Greedy Reads

It's the tenth anniversary of my bonding with my warrior mate, Owen Chase, and also our son Leo's birthday. A month earlier, I spent $8000 arranging a trip to the Blood Moon Forest. I plan to take my mate and pup to the Moon Goddess' sacred grounds to receive her blessings. This is supposed to be a happy anniversary celebration for our complete werewolf family. I've prepared everything and booked tickets for the Twilight Coach. But on the night before our departure, Owen and Leo suddenly block our mind-link. "Dad and I are having dinner with Ms. Emma on the 24th floor of Moonlight Restaurant. We've cancelled the tickets—we're not going." The call ends there. They promptly block my number as well. I rush back to our pack overnight, only to find that the security system no longer recognizes me. That night, every household locks its doors and activates protective barriers against the toxic mist of the Silver Mines in the nearby Moonveil Valley, while I could only huddle on the stone steps outside our house, inhaling the silver-laden fog all night. The poisonous substances flood my systems. I am sent to the hospital, burning with fever as my wolf grows weaker with every labored breath. Meanwhile, my family is busy touring Central City with Emma Skinner, spending the money I had worked so hard to earn. Owen posts a photo on his social media. In the photo, Emma, my mate Owen, and my child Leo stand hand-in-hand in front of the wishing fountain in Central City, all smiling brightly. The caption reads: "A perfect trip, a perfect family of three." It is only then that I finally understand—this family exists in name only. It's time for me to rebuild my life.

OWEN GARCIA is the twin brother of RUSSELL ROSSELL (heir of the billionaire Theodore Rossell), kidnapped by NURSE GEMMA GARCIA. SHELLEY SILVER is a woman who dreams to be a novelist but received rejections one after another. Till she met and became friends with Russell Rossell who pretended to be an ordinary employee from the company of Theodore Rossel. He has a knack for writing and suggested that be the ghostwriter of Shelley and she readily agreed. Russel Rossell was hospitalized due to a car accident. That was the time Owen entered the life of Shelley, and pretended to be Russel Rossell. Like Russel Rossell, Owen also has a knack for writing novels, thus, Shelley wasn't able to know the difference between the twins. Gemma Garcia learned about Russell accident, and planned to use "her son" to get inside the Rossell Clan. Since he loved "his mother" Owen agreed to Gemma's plan. But they say, blood is thicker than water, hence, Owen felt pity for his twin brother when he met Joanne (acting as Russel Rossell, boyfriend of Joanne) and found out that Joanne is in relation with Brendon, the stepson of Theodore, who also masterminded the car accident of Russel. Thus, Russell Owen wrote a novel that divulged the crime of Brendon and requested Shelley to send copies to Theodore Rossell. Shocked, as he reads the book, Theodore ordered an investigation of his son's accident. And Brendon was sent to prison. The lives of Russel, Owen, Gemma, Shelley, and Theodore get tangled up till Theodore finds out that Owen is the twin brother of his son (by DNA). Now Shelley's Dilemma is who does she really love? Is it Russel Rosell who she loved the very first time she saw him or Owen, the mistaken identity of Russell Rossell?

The pope's death, the union of China and Korea as a single country, and the economic breakdown triggered the third world war. Or is it a secret society that wanted to create a one-world government to end Christianity forever? When the Vatican claimed that they received a retraction from a journalist who wrote about the demented pope, they could not show it to the public. The mysterious death of the pope surprised the world following the disappearance of the writer. That year, there was no Christmas celebration, to commiserate with the Catholic church. The war in the Middle East continued to worsen leading to fluctuations in the oil prices and the price of commodities skyrocketed as a result. There was an economic breakdown even if there was also a digital chutzpah going around. China and Korea united as a single country. They wanted to rival NATO, particularly America. Both countries wanted to be a superpower. Henry, the premier of the China and Korea, visited as a commoner to America and met the brother of the journalist, Isaac. He believed that chaos theory should be laws of chaos and he predicted war. When Isaac received a late phone call about his brother, he set on an adventure to save his brother. Discovering that a secret society was launching a one-world government to launch a war, Isaac asked the help of Henry. In 72 hours, there will be a third world war. "If power is a religion," Henry once said, "then, I'm proud to be an atheist." This inspired the young genius to save the world from New World Order. What if instead of a New World Order, this secret society strengthened the Roman Catholic Church, much to the dismay of the one-world government? Will faith reign over the greedy and evil?

