Man In Shadow

She coveted everything about me. My possessions, my experiences, and even my men. So one night, my mother pushed me into an older man's bedroom. The next day, she asked with a smug smile, "Nina, how was your night with the older guy?" I rubbed my sore waist, recalling his broad shoulders, long legs, and trim waist from the night before. I smiled as I answered her. "That fiancé of mine is all yours now. Just remember—I’ll be your Aunt-in-law in the future.”

For the hundredth time, my dad hints at us that he really wants to become a grandfather during New Year Eve's dinner. Lydia Cooper, my wife who has insisted on living a childless life for the past decade, just smiles before placing more food on his plate. After dinner, she ducks out to the balcony and murmurs into her phone, "Be good, now. Mommy will visit you a few days later." I can feel my blood running cold in my veins as I stand in the living room with a glass of water. As I approach Lydia, I do my best to keep my voice light and teasing. "I just heard you say the word 'mommy.' Do you have an illegitimate child out there somewhere?" Lydia rubs her nose, her tone now awkward. "You might be hearing things. It was just my friend's child…" My heart plunges into my stomach pit at her words. I've been in love with Lydia for ten years. It's only natural that I know how she acts whenever she's lying.

Emma Caldwell's ordinary life as a librarian in Willow Creek is turned upside down when she receives an enigmatic invitation to the reading of a stranger's will at Haverstone Manor. What begins as an inexplicable summons quickly spirals into a labyrinth of secrets, danger, and intrigue. As Emma delves deeper into the manor's mysteries, she discovers she's not the only one with a stake in its secrets. Fellow guests, each with shadowy motives, vie for a piece of the late Lord Haverstone's enigmatic legacy. Amid ancient symbols, cryptic maps, and peculiar artifacts, Emma uncovers the existence of a machine designed to manipulate time itself. Guided by clues left by the deceased lord, Emma must navigate a gothic maze of shifting alliances, hidden chambers, and eerie warnings. Her companions, including a sardonic teenager and a glamorous but cunning relative of Haverstone, are as unpredictable as the dangers lurking in the shadows. When betrayals come to light and an old foe reveals their true intentions, Emma finds herself the reluctant guardian of a power that could reshape existence—or destroy it. As the stakes rise, she must unravel the truth about Haverstone’s experiments and decide whom she can trust, all while racing to prevent the manor’s secrets from falling into the wrong hands. Blending gothic suspense, unexpected humor, and thrilling twists, "Haverstone's Legacy" is a gripping tale of mystery and courage, where every choice could mean the difference between salvation and catastrophe.

[1st Account in the Tale of Shadow's Enigma] Z doesn't sit well in a world where a shadow is manipulated. As someone who has no memory of her past, she can't summon her shadow like others used to. It's a fatal mistake that may as well cost her life. But she can't worry with the facing danger when she's the only one who sees their world becoming undone. The legend of Dark, the only Shadow Wielder able to control time, is resurfacing once again. With a mob of wielders going on a rampage and going missing here and there, Z is losing a battle that haven't even started yet. In her haste, she makes the first mistake of leading her only friend to his death. And commits the second one by signing a deal with Dark himself just so he can be resurrected. Dark sends Z in a prestigious school where she's been thought of as someone she doesn't know. And while she has to endure living a stolen life, listening to a brat's whining, being patient with a maniac's snide remarks, and taking in the dazzling cold stares of an enthralling man whose eyes are only set at her, will she allow the world to crumble in the hands of Dark any further? And sacrifice every wielder alive just for a single friend?

"I need you to stay here, spy on Leonardo. Feed me information on his every move." "A spy?" I repeated. "Yes," he said. "We'll use your proximity to our advantage. You'll be my eyes and ears inside the estate.” “Agreed.” Genna , a vulnerable witness to her brother's brutal murder, is sold into slavery to the notorious Sorrento family—the same clan that killed her brother. Their lives become linked when Genna meets Leonardo Sorrento, the family's enigmatic Mafia Lord. However, Marco, Leonardo's vicious twin brother, manipulates Genna and ensnares her in a web of deceit. Torn between revenge and love, Genna must face the dark legacy of the Sorrento family and her own destiny. As she makes her way through this dangerous terrain, her love for Leonardo ignites a passion that threatens to consume them. But will their love withstand the secrets, lies, and the mafia's deadly grasp, or will Genna 's quest for justice and redemption tear them apart? Will the memories of Genna 's past destroy their chance for happiness, or will their love serve as a ray of hope in the shadows?

