Painted Scars Neva Altaj

One blind date. Two reluctant hearts. A fake romance that feels way too real… Sienna Blake isn’t looking for love—not after her last relationship left her with more scars than memories. But when her meddling mother sets her up on a blind date, she agrees just to keep the peace. What she doesn’t expect is to come face-to-face with Julian Thorne—her arrogant ex’s boss, a ruthless lawyer with a reputation as cold as the suits he wears. Julian Thorne—high-powered attorney, cold-blooded strategist, and her ex’s dangerously attractive boss. They met once, a year ago, at a company gala. He thought she was a gold digger clinging to her meal ticket. She thought he was an arrogant snob with a god complex. Now he’s her blind date. Julian has his reasons for going along with the charade. Sienna might be the key to taking down a betrayal that nearly cost him everything. All he has to do is play nice, get close, and keep his heart out of it. But the more time they spend pretending, the more real it starts to feel. And when secrets from the past resurface, they’ll have to choose: continue the lie—or risk everything for the truth. From fake to fate—what if the biggest lie becomes their only truth?

BLURB: Four years ago, Belle Moreno shattered Cassian Thornwell’s heart with a brutal lie, and disappeared without a trace. He was her best friend, her first love, the heir to a billion-dollar empire. She was the housekeeper’s daughter, never good enough in his mother’s eyes. So, she walked away. Now, fate brings them back together once more—older, colder, and harboring scars the other can’t see. Cassian needs a wife. A contract marriage to save his empire’s image. And when he sees Belle again, he offers a deal—one year as his wife. Should she say no? Should she run? But her secrets are catching up and her heart never learned how to stop loving him. Living under the same roof, sparks fly, wounds reopens, and the truth threatens to explode. Because he doesn’t know she’s hiding more than the past… He doesn’t know she’s hiding his son.

BLURB Clarissa Wang thought getting into her dream Ivy League university would be the best day of her life until she walked in on her boyfriend's WhatsApp messages of her leaked nudes and videos. Heartbroken and humiliated, tagged as a bet, she finds solace at her sister's appointment, only to find it already occupied by someone from her past, her enigmatic step-cousin, Damien. Tall, brooding, and dangerously charming, Damien has just transferred from the U.S., carrying secrets and scars that run deep. The tension between them ignites instantly, fueled by forbidden memories and undeniable chemistry. But family ties and dark oaths make their attraction taboo. As Clarissa tries to rebuild her life, she finds herself torn between the boy who betrayed her and the man she was never supposed to want. When a drugged drink, a bear assault, and a steamy night threaten to expose their secret, Clarissa's world spirals into chaos. And when Damien is framed for a murder he didn't commit, Clarissa must decide: walk away, or risk everything to prove his innocence. Love, betrayal, and obsession collide in this steamy college romance where every kiss is a sin… and every secret could be deadly. Forbidden never felt so right. But what happens when love becomes a crime?

After a fatal accident shatters her world, Octavia awakens in a realm ruled by savage werewolves only to discover she’s the fated mate of Alpha Xavier, the most ruthless and feared leader of all the packs. But fate is far from kind. Xavier is a beast cloaked in scars and shadows, still haunted by the brutal death of his first mate. His hatred for humans runs deep and Octavia’s very presence is a cruel reminder of everything he’s lost. Bound by ancient laws that demand he accept the bond or forfeit his throne, Xavier chooses duty over desire, even if it means tying himself to the one creature he despises most. Thrown into a world where she’s hunted, hated, and utterly alone, Octavia must fight to survive in a pack that would rather see her dead. But when whispers of betrayal echo through the trees and the truth about Xavier’s mate’s murder surfaces, Octavia uncovers a dark conspiracy rooted deep within the heart of the pack. As desire clashes with distrust and loyalty is tested, Octavia and Xavier are forced into a dangerous alliance. The bond that curses them may be their only hope but only if they can survive the secrets waiting to tear them apart. In a world where love is war and fate is a cruel master, will their connection destroy them or ignite a flame powerful enough to burn down the lies?

