Hopeless Pursuit

Elena Carter was supposed to paint her future in color. Instead, she’s trapped in a marriage built on power, legacy, and lies. Forced to wed billionaire playboy Julian Blackwood to secure a family alliance, Elena finds herself in a cold, loveless union with a man who barely looks at her—let alone cares. But Elena is a hopeless romantic, a dreamer clinging to the memory of a boy who once promised her the world. And Julian is distant and indifferent, has no interest in love or fairy tales. As Elena tries to make the impossible work, secrets begin to stir beneath the surface of their fractured marriage. And karma always finds its way home.

“Is that how you thank me for saving your ass?” I could feel his warm breath against my skin, a mix of mint and alcohol. His face was clearer now as the moonlight spilled on us. * * * * * Betrayed, broke, betrothed. Savannah McGrathy lost it all after her father's death shattered her once perfect world. Her stepmother and stepsister changed from the loving family she once knew, stripping her of everything she had. Betrayed by her boyfriend and stepsister and now, betrothed to the ruthless billionaire Diego Montenegro, she is hopeless with no way out. But Diego has a secret from a masked party five years ago—the one night that changed everything. He is obsessed and hopelessly in love. He remembers her clearly but Savannah has no idea they've met before. Now, he will do whatever it takes to protect her, not just from her enemies but from the demons within himself.

He looked right through me. Alpha Damon, my fated mate, saw only a cursed, scentless servant unworthy of his notice. His rejection was a cold blade to the heart. Then, blood and chaos shattered everything. A rogue attack broke the curse binding my true Alpha power, revealing the wolf he’d scorned. Now, he sees me. Now, he wants me. The pursuit has begun – fierce, desperate, possessive. He tries apologies, demands, even force, driven by the bond he denied. But I am not the broken girl he remembers. He will learn that earning forgiveness from the Luna he brutalized means bowing before the power he dismissed. The chase is on, but this time, I set the rules.

Set against the backdrop of Rome’s elite underworld, Blood & Dynasty follows Leonardo and Xena DeMarcus, two rulers who build an empire through calculated strategy, ruthless ambition, and an unbreakable partnership. From the moment they take control of Rome’s power structure, they face relentless opposition—from whispered betrayals to direct threats, including the relentless pursuit of their downfall by Elena Vasquez and later Dominic Renaud, a Geneva-based strategist who attempts to dismantle their empire from afar. Through violence, precision, and unwavering control, Leonardo and Xena eliminate every obstacle, ensuring Rome bends to their reign and never rises against them again. But their legacy is more than just dominance—it is permanence, and that permanence is solidified through the birth of their heir, Orion DeMarcus. Faced with the impossible balance between war and family, they fortify their estate, strengthen their dynasty, and raise Orion to be a ruler as fierce and tactical as they are, ensuring the DeMarcus name will never fade. As years pass, Orion rises, taking command of the empire, expanding beyond his parents’ reign, proving that everything Leonardo and Xena built was meant to last long beyond their rule. And in the final reflection, as Xena looks back on their time together, she understands one undeniable truth: Power may shift. Empires may evolve. But the love between her and Leonardo—the fire that shaped their dynasty—will never burn out.

Shantali Mae Cross, a security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Ancient Arts, encounters an impossible phenomenon during her night shift—smoke from the heating vents coalesces into the form of a cobra near ancient Egyptian canopic jars, showing her visions of possible futures. She sees herself accepting a promotion, arguing with a dark-haired man in a hospital, wearing a wedding dress, and standing at a graveside in autumn. Shaken by the experience, Shantali becomes obsessed with understanding what she witnessed, diving into research about serpent smoke divination practices. Her investigation reveals that others throughout history have experienced similar visions at crucial crossroads in their lives, but those who became consumed with interpreting and controlling their prophetic glimpses inevitably destroyed the very relationships and opportunities the visions had shown them. As Shantali spirals deeper into her research, she begins shutting out her boyfriend David, a fellow security guard who loves her deeply. When David witnesses the cobra phenomenon himself, he helps ground her in reality rather than obsession. Through her studies, particularly the warnings left by Dr. Amelia Thorne—a researcher who died alone after chasing similar mysteries—Shantali realizes the cobra's true message: choose love over fear, presence over obsession. The visions weren't warnings of tragedy but glimpses of a life fully lived with all its ordinary struggles and profound connections. When David proposes, Shantali chooses their real relationship over her pursuit of supernatural answers. She completes her research by writing a fictional novel about her experience, transforming obsession into art while helping future cobra witnesses understand that some mysteries are meant to guide rather than be solved. The story explores themes of choice versus destiny, the danger of sacrificing present love for future certainty, and the wisdom of embracing life's uncertainties alongside those who love us.

