Private

I thought I was the Conti family's "legitimate wife." Until the day I saw it with my own eyes, my husband, Christian, resting his hand on my stepsister Emma's bump belly, gentle like he was cradling the future. Everyone told me to be "big-heated": when the baby was born, they'd put it under my name, make him call me Mom, because the family needed an "heir." Even the private doctor they hired announced it in front of everyone—steady heartbeat, and from the ultrasound, it looked like a boy. I didn't cry and didn't make a scene. I just picked up the phone and told my lawyer to initiate the divestment. Twenty-four hours later, Christian's cards were frozen, his projects got their loans yanked, and assets started getting seized— That's when he finally understood: he hadn't betrayed a wife. He'd betrayed the lifeline of the entire family. But what I really wanted to know was— When he dropped to his knees and begged me to come back, would I tell him— I had already picked out his grave?

Eidolon Avenue: Where the secretly guilty go to die. One building. Five floors. Five doors per floor. Twenty-five nightmares feeding the hunger lurking between the bricks and waiting beneath the boards. The sequel to Eidolon Avenue: The First Feast (“a great read...powerful and jarring” - Cemetery Dance) returns to the voracious Eidolon as it savors The Second Feast. A narcoleptic man in apartment 2A battles a vengeful past determined to rob him of everything as he runs from the barbaric disaster of a delusional love. A woman in 2B, reinventing herself to please a callous boyfriend, discovers the horrors that wait in the shadows of her self-renovation. The man in 2C, a teacher at the nearby Catholic girl’s school, collapses beneath the brutal consequences of his lecherous desires. An older woman in 2D, after decades dedicated to the church, is cornered at last by the grisly carnage beating at the hollow center of her faith. And a college student in 2E, hungry to escape an ignored life of invisible anonymity, finds herself captured between the pages of a ravenous book. All thrown into their own private hell as every cruel choice, every drop of spilled blood, every silent, complicit moment of cowardice is remembered, resurrected and relived to feed the ancient evil that lives on Eidolon Avenue. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

Isang guro si Charina sa isang private elementary school. Mula sa wasak niyang puso, at panget na nakaraan sa kaniyang ex-boyfriend ay hindi na niya inabala pa na ma-inlove sa kahit na sinong lalaki. But when Jackson came in to her life, ay para siyang nahipnotismo sa taglay nitong charisma. They became a f*ck buddy, but without feelings attached! When Charina found out that Jackson had a son, and currently her student ay kaagad niyang tinapos ang ugnayan nilang dalawa. But what if Jackson didn’t want to let her go? Jackson Monteverde is a billionaire. Nakukuha niya lahat ng gusto niya, at nagagawa niyang madali ang mga komplikadong bagay. Now that he just wants someone beside him, ay hinding-hindi niya ito pakakawalan. He can take risk and everything just to have Charina in his bed… and his life. Kapwa ba sila magpapalamon sa apoy, kahit alam nilang bawal? Will Charina take risk her position just to be with Jackson? Hanggang saan makakarating ang init ng kanilang katawan?

I suffered from a skin condition. I scratched myself in the library, and millions of netizens spammed my private inbox. Only then did I find out that a girl accused me of harassing her. I took out my diagnostic report to defend my innocence, but the girl cried pitifully. “You really know how to make an excuse for yourself! How could someone innocent like me frame you?” Even my elder brother spoke up for her! “Why would she frame you of all people? Can’t you take a look at yourself?” I could not bear the cyberbullying, and I died from a sudden heart attack the day before the court hearing. My grandfather could not accept my death, and he collapsed into a coma. My parents cut off ties with my brother before they committed suicide at home. Meanwhile, the girl did not just successfully make her way into graduate school, but she also dug open my grave and used my ashes to make fireworks. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day when she had asked me to reserve a seat in the library.

Lena Smith, a passionate architect specializing in sustainable design, is hired by billionaire Noah Tan to create an eco-luxury resort on a private island. Despite their shared ambition, Lena’s commitment to sustainability clashes with Noah’s vision for extravagance, leading to constant tension between them. As they work closely together, both uncover deeper emotional struggles—Lena’s fear of never being taken seriously in her career and Noah’s guilt over a past business failure. Their professional conflict leads to a breaking point when Lena resigns from the project after a heated argument. However, when a rival billionaire threatens to outbid Noah for the land, he desperately calls Lena back to help save the project. Reluctantly, she agrees, and together they craft a new design that merges their visions, transforming their professional collaboration into a personal awakening. As they spend late nights together working on the resort, their growing feelings for each other culminate in a passionate kiss. Despite the success of the resort, Lena and Noah must navigate their fears and past wounds in order to embrace a future together. In the end, they learn that trust, love, and collaboration are the keys to not only their professional triumph but also to building a lasting relationship. "Blueprints of Love" is a story of love, ambition, and the power of working together to create something extraordinary.

