Expectations Novels & Stories

Abandoned in the pouring rain, Aleira Tan was left to pick up the broken pieces of her life while carrying her unborn child. For five years, she endured heartbreak, judgment, and the struggles of single motherhood—until a mysterious man once held an umbrella over her head and vanished into the night. She never expected to see him again. Now desperate for a fresh start, Aleira applies for a job at Montenegro Group—one of the country’s most elite companies. But nothing prepares her for the shock of discovering that her new boss is none other than him—Brent Montenegro. The cold, powerful billionaire who pretends not to recognize her… but whose eyes betray a different story. Strict. Mysterious. Untouchable. Brent hires her without explanation, keeping his distance—but always watching. Their unspoken tension grows with every encounter, and soon, secrets from their past begin to surface. Behind Brent’s icy exterior lies a man fighting his own battles—and Aleira might just be the light he never knew he needed. But can a billionaire torn between family expectations and buried emotions fall for a struggling single mom? In a world full of secrets, status, and silent stares… Will love find a way to rewrite their fate?

Drowning in debt and desperation, Emily Hart accepts what seems like a miracle opportunity: a high paying live in nanny position for billionaire Matteo Rinaldi in Milan. The job promises financial freedom, stability, and a chance to save her ailing mother. All Emily has to do is care for one child and follow the rules. But from the moment she steps into the Rinaldi mansion, Emily realizes nothing about this job is simple. Matteo Rinaldi is cold, controlling, and dangerously irresistible. His expectations are strict, his presence overwhelming, and his world ruled by power and secrets. As Emily settles into her new role caring for his daughter Sofia, she begins to notice cracks in the perfect image she was sold. The biggest one arrives without warning. A woman from Matteo’s past suddenly returns, demanding custody of Sofia. She is stunning, confident, and unsettlingly familiar. Her resemblance to Emily raises questions Emily was never meant to ask, and her presence threatens to unravel everything Matteo has built. Caught between a ruthless billionaire, a child at the center of a custody war, and a past that refuses to stay buried, Emily soon realizes she was not hired by accident. In a house full of wealth, control, and hidden truths, Emily must decide how far she is willing to go for survival… and what the price of freedom truly is.

Sophia Hernandez has only one thing to remember her betrothed husband by, a faded photograph her mother gave her when she was just eight years old. Since then, no man has ever truly captured her heart. Now twenty six, the crown princess lives under the weight of suffocating royal expectations and the looming shadow of an arranged marriage to a stranger she’s never met. Yet every night, something strange and deeply intimates happens. Dreams of a man who feels far too real. His touch burns, his voice claims her and his presence lingers long after she wakes. “Why do I keep dreaming of him?” “What is ridiculous is being twenty-six, gorgeous, rich, and still untouched. You’ve never partied, you’ve never lived. Once you’re married, that’s it? game over. So why not taste freedom now?”. Ava, her only friend said. How do you fall for someone else when your heart is chained to a man you’ve never met? Torn between duty and desire, Will Sophia defy her obligations for a chance at real love? Or will the mystery man in her dreams turn out to be more than just fantasy?

Lilly thought, her life would end soon enough, as she was too weak and exhausted from all the pain in her body. She couldn't take it anymore. The thing that kept her willing to live still there was her parents' last wish. For her to fight for her life. Her miserable life. At first, Lilly still hopes and believes that a slave, a low-life like her can have that proper living. Just like other normal living beings. But no. Normal and proper life was not in her fate. She is sure of it now. No hope for a low-life like her. A slave like her will always be a low-life creature. They either die on the street like rats or a breeder for another creature. -------In a harsh world where a girl with an unlucky fate like Lilly lives, she no longer has the will to live. So, when Alpha Ken, bored of her as his plaything. She didn't even beg for her life when he decided to sell her off to the Lycans. Because Lilly decided to die in another place. Far away from here. Will that happen? What will happen when she finally arrives at a place far away from her expectations? Will Lilly stick to her plan and give up on her life, or will she fight for herself once again when she finds them, the ones that Moon Goddess destined for her?

Contracted to My Boss When poverty and her sister’s critical illness leave her with nowhere to turn, she reaches out to her boyfriend for help—only to face a devastating betrayal. Outside the hospital, he declares he’s leaving her for another woman, branding her a burden who offers him no benefits. Shattered, she flees and accidentally collides with the CEO of her company, who has overheard every word of her heartbreak. He presents a pragmatic solution: a contract marriage where he gets the wife he needs to navigate family expectations, and she gets the money to save her sister. Seeing no other option, she agrees, and they formalize their arrangement as a strictly business deal with no room for emotions. But as they share their lives under one roof, their professional boundaries begin to crumble. His tender gestures, protective instincts, and unexpected kisses leave her questioning if this is truly just a contract. For him, the thought of her walking away—wearied by the pressure from his family and doubts about their future—awakens feelings he never anticipated. What began as a transaction to solve their individual problems evolves into something far more complex, forcing both to confront whether their growing connection is real, or if they’re simply pretending to fill the voids in their lives.

