Girly Stuff

Lumi-as someone who's being told what to believe and hope in everything as she grows up-reckons that living is a way to comply with and entrust one's entire life to serving superiors on top of the hierarchy. Who will not think of that way anyway? Being harbored in the lands of Castellanos, it is engraved in her mind that she lives to pay her debt of gratitude to the family who sheltered her, who protected her from all the cruelties the outside world has to offer behind those fences. What they're doing is to protect her life and welfare-that's what they told her. So there's no other way to live but be the gullible and obedient yokel of the Castellano clan, because they're doing everything just for her safety. But that's before her life turns upside-down as she discovers a strange note from the attic. "To whoever finds this message, they erased us. This is all that remains. Remember us, please." What does the note want to convey? Is it just one of those mundane trivial stuff found in an attic like the usual when someone decides to clean it? Or is it something connected to her... "safety?" For sure it is for her safety. That's what they always tell her. But what one hears is not always the version of reality. Most of the time, it is the most convenient scheme to twist and bend the truth. That... That's what they will never tell her.

A promising position at a high tech dating app company brings Holly out to Colorado. But when she meets the CEO, and would be boss, she decides he can take his attitude, and the job offer, and stuff it. Holly becomes desperate for work and doesn't want to move back home with her mom and recently divorced sister. She decides to give it one last shot and is immediately hired by the COO, who is also the CEO's brother. Her project is to bring the brother's latest dating app update to life. She needs to find any issues with it, which seems to be everything. Rework the backend. And complete a beta test using employees who volunteer to be testers. What could go wrong during the office beta testing? A lot. No one on the leadership team, including Holly, the CEO, & the COO were supposed to sign up for beta testing of their app that allows people to express their desires anonymously via written messages. What happens when Holly starts messaging with her bosses without knowing who they are? Can the Billionaire heirs of Talon Industries, Noah and Adam, figure out how to charm a girl who doesn't seem to be impacted by their usual charms? Can either of them admit that lust has turned into love? Who can crack the ice cold heart of these untrusting alpha men? She can.

I get picked up by the cops in the middle of the night for street vending. While questioning me, they pull up my file. One officer eyes me suspiciously through my mask and asks, "What's a Clairefield University graduate like you doing selling stuff on the street at midnight?" I freeze and lean over to look at the file. The ID number matches mine, but the photo has been replaced with one of Madison Bass. That's when it hits me—20 years ago, I was the one who got accepted to Clairefield University! Dazed and numb, I stumble home only to hear my husband, Joseph Gunther, speaking on the phone. "Madison, don't worry. I won't let Lucy interfere with your life. Just go abroad in peace." It's him! Joseph helped Madison steal my identity and my future. My stomach twists. I turn to confront him, to expose the truth. But before I can, he strangles me to death with a belt. "I'm sorry, Lucy. You can't ruin Madison's future…" When I open my eyes again, I'm back in the classroom. Our homeroom teacher is handing out university application forms. This time, I'm taking my life back.

Kyaria considered herself a normal girl, that was until her cousin/best friend talked her into staring in a music video for the band Crazy. There she was introduced to the lead guitarist Jaidyn Matthews. Since then her life has turned upside down. Jaidyn showed up at her work asking for her to come on tour with him as his "personal assistant". A job which she knows nothing about. Luckily the band's manager Brady finds out about her being a professional photographer and artist. He offers her a contract to work for them on the tour. She accepts but is not sure how she is going to deal with her attraction to Jaidyn. Jaidyn chose her for the video after seeing her in the model agency soaking wet from the rain. He knew he wanted her on tour with him and panicked and offered her a job as his "personal assistant". Brady the band's manager quickly fixes his screw-up. Now she is on tour with him and is staying on his bus. Now he isn't sure what to do. Stuff happens and feelings are misunderstood. Now Jaidyn has to fix two problems. One Kyaria thinks Jaidyn isn't attracted and tries to move to stay on the bus with the assistant manager Gabby. Two Jaidyn's ex-girlfriend shows up trying to rekindle their relationship, which he isn't interested in. Kyaria walks in on something and mistakes the situation. How is Jaidyn going to fix this mess?

Mitzie Damos had always considered herself to be just another average woman. She came from what would be considered an average middle-class family with a father who was now retired from construction work, and a mother who was a now retired schoolteacher. Even though most would consider her spoiled by her parents, she maintained an honor roll student status from elementary through high school and held a high GPA in college. She was not so good to where she qualified as Valedictorian or any of that other genius student stuff, but she made her parents proud. Mitzie was an only child due to the loss of her twin during her mother's pregnancy. She'd heard her mother recount of how she had a very rare and rough pregnancy. Mitzie's twin just was not strong enough to maintain sharing their mother's womb. Doctors had believed that Mitzie had somehow absorbed her twin and amniotic sac, but when and how that occurred was a mystery. In her mother's first trimester there were 2 fetal heartbeats and 2 fetuses, but by the second trimester, there was one heartbeat and one fetus. It had remained a scientific enigma throughout Mitzie's 28 years of life. Mitzie had a successful career of her own. She married well, a CEO for one of the biggest corporate umbrella companies in the world, and life seemed to be grand. Until Mitzie's pregnancy revealed things about her life that would change it forever.

