Skeleton Hand Holding Something

Twenty-two-year-old Athena Paulsen’s life is a never-ending tragedy, but on the surface everything seems fine. A fine daughter, dependable sister, successful entrepreneur and renowned doctor. She is the envy of the town. But if you pull the curtain called skin and peep a little deeper you will see the reality: a scared girl who has nowhere to hide. Andrew Knight is a dashing and ruthless businessman akin to his last name. He would go to any lengths to get what he wants and stroke his massive ego. From the moment Athena stepped into his life it was never the same again. Initially he hated her but slowly her intelligence and kind heart melted away the Knight’s armour. Not all was rosy in the paradise. Athena’s past and the complex situation of both their familial ties was soon coming back to bite them hard and shatter their dreams of “happily ever after”. What is the big secret? Why is Athena trying to run from her past? What does the future hold for both of them? Every person has a skeleton in their closet.

On our seventh wedding anniversary, I was straddling my Mafia husband, Lucian, kissing him deeply. My fingers fumbled in the pocket of my expensive silk dress, searching for the pregnancy test I'd hidden there. I wanted to save the news of my unexpected pregnancy for the end of the evening. Lucian's right-hand man, Marco, asked with a suggestive smile in Italian: "Don, your new little canary, Sophia. How does she taste?" Lucian's mocking laughter vibrated through my chest, sending a chill down my spine. He replied, also in Italian: "Like an unripe peach. Fresh and tender." His hand was still caressing my waist, but his gaze was distant. "Just keep this between us. If my Donna finds out, I'm a dead man." His men chuckled knowingly, raising their glasses and swearing their silence. The warmth in my blood turned to ice, inch by inch. The one thing they didn’t know was that my grandmother was from Sicily, so I understood every word. I forced myself to remain calm, keeping the perfect smile of a Donna fixed in place, but the hand holding my champagne flute trembled. Instead of making a scene, I opened my phone, found the invitation I had received a few days ago for a private international medical research project, and tapped "Accept." In three days, I would disappear from Lucian's world completely.

It is said that Marco Colombo, the heir of the Colombo family of Chiron, is holding a wedding for his mistress, Gina Bilotti, today. The scale is ten times grander than when he marries Isabella Pratico in a political union. I lean against the ebony railing on the second floor. Sipping my red wine, I watch the lively scene of clinking glasses and mingling guests below with quiet amusement. Gina is definitely favored—she is even wearing a ruby necklace. One should know that set of ruby jewelry is an heirloom of the Colombo family. It is something only the Donna and the wife of the heir are allowed to wear. "You must be Isabella, the one Marco who does not love." A voice suddenly comes from beside me. I turn my head and see the woman wearing the ruby necklace before me. Gina has come up to the second floor at some point and is now looking at me with a cunning smile on her face. I freeze for a moment, not yet able to respond. She suddenly grabs my hand and yanks it hard toward herself. There is a sharp tearing sound, and the hem of her wedding dress rips open with a long tear. Gina lets out a cry, and tears immediately stream down her face. "Mrs. Colombo, why did you tear my wedding dress? Marco specially commissioned this from an independent designer just for our wedding! "If you really cannot tolerate my presence, then I will break up with Marco today and leave Chiron…" The surrounding guests all lift their heads and glare at me angrily. I am stunned because I am not Isabella. I am the new wife of Marco's father, the woman of the current Don, and the Donna of the Colombo family.

During the tenth year I had a crush on Ron, I was diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer. With a critically ill notice in hand, I stood at the door to the room where my former classmates gathered, and I heard Ron holding his crush and cooing at her, “Just ignore it. Willow has been bothering me for ten years. If there was even a possibility of us getting together, we would have done so a long time ago. Honestly, I would never like her. Even if she continues bothering me for another ten or twenty years, I still won’t like her.” My former classmates cheered, and Ron looked like he was about to kiss her. I stood at the door and cried so hard that I trembled, but I did not dare make a sound. Ron, I would not be able to bother you for another twenty years. I was about to die.

Every anniversary, Mark had some twisted surprise for me. Our tenth? He strutted into the ballroom holding hands with an escort wearing straight up lingerie. "Jenna, she's cold. Hand over your dress." Then, like that wasn't sick enough: "And the lingerie. She likes your vibe." I clutched my collar, trying to keep it together. He didn't care—just yanked it open. "Cut the act. Your dad sold you to me, remember? That slutty look you used to give me—I still see it." Everyone stared, waiting for me to break. So I did the one thing I could. "I want a divorce." Again. Mark just laughed and chucked a stack of photos on the table—me, covered in marks, curled in bed, a total mess. "You say that every year. And every year, you're back in my bed. Think your mom keeps that hospital spot if these get out?"

