Short Prayer Before Work

“Your name?” a woman who’s wearing a dress, has pale lips and short hair asked me. I stuttered. “L-Livia Washington, ma’am,” I answered. “My husband and I can’t produce a child. I need your help and in exchange, I will reward you with money at your price. Just help me…” she said, her face screaming desperation and almost pleading. Without further hesitation, I nodded my head. “Just tell me what you want me to do, Ma’am…” I didn’t know that an offer I would be accepting would ruin the pipe dream I yearned for. Money. I need money. Surrogacy is the only quick way to get a billion dollars just like what they offered. However, things didn’t go the way I liked. “You came out with a woman again?” I busted out in anger after waiting for Archer to come home. He only scoffed, he was supposed to come upstairs yet I held his hand. “Just to remind you, Archer, you still have a wife waiting for you!” His jaw clenched then took his arms roughly. “Then you should have thought of your husband before cheating on me, and bearing someone else’s child, then, Livia!” he backfired, critically narrowing his eyes on mine. Being married to Archer for five years never became easy. I’m tired of it and was tormented with the punishment he had given to me. “A divorce won’t happen, Livia. I won’t give you the freedom you want. This is your punishment,” he narrowed his rough, stoic voice before coming to his room directly.

"Mrs. King, please sign the papers,” the lawyer insisted as he placed them before her. Genevieve blinked twice as she stared at the papers for a few seconds before looking back at the male lawyer. A lump grew in her throat making it hard to swallow. “W-who issued this divorce again?” she stuttered, asking an obvious question. The lawyer stared at her with pity for a second before going on to answer. “Your husband, Mrs. King.” ***** Genevieve had always felt like she had it all. The perfect man, perfect family, and perfect job. Well, that was until Kyle Jordan King, her husband deemed it fit to send her the divorce papers because she couldn't bear him a child. Genevieve becomes devastated and vows to make him pay when she can for making her heart bleed the way it did but what she doesn't know is sometimes, things are not always as they seem. Years later, with twins at hand that belonged to her ex-husband, Genevieve had to return to the city where it all began again and consequently had to work with the man who had broken her heart. With sparks still flying, a forceful dilemma, and chemistry at its peak, Eve had to decide if she was willing to let the billionaire into the lives of her kids. And even more, hers. Will she give in to the sizzling temptation that was Kyle Jordan King or would she do everything to avoid and stay away from him even when it was close to impossible?

"I am going to have some fun. He said, and he started pulling at my shirt, causing me to panic. "Don't touch me," I said "Don't touch my sister," Lilly added, and she ran toward him, but he pushed her so hard she fell into the cell wall. "Lilly," Poppy and I screamed at the same time. Damen tore my shirt off, revealing my bra, but I wasn't going to give up so easily. I kicked him where the sun didn't shine, causing him to groan in pain. "You bitch," Damen said before he pushed me to the ground. "Rose," Poppy said "I was going to take it easy on you, but since you want to be difficult, I changed my mind," Damen said. He got on top and I tried to kick him again but he woudln't let me. "That won't work this time," Damen said, and then he punched me in my face so hard my vision became blurry. "Beloved!" Was the last thing I heard before darkness consumed me

Arabella always craves for more than her boyfriend could give, but they never cross that line. Until one rainy day, she knocks on the door of her mysterious neighbour and asks for a stay. In the short moment spent with him, sparks fly and unexpected sinful desires settles within her. Will Arabella ignore these feelings or will she give into them even when they're wrong?

lunch went by pretty quickly, and we were back to classes soon enough. I'd like to forget to get a book out of my locker, so I went to go quickly and went to get it. I was leaning against the locker next to mine as I quickly scanned my schedule on my locker door. When warm air fanned the side of my face. "Move" being the excellent human being I am, I jumped out of fright, flinging the heavy calculus textbook in my hands backward. I hear a grunt and turn to find the person hunched over as they hold part of their face "Oh God! I'm so sorry!" I panicked. and then he looked up. the first thing I noticed was his short, dark hair. it looked so smooth, and 1 almost reached out to play with it. My eyes trailed down to his strong jaw line, down to his broad shoulders. I didn't even realize that I was biting my lip as I further inspected the Adonis before me. His arm flexed, bringing my attention to the amber eye he was now covering It was him. Six. He is the most popular and dangerous guy in school. And I'd managed to injure him with my calculus textbook.

