Expectations

No connection. No acquaintance. In one night of passion with no expectations, strangers become intimately acquainted. Will one night of lust turn into their happy ever after? Is it simply lust or could it possibly be love at first site? A collection of short stories: four couples, one day, twenty-four passionate hours. "Strangers" is created by Stephanie Walls, an eGlobal Creative Publishing author.

Isabella is the daughter of King Roberts, beautiful and charismatic. After living in the shadows of her parents and being abused, they decide to marry her off to form an alliance. By not meeting her expectations, Prince Christopher will try to get rid of her. The princess will have to make a decision and reach an agreement with her fiancée before her father puts a macabre plan into motion.

In the glittering world of New York's elite, Valentina Martins finds herself thrust into an engagement with the city's youngest billionaire, Rocco Lorenzo. But this isn't a fairy tale romance—it's a desperate bid to save her father's ailing company after a devastating betrayal. Just days after catching her boyfriend cheating with her best friend, Valentina must navigate a marriage of convenience with a man who embodies arrogance and detachment. Rocco Lorenzo cares little for love; he's focused on fulfilling his parents' expectations and maintaining his carefully curated image. As Valentina proposes a strategic alliance to revive her family's fortunes and spark jealousy in her unfaithful ex, she unwittingly sets in motion a game of high-stakes deception and unexpected passion. Can Valentina and Rocco navigate the treacherous waters of their contractual union, or will their hearts become casualties of their own arrangement? In this world of wealth, power, and deceit, nothing is as it seems, and every move carries the weight of consequence.

Lil Ward was given a task by an old man named Cain. His mission was to eradicate a hundred wicked people in the world. He realized that killing people was an unjust thing itself, but though he didn't want to kill, he could not control his power that was forcing him to commit the heinous crime. Lil became busy helping people, but he was also killing those bad people. One day, he met a girl named Kaila Breaks, with whom he didn't expect to fall in love. Lil hid everything about his power from Kaila, because he knew that she would leave him if she knew that he was a murderer. In contrast to Lil's expectations, Kaila also had a power from the wicked woman named Alicia. Kaila was also using her power to kill those bad people, because of the task that was given to her by Alicia. One day, the path of Lil and Kaila would meet. The hundredth people that they needed to kill was themselves in order to get rid from the curses of Cain and Alicia. The tale will tell you how Lil and Kaila were destined to fight against each other. Will they change their fate? Who will sacrifice oneself to make the other survive? Will they just let destiny decide everything? Which one is more important to them, love or freedom?

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.

I was born a Rogue. At seven, my sorry excuse of a father almost sold me to a disgusting old wolf. Julian the Alpha saved me. He taught me how to fight, to have dignity. Another Alpha, Lucian, showed me how sweet life could be. They treated me like their precious treasure. It all changed when their childhood sweetheart Claire returned. Julian and Lucian stopped spending time with me, and even severed our mind link. I thought that if I worked harder and was more obedient—if I changed myself to suit their tastes a little more—I could get them back, even if it meant losing myself entirely. One day, everything ended. To protect Claire, they intentionally rigged the game and lost the match. They threw me into the Death Forest, full of savage Beasts. There, a Beast pounced at me, its sharp fangs tearing my neck apart. I closed my eyes, the smell of blood drowning me amidst the cheers. No one cared for me… None. So be it! No longer would I have any expectations!

They were many things: best friends, mistresses and servants, employer and employee, wealthy and poor, but they never counted on being lovers. Kathleen was the sole daughter of a billionaire mogul from a broken home. All her life, she has ever wanted to find the one person who truly loves her. She thought she found it with her first husband, but things came to a heel when he asked for a divorce. Broken-hearted, Kathleen goes on a vacation with her best friend, slash companion, slash manservant, which leads to a start of something they both knew was impossible between them, but they couldn't deny their feelings. Would Kathleen find the true love which has been under her nose all this while, or would she let her father and societal expectations force her into making another wrong choice in love?

Right after Suzanne's husband runs away with his mistress, she not only loses her job, but the doctor diagnoses her son with a liver infection. Then her friend Stella linked her up to “Dominic Khan.” Dominic Khan, who is a forty-three-year-old billionaire with no wife or children, requires a decent lady to marry him to bear him an heir and be a stay-at-home wife during the contract marriage. When introduced to Dominic Khan, Suzanne is stunned by all his impediments and erotic expectations but she accepts them. *** But will Dominic accept to take care of Suzanne's dying son? Would he make a single mother with no decent background his wife? What if Suzanne's husband returns? Read on to unravel this rivalry of love, romance, and seduction!

In the realm of tangled destinies, Liyana found herself ensnared in a bittersweet love affair. Her heart beat fiercely for Ayaan, her college mate, while her parents conspired to bind her to the most loathsome person she had ever encountered, Rayan. As the weight of an arranged marriage bore down upon her, Liyana's fate teetered on the vow she had taken with her true love. Could their forbidden love defy the oppressive forces of the family? Would their solemn promise be the glue that held them together, or would it be the harbinger of their ultimate downfall? This is the story of a love tested by society's expectations, where a single vow becomes the pivotal point between salvation and doom.

Struggling baker Olivia's world is about to get a sugar rush. A chance encounter with the enigmatic Ethan Kingsley, a billionaire with a heart of gold (or so it seems), leads to a shocking proposition: a marriage of convenience. What starts as a business deal to save her bakery turns into a whirlwind of paparazzi, designer dresses, and undeniable chemistry. But secrets lurk beneath the frosting, and Olivia's past threatens to shatter their fragile connection. Ethan must choose between his ruthless grandfather's demands and a love that could cost him everything. Can their unlikely union survive the media storm, a manipulative family, and Olivia's hidden truth? The Billionaire's Bride is a sweet and steamy story of defying expectations, finding love in the most unexpected places, and proving that sometimes, the most valuable things in life aren't bought with money.