Mutable Signs

There are monsters in this world. And they used to be us. Now it's time to euthanize to survive in a hospice where Emily, a woman haunted by her past, only wants to do her job and be the best mother possible. Post-infection Chicago. Christmas. Inside The Hospice, Emily and her fellow nurses do their rounds. Here, men and women live out their final days in comfort, segregated from society, and are then humanely terminated before fate turns them into marrow-craving monsters known as ‘Smilers.’ Outside these imposing walls, rabid protesters swarm with signs, caught up in the heat of their hatred. Emily, a woman haunted by her past, only wants to do her job and be the best mother possible. But in a world where mortality means nothing, where guns are drawn in fear and nobody seems safe anymore – at what cost will this pursuit come? And through it all, the soon to be dead remain silent, ever smiling. Such is their curse. It won't be long before that snow-speckled ground will be salted by blood. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

How rich can a person be? My wife is incredibly rich. People call her "The Queen of Cloudridge" because nearly half the city's properties are owned by her. We've been married for five years, and every time she goes out to meet her first love, she transfers a property to my name. By the time I have 99 homes in my name, she suddenly notices that something has changed. I no longer cry, beg, or ask her to stay. I simply choose the finest mansion in all of Cloudridge, bring the property deed with me, and wait for her to sign it. She signs the papers, and for the first time, she softens. "When I get back, let's go watch the fireworks together." I quietly tuck the agreement away and hum in response. But I never tell her what she's really signed this time. It's not a property deed. It's our divorce agreement.

Amelia Hart spent three years loving a man who never loved her back. On the night of their third wedding anniversary, her husband—powerful billionaire Ethan Carter—hands her divorce papers and chooses another woman. Heartbroken and alone, Amelia signs the papers and walks away from the only man she ever loved. But Ethan doesn’t know her biggest secret. She is pregnant with his child. Five years later, Amelia returns to the city, no longer the weak woman he abandoned. She is stronger, independent, and determined to build a new life for her son. When Ethan Carter sees the little boy who looks exactly like him, his world turns upside down. Now the man who once rejected her wants his family back. But Amelia has only one answer for him. “You lost us the moment you let me go.”

He needed a bride to secure a business contract.. She needed to pay her mother's hospital bills.. Facing financial ruin, Sophia agrees to a gamble: becoming the billionaire's fake bride for three months in exchange for a million dollars. However, her fate takes a twist when she sleeps with a cruel creditor as a substitute to settle her father's debt, the night before she signs the deal agreement with the billionaire.. She thought the night would have no impact forever and as time went by, her deal with the billionaire sparked unexpected mutual emotions.. But just when things were about to get better, she found out that she was pregnant for the nightstand creditor. And the nightstand creditor who is desperate to have both her and the babies was coincidentally the billionaire's greatest enemy.. Hearts collide.. Secrets implode.. Emotions tangles.. Rivalry darkens.. Isn't this the definition of LOVE IN CHAOS?..

My husband, Malcolm Thorpe, has low sperm motility. After 33 rounds of IVF, I finally got pregnant. On delivery day, I start hemorrhaging, and the medical team calls for an emergency C-section. Malcolm signs the consent form, then rushes straight back to his childhood sweetheart's birthday party. But instead of starting the C-section, the surgeon says, "Ms. Jacobson, the electronic medical record lists you as single. This consent form isn't valid." I stop breathing for a beat. The happy marriage I believe in turns out to be a sham. Later, Mom and Dad rush in and sign the consent for me. But by then, the baby is gone. The asphyxia lasted too long. After surgery, I scrawl my name on the cremation consent with shaking hands, then dial a number without thinking. "Samuel, are you free now? Meet me in front of City Hall."

In the aftermath of a tumultuous three-year marriage, Maria's dreams of a gradual love-filled transformation with her husband, Thompson Brown, are shattered when she discovers his intense hatred towards her. On their wedding anniversary, as Maria prepares a heartfelt dinner, Thompson blindsides her with divorce papers, callously walking away from their once-promising union. Faced with the painful memories of years spent in anguish and isolation, Maria realizes that fighting a losing battle would only prolong her suffering. With a heavy heart, Maria signs the divorce papers, leaving behind everything acquired with the Brown family's wealth. Determined to rebuild her life from scratch, she resolves not to touch a single possession that was tainted by their broken relationship. However, unbeknownst to Maria, Thompson's life becomes plagued by remorse and regret. Haunted by his decisions, he lurks in the shadows, watching over her, hoping for a chance to win her back.

Divorced. Betrayed. Lonely. Desperate. When Josette signs a marriage contract with Zade, a ruthless billionaire feared for destroying everything in his path— she thinks she found her escape. But Zade doesn’t just want a wife. He wants her. A craving that turns into obsession. A desire that makes him break his own rules. Only Josette isn’t who she thinks she is to him. She is a mirror of the woman he once loved and lost— Selena Vortessa, her doppelganger. The ghost that never stopped haunting him. When Selena returns from the shadows, secrets ignite. Truths unravel. And the line between love and vengeance blurs, until neither of them can tell if they’re saving each other… or destroying what’s left. Zade rules by control. Josette was meant to be his pawn. But in the game of lust and lies, even the ruthless falls.

A series of past murders catch the attention of the police and the media. All the people who were killed were women, all of which had some sort of relationship with a well known and successful businessman named Asriel Parker. For some reason, the murders all point to him as the number one suspect and connection between them. The reasonable thing to do is to put him behind bars but there is one problem. "Everyone is innocent in the eyes of the law until proven guilty." There isn't a shred of evidence that actually pinpoints Asriel Parker as the culprit. With that statement in mind, Selena March, a good police officer and detective is sent undercover as his live-in Personal Assistant to dig up whatever information she can use to put the murderer behind bars. Selena has no idea what she signs up for but she knows for a fact that falling in love is not part of the whole 'undercover' mission

After being betrayed by her mate, whom she caught cheating on, Tamara finds solace in the arms of a mysterious man she met at a bar. Little does she know that he's the powerful and ruthless Alpha king, Axel. They have a one-night stand, and Tamara later discovers she's pregnant. To save her sick brother, she signs a one-year deal with Axel and becomes his surrogate. As Tamara and Axel spent more time together, a deep bond formed, and they couldn't deny the growing attraction they felt for each other. However, their love story faced further complications with the presence of Axel's enemies, who would stop at nothing to seize the throne and control the world. Will Axel and Tamara's love story meet a tragic end, similar to Axel's previous relationship? Or will they find a way to overcome the obstacles and build a new future together?

Megan has been married to her mate, the alpha for the past five years and is the highly esteemed luna. However, she has failed to provide a child for Richardson, the alpha of the strongest pack and the king of the Eastern Kingdom. Megan’s world is turned upside down when she is asked to step down from the throne by her husband and her best friend Aspen, who claims to be pregnant for Richardson. Now the object of ridicule and nowhere to turn to, Megan signs the divorce papers and relinquishes her role as Luna and queen. What no one knows however is that Megan is pregnant for Richardson and she is determined not to let him find her or her baby. Heartbroken and enraged at the betrayal from her husband who she had served all these years and her best friend, Megan plots her revenge with Rhode, the alpha the Wales pack and the Empire of the Western Empire. Will she succeed?