Ernest Hemingway: The Old Man And The Sea

I was nine months along and ready to give birth, but my husband, Sean Conner, had me locked in the basement storage room and told me to hold the baby in. He said it was because his late brother’s wife, Quinn Faber, was also due today. Years ago, Sean and his brother had agreed that the first child born to the Conners would be raised as the heir and inherit the family inheritance. “Quinn’s baby must come first,” Sean said as if it were nothing. “She lost her husband and has nothing. You already have my love. It’s only right that the inheritance goes to her child.” The pain from the contractions folded me over, and I cried, begging him to take me to the hospital. He wiped my tears with a dangerously calm voice. “Stop the act,” he snapped. “I always knew you didn’t love me. All you care about is money and status. You forced labor to happen early so you could steal my nephew’s place… How can you be so cruel?” White-faced and shaking, I managed to whisper, “I can’t control when a baby comes. It’s a coincidence. I swear I don’t care about the inheritance. I love you!” He let out a cold laugh. “If you loved me, you wouldn’t have pushed Quinn to sign that contract relinquishing her child’s inheritance. Fine. Once she has her baby, I’ll come back for you. After all, the child in your belly is my blood.” Sean stayed outside Quinn’s delivery room. Only after the newborn arrived did he remember me. He ordered his secretary to take me to the hospital, but the secretary’s voice trembled as he said. “Madam… and the baby… They’re both gone…” At that moment, Sean lost his mind.

Lucia I'd lost my parents at a young age, been tossed from one abusive chaotic home to the other until I'd finally decided I couldn't take it anymore and had run away. Only running away had made it worse. **** I'd been stripped to almost nothing because of my stubbornness. My upper body was left uncovered and my breasts were on display, though that was the least of my problems. A tear escaped my eyes then and I watched it fall down to my chest and slide down my exposed breast. I turned to wipe my face with my arm but it barely worked. I was hot and sweaty. My eyes went back to the crowd and my gaze fell on someone sitting at the back. For a second, I forgot how my lungs worked. Bruno Inheriting a ruthless top mafia gang at a very young age did a lot of damage to someone. It certainly did a whole lot of damage to me. Fucked me up so bad I could no longer tell what was right from what was wrong. I didn't give a flying fuck what anyone thought about it. It was who I was now and there was no going back. At least that was what I'd thought. Seeing her up there, hands tied above her head as she waited for whatever asshole was going to buy her at the auction caused some kind of reaction in me. It was enough to tell me that I should probably let someone else buy her so she could be their problem. Unfortunately I'd never been one to stop myself from making a wrong decision. So I bought her anyway. And who would have guessed? She turned out to be the best decision I'd ever made.

In a world of wealth, power, and family feuds, Shay Falcon fights to break free from the shadows of her billionaire dynasty. The youngest daughter of the renowned Falcon Group's CEO, her life is a blend of neglect, sibling rivalry, and the suffocating pressure to conform. But beneath her fragile facade, Shay craves independence and forges a secret path as a secretary at the illustrious C&E Holdings, a company owned by her family's bitter rivals. Just when Shay believes she has found solace in her hidden sanctuary, fate intervenes, thrusting her into a tumultuous whirlwind. The enigmatic Jason Cartwright and the charismatic Chase Evans, the powerful bosses of C&E Holdings, uncover Shay's clandestine identity. Their shocking discovery sets in motion a chain of events that will shatter the fragile facade of her life. In the heart of the cutthroat corporate battlefield, where power is a weapon and loyalty a luxury, Shay Falcon's life becomes a gripping tale of survival and redemption. Can she transcend her tainted lineage and reshape her destiny, or will the weight of her family's legacy consume her? Prepare to be captivated by a story where ambition collides with fate, and the untamed spirit of a young woman defies all odds.

