Painted Scars Neva Altaj

Alina Lauraine Santiago is finally beginning a new chapter—college life in the city, away from the shadows of her painful past. But freedom doesn’t erase trauma, and the emotional scars of her father’s abuse and her family’s struggles still cling tightly. Determined to make it on her own, Alina juggles part-time jobs and photography gigs to support herself and help her siblings. Then she meets Harold—charming, kind, and seemingly perfect. But behind his smile lies a truth that leaves Alina shaken and betrayed. After a devastating encounter, she runs from everything. It’s only through the love of her best friends that she finds the strength to return to university and face the pieces of her broken life. That’s when Grayson enters the picture. They’ve crossed paths before, but never like this. A simple deal brings them together, and what starts as casual quickly turns into something more. But when Alina discovers she’s pregnant, fear and uncertainty force her to make an impossible decision: leave Grayson behind without telling him the truth. Years later, fate brings them back together—and Grayson still doesn’t know he’s a father. As they reconnect and old feelings resurface, Alina must confront the secret she’s kept for so long. When Grayson finally learns the truth, their fragile reunion is put to the ultimate test. Just as they begin to rebuild, a new threat rises from the past—one that could destroy everything they’ve fought to protect. Can love be made from pain and second chances? Or are some wounds too deep to ever truly heal?

Maya Jenkins has built a life on her own terms. After being abandoned by her father at a young age and betrayed by a man she once loved, Maya has little faith in the concept of true love. But one lonely Saturday night, against her usual instincts, she downloads SoulLink—a new dating app designed to match people based on more than just physical attraction. When she matches with a man named “Ash,” she starts to wonder if she’s been too quick to write off the possibility of something real. Asher Reed is no stranger to living behind a mask. By day, he is the powerful CEO of NovaSpire, the cutting-edge tech company he inherited from his demanding father. By night, he sheds his corporate persona and anonymously tests SoulLink, a product his company has developed. What he doesn’t expect is Maya—a woman who challenges him with her passionate and authentic personality. For the first time in years, he feels seen—not as the CEO or the broken man his ex-fiancée left behind, but as himself. As their connection deepens, so does their vulnerability. Maya’s long-standing trust issues clash with Asher’s secret identity, and their growing bond is threatened by the arrival of past figures— Asher’s manipulative former fiancée. With each revelation, the digital space where they first met becomes a battleground for truth, betrayal, and the complicated pull of their emotions. In a world where identities can be easily manipulated and love is often elusive, Maya and Asher must confront their pasts, their fears, and the choices that will either bind them together or tear them apart. Can they overcome the ghosts of their history and the secrets they’ve kept from each other? Or will their insecurities and unresolved scars lead them down separate paths?

Nyxara Vale trusted Cassian Ward—her mate—and Brielle Shaw, her best friend. They reduced her world to ashes. But honestly, death didn’t last. She came back, furious and unstoppable. Now she’s got everything: a trillion-dollar fortune, lethal MMA skills, hacker abilities no one can rival, and, of course, she’s the true heir to her family’s merciless mafia empire. Then things get even crazier. Nyxara’s werewolf blood finally awakens. Her eyes flash violet, she can sway people’s wills just by entering a room, and there’s this ravenous wolf spirit inside her, desperate for revenge. Every secret she uncovers, every ally she tests, every foe she confronts—it drags her further into a world where betrayal is currency, love exacts a cost, and vengeance stains everything crimson. And just when she believes she’s in control, her other mate—the rival she never asked for—shows up. He’s dark, magnetic, and refuses to let her take charge without a battle. The two of them collide, separate, and keep coming back together, bound by old scars and new temptations. The past won’t release its grip, and it's poised to tear apart everything Nyxara has fought to reclaim. In a world where mafia clans clash with immortal bloodlines, trust slips away and revenge is the only certainty. Nyxara must seize her power, outwit those chasing her, and decide who truly deserves a place at her side—before the darkness consumes everything she has left.

