Open Waters

My neighbor is a physics genius. He's spent the past six months preparing for an important physics competition. However, he wants to skip it to care for his girlfriend, who has a fever. I tell his parents about it. So, he's forced to participate in the competition. He wins first place and is admitted to Quinver University. Later, he establishes his own business and finds success. I become one of his employees. He looks down at me imperiously in a dim basement. He stomps on my fingers, shattering them. "You deserve this for being so wicked, Larissa Clarke." When I open my eyes again, I'm taken back to before any of this ever happened.

That night, it all crashed. Three years. The moment she pulled open that particular bedside drawer in his bedroom and saw those papers, the truth sliced her deeper than any blade. It was never her. Has never been. The divorce he handed her felt like the final betrayal, a signature sealing years of lies. And she left with nothing but her pride vowing never to turn back. But, a year later, fate deals a cruel twist when they clash over the same billion-dollar deal only for the investor to demand, 'Work together or walk away'. Now, bound by a forced partnership, he regrets letting her go while she wonders if this partnership will heal her heart or break it all over again.

Miguel has built his life around the land. Born of indigenous Costa Rican ancestry, he believes ownership is stewardship, not control. High in the mountains of Monteverde, he struggles to preserve his farms and a failing eco-lodge sustained by pristine mountain springs that carry life-giving water for the entire valley. Bobby, a kindergarten teacher from Ireland, arrives in Costa Rica carrying a private grief. A genetic diagnosis has ended her hopes of motherhood, and leaving Ireland for Costa Rica is the only way she knows to start a new life. Vulnerable and unmoored, she falls under the influence of Sean, a charismatic expatriate who offers work, protection, and belonging—while quietly binding her to his business interests. The springs beneath Cabinas Las Nubes become the fulcrum of their collision. To Miguel, it is sacred. To Sean, it is a commodity to be stripped and laundered through shell companies tied to South American narco networks. When Miguel refuses to legitimize the illegal extraction, intimidation escalates into violence, culminating in the kidnapping of a child—Christopher—to force his compliance. Bobby recognizes the danger too late but refuses to run again. Risking her life to save Christopher, she confronts the man who once controlled her and exposes the depth of her courage. Her choice strengthens Miguel’s resolve. Working from within, he dismantles Sean’s operation and reclaims the land before it is destroyed. Set against Costa Rica’s ancient waters and living terrain, the novel explores grief, integrity, and the quiet ferocity of love chosen under threat.

Bianca’s childhood was marked by loss and hardship. After her father’s sudden death when she was young, she was forced to live with her cruel aunt, enduring years of mistreatment and neglect. Despite the darkness surrounding her, Bianca’s resilience and strength carried her through the years. In high school, Bianca found solace and love in Ethan, a kind and caring boy who saw her for who she truly was. Their deep connection blossomed into a passionate relationship, but just as things seemed to be falling into place, Ethan disappeared without warning. His abrupt departure was driven by a secret threat that he believed could destroy Bianca’s life. Heartbroken and confused, Bianca never knew the real reason for his departure, and worse, she was left with a life-altering secret—she was pregnant with Ethan’s child. Years later, as an adult, Bianca applies for a job at a prestigious company, unaware that it belongs to none other than Ethan. Their reunion is charged with unresolved emotions and painful memories, and neither is sure how to navigate the stormy waters of their past. As they are forced to work together, they begin to confront the hurt, secrets, and love that never truly faded. Slowly, they rebuild their trust, facing the painful truths that kept them apart. Together, they fight for their second chance at happiness, but Bianca must decide if she can truly forgive Ethan and embrace the love they once shared. In the end, *Depth of Pain* is a story of healing, redemption, and the power of love to overcome even the deepest wounds. Bianca and Ethan’s journey is one of rediscovery, where they learn that the only way to move forward is to face the past head-on.

"What if... what if I had gotten pregnant back then? What if we had a child together? What would you do in that situation?" Ms. Julia leaned in, moving close to my ear, and whispered with a chilling intensity, "I would have killed him without a second thought." My eyes widened in shock, but the devil woman nodded with a cold smile. "That's right. Collin's heir can only be born from a woman who is exceptionally beautiful and exudes class, someone worthy of standing beside my handsome son. You, my dear, do not meet our standards. We have high expectations, girls." Marissa Bennett was left reeling from her mother-in-law's chilling words. Her elder sister, Renee, had abandoned her disabled fiancé on their wedding day, leaving Marissa to step in and marry him under the guise of Renee, all to save the family's reputation. The cruel twist? Marissa was forbidden from revealing her true identity to her new husband, Tyler Collins. After Tyler's surgery restored his health, Marissa's world was shattered when Renee returned, demanding her place as the rightful wife. Desperate to tell Tyler the truth, Marissa faced a dire threat from her mother-in-law, who vowed to kill her if she exposed the deception. Now pregnant and determined to protect her unborn child, Marissa must navigate the treacherous waters of the Collins family, seeking a way to escape and start anew, far from the lies and danger that surround her.

