Eighty Eight

I've been caught in a relationship with a divorced man for eight years. We've broken up and reconciled too many times to count. In the end, I tallied ninety-four breakups and five divorces between us. One more would make it an even hundred, but I'm too exhausted to continue this cycle. The first breakup happened when I was giving him my virginity. Halfway through, his ex-wife called asking him to pick up some bread, and he simply left. The fifth breakup occurred when he abandoned me, newly pregnant, on the highway to comfort his ex-wife who was having complications with her own pregnancy. I ended up in a car accident and miscarried. He arrived at the hospital with his clothes disheveled. Despite all the pain he caused me, I could never bring myself to truly leave him. Our most recent divorce happened for an equally absurd reason. His ex-wife and their child were participating in a family reality TV show that required them to appear as a complete family unit. To protect his ex-wife's public image, he divorced me yet again. When filming wrapped, he called to discuss remarrying. This time I refused, because I'm going to marry someone else.

The night Gloria Leach—my husband's ex—died in the rain, he floored it and drove us off a cliff. That's when it clicked. Evan Patterson had always hated me for getting between him and Gloria. Then I woke up, I was back on the wedding day. This time, he didn't even pause. Ditched the rings. Ran straight to her outside the church. I didn't cry. Didn't make a scene. I just called it off. While they turned their reunion into a show, I said yes to someone else. In this life, Evan and I were strangers. Until eight years later. An auction. I placed a no-cap bid on the final item—sapphire cufflinks. Won. I was leaving when Evan stepped in front of me, scowling. "Robyn, stop embarrassing yourself. Even if you bought every cufflink on earth for me, I still wouldn't love you. Gloria's the only one in my heart." I didn't even look at him. Just reached for the little girl beside me. "Sweetheart, say hi to the gentleman." He saw her face—mine, copied clean. His eyes went red, and his grip snapped around my wrist. "She's our daughter?"

I was eight months pregnant, at a charity gala with my husband, Don Massimo, when a rival family hit us. The crowd panicked. I was shoved to the floor, hard. Blood everywhere. Massimo lost his mind, screaming for medics, desperate to save my baby. But when I woke up, they were gone. Both of them. No baby, no Massimo. I remembered the gunfire, Massimo shielding me with his body. A cold dread washed over me. I hauled myself into a wheelchair and raced down the hall. That’s when I heard them—Massimo and the doctor. "Boss, I'm sorry. We did everything we could. The baby… he didn't make it." Tears streamed down my face. They killed my baby. The rival family killed my baby. But his next words shattered my world. "There was only one medical team. I had to make a choice. Bianca… she was carrying my child, too." Massimo sighed, then gave the order. "No one tells Arabella. She'll raise Bianca's son as her own. He will be my only heir." I slapped a hand over my mouth, my vision blurred by tears as I turned away. The man I loved was a lie. Fine. If he wants a war, he'll get one.

Already claimed, and boxed into a sham “impending union”, Luna Michelle is forced to live like a prisoner in her own pack, even though she’s the true leader. With Alpha Patrick away at a Summit, she grabs the first real chance she’s had to run. But escape isn’t simple when his influence still chokes every corner of her life… and the pack has been trained to see her as the problem. Then fate intervenes. A sudden accident stops Beta Jason from travelling with Patrick, and Patrick orders him to stay behind and keep Michelle under watch. What should be eight days of surveillance becomes something neither of them expects: stolen moments, quiet truths, and a dangerous pull that turns watchman into ally. Trapped together, Michelle and Jason must navigate suspicion, control, and a pack on the verge of breaking, while a forbidden romance sparks in the one place it should never exist. Content Warning / Reader Discretion This book contains themes that may be distressing, including abuse, domestic violence, manipulation, and coercion. If these topics may be triggering for you, please consider not reading. This story is entirely fictional and written for entertainment. The author recognises the real-life seriousness of these issues and expresses sincere empathy for anyone affected by them. Reader discretion is advised.

Nalina (Lina) Romirez wasn't your typical nineteen year old. She had a secret that only those closest to her knew about. For her parents, they knew things would be different when their only daughter was born with a missing hand. By the time she was eight she had already mastered the art of operating a mechanical hand. It was so well built that no one could ever tell that it was fake, not even the wolves that went to her school. They were ferocious creatures that no one ever dared to mess with. Their pack (BitterFang Pack) lived deep in the woods and setting foot on their territory was an instant death sentence. Lina has never seen the higher members of the pack nor the Alpha. She didn't care much for them as her only goal was finishing her academic studies and moving out of the town. She wanted a life of her own and she was set on achieving just that. But as they say, destiny brings people together and crossing paths with the reigning Alpha wasn't something Lina had planned for. Not only was he the depiction of strength and dominance, but he also had striking features that couldn't go unnoticed. He knew she was his other half. But Lina wasn't planning on entering their territory again nor crossing paths with the Alpha for a second time. Well, that's what she thought.

