Guilt-tripping

Amara Kol endured three years of Kalus Mike's compliant, subservient wife, enduring his chilly disdain silently while reserving his affection for herself. But when he serves her with a divorce notice, eager to wed his long-time sweetheart Lydia Osita, Amara is confronted with harsh reality: the union, to him, had been three years and a mistake that could not be erased. Heartbroken and spurned, Amara vanishes into thin air, leaving only tears-soaked divorce papers behind. What Kalus fails to know, however, is that Amara Kol was never the woman he thought she was. She is actually Dera Denz, only child and heiress of the powerful Denz clan—a woman infinitely wealthier and more powerful than he could ever imagine. By the time Dera re-emerges as the gorgeous, hot, and untouchable CEO of Zz Group, she is no longer the modest wife who pleaded with him to love her. She is a queen on her own terms, determined to get everything that had been lost—her dignity as well. Now Kalus is haunted by guilt, unable to shake the memory of the woman he spurned. But Dera is gone—and doesn't want to come back. As he watches her climb to the top, with a clique of powerful acquaintances surrounding her—including Frank Denz, ominously guarding over her—Kalus learns too late: The woman he had cast aside is the one he can't do without. But Dera isn't that woman who asked him to stay once before. It is his turn now. Will Kalus reclaim the love he never cherished, or will Dera depart leaving him where he so rightly belongs, in the past?

The day before the spacecraft launch, I am anonymously reported for concealing a mental illness and lose my qualification to board. After being confined in a psychiatric hospital for three years, my husband, Simon Bergman, who is now a decorated figure in the aerospace field, personally brings me home. "I had no choice but to send you there. I even applied to be demoted just to bring you back. Let's just live our lives well from now on," Simon says. Burdened by guilt for affecting his career, I spend the rest of my life carefully taking care of him and busying myself in the kitchen as a dutiful wife. But before I die, my daughter finds the letter accusing me of having a mental condition—it is written in my husband's own hand. She also discovers decades of correspondence between him and a deceased war buddy's widow named Charmaine Marlowe. In those letters, he writes that to fulfill his buddy's dying wish to take care of Charmaine, he fabricates a false mental illness record and inserts it into my astronaut application. As a result, I was sent to the psychiatric hospital, and my position was taken by her. The glass shatters, and the sharp fragments pierce me, like they are stabbing into my heart. I was supposed to be the one to go to space. But my husband sacrificed my chance so that another woman could have it! I die in despair. When I open my eyes again, I am back on the day of the astronaut selection for the manned spacecraft launch. This time, when Simon offers to help submit my application, I refuse to let him.

As soon as I opened the door, my eyes saw the sight I wish I hadn’t seen. "What is going on here?” I asked through a shaky tone, tears burning my eyes and thankfully, blurring my vision. "Conrad!” the tears in my eyes spilled down when Selene got off him and laid beside him, completely bare. There was no shame or guilt on Conrad’s face even when I have seen him in bed with Selene. "Why? You were the one who told me that I am your mate, you told me th---at you---,” my throat went dry as I tried to finish speaking my heart. "That I love you?” he raised his brow, gently caressing her bare shoulder and running his finger down her chest, “I lied, okay?” the way his lips formed a smirk, I felt a used toy that he tossed aside once he was done with me. "Wh---y. I betrayed my coven for you an---d you betrayed me for her?” my voice broke, my eyes watching the girl pressing her lips against his neck and getting closer to him. "Cordelia! Close the door when you leave,” the tiredness in his voice when talking to me broke me piece by piece. -------------- Magic is forbidden in their world, but to get her blessed powers Cordelia has to perform a ritual for her ancestors’ blessings to come true. Left behind by her coven, she is prisoned and sentenced to death, but is saved by Alpha Prince at the price of her freedom. She is forever bound and chained to Alpha Prince Conrad. Betrayed by her coven and loved ones, will Cordelia be able to fight and survive? .

