Slice Of Life

At three in the morning, I stare at the unknown transaction record on my phone screen, my fingertips turning cold. The record is for a payment of 2980 dollars, made for an executive suite at the Wisteria. The time of payment was 8:00 pm last night. My husband, Tristan Griffin, is a detective. He was on the night shift last night. I clutch my phone, my knuckles turning white as I text Tristan, "I just saw your credit card bill for a hotel stay last night. What's up with that?" His reply is instant. "Our team had to work overtime at the last minute, so they put us up at the hotel. I forgot to tell you about it." I scan the text and sputter. The Wisteria is located in the western region of the city, which is on the other end from where his squad is stationed. I don't press him for more details and click on the bank app on my phone. Having found the vendor's address through the payment record, I sent it to my best friend, Rowena Sheffield, who works as a private detective. She replies instantly with an "OK" emoji and follows up with, "Give me a second. I'll find out everything you want in a jiffy!"

"What could that be?" I whispered to myself as I felt something moved so fast behind me. It was dark at night and I had only a dim-lighted lamp to see my way through this thick forest. "Oh my God!!" I shrieked in fear as I felt a hand wrapped around my waist as I perceived the smell of warm human blood from behind me.

My dad urgently requested that I bring Jeffrey back as he was rushed to the emergency room following a car accident. I nodded, holding back tears, but deep down, I knew Jeffrey harbored resentment toward me. He blamed me for his shattered relationship, my inherited wealth, and for coming between him and his first love. Nothing could deter him from pursuing her, not even me. "Evalyn, today is Melinda's birthday. Can you just be reasonable for once?" He spoke these words amidst the familiar sounds of laughter before abruptly ending the call. Moments later, my dad took his last breath, his eyes wide open in a final, stark gaze. As I fulfilled his last requests, organizing everything as he had instructed, I decided to let Jeffrey go. It was only then that he began to regret everything…

Megan Hurley orchestrated a bullying scheme to drive a wedge between me and my childhood friend, Eugene. I fell into her trap as she intended, but only saved Eugene Carson. The thugs she hired, however, proved reckless. As a result, she accidentally died. This enraged Eugene to the point of hatred. He was convinced I had set up the bullying that led to Megan's death. On our wedding anniversary, he pushed me off a high building, his face twisted with relentless fury. "This is what you owe me and Megan. Sherlyn, you deserve to die!" When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day of the bullying. This time, I didn't intervene. Later, he knocked on my window in the rain, saying hoarsely in despair, "Sherlyn, why do you no longer care about me?"

Donnah Carbonell has been very close to her only sister, Aliyah, that when she committed suicide, she couldn’t accept it and felt that her sister’s boyfriend has something to do with it. That is why she promised herself that she’ll know the truth behind Aliyah's death. She will do her best to stay close to Clyde Agustin so she can gather infos about their relationship and avenge the death of her sister. But what if she’ll accidentally fell for him during the process? What will happen?

Selected, Laurent's Lab" The invitation came several days later, after I had given up all hope of ever earning an internship. An invitation to work for the King of Vampires. The most revered vampire in all of Moon City, and the only vampire still linked to Royal blood. ~~~~~ When Dalia was accepted to work in Laurent's Inc, she didn't expect to ever meet the King of Vampires, not until she finds that the gorgeous, cocky, ancient vampire had been the blue eyed tormentor of her wet dreams. The most ruthless of all vampires in Moon City, Jacob St. Laurent didn't get the title "King of Vampires" by being easily swayed or by falling in love. He would do anything in his power not to see that happen. But fate always had a way of being a b*tch

