Grayslake Public Library

Ingrid, the biological daughter of a high-class Las Vegas prostitute and an unidentified felon, was taken in by the esteemed and politically powerful Bishop family, despite the infamy surrounding her lineage. While her adoption provided her with stability and privilege, she grappled with assimilation, as the truth of her origins lingered as a whispered scandal within elite circles. For months, she was held in captivity—a pawn leveraged in the hopes of reviving the dwindling influence of her father’s political faction. Unbeknownst to her, the very syndicate responsible for her imprisonment was, in fact, her relatively same kin—a Grey. Among them was Jace—her known brother—whom she inadvertently fell in love with. Their relationship ignited public outrage, condemned as a textbook manifestation of Stockholm Syndrome. Yet the public remained blind to the deeper reality: a chilling embodiment of a morally ambiguous entanglement.

My sister's best friend borrowed 20 thousand from me, saying it was for her mother's medical bills. As a cop, I lent it to her. I figured if I could help, I should. When it was time to pay me back, she didn't return a cent. Instead, she showed up at my precinct holding a baby and accused me of indecent assaults. After a paternity test, the baby turned out to be mine. She went on livestreams, crying about how I broke the law despite being a police officer. She used the scandal to make herself famous. The force treated me like a disgrace and fired me. I tried to explain, but no one believed me. I went from a model officer to a criminal overnight. My parents were cyberbullied; with nowhere left to turn, they both drowned themselves. My wife was also beaten in the street. She suffered a miscarriage from the attack and died from massive blood loss. As for my sister, guilt drove her insane; she was hospitalized before vanishing from the public eye. After my family fell apart, I hanged myself one night. Then I opened my eyes again. I'd been reborn. Facing my sister's evil friend, I vowed to fight back.

"What the fuck, Kamila?" he snapped. "Why the hell did you send these divorce papers?" Kamila sighed, "Can't you read, Mr. Cadet? It's a simple instruction. Sign them." ** On the day Kamila tragically loses her unborn child, it's the final straw. She's done being her husband Mark's doormat, enduring his constant infidelity and public humiliation. This time, she's fighting back. What Mark didn't know, however, was that his wife was no poor helpless orphan. Kamila was actually a hidden heiress to the powerful Smithson family - a secret weapon she was about to unleash. Mark launches his campaign to run for governor, but Kamila decides to run against him! She’s also got her loyal Smithson brothers backing her up, and she's ready to take her sweet revenge on that cheating husband of hers.

Leo Moretti lives a life of obscene luxury and crushing isolation. Trapped in a marriage to the powerful, volatile Dominic Rossi, Leo exists as a beautiful ornament, polished for public view and bruised in private. His only constant is Silas Vance, his stoic, ex-military bodyguard – a silent sentinel against the world, and against Dominic's unpredictable rage. When a moment of shared vulnerability ignites a forbidden spark, Leo and Silas plunge into a desperate, secret affair. Their stolen moments are electric, a dangerous lifeline in Leo's gilded prison. But as their passion deepens, so does the risk. Dominic Rossi doesn't share what's his, and when he discovers his beautiful husband's betrayal with the man hired to protect him, the gilded cage becomes a deadly trap. Leo and Silas must fight not just for their love, but for their very lives.

Financial reporter Zoey, known for her pride and icy beauty, and with a formidable business acumen, finds herself at the center of a scandal on the very day she and financial tycoon Barlen are to get their marriage license. An insider exposes her, claiming that she loves only Barlen's wealth and that their marriage is merely a product of her exquisite acting skills. Unaware of the brewing storm, Zoey and Barlen are in the midst of obtaining their license when the news breaks. Barlen, upon reading the revelations, 'borrows' Zoey's phone and promptly turns it off, facing the onslaught of public opinion with firm evidence in hand. Surrounded by media reporters, Barlen is bombarded with questions about his perspective on the scandal. He deliberately twists the narrative: "My wife, she doesn't just love my money. Could she possibly love someone else's?" The reporters press on, clarifying their query: "Do you mean she only loves money, not you as a person?" Barlen remains composed: "She loves my money, and I love her as a person. Is there a problem with that?" In a single sentence: He redeems her with all his love and warmth. How could I not be enamored with someone like you?

Desperate times call for desperate measures. When Isabela's father is diagnosed with cancer, money for treatment is the last thing on their minds. But as bills start piling up with no end in sight, Isabel is left with no choice. She seeks out Noah Wolfe, an old family "friend" who has inherited an empire. To her surprise, Noah offers to cover all medical costs. But there's a catch - Isabel must marry him. With her father's life on the line, she accepts Noah's proposal. But Isabel soon realizes she’s in way over her head. Behind closed doors, Noah is nothing like his public image. As his grip on her tightens, Isabela starts to wonder - is getting stuck in this marriage actually a death sentence in disguise? She'll need to play the game better than Noah if she wants to survive. But can she outmaneuver a man with infinite resources and a personality as dark as his secrets? With her life and her father's on the line, the stakes have never been higher in Isabel's deadly game of cat and mouse.

