Long Shadows David Baldacci

" You're mine, little bird." My blood thrummed loudly in my ears as I crawled away from him on the floor. With long strides, he was already standing above me. He pulled me up and covered my mouth with his palm. Panic set in, my limbs shaking in terror. "You need a reminder of who you belong to." His mismatched eyes boring into mine. I shook my head, violently, tears wetting his hand over my mouth. He brought the knife to my face." Tell your lover, Zayden, not to get involved. I already graced you with the wedding. Marry him, but 7 days after the wedding, come back to Denver, where you belong." I nodded desperately, hoping he wouldn't hurt me. " I'll leave a souvenir." He chuckled and then dug the pocket knife into my side. **** Lillain's life is a delicate mess. Having survived her traumatic childhood by suppressing her memories, she has to do everything to survive, which includes agreeing to a contract marriage with her boss to have access to his wealth. Engage to Enigmatic and wealthy Zayden, she hides a dark secret. She's been threatened by a mysterious figure from her past. Her past was coming back to haunt her. Zayden eventually discovers her secrets and confronts her. But Lillian can't confide in him - she's trapped in a web of fear and trauma, leaving Zayden devastated with the fear of losing her. The biggest shock comes when the mysterious figure appears, his menacing presence threatening to destroy Lillian's carefully constructed plans. With her world spinning out of control, Lillian must make a choice: confront her demons or risk losing everything including the man she had fallen in love with. But Little did she know that she wasn't the only one keeping secrets. Zayden had secrets, secrets darker than hers.

"Casey, hurry up and pack. Tonight we will move!" "Why so suddenly, Mom? Where are we moving to?" "Your new father's house. I'm getting married to David next week. Your dream of having a family will come true. In fact, you will get the bonus of three handsome brothers." I don't argue. That same night I joined my mother and moved to my stepfather's house in a different state from where we live now. After a long journey, we finally arrived. David greeted us warmly. But, the beautiful dream I previously imagined must now turn into hell. I must be brother with my enemy! He is the young man who once humiliated me and who became my first love. What destiny is this?

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.

I return to the country after attending an international anesthesia academic conference. That's when I see the news of my boyfriend and twin sister getting married. I'm anxious to verify its authenticity, but my sister drugs me and induces me. "A substitute's child will only be an unwelcome bastard even if it's born. I'm just helping it move on to a better life." Then, she slices me open with a scalpel. She gouges my womb out, causing me to die from significant blood loss. Meanwhile, my boyfriend believes her lies. He's sure he's not the father of my child. He ignores my messages begging him to save me. Instead, he spreads the word about me eloping with someone else. He even wipes all traces of me from his life. "I will never see her again, forever and ever." Five years later, surveillance footage of my sister cruelly murdering me surfaces.

Lisa battles to weather or not David is slipping from her hands,But just on look at a man who she couldn't even see completely,got her forgetting that David ever existed how could she when he follows her into her sleep. In her dreams, she isn’t alone. The shadows breathe, the walls whisper, and from the darkness he comes… the masked stranger. His touch is fire, his voice a command she cannot resist. He is dangerous, possessive, and mercilessly addictive. Worst of all, he claims her as his body, heart, and soul while the man she loves sits beside another woman in daylight, pretending she doesn’t exist. Torn between shame and desire, reality and dream, Lisa is forced to ask herself: is the masked stranger only a nightmare… or is he real? And when he whispers “Mine”, will she have the strength to fight—or the hunger to surrender?

After being betrayed by her boyfriend and best friend, Mary Sampson moved to the hotel she had booked earlier for herself and her boyfriend to stay after he had proposed. As she is masturbating to get over her plight, a smoking hot handsome young man walks in, disrupting her pleasure. After a while of argument, it is discovered that due to some system error in the hotel, the room is mistakenly booked twice and the room actually belongs to the handsome young man. Mary is refunded, despite the handsome man offering to allow her to share the room, she insists she will find another room. However, she doesn't find any other hotel room as all the hotels in the whole town have been booked. She reluctantly returns to the handsome man and they play poker to while away the time. The poker soon turns to a stripping poker and the smoking hot man stripteases her, turning her on. Eventually, they have a hot night together and Mary drops her phone number, hoping they may see each other again. After waiting for two years without getting a call from him, she forgot about him. Only to run into him at her workplace the next day… The smoking hot man is her boss.

