Nothing Much

I donated 45 million to the city's best kindergarten, but my daughter failed the enrollment interview. She was a polymath. Furious, I demanded an explanation from admissions. She hurled an assessment file at my face. "Your daughter's brilliant, but you're the exact opposite! You're dead last among the parents!" She continued, "The others have tech domes! You're nothing but a regular Ivy League graduate! Your degree's worth about as much as toilet paper!" The other teachers laughed as well. "If we admit her daughter, it's going to look bad on the other kids. She can't take that responsibility." "Yeah, I can't believe she's demanding an explanation from Ms. Johnson. Her husband is the kindergarten's biggest stakeholder. He can make sure her daughter has nowhere to go." The admission teacher shoved me away. With disdain in her eyes, she said, "Out of my sight if you know what's good for you. My husband is picking me up in his Rolls-Royce. His car plate alone is worth more than your life! It's lucky 777! Only one in Georgeport!" Three sevens? That was my husband's car. I laughed mirthlessly and texted my husband. "I had no idea you had another wife behind me."

"Like what you see?" he asked, his voice low and seductive. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You're lying," he commented, his voice husky. "I can smell your desire, Gracie. You want me, just as much as I want you." ~~~~~ "You have no right to judge me or my actions! How dare you?!" He spat at her. Gracie swallowed hard, feeling a wave of fear wash over her, as he called out to his guards. "Strip her of all her clothings, and put her where she belongs!" he barked, pointing towards her. __________ In a far-away land, there lived a powerful Lycan King who was dreaded by all, for his cruelty and mercilessness was way beyond the imagination of all under his reign, and far away from him. Alpha Jerri was no match to anyone, and even his closest pals feared for their lives. All the young girls around went into hiding all because of his cruelty, yet, getting any of his choice to satisfy his lust, took him nothing to achieve. Gracie, a young girl who was at the mercy of her father, was frustrated with her life, but only a glimmer of hope kept her going… A story of pain, trauma, lust and insane satisfaction… leading to a cloudy world of the unknown.. Gracie must stay strong to hang on, or be at the mercy of her oppressors!

Aurora should have stepped back when Andrews glared at her with anger upon realizing she wasn’t who he expected. His gaze burned, but she held her head high, swallowing her tears and fear, moving forward toward the inevitable. She had no idea who she was truly facing, but Andrews was not her biggest problem. That’s why she was determined to see this through until she got what she needed. At the altar, before everyone, she said "yes" and bound herself to a marriage that was never meant to be hers. Janete, the real bride, had deceived him. She ran away, leaving Aurora in her place without a single explanation. But no one could know why Aurora was there, and now she alone carried the weight of that secret. Andrews, betrayed and humiliated, had no choice but to accept the union, but his heart was consumed by hatred. To him, Aurora was nothing more than an extension of the woman who had deceived him. What he didn’t know was that his new wife was much more than that—his enemy, just like Janete. But he, too, hid secrets about his true past with Janete. Trapped in a web of lies and resentment, how long will Aurora endure the scorn of the man she was forced to marry? And when will Andrews realize that perhaps he married the wrong woman… or the right one, the only one who can make him face what haunts him?

Axel Lysander is a business tycoon who is generally known as the cold hearted billionaire. He never interacts with women except on a professional basis. He is arrogant and mean to everyone, and does not care about how people feel. He has never fallen in love in his life. The first day his heart races is the day he meets Claire McLennie at the airport. When this fearless young woman awakens in him feelings he does not even know exists, he knows he has to keep her close. Claire McLennie carries a lot of baggage. Her past is one big mess she is trying to run away from. Running takes her halfway across the world, all the way to New York and into the hands of Axel Lysander, the cold hearted billionaire. Their first meeting is the beginning of a chain of events that will rock her world. She has no idea the effect she has on the business tycoon, and he is bent on letting her know just how much she affects him. Claire wishes nothing more than to start a new life, and falling in love with a cold hearted billionaire is not an option. When the deep, dark secrets of her past come to light, when the whole world seems to be against her, when her life is turned upside down a second time, will he stand by her side? Or will he join the world and watch her burn?

After working overtime every day for a month, I finally completed an important code that could save my company. Five minutes into my break, my team leader, Fiona Smith, suddenly hit me in the head with her file. “Because you spent so much time in the office, our electricity bill this month has increased by 15 kWh! Do you see this office as a free air-conditioning supplier?” I was about to defend myself when she angrily pointed at my cell phone and tablet on my desk. “You’re charging your devices here? You should charge them at home! Aren’t you aware of the company’s current condition?” I could no longer hold back my anger. “Fiona, I’ve been working overtime. I’m not here doing nothing!” “Can’t you do overtime at home instead? For a fresh graduate, you sure know how to exploit the company’s resources. Who knows what other despicable things you might be capable of doing in the future?!” Fiona yelled. I stared at her twisted expression and suddenly chuckled. If only my parents had seen me working so hard over such a trivial matter. They would have immediately asked me to quit and work in their company instead. I grabbed the flash drive with the important code and called my secretary. “Jane, I’d like to purchase Galaxy Corporation, and I want it to be the best in the industry.”