Selina, a young single mother struggling to rebuild her life, carries the weight of abandonment, financial hardship, and society’s harsh judgment. One stormy night, broken from betrayal and despair, she crosses paths with Darius King, a wealthy and powerful businessman mourning the death of his beloved wife during childbirth. In a moment of vulnerability, their worlds collide, leading to a one-night encounter neither of them expects to matter until Selina discovers she is pregnant again. Determined to stand on her own, Selina applies for a job at King International, desperate for stability. Instead of sympathy, she is met with prejudice from Juliana, the company’s sharp-tongued HR officer. But fate intervenes when Darius himself walks in and recognizes Selina as the woman from that night. Shocked to learn about the child she carries, he is torn between anger, guilt, and an overwhelming sense of responsibility. As workplace tension blends with undeniable attraction, secrets unravel. Darius confronts his pain and the possibility of loving again, while Selina faces jealousy from those who wish to see her fail. When Juliana and others try to push her out of King International, Selina’s resilience is tested, but Darius finds himself standing by her side. Together, they must confront their scars: a man afraid to love after loss, and a woman terrified of being used and abandoned again. Their journey weaves through heartbreak, second chances, and the search for healing proving that love, in its purest form, costs nothing but the courage to accept it. In the end, Selina and Darius embrace not only each other but also a new future one where love is not bound by wealth, grief, or the mistakes of the past, but strengthened by forgiveness and hope.

Deliliah Carmichael was once destined for greatness...until love ruined her. As the most gifted acolyte of the Moon Goddess, her future was destined to be great. But one forbidden night with the Alpha’s adopted son shattered everything. Branded a traitor to the goddess, Deliliah was cast into punishment and stripped of the life she believed in, only to awaken powers that should have been lost forever. Three years later, she has risen from disgrace to become the Head Priestess of the Vyrclaw Pack, her heart sealed off, her vows resolute. She will never love again and she would do her best to perform her duties. Then the Alpha King returns. Viktor Volvov, the man who abandoned her to save himself now stands before her wearing a crown forged in blood and conquest. He is cold, ruthless, undefeated… and still dangerously in love with the woman he left behind. Before the Moon Goddess and every watching pack, Viktor makes an insane vow. He will mate no woman but Deliliah before his thirtieth birthday, or surrender his life to the goddess’s judgment. Deliliah refuses to be trapped by guilt, power, or prophecy. She will not love him. She will not save him. Even if his life is at stake. But the Moon Goddess has her own plans. As Viktor’s life force slowly begins to drain, and political forces close in, Deliliah is forced to confront a cruel truth...that refusing him may cost more than surrendering ever could. With time running out, desire burning against duty, and fate tightening its grip, Deliliah must make a choice. Is love truly her downfall…or the one thing powerful enough to defy the Moon Goddess herself?

My twin sister, wanting to be with her thug boyfriend, secretly planned to apply for a junior college. When I could not talk her out of it, I told our parents and managed to stop her. However, just a month into the new semester, her thug boyfriend cheated on her. She left a suicide note, blaming it all on the long distance between them. She wrote that if she had gone to that junior college, her boyfriend would never have cheated. Grief‑stricken, my parents turned all their rage on me. "You wretched girl, this is all your fault for meddling! What business was it of yours which school your sister went to? Even if she didn't go to college, we could still support her. We didn't need your big mouth!" "If it weren't for your spiteful tongue, your sister wouldn't be dead!" "We were cursed to have a vicious, unfilial daughter like you!" They locked me in her room, ordering me to repent. Then they took her ashes on a trip, saying they wanted her to see the beautiful mountains and rivers she never got to visit in life. A month later, they returned from their travels to find me long dead, starved to a withered husk in front of my sister's photo. Their eyes held no grief, no guilt, only a faint, scornful curl of the lips. In their eyes, my death was nothing more than justice served. My broken soul saw their icy expressions, and despairing tears burned my eyes. Then my sister's familiar voice rang out again: "What business is it of yours which school I go to? You're just jealous that I have a boyfriend, aren't you?"

After the death of her family in an accident that left her scarred, and wolfless, Nora Howard was constantly at the mercy of her fated mate who was disgusted at the very sight of her. On the day of her anniversary her husband, Alpha Aiden broke the bond between them. And casually tossed a divorce paper at her face. Alpha Aiden gave a diamond ring to her best friend. Nora was shattered, and too weak from betrayal. Only this time, she was done. She might be ugly with a scar on her face. Wolfless, and carrying the guilt of losing her family. It was time for a change. In her quest for escape, Nora strayed into the Blackcrest pack. A powerful pack ruled by the Virelli twins. Halil and Kai Virelli. Lycan kings who ruled their pack with iron fist, and were ruthless with enemies. However, beneath the cold devastatingly handsome faces of the Virelli twins was a spine chilling curse. One only a mate can break. They wanted to exert instant judgement on Nora Howard. But fate shifted when the moon goddess linked them as a second chance mate to Nora. They vowed to make her regret every minute of her life, and break her bit by bit. Until, they caught themselves staring at her a minute longer. An incident happened, that changed everything. Nora ran away from the Blackcrest pack, seeking revenge. Unknown to her, their seeds were growing in her. In that moment, The Lycan twins realized Nora was the woman they truly yearned for. Dark secrets resurfaces linking her to them. Would she go through with her revenge? even if she had the powers to take down the most powerful Alphas. Or had she fallen in love with the Virelli twins, and somehow hadn’t noticed?

