Quiet

She's doomed! Hassan didn't expect that after the night she had spent with a stranger, she'd get knocked up. She's only eighteen. A beautiful, naive freshman. Now, the class was about to start but her period hasn't come yet. Taking a pregnancy test, it confirmed her suspicion. Deciding to hide her pregnancy til the semester was over, Hassan did everything to act normal when everyone was around. But faith must be playing with her. Realizing that her supposed quiet stay in the university is quite impossible as she realized the person who impregnated her was no other than the hot, drop-dead young professor she met in the club, Hassan's life has become a roller coaster of emotions. Her decision was already firm, she didn't want to get involved in a scandal once people knew about her pregnancy. She doesn't want to tell him. She will keep the baby out of everyone. But she must've underestimated Rajiv; the sole heir of a well-known company who works in their university as a professor. Later did she realize that she was fooling no one but herself.

“I didn't think you'd come,” Mason Remington said. Lisa's breathing slowly increased as she tightly gripped the contract in her hands. It was already rumpled from the many times she'd read it, playing its letters like a movie in her head, over and over. Was she honestly considering it? She had a boyfriend. And even though she had always wanted Mason, craved him for years, he was her brother's best friend, who before today had never thought of her as anything other than a little sister. She knew what he wanted and what she'd be getting into if she went through with this, but all those thoughts seemed to vanish as she made her way into his office. Mason closed the distance between them, drawing her close with his hands to her waist and closing the door forcefully behind her. He now had her in his arms, giving her a small smile before crushing his mouth to hers, shutting her up before she could say anything. His hands moved up her back and crushed her tiny body against his, causing a quiet moan from her. He kissed her as though he was hungry for her. It wasn't just a show of power but desire. And with every brush of his tongue against hers, she knew all too well, that there was no way on earth she could say no to his proposal.

Lake is the new girl in town, she meets the quiet boy. A typical love story. Except she had friends in her mind that she talks to, and he isn’t quite who he says he is.

Bleu is the illegitimate son of the alpha king. Not wanting the world to know his mistake, Bleu and his mother were banished by the king to the far end of the kingdom. Later losing his mother and growing up as a rogue, Bleu had become quiet and feral. He spent his days mostly in wolf form and was only focused on surviving. That was until he found a small, naked unconscious woman in the swamp.... His mother always told him stories of the beauty of having a mate. Could this female be a gift from the heavens? Hazel is the daughter of the duke and was being forced into a political marriage with the son of the alpha king. Deciding to run away, she flees but faints due to exhaustion. She wakes up to meet Bleu. A sweet feral wolf who happens to think that she was his mate.

When love is shared but not equally given, how much pain can a heart endure? Andrea Velasco thought she had the perfect marriage—devoted husband, beautiful home, and a quiet life built on trust. But her world shatters when a single message exposes a truth she never imagined: her husband, Gabriel Reyes, is not just hers. He's also married to Celina Dela Cruz, a younger woman in a different city who believes she is the only Mrs. Reyes. As Andrea and Celina’s lives collide, secrets unravel and tempers rise. But amidst the betrayal lies a deeper question: Who truly owns the right to love, to forgiveness, and to walk away?

"Ms. Rowe, are you certain you want to delete all identity records? Once they're erased, you'll be completely removed from the system. No one will be able to find you again." Eva Rowe pauses for a moment before nodding with quiet resolve. "Yes. I want to disappear from this world. I want to make sure no one can ever find me." Two seconds of silence follow on the other end, as if they're giving her one last chance to reconsider. "Understood, Ms. Rowe. The wipeout protocol will be completed within 14 days. By then, you'll be officially 'dead' in all databases. Please make the necessary arrangements." With that, the call ends. Eva books a one-way ticket to Felnor, scheduled for 14 days later. Then, she turns off her phone, watching as the screen goes dark. She stands by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring out at the endless city lights, and lets out a soft, cold laugh. She is no longer anyone's Eva.

Ezmira Franchild was adopted at the age of eleven. No one knew where this silent little girl originated from, all they knew was that she was found under an old broken-down bridge, curled up into a ball and trembling with fear. It took her an entire year before she began to speak again but once she did, she never spoke of where she came from or who her parents were... she simply clutched to the dirty old bag that she was found with and never allowed anyone to search it or take it from her. Years later, Ezmira is still a quiet child, living in a small town with her sister, Liza Franchild and trying to make the best of her life. Little did she know that her past was not something she could run from or ignore. Once a witch, forever a witch. “I'm afraid to live. I'm afraid to let people in again because I'd never know when they'd leave. My existence is a curse.” ~Ezmira “I've been cursed for many years, but you're the first curse that I've ever willingly accepted. If you're afraid just hold onto me, we can face our fears together.” ~Axil Book 1 of the Divinity Series.

Lowbred, unwanted, and a servant of the Alpha's Mansion, Anna Kendra just wanted a quiet life with a mate who would accept her for the runt she was. But her life took a U-turn when she discovered the craziest thing. A mate bond, to the one person who wanted nothing to do with a 'prostitute' like her.

"Nadine..." he grabbed my wrist before I could even think of entering my restaurant. His touch created nothing but disgust in me. I turned glaring at him with an unreasonable expression "Stay out of my life, Adrian." But his next words got me scoffing and cussing him under my breath. "You don’t get to decide that for me... Because I’m not leaving, Nadine. I'm not leaving you nor our baby. Not this time." ** Nadine Harper thought her love story with billionaire Adrian Blackwell was over. She’s built a quiet life far from his powerful world, determined to leave the past behind. But when Adrian unexpectedly reappears, the walls she’s built start to crumble. He’s not just here to dredge up old feelings—he’s about to uncover the secret she’s kept hidden for years. Can they face the truth without losing everything? Or will the past destroy their chance at a future?

The things we want are so very rarely the things we need. Clifton Heights, a modest Adirondack town, offers many unique attractions. Arcane Delights sells both paperbacks and hard-to-find limited editions. The Skylark Diner serves the best home-cooked meals around, with friendly service and a smile. Every August, Mr. Jingo’s County Fair visits, to the delight of children and adults. In essence, Clifton Heights is the quintessential small American town. Everyone knows everyone else, and everyone is treated like family. It is quiet, simple, and peaceful. But shadows linger here. Flitting in dark corners, from the corner of the eye. If you walk down Main Street after dark, the slight scrape of shoes on asphalt whispers you're not alone, but when you look over your shoulder, no one is there. The moon shines high and bright in the night sky, but instead of throwing light, it only seems to make the shadows lengthen. Children disappear. Teens run away. Hunters get lost in the woods with frightening regularity. Husbands go mad, and wives vanish in the dead of night. And still, when the sun rises in the morning, you are greeted by townspeople with warm waves and friendly smiles, and the shivers pass as everything seems fresh and new... Until night falls once more. Handy's Pawn and Thrift sits several blocks down from Arcane Delights. Like any thrift store, its wares range from the mundane to the bizarre. By daylight, it seems just another slice of small town Americana. But in its window hangs a sign which reads: We Have Things You Need. And when a lonely traveling salesman comes looking for something he desperately wants, after normal visiting hours, after night has fallen, he will face a harsh truth among the shelves of Handy’s Pawn and Thrift: the things we want are rarely the things we need. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing