Maala By Nimra Ahmed

Los Angeles was supposed to be my home. Instead, it had always felt like a golden cage. The Smith mansion stood tall behind iron gates, glittering with wealth and silence. Servants bowed. Cameras watched every corner. And the man who called himself my uncle smiled sweetly for the world while hiding knives behind his back. I was seventeen when I heard the truth. “He will take care of the girl tonight,” my uncle said over the phone, his voice calm. “Make it look like an accident.” The girl. He meant me. Fear became the only thing that kept my legs moving. I ran from the driver who was meant to take me home, sprinting through unfamiliar streets until the bright city lights disappeared and the world turned darker. Detroit. Wrong place. Wrong time. Engines roared in the distance when I saw him. A man sitting on a black motorcycle like a shadow carved from danger. Tattoos curled up his neck. His eyes were cold enough to freeze the night. Everyone knew men like him were monsters. But monsters were sometimes the only ones who could save you. I jumped onto the back of his motorcycle and wrapped my arms around his waist. “Please,” I whispered. “Help me.” That single moment would destroy his life. And change mine forever. *******

I thought my life was already a disaster— In my father's eyes, only my perfect sister mattered. I was always the forgotten second daughter. My sole comfort was my upcoming wedding to the man I loved. Until the night before my wedding, when everything changed. "You're going to take your sister's place and marry the most dangerous mafia don in New York." I had to pretend to be my sister and fool a man who could end my life without hesitation. Most importantly, a car accident two years ago had left him blind and wheelchair-bound. He couldn't even make love, yet he demanded I bear him an heir. However, when I'm straddling his powerful thighs, when he takes me night after night and fills me so completely that I'm left trembling and breathless... my legs give out beneath me. I'm the one who's truly powerless. The disability and blindness were all part of his elaborate deception. When my sister returned, filled with regret and determined to expose my identity and reclaim him, I thought I would lose my life for deceiving the mafia don. "You thought you could deceive the devil himself? You've been mine since that first night." His fingers find places that make me arch and beg. His mouth claims every inch of my skin. His touch fills me so completely I forget my own name.

WARNING: RATED SPG ⚠️ I'm trapped with that possessive and cold hearted man. Kinulong niya ako sa kaniya at hindi ko na alam kung paano ako makakawala gayong nahuhulog na rin ang loob ko sa kaniya.

Pinakasalan ni Stella si Charles sa tulong ng abuelo nito dahil sa pagmamahal. Lahat ay gagawin niya upang mahalin din siya ng binata. Naging makasarili siya at inagaw ito sa babaing tunay nitong mahal.Sa loob ng tatlong taon, ang akala niya ay nagkaroon na siya ng puwang sa puso ng asawa. Ngunit lahat ng sakripisyo at pagpababa sa pagkatao ay hindi nagbunga ng maganda. Matapos pirmahan ang divorce paper, umalis siyang baon sa puso ang lungkot at saya.Sa paglipas ng panahon, her true identity was exposed. But her soft heart was totally gone. Sa muling pagtatagpo ng kanilang landas, maibabalik pa ba ang dating Stella?

Serena Hale thought she had it all: three years of love, trust, and memories with the man she believed was hers forever. That changed the night she walked into Damien’s apartment and found him with her step-sister, Lila. ​The betrayal cut deeper than she ever imagined. But the true heartbreak came when her parents told her the cruel truth. They had known all along, and they had chosen Lila over her. Their family was bankrupt, and the Crowe family offered a way out. But there was a catch: Serena had to marry their son. He was a man rumored to hate women and cursed with a mysterious illness that might take his life early. ​Forced into a marriage she never wanted, and shamed in front of her family and the world, Serena vows she will not beg for love. She will not crawl for respect, and she will not be a tool for others to use. ​But what happens when the man she is forced to marry is nothing like the monster the rumors promised? And what happens when the betrayal that broke her becomes the fire that makes her unstoppable? ​Betrayal. Power. Revenge. A love she never asked for.

Their love was a product of a mistake, in terms that Barbara De-Luca is the unknown mistress of the well-known MARRIED businessman, Keith Ramírez. But what has gotten into Keith? He said that he will keep Barbara as mistress if she abort the baby she was carrying. Barbara was pushed into a situation where she needs to make a choice, and she chooses, the baby. But what if the clueless Keith suddenly founds out about the existence of his own blood and flesh? Will he take his child away from Barbara? Or will he, choose to keep them alongside her?