What does the underboss of an infamous crime family have in common with a spirited primary school teacher? Absolutely nothing, except a marriage of convenience, of course. When Lionel Tyson defaults on a gambling debt and offers his most prized possession as collateral, Austin Hawthorne is underwhelmed. But in desperate need of a housekeeper and permanent child minder, he knows he’d be an idiot to look a gift horse in the mouth. So, against his better judgement, he accepts an offer he should absolutely refuse. Marybeth Tyson is horrified to learn that not only is her father wanted by loan sharks, but he has also sold her off to a mafia boss. Bound by duty and pushed by guilt, she agrees to give Austin Hawthorne one year of her life, despite common sense screaming at her to run the other way. After all, how hard can pretending to be madly in love with someone be? It’s all fun and games until play pretend becomes all too real, and an earth-shattering secret from Austin’s past comes to light, threatening to destroy his second chance at love with his dogged pursuit for answers. Betrayal, especially at the hands of his older brother Blake and long-time friend, Andrei Ivanov, is a bitter pill to swallow for Austin, and letting them off scot-free is not an option. Driven by his unquenchable thirst for revenge, Austin will stop at nothing to get to the truth, even if it means destroying decade-old friendships and fragile ties to The Corporation. 2022 Val Sims. All rights reserved. No part of this novel may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author and publishers.

"She thought she had escaped the past, but the past had other plans." Victoria Lancaster had it all—love, luxury, and a future with the man she adored, billionaire Elias Westbrook. But one devastating accusation shattered everything. Accused of embezzling millions from Elias’s company, she was torn apart by the press and forced to sign divorce papers, leaving behind a life of privilege. The heartbreak was unbearable, and she vowed to never return to the world that betrayed her. Years later, Victoria is finally rebuilding her life, running a small business, and finding solace in simplicity. But when a letter arrives with shocking news—that she is pregnant with Elias’s child—everything she thought she had left behind comes rushing back. The revelation forces her to face a past she thought she had buried forever. Elias, now a cold and reclusive billionaire, is torn between anger and guilt when he learns of Victoria’s pregnancy. He has spent years seeking the truth, uncovering a deep betrayal by someone he never expected. The shocking truth: it was his own sister, Selene, who framed Victoria to seize control of the Westbrook empire. Now, Elias is determined to make things right. But after years of hurt and deception, can he win back Victoria’s trust and rebuild their shattered love? The battle for the Westbrook fortune intensifies, and Victoria must decide: forgive Elias or protect her child from the greed and betrayal that tore their family apart. Get ready for a whirlwind romance filled with shocking twists, heartbreaking choices, and a love that refuses to die. Will Victoria and Elias reclaim what they lost, or will their past destroy them forever? Read "The Ex-Wife's Secret" to uncover what happens next!

Elara Valr has always known independence. Growing up, she navigated life on her own terms, confident, clever, and unafraid to challenge anyone in her way, including her protective older brother, Elias, whom she loves fiercely. Now, in her third year of college, she’s focused on her studies, her ambitions, and the life she’s building for herself, until Adrian Moore arrives. Adrian is new to campus, young, confident, and devastatingly handsome; a professor in his first real position, full of authority and restraint. There’s something magnetic about him, something that draws Elara in from the moment she sees him. What begins as casual conversations and professional exchanges quickly turns into a private, heated, and irresistible connection. one that neither can ignore nor fully understand. Adrian harbors a secret of his own: a twin he never knew existed, a brother he’s desperate to find. When he discovers the truth about his twin’s connection to Elara’s life, everything shifts. Loyalty, trust, and desire collide in ways that neither of them expected. Elara must confront the dangerous pull she feels toward a man who mirrors the brother she grew up with, while Adrian struggles with the boundaries of love, identity, and family. As their passion deepens, the stakes rise. Every choice carries consequences, and every secret threatens to unravel the delicate balance they’ve built. Love and desire are intoxicating, but in a world of mirrors and hidden truths, the cost of giving in may be more than anyone can bear. This is a story of forbidden desire, obsession, and emotional tension, where hearts collide, secrets explode, and the line between love and guilt becomes dangerously thin.