Self-efficacy: The Exercise Of Control

Xavier Storm was a man who thrived on control. Ruthless in business and merciless in vengeance, he knew exactly where to strike to bring an enemy to their knees. And Marie Lockwood was the perfect target. A seductress, a spy, a woman who played with fire and never got burned—until now. She had destroyed his best friend, and for that, Xavier would make her suffer. But Marie was not the villain he thought she was. Framed by the very man she served, she had become the fall girl for crimes she didn’t commit. Betrayed, hunted, and trapped in a game she never wanted to play, she vowed that no man would ever see her break. Not even Xavier Storm. He wanted revenge, but she wouldn’t beg. He wanted to break her, but she knew how to endure pain. What neither of them expected was the fire that ignited between them, a dark and all-consuming obsession that blurred the lines between hatred and desire. The deeper Xavier dug, the more Marie’s mask began to crack, and with every secret he uncovered, he realized he had miscalculated. Because in shattering her, he was unraveling himself. And by the time the truth came to light, he would have to face the one thing he never saw coming— that he had fallen for her.

Ellice Heil was a teenager with a strange ability, such as seeing apparitions and supernaturals. This ability painted terrible memories from her since she was a child, leading to her Father's death because of it. She decided to pretend she can't see the spirits lurking around, well, not until some powerful spirit managed to manipulate her. His name is Kazuo; he resides in a hotel that he believed was where he drew his final breath. Unable to recall his memories, he was confused and lost. He longed for a family he doesn't even remember.

Serena Montana is a career woman who's working as a signed writer for a big publishing company in Brisbane, Australia. She received a great news from her Boss that her manuscript was handpicked by a famous production company, and they will have a television adaptation of her novel. Since 50% of the scenes from the novel is back in Walnut Creek, a small countryside area where she grew up, she needs to go back their and relieve the past with her first love, Paolo. Can she successfully finish her work without leaving her heart in Walnut Creek?

A love that is silent but never a secret. It is a soft scream that echoes over the years. At a young age, Lana Normina Delfin started developing simple admiration towards someone, her classmate, who constantly teased her because she's a transferee. Turns out that this boy had a crush on her and was just trying to get her attention. But right after she realized her admiration on him, he suddenly distanced himself and started treating her like a mere acquaintance. But even after leaving her confused and wondering, she stayed silent and kept her feelings. She was okay admiring him from afar, with few rumors spreading about it, hoping they would reach him. Until he left, leaving the country without any assurance of returning. Was it the end? He already left and there's nothing between them that she could hold on. Should she accept it already and live by? Because it's been years. An undeniably long years.

The Helan family is one of the wealthiest noble families in the Silvania, Vampire Society. They are renowned for their elegance and glory. The Helans are the wealthiest family before the Royal Blood, the Xavantras. Celare Hikari Helan, the youngest child of Helan family was mocked by her own kind and her own family. Celare grew into a naturally gifted and enticing young woman. No one can resist her allure, but Celare's beauty is useless because of not having her mate in the age of 1430 years old. Celare Hikari Helan was popularly called "The First Mateless Vampire" and was named "laughingstock of their own kind." Celare, who is obsessed with finding her mate, murders anyone who insults her mate, leaving no choice Celare to flee Silvania due to the shame and trouble she is causing her family. When Celare Hikari left Silvania, she met a young lady who helped her the moment Celare arrived in human realm. Celare, who had been lost and found by the young lady, decided to follow the mysterious lady wherever she went. The question is, will Celare willing to break another taboo by falling in love with someone other than her mate? or will Celare not take the risk and just destroy everything for her unnamed mate? What is the reason of Celare not having her mate?

After being brutally attacked in the woods one night, Layla manages to escape her captors only to find herself captured again by none other than the countries most feared Alpha, Jaxon. Bruised and beaten, Layla learns the truth of the supernatural world and must convince the ruggedly handsome and dominating Alpha that she is no threat to his way of life or his pack. During a Red Moon, fate presents itself in producing a match made by the Mood Goddess herself. There is only one problem, Layla is human. Never in the history of werewolves has an Alpha been fated to a human mate. As Layla begins to find herself, so do her previous captors, and they want only one thing. Her. Can Alpha Jaxon accept their destiny and save her in time? And can he uncover the truth of Layla's true identity and her past in order to save the one woman he vowed to never love?

Jonathan Shaw is busy taking his mentor's daughter, who's burning up a fever, to the hospital on the day I fall. I'm pregnant. I need to undergo surgery to stabilize the pregnancy, but it's risky. However, Jonathan's tone is icy on the other end of the line. "I know you've always been biased against my mentor, Tessa. Still, do you think you can use something like this as an excuse to get me there?" I lose hope in him as a lone tear rolls down my face. "Don't bother saving the child. Help me abort it." My love for Jonathan leaves with our child.

Born the lowest rank in a kingdom where Alphas rule and Omegas obey, Lyra Dane is sent as a “gift” to the royal brothers of the Ironfang Pack—a peace offering to seal a bloody treaty. Everyone expects her to be a docile concubine, a plaything passed from one brother to the next. But Lyra carries a secret. She is the last surviving heir of the Moonspire bloodline, and she’s spent her entire life training to take back her throne. The palace of the three princes is a nest of lies, assassins and hidden magic. As Lyra uncovers the conspiracy that slaughtered her family, she begins turning each brother against the other, awakening powers she was never supposed to have. Soon all three Alphas want more than her submission—they want her as their mate. Torn between vengeance and desire, Lyra must decide whether to destroy the brothers who could give her back her crown… or surrender to the dangerous pull of their bond and become queen of them all.

"You are no wife to me, do you get it?" He said, stepping forward crushing my already thinned personal bubble. "I am marrying you because of circumstances. The sooner you feed that to your peanut size brain, the better it will be for you and me. Do you understand?". Pushing me back against the wall with so much force it made me grunt at impact. Intense pain shot through my body when he pressed himself on me. It was like he was trying to ram me into the wall or something! - idiot- Big fat S-O-B. All these curses were going through my mind. All I want to do now is scratch his arrogant face and give him a feel of his own medicine. However, in this compromising position, I am right now! I can hardly move. So, all I did was look straight into his eyes and glared back with the same intensity. I try to break free by pushing and squirming. Alex had me in a grip so tight it felt like a hulk holding me down, so hard that it was painful. I tried to look away, but his voice made me freeze. "Answer me. Do not look away when I am talking to you bit*h!”. “Do-You-Get-What-I-Just Said? Or do I need to make myself a little clearer? hmm?" "Yes, I get it. I'm-Not-Your-Wife." "Believe it or not, I have no interest in being your wife," I said, more like spat it out, it was like poison coming out of my mouth. "Why are you smirking at me ?" he asked. Completely oblivious to what is about to come. I composed my happiness concealing it with my ‘I’m am innocent, like a kitty look’. "Oh, you're about to find out," I said.

Lucy Taylor never expected to be loved when she agreed to billionaire CEO, William Ashcroft, in place of her step sister to save her family's reputation. But as she gets to know him, she finds out he's completely different from the man she thought he was. As they grew closer, they realize they're in love. But what happens when trouble lurks around the corner? With a greedy stepsister and a maniac rival on their ends? Will they be able to survive or will their relationship crash under the weight of problems coming their way?