Johnson County Library Hours Novels & Stories

One night. One kiss. One viral humiliation. Livia Harper built Theo Whitford’s dying company into a billion-dollar empire while carrying his child in secret. On their second anniversary, in front of two hundred cameras, Theo introduced his college sweetheart as “the woman I’ve always loved” and kissed her like Livia never existed. Twenty-four hours later Livia is Mrs. Alexander Kane (the most ruthless billionaire in America and Theo’s oldest enemy). The contract is simple: one year of fake marriage, seventy-five million dollars, and the total annihilation of Theo Whitford’s life. Rules: No feelings. The baby stays a secret. When the year ends, she disappears forever. But contracts weren’t made for the kind of fire that ignites when the woman who has nothing left to lose marries the man who’s never lost anything. Some vows are made to be broken. Others are made to burn the world down.

Alexandra Kingsley was a wealthy Californian heiress who seemed to have it all. At just twenty-two, she was running her own company and was about to marry the love of her life. But just hours before the wedding, Alexandra overheard her fiancé, Albert Blackwell, plotting to kill her. With no other choice, she faked her own death and disappeared. A year later, she returned with a new identity and a single goal: destroy everyone who had betrayed her. But to reclaim her fortune and take revenge, she needed the help of the one man Albert feared—Scott Hamilton, the ruthless CEO with a terrifying reputation. He was dangerous. Cold. Unforgiving. Everyone said the same: he was a monster. But Alexandra was determined to win him over. The problem? He was a ticking time bomb, and she had a talent for setting him off every five minutes. So what would happen when he had no choice but to marry her?

I died on the day I was supposed to receive the Pack’s Distinguished Service Award. Three hours after I died, my parents, my brother, and my mate were just wrapping up the graduation party they’d thrown for my sister. While my sister, Ella, was posting a cozy family photo on Instagram, I was locked in our basement, using my tongue to swipe on my phone and call for help. The only person who answered was my mate, Ryan. All he said was, "Sophie, cut the drama. Ella's graduation party is important. Enough with the tantrums!" This was the ninety-ninth time they had let me down. And the last. I lay in a pool of my own blood, my lungs still. They thought I was just throwing a fit, hiding somewhere. That if they taught me a lesson, I’d come crawling back. But they didn't know. I was home the whole time. I was already dead.

wrong turn. I got a wrong turn. I, Alexa Johnson, make another huge mistake in life by believing in someone and giving all my heart to him and then let him crushed my heart and throw it away just like it is not important. I realize that I am too easy to open my heart for someone else without thinking about consequences. I can say I regret making such a decision. I thought my life would be perfect after I failed my first marriage, but I was wrong in everything. Everything I did is wrong. Thinking he is the right man for me and will live with me for the rest of our life just like our vows. everything was fake. I was dumb. Super dumb. Always believe that the fairytale is real. Am I too innocent? or maybe, I was just too dumb. I guess you knew the answer to my question... _________________________ My phone ringing. I quickly pick it up. "Hello, do you get what I want?" I ask as soon as I answer it. "Yes, Mrs, Lanton," He replies. My heart beating super fast right now. I hope the news will be false. "Tell me everything is wrong," "Everything is ... true," I don't know what to say anymore. I am speechless right now. ____________________________________

Celine Yates is a 25-year-old heiress who was forced to work in a corporate world because her mother has been withholding her inheritance. It has been seven years since her father's death and she felt that her life and dreams have been put on-hold because she could not get the funding she needed on her life projects. To make matters worse, her step-father is accusing her of fraud for presenting a fake marriage certificate to get her inheritance. His reason: Daniel Grant aka husband does not exist in any record. Everyone knows Daniel the geek back in college. He is her friend. How could he not exist? That's her way out every time her mother would arrange a blind date for her. One day, her mother gave her a hard deadline: bring Daniel Grant or get married to Mr. Johnson, one of her step-father's buddy who is twice her age. Out of desperation, she asked her CEO boss Daniel Stevenson to accompany her to meet her mother and step-father in exchange of one month overtime without pay. Will the boss agree? Will she get her inheritance? What would she do if she finds out they have more connection than what she knows?