A forced marriage. A ruthless CEO. And a contract that could ruin—or rescue—her heart. Ayla Morgan thought losing her father was the worst thing that could happen. She was wrong. Within weeks, her family restaurant is seized by debt collectors, her stepmother kicks her to the curb, and her arrogant CEO fires her in front of everyone over a petty mistake. With nothing left but humiliation and bills, Ayla is forced into a blind date arranged by her greedy family… and accidentally ruins the wrong one. That “wrong date”? Damon Cross. Her ex-boss. The coldest man she’s ever met—richer than sin and twice as dangerous. But instead of being furious, Damon makes her a shocking offer: Marry me. Three years. No feelings. No questions. In return, I’ll pay your family’s debt and give you your life back. To him, it’s just a contract. To her, it’s a lifeline. Living under the same roof, working as his personal secretary, Ayla swears she’ll never fall for a man who sees love as weakness. But behind Damon’s icy exterior hides a broken man forced to marry by his dying grandfather—and a loneliness that mirrors her own. As enemies become reluctant allies and fake kisses turn real, Ayla finds herself questioning everything. What happens when the contract ends… but her heart doesn’t? And will Damon let go of control long enough to realize that love might be his only salvation?

The things we want are so very rarely the things we need. Clifton Heights, a modest Adirondack town, offers many unique attractions. Arcane Delights sells both paperbacks and hard-to-find limited editions. The Skylark Diner serves the best home-cooked meals around, with friendly service and a smile. Every August, Mr. Jingo’s County Fair visits, to the delight of children and adults. In essence, Clifton Heights is the quintessential small American town. Everyone knows everyone else, and everyone is treated like family. It is quiet, simple, and peaceful. But shadows linger here. Flitting in dark corners, from the corner of the eye. If you walk down Main Street after dark, the slight scrape of shoes on asphalt whispers you're not alone, but when you look over your shoulder, no one is there. The moon shines high and bright in the night sky, but instead of throwing light, it only seems to make the shadows lengthen. Children disappear. Teens run away. Hunters get lost in the woods with frightening regularity. Husbands go mad, and wives vanish in the dead of night. And still, when the sun rises in the morning, you are greeted by townspeople with warm waves and friendly smiles, and the shivers pass as everything seems fresh and new... Until night falls once more. Handy's Pawn and Thrift sits several blocks down from Arcane Delights. Like any thrift store, its wares range from the mundane to the bizarre. By daylight, it seems just another slice of small town Americana. But in its window hangs a sign which reads: We Have Things You Need. And when a lonely traveling salesman comes looking for something he desperately wants, after normal visiting hours, after night has fallen, he will face a harsh truth among the shelves of Handy’s Pawn and Thrift: the things we want are rarely the things we need. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

My fiance, Victor Blackwood, is a mafia boss who rules the country's underworld with an iron fist. To the rest of the world, he is the epitome of power. Yet to me, he is the embodiment of love. But I do not realize the cost of loving a man like him. On Valentine's Day, I cook his favorite dishes and wait for him to come home. However, time passes, and his chair stays empty. Uneasy, I go to Queenie Stone's social media page. She is Victor's foster sister. She posts, "All I said was that I felt lonely, and he came right away. "Even when I accidentally spilled wine on him, he didn't mind. Victor is still someone who puts family first, even if it means neglecting his lover. "He never lets me down. I hope things stay that way." In the photo, Victor's shirt is soaked at the waist. Queenie's handkerchief lingers near his most private parts, but he doesn't pull away. He merely looks at her affectionately. I do not make a fuss and give Queenie's post a like. Then, I send Victor a message that reads, "Let's break up." Victor ignores it as always. Later, I discover that when my breakup message popped up, he had said offhandedly, "Vivienne can't live without me. She's just acting out. "If I ignore her for a few days, she'll come crawling back by herself. She's easy to please." What he doesn't know is that I was easy to handle only because I once loved him. But now that I have decided to leave, he cannot make me turn back, no matter how he tries to win me over.

