Second Chance

I was born just one minute after Tiara, but the world treated that one minute as if it lasted a lifetime. She was the star. I was the shadow. She was flawless. I was the afterthought. She was loved. I was forgotten. Even by Reagan de Russo, heir to the wealthiest family in the country and the man I had secretly loved for the past ten years. But to him, there was only Tiara. And when he proposed to her, I knew my quiet little dream had finally died. Until that day came. The day Tiara left him at the altar. The day the world stopped turning for just a second. The day the man who had never even glanced my way, turned to me and asked me to take her place. I knew what I was. An escape. A damage control. A backup plan. But my mother was dying. My family was drowning in debt. And I... I was too tired of being strong. So I said yes. We married. Without love. Without a future. Just a one-year contract and a life of make-believe in front of flashing cameras and watching eyes. But the longer I stayed by his side, the harder it became to tell what was real and what was just part of the performance. Because for the first time... Reagan saw me. But can love truly grow from the ruins of lies, old wounds, and the shadow of a woman who’s always been his first choice? Or will I always be… only the second best?

"you will abort the baby" Anthony's voice was cold and rough. "I don't want a child" "I can't abort it" Avery's voice was small, fear hidden beneath it. Her hands went to her stomach instinctively and wrapped around it protectively. "It's not a request." Anthony's voice was calm but threatening and it stirred a warning inside Avery. A warning that he wasn't to be messed with. "It's an order. I own you for the next one year and you will do as I say" Avery wanted to yell at him but she couldn't. Even as he sat in a wheelchair, he still looked powerful and threatening. There was just something about him that scared people. "Now get lost" he rumbled and Avery's chest tightened. She couldn't bear to get rid of her only reason to hope. Her father kicked them out of the house months ago with no apparent means of survival and her mother had become gravely ill, bills piling up, and no one left to turn to, she agrees to the unthinkable. An arranged marriage to a dying billionaire she barely knows. He’s cold and cruel. And he makes it clear he wants nothing more than a convenient end to this marriage. But Avery’s not giving up that easily. If she’s going to sacrifice everything, she’s determined to make him fall for her, for hope and for the future neither of them planned

On the day Catherine’s younger sister died, everything fell into crumbles. Her adopted parents cast her off, her medical license was revoked, and her reputation was ruined. Her best friend, Monique, helped her in moving to another city to start a new life. She became a college professor despite her struggles of hiding her past. A young CEO suddenly entered her discreet yet peaceful world, changing her usual peace. He offered her a contract that she can’t refuse. She has to choose between peace and freedom. Find out what is Catherine’s choice and either her choice will lead her to happiness or another heartache. Catherine:" You must be sent by my younger sister to me. She might think that I will be lonely once she's gone so she brought you to me." Alexander: "On the day before I thought I died, your voice brought me back to life. I promise in front of the grave of your sister that I will protect and love you. You will never be alone anymore."

After being betrayed by a Wolf she held dear, leading to her death. Khloe, an omega, gets a chance to live a second time. She wakes up in the body of her school bully’s girlfriend and the most popular girl. **** “Hi, girlfriend.” I heard him say in his deep masculine voice as he leaned in to kiss my forehead. I felt anger and hatred surge through me. My eyes landed on the same lips he had spat on me with a few days ago, days before my death.

Ayo who is of beta blood has her family slaughtered, is taken prisoner by the Alpha of the full moon pack and made a slave, and Omega. The lowest of the lows in the pack. She works hard to get posted in the Alpha house just for one reason. Revenge. It's all that she can think about. All that she knows. She works on a plan to kill the Alpha without exposing her deep dark secret, or she would definitely be killed. Alpha Cross, the self proclaimed Alpha King of the Werewolves. A power hungry and crazy ruler who wants to be the sole Alpha of all dimensions. Wanting to be more powerful and ruthless than his father before him. He is cursed by a bleeding mother whom he had just killed her child, to become rabid and lose control of his wolf underneath the full moon, a time when werewolves are at their strongest. In his first episode, he kills his Luna by accident and is from then on termed "The Alpha Who Killed His Mate". A wolf only gets one mate, right? Imagine his shock and surprise when he runs into a lowly slave girl who despises him and utters the word "MATE". And she is the only way to break his curse.

