Once Upon A Time By Nadine Gordimer

23-year-old Megan Spencer is on the brink of giving up on love after her break up with her fifth ex-boyfriend. That was the plan- until she met Mr. Flamin’ Hot Cheetos after entering his car uninvited. And worse? He’s literally one hallway away from her apartment unit.What about plan B, though? Nope, there isn’t any.

Mikel Rysdale needed an escape after a devastating blow to her heart and lifestyle. The number of people she can trust can be counted on one hand. Escaping to the one place she was free, she finds the most unlikely person to lean on. In his eyes, he was a broken man incapable of rejoining society. Army Veteran Killian returns home to live on his family's land in peace. Happy to see his sister again, he wasn't prepared to welcome a guest. What started as a tolerable relationship, the two found the need to be there for each other. Old wounds are hard to heal especially the ones in your heart. “Who are you?” His question was meant to be gentle but they came out as an angry ogre. She laughed at his question. The first chord of that sweet laugh was now trapped in Killian's mind and heart. Slowly she stood up and walked towards him. She was within four steps of him and her scent was intoxicating. Vanilla and the scent of fruit he had to know of. Up close she was perfection in his eyes. Unconsciously he stepped forward wanting to be close to her for some reason. The pain, the memories none of it was on his mind. His sole focus was on her. “Name's Mikel Rysdale. You can call me Mik for short.”

"They said that secrets are meant to be kept within our notice but some mysteries are better off unveiled." Valencia Rhyss has lived a life of neglect and indifference ever since her mother left for another man. She continued to live in adversity despite being the only daughter of the world's most well-known billionaire CEO, Charles Rhyss, Valencia tried her best to be acknowledged by her father for her efforts, however, she will always remain a third-place medal because he's blind to her endeavours and only focused on her two brothers. But not Until she discovered a horrific secret kept by her family that made all her misfortunes make sense, and after she attained this appalling knowledge she plans to go against her father with the help of his business rival, Dion Nester.

Eight years married, and my wife? She asked for a divorce 99 times. I thought it was just her usual drama—testing me. Then I found out she'd been wiring half a million every year to some dude. Always with the same note: ILU. When she hit me with divorce number 100, I finally signed. I pulled my money out of her little passion project and ghosted—moved my company overseas, wiped my tracks clean. Now she's out there losing her mind, trying to find me.

In the high-stakes world of politics and royalty, two young men from opposite worlds find themselves drawn together by fate. Alexander "Alex" Morgan, the golden boy of American politics, struggles under the weight of his father’s expectations and his own repressed desires. Meanwhile, Prince Liam of Norway, the rebellious crown prince, battles the constraints of royal duty and his playboy reputation. When a chance encounter at a gay-friendly bar leads to a passionate night, neither man is prepared for the fallout when their identities are revealed. As jealousy and ambition threaten to tear them apart, they must confront their families, their secrets, and their feelings. Will they choose love over duty, or will societal expectations keep them apart?

I have a case of acute pancreatitis. I head to the hospital, but the doctors there refuse to treat me. Why? Because my husband is a doctor in the emergency room, and he's instructed everyone not to treat me. In my past life, he would show up with a single phone call. But, after his true love dies in an accident, he pushes the blame on me. On my mother's birthday, he poisons my whole family and repeatedly stabs me with a scalpel. "Does it hurt? Jackie was in much more pain before her death. If not for you, she wouldn't have gone out in my place. You killed her, so I'm making you and your family die for her!" When I open my eyes, I'm back to the day when I get acute pancreatitis after drinking the bar dry for his sake. This time, he runs to Jackie Morse without hesitation. He thinks he's made the right choice, but he later comes to me and grovels at my feet, begging me to take him back.

LUNA: My entire life, I believed I was a simple human with a desire to assist shifters at the hospital where I work. But I could never have foreseen what fate had in store for me the moment I laid eyes on Blazes. For anyone of us. As soon as our worlds collided, all we could see was each other, and our destinies were soon intertwined by a curse that revealed my true identity. Mated to two shifters, it is up to us to break the curse placed on their pack before their demise is written in stone. BLAZE: With every male born into my pack, I can feel my grip on reality slipping, and I know that time is running out. As the future Alpha, it is my responsibility to track down the witch who has caused all of our sufferings and compel her to either break the curse or accept death. It was not part of the mission to find my mate, but it turns out that she is the only one who can save us, and she quickly becomes my addiction… My every desire… Mine. We are bound by our curse. And our passion will only lead us to the sweetest, sharpest edge of obsession, beyond our limits. SAFFRON: I can see how Blaze regards our mate, and I refuse to kiss the ground she walks on as he does. My body aches for her, I cannot deny it. Unfortunately for me, my wolf is loyal to the point of willing self-destruction to protect her. And when the time comes for us to fulfill our destinies and break the curse... Will I be able to succumb to my temptation and then turn it off like a dripping faucet once the ritual is over?

She thought she could endure a loveless marriage to repay her family’s debt—but she didn’t count on the cost of her heart. Once the proud daughter of a wealthy businessman, ELENA BRADFORD watched her life crumble when her father’s betrayal left her and her mother drowning in debt. Desperate to protect her family, she reluctantly agreed to a marriage contract with her father’s former business partner’s reckless son, ADRIAN HAWTHORNE—a man who once loved her during their university days but now only mocks her fall from grace. Trapped in a cold marriage filled with scorn and humiliation, Elena finds herself suffocating under the weight of Adrian’s cruelty. But everything changes at a high-profile dinner when she locks eyes with the one person she never thought she’d see again—LUCAS EVERHART, her childhood best friend, who once confessed his love before vanishing from her life. Now a powerful CEO, Lucas is stunned to see the woman he loved trapped in a toxic marriage. Learning of her misery, he vows to free her from the chains of her past—even if it means clashing with Adrian who refuses to let her go. As old feelings reignite and secrets unravel, Elena must decide: will she fight for the love she once believed in, or will her past mistakes keep her from the future she deserves?

She was ruined in a single night. Now she’s back—with a new name, a hidden past, and a score to settle. After a betrayal that destroyed her future and shattered her reputation, Astrid arrives at an elite warrior academy across the ocean—unrecognizable, untouchable. No one knows who she really is… not even the cold, unreadable combat instructor whose rejection once broke her. He calls her Mouse. Pushes her. Watches her. But his wolf knows. As sparks ignite beneath blood, secrets, and silver, enemies close in from every side. A jealous rival, a missing heir, and a dark conspiracy that’s been waiting to strike. She wanted revenge. She didn’t expect to fall for him again. And this time, loving him might cost her everything.

She intended to surprise Dave with her pregnancy as a gift for their third anniversary. However, Dave repaid her with betrayal. Upon discovering the truth, Zoe decided to leave Dave and live with her sibling, Zayn, and the baby she was carrying. But Zoe would not let Dave live in peace. With the help of Zayn and his associates, they devised a plan to make Dave pay for everything he had done.