Zaria’s world fell apart the day she learned she was pregnant. That same day, she also discovered the truth about her marriage: her husband, Renzo, had married her only to give his Mafia family an heir. The woman he truly wanted, Elix, could not have children—so Zaria had been used in her place. Afraid she would lose her baby and be pushed aside, Zaria made a desperate choice. She drugged Renzo and disappeared without a trace. Eight years passed. Zaria rebuilt her life in China and became known as the “Healer,” a respected expert in Traditional Chinese Medicine. When she was ordered to take a temporary job in New York, she agreed only because she had no choice. She planned to stay for five months and then leave forever. But her new patient turned out to be the least person she expected, Renzo, her ex-husband. He had used a fake name, to book her services. Zaria refused to treat him. Renzo refused to let her walk away. Old wounds reopened, jealousy grew, and dangerous secrets from the past began to surface. As Zaria focused on finishing the job and escaping once more, Renzo uncovered a truth that shook him deeply: Zaria had a child, and the child looked exactly like him.

When down-on-her-luck Rennie Brooks accepts a job as a live-in nanny for the daughter of cold, enigmatic billionaire Shawn Wolfe, she believes it’s just another job—and another clingy child—until the little girl looks up at her with wide, innocent eyes and calls her “Mommy”… then begins mirroring her every habit. The connection is instant. The tension between her and Shawn, undeniable. Because Shawn isn’t just her new boss—he’s the man from her one unforgettable night eight years ago, the stranger who vanished before dawn, leaving behind nothing but memories and heartbreak. Rennie swore she’d never fall for him again. But under the same roof, every stolen glance and forbidden touch reignites the desire she thought she’d buried for good. Her fragile new beginning shatters when Shawn’s glamorous ex-wife suddenly returns, demanding custody of the little girl Rennie has come to love as her own. Just as she prepares to walk away, a devastating secret surfaces— Diane isn’t Shawn’s daughter. She’s Rennie’s. Now Rennie must fight for the child she never knew was hers and face the hardest choice of her life: between the man who broke her heart and the one who might finally mend it.

Ashlyn hasn't spoken a word since the age of eight, and her heart's never felt more protected. But, when the confident and ever so charming Derek stumbles into her quiet little world, her emotions-and forbidden desires-have never been so loud. For twenty years, silence is all Ashlyn Holland has known. Haunted by the memories of her father, and the harrowing song of the ocean that stole him from her, Ashlyn maintains a safe distance from the rest of the world. Treading carefully the sea of fear and anguish that surrounds her, Ashlyn is determined to do all she can to protect her heart from such a tragic loss striking again. In silence, she grieves. In silence, she is safe. In silence, she finds the strength to breathe. But the silence can only last so long... Derek Moreno is charming and devoted, and quick to see through every wall Ashlyn erects. With his arrival in town, defences fold and walls begin to crumble, the songs of her heart reaching new heights. Together, they crest twin tides of fate, the silence she'd once sought engulfed by his gentle touch, and the whispers of a love thought impossible. For the summer, Ashlyn welcomes the noise. The disruption. But, the ghosts of Derek's past will no longer remain silent, and their deafening power has the potential to drag them both into a current strong enough to drown them amidst their heartache.

"I hate you so much, even the wind that soothes your face, scars my existence." Victor rebuked his mate Katia as she tried to treat his bleeding scar. Six months hitherto, Victor's existence was only but a myth after he was taken from his Alpha mother at birth and used as an experiment by the US military to create a hybrid. He was rescued by doctor Ronald when he was eight years old following an incident that took the life of the man he considered his only family. Ten years later, Doctor Ronald had preened Victor into not only a wise young man but a brave and self-discipline hybrid. Victor was given an assignment, to interact and get to learn more about humans and how to be one. He was sent to Greenwood high school by Dr. Ronald with the hope of getting him to adapt to their nature, but unknown to Dr.Ronald, the military was ahead of him as they planted Katia who acted as a fellow student and a friend to Victor to lure him to her trap and have him surrendered to the military. Darkness is imminent when Victor learns about his true identity upon the death of Dr. Ron who was murdered by katia, his mysterious mate. Will Victor ever let go of the past and accept his enemy as his mate or will seek vengeance.

I was feeding my seven-year-old daughter, Lucy Langer, when Robert Langer crashed through the front door, reeking of alcohol. His shirt collar hung askew, and red marks blazed across his neck. "Audrey," he said hoarsely, "someone spiked my drink at the charity gala. But don't worry. I've already had my lawyer handle it." I nodded. After so many years of marriage, I knew he only had eyes for me and our daughter. He never strayed. Or so I believed… until eight months later. While Robert was away on a business trip, his cruise ship caught fire. The news dominated every channel. Clutching a sobbing Lucy, I rushed to the hospital, only to find him swathed in bandages, standing outside the maternity ward. "Becca is pregnant," he murmured. "It was that night at the gala… I didn't think it would happen from just once…" He gulped. "When the fire spread, she saved me. But she… got trapped herself." A newborn's wail pierced the corridor as the delivery room doors opened. Becca White was wheeled out, looking pale and exhausted. She clutched my sleeve and pleaded desperately, "Audrey… my babies can't grow up without a father…"