Introduction To Public Administration

Ysabelle Andra Guerrero never thought her love life would become a business transaction. As the only daughter and heiress of an airline company, she lived independently— an adrenaline junkie, a traveler, and someone who swore never to open her heart yet but her world turns upside down when her family uses her for a deal: a marriage contract to secure a business partnership. Worst? She must marry Aldrich Evan Lorenzo— the man who left her without any explanation. Aldrich, heir to a well-known travel company, faces his own crisis. With his family’s business on the brink of collapse, he agrees to the arranged marriage, unaware that the bride-to-be is the woman he secretly loved and lost. Bound by a contract with clear terms: 1. End the marriage once the Lorenzo company recovers. 2. Act as a powerful couple in public. 3. No strings attached. Neither of them wants to say “I do,” but both have too much to lose. On their wedding day, chaos strikes when Sarina Fructuoso—a famous dermatologist, crashes the ceremony, claiming she’s pregnant with Aldrich’s child. The revelation stuns everyone, especially Ysabelle but gives Aldrich the benefit of the doubt, suspecting a setup. As they navigate a web of lies, public scrutiny, and hidden feelings, their scripted affection begins to feel real. Behind the staged smiles and cold arrangements, they find themselves drawn back to each other. What started as a contract becomes a fight for something deeper—a second chance at love neither of them expected.

Born from tragedy, Nova grew up Born from tragedy, Nova grew up in the shadow of her mother’s death and her father’s cruelty. Neglected by blood, despised by her stepmother, and tormented by her stepsister, she learned early that silence could be both her shield and her prison. In high school, the only light in her darkness was Daniel — the boy she loved but who shattered her heart in the cruelest way possible. What began as innocent affection turned into a public humiliation that left her broken and alone. Years later, when her grandmother—the only person who ever truly loved her—falls ill, Nova’s world begins to collapse again. Desperate for help, she faces her father one last time, only to be offered a deal that would destroy what little pride she has left. But fate intervenes the night she meets Frederick Lawson — the cold, mysterious billionaire with eyes like winter and secrets of his own. From that night onward, Nova’s life takes a turn she never expected — one of redemption, hidden passion, and powerful revenge. As love blooms in unexpected places and old wounds are ripped open, Nova must decide whether to remain the quiet girl everyone once pitied… or rise as the woman no one ever saw coming. whether to remain the quiet girl everyone once pitied… or rise as the woman no one ever saw coming.

On our wedding anniversary, my CEO husband, Michael Grant, invited me to watch the ocean with him. Tragically, a typhoon hit. I stood there in the raging wind and rain for over two hours, and he never showed up. In the end, all I got was a text that he was suddenly going on a business trip and couldn’t make it. Right after that, his intern, Nora Blake, posted a video on her social feed. It showed my usually pampered husband barefoot while helping fishermen haul crates of seafood. Her caption read: "Our hardworking CEO loves to get his hands dirty!" I laughed and commented: "Diligent and enduring—a true role model for us all." The company Slack channel instantly exploded. Everyone was betting on whether I’d finally blow up this time. Michael called me, his voice tight with fury, "Lauren West! What the heck did you mean by posting that comment? Are you trying to humiliate Nora in public? "It was a typhoon. I helped her family move some fish. What’s the big deal? You’re such a pampered little princess who has no idea how hard life really is. Delete that comment now. I’ll take you to the coast another day." Disgust churned in me. I replied, "Let a man who’s already rolled in the mud take me to the ocean? Forget it." Yes. Michael was now tainted, and I didn’t want him anymore.

Amelia Roberts has only ever known pain. Stolen as a baby and raised by the people who kidnapped her, she’s endured years of cruelty and control, hiding the strange powers that flare when she’s angry or afraid. She doesn’t know the truth — that her real parents are supernatural royalty: a rare werewolf–witch hybrid mother and a vampire lord father who believed their daughter was lost forever. When Amelia’s abilities erupt in public, three powerful strangers feel her presence for the first time. Mateo Mason, Jason Grim, and Dimitri Moore — werewolf/vampire hybrids and lifelong best friends — have spent years searching for their fated mate, never imagining she would be the same girl Dimitri once saw but couldn’t save. Drawn to her by an unbreakable bond, the three men will stop at nothing to protect Amelia from the danger closing in. But Amelia’s past won’t release her so easily. Her kidnappers know she’s unlocking her powers — and they have their own plans for what she can do. Torn between fear and an irresistible connection to her three mates, Amelia must decide whether to run from the supernatural world… or claim her place in it. Because her bloodline makes her the most dangerous being alive — and the key to a war that could shatter everything.

Ashley Dawson, a brilliant 22-year-old chemistry student, has lived a quiet life defined by loss and independence. Though she secretly owns a massive pharmaceutical empire inherited from her late mother and grandmother, Ashley prefers the simplicity of her lab over boardrooms and business deals. Her fiancé, Harvey West-a wealthy, charismatic CEO-was once her dream man, but their love story shatters the day before their wedding when Harvey asks for an open marriage and an NDA to protect his affairs. Heartbroken, Ashley is pulled into a dangerous new world when a domestic terror group develops a deadly chemical weapon. The military calls in Major Nathan Ford, Harvey's cousin and a decorated U.S. Army Special Forces officer, to lead the operation. Nathan needs a brilliant chemist to help decipher the weapon's formula-Ashley becomes that civilian consultant. Forced to work together under high pressure, Ashley and Nathan build an unlikely partnership, discovering strength, trust, and a slow-burning attraction. Meanwhile, Harvey refuses to let go, flaunting his mistress in public and humiliating Ashley. When Ashley finally breaks off the engagement, Harvey spirals, convinced Nathan stole her away. Nathan proposes a marriage of protection, offering her his name and his shield against Harvey and his powerful family. Ashley, tired of being powerless and cornered, agrees. Their whirlwind marriage shocks society, ignites scandal, and sets the stage for a passionate love story built on loyalty, respect, and redemption.

