Helping Drawings

After I dropped out of school, my parents didn't pressure me to do anything. But Nicole Hicks kept calling nonstop. She was my boyfriend's childhood friend who had established a reputation as a genius. I was too busy helping out in the fields, growing vegetables, and splashing around in the creek, living my best carefree life. Writing code wasn't even on my mind. In my past life, she had turned in a project just one day before I did. Her codes were exactly the same as mine. Everyone called me a fraud and said I had stolen it. I tried to explain, but no one believed me. Later, she even did a livestream, accusing me online of being a school bully. People went wild. They didn't just come for me—they went after my whole family. Some obsessed troll chased my parents in a car, and they died in a crash. I couldn't take it anymore. I jumped off a high-rise, my eyes still wide open, refusing to accept the way it all ended. Even in my last moment, I couldn't figure it out. That code was mine. My hard work. So how did she manage to post it before me? When I opened my eyes again, I was back, right before everything fell apart.

On the eve of my wedding, my parents returned from abroad, and my fiancée, Seraphina Vale, went into the kitchen to host them, preparing her specialty—passion fruit tea—for everyone. My parents, Edward and Eleanor Blackwood, and I had barely taken our first sip when the bodyguard, Alaric Sterling, standing beside her, burst into laughter. “You really are a family,” he said. “All of you drinking toad eggs as if they were passion fruit, savoring every mouthful.” Nausea rose instantly, and my parents and I retched uncontrollably, after which I swung my fist and went straight for him. But Seraphina shoved me away. “You were the one who called Alaric a toad before,” she said. “I was just helping him get even.” Alaric looked at me smugly. “Aren’t your parents biologists?” he said. “You should be thanking me for the hands-on experiment.” I lifted the scalding soup and splashed it at Alaric. Seraphina screamed as she ordered the other bodyguards to break my hand. “You insulted Alaric first,” she said. “That’s why he retaliated. What right do you have to lay a hand on him? “If anything happens to Alaric, you won’t get away with it.” I watched Seraphina hurriedly escort Alaric away, her face tight with concern. I turned to my parents. “Can you ask her if she’s still willing to marry me?”

Alessandro, a name which can make men double his size shudder with fear. He is the Boss of the Russian outfit. He made a mistake, that he knows he would regret as long as he lives. A mistake which almost cost him his outfit. He never let anyone see how deeply that one mistake affected him. But it did. He decided to kill everyone who backstabbed him. That's when he saw Olivia. She was brought as a peace offering by her step mother to save her father's life. The same father who betrayed Alesso by helping his cousin Victor. He is not interested in school girls who are too innocent to stay alive in their world for long. But something in Olivia pulled to him, begging for mercy and help. He wanted to refuse her and kill her father. But he couldn't. So he bought her as his slave. Thus began their journey. This was something he was not expecting. She hated his guts. He saw how much she loathe him. But that never bothered him, until she started affecting him. He used to have fun when she is riled up. He loved when she is flustered. Making her go red with anger and frustration was his favorite. She was his reprieve from his guilt. A light at the end of a dark tunnel, which never seems to have an end.

Roohi Kapoor has a problem. Scratch that—she has two problems. First, she’s hopelessly in love with her best friend, Vihan Singh Rathore, who just happens to be the most frustrating playboy in all of Delhi. He flirts with anything that moves in the skirt—except her. Second, her entire family—overprotective brothers, cousins, and all—won’t stop parading eligible bachelors in front of her. As an MD, her family thinks it's time for her to get married and “settle down.” But how can she think about anyone else when her heart is stuck on Mr. Heartbreaker himself? Enter Ron Kapoor, Roohi’s elder brother and legendary love guru. He could easily make a career of solving other people’s romantic disasters, but helping his little sister get together with a notorious playboy? Even he knows this is a recipe for disaster. Especially, when Ron’s strict rules mean Roohi must follow his plan down to the letter… and his plan involves turning the tables on Vihan's flirtatious ways. Can Roohi break free from the friend zone and finally make Vihan see her as more than just his best friend? Or will she end up heartbroken while her brothers plan her next “perfect” match? One thing’s for sure—things are about to get hilariously complicated.

I'm seven months pregnant when my husband's close female friend, Suzy Ruffalo, invited us to a beach party. The sun is blazing, so I stay tucked under a parasol, quietly scrolling through my phone. Suddenly, Suzy wanders over and swings herself onto my husband's lap. "Hurry up and put the sunscreen on me! Don't just put it on my chest this time. I don't want to wake up tomorrow with my boobs two shades lighter." For a moment, I wonder if I've heard her wrong. My husband, Ted Cohen, casually picks up the sunscreen and starts rubbing it on her chest without hesitation. "Your boobs are tiny to begin with. I'm helping you to make it fairer so that it looks bigger." Suzy slaps his shoulder in annoyance. "How's that your business? You said my bikini area was darker the previous time." The rest of the guys started whistling. When Ted rubs the sunscreen just below her navel, he subconsciously glances at me. However, Suzy grabs his hand and shoves it lower. "Don't worry, Nina. He's touched this area so many times he's immune by now. It's just sunscreen. There's no need to get jealous over this, yeah?" I snort and look away to book a time for the divorce agreement. I will not be jealous, but they're both going to be on the receiving end of my slaps.