Lisa Knox The day I caught my husband and my sister having sex on the bed while my son had drowned in the pool was the day I made my decision and stood by it. Nothing was going to make me stay in this five years marriage. So, I took the divorce papers, signed it and left everything behind. Including the wealth and company I Inherited from my late dad. I had handed everything in my life over to him when I was blinded by love. Now, I vowed as I stepped out to get back everything until my sister and my ex husband are reduced to nothing. * Andrew McCarthy The day before my wedding, I had caught my first love and wife-to-be getting fucked by my PA in the study room. I had said nothing and simply went out to drink, completely hopeless for love. There I met her, a beautiful young lady whom I could use for the night. The sex had been good but that was about it. I cancelled the wedding when I got a call to come back home and take up the responsibility of a father, to adopt my niece because my twin brother had just been murdered. Five years later, everything is in chaos and I need a woman who is experienced in raising children who will stay. So when I met that lady from the one night stand again, I made up my mind to have her for myself. She would be my wife and would raise my daughter, no matter what.

Reina Grimes is a quiet, nerdy fresher with a deep love for science and a hopeless crush on the campus heartthrob, Austin Reed. He's the golden boy who is popular, rich, arrogant, and the star quarterback. But he’s also her worst nightmare. For reasons she doesn't understand, Austin has always singled her out, mocking her clumsiness, her glasses, and how reserved she is. His teasing isn't just cruel, it's frustrating. Yet somehow, Reina still finds herself drawn to him. Everything shatters the day Reina hears that her mother, Angela, is getting married to Austin’s father, the powerful and ambitious politician, Brock Reed. At the engagement dinner, Austin shows up expecting a boring evening for old people, only to discover that his father’s fiancée is Reina’s mom. The realization hits both of them hard. They’re going to be step-siblings, and living under the same roof.

The air crackled with menace, each syllable a poisoned dart. "You belong to me. You'll serve me. Do this and be quiet if you want to live." These were the ironclad words that slammed down on Miguel and Alejandro, forging a link of fear and obligation. Miguel , a shadow in the city's underbelly, found his deadly profession twisted into a personal debt. A botched hit, a life spared – the mafia prince demanded repayment in flesh and loyalty. Now, Miguel 's existence was tethered to a man he was meant to extinguish. Alejandro, the journalist with a voice too loud for the prince's liking, became collateral damage in this dangerous game. His relentless pursuit of truth had landed him squarely in the crosshairs. One careless encounter, a desperate attempt by Miguel to silence Alejandro's probing questions with a kiss – a spark ignited in the suffocating darkness. It was a kiss meant to quell, but it unfurled a landscape of unexpected desire. Suddenly, the stakes were higher than survival. The illicit touch had awakened a fierce passion, a dangerous intimacy blooming between captor and… something more. Yet, the prince's wrath was a constant shadow, threats lurked in every corner, and the chasm of their circumstances stretched between them like a vast, unforgiving ocean. Could this fragile connection withstand the forces determined to tear them apart? the constant threat of exposure, the weight of their conflicting worlds, and the ever-present danger? Could Alejandro find a way to reconcile his principles with the undeniable pull he felt for his captor? Could Miguel risk the stability of his empire for a love born in captivity? Would their love become a casualty of the very danger that brought them together, or would they fight to keep its flame alive against impossible odds?

At first, I thought life was so easy but as the years had passed, I realized that life is obnoxious, specially for those poor who pray every day to win in a lottery. Since I was a kid, I already had carried a big responsibility in my arms, sometimes making me question myself whether I was born to live happily or the other way around. My mom and father had a divorce when I was a kid, and unluckily, she made me choose between her and papa. And now, too bad but I regretted nothing. On that day, I chose my dad, and never in million of years would I become jealous to my sister (who had chosen mom) just because she is rich and can buy anything she wants. I was used at buying my only basic needs, securing the rest of my money for future because I know I will still be the only one who can benefit at the end. I was just living peacefully, without having any regrets and doubts, but there is a man named Spencer whose arrogance could reach the planet Jupiter. And I can't deny he got the looks that made everyone to flicker after him. But never in million years would I become fluttered just because of silly and corny jokes from him. But I became tongue-tied for predicting everything. Because I was wrong for judging him like that.

Ava, is a woman with big ambitions who will do her best to get them. She is capable of sacrificing anything, including the one she loves. Because of her dream, Ava had to leave. Harris is a man who is unconcerned about his own life. Everyday he will get drunk, as well as play with the hearts of the women he'll meet. When he met Ava, everything changed. He transformed into a decent man for Ava. Misty, on the other hand, is an obsessed hopeless romantic. Envy-filled woman, she was consumed by rage, allowing her to accomplish anything she wanted. Regardless of what will happen, she will do anything to make Ava miserable. Will Harris love be strong enough to wait Ava's return? Will they return to each other's arms when the right time comes? After everything Ava had to sacrifice, can she still choose to be with Harris?