Last year, I failed out of school in spectacular fashion. Now, I’m starting over at a new university, hoping I can get my life back on track and prove to my family that I’m not a screw up.This year, I’m focused on academics. Unfortunately, someone should have mentioned that to a certain hockey playing hottie who refuses to take a hint and leave me alone. As much as I hate to admit it, if I had a type, Cole Mathews would fit it to a T with his dark shaggy hair, golden-brown eyes, and muscular arms.To make matters worse, he’s ridiculously easy going.Not to mention, nice.We’re talking total kryptonite to the female species.Which makes him much too dangerous for the likes of me. And this year, I’m smart enough to realize it. Resisting all that charm might seem futile, but there isn’t much choice in the matter.I won’t let a hot hockey player derail my future.Now, I just need to convince him of that.Stay is created by Jennifer Sucevic, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

Amelia's leg tapped against the table as she asked, "What are your thoughts on love?" Her hands were clasped together on her lap, but her eyes sparkled with curiosity. Lucas met her gaze, a smirk playing on his lips. "Love is a waste of time," he replied. "It's a tool designed to weigh people down. Without it, we could achieve so much more." Amelia's eyes lit up with interest; he had just ticked almost all her boxes green. "I agree," she said, her smirk matching his. "Love is nothing but bullshit. We could save a lot of time by keeping our relationship minimal." With a proactive glint in her eye, she added, "What do you say? We should get married to fulfill our filial duties." _____________ Their marriage was a facade, a contract between two individuals who didn't believe in love but were forced to get married to fulfill their obligations. Everything was going as planned, until suddenly... "Have you eaten, dear?" "How is my baby?" "Is he doing well?" Lucas's words, once empty and mechanical, now held a tender tone. Amelia found him falling for her, and she seemed to be falling too. Why were they succumbing to the very thing they once scorned? Love, once a distant possibility, was now becoming an option. But would they choose it?

For a second he couldn't believe it, he stood there staring at her dumbfounded, his emotions went from anger to pain to anger again then back to pain. "Why?". His voice barely came out, he was afraid if it came out loud then it'd be as a roar. "What's your excuse for all this?". "I....I don't want to live anymore, I'm tired". She cried. "I've been tired for a long time now Raysham". Unable to control himself he grabbed her shoulder and backed her against the counter so there was no gap between them. "That is not an excuse!". He almost yelled. "That is not a fucking excuse!". She said nothing, just sobbed and sniffled quietly. "You are a coward Sayya, you lost faith in us, in yourself, Sayya you gave up on everything!". He said. Tears pricked his vision but he forced them back by blinking. "Yes you have been through a lot but you had absolutely no right to do that, you should have spoken to someone, if you hated me so much that you couldn't talk to me then you should have at least told Hytham!". He said. "My life isn't worth living Raysham, you know it!". She cried. "I don't know! All I know is that in months to come I will sit alone and grieve knowing you did this to us, I will grieve knowing you caused the pain". He said.

Lisandra is a She Wolf that had been through what has been nothing short of a Living Hell. Having watched her best friend murder her Father in a Pack Challenge to become the Alpha of the largest pack in the Simmerian Forest, she had to endure years of servitude at the hands of the very people who she had thought she could trust the most, and used as bait in a deadly game of chase for the Pack's amusement. It was on one such game that she found her chance of escape from the Alpha that had tormented her for so long. Luckily, (or unluckily) in the course of her attaining the freedom she had yearned so much for, she finds herself in the paws of yet another Alpha. Terren has been called many names through all his life. Bastard, Murderer, Devilspawn, Alpha. To the Lycans in the Simmerian Forest, the very name Silver Wolf is synonymous with The Grim Reaper, and is yet another moniker he has earned for himself for all the dozens of bodies he has ripped to shreds with his fangs and claws. But the moment he locks eyes with the most beautiful pair he ever had the fortune to behold, he realizes that he is about to have yet another name to go by...Mate It was never his intention to mate. In fact, he went out of his way to prevent that exact scenario. But when it does happen, the Terror of the Forest abandons all thought of resisting the bond and wields all of his considerable power to make her his forever.

"You can't keep dancing with the Devil and wonder why you're still in hell. It was my fault to trust you again." I created this hell for myself. "In the end, it's her over me." Tears of betrayal slide down my cheeks, and Denzel looks at me desperately. However, I don't care. I feel so much at once that I feel nothing at all. I should've killed him when I had the chance. ****** Naomi West fled her wedding to the ruthless and domineering billionaire of the state. Five years later, she has to come back home for work. But on top of being constantly at threats and stalked by a creepy fan, things take a different turn when she encounters Denzel Flynn, her ex. And Naomi must do all she can to keep Denzel away from her son. However, Denzel has other plans for Naomi. He will do anything to get her and his son back in his life, even if it means getting rid of her lover, Marcus. And as they come together to solve their grudges, their enemies hide in the shadows, waiting to strike. And their friends abandon them. Naomi and Denzel can only rely on each other. But how can Naomi trust Denzel when she's just a substitute for his ex? When he possesses no genuine feelings for her? Will the history from five years ago repeat itself and force her to lose everything again?