On the day of the SAT exam, my girlfriend, Shirley Jackson, gave me a gift for good luck. It was a brand-new pair of glasses. "May all your predictions come true. Once you get into Alpheno College, we'll get engaged!" Carrying her blessings and expectations with me, I opened the test paper. To my surprise, I really did guess the questions correctly. But when the scores came out, my teacher informed me that all my results had been invalidated. No matter how much I tried to explain, the school insisted that I, the top student in the grade, had copied answers from Ian Seinfeld, the worst student in my class. Callisto College turned me into a cautionary tale. Every other college blacklisted me. I was cyberbullied by everyone online. In the end, I broke down and took my own life. When I opened my eyes again, I'd returned to the moment Shirley put those glasses on for me. While looking at her gentle expression, I suddenly heard her inner thoughts. 'As long as Ian can see Keith's answer sheet through the camera, he'll definitely get into Alpheno College. Ian and I can finally be together in public then.'

Eighteen-year-old Ayesha dreams of pursuing her education and building a life on her own terms. But when her traditional family arranges her marriage to Arman, the eldest son of a wealthy and influential family, her world is turned upside down. Stripped of her independence and into a household where she is treated as an outsider, Ayesha quickly learns that her worth is seen only in terms of what she can provide—not who she is. Arman, cold and distant, seems to care little for her struggles, and his family spares no opportunity to remind Ayesha of her "place." Despite their cruelty, she refuses to be crushed. With courage and determination, Ayesha begins to carve out her own identity, even in the face of hostility. As tensions rise and secrets within the household come to light, Ayesha is faced with a choice: remain trapped in a marriage that diminishes her, or fight for the freedom and self-respect she deserves. Along the way, she discovers that strength can be found in the most unexpected places—and that love, even in its most fragile form, can transform and heal. Why Me is a heart-wrenching story of resilience, self-discovery, and the power of standing up for oneself, set against the backdrop of tradition and societal expectations. is a poignant and powerful exploration of resilience, identity, and the battle for autonomy. Set against the backdrop of tradition and societal expectations, it is a moving story of finding hope, strength, and love in the darkest of times.But at the end she will find LOVE.

Evie is an Immortal, not an ordinary Immortal but the daughter of the Evermore leader. Her parents expected their first daughter together to be destined for greatness, as were their sons. All Evermore and Immortals expected her to be a Chosen Immortal just like her brothers, it was expected. But shortly after her birth, a book of destiny with a red and gold cover appeared beside her, shattering all the expectations they had for her. Since the books of destiny are destined for ordinary immortals, her family was deeply disappointed and ended up neglecting her. Evie was raised by her older half-sister and her brother-in-law. Being exposed to rigorous education and heavy training since she was little, so she could prepare for when she was sent to the reality of her book of destiny. And finally, on her twentieth birthday, the day of her departure has arrived. She was physically ready and psychologically prepared to change Danika, the reality of her book of destiny, and to find her soulmate. But more than anything, she was eager to get away from all the gods who neglected her in her twenties. And as much as she was aware that her life in Danika was not going to be easy, she didn’t expect the family she was going to end up in to cause so much trouble for her. Nor that she would be exposed to pains that she would not wish for even her worst enemy.

After losing her scholarship during her final year at Hilton Academy, Myra Yllerein finds herself on the verge of losing everything she has worked for. With a widowed mother and four younger siblings depending on her, giving up is not an option. Desperate to save her future, Myra accepts an unusual job offer: become the personal maid of Terrence Hilton, the billionaire heir of Hilton Holdings and the infamous young master of Hilton Mansion. Once celebrated as Hilton Academy's football captain and golden boy, Terrence's life changed after a tragic accident left him confined to a wheelchair. Bitter, distant, and impossible to please, he has driven away every maid assigned to him. Everyone quits. Myra can't afford to. What begins as a simple arrangement soon becomes something far more complicated as two people from completely different worlds find comfort in each other's company. But with family expectations, social status, hidden secrets, and an arranged engagement threatening to tear them apart, will love be enough to bridge the distance between them? Or will they remain strangers who were never meant to cross paths? "We were never part of each other's plans, yet we became each other's home."

At the ceremony where my mother, Helena Marlow, received the Best Homeroom Teacher award, the parents wept with gratitude. They praised her for nurturing the students successfully without ever resorting to harsh discipline, and for helping them all to excellent results. But no one knew that the path to their children’s success had been paved by Mom, using me as a warning to others. When someone in the class stole money, cheated on an exam, or got into a romantic relationship, I was the one punished. During the ceremony, the principal, Ms. Wanda Ambrose, stepped onto the stage to present her award. She asked, “Ms. Marlow, you have so many outstanding students in your class. Which student are you most proud of?” Mom smiled with quiet pride. “They are all like my own children. I love every one of them.” Then she let out a small sigh. “Except for my daughter. She alone fails to live up to expectations and disappoints me every time.” Laughter and applause rose from the audience below the stage. They nodded in understanding and praised her for being so modest. I drifted to her side and looked at the satisfied curve of her lips before speaking softly. “Don’t worry, Mom. From now on, I won’t disappoint you anymore.”