Familial Bond

She knew the wedding was inevitable. That’s why she let herself have one last night, one reckless, sinful night with him. Nico Moreti. The man who made her forget the world. It was supposed to be their final goodbye. A stolen moment before she was forced into a marriage she never wanted. But when she walks down the aisle the next day, ready to marry the most feared mafia boss in the country, she looks up and sees him. Her Nico. Standing beside the groom as his son. The realization hits her like a bullet to the chest as his cold, burning gaze strips her bare in front of everyone. She never thought she’d see him again much more him turning out to be her new stepson. She never wanted this marriage. Never wanted to belong to Salvatore Moreti, a man who buries his wives before their bodies go cold. But she’s trapped. And the man she loves? He’s part of the people sharpening the knife. Because Nico won’t forgive nor let her go. And he sure as hell won’t let her forget who touched her first. Now, there’s no way out. Because in this world, love doesn’t save you. It destroys you.

He wasn’t supposed to be anything more than a favor. A protector. A shadow while my father was gone. But now he’s everything I shouldn’t want—and the only thing I can’t stop craving. My father’s a powerful man—military, respected, constantly away. After the divorce, it was just me. No mother. No softness. Just silence and an empty house that echoed louder with every year. Then came Roman Cross. My dad’s best friend. His war brother. Older. Stricter. And always watching. He moved into the guesthouse when I turned eighteen, “just to keep an eye on things,” he said. A promise made man-to-man, sealed with loyalty. But Roman doesn’t treat me like a child. Not anymore. Not since the night I saw what he really is—what he really wants. He runs something dark behind closed doors. A secret club, built on control and submission. And once I got too curious, there was no going back. Now every look is a warning. Every touch, a mistake. Every whispered good girl... a promise. My father thinks I’m safe. But I fell in love with the one man he trusted to protect me. “Guardian of Ruin” is a dark, forbidden romance full of secrets, age-gap tension, and the dangerous kind of love that can never stay hidden.

My mom and dad died heroically in a fire rescue, trying to protect an orphan. Afterward, my brother brought the orphan, Audrey, home. To make her smile, he'd throw away photos of me and our parents. He even kicked me out in front of everyone. For Audrey's coming-of-age celebration, he took her to Cranburn—the place I'd always dreamed of going. In his eyes, I had nowhere else to go. He believed that once I realized I was wrong, I'd come back on my own. But what he didn't know was—I had joined an overseas rescue team. This might be the last time we ever see each other.

I was Garrett Blackwood's lost sister, separated from my Alpha brother for ten years. When I finally returned to Stormfang Pack, I discovered he already had an adopted sister. I became the unwanted one. Even when I was brutally murdered, no one sought justice for me. Not until three years later when the case was reopened and my diary was found. Only then did my powerful Alpha brother finally collapse under the weight of his delayed remorse.

After Dad went bankrupt, Mom immediately started fighting for a divorce. I did not fight or argue, just watched coldly as my sister, Jessica Shaw, shoved me aside and threw herself at Dad. She cried out, "Dad, don't be sad! I'll stay with you!" In my past life, after our parents divorced, Jessica went with our wealthy Mom while I ended up with bankrupt Dad. However, what no one expected was that Mom's remarriage turned into a disaster when she married a scumbag who not only drained her assets but left her with nothing in the divorce. Jessica suffered right along with her. Meanwhile, Dad made a comeback and became wildly successful, eventually turning into a wealthy tycoon. Jessica grew bitter seeing me live well. Under the guise of catching up, she orchestrated a car accident that killed me. When I opened my eyes again, we had both traveled back to the day our parents filed a divorce. This time, Jessica shot me a smug smile and declared first, "I love Dad, so I want to stay with him." Little did she know, I could not have been happier with this arrangement. After all, I refused to spend another lifetime hiding and scraping by.

When brilliant New York attorney Alex Cromwell is sent to Chicago to find a billionaire’s missing daughter, it’s supposed to be purely business and not personal. His mission is to bring her home and save his father’s collapsing law firm. But Lily Smith isn’t missing. She’s building a new life far from the man who once tried to control her. Smart, guarded, and determined, she wants nothing more than to forget her past until Alex walks in, with a goal to send her back to the past she’s tried to avoid. What begins as obligation soon becomes something neither expected; quiet laughter, late-night talks, and a connection that feels dangerously real. Yet when the truth surfaces that Alex was sent by her father love turns to betrayal. Torn between redemption and heartbreak, Alex returns home to face his failure. Until one day, Lily walks into his office, ready to forgive, ready to begin again. Because sometimes love beats betrayal And the hardest cases are the ones the heart must win.

The day my biological family comes to take me home, a car accident occurs. My parents and the fake son who had been living my life all die, but my sister, Kayla Bennett, survives. She despises me completely after that and blames the company's bankruptcy on me too. Desperate to make amends, I work over ten jobs a day, giving her every cent I earn so she can buy back the villa that has all our family memories. The day I finally save enough money, I discover my supposedly dead parents inside that same villa, celebrating Dylan Bennett's birthday. My usually cold sister is laughing warmly with them. As they bring out the cake, Mom mentions me. "Today's Nathan's birthday too. We've been punishing him for eight years now. Maybe we should bring him home?" Kayla cuts her off immediately. "We agreed on ten years to make sure he never suggests sending Dylan away again. Not one year less!" I clutch my medical report and laugh through my tears. But Kayla, I'm dying.

My daughter’s kindergarten held a family event, and I rushed there, only to see her holding hands with my wife’s male secretary. “Daddy,” she said, “I wish our family could stay like this forever.” I watched as the three of them hugged, radiant with happiness. Suddenly, exhaustion washed over me. Later, I filed for divorce. Then I left to teach in rural villages for thirty years. If I couldn’t light the lamp in my own home, I’d at least illuminate the path for others.

I had everything planned a month in advance for our holiday. I was going to take my wife and daughter on a trip to see the country's beautiful landscapes, but just before we were supposed to leave, they both disappeared. I ended up standing alone in the pouring rain, trying to call them. My daughter's voice came through over the phone—it was cold and impatient. "Mommy's having dinner with Uncle Skyler. We don't want to go anymore." Right after that, the call was cut off. I had been blocked. They locked me out of the house on purpose and left me to freeze out there all night. The rain had already drenched me, and I was running a high fever that turned into pneumonia. Meanwhile, the two of them were off enjoying a vacation with Skyler Shire. That was the moment I knew—this marriage was well and truly over.

Jericho is an accomplished operative working for a clandestine organization. Living a modest life in Iowa, he is drawn to Charlotte and pulled into the web of her own secrets. The realization that he could love her forever creates a dilemma. Does he love her or does he let her go. He lives in a dangerous world, one where death is the only escape. When a hit goes wrong, his client puts a price on his head and Jericho has to go underground. He leaves his life behind without thinking twice and also the woman he loves. He vanishes into thin air and starts hunting those sent to kill him. When Charlotte awakens his dormant memories, he realizes the truth. He is a descendant from a long line of people who shift into wolves. On the day he is meant to die, Kiran Sinclair saves him and he wakes up in Seward, Alaska. With his wolf abilities no longer dormant, Jericho knows that the Director will stop at nothing to destroy his entire family and Jericho takes the fight to him. His tale is a compelling blend of intrigue, romance, and remorse.