She entered his world as prey. Now, she’s learning to bite back. After her mother’s death, Annabelle Gracia seeks fragile solace in the flower shop—until her father trades her to Antonioni D’Angélo, the ruthless mafia billionaire known as The Shadow King. Nights with him burn with pain, pleasure, and control. His coldness shields a heart hunted by a dangerous fraternity, one that will not forgive tenderness—love is a risk he cannot afford. Yet desire refuses to be silenced. In their world, love is weakness, and weakness could destroy them both. Antonioni is not just another mafia heir; he is a force who commands the world’s shadows. Beyond the empire most will never see: high-stakes deals in European marketplaces, clandestine arms trades, and the quiet power of a man who moves money, influence, and danger across continents. Once fragile, she rises. No longer a pawn, she becomes his fiercest ally and mafia queen, his quiet hope. But betrayal is never far, and enemies wait in the shadows. When Nora, the daughter of one of their deadliest rivals, enters their world, alliances shatter, and danger multiplies. In a world ruled by secrets and scars, can love save them… or destroy them?

When Miranda Forbes wakes from a stolen kiss under the cover of darkness, her world unravels. The man before her is not Fiore Ilarde, her devoted boyfriend of three years and newly minted fiancé, but Xylon Diaz—Fiore’s closest confidant and the last man she ever wanted to be near. What should have been a moment of bliss becomes a haunting betrayal that sets their lives ablaze. Fiore’s anger destroys their future, leaving Miranda’s heart fractured and her disdain for Xylon consuming her every thought. Yet, fate intervenes, forcing Miranda and Xylon into the isolation of a remote estate nestled deep in the woods. Resentment gives way to reluctant understanding, and Miranda begins to see beyond Xylon’s arrogant facade. The fiery disdain she once felt begins to transform into something she cannot control: longing. Against her better judgment, she finds herself drawn to the very man she swore to despise, craving the touch that awakened her soul. But when Fiore reappears, promising redemption and reigniting old flames, Miranda faces a harrowing choice. Torn between the man who was her first love and the one who now claims her desires, she must decide: Will she follow her heart or surrender to the untamed passion that could destroy everything she once believed in? A tale of betrayal, redemption, and the unpredictable nature of love—a story where every choice carries the weight of the soul.

In a world which is filled with evil, where the powerful rules the city,where power and danger mean the same thing, a beautiful young woman called Alexandra finds herself in love with a man who seemed like the man of her dreams. With him,she feels like a woman and for a second,she thought that he was all a dream which she wishes never to wake up from. Luca, the mysterious man who captured her frail heart,hides a very deep secret from her as he fears that revealing it to her would make her distance herself from him. He is the feared leader of a very powerful mafia group. Never having time for love, he finds himself confused as he falls for Alexandra. He refuses to let her go even though he knew that she would be safe away from him. As the love between them blooms, Luca finds it difficult to protect Alexandra as her colorful life contrasts with the dark, corrupt world in which he belonged. Can their love stand strong against the weight of his secret and the danger that comes with them?

I froze in the room's doorway and turned into a statue of stone who could only stare at the nightmare before my eyes. I wanted to wake up, but it was impossible. My movements seemed to be immobilized by something that was squeezing me tighter and tighter. ……………………… Emily, a successful writer, gets the shock of her life when the man she just married cheats on her on their wedding night. Hurt and disappointed she finds refuge on an island but life has another surprise for her. Mike, an attractive and charismatic young man will not make her days easy. Driven by hate but also by love, Emily will learn to open her heart again. But Mike is hiding a terrible secret. Will Emily be able to forgive and love again?

Katherine De’Cheney had a life she felt was perfect. She had a job she loved working at the New York Museum as a Conservator. She was engaged to the love of her life. One day she comes home early to find him tangled in their bed sheets with his paralegal. Shattered and broken, she crumbles in hopelessness. In her grieving state she passes out. Opening her eyes she feels transported into another realm. Standing in front of her is her grandmother’s house which stands in front of a looming property that she dare not go near. The “LeFleur” mansion. A place that haunts her dreams. Something continues to call her spirit like a piece of her is locked inside waiting to reclaim her. Suddenly from behind, a Shadow of a man, shrouded in night. He reaches for her hand beckoning her to come. She jerks back and tries to run. “You cannot continue resisting me my dove” he says in silky voice with an old German accent. “Come home to me”. She feels her body relishing in his voice, his touch, and a hidden desire about him she does not know. The more she tries to pull away, the more she feels a pull towards him. Something kept nagging her. ‘What was drawing her back there?’ ‘Who was the sinister looking man she saw in the window as a child before the wolves came from nowhere to attack her. She shuddered, trying not to remember. What darkness was connected to that decaying old house? Why did she feel like something is calling her to return?