“We ain't divorced yet, Gabriella and you are already cheating. Is this why you wanted a divorce? Cutting me off from your business? Just to bring in someone and you didn't even do that alone but my uncle? Doing shit with my uncle?” My eyes widened more and more until I understood what was happening. For three years, Gabriella thought she had it all, a loyal husband, a growing interior design business, and a best friend she’d known since college living under their roof “just until she got back on her feet.” When her friend announced a surprise pregnancy, Gabriella celebrated, until she discovered the father was her own husband. The betrayal slices deeper when Gabriella learns the affair began long before the baby, and worse, her husband signed over half of their joint properties to the friend in secret. Now publicly humiliated and privately devastated, Gabriella refuses to be the woman who begs to be chosen. Divorce is not just a choice, it’s survival. Enter Aidan Voss, her newest client: a reclusive billionaire known for designing luxury hotels and for ruthlessly dismantling the competition. He’s charming, calculated, and hiding scars of his own. He offers her a high-stakes design contract that would put her business back on the map, but his interest in her is anything but professional. What she didn't know was that the newest client was her ex-husband's uncle. But Gabriella made a vow: never to lose herself in a man again. Not even one who seems to see past the ruins she hides behind polished smiles. And certainly not one who might just be planning revenge on the man who broke her, because Aidan has his own unfinished business with her ex-husband.

Skye Emerson has spent most of her high school years invisible, until a chance encounter lands her in the path of Knox Callahan, Stonebridge High’s golden boy and captain of the hockey team. Cold, cocky, and impossibly popular, Knox lives for the rink and hates distractions. But when Skye accidentally ruins his shot at a scholarship tryout, she becomes his biggest problem and his unexpected obsession. Forced to work together on a school fundraiser, their rivalry spirals into tension, secrets, and stolen glances. But Knox has something to prove to everyone, and Skye has scars no one sees. He’s chasing the NHL. She’s trying to survive senior year. Falling in love was never part of the plan. In a world where reputation means everything, can two broken hearts survive the pressure or will their love shatter on the ice? Find out in Iced Hearts and Halftime Kisses.

Five years ago, Fulvia's life changed after a terrible accident. Her face was scarred, she lost her sight, and her once-beautiful figure faded away. Now, people call her ugly. Fat. A monster. Every date runs at the sight of her. No one wants to marry Fulvia. But behind the scars is a story no one knows, she became blind saving a high school boy. And ever since, she’s been forgotten... until her father makes a deal: 30% of his company shares in exchange for Henry Williams marrying his daughter. Fulvia doesn’t know her marriage is just business. Henry never loved her. He hides her from the world. And when his childhood love, Hana, returns from Korea, things only get worse. Hana spent four years in Korea, studying fashion and working for a luxury brand. Now she’s back, elegant, powerful, and ready to reclaim Henry. Henry brings Hana home, introduces her as a “sister” to Fulvia, and begins cheating without shame. But fate has other plans. Fulvia regains her eyesight. And on the very day she tries to share the good news, she overhears Henry say: “She’s nothing. I’m only keeping her for the family deal.” Heartbroken, Fulvia signs the divorce papers and vanishes. Months later, she returns. She’s no longer the woman he rejected. She’s stunning. Fierce. Desired by all. Now known as Ava... she becomes everything he ever wanted. But now..... He longs for her. And she doesn’t even look his way.

They thought breaking her would be easy. But from the ashes of betrayal, she rose stronger than ever. Mary Martel was the perfect wife—obedient, loyal, invisible. Until her husband, Alfred Martel, discarded her like trash for his pregnant secretary, Selena. Broken and humiliated, Mary Martel vanished from the spotlight, presumed defeated. But behind the silence, she was rebuilding herself—sharpening her scars into weapons, her grief into armor. Now she’s back. Not as the meek wife they used to mock, but as a powerful, enigmatic woman with one purpose: To destroy the man who broke her, expose the woman who deceived her, and prove that a wife may bend—but never breaks. Love, vengeance, secrets, and twisted redemption collide in this fast-paced, emotional rollercoaster that will keep you breathless until the last page.

One reckless swipe. One night that should’ve never happened. There's no turning back. Isla Ainsley, 26, never imagined that a silly swipe on Tinder would land her in bed with Julian Wolfe: a dangerously charming 42-year-old, high-powered fashion marketing executive. And a single father with a teenage daughter who tricked her into the match. What was supposed to be a mistake quickly becomes an addiction. And when feelings get involved, it’s not just clothing that gets stripped away, but scars from a past neither of them has fully healed. Thrown back into Julian’s world as an intern, Isla finds herself caught in a tightrope walk between professionalism, desire, and a quiet war of dominance. But love and business don’t play by the same rules. And neither shows' mercy to women like her. When family secrets, reputation, and revenge explode into chaos, Isla has to decide: walk away, or fall harder for the man who could shatter her completely. Some loves are unhealable. They're meant to be fought for. Even when they hurt like hell.

When Emily Danvers is painted as the perfect daughter with the perfect life she dares to be selfish in a moment of impromptu desperation. Finding herself tangled in family affairs and a seductive guest lurking in the garden…. Will she have what it takes to break free from the chains that have defined her, or will she fall captive to the unyielding demands of family and familiarity.