"I love you, moy mister." The shy mafia boss finally heard his wish come true. He hoped that this arranged marriage would turn out well and it did, almost. "Don't come looking for me!" How the tables have turned in a short span of time. She deceived him, or so she thought.

No connection. No acquaintance. In one night of passion with no expectations, strangers become intimately acquainted. Will one night of lust turn into their happy ever after? Is it simply lust or could it possibly be love at first site? A collection of short stories: four couples, one day, twenty-four passionate hours. "Strangers" is created by Stephanie Walls, an eGlobal Creative Publishing author.

Madam Pratt, my mother-in-law, was in critical condition after a car accident, desperately needing surgery. However, as the lead surgeon, I—Lilianne Davis—stood by, casually scrolling through short videos on my phone. My best friend, Tiffany Owens, who was also a doctor, was far more anxious than I was. She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the operating room. “Lily, why are you still stalling? Hurry up and save her!” I took a step back, clutching my stomach in pain as her face twisted in shock. “I have cramps so bad I can’t even stand. You do it.” In my last life, the moment I heard about Madam Pratt’s accident, I had swallowed a painkiller and rushed into surgery, working for hours to stabilize her. I had barely stepped away from the operating table when alarms blared. “Lilianne, what have you done? The patient is experiencing acute hemolysis!” “Call the family now!” Gareth Pratt stormed in, his face twisted with rage. He slapped me hard in the face. “Lil, you’re a professional surgeon, yet you gave my mother the wrong blood transfusion?!” I froze, reaching for Madam Pratt’s medical report to explain, only to find that the A-type blood I had seen before had somehow changed to B-type. The medical board arrived, and a blood test revealed traces of hallucinogens in my system. “Unbelievable! Taking illegal substances before surgery? That’s a cardinal sin for a doctor!” In the chaos, Emma Pratt, Gareth’s teenage sister, grabbed a scalpel and stabbed me multiple times. Blood gushed from my arteries, and I collapsed in a pool of crimson. As my vision faded, I couldn’t understand what had happened. I had never taken illegal drugs. Besides, I was absolutely certain of Madam Pratt’s blood type. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the moment right before stepping into the operating room.

Maverick Lloyd finally agrees to marry me after five years of dating. We head to the hospital to tell my ill mother the good news. On the way there, Maverick receives a call from his true love. He turns the car around and takes me to a bar instead—his true love is short of people at the bar, so he tells me to help out as a bargirl. When I'm being harassed and sullied in a private room, he's living it up with his true love next door. The hospital calls to tell me my mother's condition has worsened. I jump out of the third-floor window to get away. However, when I arrive at the hospital, all I see is my mother's cold body. Meanwhile, Maverick's true love updates her social media. "He appears before me like a hero whenever I'm in danger." It comes with a photo of her cuddling in Maverick's arms. My heart dies. I take off my engagement ring and place it with my mother's body to be destroyed during the cremation. Then, I like Maverick's true love's post. "I hope you two stay together forever. Don't ever harm anyone else."

He moves closer to me, dangerously close and pins my both hands with one of his. My body wanted his, this time there was no denying it. "What do you say Miss Iris?" His husky voice questions"what we have is just chemistry." I object"So?" His lips is on my nose as he asks that."I have a boyfriend." I object again.This time it's like I am trying to remind my body that it has an owner, and that owner isn't the man standing before me, but my treacherous body wouldn't listen."Break up with him." "But...." My last objection was cut short as his lips ruthlessly descended on mine cutting off every last bit of sanity, I may have had in me. His kiss seemed to say 'forget everything else' and that was exactly what I did. What Iris Adelana wanted was just a signature from Mr Enyinnaya Amadi to give her legal rights as her father's successor, but Mr Enyinnaya wants something else; A weekend in Dubai, and that is what he gets. However, one weekend seems to be insufficient and Enyinnaya is requesting for more. Will the fierce and stubborn Iris give in to his desire? especially now that she has his signature and her father's wealth.