Ilang beses na naghanap ng trabaho si Gianna para kumita at nakahanap naman ito ng trabaho sa isa sa pinakamalaking kompanya ng inumin sa Pilipinas. Pero sa hindi nya inaasahang pagkakataon magiging boss pala nya ang taong kina-iinisan nya ng gusto at ito ay si Francis Locan the CEO and President of one of the most famous Wine Company in the Philippines, The Golden Scenery. Cold ito at ayaw sa mga taong pera lang ang habol sa kanya. Pero sa kabila ng malalamig nitong mga mata ay nakakubli ang secretong tinatago nya ng mahabang panahon. Meron itong karamdaman na tinatawag na monochromacy disorder , kaya't hindi ito nakakakita ng mga kulay at malabo rin ang paningin nito kumpara sa normal na tao. Ngunit nang makilala nya si Gianna hindi nya maipapaliwanag kung bakit nakikita nya ang kulay ng dalaga. Kaya gumawa ito ng paraan para gamitin si Gianna para tuluyan na itong gumaling. Pero habang tumatagal ay nagiging totoo na ang nararamdaman nya sa dalaga kahit na ilang beses man nya itong balewalain. Ayaw nya mang tanggapin pero sya narin mismo ang nahulog sa sarili nyang patibong. At paano kaya kapag bumalik ang unang babaeng inibig nito sino nga ba ang mas mahalaga sa puso nya? Ang babae bang una nyang minahal o ang babaeng handang mahalin sya kahit anong oras at pagkakataon? Paano kaya kapag nalaman ni Gianna na planado ang lahat ng ipinaparamdam sa kanya ng lalakeng natutunan na nyang mahalin? Mapapatawad nya pa kaya ito o pipiliing umalis dahil sa nasaktan nyang puso?

The Billionaire's Secretary is a contemporary romance featuring Star Griffin–secretary to the handsome billionaire CEO, Neal Ward. Star is brilliant and head over heels in love with Neal, who is more reserved with his affection. Trouble brews when Star learns she's not accepted by Neal's wealthy family. To make matters worse, she finds out that he is to marry a beautiful heiress. Heartbroken, she resigns from her job and leaves the city to start a new life. Only to return after three years. She has been transferred to her company's headquarters as the head secretary working directly with the boss. Once again, it's Neal–the man who shattered her heart in the worst way possible. But he doesn't remember her. Working together again causes sparks to fly and although Star guards her heart righteously, she ends up falling for him once more. This time, Neal doesn't hold back with expressing his affection–which is the one thing Star has always wanted. Neal has amnesia and his brilliant psychotherapist shares a striking resemblance to Star. Also, Star is a single mom to a three year old son who is the splitting image of the billionaire. History repeats itself when tabloids show Neal and his psychotherapist having an intimate moment. Star is heartbroken again and this time is far worse than the last. Her mom also falls fatally ill, leaving her vulnerable to Neal's scheming mom whose agenda is to once again break up the couple. Neal recovers his memory and battles to clear every misunderstanding in a bid to win back Star's trust. Meanwhile, the truth about his amnesia is revealed as well as the fact that he is indeed the father of her son. The lovers navigate treacherous situations and ultimately, get their happy ending.

Moon De Vera was never the type to take risks—lalo na sa pag-ibig. Pero nang inalok siya ng isang deal ng estrangherong si Lucas Madrigal, pumayag siya. Fake relationship. No strings attached. Lucas needed a pretend girlfriend para patahimikin ang media, at si Moon—she badly needed the money para sa pamilya niya. Sa simula, malinaw ang kasunduan. Walang selosan, walang expectations. Pero kahit gaano nila tangkaing panatilihing peke, hindi nila mapigilan ang spark na unti-unting nabubuo. Late-night talks. Unexpected kilig. Lingering stares. Halos. Pero sa kasagsagan ng paglalim ng nararamdaman ni Moon, biglang nawala si Lucas. Walang paalam. Walang mensahe. Ghosted. Left hanging. Pitong taon ang lumipas. Si Moon, mas matatag na ngayon. Mas kampante, mas kumpleto. Sa pagbabalik niya sa corporate world, nag-apply siya sa isang sikat na kumpanya—hindi niya alam, doon din siya muling masasaktan. Lucas Madrigal is back. Pero ngayong CEO na siya, at si Moon ang magiging sekretarya niya, tables have turned. Lucas acts cold, pero may halong pag-aalalang hindi niya maitagong lubos. Moon, on the other hand, pretends she's fine. But the tension? It's there. Unspoken. Unfinished. Undeniable. As they spend more time together, lumalabas ang mga lihim—kung bakit bigla siyang nawala. Kung anong nangyari sa pagitan nila noon. At kung totoo nga bang wala siyang naramdaman. Pero ang mas mabigat: May bagong plano si Moon. At hindi ito para muling magmahal. It’s to make him fall—this time, without catching him. Matutuloy ba ang plano ni Moon? O hahayaan na lang nya ang nakaraan at sasabay sa agos ng pag-iibigang mabubuo muli

Avery Mane hits rock bottom. She’s dumped, humiliated, bullied by coworkers and her stepfamily, and nearly killed in a car accident. But when she wakes from her coma, everything changes. Hovering above her is an invisible screen. A mysterious system offering tasks and rewards that only she can see. Every challenge she completes upgrades her life, beauty, confidence, luck, and her finances. Avery transforms from overlooked nobody to the woman everyone wants. Now her cold billionaire boss, his dangerously magnetic rival, her regretful ex-boyfriend, and even her loyal bodyguard find themselves fighting for her heart… and her body. And Avery is finally ready to choose the life and the love she deserves with her obsessive and loyal men.