O'block Chicago

My name is Mia, and I am the middle child of Don and Donna Costa. I am also the black sheep of the family. Or the ugly duckling, as my mother would call me. My shift ended a few hours ago, but it takes me long to get home as I do not have a car like my brother, Leonardo, the oldest, or my sister, Amara, the beautiful one and youngest in the family. As you may gather from my story so far, my parents do not care about me. I walk into the house with a sigh. I have seen the cars in front of our home, and I know my family has friends over. "You have nothing I want! You stole from us, and today I will kill your whole family," I hear an angry voice. I wonder what my father has done this time to piss someone off. "Godfather, give me another chance. You can have my beautiful daughter as your wife," My father begs. Holy shit! My father stole from the godfather? I know the godfather is about thirty, and his name is Riccardo Marina. The Marina family is the most powerful in the American mafia. "I do not like blond blue-eyed sluts. I prefer women with dark hair. Besides, Everyone in town knows Amara Costa! She has been around the block," Riccardo says with disgust. I do not know what to do. Shall I hide? Not many people know my parents have another daughter. I am never invited to their parties as my family is ashamed of me. I do not care for my family, and they can die for all I care. "I have another daughter with dark hair. Maybe you will fancy her," My father begs again. I sigh. Typical!

No quinto ano de casamento, Virgínia Prado reclamou que o suplemento de vitamina C que o marido havia comprado era amargo demais. Ela decidiu levar o frasco ao hospital. O médico, após examinar o conteúdo, ergueu os olhos e disse que aquilo não era vitamina C. — Doutor, pode repetir o que disse? — Perguntou Virgínia. — Repetir quantas vezes não vai mudar nada. — Respondeu o médico, apontando para o frasco. — Isto aqui é mifepristona. Se for ingerido em excesso, não só causa infertilidade, como também prejudica seriamente o corpo. Virgínia sentiu a garganta apertar, como se algo a estivesse sufocando. A mão dela que segurava o frasco ficou pálida de tanto que ela o apertava. — Isso é impossível. Foi o meu marido que preparou isso para mim. Ele se chama Marcus Mello. Ele também é médico aqui no hospital. O médico ergueu a cabeça e olhou para Virgínia com um olhar estranho, carregado de algo difícil de decifrar. Por fim, ele sorriu de forma enigmática e disse: — Senhora, é melhor você procurar o setor de psiquiatria. Todos aqui conhecem a esposa do Dr. Marcus. Há dois meses ela deu à luz. Não perca seu tempo, querida. Você não tem chance.

"I'll work for you under one condition." I say. "What's that?" "You'll marry me", He smirks revealing breathtaking dimples "Are you sure about that?." I pause for a moment then look straight into his eyes "I'm sure." I would marry Giovanni D'Errico and find a way to get back my fortune. Whatever it takes. Emily Rivera is trapped in a loveless marriage of three years with an unfaithful husband which eventually ends up in divorce papers. Devastated and heartbroken, she goes back to her parents' house and is even more devastated when she finds out her father was dead, she is hit with an even more shocking revelation, her father Alfonso Rivera had left behind a billion dollar fortune in her name. She is aghast by this revelation but there's a catch she has to prove that she's worthy enough to inherit this fortune. Giovanni D'Errico an associate of her father in the past is currently handling her father's properties in the meantime. She immediately sees him as a block between her and her fortune. A proposal of marriage brings them closer and Emily is satisfied that she's another step closer to inheriting her fortune. Little did anyone know that this weak girl was the heir to the Rivera Empire. Emily begins to climb up the social ladder. Her empire begins to rise, she was making a name for herself, her ex-husband wants her back. But little did Emily know that things were about to take a sinister turn. She joins hands with Giovanni as they now have a bigger obstacle to face, evil forces who want them dead. What are they after? Emily's fortune. Emily will do whatever it takes to keep her fortune. Will Emily prevail and come out victorious or will she die trying?

