Garis Finish

as soon as I stepped out of the villa, it felt like I’d walked straight into a nightmare. Hector, the man I’d missed so much, was surrounded by soldiers, passionately kissing some woman I’d never seen before. The cheers and whistles around them felt like knives stabbing into my heart. I froze, my happiness turning into icy disappointment and rage. I forced myself to walk closer, even though every step felt like I was wading through quicksand. As more people noticed me, the noise died down, like someone had hit the mute button. Hector and his mystery woman were still in their own world until they finally sensed the eerie silence and pulled apart. When Hector’s eyes met mine, panic flashed across his face, but he quickly masked it. Holding the woman’s hand, he approached me. “Elena, this is Vanessa, she’s—” Before he could finish, Vanessa flashed a confident smile and offered her hand to me. “Hi, I’m Vanessa, Hector’s partner. We fell in love on the battlefield.”

“I prefer to be in the arms of other men who would treat me right than be with you anymore” she breathed out. “How dare you” he yelled at her face while she stood her ground to him. “What are you...” Before she could finish her sentence, he pinned her to the wall and kissed her fiercely. He wrapped her legs around his waist leaving her back pinned to the wall as he deepened the kiss. He pulled away from the kiss slowly kissing her neck in turn as his hand slid into her panties. His fingers fondled with her wet folds giving her shimmers of pleasure she had never felt. *** Elaine, a beautiful young lady who had everything just found out that she had cancer and had about a year to live. Shattered by the news, she hid it from her family that maltreated her only for them to realize the truth and cuss her out breaking her heart.In a bid to enjoy her life to the fullest, she had a one night stand with a man but to her greatest surprise, it turned out to be her husband.

I came to this new school with one goal—stay invisible. No drama. No chaos. Just finish the semester and get out. But everything changed the moment I laid eyes on him—Aiden Cross. Rich, arrogant, dangerously charming. The school's golden boy and certified heartbreaker. He had no business looking at me, let alone touching me. And yet, there he was, lips still warm from kissing another girl, smirking as he walked straight toward me… and pulled me into his world with one simple, cocky line: “Care to join?” From that moment on, my plan to stay out of trouble was officially ruined. Now, I’m skipping school, arguing with him like we’ve known each other for years, sharing moments I swore I’d never allow, and feeling things I can't ignore. But Aiden? He hides behind jokes and a player reputation—brushing off anything real like it’s just another game. He’s everything I told myself to avoid. So why does my heart race every time he’s near? Between surprise kisses in the cafeteria, his jealousy-fueled fights, and our late-night talks that cut deeper than I ever expected, I’m starting to realize one thing: Sometimes the person you least expect becomes the one you can’t let go. But can I trust him with my heart? Or will he leave me like he does everyone else. He was supposed to be my nightmare. Now… he might just be my love story.

ALICE RILEY “I like you; you’re a wonderful girl. But your stubbornness? I can’t deal with that. Unless you change—” Before he could finish, I said goodbye and walked out. Just a week into dating, and all he could see was my so-called obstinance. Honestly, dating wasn’t my thing. Men admired my looks, sure, but my mind? That was a different story. A few dates were all it took for them to brand me as headstrong or argumentative. I was okay with that. I had no intention of changing myself to fit someone else’s expectations. Then came Vivian Scott, the enigmatic CEO of Scott Group. He was unlike anyone I’d met before. Why wasn’t he running for the hills like the rest? Did he actually think he could tame me, bend me to his will? VIVIAN SCOTT I had everything a man needed to make women swoon—looks, power, status, and wealth. Becoming the CEO of Scott Group at a young age had made me responsible, but it hadn’t dulled my appetite for fun. Whenever I encountered a beautiful woman, I knew exactly how she’d react. I never missed an opportunity to tease and charm my way into her good graces. It was all harmless fun—short-lived and never serious. That was until I met Alice Riley. Alice was gorgeous, no doubt, but it wasn’t just her beauty that intrigued me. Her sharp wit and unyielding attitude set her apart. She wasn’t like the women I’d known before. Unfortunately for her, she thought that throwing up walls and flaunting her defiance would keep me at bay. What’s more thrilling than conquering the impossible? I was determined to bring her to my track! __________ Cover Image Credit: Image by Freepik

“What does it look like, Victoria?” Amelia replied with a smirk. “I see. You’ve grown bold", my mother said. “No, no, you’re mistaken. I’ve grown rich! Victoria.” When Amelia Harper storms back into Ethan Caldwell’s life, she’s no longer the girl he lost, she’s the powerful widow standing between him and in control of Caldwell Enterprises. As lies unravel and a daughter he never knew enters the picture, Ethan is forced to confront a scandal that could ruin everything. Torn between revenge, love, and the truth behind Amelia’s disappearance, one question remains: Can they rebuild what was shattered, or will the past finish what it started?