“Do you take Shane Medes, Great and mighty Alpha King, leader of the blood moon pack to be your lawful wedded mate?” Lauren coaxed her words, holding a book in her hand. “Yes.” I smiled, the butterflies in my belly started to dance as I looked at the Alpha king in his face. “Now, your turn Shane.” Lauren darted her eye at him, “do you take Harley Steven, this ordinary human, a lowlife and outcast from her family to be your lawfully wedded Luna and mate?” I look at Shane waiting for his reply in anticipation. I have always wanted this day to come. To finally get married to Shane, just as the moon goddess has promised. “Yes! I would till death separates us.” He pulled me by my waist, my belly hitting his. He raised my chin with his hand, his lips curly to a kiss, and he…

“Where’s your fight now, wife?” Dominic's breath ghosted across my bare skin. “Let me go. I’m warning you,” I hissed, struggling against his wrist that held both my hands above my head. “Funny... Your upper and lower lips seem to be contradicting each other. I don’t know which to trust… maybe I should kiss both, see which one’s lying.” “Fuck you!” I spat—only it came out more like a moan I couldn’t control. “Yeah…” His hand tightened, holding me just enough to make my pulse pound. “Yeah… you will. You’ll beg for it.” “You'll scream it out to the world. Tell them who you belong to,” And it should’ve been a joke. A sick one. Because Dominic Cantrell wasn’t someone girls like me belonged to. He was the billionaire’s heir with a reputation that could ruin cities and rebuild them. I was a mere cleaner with a brother in debt. But when a series of mistakes; one fight, one night, one kiss; pulls us into a contract that binds me to him for 365 days, survival becomes something I have to earn… under him. The devil thinks I’m a pawn. He thinks he can own me, bend me, break me. He’s so wrong. Because I'm not one of his bimbos. I'm his Kryptonite. And one day? I’ll make the devil kneel. WARNING: Contains high R-rated explicit scenes.

"I, Aiden Steve, soon to be alpha of the crescent moon pack, reject you, omega Anna Fanning, as my mate and future luna." He said with a stoic hard expression on his smooth face. Nothing prepared me for the pain that hit me with full force. Clutching my chest, and trying not to scream from the sheer force, I was hurt. More hurt than when I became a slave at the pack house, or when I was constantly bullied by members in the pack house. With one hand on my chest, and a voice barely audible, I asked him "why"? He scorned and said, “you don't expect me to have an omega as my mate and luna.” With that, I broke down in tears I've been holding and I swear, I saw his expression change a little or so I thought. "I, Anna Fanning, daughter of Beta Ace and Dakota Fanning, accept your rejection". I sobbed and yelled at him……

"Amber, please...save me." "What happened?!" A pause. Then finally, the revelation. "I killed someone." No..... ---- Amber Banks is a down to earth and hardworking young woman. Being orphaned from a young age, she works tirelessly, holding down three to four jobs a day just to support her only brother's education. She loves him dearly. One day, brother gets into trouble. Deep trouble and Amber's life comes crashing down. Her brother faces a lifetime in jail and the only way for her to save him is to steal confidential data from the CEO of Virtuex, Fabian Williams himself and hand them over to his rival company, She works her way into his life, playing the role of a temptress but in the process of spying, she finds herself falling in love with him. Will Amber betray Fabian in the end? Will Fabian find out who she truly is? Will love prevail or will it burn to ashes, never to be seen again?

My sister and I were both enslaved after the Great War and the defeat of humankind. But before long, my sister's striptease performance earned the Alpha lycan's favor, and they soon left, holding hands. On the other hand, I was taken away by a masked man unceremoniously after he left some money on the counter. However, no one expected the Alpha lycan to chew through my sister's throat during the full moon, while the masked man treasured me, pampering me with endless wealth and prestige. My sister turned into a vengeful spirit then and cursed me to death. When I opened my eyes again, we had both reincarnated to that fateful day. This time, my sister threw herself straight into the masked man's arms, sniffling as she begged, "Please love me?" Standing nearby, I laughed. After all, it was wonderful that I didn't have to be a vampire's walking blood pack in this life.