Your freedom is not yours to bargain with,” his deep voice growled as he closed the distance between us. My body trembled, helpless against the fear of what awaited me. His fingers traced my check with cruel tenderness, his breath warm against my skin as I leaned in. A shiver ran through me as his lips brushed my neck. "You're mine forever," he whispered. "That's all you shall ever be–a breeder." That one word shattered my world. I never wished this fate, least of all to him, the ruthless Lycan King who sees Omegas as nothing more than his sexual plaything. I wanted him to be my first, though love isn't for someone like me–a discarded Omega with no worth. Rejected by her Alpha mate, who chose her twin sister over her, Morwenna is sold to the Lycan King, Leofric Thaddeus, as his breeder. Heartbroken and filled with anger, she vowed to resist him, yet her body betrayed her, wanting the Lycan King's touch. But when her first mate returned, pleading for her forgiveness, Morwenna faced an impossible choice: the love she once dreamed of or the ruthless Lycan King who now claims her body. Perhaps even her heart.

King Tarzan hates her more than anything in the world and beyond, because she is the daughter of the king who enslaved him when he was just a helpless young lad. He owns her, and he will pay her back in spades for those years when she sat back and watched her people mistreat him and for everything her father did to him. And her father did a lot. He was scarred into being the powerful but terrifyingly damaged monster king he is. A king who battles insanity as the day breaks every day. A king who hates to be touched. A king whose presence sends tremors of fear among the people. King Tarzan is not only traumatized with the painful past he had; he is enraged with the thoughts of the secret only he knows about. He is unable to produce an heir to his throne. Oh, I will make Leilani pay. But then again, Princess Leilani is nothing like her people. She is different from her father and the rest of them who made life miserable for him. And when he was finally in a position to make her pay for those painful years, he was bound to find out just how different and special she is. A love story that began with a deep-rooted hatred and a burning passion for revenge!

He left her unknowingly pregnant to Join the Army. 7years later He returns as her Bodyguard. She is in an Unhappy Marriage, used as a bargaining chip for her Tyrant Father. As an undercover for the Military, Andrew has a Job to do. keep Claire Safe and Protect old flames from flaring are his priorities.

Robert was the Prince of the Kingdom of Western Wind. And he had everything. The crown. The adoration of the people. The utmost respect of noblemen inside and out of their borders. But amidst all the riches and privileges given to him by birth, Robert was unhappy with his life. Shackled to an arranged marriage and struggling with his estranged father, Robert wanted more from life. But at the same time, he didn't want to disturb the peace of everyone surrounding him. That was until she arrived.

"You're a fucking monster,” I spat, looking him dead in the eye with my tear filled ones. “You’re right chica bella, but this fucking monster is your husband,” he yelled, slamming his bloodied hand on the mirror. “And that’s the only thing keeping you alive till this point.” He threw the knife into the sink, the splashes of blood staining the white ceramic. I held back a gag when I saw what looked like a piece of torn flesh on the tip of the blade. In a world where every deal has a price, Nazlynn's life is auctioned off to the most dangerous bidder. Bound by an unwanted marriage to mafia boss Luca. Can she navigate this treacherous path and reclaim her freedom?

I was sold to pay off my father’s debt. But instead of freedom, I found myself owned by a monster in a suit. Emilia never expected her life to be torn apart overnight. Quiet, soft-spoken, and painfully naïve, she was handed over like a transaction, to the most feared Mafia Lord in the city. Lucien Moretti is powerful, ruthless, and cold as ice. He doesn’t need her love, just her obedience. But Emilia isn’t prepared for the way his eyes burn when someone else touches her. Or the way her heart races when he lowers his walls, if only for a second. Everyone says Lucien has no soul. But monsters don’t protect girls like her. And they definitely don’t bleed. As secrets unravel and blood debts resurface, Emilia must decide: is Lucien her captor… or her only chance at survival? In a world of betrayal and danger, she was sold to the devil. But the devil might just be falling for her.

A life of blood diamonds and riches beyond belief- was a life Jane was thrust into when her brother owed the Mafia money. As payment for both their lives, she is forced to wed the most dangerous man in the country, Alvaro Castillo. Jane wants to make a run for it once he trusts her but will she be able to when she learns who he is under all that edgy exterior? Or will her heart be swayed, making her want to stay, damning all agreements. —————————————— Other books like this: The Mafia Boss's PA- a.k.a, CONSTANTINE.