"Sofia, listen to me—marry Ethan, or your family loses everything." Sofia Vanguard never had a choice. Born into wealth, groomed for power, and shackled to her father’s ambitions, she was a pawn in a world where love was a liability. But when a single night—one she can’t even remember—leaves her pregnant with Ethan Reagan’s child, her fate is sealed. Ethan never wanted a wife. He never wanted a family. But in a game where power is inherited, and his ruthless brothers are willing to destroy him for it, marrying Sofia is the only way to survive. The plan was simple: a contract, five years, no strings attached. They’d live their separate lives, tolerate each other in public, and walk away free. Except Ethan can’t stand the thought of Sofia with another man. And Sofia can’t ignore the way Ethan looks at her. But love isn’t the only battle they have to fight. Kidnappings, betrayals, corporate sabotage, and an empire built on secrets threaten to tear them apart before they even have a chance to come together. And when their enemies strike where it hurts the most—their son—Ethan and Sofia will learn that in a world of power and blood, family isn’t just a bond. It’s a battlefield.

In the high stakes world of wealth, philanthropy, and power plays, Shadows of Desire weaves a tale of love, betrayal, and redemption. At the center of it all is Sophie Langston, a passionate and driven woman who co-founded a charitable foundation with her long-time business partner and lover, James Thornton. Their organization, built on the ideals of changing the world, has become a beacon of hope for struggling communities. But as the foundation grows in influence, so do the enemies lurking in the shadows. Sophie and James find their relationship and partnership tested when an unexpected visitor walks into their lives, Richard Mallory, a disgraced businessman with a tainted past. Despite having tried to undermine the foundation before, Richard proposes a substantial investment, claiming he wants to make amends. Torn between suspicion and the potential benefits for their projects, Sophie reluctantly agrees, setting off a chain of events that unravel deep-seated conspiracies and hidden agendas. Soon after, whispers of internal conflict and financial instability begin to surface. Rumors swirl about a power struggle between Sophie and James, putting their relationship under intense public scrutiny. Behind the scenes, they uncover a more sinister plot at play. Dominic Kane, a ruthless corporate raider infamous for hostile takeovers and blackmail, has set his sights on their foundation. With a history of exploiting the vulnerable for profit, Kane sees their organization as his next target, aiming to use it as a pawn in his larger schemes. As Sophie and James grapple with this new threat, they must navigate a web of deceit, power struggles, and hidden motives. Old allies resurface, trust is tested, and secrets from the past are unearthed, forcing the couple to confront their own vulnerabilities...

Brooklyn Carson never planned to marry especially not to a cold, calculating billionaire who treats love like a business transaction. But when her brother’s future is on the line, she signs a one-year marriage contract with Dominic Blackwell, the arrogant CEO who sees emotions as liabilities and appearances as currency. The rules are simple: move into his mansion, play the doting wife in public, and don’t ask questions. But nothing about Dominic or this arrangement is simple. Thrown into a world of luxury, secrets, and ruthless expectations, Brooklyn must survive elite family dinners, designer makeovers, and a fabricated love story she’s expected to memorize. Yet as their chemistry turns dangerously real, so does the risk of falling for the man she swore to hate. And just when she starts to play her role a little too well, Dominic’s ex returns with one goal: to burn everything to the ground. Lies. Power. Passion. In a house where nothing is what it seems, love might be the most dangerous game of all.

“As they say, there's always a thin line between love and hate. “Ethan Frost,a 27-year -old billionaire and the powerful owner of Nexus Global International , One of New York City's largest companies . Ethan commands attention with his presence, sending chills down the spine of those nearby. Ethan frost-a name that commands power making him every woman’s dream yet everyone’s nightmare. Haunted by emotional and physical scars, he’s driven, ambitious, and emotionally guarded. Despite his good looks, he often uses others' weaknesses to his advantage. You could say he's a devil disguised in angel’s form. Juliana Adams, a 23-year-old orphan with brown skin and an average height of 5’5 . She is a ray of sunshine in a world that has never favored her. Julianna did multiple part time jobs to make ends meet. Guarded and resilient, she is unwilling to give love a second chance, determined to protect her heart from past hurt. But what happens when fire meets water ? After a series of heated encounters marked by mutual hatred, fate intervenes when Julianna secures a position at Nexus Global International.Their paths collide, forcing them to confront their animosity. Rumors about Ethan’s sexuality spread, threatening his public image and the company’s reputation. In a moment of desperation, Ethan presents Julianna with a proposal that intertwines their lives in unexpected ways. Bound by a deal they don't fully understand, their mutual hatred threatens to overshadow the fragile agreement that binds them. Will two wounded souls be the ruin of each other, or will they mend each other’s broken hearts? Get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions filled with twists as these two opposing worlds collide in a realm where desire is forbidden and love may be the ultimate downfall.