“Are you here to gloat about your money?“ “No. Rather, I'm here to offer myself to you, Alvara“ Kai says. “Use me to get your revenge on my brother. I promise to help you get back everything you lost to him—and more“ That sounded too good of an offer not to have a price attached to it. Regardless, it was my best bet. I wasn't certain I could start from scratch again with my company without clearing out the plagiarism issue first. It wasn't something I was certain I could handle alone either but with Kai, I just might be able to. “And am I using you for free or is there a price attached to it?“ “Not a price but there is a requirement“ These bunch of sneaky Foley brothers. “Which is?“ “Marry me, Alvara“ *** Alvara's world comes crashing down after her husband not only sold her company's idea to a rival company but was also found in bed with her best friend. She decides to hand him divorce papers to cut him loose and swore to have her revenge. A revenge she wasn't sure she could do alone until Kai, her brother-in-law offers her to use him. It was like killing two birds with one stone. An offer too good to pass up. But what Alvara didn't know was that Kai had other intentions than just helping her. Find out more in this fast-paced billionaire short story!

I am standing right in front of the ball room, staring at my fiance and chosen mate, Jackson hold a blonde haired lady on the waist. His chuckles are loud, and his smile reaching his ears. I see happiness, but not with me, without someone else. Then I realized, Jackson found his fated mate. What he'd been waiting to find for so many years, and yet I thought he loved me as much as I loved him. Turns out I was wrong. I was the only one holding so strong onto our love. I beg him not to chose her over me, but he threw me aside with a card to pay for everything I had done for him. 5 years of my life gone and wasted, 5 years loving a man so endlessly. Finally I made a decision. To leave permanently. But my fated stepped into my life at my lowest, and offered a helping hand. When I realized he was Jackson's family, I stepped in twice and decided to take this opportunity. Jackson's uncle was ready to lay his feet under my world, but was I ready to love him just a little of how much he loved me? Because.... My heart still longs for Jackson, and something unexpected happens... My ex chosen mate comes begging to take him back.

On the night meant to celebrate her two-years wedding anniversary, Hadley’s world burns—literally and emotionally. After two years of standing loyally beside her husband, Andrew Shaw, even helping him secure a major deal with Sky Group as his company’s director, Hadley receives a terrifying call: his office is on fire. Without hesitation, she rushes into the flames to save him… only to find him entangled with her own sister, Laura. Betrayed, humiliated for being overweight, and trapped in a blazing inferno, Hadley watches in disbelief as the two people she trusted most choose each other—and abandon her to die. But fate isn’t done with her yet. She survives. And this time, she walks away. Divorced and carrying Andrew’s child, Hadley disappears from his life, only for the truth to surface—she was never just the devoted wife he discarded. She is an heiress, powerful and untouchable, with a new life rising from the ashes of her past, and no longer overweight. Now, the woman Andrew once betrayed and mocked for being overweight is no longer someone he can control or insult anymore… yet she becomes the one he can’t forget. As regret consumes him, Andrew begins his relentless pursuit to win her back. But Hadley has already learned her lesson. This time, will she choose love… or revenge?

After helping illegitimate son Clifford Johansen rise to fame, Seraphine Lodge gets ruthlessly discarded. Clifford turns around and proposes to his "true love" with a fireworks show worth hundreds of millions. He also indulges her as she makes Seraphine's mother, Andrea Lodge, die from a heart attack. He robs Seraphine of her identity as a true heiress without remorse. Seraphine gives her heart to the wrong man, but she doesn't scream or cry. Instead, she dumps the scumbag, pockets 200 million dollars in breakup fees, and watches her career soar. But Clifford refuses to let her go. He ruins her reputation, turning public opinion against her. Seraphine doesn't bow to power or cruelty. Anyone who dares cross her gets a taste of her revenge, which comes swiftly and brutally. Sweet revenge is satisfying, but an even sweeter thrill arrives one night while cloaked in moonlight. A tall, commanding figure approaches, radiating elegance and dominance. It's Elliott Johansen, the heir to Dirkane's most prominent family. He's powerful, untouchable, and feared by all. Seraphine freezes. Then comes his low, magnetic voice in her ear, "Sera, leave the violence to me. If you get hurt, my heart will ache." Her heart skips a beat. He continues, "Be good. We'll go home together once I'm through with them."

Saelyna and her twin brother, Cyran, are among the last, few elves in Halden that are still healing from the wounds of the rebellion. They both work in the King's Glade, growing the magical kingpeas for His Grace's use. One day, Saelyna steals some of the peas in a bid to sell them and repay her brother for the loss of his sheep. That same evening, a werewolf attacks Cyran while hunting, injuring him severely. He escapes and makes it home, but is dying from the wound. A mysterious stranger stops by to help, and uses the peas to heal him. The king's mages, however, have detected the use of magic and send their scouts to apprehend the culprit. Saelyna and Cyran prepare to flee, but are kidnapped, along with other elves. They are taken to a land called Eldad, and their captors turned out to be the werewolves, who wants them to work on their lands and grow more kingpeas to aid their second attempt at a rebellion. Saelyna is placed under the claws of Caivan, who turns out to be the mysterious stranger who saved Cyran's life. And Cyran is forced to work for Gylen, the werewolf who had attacked him. Saelyna finds out that he's not the helping kind though. Caivan is the pack's beta, and next in line to be the alpha, which requires him to be brutal, sharp at will and self-centered. Over time, though, Saelyna and Caivan grow closer, bonding over their affinity for magic, their plans to escape the world and their love for books.