Modest

The things we want are so very rarely the things we need. Clifton Heights, a modest Adirondack town, offers many unique attractions. Arcane Delights sells both paperbacks and hard-to-find limited editions. The Skylark Diner serves the best home-cooked meals around, with friendly service and a smile. Every August, Mr. Jingo’s County Fair visits, to the delight of children and adults. In essence, Clifton Heights is the quintessential small American town. Everyone knows everyone else, and everyone is treated like family. It is quiet, simple, and peaceful. But shadows linger here. Flitting in dark corners, from the corner of the eye. If you walk down Main Street after dark, the slight scrape of shoes on asphalt whispers you're not alone, but when you look over your shoulder, no one is there. The moon shines high and bright in the night sky, but instead of throwing light, it only seems to make the shadows lengthen. Children disappear. Teens run away. Hunters get lost in the woods with frightening regularity. Husbands go mad, and wives vanish in the dead of night. And still, when the sun rises in the morning, you are greeted by townspeople with warm waves and friendly smiles, and the shivers pass as everything seems fresh and new... Until night falls once more. Handy's Pawn and Thrift sits several blocks down from Arcane Delights. Like any thrift store, its wares range from the mundane to the bizarre. By daylight, it seems just another slice of small town Americana. But in its window hangs a sign which reads: We Have Things You Need. And when a lonely traveling salesman comes looking for something he desperately wants, after normal visiting hours, after night has fallen, he will face a harsh truth among the shelves of Handy’s Pawn and Thrift: the things we want are rarely the things we need. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

When Elyssa's mom married Greg Almendarez - a wealthy businessman who lifted them from modest means into a world of luxury, their lives were irrevocably changed. But that glamour came with a shock she never saw coming: Theo, her new stepbrother - furious, arrogant, and spoiled who hated her for a reason she could never fathom. Their constant bickering ignited the moment they moved into the sprawling mansion. He teased her, mocked her, seized every chance to make her feel small, yet beneath every cutting word, a current of attraction pulled them so fiercely neither could look away. She'd catch fleeting glimpses of his muscular frame as he lifted weights or swam, each accidental view sparking a flutter of desire she quickly suppressed. Theo, in return, watched her from afar, his gaze lingering on how her loose clothes draped over her curvy body, finding her impossibly alluring. One night, a misunderstanding sent him into a rage; he burst into her room unannounced and froze when he saw her naked. The image burned into his memory, haunting his dreams and awakening a desire too intense to deny. The next time they fought, Theo's annoyance curdled into something else. Instead of lashing out, he pulled her close and drastically kissed her leaving her stunned. Then came the night when trust and passion collided, and she gave her virginity to the man she'd once hated above all others. Can they resist their feelings and attraction knowing they're stepsiblings? Can they hold back their lust and longing? And what happens if their parents find out? Will they fight for this forbidden pull, or surrender their hearts to spare their parents from hurt and pain?

"Get off me, you moron!" I shouted, pushing at his chest as he pinned me against the wall. His lips crashed down on mine with unexpected force. His kiss trailed to my neck, roaming across my skin until weakness washed over me. When his hand squeezed my breast, clarity jolted through me and I shoved him away with all my strength. "No! This is wrong!" I restrained. "My mind says the same, but why does it feel so right? Tell me why I can’t get you out of my head. Why all I can think about is f**ck*ng you!" His voice cracked with agony, lips still burning against my skin. "We’re stepsiblings. This is so wrong!" "We’re not real siblings, we share no blood at all!" He pulled back, his eyes blazing with emotion. "Even so, it’s still wrong!" "Then let it be wrong. I don’t care anymore." He kissed me hard again before his lips moved back to my neck. __________________________________ When Elyssa’s mom married wealthy Greg Almendarez, their modest life transformed into one of glitz and privilege. But she gained a complicated reality in Theo—her new stepbrother. Arrogant and angry, he hated her for reasons she never understood. They fought constantly, every cutting word hiding a pull they both felt. Then a misunderstanding led him to burst into her room and see her naked. The image burned into his memory, waking a desire he couldn’t ignore. Their next fight ended not with rage, but a kiss that broke every rule. Soon, trust and passion collided, and she found herself giving her virginity to the man she hated most. Can they resist this forbidden draw? Will they risk everything for their love, or walk away to save their parents from heartbreak?

Timotheo George Yves is a 27-year-old heir to a luxury hotel empire with a degree in Engineering. In his life, he can do whatever he wants… money is never a problem to him. Pero thrill is not there anymore at pakiramdam niya ay nakakulong siya sa expectations ng kanyang pamilya. To escape from his parents’ manipulative hands, he left the city and starts posing as "Timo," isang barista sa malayong lugar na sa tingin nya ay hindi na sya mahahanap ng kanyang mga magulang. Isang regular customer si Ashanti Veronica Sullivan sa cafe kung saan nagtatrabaho si Timo. Isang passionate na social worker si Ash na may layuning tulungan ang mga taong nasa baba katulad niya. Since Timo met Ash, he wondered what kind of person Ash is until he realized he became curious of her more. They become friends at kalaunan ay nahulog ang puso ni Timo kay Ash. Far from Timo’s expectation, his parents find out about his relationship with Ash at ang mga magulang niya ay hindi sang-ayon sa kanilang relasyon. They feared Ash will bring Tim to his downfall and will cause disgrace to their family. Lalong gumulo ang sitwasyon ng ang kanyang lolo ay nagdagdag ng clause sa kanyang will: Timo must marry a woman of "modest means" within six months para makuha ang kanyang mana. Timo’s parents force him to be with someone who is on their level, but he is against it. Timo doesn't have a choice, but to hide his true identity from Ash, risking their relationship. Samantala, muling nagbalik ang manipulative ex-fiancé ni Ash, si Keanu Florian Domingo, na nagbabantang ibunyag ang sikreto ni Timotheo. As the deadline nears, Timotheo must confront his family's prejudices at kailangan niyang pumili sa pagitan ng kanyang inheritance o kinabukasan kasama si Ash.