"They call me Cherry... But you can call me anytime." ~Cherry~ She would be looked down upon the society, treated as a mere object by men, and considered the dirt of every city because of her job. But for him, she's special. She was the woman who captured his young heart, and everything he has ever dreamed of. He was her first man. And she was his... His Prized Possession. ***** World-renowned most eligible bachelor Xander Oxford is already prepared to be the next Boss of Asia. He's also the heir to the biggest company in the country -- the Oxford Group of Companies. As the son of the most powerful man in the country, he technically has no worries to think of. However, his almost perfect life is rattled when he fell in love with Cherry Lyn Avante - the girl he met in Club-V. At his age, he just doesn't care anymore as long as their relationship doesn't interfere with their private life, and feel happy with each other. Not until Cherry disappears with no trace or means of contact after everything he does. Determined to make their relationship work, can Xander do everything just to find Cherry and be with her again? Or stop himself from falling for the girl who is off-limits to him?

Just after stepping out of the shower, I received a private message from my so-called uncle, Hank Shephard—a distant relative I barely ever spoke to. "Francis, that new car you posted looks impressive. Perfect for William's wedding!" I hadn't even figured out how to reply to that out-of-nowhere comment when another message popped up. "Your cousin William is getting married next month. Just treat your car as his wedding gift." The entitlement in his tone made my head hurt. I didn't bother arguing and closed the chat window. Apparently, he did not think there was anything wrong with what he had said. Messages kept coming. "Don't worry, your uncle won't let you suffer a loss. "When it's your turn to get married, I'll have William drive that car as your lead wedding car. It'll make you look good." I stared at the screen in silence. That was the moment I realized—Some people don't just feel entitled to your belongings. They believe your life exists to serve theirs.

At three in the morning, I stare at the unknown transaction record on my phone screen, my fingertips turning cold. The record is for a payment of 2980 dollars, made for an executive suite at the Wisteria. The time of payment was 8:00 pm last night. My husband, Tristan Griffin, is a detective. He was on the night shift last night. I clutch my phone, my knuckles turning white as I text Tristan, "I just saw your credit card bill for a hotel stay last night. What's up with that?" His reply is instant. "Our team had to work overtime at the last minute, so they put us up at the hotel. I forgot to tell you about it." I scan the text and sputter. The Wisteria is located in the western region of the city, which is on the other end from where his squad is stationed. I don't press him for more details and click on the bank app on my phone. Having found the vendor's address through the payment record, I sent it to my best friend, Rowena Sheffield, who works as a private detective. She replies instantly with an "OK" emoji and follows up with, "Give me a second. I'll find out everything you want in a jiffy!"

For five years, I was Alpha Damon’s secret. On the surface, I was his personal Beta. His most trusted second-in-command. In private, I was his fated mate. The one he was obsessed with. He wanted to be inside me every night, to lose himself in my body forever. Then, I got pregnant. I was so excited to tell him we were starting a family. But when I went to find him, he had another she-wolf pinned to his desk. His bite marks littered her skin. "I waited ten years for my fated mate, but she never came," he growled. "Chloe. You will be my chosen mate. My only one." Her answering moan shattered my soul. My wolf howled in agony. The pain of his betrayal was so intense, I felt a horrible cramp. Then, blood. I lost our baby. When I woke up in the hospital, I made a call I hadn't made in five years. "Brother," I choked out. "That arranged mating with Alpha Ethan? I'll do it."

Reina Eliara Sollivierre is the heir to a powerful corporate dynasty, trapped by expectations and a future she never chose. One reckless night, she gives in to freedom and to Vesper Saelas Luxmooré, a dangerous stranger she never expects to see again. Days later, Reina discovers Saelas is her new private tutor. Forced into close proximity, their forbidden attraction spirals into obsession until she learns he is already engaged. Betrayed, Reina cuts him off and accepts a new tutor, Gavin Edmund Luxmooré, a gentle and steady presence who becomes her refuge and quietly falls in love with her. What Reina does not know is that Gavin is Saelas’s estranged brother. When Saelas discovers he has been replaced, he publicly announces Reina as his fiancée and reveals himself as the heir to the Luxmooré empire. Heartbroken, Gavin lets Reina go and leaves the country after lying about his feelings to set her free. Years later, he returns for the wedding of the woman they both loved. And with his return, buried truths and unresolved emotions resurface, revealing the true cost of love, freedom, and sacrifice.