Hard Work Paid Off

Back in the day, in the legal world, Finn Cross and I were the top dogs. Untouchable. He ran New York, a king in criminal defense, never lost a case. I held down Boston, crushing it in civil court. People in the biz used to say it was a good thing we weren't in the same city. If we were, we’d have gone head-to-head, and it was anyone's guess who'd come out on top. But they never would've guessed. Three years ago, I, Victoria Sterling, quietly married Finn Cross. And just like that, the legend of "Vicky" was locked away. I was willing to leave my career behind, to be the quiet, supportive woman behind the great man. I made his coffee, went with him to all sorts of events, and left a light on for him when he came home late. But when Elena, the one he’d always carried a torch for, showed up again, I couldn't keep up this charade anymore.

She thought he was dead, he thought she’d moved on. Now she’s a single mother raising their son, a child he never knew existed so what happens when they crossed paths once again? Autumn and Fray were separated. She was led to believe that Frazier died while in truth, he was diagnosed with colon cancer and had to undergo treatment back in England. Autumn was shocked to see that he was very much alive. Seeing that he has a new girl beside him, Autumn decided it was best not to inform him about their son, Severus. So the question is, what happens when they finally met during their uni reunion? Book 3 of The Autumn Summers Series. Can be read as a stand-alone. ******* Book 1 is The Bad Nerd Boy (Completed) Book 1.5 is Summertime Book 2 is Resisting The Irresistible (Completed)

I was suffering from period cramps, so I ordered some painkillers. I asked for a woman to deliver my painkillers to me, but a drunken man came over instead. This time, I did not call my brothers for help. I called the police instead. In the past, not only did my brothers send all of their bodyguards to me, but they also rushed back. In the process, they ended up missing the theater performance of our adopted sister, Gloria. Gloria was sad and grabbed a prop to stab herself. My brothers comforted me. “Don’t blame yourself for it. At the very least, you’re safe.” But, right after, they arranged my kidnapping and gave me over to a group of drunkards. “That was just a drunkard. You could have just chased him out. Did you have to call us? Look! Gloria’s dead now! You’re not getting out of this alive either!” When I opened my eyes again, I returned to the time when the drunkard was knocking on the door. This time, I did not call them, and my brothers got to watch Gloria’s theater performance and cheered her on. But once the performance ended, they regretted it.

After my husband, Joseph Adams, hired thugs to smash my taco stand again, I pushed the destroyed remains to his company’s anniversary banquet. Joseph had his arm around his little secretary, Monica Martin, when he announced that she would soon be joining the company’s management team. I pressed the horn and called out, “Tacos for sale to support my husband’s mistress—three thirty a piece!” Amid the stunned and bewildered stares of the crowd, Joseph’s brows twisted into a deep frown.

It’s already hard being Black in America, but it’s even tougher surviving America as a Black Vampire.N, who is a vampire, has been on a long search finding the police officer who killed his family and cut off his tongue when he was young. He believes that the cop is in Virginia and goes on a grueling battle to find him. But he also falls in love, meet other unique Black Vampires like him, and leads a revolution to end police brutality and racism.

‘นาบี’ เด็กสาววัยสิบแปด...ยอมรับภารกิจที่ไม่ควรเป็นของเธอ...เพื่อแลกกับเงินห้าแสนบาท ซึ่งมันคือความหวังเดียวในการรักษาพี่สาวที่กำลังป่วยหนัก... เธอถูกขอร้องจากแม่ของเขาให้เข้าไป ‘แยก’ เขา ออกจากหญิงสาวที่เขารัก โดยไม่มีใครรู้ว่า…ทั้งสองคือพี่น้องร่วมสายเลือดเดียวกัน... ภารกิจสำเร็จ...แต่สิ่งที่หลงเหลือ คือความโกรธแค้นทั้งหมดของเขา ที่ถาโถมใส่เธอเพียงคนเดียว ความเสียใจผลักให้เขาจากไปเรียนต่อต่างประเทศ หายไปจากชีวิตเธอถึงห้าปี พร้อมบาดแผลในใจที่ไม่เคยจาง จนวันที่เขากลับมา...โชคชะตากลับเล่นตลกซ้ำอีกครั้ง เมื่อเขาโคจรไปเจอ ‘พี่สาว’ คนเดิม และความจริงที่ถูกปิดซ่อน กำลังจะทำร้ายเขาซ้ำสอง แม่ของเขาจึงหันมาหาเธออีกครั้ง...ขอร้องให้ช่วย…เป็นครั้งสุดท้าย ด้วยการดึงเธอเข้ามาใกล้ ในตำแหน่งเลขาส่วนตัว แต่ทว่าครั้งนี้...เด็กสาวไร้ทางเลือกในวันนั้น...ไม่หลงเหลืออยู่แล้ว...มีเพียงผู้หญิงคนหนึ่ง...ที่แข็งแกร่งพอจะยืนอยู่ตรงหน้าเขา พร้อมทวงคืนทุกความเจ็บปวดในครั้งก่อน... ที่เธอเคยถูกเขาเหยียบย่ำ และเอาคืนให้สาสม!