Mia—codename Zero—is the deadliest assassin alive. She never asks questions. Never fails a job. Until a brutal accident steals her memory. Waking up in a powerful Alpha’s care, she has no idea who she is or why she was carrying his photograph. Alex Moore, CEO of Raften Pharmaceuticals and leader of the Darkhaven Pack, knows better than to trust a mysterious woman with a past she can’t remember. But something about her calls to him in ways he can’t explain. As passion ignites and their worlds intertwine, the truth looms in the shadows. Because Mia wasn’t just an assassin. She was sent to kill him. And when she remembers, there will be only one question left—will she finish the job, or has fate already sealed her loyalty… and her heart?

Layla Reyes wasn’t looking to be noticed. New to Maple Hill High, she only wanted to keep her head down, finish senior year, and forget the mess she left behind in Chicago. But then she meets Jayden Carter—a quiet artist with soulful eyes and a sketchpad full of secrets. What starts as a simple school project soon becomes something deeper, richer, and more complicated than either of them expected. Just as they begin to open up, Layla’s past crashes into her present, threatening to undo everything she and Jayden were building. Can two people still healing learn to trust each other with more than just paint and poetry? Or will they stay stuck in the space between what almost was… and what could be?

MATCHED is book #3 in a new paranormal romance series by bestselling author Bella Lore, whose series MY TRUE MATE and THE ALPHA’S MATE have over 500 five-star reviews. “I couldn’t stop reading.” --Amazon review (My True Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ When her father suddenly dies, Winter Grace, 17, is forced to fly across the country and attend a mysterious prep school, an ancient castle in a fog-covered island on the coast of Maine. Nothing here is what it seems, and it isn’t long before Winter, feeling a surging power for the first time, realizes that she is not who—or what—she thinks she is. But when Winter feels an inexplicable crush for an elusive and dangerous boy at the school, she realizes a greater destiny is at play. She knows the relationship might destroy them both—yet she also knows that they can never be apart. In MATCHED, Winter and her love reach the place they never though they would. They are so close to retrieving the relic—when an unexpected twist may just force her love to sacrifice everything—even himself—for her. Creating an unforgettable world of vampires, werewolves, shifters and magic of all sorts, a world of fantasy, love and sacrifice, MORTAL will take you to another place, rife with shocking twists and turns. Fans of books such as Vampire Academy and Twilight and Crush are sure to fall in love! Future books in the series are also available. "The story was very well written and was unique as compared to other shifter stories.” --Amazon review (The Alpha’s Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Excellent from start to finish and leaves you wanting more.” --Amazon review (My True Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

MARKED is book #4 in a new paranormal romance series by bestselling author Bella Lore, whose series MY TRUE MATE and THE ALPHA’S MATE have over 500 five-star reviews. “I couldn’t stop reading.” --Amazon review (My True Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ When her father suddenly dies, Winter Grace, 17, is forced to fly across the country and attend a mysterious prep school, an ancient castle in a fog-covered island on the coast of Maine. Nothing here is what it seems, and it isn’t long before Winter, feeling a surging power for the first time, realizes that she is not who—or what—she thinks she is. But when Winter feels an inexplicable crush for an elusive and dangerous boy at the school, she realizes a greater destiny is at play. She knows the relationship might destroy them both—yet she also knows that they can never be apart. In MARKED, it is time for Winter to return on the epic quest back to save her school—but first, it is time for her to now sacrifice it all, and find—and save—her lost love. Creating an unforgettable world of vampires, werewolves, shifters and magic of all sorts, a world of fantasy, love and sacrifice, MORTAL will take you to another place, rife with shocking twists and turns. Fans of books such as Vampire Academy and Twilight and Crush are sure to fall in love! Future books in the series are also available. "The story was very well written and was unique as compared to other shifter stories.” --Amazon review (The Alpha’s Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Excellent from start to finish and leaves you wanting more.” --Amazon review (My True Mate) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kaya built the perfect quarterback to break her ex. She never expected him to steal her heart… again. After sacrificing everything to help her arrogant ex-husband Tom rise as captain of the nation’s biggest football team, Kaya is left humiliated and betrayed by her husband But Kaya isn’t just anyone. She is the hidden heiress of the very team Tom plays for and a Tech genius undermined by everyone, only known for her precise physics and game play. Determined to destroy him where it hurts most, Kaya uses her family’s cutting-edge tech to build Tom 2.0 a flawlessly handsome AI quarterback robot programmed to dominate the field… and drive Tom mad with jealousy. But when Tom 2.0 starts acting strangely, showing tenderness, jealousy, and even calling her by a name only one boy ever knew, Kaya’s world unravels. Because inside the steel and circuits is there a heart that beats? As secrets crack open and passions ignite, Kaya faces an impossible choice: Will she finish her revenge? Or risk everything to love what she thinks is a robot?