He was the richest man in the country, yet his cold heart was shrouded by pain and grief. Her life was in the captivity of four walls but she smiles brighter than the sun. What happens when two unlikely souls meet under the strangest circumstances? The mighty CEO Jason Cho finds himself in a predicament when his estranged older sister dies and gives him the custody of her little daughter, Alina. Hiding the scars of his abusive past and shrouding himself behind a wall of anger, he neglects his niece who serves as a reminder of his nightmares. Neglected by her uncle and saddened over her parents’ deaths, Alina resents her uncle for his indifference. But everything changes when a mysterious girl named Alya enters their lives like a wrecking ball. Highly optimistic and naive, Alya's bright outlook begins to clash with the cynical Jason while Alina is delighted to have a companion. Alya's positive influence bridges the gap between the uncle and niece. Jason, too, finds himself drawn to the girl who was determined to break his fences. Alya was also attracted to his inherent goodness, her heart beating erratically whenever he was near. But the deep rooted secret Alya hid was going to endanger Jason’s life. The secret which had made little Alina’s parents the target of a sinister man and led to their deaths. That Alya was not a human being. She was a mermaid. Can Jason accept Alya after knowing the truth? Can Alya protect her newfound family from the man who is hellbent to recapture her and throw her back into captivity? Can the powerful CEO save his lady love from those who are threatening to destroy their happiness?

What could go wrong when you keep a jealous friend by your side? –A leaked video of your worst moment– * * * Nessa came to school like every normal school day, except this time, she was welcomed with lustful gazes from boys, and jeering whispers from girls. She walked with her head cowered away from all the attention and bumped into the school's beauty queens. "Pixies" they referred to them as. What was more shocking was that her best friend, Jada, was in their midst. She hadn't gotten over the shock when a phone was tossed in her face by the leader of the Pixies. She held the phone with shaky hands as she took in the content of the video. A video of her tagged "Greenville's naked nerd" has been trending in the school. In the video, she was dancing half-naked with only a bra and panties to retain her remaining dignity. Only Jada had access to that video...the betrayal she felt made her weak in the knees that she plummeted to the floor. Worse of all, the scars she had tried to hide have now been revealed to the mocking gazes of the students of Greenville. Every day after that day was hell and she didn't know how much longer she could endure. * * * The quadruplets of the silent howl pack have been given a mission. Kill all the hunters that pose a threat to the werewolf community. That was the only way they could ascend the throne. Disguised as ordinary werewolves, they enrolled in Greenville high to get close to the daughter of the enemy. What happens when they find out their mate is their enemy's daughter? How will Nessa cope with the sudden attention from the four hottest new students whom the pixies have taken a liking towards?

Jane Riley never thought she would see Daniel Logan again. Years after their painful breakup, she has built a life in New York, running a nonprofit dedicated to underprivileged children. But when Daniel—a self-made billionaire with the power to change her world appears in her life again, everything she thought she knew is shaken. “Why now, Daniel?” Jane asks, struggling to keep her emotions in check as she stands face-to-face with the man who left her heartbroken. “You could have helped without showing up like this.” Daniel, cool and composed, meets her gaze. “I’m here to fix what I broke, Jane. But I’m not leaving until I do.” Their reunion is filled with unresolved tension. Jane, still carrying the scars of their past, is wary of Daniel’s motives. Has he come back for business, or is there something deeper at play? As the two are forced to work together to save Jane’s nonprofit, old wounds resurface, and buried feelings come flooding back. But their love story isn’t the only complication. Daniel’s rival, Jonathan Pierce, sees Jane’s nonprofit as nothing more than a pawn in his corporate games, forcing Daniel to choose between his loyalty to Jane and his business empire. As trust and forgiveness become the story’s heart, Jane is forced to confront the lingering question of whether she can risk her heart again. In the end, Daniel’s sacrifice to protect her nonprofit and expose Jonathan proves his devotion. Jane realizes his love never faded, and together they rebuild both trust and a future. In The Heart Never Forgets, second chances are not just possible—they are powerful, healing, and everlasting.

“The only crime I ever committed wasn’t murder, Robert. It was simply loving you. I don’t think anyone has ever loved you the way I did. I loved you to the point I was willing to sacrifice myself for your happiness. But not anymore. I’m over all that shit now. Sooner or later, you’ll regret what you’ve done, and you’ll realize what a huge mistake you made. And by then, it might just be too late.” Lily had once believed she could endure anything for love—even a loveless marriage. Bound by a contract to her high school crush-turned-husband, Robert, a cold and distant billionaire, she sacrificed her dreams, her desires, everything for his success. But when she became pregnant—a violation of their marriage agreement—her world shattered. Betrayed by Robert, who chose his ex-lover over her and accused her of a crime she didn’t commit, Lily was sentenced to years in prison, losing everything, including her freedom and even giving birth while in prison. After escaping her past, Lily fought to rebuild her life, creating a future for her children far away from Robert’s shadow. Just when she thought she had found happiness, Robert reappears, desperate for a second chance. Now, Lily faces an agonizing choice: forgive the man who broke her heart to a thousand pieces or protect the new life she’s worked so hard to build without him. Will love be enough to heal the wounds of the past, or will her scars run too deep to ever truly heal?