No sexto ano de casamento, meu marido não me tocava há três meses. Ele dizia que estava muito ocupado e cansado com o trabalho. Amando-o por tantos anos, acreditei sem hesitar. Mas no meu aniversário, ouvi o amigo do meu marido perguntar a ele em alemão: — Você já terminou com a outra lá fora? Ia lá todo dia, nem sei como seu corpo aguenta. — Sua esposa não se importa com isso? Meu marido soltou uma baforada de fumaça, com uma expressão indiferente. — Faz meses que não a toco. Gabriela Nunes é muito boa na cama, ainda não me cansei, que pena que ela engravidou. — Minha esposa não gosta de crianças, então dei a Gabriela uma quantia em dinheiro para ela ir para o exterior ter o filho em breve. Apertei os punhos. Lágrimas caíram em silêncio. Meu marido perguntou, preocupado, o que havia acontecido. Balancei a cabeça. — O bolo que você fez é delicioso, estou tão emocionada. O bolo era doce, mas para mim, que entendia alemão, o coração estava amargo.

After her divorce, Annalise Gracelyn Keaton decides to start a new life in Chicago. One day, Ann visits a hospital to address her ongoing menstrual issues following a miscarriage caused by her abusive ex-husband. There, she meets Dr. Daxton, an obstetrician who accidentally knows a little story of her painful past. Their initial encounter marks the beginning of a series of fateful meetings. Their romance blossoms in what seems like a serendipitous alignment of the universe: they live in the same apartment building, and Ann works at a café owned by Daxton’s sister. But, just as Ann begins to open her heart to Daxton, her ex-husband comes and threatens to shatter everything she’s rebuilt. How will Ann and Daxton keep their love amidst the mess? And how will they cope with the presence of another significant figure from Ann’s past—her first love? What if, after all this time, Ann finds out that her first love has been waiting for her, just like she did years ago? What if that man tells her that he has been searching for her and did everything he could to find her, even naming his hotel after her? And what if that man tells her that he still loves her? Will she go back to him? Or will she choose to stay with Daxton, her new love? *** “You’re free, Ann. You can choose to stay with me or go back to him—the reason you came here. Don’t you remember you chose Chicago because you still remember where he went 15 years ago?”~Daxton Alexander “If only I had searched for you harder, might we have still loved each other, Ann?”~Conrad Blake

When Autumn encounters the enigmatic and devastatingly handsome Tristan Jordan in downtown Chicago, she quickly realizes he's no ordinary man—he’s a vampire, and he knows who she is. What begins as a chance meeting spirals into an intense and magnetic connection that neither of them can ignore. Autumn soon learns she’s been under surveillance by the vampire world due to her unique bloodline, which may carry untapped magical power. As she and Tristan grow closer, their bond deepens—literally. Through Tristan’s bite, their souls become psychically linked, giving them the ability to communicate without words and feel each other's emotions. But love doesn’t come without shadows. Tristan harbors secrets of his own: a dark past, a chaotic younger brother named Jaiden with dangerous ambitions, and a vampire world divided by ideology. As Autumn moves into a new house with her best friend Jade and begins a new college semester, her life shifts from ordinary to surreal. Vampire politics, ancient bloodlines, and supernatural threats swirl around her. Soon, she’s being stalked by Jaiden, who is obsessed with making her his vampire bride—or worse. As her mystical ancestry begins to awaken, Autumn is drawn into a deeper war: between light and dark, power and purpose, legacy and love. She must learn to control her gifts, guard her heart, and survive the pull of ancient forces that seek to claim her. In the final chapters, Autumn embraces her destiny—not just as Tristan’s beloved, but as a powerful force in her own right. She faces the Hollow, confronts her shadow self, and finds the strength to forgive, love, and transform.

Life can be cruel. One moment you’re on the verge of reaching the peak of your career, your sweetheart of five years finally down on one knee, promising forever. The next, your world burns to ashes—literally. Now, I’m not just a prisoner; I’m the plaything of the most feared man in the country. I told myself I hated him, that I’d never break. But what kind of woman starts to crave the way he owns her body, the way his touch sets her on fire? How do you survive when the man who owns you is as ruthless as he is captivating? How do you escape a man who makes you question everything, even your sanity? ~~ When her father’s PTSD causes a catastrophic accident, Lucia Castellano finds herself at the mercy of Dante Romano, a man whose name strikes fear into the heart of Chicago’s criminal underworld. Taken as a slave to pay for her father’s alleged crime, Lucia is thrown into a world of power, control and dangerous seduction. Dante’s control is absolute, his touch both punishing and addictive. What starts as a fight for survival turns into a dangerous game of submission and trust. But as the lines blur between captor and captive, Lucia begins to unravel a dark truth: Dante is haunted by a past that binds them more deeply than she ever expected. Together, they must uncover a web of lies to uncover the truth behind the fire that changed both their lives forever. Author’s Note: This book contains explicit content, strong language, violence, and other adult themes that may be disturbing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