After the real son, Asher Vale, was brought back, everything in our house became tied to drawing lots. The chef of the day, who would have to cook a particular person's preferred dishes, had to be decided by drawing lots. Even our parents' kisses and hugs were chosen the same way. I always drew the short stick. The long stick, by default, belonged to Asher. He never had to do anything to receive our parents' love. Whenever I felt it was unfair and wanted to cry, Mom would scold me sharply, "I bought the lot-drawing box because I was afraid you'd feel hurt. I wanted to be fair to both of you. If you want something, decide it yourselves. Your father and I won't interfere. If you can't draw the long stick, you can only blame your bad luck." So I began practicing every day, shaking the box diligently, over and over, in hopes that one day, it would help me earn my parents' love. Unfortunately, for ten years, I never once drew the long stick. Until my birthday. Asher wanted to go to the amusement park, and Mom once again told us to decide by drawing lots. I secretly glued the two short sticks together and handed them to Mom, hoping to keep her with me. She slapped me hard across the face, screaming that I was cheating and disobedient. Then she stormed out of the house with Asher. When I fell to the ground, the short stick stabbed deep into my neck. 'I'm sorry, Mom. Next time, I'll work harder. Next time, I'll definitely draw the long stick.'

Henry Payne has everything, the looks, the money, the name, the good grades in Oxford university and always a beautiful girl wrapped up around his arms. He thinks he has it all until he sees the new girl at a party. She is unattainable, wild, and doesn’t care for his attempts to conquer her. Abbey Hardy arrived like a hurricane into Henry’s life, and she turns his head upside down. She becomes his little obsession when she turns him down. Henry makes a bet with his friends, and Abbey is the ultimate prize. Abbey could cost Henry more than just his sanity, and she can cost him his relationship with his father. Will Henry be willing to give it all up for Abbey, or will he chose money and family?

He has made it crystal clear that I’m not to call him ‘boss’ except on certain occasions, like right now, when his dominating gaze carries a hint of playfulness. I can’t help but smile every time he gets like this, all lovey-dovey, but when he whispers in my ears asking me to go on an adventure with him, it is like an invitation to a forbidden feast and the thought sends a shiver down my spine which unlike you would think, is almost painful. Maybe this is because I have been on an adventure with him for as far as I want to recollect. My memories, if you peeked inside, would be overflowing with every moment with him, each one a brushstroke painted with his boldness and my, well, let’s call it a touch of recklessness. I now wear a souvenir, a mark etched onto my soul. It’s like a silent agreement, a reminder that our fates are tangled, intertwined like climbing vines. He’s the puppet master, my very own Mr. Strings, and every twist and turn of his whims gets woven into the fabric of my being. Maybe you find that hard to believe, like something out of a fairytale. But trust me, my darling, as I unravel the threads of our adventure, one by one, you’ll understand. With each turn and twist, you’ll find yourself hooked, a willing captive in the captivating narrative of our lives, possibly harnessed in the labyrinth of our love, where danger dances with delight, and fate is etched in the footprints of a love like no other. So buckle up, dear reader, for this isn’t a mere tale, it’s a thrill ride, a love song made of equal parts fear and freedom.

Alaric and I had been mates for five years, and I had believed with all my heart that I would become the first female Gamma of the pack by proving myself in the warrior’s trial. I had trained relentlessly, sharpening my claws and honing my instincts, ready to fight for my rightful place. But fate had other plans. Three days before the trial, I was ambushed by rogues. They didn't just attack me—they hunted me like prey. They tormented me with the silver knife so that my wolf was dead. The scent of death clung to me, my wolf howling in agony, desperately trying to heal, but the wounds ran too deep. As I lay barely conscious on the blood-stained sheets, I heard my husband's cold, indifferent voice. "Is she dead?" The witch doctor hesitated before answering, "No, but—" "It doesn’t matter," Alaric interrupted, Coat her wounds with wolfsbane and silver—make sure it seeps into her blood, burns through her veins, and poisons her wolf beyond repair. I want her body to reject her own nature, so she will never heal. There will only be one Gamma in this pack, and that's Serina." In that moment, the truth became clear—I had never truly stood a chance in the warrior’s trial I had dreamed of. The battle had been decided long before I ever stepped into the arena.