Fading facades: love beyond the deal

To the world, I was Mrs. Ward—the untouchable queen beside the mafia king of New York, Elias Ward. But I knew my husband never loved me. His heart had always belonged to Harper Dinah. His nephew’s wife. And after that nephew conveniently died, Elias brought her into our mansion, “I just want to take better care of her,” he’d said. And his version of “care” was where he’d throw a man out of a party for daring to flirt with Harper and got her pregnant. Elias likes to praise me in public like I was the perfect wife to him. And I was. I helped build his empire. I was the one who smiled and played nice. I made his casino shine while he hid Harper away like she was something sacred. Because of all that praising, one of his enemies set his sights on me. They took me. Sent Elias a message soaked in blood and threats: Back off. Leave New York. Or your pretty wife dies. Of course, Elias didn’t choose to back off.. “Just wait,” he said over the phone, “They won’t hurt you, Noa. You’re leverage. Just hold on until Harper gives birth. Then I’ll come for you.” Eight months of being held in a filthy hole, starved, beaten, degraded. The gang leader raped me over and over again. And still, Elias never came. Finally, I escaped when they were all drunk. Went home, only find my twins sleeping in the maid’s room, eating scraps while Elias was too busy hosting a party for his newborn. I didn’t confront him, just packed my babies and disappear.

"I'm dying," I told him. "So, I figured I might as well lose my virginity to the hottest guy on campus before I go." ----- Ellie Carter never expected to be twenty one, single, and terminally ill with only six months left to live. But with nothing left to lose, she makes a deal with the campus badboy, Beck Ryder, to have one reckless and unforgettable night. It was supposed to be a one time thing. But somewhere between the late night cuddling, the constant teasing and the surprising discovery that he's not just the resident campus fuckboy (turns out he actually has a heart), Ellie catches feelings against her better judgment. Now she has to live with the knowledge that she's falling for Beck, and he might be falling for her too. How will she survive when she finds out that she might not be dying after all? Will the consequences of her actions come back to bite her when a vengeful ex enters the picture? Or can the throwaway fling turn into something real? If she thought dying would be hard, it turns out that living is way messier.

My breath caught as his lips claimed mine."I... I accept your terms,” I trembled as he caressed my cheek. My brain was in a mess and all could hear was his whisper."Liana, you're mine!"***As a 22-year old Alpha’s daughter, I was forced to accept an arranged marriage with an disgusting old man. To find a way out, I made a deal with a mysterious Alpha -- He would free me from my fate, and I would carry a child for him.What I didn't know, was that the handsome stranger I made a deal with was not a savior, but a devil!***“Liana, please let me explain.”“No,” I whispered as I closed my eyes against the pain and disappointment. I looked at my swollen belly, my heart broke for our unborn child.But, I just couldn’t stomach one more lie.“We had a deal,” he reminded me harshly. “You can’t just walk away now.”I smiled bitterly at him. "Yes, I can."A Deal with the Mysterious Alpha is created by A.B Elwin, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

She was destined to Love, he was born to Hate. She needed to escape her father's plan to marry her off to an abusive man, and he needed a child to get his father’s inheritance. She was the Light, he was the Darkness. Sofia Winters and Oscar Baron were strangers who had everything to lose—they find themselves at the most desperate of times and begin an enthralling love story in a city miles away. These were two broken souls fated for each other. Would their new-found love overcome all the trials of their new life or would it set them apart? And alas, would it be a happily ever after or an arrangement that would end in pain and regret? Two Complete Strangers, One Complicated Deal, and a Sexually Deviant Brother.

“We…shouldn’t be doing this,” Stacey moaned as she felt Noah’s lips kiss the side of her neck. “Tell me to stop, and I will,” he whispered. “I’m twelve years older than you; what would the world say?” “I don’t care what the damn world says. The only thing I care about is the woman in front of me.” He kissed her on that same sensitive spot on her neck. “So I say again, Professor, tell me to stop and I will.” ****** 32-year-old Stacey Smith's life comes crashing down when she discovers her husband's betrayal. Seeking comfort, her best friend drags her to a club where she ends up having a one-night stand with a stranger. Stacey is shocked to realize the guy she slept with is one of her students, the popular star basketball player of her school, 20-year-old Noah Baker. What happens when an unlikely romance blooms between the two? In an era of scrutiny and criticism, how would they handle the world's reaction to their unusual love? And with Noah’s future hanging on the line, her ex-husband and a new love interest her age after Stacey, would they be able to overcome all the challenges they face, or would they cave in and walk different paths?

Her only mistake, is to love the wrong person. She's the daughter of a rich family. Her father gave her everything she wanted. She doesn't't know the world as the dirty place it is. And that's why she fell in love with a nothing guy. A guy with no money, no ability, not even decent respect to her. It was okay until she found him in bed with her best friend. Now, raging with revenge, she accepted a marriage deal with her nemesis.

Emily thought the only hurdle in her life was standing up to her father to follow her dream of owning a bakery. Until her boyfriend Ryan and her sister Kayla betrayed her. leaving her devastated. Those she trusted the most threatened her life. To survive, Emily strikes a deal with the CEO Logan. A contract marriage. Their union threatens the plans of many, and they would go to any length to destroy both Emily and Logan. Will they be able to overcome the obstacle?As lies unravel, dangerous truths come to light, and unexpected feelings take root, Emily and Logan must decide—will their partnership remain just a deal, or will it become something worth fighting for?

Fiery redhead Lily is known for her fierce independence and untamed spirit. But when her brother gets into deep trouble with the notorious Black Ravens, she finds herself caught in a dangerous bind. The only way to repay his debt and keep him alive is to entangle herself with the gang's arrogantly charming leader, Ryker. Ryker, with his piercing eyes and commanding presence, rules his territory with an iron fist. Arrogant and unyielding, he's used to getting what he wants-and now, he wants Lily. Forced into his world, their clashing tempers and undeniable chemistry ignite a dark romance. As Lily found herself thrust into a world of rival gangs and hidden secrets, she realizes that her fiery spirit might be the perfect match for Ryker ruthless ambition. But with danger lurking at every turn, they must decide if their passionate connection can survive the risky game they're playing.

Killed and resurrected. Reign Riley Mcdemort should be thrilled to have a second chance to live, but her ostensibly fairy tale future isn't what it seems, and her new life has come at a high price. Being in a life contract with a man she recognizes as a ruthless vampire is a potentially fatal condition. The life contract has the power to make you feel a hellish sensation that you would never wish for. It has its own law that you are not allowed to break, because if you do, it will turn into a poison in your blood, causing you to suffer in excruciating pain. Every minute felt like dying in a painful way. Reign discovered her new life as a curse. How long will she run to get away? How long could she bear the pain? Will she be able to cope with being different from everyone else? Will she be able to survive a vampire's life?

Everyone she loves could be gone in a minute, and she dreaded it, that's why she'd concealed it. Nobody realized that she was the offspring of the Mark. Yet, Catherine was beyond wretched, how they played her, how she was a pawn. It crushed her faith, lies were told.