"For heaven's sake mom, I'm just twenty-one. I'm tired this marriage stuff" She reminded plainly, tears welling up in her eyes. Her mother only stared at the tears rolling down her cheeks, sympathetically. But she had no choice but to get her only daughter married again. Flora, a young and pretty lady has been forced into an early marriage. Her husband passed away a year after their marriage and she became a widow. Again, she was forced into another marriage, she was pained, she was troubled,why she? Why was her mother bent on ruining her life? She was just a young girl who wanted to explore and enjoy life. To escape getting married again, she fled. On that night, she met with a dangerous looking guy. She was frightened, but she preferred the dangerous looking guy rather than to get married again. Zayn, a nice looking young man, but a notorious gangster was out on that night, he almost knocked the person down with his car, he became so furious when the person was not getting out of his way. He got down from his car and discovered it was a lady, a lady dressed in black outfit, a lady who looks so timid and innocent, a lady who pleaded to him earnestly to save her. Would he save the lady? Would Flora get a help? And why was her mom bent on getting her married over and over again?

"What do you mean. I have to marry you?"I asked as he faced me with a very dirty glare. "You'll just have to accept it missy". "What if I don't?"I asked folding my hands underneath my breast. "Then you'll have to pay me the money you owe me" "But I don't have such money " I whined. "Then face the consequences. You'll get jailed"His thick voice sent shivers down my spine. "You said it's just a few months stuff right?"I asked taking my eyes down to the ground. "A year to be precise" Well I'm Brianna Salvador and I just landed myself in huge trouble. I didn't mean to break his car. I just got angry so I hit it so hard with a rock and it broke. Brianna Salvador is a half American and half Filipino, she's out to make ends meet and prove to her parents that she can also become independent but when she gets herself into a huge problem she's forced to get married to an Italian demigod Diego De Lucas. Is an Italian business man out to take what belongs to him. He's inheritance is siezd by his grandmother and the only way to get it back is if he gets married and begins a family. He meets Brianna in a very odd way and decides to marry her to get his fortune back.

One night of passion with Carl Grey, her supposed uncle, led Renee Lacey down a path of eight years of misery. On the day she decided to end it all, holding her daughter's ashes, Carl was throwing a big party for his ex-girlfriend's son. Talk about adding insult to injury. But life had a surprise in store. Renee got a do-over, and this time, she's not pulling any punches. Carl's going to learn that karma's a real piece of work. Last time around, when Renee tried to explain things, Carl shut her down, accusing her of drugging him for a hookup. Well, not anymore. This time, she's cutting him loose in front of everyone. Remember when Carl's ex stole Renee's work and he called Renee a green-eyed monster? Now, Renee's going to leave them both in the dust and grab that award herself. And let's not forget how Carl always took his ex's side when Renee was blamed for stuff she didn't do. This time, Renee's giving as good as she gets. Poor Carl. He always thought Renee would stick around, no matter what. But when she finally walks out without so much as a "see ya," his world falls apart. Now look at Mr. High-and-Mighty, all teary-eyed and desperate: "Renee, don't go. Can't I come with you?"

During the holiday season, a flood hits. The company's warehouse is submerged up to the third floor. Due to the emergency, I have my assistant tell everyone to come back a day early to help. I promise that the company will provide stipends and extra time off to make up for this. But on that day, a Gen Z employee goes live across the internet to report me. "Oh, my God. It's 2025, yet there are still companies forcing employees to adjust their time off and work overtime! Is this heartless boss so broke that she needs to exploit us like this? Will she die if she doesn't squeeze us out of every drop of usefulness? Company notices override the law. Impressive stuff, this is!" Soon, the company ends up on the trending list due to criticism from the online community. Even the regulators come knocking to hold us accountable. In the end, the company is forced to cancel the notice. A lot of equipment isn't salvaged in time, resulting in significant losses. The employee even posts a victory lap. "Give the boss a little reminder—see if she dares to force overtime again!" I'm so angry that I laugh out loud. I tell my assistant to cancel the annual benefit we give all employees—an entire month of paid time off for Christmas and the New Year holidays. If we have to stick strictly to the law, then fine. Have it your way!

"Book 1: Mikhail: A Royal Dragon RomanceHe’s a dangerous jewel thief… she’s the gem expert standing in his way…Mikhail Barinov knew he F’d up, five hundred years ago. His ‘one job’ as part of a Russian family of imperial dragon shifters? To protect the family hoard of jewels. But a dazzling virgin—who just happened to be the Elizabeth I, the Queen of England—tricked Mikhail and stole the jewels. But now he has a chance at redemption. The jewels have been found five centuries later. The only problem is they’ve been turned over to gemologist, Piper Linwood. She’s sexy, smart, ripe for seduction—but if centuries of exile taught him one thing, it’s never trust a beautiful woman.Piper Linwood can’t wait to get her hands on her latest project. But hot damn she never expected how badly she’d want to get her hands on the dark, brooding man she sees at the museum. Of course she didn’t know he was a jewel thief. Or a dragon shifter. But all that becomes abundantly clear when he takes the jewels and her, then flies (yes, flies) to his ancestral castle. While all the alpha-male stuff is what fairy tales are made of—and frankly sexy-as-hell—the fact Piper disappeared with Mikhail has her labeled as his partner in crime. Now she must choose. Will she betray him to save her career? Or will she stay and become the dragon’s greatest treasure?Brothers of Ash and Fire is created by Lauren Smith, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author."