Reading In Between The Lions

Raisha Valentine, a breathtakingly beautiful half-British, half-German woman raised in the Philippines, has endured more than most could imagine. Orphaned and adopted by a loving Filipina, she grew up battling the scars of abuse and the crushing weight of poverty. Desperate to survive, she turned to the only path she thought was left—selling her body. One fateful evening, Raisha's world shifts when a mysterious stranger offers her an unthinkable proposition: one night in exchange for 2 million pesos. It's a choice that could change her life forever, but at what cost? The moral dilemma she faced was overwhelming, threatening to consume her. Dive into Raisha's story of pain, resilience, and a dangerous deal that could redefine her future. Will this one night lead to her redemption or pull her deeper into the shadows?

By day, he’s just another broke guy with worn-out shoes and a charming smile. But behind the façade, Alec Blackwell is a billionaire tycoon—owner of a global empire and a ruthless legal mastermind. Tired of gold diggers and fake affections, Alec disguises himself as an average man, swiping through dating apps in search of something real. No private jets. No designer suits. Just raw chemistry and brutal honesty. Then he meets Zara Lane—a fiercely independent hustler juggling three jobs, a sharp tongue, and zero patience for games. She doesn’t care for his sob stories or smooth talk. She wants respect, not romance. But Alec’s world is built on secrets. And Zara’s life is about to crash straight into a truth more shocking than either of them expected. Because in a game of lies, power, and attraction… Who really holds the upper hand?

She sold her soul to save her daughter… but the devil wears a billionaire’s smile. Emily Carter is a desperate mother clawing her way through the filth of New York’s underworld, dancing for dollars in a club that devours women whole. When her baby girl falls deathly ill, she’s forced into an impossible choice: let her child die… or marry a cold-hearted billionaire with a past darker than her own. Alexander Richie doesn’t believe in love but he believes in ownership. His proposal isn’t a lifeline. It’s a leash. Thrust into a mansion of lies, judgment, and cruel stepchildren, Emily trades one nightmare for another. Her new life is gilded in luxury but soaked in venom, and the people inside want to break her. But Emily didn’t survive the streets to become anyone’s victim not even his. Love wasn’t part of the deal. But what happens when the broken start to feel? And how many bodies must fall before the truth is revealed?

Alice Smith was leaving behind the sunny skies of America to start a new hopeful life in England. She was planning to go to a new school, meet new friends and make her family and America proud. When she gets the invitation to join the school gardening club, she decided to give it a shot to see if was her thing or not. That was when she came face to face with the most manipulative (and the hottest) girl in the school; Emilia Campbell. Soon after that, she found herself tangled in a web of blackmail and lies, with no mean of escape. Then when one prank escalates too far, Alice begins to wonder if moving to England was a good idea after all...

I start dating Samuel Nelson, who's known for being a playboy. Everyone thinks I'm hopelessly in love with him. When he skips class to fight, I take notes for him. When he flirts with others, I cover for him. I spent three years as the pushover who grovels at his feet. I pour my heart and soul into helping him get into a top college, but just before the semester starts, he dumps me. He says haughtily, "I know you've liked me for a long time, but you always have your head buried in books. Compared to Anna, you're far too dull and uptight. "Let's break up. I want to be with Anna instead." Everyone waits to see me have an emotional meltdown. However, I simply check the 50 million that has been transferred to my bank account and reply earnestly, "Sure. I wish you two the best." No one knows that I only devoted myself fully to being Samuel's girlfriend because his mother offered me far too much money to refuse. Now that I have the money, even if he didn't dump me, I would've dumped him myself.

In my parents' hearts, there was always a "perfect son" who died too soon. I was just his flawed substitute, while my younger brother was their new hope. They pretended to be poor for 20 years, secretly funneling all their resources to him. While I was in the final stages of stomach cancer, writhing in pain, they were spending millions of dollars to build him a state-of-the-art study room. When the doctor told me to notify my family about hospital bills, I felt helpless, thinking they were just ordinary, broke workers. When my mom finally showed up at the hospital, she grabbed my hand, not out of concern. "Neville is under so much stress with his college entrance exams. Can you not die right now? He can't take it." My dad stood by, wearing a stern expression. "David was way more sensible than you."

She's scarred from a previous relationship. She craves attention, she craves to be loved but she's not ready to give back. In her quest to protect herself, she ends in a web of uncertainty between two good men.

Ella Leen hid her identity to pursue Damon Monteverde, the genius boy who can make anything from scratch, but was still despised and looked down because of being a poor man. He hated rich people, so she thought that by enduring hardship along with him, he would be able to finally see her sincerity and love. That she was not any worse than his first ever love. But seeing that even after five years they were married together, she still can’t be compared with his first girlfriend--his first love. She finally left. But.. “You don’t love me Damon. You just can’t stand the fact that I left.” She left, not wanting to turn back, but he grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer towards him, as his hot breath sprayed on her face. “Come back, and I prove it.” Ella chuckled, her multi-million worth of watch shook slightly under the dazzling sun, "Sorry. I can’t come back.” “I’m busy inheriting properties.”

After transmigrating into a horror game, I realize I can hear ghosts' inner thoughts. "Oh, look, a human! I need to give her a pet!" "Why can't I touch her? Move! I gotta touch her!" "Humans! She's so tame that she's even letting us pet her!" My inner thoughts scream, "Damn it. Now I feel like a monkey in the zoo."

The day I found out I was pregnant with my second child, the impossible happened: the baby in my womb spoke. "Stupid sister, are you even listening? Mom said that as soon as you graduate, she's selling you off. That money is for my future wedding!" My daughter went still. She didn't say a word, didn't confront me, didn't even cry. She just quietly applied to study abroad. And from that day on, I never heard from her again. My husband, seeing how devastated I was, moved to comfort me. But the baby's voice cut through the silence once more. "Comfort her? You're the biggest fool in this house! When I'm born, I'm not calling you 'Dad.' My real dad is that handsome guy from the bar!" The color drained from Sean's face. Before I could utter a word of explanation, he dragged me straight to the hospital for a paternity test. The results came back quickly—my best friend had pulled some strings to expedite them. And there it was, in cold, clinical print: NO PATERNITY BIOLOGICALLY ESTABLISHED. He didn't let me speak. He filed for divorce immediately. In a panic, the baby's voice cried out from inside me again, "Why is the idiot backing out now? Did he finally figure out Mom tricked him? The one who saved his life all those years ago wasn't her—it was her best friend!" That one sentence shattered my entire world. My husband turned his back on me and married my best friend. As for me… the shock and grief hit me like a physical blow. I felt a hot, sudden gush of blood. Before the doctors could save me, I died on that cold hospital bed, my hands clutching my swollen belly, my mind still reeling, unable to comprehend how my life had unraveled so completely. It wasn't until I was reborn, and once again heard the treacherous little voice inside me, that I finally began to understand the truth.