Golden Mask

BOOK 1 in "FORBIDDEN SERIES." ~can be read as a standalone~ Kimberly finds herself stuck in an unfaithful relationship with her star quarterback boyfriend,Ronan,who constantly cheats on her. Things begin to turn when Brandon,Ronan's new stepbrother comes into their lives and starts school at Blackwool Royal High,he becomes the new center of attention due to his good looks and football skills,which gains him more spite from his stepbrother. When Brandon unashamedly shows his interest in Kimberly, things start to get complicated and it costs them more than they bargained for. Will Kimberly overcome temptation or will she fall into it's clutches? Lies, kidnapping, obsessions,manipulation and betrayal threaten to consume them all as they fight tooth and nail to get whatever they want.

Pinangarap ni Celeste na magkaro'n ng kapatid, pero dahil biyuda na ang kaniyang ina ay hanggang pangarap na lamang iyon. Isang araw ay may ipinakilala sa kaniyang lalaki, ito ay si Alexander ang boyfriend ng kaniyang mommy at dahil sabi nila ay hindi na sila bumabata pa kaya napagdesisyon na nilang magpakasal agad. Samantala hiniling ng kaniyang Tito Alex na ro'n tumira sa mansyon nito. No'ng una ay nag-alangan si Celeste, subalit ng sabihin sa kaniya na ipapakilala ang kaniyang magiging kapatid ay gano'n na lang ang pananabik ni Celeste, kaya agad itong pumayag. Ang akalang masayang paninirahan ni Celeste ay nag kamali lang pala, dahil simula ng makilala niya ang kaniyang Step-Brother ay naging magulo ang kaniyang mundo, lalo na ng mapaibig siya rito. "Damnt it Celeste your mine ONLY MINE" at sabay sunggab nito ng halik.

Living alone was hard for Kestrel being a working student. Kailangan niya ng pera upang masustentuhan ang sariling mga pangangailangan. Kahit mahirap at nahihirapan siya. He wants to live independently. He wants to stand alone by his own feet. Ayaw na niyang umasa sa magulang dahil may mga kanya-kanyang pamilya ang mga ito. Ayaw niyang umasa sa mga ito dahil kung ano-ano ang naririnig niya sa mga anak ng magulang niya. Kestrel was a fruit of a forbidden love kaya ganon na lamang siya kamuhian ng dapat ay pamilya niya. That's why he decided to live alone even if it's hard. One night, after his shift, Kestrel decided to walk his way home pero may mga lalaking nakaitim ang humarang at dinakip siya. Sinubukan niyang magpumiglas at humingi ng tulong sa paraan ng pagsigaw ngunit pinatulog lamang siya ng mga ito at ipinasok sa van. Nagising na lamang siya sa isang hindi pamilyar na lugar at suot ang bagong damit. He's in a lady’s gown and heels. Ang hanggang balikat niyang buhok ay nakalugay na. At ang mga paa't kamay na nakagapos at bibig na may tela. Kaba, takot at gutom ang nararamdaman ni Kest. Nang lumiwanag ang paligid, doon niya nalamang nasa isang auction house siya at pinakilala na siya bilang isang rare item hanggang sa nagsimula ang bidding. Habang pataas ng pataas ang bid ay siyang pagtaas ng kanyang kaba at takot. Napalinga-linga siya at biglang tumama ang paningin niya sa lalaking may gintong maskara na nakaupo sa isang sulok. Nagmamakaawa niya itong tiningnan. Hindi niya alam kung bakit niya ginawa iyon. He's so desperate to get away from that house. Will that guy wearing golden mask help him? Makakaalis kaya siya sa auction? Mababalik pa kaya ang tahimik niyang buhay? Sino ang lalaking may gintong maskara?

Betrayed. Broken. But not defeated. When Kayden stood before Clove and spat the words, “That is not my child. You cheated on me!”—her world shattered. Three months pregnant and deeply in love, Clove never imagined her husband would accuse her of such a thing. “I would never betray you,” she cried, clutching her belly. But her pleas fell on deaf ears. Her own sister, once her confidante, turned cold. “Sis, the evidence is solid. I wanted to stand by you… But you’ve disgraced our family.” Clove’s blood ran cold. “This is your doing. You and your venomous mother,” she screamed. But Kayden had made up his mind. “I don’t trust you. Get out.” One shove, one fall—and everything was lost. That night, Clove bled more than just tears. She lost her child… and the man she thought she’d grow old with. The next morning, the divorce papers came as mercilessly as his accusations. She signed them in silence and disappeared. Years later, Clove returned. No longer the weeping wife, she was now a powerful CEO. Her first move? Destroy Kayden’s empire. But Kayden was no ordinary enemy, and her plans met wall after wall… until he came. A mysterious man with piercing eyes and a quiet, dangerous charm. “Marry me,” he said, “and no one—not even Kayden—will be able to stop you.” She narrowed her eyes. “You’re his uncle. Why betray your own blood? And why me?” He smirked. “Marry me first. Then I’ll tell you truths that will change everything you think you know.”