Everyone says that Eric Winslowe, the Alpha of Kalmoor Pack, loves me to the bone. He learns sign language for me because I can't hear, and he prepares to throw me a grand wedding after I thoroughly fall for him. However, after I regain my hearing, I catch him flirting and being intimate with Camilla Johnson, his maid. They're just in the room next to mine. During a banquet, he even takes advantage of my lack of hearing to brag. "She's just a pet that I have to alleviate the boredom. Alison is the only one I love. Still, I know she'll leave me if she finds out about this. "Thank God Alison can't hear. I won't let her find out about this even after we're married. Watch your mouths, everyone. Don't blame me for getting nasty if any of you bring this up to Alison." I sneer to myself. I want to tell him that he doesn't need to fear others exposing his cheating—I already know. He also doesn't need to look forward to our wedding because all that awaits him on that day is a corpse that looks just like me.

On the day my body gets blasted into pieces, Amanda Stone, my wife and a police captain, is busy riding the merry-go-round with her childhood sweetheart, Mark Horton, and his son, Keith Horton. Three days later, she finally remembers our son, Evan Johnson, and me. "It's been three days! Is he still mad that I used him and Evan to exchange for Mark and Keith? He's even trying to get the entire police squad to play along with this fake disappearing act of his, huh?" "Captain Stone, Caleb has died in the line of duty. Evan was also injur—" "That's impossible! What I did was only a temporary measure. I set up three layers of defense. There was no way anything would've happened to Evan or him!" Lara Chase, Amanda's colleague, turns away. She can no longer bear to look at Amanda. "Mark did it. He lied about the situation and used your authorization to move everyone away. We've already identified the kidnappers. They're the remnants of MW Syndicate. This was all part of their attempt to get revenge against you. "We also found out that, when you were trapped at the border three years ago, it was Caleb who led the rescue attempt and risked his life to bring you to safety, not Mark's deceased wife…"

“Why didn’t you tell me you are the mother of my kids, Emma?” His countenance is soft but stern. “It was a contract.” My voice falters. He didn’t choose fatherhood. She didn’t choose him. But destiny and betrayal leave them with no choice at all. Billionaire Alexander Willoughby built his empire on control. Then his grandparents stole his DNA to create the heir he never asked for. Betrayed and furious, Alexander vowed never to be manipulated again. Emma Johnson thought the surrogacy contract was simple: carry a baby, save her mother, keep her sister in school, and walk away. She never planned to meet the children she birthed. She never planned to fall in love with them—or with their father. Now, as the nanny to twins Bernard and Bernice, Emma’s secret has exploded. Alexander feels deceived. Emma feels cornered. And circling them both is Sophia, Alexander’s ex and Emma’s stepsister, who is determined to tear them apart and claim the life she thinks she deserves. Neither planned this bond. Neither wanted these stakes. But the twins they share will tie them together in ways neither can escape. When secrets ignite, pride shatters, and desire grows impossible to resist, walking away may no longer be an option. A story of power, betrayal, sacrifice and a love neither of them saw coming.

During a business trip to Canada, Ethan Thomas is staged by an enemy, accused of raping an underage girl. In order to save Ethan Thomas from the law, Ethan's lawyer came up with a solution, suggesting that Ethan marry the girl he slept with. However, a few hours before the wedding, Mila escaped from the wedding with a huge amount of money that she appropriated from Ethan. Because the amount of money Mila appropriated from Ethan is too large, Mila's family is not able to repay the money to Ethan. So they forced Ula to replace Mila to marry Ethan. In retaliation for the care of her foster parents over the years, Ula has agreed to marry Ethan in order to erase the huge amount of money that Mila has seized. She accepts to marry a stranger she doesn't love. Will this unexpected marriage lead to a good outcome? Or is this marriage just a disguise in exchange for Ethan's freedom? Will the love between Ethan and Ula be born? Or is this just a marriage contract between two people?

Elijah Collins has exactly forty-eight hours before the loan sharks his late father borrowed come to collect – and they aren’t interested in payment plans. When a stranger in a three-thousand-dollar suit buys out his debt in the middle of a bar, Elijah thinks he’s been saved. He hasn’t. Alexander Reed, CEO of Reed Capital and the most feared dealmaker on Wall Street, does nothing without an agreement. His proposal is stark: Elijah will be his partner for three months, charming investors at high-end galas, dispelling rumors, and the entire debt will be wiped clean. Refuse, and Alexander turns him over to the loan sharks. Elijah agrees. But living in Alexander's frigid, flawless world is far different from what Elijah expected. Because beneath Alexander's icy surface, something is hiding, something that could ruin them both. And Elijah, against every survival instinct he possesses, is falling. The agreement is three months. His heart is already overdue.