Shadow And Maria Novels & Stories

Three days before the SAT, a car slammed into me. My right leg was ruined. Govind stood beside my hospital bed and said, "I set it up." He pointed at the cast on my leg and smiled. "You upset Yvette. It's just a broken leg. Better that than watching her cry." I stared at him, stunned, then dug my nails into his arm hard enough to draw blood. He shoved me off without a care. Then he patted my head like he always used to. "Now I get why your parents dumped you at that children's home. With an attitude like yours, you were never gonna be as lovable as Yvette." Yvette was my older sister. Fifteen years ago, I got hurt saving Yvette from a speeding car. She cried to our parents and claimed I'd pushed her. That same night, bruised and bleeding, I was dumped at a children's home. When I'd already given up on everything, Govind showed up and promised he'd protect me for the rest of my life. And now, for her, he was destroying me with his own hands.

My younger sister, Mindy Sampson, has a rare blood condition. She needs regular blood transfusions and a bone marrow transplant. My husband, Ian Huffman, and I are matches. My mother says we should draw lots. Whoever draws the short stick will become Mindy's blood donor. In the next five years, I am always the one who draws the short stick. Because of constant blood draws and bone marrow extractions, my body breaks down. Before I die, I stumble upon Ian holding Mindy and saying, "Cindy is so stupid. There are only short sticks in the container. Every time, we let her draw first. How could she ever get a long one? "She is going to die without ever knowing you are not sick at all. Once she dies and we get the insurance money, we can travel the world." When I open my eyes again, I am back in the fifth year after Mindy is diagnosed. I look at the container of sticks on the table and smile. Then, I look at Ian and say, "This time, you draw first."

Mary and Maria are sisters. They share a lot of things. Mary is the eldest, while Maria is the youngest. Until they grew up into fine ladies, Maria didn't quite think that even with a man, they had the same taste. Until they both got sick. And since Mary was a favorite child, Maria did nothing but give way to her sister, especially since her boyfriend got her sister pregnant. Maria felt everything very much. Even his family is angry with her because she was accused of stealing money from their company. Maria left their mansion, and she didn't show up again. After 5 years, she will return again to take revenge on the people who trampled on her. Is there still room in her heart for the word forgiveness?

In the dangerous underground world of crime, loyalty is often rewarded with betrayal. Maria has spent years standing faithfully beside her husband, Sebastian Delacruz, the most feared drug kingpin in New York City. Despite his infidelity, dangerous lifestyle, and lack of respect for her opinions, Maria remains devoted to him because of a promise he made long ago: he would always protect her and the people she loves. When Maria’s best friend, Lena, is brutally murdered during one of Sebastian’s business dealings after he ignores Maria’s warning about a suspicious new partner, Maria’s faith in her husband begins to crumble. As she struggles with grief, Sebastian humiliates her further by bringing another woman into their home and publicly declaring her the new mistress of the house. With nothing left to hold onto, Maria walks away from her marriage with nothing but her dignity. What she does not know is that her life is about to change forever. A deceased billionaire has named Maria as his long-lost daughter and sole heir. Overnight, the woman Sebastian believed was helpless without him becomes the richest woman in the United States. Now Maria must prove herself worthy of the inheritance, survive the enemies who want to steal it from her, and build a life entirely on her own.

Elle was drawn to Navid from the moment she saw him for the first time. Who wouldn't be attracted to Navid? He is a good man—nearly perfect—and treats her and her grandmother with great respect. And because of the goodness he has shown, Elle couldn't help but fall in love with Navid. She knew Navid couldn't love her, so she kept her feelings for him hidden. However, due to a one-night mistake, Navid was forced to marry her. But, despite being married, nothing appears to have changed in their relationship. Their marriage was only on paper, nothing more. Nevertheless, Elle refuses to give up. She has loved Navid for years, and now that she has the opportunity to make him feel the same way she does, she will not pass it up. So she devised a plan—a plan to seduce and romance her own husband.

Amber Sinclair never imagined that saving her family would cost her entire life. Three years ago, her half-sister vanished days before her lavish wedding to billionaire heir Vincent Liam. With the Sinclair family on the verge of ruin, Amber was forced to become the substitute bride overnight. But what was supposed to be a temporary sacrifice turned into a nightmare. Vincent believes Amber orchestrated Chloe’s disappearance to steal her place, and ever since their wedding day, he has hated her with every breath. Behind the glamorous cameras, luxurious mansions, and perfect public image lies a marriage poisoned by resentment, humiliation, and heartbreak. To the world, they are the perfect couple. Behind closed doors, they are strangers bound together by lies. But as buried secrets begin to surface, Vincent slowly realizes that the woman he despises may have been innocent all along... and the people he trusted most may have destroyed both their lives. Now Amber must decide: Should she keep fighting for a man who never loved her... or finally walk away before his hatred destroys her completely? Because sometimes, the most dangerous lies are the ones dressed up as love.

⚠️ Content Warning ⚠️ This book includes themes of homophobia, including discriminatory language and behavior. These elements are included to reflect certain real-world attitudes and experiences, but they do not reflect the views of the author. Reader discretion is advised. If you find such content distressing, please take care as you proceed. — Gunner took the job thinking it would be easy: keep an eye on the Floros’ only son while his parents were out of the country for a business trip. Follow and carry out the rules the Floros' had given him—watch the kid, keep him out of trouble, and collect a generous paycheck. But Layland Floros is anything but a kid. Beautiful, bold, and entirely too provocative for his own good, Layland isn’t interested in being watched. With a bratty attitude that dares Gunner to break every boundary he’s set for himself when he's on the job, Layland turns a simple assignment into something far more dangerous. Gunner's never been with a man. Never even thought about it—until Layland. Now, every moment in that house is thick with tension, with heat that hums just beneath the surface. The more Gunner tries to keep things professional, the harder it becomes to ignore what he was really feeling towards the young man. Soon, duty gives way to desire, and Gunner finds himself crossing lines he swore he wouldn’t. But when the chemistry between them explodes into something real and raw, he’ll have to face the truth: babysitting Layland and carrying out the young man's parents' rules was never the hard part. Staying away from him is. And if Layland's parents find out what really happened behind the closed doors of their home, Gunner could lose more than just the job.

Who knew life could change so quickly and dramatically? Justice finds out the hard way after her father dies tragically and her mother becomes an addict. What she didn't realize, though, was the secret her first love was hiding. She would never have guessed the supernatural wasn't just in fairytales, and hiding would be her new way of life.

What if your true mate loves another? What if you can't recognize your mate? What if Destiny has another one for you? Life is full of ups and downs especially for the Black siblings. In M city, the Black family ruled over the rest of the packs. They've been together through joys and tragedies. Now, join their family as they embark on their greatest adventure--finding their fated mates. Join Olivia, Julia, Bentley, Thomas, and Alfie Black as they fulfill their fate and destiny. "I am yours and you are mine even beyond death."

Liza, a B-list celebrity who wanted to get more famous, had a wild one-night stand with a complete stranger she met at a bar she went to often. It's only for one night. She will not see the person again, nor will she be entangled in the sheets with the person with whom she had a one-night stand. That is Liza's rule, and the stranger is no exception, even if he is one hell of a good-looking guy and a master of sex. She has no intention of sleeping with him again. But her plan was thwarted when the stranger unexpectedly showed up at her house, claiming to be a mafia boss who wants to help her gain popularity and become an A-list celebrity by sponsoring her.