"he's your elder brother! The rightful heir of the kingdom. "He turned around furious. His eyes glowing red and his hands itching to silence that voice forever. "The king would never choose you as his heir! "'Now that's enough! ' his rugged fingers from fighting many a wars now gripped the handle to his sword. 'He had had enough of this unruly man.' "prince Chandra! "Afraid that he had to witness another bloodbath tonight in front of his eyes, the minister spoke up. "You could be the heir to the throne, if there's no elder brother to claim it anymore. "A silence so poignant settled into the room, before the fool spoke again. "And how's prince Chandra supposed to kill his own brother? He has been kicked out of the palace without an army, rarely any income except the looted money from the nearby villages. " "I know a way to overcome these problems." "The sole heiress of Rai chand's.Their coal mines, the business of daimonds could solve all our problems." "But why would they give all that to us?"the prince asked. "Because you would marry his daughter." "goodness!" the ladies gasped. "I bet he would have a hard time at the wedding knowing that at the end of the night, this nymph would be waiting at his bed"an blush crept up her cheeks.But it was all short lived she ran down the steps of her home in a frenzy her bridal attire swishing across the floor. Tears had already stained her cheeks when she reached the aisle.It was all red! The floor, the ceiling, the carpet and the lifeless body of her soon to be husband that lay there, bathed in blood."It's time for us to get married darling!" the prince clasped her hand.

Roan King. The uncrowned king of Barnett University. He's like a freaking celebrity around here. It's totally ridiculous. People, by which I mean grown women, actually stalk him on the internet. And around campus. Apparently he's god's gift to both football and the ladies (I'm using that term loosely). All he has to do is smile and girls just fall right onto their backs before spreading their legs nice and wide. I've heard that he's already plowed his way through half the female population here at Barnett. I'm sure he'll work his way through the second half before he gets drafted to the NFL later this year. Yeah... I don't plan to be one of them. The guy is nothing more than a conceited player. You know the type—a steroid infused meathead jock coasting through college on his football prowess. Ugh. I have three words for you—avoid, avoid, avoid. Need I say more? I don't think so. I've had the sad misfortune of running into him on campus. Literally. As in—I literally slammed into him before spilling my iced coffee drink all over that wide rippling chest of his (did I just say that?). What I learned from the experience is that Roan King is one hell of a cocky son of a— Ok Unfortunately for me, Operation Avoid-Roan-King isn't going so well. Everywhere I go, there he is. If he wasn't so ridiculously hot, he would be a hell of a lot easier to forget. With his dark hair, shocking turquoise colored eyes and (damn him) buff body, he's easily the most gorgeous guy I've ever laid eyes on. Crap... see what I mean? Why do I suddenly have the bad feeling that Roan King is going to lead to my utter ruin and downfall?

In the high stakes world of wealth, philanthropy, and power plays, Shadows of Desire weaves a tale of love, betrayal, and redemption. At the center of it all is Sophie Langston, a passionate and driven woman who co-founded a charitable foundation with her long-time business partner and lover, James Thornton. Their organization, built on the ideals of changing the world, has become a beacon of hope for struggling communities. But as the foundation grows in influence, so do the enemies lurking in the shadows. Sophie and James find their relationship and partnership tested when an unexpected visitor walks into their lives, Richard Mallory, a disgraced businessman with a tainted past. Despite having tried to undermine the foundation before, Richard proposes a substantial investment, claiming he wants to make amends. Torn between suspicion and the potential benefits for their projects, Sophie reluctantly agrees, setting off a chain of events that unravel deep-seated conspiracies and hidden agendas. Soon after, whispers of internal conflict and financial instability begin to surface. Rumors swirl about a power struggle between Sophie and James, putting their relationship under intense public scrutiny. Behind the scenes, they uncover a more sinister plot at play. Dominic Kane, a ruthless corporate raider infamous for hostile takeovers and blackmail, has set his sights on their foundation. With a history of exploiting the vulnerable for profit, Kane sees their organization as his next target, aiming to use it as a pawn in his larger schemes. As Sophie and James grapple with this new threat, they must navigate a web of deceit, power struggles, and hidden motives. Old allies resurface, trust is tested, and secrets from the past are unearthed, forcing the couple to confront their own vulnerabilities...

Violet Greco just wanted her father to see her,Instead he sold her. So she did what she always does, she made plan. Aleksei Carmene accepted the arrangement to get his father off his back. The Greco daughter was a business decision. A name on a contract and nothing more. Two rival families. One political marriage arranged to end a war neither family started, She walks in with poison in her bouquet and an exit strategy. He walks in with a contract. Neither of them planned on the other being exactly what they needed.