National Catholic Reporter

After my parents died in a car crash, my cousin stole the compensation money and moved overseas to start a business. My aunt begged me on her knees not to call the police. Then, she locked me in a dark basement for three months. I was close to breaking down and ending my life when Julien Lawson, the neighbor’s son, broke down the basement door and saved me. “Joyce, what they did is unforgivable! They stole the compensation money for your parents’ deaths. You were going to use it to open your own studio! “Marry me. I’ll protect you.” He was the only person who cared about me after my parents died. I was so grateful that I married him and had his child. I worked three jobs during the day to help support the orphanage that Julien ran. At night, I took care of our child and created design sketches. But no matter how hard I tried, none of my work was ever accepted. Even though Julien told me to keep at it, I felt discouraged and thought of giving up on my design career to focus on our family. One day, our child was sick. I went to take over the shift from Julien when I overheard him talking to my aunt on the stairs. “Julien, it’s been ten years. Joyce’s designs are getting better and better. She even passed the first round of the national competition. Are you really not going to tell her about the next round?” my aunt asked. Her voice trembled. Julien said coldly, “For years, I’ve been sending Joyce’s design sketches to Mindy to copy and enter in the competitions or publish as her own. “To help Mindy’s career, I can’t let Joyce move on to the next round. “Joyce has talent. If people notice her, she’ll be a threat to Mindy’s career!”

.." Miss Davis, how long have you and Mr Ashton known each other?" Someone asked from the crowd and Elisa's eyes widened in shock. " How long have you been dating?" Another reporter asked. " Was it your idea to keep your relationship a secret from the public?" Relationship? " How is Mr Ashton treating you as his lover? Is he as romantic as many of the ladies think he is?" Elisa, a young girl whose passion was acting and dream for bigger platform even though her dreams seemed impossible but something happened, a scandal that binded her fate to that of the richest billionaire in the city, a scandal that changed her life and made her dreams reachable. Love and passion, power struggle, betrayal, secrets and truths. Will Elisa have a happy ending especially with a man like Noah Ashton who didn't believe in love?

Fate Fighters ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍Alexandria stood watching them both, 'interesting, vampire guy wants to stay in Hollandis when he can't even control his thirst for blood' Alex thought. Alexandria is a wolf kid, her parents suspected she might have been deprived of powers, which is a curse to the werewolf clan one that could attract even a death sentence to the victim. Her parents decide to send her off to the human world, where she has to survive, with her unusual beauty, she goes through a lot. She later joins the National security and intelligence Academy in Hollandis_the human land where she learns to fight according to her parent's wishes. There she comes in contact with Regal the vampire prince, who had to escape his home after his father_the king, sudden death, he runs to Ben a human who is his father's friend and Alexandria's guardian. Alexandria is then stuck in the position of taking responsibility for him after knowing he is a vampire and could be dangerous to humans or refusing and sending him back to fang city, where he would either die or survive and come back for her. But they have one thing in common, to survive, they must both fight their unacceptable fate! "Regal Raymond, what do you want me to do, what if you harm someone, I can't always be there, who would take responsibility?" Ben asked, "she!" Regal said pointing suddenly at Alex. Alex, eyes widened in surprise "what?" Ben asked. "She would take responsibility for me" Regal repeated. "What! Me?" Alexandria exclaimed while eyeing him. "Why would I take responsibility for you? Who do you think you are Mister 'I know am handsome' huh? Alex mimicked. "Ben, she is incredibly strong, I just had a short encounter with her a while ago..."

He leaned in closer, his breath warm on my cheek. "I know a place where we can really forget about everything else," he murmured. I felt a thrill of anticipation run through me. It was reckless, and I knew I shouldn't, but something about this man made me want to throw caution to the wind. We left the bar together, walking through the quiet alleys until we came to a luxurious hotel. He led me inside, and we made our way to a suite with a breathtaking view of the city. The guy kissed me hungrily, and all my doubts faded away. For that night, I was able to forget about my heartbreak and just be in the moment. As we lay together, sated and content, he whispered to me, "I may be disguised, but I promise you, I'm not who you think I am." I looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?" He smiled enigmatically. "Let's just say that I'm not your average guy." And with that, he gathered his things and left, leaving me alone once again, but with a newfound sense of hope. Maybe there was something better waiting for me out there, after all. ★★★ Andrea Fernandez, an unpopular newspaper reporter from Cebu, had her life changed with one simple contract: to become "Carmen Dela Cruz" for the wealthy and influential Dela Cruz family. To get paid and fund an expensive surgery fee for her aunt's son, Andrea must complete five seemingly impossible tasks while living as Carmen Dela Cruz. Along this journey, she meets Miguel Rodriguez, whose presence could change everything in unexpected ways. Will Andrea fulfil her obligations or will something else take precedence? Read The Contracted Billionaire Heiress to find out!