"Don't expect anything from me. Not my attention, not love." Hearing that, Leylah now knows that everything will never be the same again. The same man, the same voice, but it wasn't him. *** After almost three years of marriage, Leylah was still hopeful that a miracle would happen in her life. Hoping that her husband will have a change of heart and will love her again. But she was wrong. Love never happened. Not again. The universe must have conspired something behind her back to see horrendous scenes of her husband sleeping with another girl whenever he was at home. If only that alone happened then she could have forgiven him, but receiving a divorce papers from the man she love one day was a big blow she could never forget. She knew that this was bound to happen. After all, what can a one sided marriage like theirs end up, but a piece of white paper with a divorce written down on it? But no! She can't back down now! After hiding their marriage to the public for her husband's advantage, she can't back down now, looking more foolish than she has ever had! What was the purpose of those years she waited if she backed down now for nothing? So like a fool, she asked for a two months contract with her husband in turn for a divorce later on. But what do they know? Future is vague. No one knows what will happen.

I have been the Donna of the Smith family for nine years— but only in name. I took my deceased twin sister Lily’s place, raised her daughter Emma as my own, and lived beside a husband, David, who never once looked at me with love. For nine long years, I gave everything. Emma, however, only saw me as the woman who “killed her mother,” never knowing it was Lily who stole my marriage, my identity, and the man who was supposed to be mine. She pushed me in public, screamed that I was a murderer, and even used the gun I gifted her to shoot the only thing that brought me comfort—a tiny bird I’d been nursing back to health. And David… David, the man I once loved with my whole heart, couldn’t hide the coldness in his eyes. Every time he looked at me, I could feel Lily’s shadow standing between us. So I made a decision. If this family wanted Lily so badly— then they could have her ghost. I would leave the Smith estate, the title of Donna, the child who hated me, and the man who never wanted me. But the night I packed my bags, David suddenly appeared in the doorway, blocking my path— his eyes no longer cold, but afraid. As if he had finally realized what losing me truly meant.

Olivia Langston, a brilliant and ambitious doctor, has always focused on her career, vowing never to let love or relationships distract her. However, everything changes when she crosses paths with James Pierce, a charismatic and successful billionaire with a reputation for being a powerful, yet lonely man. Despite their vastly different worlds, Olivia and James share an undeniable chemistry that neither can ignore. As their connection deepens, Olivia finds herself drawn into the complexities of James's life, from his troubled relationship with his father to the manipulative tactics of his ex-fiancée, Claire. Despite their differences, Olivia and James grow closer, learning to navigate the pressures of their respective careers, the public eye, and the expectations placed on them by their families. However, their relationship faces numerous challenges. James’s business is threatened by a rival company, and his past continues to haunt him in the form of both old flames and family drama. Meanwhile, Olivia struggles to balance her medical career with her newfound role in James’s high-profile world, dealing with the intense scrutiny of the media and the emotional toll it takes on her. Through every twist and turn, Olivia and James’s love is tested, but they both realize that their bond is stronger than any obstacle. As they grow together, they face the difficult decisions that come with building a future, including James’s decision to propose, Olivia’s health scare, and their ultimate decision to start a family together.

Under the glow of the full moon, Wren Cade should have died. Instead, she wakes up a monster. Turned into a werewolf by a rogue attack, Wren is dragged before Nightwind Pack and their ruthless Alpha, Lucian Vale. Pack law is simple: turned wolves are unstable and must be executed. But when their eyes meet, the impossible happens—the Moon marks them as fated mates. Lucian’s answer is a cold, public rejection. Bound by prophecy and politics, he’s forbidden to kill her…and forced to keep her inside his pack house, under his constant watch. Not pack. Not prisoner. Not his. Living one floor below the Alpha who broke her, Wren refuses to cower. She makes allies among omegas, rookies, and other misfits, building a quiet found family in the shadows of Nightwind’s rigid hierarchy. Then Lucian’s oldest friend arrives. Elias Thorn, the charming Alpha of a neighboring pack, sees nothing cursed about Wren. He’s warm where Lucian is ice, and he makes no secret of his interest in the mate Lucian threw away. As feral attacks spread and a fanatical cult rises, Wren becomes the only one who can calm the monsters stalking the borders. Caught between a fate she never asked for and a man who would choose her freely, she’ll have to decide: Will she give her fated mate a second chance… or let the Moon watch the world burn?

Clara Hayes never planned to step into the world of billionaires, power games, and corporate warfare. She is a driven, brilliant consultant whose career is finally on the rise until she’s assigned to work with Adrian Vale, the ruthless CEO of one of the most powerful companies in the city. Adrian Vale built his empire on control. He doesn’t hesitate. He doesn’t attach. And he never lets emotions interfere with business until Clara walks into his office and challenges every rule he lives by. Their connection is instant. Dangerous. Unwanted. As whispers begin to spread about their proximity, Adrian’s past crashes back into his present in the form of Serena Hale, his beautiful, strategic, and relentless ex-fiancée. Serena is not just a woman scorned; she is a corporate tycoon with influence powerful enough to destroy reputations and rewrite narratives. And she wants Adrian back both as a lover and as a business ally. When a public scandal erupts, Clara becomes collateral damage in a world she barely understands. Forced out of her position and stripped of her professional safety, she must decide whether to walk away from Adrian for good or risk everything for a man who thrives in control but is losing it because of her. As lust battles logic and devotion threatens destruction, Clara and Adrian find themselves trapped between power, betrayal, and a desire strong enough to ruin them both. Because in Adrian’s world, love is not a refuge. It is a war.