Painted Scars Neva Altaj

Eirlys Lythorne had known nothing but rejection and survival. Haunted by her dilemma, which was understood as a curse by everyone, even her mate, Ryker and bound by a past she cannot escape from, she isolated herself from everything. But when fate forces them together once more, old wounds resurface. But as tensions rose within the pack, and with the threat of an enemy, both outside and within, Ryker must confront his guilt and Eirlys must find the strength to trust again. With the fate of their world on the line, can they heal the scars of the past before it's too late? Or will rejection and revenge tear them apart forever?

My fiancé leaves me jilted on our wedding day and marries my sister. As I stand there, feeling humiliated, William Sterling gets on one knee before me and asks me to marry him. Everyone in my city knows of him—he's an elite bachelor and every woman's dream. Yet now, he slips a wedding band onto my ring finger and confesses his love for me. "I've always loved you, and I thank the heavens for giving me the chance to spend my life with you." We get married, and he treats me well. Everyone knows that he won't fall for anyone other than me. Everything changes when I accidentally enter his studio in the seventh year of our marriage. I see that he's painted thousands of portraits of my sister, Ivy Winslow. Each one is a tender confession of his love for her. The man I love with all my heart earnestly prays to the heavens and utters his wish. He's willing to sacrifice anything for Ivy to be happy, including his life. It turns out what I thought was seven years of love was nothing but a lie. Ivy is the one he's loved all along. If that's the case, I'll back out. I'll leave in three days, and I hope he and Ivy can be happy together.

In the coastal quiet of Baler, a studio is born—not of architecture, but of intention.* Founded by Yam, a poet whose words cradle pain gently, and Franc, an artist who paints tenderness into walls, the studio becomes a refuge for those learning to stay—with grief, love, longing, and themselves. As visitors arrive, they leave behind more than footprints: a sigh recorded in bamboo, a poem tucked into the “Found Letters” shelf, a mural painted in crooked lines. Through zines, tea, silence, and sketchbooks, the studio teaches softness as revolution. Ren creates the *Window of Soft Returns*, an installation of anonymous voice recordings—each whisper forming a community of echoes. Drew builds the *Staircase With No Wrong Turns*, inviting people to walk through emotions without shame. Franc offers brushstrokes as brave work, and Yam curates writing circles that map healing in half sentences. Together, they host festivals that feel like hugs, and they begin traveling their archive, letting softness cross oceans. Even those who once left—like Miguel—return, discovering that some doors never truly close. Others, like Tala, capture the studio’s sound and turn it into a podcast of breath and becoming. Over seventy chapters, the studio transforms into something larger than itself: a mural of memory, a sanctuary for second chances, a place where return is sacred and voice is proof of survival. In the final bloom, the studio stands not as a monument—but as a reminder: > *“Staying isn’t easy. > But chosen together, > it becomes home.”*

Selena never imagined that news of her pregnancy would lead to her downfall. Accused of murdering her mother-in-law, she is cast out and betrayed by her husband. Despair nearly consumes her, but a shocking truth emerges. Her biological father is the sworn enemy of her husband's family. She is the heiress! Five years later, Selena returns as Serena. She determined to make them all pay. But the game is riddled with deception, secrets, and deep scars from the past. As an old love continues to burn within her, Serena finds herself torn between revenge. Will she choose the right path? Or lose herself in the game?

She is the belle of a world-famous university, carrying in her heart the scars of her broken youthful love. He is the only son of the president of Sapphire Corporation, a genuine playboy, a true billionaire. They were tied together by an arranged marriage. But painfully, he didn't love her, and she also didn't have any feelings for him. People who do not love each other are forced to be together, what will be the final result? Can't get a divorce, will they torment each other for the rest of their lives? What will happen when the two people's ex returns one after another? And, which way for this perverse fate-in-love?

He locked me in his penthouse, a beautiful bird in a gilded cage. Caius Evans, the billionaire who ruined my father, thought he owned me. He wanted to break me, to possess my art and my silence. But as the days turned to nights, the lines between captor and confidant blurred. He started sharing his secrets, his scars, the ghost of a brother he loved and lost. Now, the man I should hate is the only one who sees the real me. And the key to my cage is also the key to his haunted heart. But is this love real, or just another one of his calculated games?

I worked at a sales job and felt pretty good about my work. Then, Vivian appeared. She was a new intern with an insatiable curiosity for others’ private affairs. On Valentine’s Day, my husband, Henry Ambrose, bought a million dollars’ worth of bags from me to help me meet my sales target. Just as I left work to meet him for a date, Vivian sent a snide message. [Your Fitbit just logged an extra thousand steps. That’s literally the exact distance to the hotel next door. Nice work, Lily! You close a million-dollar deal and immediately head to the hotel with the client?] I coldly fired back, [If you’re this desperate to stalk people, you should’ve just joined the K-9 unit.] That very night, parcels of adult toys appeared on my doorstep. Vivian had written a nasty post that had gone viral, and things turned out like this! [This Salesgirl Slept With My Client and Stole My Million-Dollar Commission on Valentine’s Day!] A pair of my ripped silk stockings, which I had tossed in the trash, became her “proof” that I had seduced a client during work hours. Vivian was painted as the victim, while I was viciously smeared as a “salesgirl who slept with clients for commissions.” What Vivian did not know was that Henry was actually a leading researcher worth billions. I only took the sales job because I was bored and wanted to experience something new.

Alana Solis gets a new job with a salary she can't refuse, however the contract failed to mention that the most feared man in the city is her boss. He's mysterious, ruthless and yet insanely irresistible. Nicholas Diaz lives a double life - he runs his own company whilst being the don of the Italian mafia. He will do anything to get revenge on the people who hurt his family. Even if it means destroying an innocent girls life. Lingering eyes and tempting touches grow into a sexual relationship where scars and old memories arise. Tropes CEO romance Mafia Romance Coworkers with Benefits Second Chance

Nihara decides to start her life anew in Berlin, determined to overcome the betrayal she experienced shortly before her wedding. With a strong focus on her career, she seeks professional success and intends to avoid any emotional entanglements. However, fate has other plans when Nihara meets Tobias Bernstorf, a charming and friendly man who awakens deep feelings within her. Despite her resistance, true love seems destined to bring their paths together. Yet, the scars of the past threaten their future. Will Nihara find the courage to allow this new love to heal her wounds and lead her to a fulfilling and passionate life?

After her Ex husband’s betrayal and toxicity which made her insecure, Alison finds it hard to ever trust her heart to any other man. She decides to live her life without love, her main priority being her daughter and work. Leonardo meets Alison, his heart dancing to the tune of love at first sight. But that wasn’t the case for Alison, her past had a strong hold on her ‘moving on’ With both of them having pasts that left permanent scars, will there be a chance for their love story to occur? Or would Alison continue to let her past rule over the yearning of her heart?