Pressure Expendable

Why we all want to FALL IN LOVE? They say because that experience makes us completely alive. When you’re in love with someone, it inspires you and gives you hope. But it’s not the case for all - falling in love can be a BLISSFUL experience for many but a PAINFUL memory to some. Faith Anderson and Marco Matthews are happy and very much in love with each other. She doesn’t have an idea that he’s the heir to Matthews Group, one of the most successful companies in New York. But when she met his extended family and friends, it's clear that they are from incredibly different backgrounds. Destiny isn’t always good, it becomes playful sometimes and the influence of money is probably as old as time. The constant disapproval and pressure left her with no other choice but to let go. It was the hardest thing for her to do, not because she wants to but because she has to.  It hurts her even more - to hurt him who doesn’t deserve to be hurt.  But what’s really more important? - To be HAPPY or to be RICH? She can’t guarantee to help him in his success. She’s aware of how low her worth is. She knows that there are things in life that she can’t forever have, no matter how much she fights for them. Forcing herself to fit into someone’s world isn’t her thing. She won’t go low just to please other people who she knows that whatever she does - will never be proud of. But did she do the right thing to let go because she was hurting or she was doomed for not staying and trusting him? And here we realize that to LOVE is really to SACRIFICE.  

Tiana Greene arrives on Lycan Isle with nothing but a suitcase, a scarred past, and a desperate need for work. When she is hired as a maid in the sprawling cliff-side mansion of Ross Lycan – the island’s reclusive billionaire – she expects long hours, strict rules, and silence. What she does not expect is the man himself: cold as the steel in his voice, brutally private, and carrying a shadow in his gaze that keeps everyone at arm’s length. Rumours whisper through the island of former staff fleeing in fear, of Ross’s cruelty, and of the mysteriously vanished brother whose memory haunts the mansion halls. Tiana tries to keep her distance, but every forbidden glance and accidental touch tightens the invisible thread pulling them together. When a near-fatal accident on the cliffs pushes Ross into her life more violently than either of them intended, the dynamic shifts. Ross grows protective yet distant, drawn to Tiana in ways he cannot accept – while she fights her own confusion over the man beneath the frost. As the annual island festival approaches, tensions rise. Tiana becomes a target for the island’s elite women, whose humiliation of her sparks a dangerous, possessive reaction in Ross. Social pressure thickens, rumours spread, and the boundaries of employer and servant begin to blur into something darker, deeper, and irresistibly intimate. But everything changes the night Tiana slips into a forbidden study and uncovers the truth about Ross’s past – a past woven with loss, guilt, and secrets buried beneath the island’s stormy surface. Now she must decide. Can she love a man built from shadows? And can Ross love someone brave enough to walk into the darkness he’s spent years trying to hide?

I'm Caleb Jennings. When I announce my early retirement, everyone in the city cheers. Only Nathan Sloan, my junior from the police academy, who claims to be able to see things from the criminal's perspective, panics at the news. During the party organized in his honor, he openly states his intention to find me. "I owe my success to the guidance Caleb Jennings has provided me all along. I hope everyone can help me find him and bring him back into the police force." Scoffing, I choose to ignore that. … In my previous life, I was the celebrated captain of a criminal investigation team. Yet, whenever I uncovered a clue, Nathan, a rookie in the city police department, would announce it first, beating me to it. After multiple incidents like this, everyone started saying that I was past my prime. To prove myself, I worked myself to the bone for three months before finally locating the hideout of a human trafficking ring. However, when I arrived on the scene with my team, Nathan had already swept through the place. He was launched into stardom, becoming the rising star detective that everyone adored. As for me, the public mercilessly tore me apart, labeling me as incompetent and shaming me. Due to the pressure from work and the negative public opinion directed at me, my mind was distracted. I ended up getting killed while hunting down the remnants of the trafficking ring. When I open my eyes again, I find that I'd gone back in time—to the day we launch a raid on the human traffickers' hideout.