In a world ridden with greedy, predatory men, Calista Miller’s survival depends on selling her body for money. A low life stripper, that's what she is. The richer the men, the more docile she has to be to satisfy them, not to risk losing her means of survival. Stripping for powerful men has been her routine for as long as she can remember and to her, that night, it was no different until she laid eyes on the dangerous and sinfully attractive man, ending up in his bed. Thorne Blackwood, shielding his scars from the world and clinging to his reputation as the brutish and terrifying heir apparent to the throne as the Alpha King, always thought he had nothing to lose until his throne was at stake. To take his place as the Alpha King, Alpha Thorne is stuck with an option to find his mate or take the daughter of a powerful elder as his chosen mate. Never in his wildest dreams did he think his mate would turn out to be a worthless human stripper who knew nothing about the werewolf world. Sold to the ruthless and dangerously attractive stranger she slept with, Calista remains in the dark about his true nature, having to work her ass off as his maid and warm his bed. To Thorne, owning Calista satiates his dark need to possess her. But the Moon Goddess has other plans because when two broken hearts fall in sync with each other, beating as one, how do they resist the heated and magnetic pull between them? Will Thorne risk losing everything because of his human stripper mate?

The girl wore a two-piece bikini that perfectly complemented her flawless figure. Her staged slip and fall into the water were executed with perfection. But why did that petite face carry an innocent, naive look, resembling a nymph? She lowered her head, and her long hair clung wetly to her slender shoulders. Each droplet cascaded down, brushing against her delicate collarbone, and just below the collarbone, Richard Harris's gaze couldn't help but shift. If he were to pull down her swimsuit just a bit... the light shining on her glistening skin would only enhance her allure. Richard Harris felt his blood rushing to a certain part of his body, eagerly awaiting stimulation. His eyes momentarily flickered with flames, enough to consume Roxana Nelson. Why did he feel this way towards that girl, even intensely so? Becoming aware of this, his expression grew colder, and a sinister smile crept onto his lips. In the swimming pool, many greedy eyes ogled at Roxana Nelson, her figure no less captivating than a professional model's. It turned out that it wasn't just him salivating over her alluring physique. This realization deepened the somberness of his complexion. Casting a sharp glance at the crowd, without a word, everyone discreetly retreated 20 meters, each one taking it upon themselves to save their own lives! It was her! He wouldn't spare her. If she willingly offered herself at his doorstep, she shouldn't blame him for not refusing!

Brian Pradipta's life was perfect. Many men were jealous of his life. At the age of 35, he was already a very successful CEO. He lives happily with the woman he loves, Azzura Wijaya. Azzura Wijaya was the daughter of Antony Wijaya, the biggest investor in his company. The reason they got married was not that, but because they loved each other. From that marriage was born a beautiful daughter named Kyra Wijaya Pradipta. Bearing the big names of two families, Kyra's life is a dream for many girls of her age. Even during her eleventh birthday celebration, Brian presented his daughter with a helicopter. Kyra transformed into a socialite at a young age. Brian was so grateful for his perfect life that a request from Azzura shook his self-esteem. "Honey... I want you to get married again." Like being struck by lightning, what Azzura said that night sounded like a joke to him. After their hot night, even the mixed feelings of tiredness and sweat haven't completely disappeared. Azzura uttered a sentence that Brian had never expected before. Or maybe Brian never thought about it at all. "What do you mean, Zura?" Brian was an ordinary guy who would probably be greedy for love, but not once did he have such thoughts. No matter how much money he had, no matter how handsome he was, he had no intention of looking at other women. Why be ambiguous if what he wants he has already gotten from Azzura. "I want you to get married again.

Vivian Stephen Chen was the epitome of a perfect lady. She was well-educated, driven to her career, knowledgeable, kind, and beautiful. She even had a figure to die for. But there was something missing in her life. She had never dated a man before, to the point that she was being mistaken to like fellow women. And then one day, as if it was a fateful encounter, she met him. Zander Li Martin, a bachelor multibillionaire, suddenly proposed a deal that turned her life around. He was much older than her but he had everything a girl could ask for. Money, power, looks, perhaps; even performance in bed. Vivian was not in dire straits for money. She had her own business and she had more than enough money for herself. But she had greedy vultures feasting on her. Zander’s offer churned something inside her. She had always been a careful woman and had never done anything crazy and unaccounted for in her life. She realized that she was bored with her current life that she was actually longing for a major unexpected change that would arouse her excitement. As if something was pushing her, Vivian accepted the offer. She wanted to do something crazy and dangerous for a change. Likewise, she would be able to satisfy the greed of the vultures that haunted her. All of a sudden, she gained a husband. What will her married life with him entail? Would she get the thrill she was looking for? Join Vivian in her life journey as the wife of a multibillionaire and discover what experiences await her.