Gambling Stone

What does the underboss of an infamous crime family have in common with a spirited primary school teacher? Absolutely nothing, except a marriage of convenience, of course. When Lionel Tyson defaults on a gambling debt and offers his most prized possession as collateral, Austin Hawthorne is underwhelmed. But in desperate need of a housekeeper and permanent child minder, he knows he’d be an idiot to look a gift horse in the mouth. So, against his better judgement, he accepts an offer he should absolutely refuse. Marybeth Tyson is horrified to learn that not only is her father wanted by loan sharks, but he has also sold her off to a mafia boss. Bound by duty and pushed by guilt, she agrees to give Austin Hawthorne one year of her life, despite common sense screaming at her to run the other way. After all, how hard can pretending to be madly in love with someone be? It’s all fun and games until play pretend becomes all too real, and an earth-shattering secret from Austin’s past comes to light, threatening to destroy his second chance at love with his dogged pursuit for answers. Betrayal, especially at the hands of his older brother Blake and long-time friend, Andrei Ivanov, is a bitter pill to swallow for Austin, and letting them off scot-free is not an option. Driven by his unquenchable thirst for revenge, Austin will stop at nothing to get to the truth, even if it means destroying decade-old friendships and fragile ties to The Corporation. 2022 Val Sims. All rights reserved. No part of this novel may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author and publishers.

"I am your master, I own you. Until your father is able to pay me what he owes, you are just a body for me to fuck and dispose of as soon as you give me an heir" His grip on my chin grew more hurtful as he said those words to me. His menacing scowl made him look like he would want want nothing more than to kill me on the spot. "I am going to pay you back, Tell me how much he owes you right now and I'm going to pay everything back, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" I scream as hard as I can into his face. My hand balling into a fist. His head snapped back as he erupted into a wicked laughter, you think you can pay me what your father owes me?" He released my chin then moved to steps backward. His voice dropped to a whisper, vibrating with restrained anger as he continue to speak, "I dare you to try. Your father owes me half a million dollars, but since you have decided to take on this debt, I give you a month." Rue; Freedom was everything I have ever yearned for, a time when I can finally breathe a breath of relief, a time when I can finally be relieved of the burden of my alcoholic, selfish and gambling addicted father. Until my father sold me to the ruthless mafia Don, Alessandro Vanillin as a payment of five hundred thousand dollars. It was stupid of me to think I was better away from my father.

Elena Vance made a fifty-dollar mistake that cost her her freedom. Believing her one-night stand was a high-end escort, she left cash and a mocking note on his pillow, only to walk into a boardroom hours later and realize the man was Adrian Blackwood, the ruthless "Ice King" CEO. Adrian didn't just hold her career in his hands; he held a cocktail napkin marriage license signed in a tequila haze and her father’s $200,000 gambling debt. "You belong to me for six months," he declared, trapping her in a fake marriage to secure a corporate merger. Elena entered the "gilded cage" of Adrian's penthouse expecting a cold, transactional war of wills governed by strict "no-touch" clauses. She remained loyal only to save her father, unaware that he would eventually betray her to their enemies. But the boardroom battles quickly turned lethal. Victor Kane, Adrian’s bitter rival from MIT, obsessed with erasing the Blackwood legacy, sold the company's debt to the Russian Bratva. Suddenly, the fake spouses were forced into a terrifying reality: becoming FBI informants. The "Ice King" melted into a desperate protector, and the graphic designer sharpened into a survivor. Their bond shifted from a business deal to a sacrificial love, forged in the fires of betrayal. But when a mission to plant a bug at a mob wedding ends in a massacre, they realize the FBI is compromised. Stripped of his billions and presumed dead, Adrian stands in the ashes of his empire alongside Elena. A secret brother watches from the shadows, and the Russian mob is closing in. "We have nothing left," Elena whispered, staring into the dark. Adrian gripped her hand, his eyes burning with a new, dangerous resolve. "We have each other. And now, we run."

Becca thought her life was all set in stone, but little did she was wrong. Through heartbreak, she finds herself in a predicament. She’s pregnant. Becca isn’t ready to tell the world about her baby, so she decided to hide her pregnancy until she was ready to face the father. The only problem was that Becca started to have feelings for another man. She told herself she wasn’t allowed to get involved with anyone until after the baby came, but Will made that hard. Eventually she lets her feelings for him take over. She’s willing to tell him everything. Luckily, Will accepts her and the baby as his own. Throughout the pregnancy they plan their lives together. They even start looking to buy a house together to raise Becca’s baby. But tragedy strikes when Becca goes into labor three months early. Will her baby make it and can she keep the love of her life? Or will her life just fall apart?