Jake Monroe, heir to the Monroe Shipping fortune, boards the luxury cruise ship Royal with his ambitious parents. His father, Miles, is determined to find Jake a wealthy wife to expand their business empire. He dismisses a modestly dressed young woman as unsuitable—a "gold digger" beneath their social class. Against his father's wishes, Jake is drawn to this mysterious woman, who turns out to be Amity Jenkins, a world-renowned violinist performing under a stage name. Playing her unique transparent violin called the Crystal Voice, Amity captivates audiences with haunting melodies that speak of rebellion and longing for freedom. Both Jake and Amity are secretly struggling against their families' expectations. Jake yearns to marry for love rather than money, while Amity has been hiding her true identity as an heiress to Jenkins-Whitmore Industries, one of Monroe Shipping's biggest rivals. She's created this separate musical life to escape the politics of high society and prove herself through talent rather than inherited wealth. Their growing connection is complicated by family pressure, class assumptions, and hidden truths. Jake's father pushes him toward "suitable" matches like Rebecca Ashford, while Amity's brother Liam tracks her down, demanding she return to the family business. Past betrayals have left Amity wary of trust, especially from someone in Jake's social circle. As the ship sails toward the Mediterranean, both must decide whether to continue living the lives their families have planned or risk everything for authentic connection and self-determination. Their story unfolds against the backdrop of maritime luxury, where appearances deceive and true identity lies beneath the surface.

My name is Michael Lockwood. I am the CEO of Lockwood enterprises. You might know my family. Raphael Lockwood (The shark) is my father and he stepped down from his job as CEO for me to take over. He was also one of the biggest Mafia bosses this city has ever seen. My brother Gabriel and my sister Amelia are my two pillars. I wouldn’t be who I am today without them. Whenever life gets tough we get together and we solve the problem together. I am the only one in my family that has no ties with the Mafia. Sometimes I do a dirty job here and there and help laundry some money but my siblings know better than to ask that from me. My integrity and honesty are my pride and joy. Too bad I can’t be honest in every aspect of my life. My life is controlled by old men with strict family values. Because of that I am part of an arranged marriage. If I want my business to succeed and make my father proud I need to get married to one of the old men’s daughter. I know. Great. The thing is... I am living a lie and I don’t know how to let the truth out. I am completely in love with someone. Someone my father and my business associates would never approve of. Will Mike give in to the pressure and let go of the love of his life? Or will he find a way? This is the Fourth Book of the Shark Mafia boss.This book can be read as a stand alone but for better comprehension of the characters and the story it is recommended that you read the previous books.

In a city where ambition shines brighter than honesty, Ethan Blackwood has built his life on control. A rising executive with a flawless image, Ethan keeps his emotions tightly guarded, believing that vulnerability is a weakness he cannot afford. Love, if it exists at all, is something distant—something meant for other people. Kai Rivera lives by an entirely different rulebook. A bold, intuitive photographer, Kai sees the world through shadows and light, capturing truths others work hard to conceal. Unafraid of emotion or connection, he moves through life with fearless curiosity—until a chance encounter at a rain-soaked art gallery collides him with Ethan. What begins as a charged glance turns into an undeniable pull. As Kai’s uninvited lens follows Ethan into quiet cafés, crowded elevators, and hidden rooftops, tension grows into something neither of them can escape. Ethan’s carefully built walls begin to crack under Kai’s relentless honesty, while Kai finds himself drawn deeper into a man who refuses to admit how much he wants to be seen. But desire is never simple. Jealousy, misunderstandings, and the pressure of expectations threaten to tear them apart. Forced into moments of uncomfortable proximity, both men are pushed to confront the truths they’ve been avoiding—about fear, identity, and the cost of loving openly. When emotions finally collide, Ethan must decide whether protecting his image is worth losing the one person who sees him completely. Shadows Between Us is a slow-burn BL romance about longing, restraint, and the courage it takes to step out of the shadows. It is a story of two men learning that love does not demand perfection—only honesty.

Shola and Daniel, two brothers from well trained home were taken to seminary school so as to save them from the corruption surrounding the existence of male child. At seminary, Daniel who joined two years after Shola had begun his secondary school studies in the seminary, maintained his status quo as a well trained teen although he still has traces of going after a female folks. However, Shola turned out to be opposite joined gangs, incorporating also other bad characters into his life. He was misled by their neighbour Edam who led him into thick relationship with Linda after he had rejected his old time friend Victoria who he met at interconvent games. The pressure to meet the relationship standard of Linda, Shola was forced into robbery and pifering which led to his prison life immediately after his final external examination. All labours of Daniel to ensure his brother lives a good life at the seminary were futile. At the prison, many people visited Shola, but his parents couldn't make it to the prison after they had refused to pay him a visit but had a fatal accident on the day they decided to visit him. Shola lost the whole family except Daniel who was in school preparing for his external examination. After, the burial, Shola was released finally after group of men went beyond their strengths to press on the government to release him. Being the first born delayed the burial of the parents due to the custom of the land. Shola was told by his brother that it was Victoria who had pushed his dad and his co barristers to push for his release, Victoria and Shola ended up being the best of friends again, will they end up reviving his journey to the top?