Valentina Paiva suportou um casamento por contrato durante cinco anos. Mesmo sabendo que Lucas Montenegro, o renomado e poderoso advogado, mantinha uma amante delicada e charmosa fora do casamento, ela escolheu o silêncio e a resignação. Até o dia em que descobriu que o filho que criou como seu era, na verdade, fruto do relacionamento de Lucas com a amante. Foi então que Valentina percebeu que seu casamento nunca passou de uma grande mentira. A amante, agindo como se fosse a verdadeira esposa, apareceu com o contrato de divórcio redigido por Lucas, exigindo que Valentina assinasse. Naquele mesmo dia, Valentina descobriu que estava grávida. Se o homem estava corrompido, ela não o queria mais. Se o filho não era dela, ele deveria voltar para quem realmente o merecia. Decidida a cortar qualquer laço emocional, Valentina renasceu. Ela mostrou ao mundo sua força, brilhou sozinha e reconstruiu sua vida do zero. Os parentes que a desprezaram? Agora imploravam por sua atenção. Os ricos que zombaram dela? Disputavam sua aprovação com fortunas. O filho que foi ensinado a odiá-la? Voltou chorando, chamando-a de mãe. … Certa noite, o celular de Valentina tocou. Do outro lado da linha, ela ouviu a voz rouca e embriagada de Lucas: — Valentina, você não pode aceitar o pedido de casamento dele. Eu nunca assinei o divórcio.

Durante o plantão noturno, recusei o pedido de aplicar soro no paciente que minha irmã de criação cuidava. Vi, com meus próprios olhos, um menino de sete anos morrer devido a uma reação alérgica causada pela medicação errada. Na vida passada, mal tinha terminado de aplicar o soro, quando familiares furiosos invadiram o posto de enfermagem e me espancaram até meu rosto ficar irreconhecível. Mas o soro era apenas glicose, não havia razão para acontecer algo assim. Com a consciência turva, ouvi alguém chamar a polícia. Achei que, finalmente, a salvação havia chegado. Jamais imaginei que seria meu próprio irmão, policial, quem me jogaria no chão. Meu amigo de infância, agora médico legista, apresentou o laudo da autópsia e me incriminou. Sem ter como me defender, acabei sendo espancada até a morte pelos familiares do menino, tomados pela fúria. Até o último suspiro, não entendi por que meu irmão querido e o amigo de infância agiram assim comigo. Quando abri os olhos novamente, estava de volta àquela noite.

At sixteen, Freya thought she had escaped the loneliness of the orphanage when she was adopted into the powerful Sutton family. Instead, she was sold into a loveless marriage with Malum Sutton, a greedy womanizer twice her age who needed a wife to claim his inheritance. But across Dubai’s glittering skyline and the Modern-day United States (Chicago, New York), another truth is unfolding. The Harrison family — wealthier and more powerful than the Suttons—reveals their matriarch once gave birth to a quadruplet, not triplets. Their long-lost daughter was stolen at birth, Three brothers, Kai, Rowan, and Sage, begin a desperate search for their missing sister. When business brings Sage to the Sutton estate, he notices something odd: Malum’s wife flinched at his touch, her silence screaming of abuse. What Sage doesn’t yet know is that this fragile woman is the sister he’s been looking for. Malum, terrified of losing control, fabricates DNA tests to present his secretary as the missing Harrison daughter. Until betrayal turns on betrayal. Odessa, the woman who once delivered Freya into Malum’s hands, exposes the scheme. But Malum does not give up so easily. Manipulating their son’s innocence and stoking Freya’s insecurities through jealousy of Harrison's wives, he lured her back into his grasp. He binds her with a cruel contract, one designed to strip her of everything unless she can prove his infidelity. This time, however, Freya is no longer alone. With her brother’s love and her own newfound strength, she turns Malum’s trap against him. From orphan to outcast, from victim to heiress, Freya claims her place as the true Harrison daughter.