Proper Table Manners

My boyfriend of three years had a secret true love: my vicious best friend. For her, he swallowed my family business whole, froze every cent I had, and crushed my dignity into the dirt. When my father lay dying from a brain hemorrhage, I begged him for $50,000 to save his life. He refused cold-heartedly. At the exact moment my father died on the operating table, he was busy spending millions on rare jewelry for her. I didn't show up to our engagement party. Instead, I sent a "gift" that played on the big screen. That arrogant man went completely insane in front of the whole world.

Two years since her last job as a nanny, Willow is lost at sea without a proper job. Being broke and living off the streets of Florida was never on her to do list and she is never planning on doing so, that's why when she received an email the next morning for an interview with Lorenzo Moretti, the richest businessman and a single father in the business world, she didn't think twice before showing up. Lorenzo is calm and quiet, too much of a professional himself, maybe that's why Willow never expected him to be a part of the mafia. Too much going on in her head, his children, her problems, his secrets and the very thick tension between them, there's just too many obstacles in the way of her profession. ****** “And you seemed busy up here, that's why I didn't want to disturb you.” I told him. He pulls me close, my hands grip the ends of his shirt to steady myself. I could feel every movement of his fingertips at the sides of my waist. I almost melted away when he placed a featherlike kiss at the base of my neck. “I would let you disturb me, Willow.”

My father-in-law said he wanted to experience "how the young folks have fun these days," so I took him to my wife's newly opened upscale cocktail bar for a quiet drink. I’d just finished ordering him a custom cocktail when a man from a booth across the room swaggered over, glass in hand. His eyes scanned the drink menu on our table, and a condescending smirk twisted his lips. "Only ordering the cheapest well drinks?" he sneered. "Brought the old man here to enjoy the free air conditioning? Trash like you belongs in a dive bar. Who even let you in here?" Anger burned in my chest. I stood up, my jaw clenched. "We're paying customers. What's it to you?" But before I could say another word, his face darkened with pure rage. He snatched the half-finished beer bottle from our table and smashed it on my head. "My girl owns this place!" he snarled. "Even if I crack your skull open, I can afford the payout! You filthy pauper—either get on your knees and lick my shoes dry, or get the hell out of my sight. You're an eyesore." The beer dripped down my face. My hands trembled with fury as I wiped it away. Then, a cold calm settled over me. I opened my phone, switched to the camera, and went live. "Alright, everyone," I said into the screen. "You won't want to miss this. We're going live to catch my cheating wife and see the double life she's been leading."

Three years of their contract marriage, Kathryn Alberto got tired of how unfair her husband treats her and requested to have a divorce. Lyon Alberto is a very busy man that he hardly remembers he’s married and it almost seemed as if he was forced into the marriage. Lyon rejected Kathryn request for he’s running for the presidency election and needs his wife till it’s over. Lyon offer her a contract to stay for 3months till the election is over. Kathryn accept but on a condition and that’s if Lyon stays with her 24hours. The Table turned! Things are about to get spicy! Now that Lyon finds his wife more attractive and his dirty past!!

On the tenth year of my marriage with Adrian Sutton as a replacement, my older sister, Vivian Cavendish, suddenly returns to our lives. The entire family just stares at her silently. Vivian yawns lazily before saying casually, "It's so exhausting, having visited 13 countries in a row. Where's Rowan? He should be studying in grade school by now, right? Why isn't he here to see me, his real mother?" Rowan Sutton is Vivian's actual son. In the past, after Vivian gave birth to Rowan, she faked her death on her wedding day, leaving her newborn and her fiance behind. The Sutton family comes from old money in the elite society. My parents dared not offend them at all, so they decided to force me, a college fresh graduate, to marry Adrian in Vivian's stead. Over the past decade, I've turned into a proper wife and a responsible mother. Upon seeing how righteous Vivian is acting, Mom and Dad turn to look at me. I just smile faintly at them instead. "Rowan and his father are on a vacation in another city right now."

All the hopes of saving her marriage from crumbling, crashed down for Madeline when her husband, Damien Rosewood gifted her divorce papers on their third wedding anniversary. She failed to give his prestigious family an heir. He accused her of the sins she never committed. Heartbroken and abandoned, she vowed to take back what she lost, her love, her husband. Three years later, she returned as the surrogate of his babies. The table was turned. Madeline had an upper hand over her ex-husband and his family. Slowly, he realized what he had lost and how challenging it will be for him to win her back.

"A great alpha handles pack affairs outside, and chores at home." my mate Luke had posted. I stared at these words. It was a post from my mate, Luke's Instagram. In the picture he was in a vineyard pruning grapes. Chores at home? Luke who would not even help me to clean a table was actually helping someone else. He had left this morning saying he was going on werewolf business, but from these pictures he was at a she-wolf's vineyard in our pack. A bitter smile escaped my lips as I quietly liked the post and put of my phone. Whatever was coming next, I did not know. But I knew it was over.

His precious childhood sweetheart got drunk one night and ended up in a stranger’s bed. When she showed up again, she was pregnant—just like me. On the day I gave birth, Harold handed me the divorce papers. "Rachel’s about to return to acting," he said coldly. "She and the baby need a proper title. If a scandal breaks out, it’ll destroy her." Dragging my frail body, I calmly signed the papers. In my previous life, I refused to step aside. I went live, holding my daughter, and exposed the award-winning actress Rachel Underwood for knowingly becoming the other woman. The internet turned on her. She lost every endorsement and was driven to the edge by massive fines—eventually jumping off a building. Harold quietly took care of her funeral... and then stood by as her fans harassed me in the streets, even tried to burn my child and me alive. It was not until I saw him lock the door behind us that I realized—he had wanted us dead all along. Then I woke up. And it was the day he gave me the divorce agreement... again.

In my past life, I was trafficked and gave birth to a son. When Noah Barrett turns six, I plan to take him and escape from the mountains. On my first attempt, I map out the route in advance and prepare to flee with him. But in the morning, my mother-in-law, Ruth Whitaker, blocks me at the door. She ties me up and locks me inside the shed. Then, she starves me for three days. On my second try, I secretly buy sleeping pills from an unlicensed village doctor and slip them into dinner. At the table, Ruth flips the table without hesitation and beats me until I am half dead. The third time, I take advantage of a village meeting and escape with Noah again. We hide in a concealed mountain cave. Neither of us makes a sound, yet Ruth finds us with ease. I am dragged back and locked away in the pigpen. Ruth takes a shovel and strikes me with it again and again. "You filthy bitch. You dare run off with my precious grandson!" Her eyes are bloodshot. With the final blow, she uses all her strength and smashes the shovel into my head. I collapse to the ground. My consciousness fades. My blood drains away, and I die. When I open my eyes again, I am back on the day I plan to escape the mountains with Noah. Suddenly, I can hear Noah's thoughts, his voice clear and dripping with viciousness. "Mom can't be allowed to run. Grandma says Mom is our family's slave. She's supposed to serve us for her whole life."

Desperate to prevent being mated to someone she doesn’t know, Elaina tries everything. But betrayal sends her stumbling into the arms of an intruder disguised to be a pack warrior—her father’s nemesis. One single, forbidden night binds them forever, but neither of them knows the truth—not yet. Six years pass, and fate strikes again. The mysterious intruder she once seduced turns out to be an Alpha king, and he lies in her hands—literally on her operating table, fighting for his life. And this same man, she’s hiding a pair of twins from him. Secrets. Unknown blood ties. Fated bonds. Can you run from a destiny that is meant to find you?