Norton Critical Editions

Vincent Okoye has spent a decade building a spotless reputation at London’s top tech advertising firm. Sharp, composed, and fiercely loyal, he’s finally on the brink of promotion, until everything unravels. The night he lets go of his carefully guarded control, he ends up in bed with a charming stranger. By morning, that stranger is no longer a mystery, he’s Ethan Levitt, Vincent’s new boss, old university flame, and the son of the company’s enigmatic CEO. Ethan offers him everything he’s ever wanted: recognition, influence… and maybe something dangerously close to love. But there’s a condition, complete obedience, in and out of the boardroom. Caught between the seductive pull of his past and the steady loyalty of Pascal, the man who’s stood by him for years, Vincent is forced to choose. But in a world of ambition, secrets, and shifting power, love may come with the highest price of all. Desire. Loyalty. Power. In this game, someone’s bound to lose. And Vincent can’t afford for it to be him

She was supposed to be a bride… until she found her groom in bed with her best friend. Humiliated and heartbroken, Ariana De Leon vanishes on the night before her wedding—only to land in the path of Ethan Navarro, a cold-hearted billionaire with a dangerous past. He offers her a way out: Marry him instead. In exchange, he promises her everything she’s ever been denied—power, protection, and the perfect revenge. But Ethan doesn’t believe in love. His intentions are darker than he lets on. And Ariana soon discovers that running from one betrayal may have led her into a deadlier trap. A marriage built on secrets. A contract soaked in lies. And a tension they can’t deny. Can two broken souls survive the war between them… or will this deal destroy them both?

Sage Casey Ember-Brooks, who goes by Casey, is a fast-food worker and aspiring fantasy novelist whose ordinary life crumbles when mysterious strangers ask cryptic questions about her dragon series. Her recurring dreams of golden coins suddenly make terrifying sense when Marcus Chen—a businessman with eyes that flash gold—reveals that dragons are real, living hidden among humans for centuries. Casey's unnaturally accurate fantasy writing stems from awakening genetic memories. She's a rare "Convergence" bloodline capable of harmonising opposing elemental forces. The revelation comes at a critical time: a new cryptocurrency called DragonCoin, featuring symbols identical to her dreams, creates magical interference that weakens concealment spells protecting dragon society. At the Crossroads shopping complex where she works, disruptions cause dragons to flicker between human and true forms in full view of witnesses. Caught between Marcus (a traditionalist who wants to hide her with the Dragon Council) and the enigmatic Xaihuang (who advocates ending the masquerade entirely), Casey discovers an underground chamber housing ancient dragon artifacts. When she touches a magical coin, visions reveal three futures: chaotic revelation leading to war, continued concealment resulting in magical extinction, or a mysterious third path of integration. Casey realises DragonCoin wasn't created to expose dragons, but by another awakening hybrid like herself—someone in Seattle whose unconscious dragon heritage channels ancient power through modern technology. As magical concealment fails worldwide and dragons begin manifesting publicly, Casey must race across the country to find this unknown programmer before the interference between magic and technology tears reality apart. The story explores themes of identity, integration versus assimilation, and the collision between ancient power and digital-age innovation. With her awakening abilities growing stronger and the masquerade crumbling around her, Casey faces a choice that will determine her fate and the future relationship between the hidden magical world and human civilisation.

“There is nothing to think about.” I said, with an edge to my voice. “You may be right, but this doesn't change anything. I'm not returning to that pack.” “Then we all are going to die.” he said, with ice in his voice. “Including you.” ***************** Following the revelation of a century year old prophecy, the fate of the White Moon pack lies on the decision of a twenty-one-year-old — Clary Tompkins. Will she return to save the pack who betrayed her? Or would she leave them to suffer an awful fate that could bring their end?

Aku rela merendahkan diri demi mempertahankan pernikahan kita yang sudah memasuki usia empat tahun. Aku yang menemanimu menyembuhkan luka hati dan membangun karir. Namun kamu justru memilih kembali pada mantan kekasihmu. Meninggalkanku yang mencintaimu tanpa tapi, disaat aku tengah hamil lagi setelah dua kali keguguran. Usai tiga tahun kamu bersamanya, kenapa kamu ingin membawaku kembali dalam hidupmu? Apa yang kamu sesalkan karena telah meninggalkanku, Mas? Apa yang tidak kamu dapatkan dari wanita pujaanmu, hingga mengharapkanku kembali? Adakah takdir masih menyimpan kejutan yang tidak terduga di antara kita? Sedangkan aku sudah mengubur semua rasaku, bahkan pada pria selain dirimu.

"Here's my calling card. Call me if you need something…" One night stand. Iyon ang nangyari sa pagitan nina Graciella Santiago at ng lalaking hindi niya kilala. Akala niya ay hindi na niya ito muling makikita pa pero isang buwan matapos ang una nilang tagpo, nalaman nalang niyang dinadala na niya ang anak nito. Wala naman dapat siyang balak na tawagan ang lalaki pero nang mapagdesisyunan ng kanyang ina na ipakasal siya sa isang matandang hukluban kapalit ng pera, agad niyang tinawagan ang estranghero na ama ng kanyang anak para pakasalan siya! Akala niya isang gaya lamang niya si Drake Levine Yoshida subalit isang araw natuklasan nalang niya na ang lalaking basta nalang niya niyaya ng kasal ay isa palang mayamang lalaki! At hindi lang basta mayaman kundi isang bilyonaryo at nagmamay-ari ng kumpanyang pinagtatrabahuan niya!

