jet and walks back into a past that she tried to forget. But Madelyn will get to realise that Zachary isn't just the cold, aloof man that she thinks. He holds secrets. And she discovers one of them. A secret involving that dark night, and it changes everything she thought she knew. Betrayals and deceptions are revealed, and unexpected alliances— formed. Will Madelyn survive in the dangerous game of ambition, greed, power, lust and deceit or will her impulsiveness cause her downfall?

“She died betrayed, broken, and with nothing left… then woke up with a second chance.” Natasha Berlin once gave up everything for love, only to be destroyed by the man she trusted most. Betrayed by her husband, abandoned by those around her, and stripped of the future she fought for, her life ended in regret. But fate gives her what no one else can—a second chance. Reborn to the days before her downfall, Natasha is determined to rewrite her destiny. This time, she will not beg for love. She will not lose herself for a man. And she will claim the powerful Berlin empire that should have been hers. There is only one problem. To inherit the company, Natasha must be married. Enter Sebastian Laurent—cold, powerful, dangerously unreadable, and carrying secrets of his own. His solution is simple: a contract marriage that benefits them both. But revenge is easy. Falling for the wrong man again could destroy everything. In a world of wealth, betrayal, family power, and dangerous desire, Natasha must decide: Will she use her second chance to win… or lose her heart all over again?

The Redborne Pack was the strongest in the world. Their monopoly on politics and global business was the driving force for rival packs, who sought to take them down at any cost. Liliana was born of a bond between a Luna and a Lycan, the most feared pair in existence. Matthias, the untouchable Lycan who forced other Alphas to submit to his authority, and Shaina, the Luna whose prowess could soothe even the pack's wildest berserkers, seemed to be the picture-perfect family. Until they weren't. Matthias was tempted by a rival’s beauty: Paloma, a dominant Omega groomed specifically to please the strongest Alpha, especially a Lycan. She was a spy, sent for the sole purpose of wrecking the perfect couple. It was the beginning of Redborne’s downfall and the catalyst for the tragic, brutal death of Liliana’s mother. Ten-year-old Liliana witnessed it all. For years, she suffered a life of torment and slavery at the hands of her own father and his new wife. Now, given a chance for revenge, she is back on her feet. Alone and independent, she is taking justice into her own hands, making everyone pay the price for her mother’s execution.

Made men are trained to conceal their emotions if they have one, while those who have no empathy or emotions left in them after years of training are blessed. But what could be the downfall of a Made man? Perhaps, could it be the feeling of humanity? *********** Vincenzo Salvatore De Luca, the eldest son of the Bratva, a Made man, feared by all, except his arranged bride, Ava Morales. Ava, the daughter of a businessman, whose father borrowed money from the Bratva and was unable to pay it back. In exchange for the debt he owed, he gave his daughter out for marriage to the Bratva. Among all three sons of the Bratva, Vincenzo accepted to marry Ava, not because of love, but because she intrigued him and he wanted to see how much he could break her. But what happens when he begins to feel some stir in his chest at the sight of his wife? What happens then, when he sees his wife flirting with other men and his vision is clouded red and filled with the need to chop off the fingers of the man flirting with his wife?

If we psychologically damage an individual beyond repair, what will be the consequence of it? We all have a limit to the amount of mental and psychological stress we can take. Once the stress exceeds the limit, we’ll reach our breaking point. What happens after that is a mystery no one can solve, or is it? Lydia Johnson faces a similar situation. She is a complex young woman who faces a downfall stemming from the mental and physical abuse of her father and siblings, the negligence of her mother, and a chilling secret. From abused to loved, to abused again--that’s how life is for Lydia. Her family taught her only one lesson: emotions are for the weak and the weak don’t have a place in this world. With each kill, Lydia atones for the loss of her innocence by getting rid of another emotion and also rids the world of someone undeserving of her love and forgiveness. What lengths will she go to, for revenge, and prove her resilience? Will she ever be able to live her life like a normal person again? Or will she continue killing everyone until her own death?