Olive Bennett's perfect life shatters the night before her wedding when she discovers her fiancé, Frank, in a passionate embrace with her sister, Delilah. Heartbroken and betrayed, she cancels the wedding and flees to New York, desperate to rebuild her life. But just as she tries to leave her pain behind, Olive receives shocking news—she's pregnant. A virgin and utterly confused, Olive unravels a twist of fate at the hospital. An accidental mix-up during a medical procedure infused her with billionaire Raymond Stone DNA, intended for a surrogacy program. Furious at the hospital’s unprofessionalism Raymond decides to sue the hospital. As Olive and Raymond go through this unexpected bond, Frank resurfaces with a vengeful lawsuit, accusing Olive of wasting his time while allegedly being with another man. The stakes rise as Olive must defend her honor, confront her sister’s betrayal, and decide if she can trust Raymond, who hides a painful past of his own.

Lady Clara's life is forever changed when she is forced to marry the ruthless mafia billionaire, Alexandro, to save her family from financial ruin. With no other options, she becomes his wife, hoping to find a way out of the mess her father's gambling debts have caused. As she navigates her new life, Clara quickly learns that Alexandro is not someone to be trifled with. He rules his empire with an iron fist, and anyone who crosses him is met with swift and brutal consequences. Despite her initial fear, Clara is determined to make the best of her situation and protect her family from harm. However, things take a surprising turn when Alexandro falls into a coma. Clara is left alone to navigate the dangerous world of the mafia, with no one to turn to but herself. To make matters worse, she discovers that she is pregnant with Alexandro's child. As she struggles to come to terms with her new reality, Clara is hit with another bombshell. Alexandro's accusations of infidelity and theft have left her reputation in tatters. Even worse, her friend, who has always been jealous of her, has gotten engaged to Alexandro. Determined to clear her name and prove her innocence, Clara embarks on a perilous journey to uncover the truth. Along the way, she discovers that her feelings for Alexandro run deeper than she ever imagined, and she must decide whether to trust him or risk losing everything. With danger lurking around every corner, Clara must fight to protect the ones she loves and find a way to overcome the obstacles in her path. Will she be able to clear her name and find true love with the billionaire mafia boss, or will her dreams be shattered forever?

Ten years ago, Morris Amelia left her high school boyfriend without a single word and left for America to continue her studies. Despite the long distance between the both of them , Amelia couldn't stop loving the guy he left , even when she tried so hard not to show it on her face. Not able to continue torturing herself , Amelia decided to go after him but met her nemesis going after him. *** "Cheers for breaking the world fastest record Stanley!" Those words were said in unison among his male friends as they were celebrating his victory on the night he won the fastest record as the best swimmer. "Thank you guys" Stanley said, along the way he was roughly pulled up by a lady in a blue gown adorned with shimmering stone , her hazel eyes mixed with different feelings. "Stanley , I'm back for you!" The lady muttered under her breath and just like that their lips collided. Different cameras started clicking on them. *** "And why are you kissing my fiance?"

My friend and I transmigrated into a melodramatic novel about a wealthy family. When the mission ended, I chose to leave. He fell for the obsessive female lead and chose to stay with her. Eight years later, the system told me that she had locked him in a mental hospital, and he had only three days left to live. When I rushed to him, he was tied to the bed. His eyes were dull, and he kept repeating my name. His crush, Sterling Group's CEO, was planning a grand wedding with the man she truly loved. I looked at my friend’s hands. They had once played the piano with grace. This time, they were covered in countless needle marks. “You came, I knew you would...” He mustered the last of his strength to look at me. “I was a fool. I thought staying by her side was the truest form of my love for her. “I never realized I was only a stepping stone in her path. “Take me home. I don’t want to die here...”

They thought they were enemies. Fate made them mates. Joy Stone isn’t just the brainy, sarcastic queen of pranks—she’s a deadly Alpha hybrid in disguise. At her human university, no one suspects the quiet nerd is also the fiercest warrior of the Diamond Heart Pack. Until he walks in. Lex: infuriatingly gorgeous, maddeningly brilliant, and cocky enough to challenge her at every turn. He’s also the future Alpha of the Water Moon Pack, a notorious playboy whose charm breaks hearts almost as fast as his fists break bones—and now, her new rival for the top spot on campus. Their war starts with stolen notes, savage comebacks, and steamy glares that last too long. But one reckless kiss, one dark secret, and one blood-soaked rescue later… everything changes. They’re not just rivals. They’re mates. Now Joy has to choose: resist the pull—or give in to a bond that could expose everything she’s worked to hide. Enemies in the classroom. Lovers by fate. And in the end, only one will top the pack.

Louvre, an eighteen-year-old girl, the second daughter of the leader of the Blood Stone pack, who comes from among the wealthiest family, she was an Omega, who didn't fit in with her family. An illegitimate child, she was a mistake and a curse to her family and no one loved her. She was alone in the world, even the pack didn't value her because she was a product of a one night stand from an Omega who was her father's maid and she suffered greatly at the hands of her family especially her stepmother. She was also in love with Ryan from childhood but Ryan, an Alpha, was in love with her stepsister. She tried her best to get over the unrequited love, heartbroken and depressed, causing fate, for making her life a living hell, and wished for her mate to arrive at her eighteen birthday, so she could leave her family and live happily ever after with the love of her life. However, that shattered when she found out who her mate was, all hell broke loose. She cursed fate.