"You want to know what turns me on?" "What?" I moaned, trying to ignore the burning sensation in my body. "You" he whispered against my skin. "the way you shiver under my touch" he pressed further into my body. "The way you moan out my name" I felt him kiss the back of my ears. "Your scars" I felt him trail his tongue along the scar on my left shoulder. "Every little and fucking big thing about you,princess" he cooed, while kissing my collarbone, and if hearing all that he said didn't heat me up, his touch definitely jumpstarted me, and once again, I was a dignified burning mess for him. _____ Maya wanted nothing but peace and for all of the bullying to stop. She had a wish for the moon goddess, too, to meet her parents and ask why she was abandoned at birth. Maya was dumped at birth to a pack who had no idea who her parents were; She was raised in the monastery by the nuns who worshipped something else instead of the moon goddess. When the Alpha dies in war, things take a dark turn for everyone in the monastery, including Maya. The bullying started, and became intense when Maya clocked twenty. An attempt to escape from her pack delivers her into the Royal Pack and straight into her mate's hands. Maybe Maya would be able to find happiness at last and freedom too. One can't be too sure with figures from the past and some little spirits who wouldn't let her go. One thing is certain for Maya; things are about to get real messy.

  Lyra Daniel, an aspiring fashion designer, is on a mission to save her sick husband, Felix Thomson. Lyra crosses paths with Dante Cooper, a billionaire heir in need of a contract wife to appease his meddling family.    “I will give you $500,000 once we get married and $500,000 after the divorce is finalized,”  Lyra couldn't accept the deal because of her love for Felix.    But when Felix finds out about the contract...   "I swear to you, Lyra. I will never let you down. If you give me this second chance at life, then I promise you my life because…”   Unknown to Lyra, Felix's plea is part of deception to escape their marriage. She soon finds herself trapped in Dante's world, where he and his family view her as nothing but a gold digger.    Felix stopped responding to Lyra’s call, knowing that there was a high possibility that Dante wouldn't pay the balance of the contract. He then reconciled with his family, leaving Lyra divorced, alone, and depressed.    Dante finds out the truth, but it was too late. However, he refuses to give up on finding her.   Years later, Lyra has transformed into a powerful, celebrated figure in the fashion industry. She has rebuilt her life, but the scars of betrayal run deep.   Fate brings her back into the lives of both ex-husbands. Dante, now living in the same apartment building to escape his grandmother's matchmaking schemes.   "That scent… it reminds me of someone I used to know,"    Meanwhile, Felix, driven by selfish motives, seeks to exploit Lyra again.   "Lyra, we had something special. Let's not waste it,"  Will Lyra seize the opportunity for revenge? Or will the past pull her into deceit once more?

My name is Katia, and I am just trying to survive until my fated mate arrives. Which may be easier said than done. Rejectection is the last straw. Whispering my acceptance of his rejection. I run through the pack house, out across the manicured lawn into the forest. "I'm sorry, my sweet girl," I say to my wolf. I'm sorry you have been stuck with me and have had to suffer everything I have. She whispers, "it's not your fault, Katia. " We came to a cliff with a waterfall. The hurt keeps pounding at me. I need it to stop. My sweet girl, and I just want peace, I keep running and leap off the cliff. Spreading my arms wide, with tears streaming down my face, I fall, not making a sound... *** The Snow Moon pack is having their last barbecue of the summer next to the waterfall on their land. The adults are laughing and joking while watching the pups play. Someone yells, “Oh my goddess, someone just jumped over the waterfall!" Everyone is frozen as they watch what looks to be a child falling arms spread wide, no one makes a sound. The alpha, beta, and gamma, spring into action, swimming towards the area the person went under. The alpha is screaming his wolf is going crazy repeating, “Find her. Find her...find her!" They dive and the beta surfaces with a small person in his arms. Alpha takes the girl from his beta, laying her on the ground. The men are shocked by what they see. She is covered in scars and injuries. Her body is twisted and broken. The Beta asks, "Who could have done this to someone so defenseless?" Alpha drops to his knees, repeating, "MATE...MATE...MATE!"