“You will marry him.” Ben stared at her grandfather across the long mahogany table, certain she had misheard him. “Excuse me?” Benedykta Rebel, known as Ben to her friends, never imagined that her position as the oldest daughter of a wealthy family in New York would come with such a heavy burden. When her grandfather unexpectedly names her as the CEO of New Way Group, Ben is shocked to learn that there is a catch - she must marry a man of her grandfather's choosing in order to inherit the company. Furious at the idea of being forced into a loveless marriage, Ben confronts her grandfather, only to be met with indifference. With her family's company on the brink of bankruptcy, Ben realizes that she has no choice but to comply with her grandfather's demands. Seeking solace and escape from her troubles, Ben finds herself at a night club, where she crosses paths with a mysterious and handsome stranger. Drawn to him in a way she never thought possible, Ben succumbs to a passionate one-night stand, unaware of the consequences that will follow. But when Ben discovers that the man she shared a fleeting connection with is none other than her future father-in-law, her world is turned upside down. Caught between duty and desire, Ben must navigate the treacherous waters of love and loyalty as she comes face to face with the man who unknowingly stole her heart in a single night. Family obligations and forbidden love collide. Will she choose duty and save her family's legacy, or will she risk it all for a chance at true happiness?

“No man will ever want you, Olivia.” He said, his gaze raking over her like she was something pathetic. “Look at you. You let yourself go. Face it, you should be grateful I’m even offering you this.” An open relationship. After he cheated. After she sacrificed everything for him. Olivia should have cried and begged. But instead, she smiled. “We’ll see about that.” And hours later, she found herself tangled in silk sheets, gasping for air as a rough, calloused hand gripped her thigh. “He said no man would want you?” He thrust harder into her. “Good. That means you’re mine now.” ************ He broke her heart. His best friend will fix her. When Olivia’s husband proudly admits to cheating and has the audacity to suggest an open marriage, she realizes the man she gave up everything for never truly valued her. Once a sought-after model, she quit for him. Now, he mocks her, calling her fat at a size six, sneering that no man will ever want her again. Humiliated but furious, she’s determined to prove him wrong. And the man who takes up the challenge? Dante Devereux, her husband’s best friend. Dante is the genius behind Luxe Devereux. He’s called the king of high fashion, draped in money and luxury. Women worship him, men envy him, and cameras can’t look away. One reckless night pulls Olivia into his bed, into his world of luxury, lust, and temptation so dark it should be illegal. But Dante doesn’t just take. He claims. He possesses. He corrupts. And he has no plan of letting go of his best friend’s wife.

“Who would have thought goody two shoes Tatiana Olivera is a nasty sl*t who fantasies about f*ck*ng her step brother?” Hasan continues his teasing. He inserts in middle finger in my mouth and I greedily s*ck on it, picturing it to be his c*ck. Hasan’s mouth parts open, his brows cresting as he watches me s*ck his middle finger like a kid sucking on a candy cane. I frowned when he pulled out his middle finger. He grabs my chin with a fierceness that sent me on edge. “Open your mouth.” He orders and I obey. He takes in a deep breath as though calming himself and before I knew it, hot liquid drops into my mouth. Did.. did he just spit in my mouth? It tastes divine. It tastes like him. And I want more. “Swallow.” I meet his gaze as I gulp down his saliva. A proud smile appears on his face. “There’s my good little sl*t.” ***** I hate Hasan Olivera. I can’t stand him. The way he walks into the room like he owns the place, the smug smirk that says he already knows what I am thinking. He’s insufferably cocky, sharp-tongued, insanely hot and fully aware of it. And those eyes? Dark, knowing, endlessly amused by the fact that, no matter how much I pretend otherwise, I’m completely drawn to him. I want him to f*ck me. I want him to claim me. I want him to be mine because I belong to him. But he's my step brother. And I hate my step brother. -------

She loved her husband more than her last breath. She was blinded, deafened and suffocated in his love. She gave him everything but he was a receiver, never a giver. The only things he gave was confusion. He gave manipulation and he gave her mind the masqueraded ideals of his "undeniable love" when the only person he loved was himself. He had plagued her mind, so much so that when he suggested an open relationship he made her believe it was her idea but she never wanted that. She wanted him and only him. He wanted her and everyone else he could get. But that all changed when Tobias Wrexler walked in...

My fiance told me, "When you grow flowers more colorful than Dimonous roses, we'll get married in a rose garden." With that as my goal, I worked day and night to care for the roses. Until one day when his first love said she wanted to see a rain of roses, my fiance shoveled 50 acres of my roses to make her smile. "Jeffrey, will Audrey be mad at us?" Jeffrey took out a ten-karat diamond ring from his pocket and knelt on one knee. "It doesn't matter. The only person I love is you." Pain pierced my heart. I called home, "Dad, if I break up with him, is the offer still open? Can I still inherit the family fortune?"