Di dalam dunia yang penuh dengan kekuatan spiritual yang luar biasa, ada seorang pemuda yang mencoba mencapai impian yang tak terbayangkan. Tanpa kekuatan spiritual sendiri, dia kehilangan harapan untuk berada di antara para pahlawan dan penguasa yang kuat. Namun, takdir berkata lain! Suatu hari, pemuda itu menemukan sebuah buku kuno yang aneh. Ternyata, buku itu memiliki kekuatan misterius yang cocok dengan tubuhnya. Dan presto! Dia tiba-tiba memiliki kemampuan yang luar biasa, melebihi semua yang bisa ia bayangkan. Dalam dunia yang didominasi oleh kekuatan supranatural, pemuda ini ada untuk membuktikan bahwa takdir bisa mengubah kehidupan seseorang secara luar biasa.

Mula pagkabata ay nakatatak na sa murang isipan ni Daviana Policarpio na si Warren Gonzales ang kanyang magiging asawa dahil sa naging kasunduan ng kanilang mga Lolo. Hinihintay na lang nila na maka-graduate siya sa kolehiyo para matuloy iyon. Ngunit sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon, at ng dahil sa mapaglarong kapalaran at panahon; kalahating taon bago mangyari ang plinano ng matatanda sa kanilang pamilya ay nalaman ni Daviana na mayroon pa lang girlfriend ang lalaking itinatangi at itinakda sa kanya. Hindi alam ng dalaga kung marapat bang ipagpasalamat niya iyon, dahil nang gabing matuklasan niya na may lihim na kasintahan si Warren ay iyon din ang gabing hindi inaasahang muling magsasanga ang landas nilang dalawa ni Rohi Gonzalez; ang anak sa labas at half-brother ni Warren na mula pagkabata nila ay natitipuhan na ng dalaga. Subalit, hindi niya pwedeng ipilit dahil ang sabi ng mga magulang nila ay si Warren at hindi si Rohi ang lalaking nakatakdang maging kabiyak niya at makasama hanggang sa kanyang pagtanda.  Susuwayin ba ni Daviana ang mga magulang upang tuluyang pagbigyan ang isinisigaw ng kanyang puso?

Trauma masa lalu membuat Kirani Aina Apsarini memiliki ketakutan dengan orang yang berbicara keras atau membentak. Hanya saja, Kiran justru harus memiliki atasan seperti Lintang Amir Wijananto yang berwatak keras! Kiran berusaha menghindar, tapi mengapa Naumira--bocah kecil yang kerap memanggil Amir papi--tampak ingin dekat dengannya?!

Aku sengaja meminta istriku memakai cadar karena aku malu. Tompel di pipinya membuatku takut ditertawakan. Apalagi orang-orang yang tahu mantan-mantanku terdahulu. Perempuan-perempuan cantik yang tak pernah papa berikan restu. Cuma, malam itu aku benar-benar terkejut luar biasa, tanpa sengaja cadar yang kuminta selalu dia pasang di wajahnya tersingkap. Benarkah perempuan yang ada di depanku ini adalah perempuan yang sama dengan yang aku nikahi enam bulan lalu? ~ Jordhy Durov Atmaja ~ ****** Beberapa tahun lalu, di Kota yang terkenal romantis, Paris, Prancis. Takdir tanpa sengaja mempertemukanku dengan seorang perempuan manis, bermata cokelat dengan bulu mata lebat. Aku cukup shock melihatnya yang berlari tetapi setengah tak berpakaian. Namun, keterkejutanku hilang ketika seorang lelaki muda keluar dari mobil dan mengejarnya. “Tolong selamatkan aku dari dia, Tuan!” “Pergillah! Aku akan membereskan sisanya!” Lalu, aku terlibat baku hantam. Aku yang sudah terlatih bela diri sejak SMA, tentunya dengan mudah menumbangkannya. Namun, kepiawanku berkelahi tak serta merta membuatku bisa menemukannya kembali. Sejak malam itu, sepasang netra cantik dengan bulu mata lentik itu selalu memenuhi pikiranku. Apakah aku sedang jatuh hati? Aku bertahan di sana dan mencarinya, hingga akhirnya papa memintaku pulang ke Indonesia untuk menghadiri pernikahan kakakku, Jordhy Durov Atmaja. Hanya saja ketika aku pulang dan dikenalkan dengan perempuan bercadar yang harus kusebut kakak ipar, kenapa aku seolah-olah menemukan dia kembali? Kenapa sepasang netra cantik dengan bulu mata lentik itu mengingatkanku padanya? ~ Kevandra Suryadinata ~