The day after my best friend, Sarah Blunt married Patrick, the second son of the Brosnan family, I too became a bride and wed Matthew, his older brother. She married a swimming champion, and I, the rock-climbing coach. We thought we had our futures all figured out. Then, something happened that summer. The four of us planned a getaway but Matthew and Patrick’s baby sister, Megan joined us and our peaceful trip became a crowded affair.  While rock climbing, disaster struck—the rope snapped, and all five of us plummeted into the river below. The brothers rushed frantically to save Megan, leaving Sarah and me at the mercy of the river’s current, battered and tossed like driftwood. By the time the rescue team pulled us from the water, we were bruised, scraped, and utterly spent. In the hospital, Megan and I received devastating news that would change everything.  “You’ve been pregnant for 40 days, Ma’am. How could you put yourself in such a risky situation? Your baby survived, but your friend lost hers.” Shaken, I called Matthew to tell him about the pregnancy. His anger cut through the line. “You’re angry that I went to Megs first and now you’re trying to fool me with a fake pregnancy? She’s my sister—it’s my duty to protect her!” Sarah faced her own storm. Patrick practically scoffed at her grief. “Miscarriage? Do you expect me to believe that? The doctors said you only had a 30% chance of conceiving. I can’t stand women who create drama out of nothing.” Both calls ended abruptly, leaving us stunned as we stared at each other in the sterile light of the hospital room. In that shared silence, we made our decision—we would leave these men behind and start anew, launching a business together. But when the brothers received our divorce papers, they showed up at my door in the middle of a storm, kneeling in the pouring rain, crying through the night for a second chance.

FORMERLY TITLED THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT "Do you, William Hugh White take Jennifer Benjamin King to be your lawfully wedded wife? To cherish and to adore, to respect and to love for the rest of your life?" Mr. William Hugh nodded. "I do." "Do You, Jennifer Benjamin King take William Hugh White to be your lawfully wedded husband, to cherish and to adore, to respect and to love for the rest of your life?" Jennifer turned to her mother, then to her father who had a huge scowl on his face. He looked like he could do anything to her and her mother if she tried to do anything other than she was told. "I do." she answered. "Does anyone sitting in the church right now, have a tangible reason as to why this marriage should not be held? If you do, then speak up now, or forever hold your peace." "I do." Jennifer finds herself suspended from school on her father's wish, and he tells she will get married to some man. In a bid to escape, she falls in the hands of Elijah who instead asks to marry her. She needs to run, and he is offering her a way out. With no other way out, she accepts.

“You are very handsome, I only wish to get married to you.” “Oh….really, do you think that you meet all the qualifications that I want in my woman?” He asked and then looked her all over from her head to her toes. The guy didn’t even blink his cold eyes as he scanned her body and she started panicking that he would reject her. Emily Meets Billionaire Richard Weller in the Bar and they get married the following day. In their journey to discover each other they face several challenges. Emily later realizes that her heart beats only for him despite the circumstances under which they met.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked me. I looked at him, the hate in his eyes as he was looking at me was just too much for me to take. "I am here to claim my rights, I am your wife and you are my hubsband. As a married couple, we should stay together under one roof," I said and watched as he scoffed. "You left me 5 years ago, and now you suddenly want your rights as my wife? That is not happening," he said and then walked toward the door. He opened the door for me, "Get out," he said and I smiled. I left 5 years ago and that was the biggest mistake of my life. I should have stayed and fought for my daughter's rights and mine. I should have stayed and fought for our relationship. "I am not going anywhere, you and I exchanged vows. Till death do us part, I will only leave this house in a casket. I am here to stay now," I said. Well, he doesn't need to know that me leaving in a casket might happen very soon. He can't know the truth, first I need to help him bond with our daughter. This is his last chance to realize his mistake and also my last chance to find out the truth. Why did someone frame me of having an affair? Why was he told that he can't father a child when he has a child with me? Who planned all of this?

"I like her," I said as I sat across from my mother unable to keep the frustration from boiling over. "Like who?" "Callie," I admitted, my chest tightening as I said her name. Her expression froze for a moment before she set the papers aside and leaned forward. "You’re joking, right? Callie is your brother’s girlfriend." "I don’t care," I snapped. "I can’t stand seeing him with her. She should be mine, and I’m not going to just sit back and watch them together." "Well, well. This is interesting." She sat back, steepling her fingers. "You really want her all to yourself?" "More than anything," I confessed. A slow smile crept across her face, and it sent a chill down my spine. "Don’t worry. I have a plan.” Whatever she had in mind, I knew it wouldn’t be simple. But if it meant having Callie… I was willing to do whatever it took. **************** Callie was given a choice by her new boss: either lose her job or act as his escort for his family’s Christmas and New Year celebrations, pretending to be his girlfriend. Left with no other option, she reluctantly agrees to be his escort but what she doesn’t realize is that she’s walking straight into a trap. Dive into a story of love, betrayal, romance, suspense, and a Christmas miracle. Second Chances Under the Tree is a gripping and intriguing read that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.