In the city of New York, Darltech has become a global brand known by many nations with its headquarters in New York. Duncan built the company under his sweat and leaves it on to his daughter, his only flesh and blood. On the death of her husband, she realizes she’s alone in the cold world. Her mother not being literate in the business world, increased the pressure for her takeover. Kesa Duncan is the heir to Darltech, one of the largest business enterprises in New York. Her father is gone and she steps in to take charge of the company. Her two kids, Debbie and Tyler need to be taken care of properly. They miss the warmth of having a father. With running a multi billion dollar company and two overactive children, she will need all the help she can get. Mason Greenwood is a divorcee with many bills piled up for him, so he needs a job. His ex wife Tania, left him high and dry. When the opportunity calls for him to fill in for another person who rejected the job, he rushes for it.. Kesa is a hard nut to crack and a determined young woman. Ignoring her horror, he instills a sizzling seduction at their first encounter, taking all choices—leaving her stunned and wanting more. Mason has shown her how to embrace her feminine side. She finds that it doesn't limit her—it expands her perspective. She is respected by all her employees. She likes who she sees standing before her The pair begin with fighting the mutual attraction.They seek help and solace amongst themselves. Will their past let them move on to the future or will they be dragged along to pay for their mistakes?

On our third mating anniversary, I was shocked to discover that my mate Ethan Rivers had been spending nights with his childhood sweetheart, and even the mating certificate he gave me was fake. When I confronted him about it, Ethan coldly accused me of being ungrateful. "I performed the mating ritual with Bella to help her deal with her family's pressure to mate. How can you be so selfish?" "It's not like I don't love you. It's just a mating certificate - why are you making such a big deal out of it? I was planning to perform the real ritual with you this year, but I never expected you to be so greedy. Aria, you really disappoint me." I blocked him completely, and he immediately took Bella on their honeymoon. Five years later, we reunited at an elite pack gathering. His pack was thriving, and beside him stood Bella Rose, adorned in jewels with a perfect smile. Seeing me crouched on the ground searching through cake scraps in the trash, he clicked his tongue impatiently. "Look what you've become after leaving me. You scorned the fake certificate back then, but now even if you threw yourself at me, nobody would want you!" "For old times' sake, if you kneel down and apologize to Bella, I might let you come back as our servant." I had no time to deal with him. My son had mischievously hidden my eighty-million-dollar mating ring in some cake, and I needed to find it quickly. Otherwise, when his father arrived, the little one would be in trouble again.

I slid under his arms, seeking a safe place to catch my breath. I noticed a playful smile on his lips, but I chose to ignore it. "Will the transformation hurt?" I lowered my gaze and whispered. "First, your bones start to break, sending you to the ground," his eyes were closed. "Then, thick fur will grow all over your body. The limb stretching, I think that's the most thrilling part of the pain." The Alpha teased with a flicker of his tongue before continuing. "Next comes the shortening of the snout and the development of sharp claws and fangs." "Will I become irrational?" I covered my mouth, trying to control the knot that had formed in my throat. "How do you control it?" Laughing, he had already reached me and pulled me close, digging his claws not too deeply into my hip, causing a painful moan. "It takes strength, training, and having the goddess on your side, human..." He withdrew his claws, leaving only a long scratch, and returned to my chin, scratching it and collecting a drop of blood. He licked it and smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be here throughout your trial..." "To make sure I die?" With tears in my eyes, I took a few more steps towards his dangerous game, realizing that his breathing was slightly heavier. "You remind me a lot of her," he murmured, pressing his forehead against mine. "To ensure your transformation doesn't get out of control and to witness the deity's choice." With more pressure on my forehead, he forced me to take a few steps back in pain.