Hurting deep down, a lot of us mask our real feelings. Most people think that by hiding the hurt would fade but it never really goes away. It's hard to confront the fact that you have been hurting. This could make you unnecessarily lash out at people, isolate yourself and even experience bouts of depression. No one can end your hurt for you, it's an endless cycle of pain and anger that only stops when you choose. Healing is a journey and you can start on it right now. It's not even as difficult as you thought it would be.

Wanting a one-night fairytale, Joanna Yoder, attends the Hudson Masquerade Charity Ball. With her face hidden behind a mask, she played the role of a wealthy heiress named Clarice Cameron. When heartthrob playboy, Trevor Hudson, sweeps her off her feet, Joanna goes with the flow since she has had a crush on him for years. After being every New York heiresses' fantasy since he was a teenager, Trevor finally finds the one. What he doesn't know is that the woman he loves is a fraud - and his maid.

Heartbroken and Jilted by her ex-boyfriend, Jennie decided to focus on work and her family. But when her best friend Introduces an app to her. She met an anonymous date and they agreed to have a one night stand. No strings, no love, nothing attached. Her prospective date even showed up with a mask on. And since then, she never got to see him again. But what happens when the new CEO of the company she works in, turns out to be her one night stand? What happen when he recognizes her immediately and she didn't?

For Maxine, "normal" is a costume she wears every day. She's an imposter, a forbidden creature hiding in plain sight. But her act is tested when four new students arrive, seeing through her mask as if it were glass. They are like her, but different. Dangerous. And they might be the only ones who can save her from a fate she doesn't yet understand. To survive, she must trust them, but trusting them could mean losing herself—especially to the one whose gaze makes her forget she's supposed to be human.

**This book is the second book in the Billionaire series. It can be read as a standalone novel, but it is highly suggested that you read The Billionaire’s First Glance prior to this novel.** I, Zander Cavanaugh, the all-American football quarterback, have done something that could get me killed. I fell in love with the brilliant, curvy mafia princess Isabella Aventini at first sight. Everything about Isabella called to me: her captivating blue eyes, her soft caramel skin, every dip and curve of her voluptuous body was just the start. Isabella was smart, kind, and funny. The kind of girl you can’t help but fall in love with. I know she felt the same way as I did. We were drawn together like magnets, but that’s not how the mafia works. Isabella is a commodity to be sold or brokered for the sake of alliances and has been promised to the ruthless and cutthroat DeMarco family since birth — a fate she neither wants nor needs. Isabella’s father, Mafia Don Salvatore Aventini, has managed to keep us apart by sending Isabella away to finish high school. However, when fates aligned, Isabella not only ended up attending the same university as me, but she’s also my college-assigned tutor. I know there is no chance for us, and still I fell in love with her, knowing it could mean my death.

Attending the ten-year high school reunion for the cheerleading squad and football team, I arrived in an old domestic Ford, while the parking lot was filled with Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Maybachs, and even a gold Bugatti. It was as if I were the only relic from another era. The moment I stepped out of my car, a former classmate, whose name I could no longer remember, looked at me with a sneer. “Well, if it isn’t the coach’s pet. How is it that after all these years, you’re still driving this beat-up old Ford?” “This thing looks like it belongs in a scrapyard from the last century!” During dinner, everyone gathered around the Bugatti owner, raising their glasses in celebration, while I was left ignored at the side. Only the cheerleading assistant sat next to me, raising a glass in my direction with a comforting smile. “Don’t let it get to you. Your car may be old, but I believe you’ll be driving a luxury car one day.” I let a small smirk curl at the corner of my lips and lowered my voice. “This car may look unimpressive, but it’s been fully upgraded with a carbon fiber body. It’s already worth over half a million dollars. Too bad, none of you even recognized its true value.”