It was a national holiday and we decided to drive back to my husband's hometown to spend the holidays. One day before we left, my husband's childhood crush came crying to him that she had not managed to buy train tickets home. My husband immediately decided to let her have my seat in the car and insisted that I take the train instead. I looked at him in disbelief. There was shock in my eyes. Even my son insisted I take the train. "Mommy, Aunt Rosie is so pretty. How could you make her take the train?" I did not argue. I booked my train ticket right in front of them. However, it was to my own hometown. I no longer wanted a biased husband and a disloyal son.

To secure admission to Prirose University for his old lover’s son, my husband appointed an old man to keep my daughter in a hotel room. In this case, she could not attend the physics competition and win the admission. “Ronald has always dreamed of attending Prirose University. You shouldn’t take that away from him.” “Just stay put, or else that man will beat you to put you in your place!” My daughter ended up getting assaulted and tortured to death. Later, he was questioned about what happened during a speech at school. He turned stiff the moment the reporter confronted him.

Kelly Goodman, a Private Investigator in Greenwood, returns home to find her Mum, Maggie dead in her car. Maggie, a famous reporter in Middleville was brutally murdered and had traces of mysterious bite marks no one could explain. Every attempt to solve the murder case led to a dead end, leaving Kelly determined to solve it for her late Mum. But little does she know that her investigation would take her down a dark and twisted path. Her Husband Jacob, a skilled craftsman and an experienced fighter, now stricken in age with a heart challenge, slums on seeing his dead wife and is rushed to the hospital, where shortly after being treated he is tragically confirmed dead. In the course of going through her Mum's belongings, Kelly finds her Mum's research book, with clues on a lead she had been chasing for 2 years, but couldn't see it through because of her untimily death. With no other option, Kelly takes on the mission to unravel her Mum's death and seek justice. But things take a turn for the worse when she is forced to work with a local PI who might be hiding something. Will Kelly find the truth behind her Mum's death? Will she be able to fight against the unknown forces that are trying to stop her? Or will she forever remain in the dark? Join Kelly on an epic journey of justice and discovery, as she hurdles through life trying to solve the mystery of her Mum's death.

Leah is back on the family farm in Mozambique, where she meets doctor Sergio Martinez whom she immediately feels attracted to. But Leah is certainly not happy to see that her ex-husband Ralph is also back here. Apparently to complete the dream eco-holiday destination he originally planned, when they were married to each other. What is really uncomfortable is the fact that he wants her back as his wife. He still wants to make a baby with her! Leah acquired a little bit of money after selling her grandmother's house in Pretoria. And Ralph knows about it. He is a dangerous man if he believes there is money somewhere that he can get his hands on. But for some or another reason, Ralph Jameson suddenly has money of his own as well. Did he inherit it from the much older deceased woman he briefly married, after divorcing Leah? Or did he steal it from her while she was still alive? Sergio Martinez is happy with the card life dealt him. He is a veterinarian working for an international company dealing with the relocation and breeding of wild animals for National Parks all over Africa. The lion project, wildlife sanctuary and hospital for injured animals is on a farm neighboring Hurters Retreat. He rents a flat from John Hurter, as he got himself a pet now, an African Wild cat. Gato needs to be kept away from the vet's patients and other threats in the bush. Hurters Retreat felt like a safe haven for his cat and his heart. But suddenly he is not that sure anymore. Why does it feel as if Leah was the woman he waited for all his life. And why did her ex-husband follow her there? Is this the day trouble started in his paradise?

Sehrize, as a national intelligence agent (NIA), was involved in the murder of her boyfriend who was a mafia leader. To save her daughter from the enemy, she decided to take her daughter to a man who had thick blood from Natallie,he is Mr.Groddy. However, the first flight when Sehrize returned to Switzerland, ruined Groddy's marriage to a woman.Sehrize also said that Natallie was Groddy's biological daughter in front of the invited guests.The man's anger could not be contained when the family's screams sounded hysterical, he immediately dragged Sehrize and Natallie out of the room.However, the DNA test results stated that Natallie was Groddy's biological daughter.How did the man feel when he found out that his ex-girlfriend had his child? And how do they feel after five years apart, then meeting again?Could it be that Sehrize still harbors feelings of love for the man she saw with eyes, having gotten married? Everything really makes the heart want to know their relationship in the future. Happy reading.

What happens when a drug addicted usually horny reporter goes undercover as a student in a town full of magic, wolves and every other supernatural… Trivia Bells a young lady with no ties to her family works in a news company, she gets transferred as ordered by the direct boss to work undercover as a student in a town named Theed as rumors go by the town has actually more secretive than it is. She gets cut off by her drug supplier and with only a few pills left she takes on her journey to the town, however an unmated alpha who had been in love with his step sister forever, remains uptight with his hatred for humans,  he clashes into trivia and sets up sparks he had never experienced before, trivia however had taken a liking to his best friend… an hybrid and his step sister had gotten smitten by trivias beauty. However her past,  her true self, her parents, her origins and every other thing related to her existence all lays within the town, two siblings in love with the same girl, a best buddy betraying the trust of his friend and a horny drug addict off the pills with no knowledge of the secrets the town hold and what it has in stock for her and the hidden secrets of the town