This was meant to be a secret. I was dressed in a red mini-gown, the sexiest gown in my wardrobe. Tonight is gonna be hot! I was feeling the sensations already, I'd never had sex with my mate for the five years we've been together which was one reason tonight was gonna be special. Close to his house, I masked my scent. I didn't want him getting a clue of what's happening. The hormones in my body were going crazy and my wolf was so excited. I tiptoed to the backyard of his apartment which I knew for sure was always open, talking of the door. His bedroom was right here and I was gonna throw myself on him on the bed. I banged in. The unexpected happened. My jaw dropped at the sudden sight before me. Right in front of me, on the same bed I'd planned to have Leo make love with me, was him with another girl. Seeing me, they sprang up, staring at me like they saw a ghost. Out of anger, I walked out, planning to get revenge. I got drunk in a night club and ended up in a one-night stand to cool off my anger. Next morning, I went for my first class in college hoping to put the past behind me. Just when I thought I had, I found out that the hot stranger last night is my college professor and my foster brother. Boom! I'm pregnant for him…….

My name is Eleanor Keating. In my past life, my older sister—Alice Keating—and I were entrusted to the McKellen family in Arborhill by our parents for arranged marriages. I married John McKellen, the eldest son. While he might not be conventionally handsome, his calm demeanor and unwavering reliability stood out. Alice married Xavier McKellen, the younger son. Handsome as he was, he was equally carefree and unpredictable in his actions. Eager for a grandchild, the family patriarch—Henry McKellen—made a promise. The first to bear a child would have their offspring named the next heir of the family. After our wedding, John and I conceived. Our child was naturally declared the next heir, and with that, John and I gained influence and power within the family. Tensions between Alice and Xavier escalated into frequent fights. Eventually, both had affairs, and their marriage ended in a bitter divorce. Believing they had dishonored the family, John banished them from the household. Blinded by jealousy, Alice poisoned me and my child, ending both our lives. When I open my eyes again, I find myself back on the first day I arrived at the McKellen residence. But this time, Alice makes the first move and sleeps with John. In that moment, I realize she, too, has been given a second chance at life. Unfortunately, she has no clue that John is a twisted man. Not only is he devoid of love, but he also sees women as mere stepping stones in his relentless pursuit of power.

At our daughter’s three-month milestone party, my husband Garrett’s so-called "best friend" publicly humiliated me. “Hey, Vivian. I heard you're a little loose down there after popping out the kid.” "If it's that bad, you better get some tightening surgery quick—don't wanna mess up your marriage vibes!" Garrett shot her a playful glare and snapped, "Knock it off, Scarlett! You can't just say whatever pops into your head." Then he turned to me with a breezy shrug. "She's just like that—total tomboy. We grew up together; she means no harm." Scarlett shook her half-exposed breast and pouted, "Oh, come on, don't take it personally, Vivian. Honestly, I'm kind of jealous of you." "See, my problem is the opposite. I'm way too tight—hurts like hell during my period. No clue who's gonna get lucky with this later." Then she cut her eyes toward Garrett with a playful wink. " Oh right, you've tried it before, haven't you?" The room went dead silent. Every pair of eyes drifted toward me, barely concealing their curiosity. I smiled, set down my wine glass, and looked at Scarlett with fake concern. "That's strange. I don't remember making it that tight when I did your surgery."

Part One:When Jamie Dalton moved into the house her grandparents left her she was just looking to reconnect with her past and settle in familiar surroundings. Digging through the attic for treasures, she found a nearly life-sized statue of a wolf and a very old, very strange book, Legends of the Werewolf. She was shocked when her new neighbor, Mike Volka, introduced himself and the eyes watching her looked just like the wolf in the book. Using the hypnotic power of the shifter, he draws her into his web and they have sex so hot it nearly burns down the house.Part TwoShifter Lia Popescue is desperate to find the book, Legends of the Werewolf, her only clue as to what happened to her pack. Her attempts to recover it bring her into contact with Riley Morgan, a contact that explodes with sexual chemistry. When she loses her heart to the sexy detective, she wonders how he will handle knowing the truth about her.USA Today best-selling and award-winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic. and has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.Wolf Tales is created by Desiree Holt, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.