Ang kuwento ay umiikot sa isang simpleng babae na nagtatrabaho bilang warehouse helper sa isang kumpanya. Tahimik ang kanyang buhay hanggang sa biglang magkasakit ang kanyang ina at mangailangan ng agarang operasyon. Dahil kapos sa pera, napilitan siyang maghanap ng dagdag na pagkakakitaan. Labag man sa kalooban niya ay pumasok siya bilang Escort sa isang bar. Dito niya nakilala ang isang lalaki, handa siyang tulungan nito kapalit na kailangan niya rin itong tulungan dahil kailangan ng lalaki na may babaeng ipapakilala sa magulang niya bilang fiancee. Dahil kailangan daw munang maikasal ng lalake bago nito makuha ang mana mula sa magulang niya. Laking gulat ng pamilya ng lalaki nang malaman nila kung sino ang babaeng napiling pakasalan ng kanilang anak. Nadiskubre nilang ang babae ay biological daughter ng kanilang matagal nang karibal sa negosyo. Nalaman nilang pinaampon ang babae noong bata pa siya upang maitago ang kanyang tunay na identity at mailayo sa magulong mundo ng kapangyarihan at yaman. Nakita ng pamilya ng lalaki ang pagkakataon na gamitin ang babae laban sa kanilang karibal sa negosyo. Pinlano nilang ituloy ang kasal bilang bahagi ng kanilang corporate strategy, para mapabagsak ang pamilya ng babae. Habang tumatagal, ang dating kontrata ay nauwi sa tunay na pagmamahalan. Dalawang araw bago ang kasal, nalaman ng babae ang kanyang tunay na identity. Iniisip niya kung itutuloy pa ba ang kasal sa kabila ng kasinungalingan, o talikuran ang lahat upang protektahan ang sarili niya. Nang malaman ng lalaki ang tunay na plano ng kanyang mga magulang, tumutol siya rito. Handa siyang talikuran ang mana at labanan ang sariling pamilya para sa babaeng minahal niya. Sa gitna ng corporate rivalry, family politics, at personal betrayal, kailangang magdesisyon ang dalawa kung ang kanilang pagmamahalan ay sapat upang lampasan ang mga lihim at interes na bumabalot sa kanilang relasyon.

Timothy Holt was someone my family sponsored. He was extraordinarily gifted in mathematics, winning an international gold medal at just 17. Yet for the prom queen's sake, he was willing to give up his chance to further his studies abroad I couldn't bear to watch someone with such a brilliant future ruin his own prospects, so I handed the girl a check and sent her overseas. Later, Timothy achieved both fame and fortune. However, when my family fell into hardship, he kicked us while we were down. An accident followed, and we both died. Before his death, he said to me: if he could start over, he hoped I would show mercy and stop interfering in his life. Thus, just as he wished, in this lifetime, I chose to stay out of his business.

To afford train tickets home for New Year's Eve, I searched for a part-time job and stumbled into a livestream that was practically throwing money at the chat. A young woman in a silk robe rested her chin on her hand. Behind her, a villa glowed under expensive lighting that reflected off polished marble floors. "Being kept in here is suffocating," she said in a voice that mixed boredom with sweetness. "My sponsor gives me more money than I can spend. Help me out. Take some off my hands." Cash drops flashed across the screen one after another. I tapped as fast as I could, my heart hammering. A few large ones landed in my account. I was close. One more would cover both my ticket and my boyfriend's. The streamer leaned closer to the camera. "He keeps saying my tear mole looks like his girlfriend's," she said, her mouth twisting with disgust. "So unlucky. Of all things, I had to match with some broke girl." My finger slipped. I had a tear mole under my eye in the same spot. The live chat flooded with questions. [How is the sponsor's girlfriend broke?] The streamer gave a short snort and reapplied her lipstick, as if correcting a minor flaw. "He's just messing around. He tricked her into 200,000 dollars in debt. She's so stupid she works multiple jobs to help him pay it off." A chill settled in my chest. My boyfriend also owed 200,000 dollars. She continued, her tone light, "The funniest part? He slept with me for three days. When he left, I asked if he was giving her a taste of honey." She smiled cruelly. "He said all he has to do is claim he's going to work a construction site hauling rebar. The idiot will feel guilty and deliver food all night. So he won't need to please her." Another large cash drop flashed across the screen. The total reached the exact amount I needed. My phone rang. Benjamin's name lit up the display. When I answered, his voice sounded worn down, as if it had scraped against concrete. "Via, we still don't have enough for the tickets," he said. "I hauled rebar and made a little over 40 dollars. I'm heading home now."

On the first day Thea Storme is accepted back to her wealthy family, she signs a betting contract with the fake heiress, Clara Storme. The contract states that if Clara is able to steal from Thea nine times in a row, Thea will have to leave the Storme family on her own. Thea agrees to the bet. On the ninth time, Clara has her eye on Thea's boyfriend, who's a low-income student. She gives him two million dollars and demands that he marry into her family as a live-in son-in-law. "You want me to marry into your family? Sure." Thea raises her head in disbelief. Leonard Falkner taps a finger on the bank card. The moment he meets Thea's gaze of despair, he flashes her a comforting smile. "But I will marry into your family as Thea's husband. I might be poor, but I still have my pride. Except for the woman I love most, I won't lower my head for anyone in this world." That day, Clara cries as she runs out of the house. She even agrees to marry into the Larkin family out of spite. Leonard remains unmoved. He just watches Clara making a fool of herself coldly. But that night, Thea overhears something…