Stepping Stones Synonym

"You shouldn’t be here." Lila’s voice trembled, betraying the iron resolve she clung to. Cassian smirked, his broad frame blocking the doorway. "And yet, here I am." His gaze lingered on her, dark and hungry. "You didn’t think I’d let you go so easily, did you?" Two years ago, he shattered her heart with a rejection that still stung like a fresh wound. Now, the powerful Alpha stood in her doorway, his scent wrapping around her like a forbidden promise. "You made your choice, Cassian," she said, stepping back, even as her pulse quickened. "I’ve moved on." "Have you?" His voice was low, dangerous, as he closed the distance between them. "Because I haven’t. Every moment without you has been hell." Lila’s breath hitched as his hand brushed her cheek, the touch sparking a fire she thought had long since burned out. "You don’t get to do this," she whispered, though her body betrayed her, leaning into him. "I’ll do whatever it takes to make you mine again," he growled, his lips just a breath away from hers. "Even if I have to fight the entire world you to prove it." But Cassian isn’t the only one after her heart. And this time, Lila refuses to be anyone’s second choice.

For years, Sophia Lark has been married to Lucas Anderson but their marriage is a sham. On the outside, they appear like a perfect couple but behind closed doors, their union is a prison to her. Suffocated by Lucas’s cruelty and indifference, Sophia had spent years fading into the background and enduring his coldness.Everything changes when Lucas’s company is taken over by a new CEO—Julian Gray who is known for his ruthless business mind. Julian and Sophia cross paths during a charity gala. Unlike her husband, his gaze lingers, seeing through the mask she’s forced to wear. She can’t deny the sizzling attraction between them.With his quiet confidence, Julian challenges Lucas for Sophia’s affection. He offers her a glimpse of something she thought was lost—desire, freedom, and a chance to be seen. But stepping into Julian’s world of wealth and influence comes with risks. He’s got secrets of his own and a toxic supermodel ex who is hellbent on winning him back.Then there’s Lucas too, who refuses to let her go without a fight. Sophia finds herself trapped between two powerful men. She must decide if she’s willing to risk everything for a chance at escape—or if she’s only trading one cage for another.

When Lyla threatens her Alpha's authority, she doesn't expect him to banish her from the pack. But he does, and only moments after stepping outside her door, someone attacks her and leaves her for dead. And then the Alpha of her rival pack arrives. But instead of finishing her off, he saves her . . . even though it's against the law. Now they're both in danger. But they can't seem to stay away from each other.

Hela Lyon: being an alpha in your pack meant one thing, sacrificing your happiness for the peace of your pack. not that i am an acting alpha yet, my biased father will never allow a woman to rule. I just didn't expect him to decide my life for me. a marriage, an arranged one at that. never in my twenty four years of living would i have imagined getting married to someone who isn’t my mate, talk more of him being the alpha king, the devil himself. The fact that I have no say in this arrangement irks me out and now I have to comply as it is the only way we can assure peace. Eros Rain Vasilios: power doesn't come till you work for it no matter who you are, that is why i worked for mine. Being the king doesn't mean my life was rosy, it was quite the opposite. After the death of my parents, we were left with power hungry relatives. so my brother and i had to fight through it to succeed. These days all I envision myself to be is a selfless ruler who puts his people's needs before his own, the king with his people, for his people and of his people. So I know what I wanted as I took up the marriage partnership as a deal, i was killing two stones with one stone, to some i may be declaring false vows with a female alpha, to me, i was scheming and at the same time declaring my love to my mate(the perfect pawn for my plans). Emotions and words are the center of this story. Read to find the rollercoaster they both find themselves in and also watch out for the blooming love between both siblings.

Valarie never dreamed she’d have to marry the Alpha King—a ruthless leader feared across the land. That was supposed to be her twin sister Vanessa's fate. But when Vanessa is attacked days before the wedding, Valarie is forced to take her place, stepping into a dangerous lie to save her family. Pretending to be Vanessa, Valarie faces a man as cold as he is powerful. Alpha King Tristan Blackwood trusts no one, least of all the bride who seems so different from the bold woman he was promised. But behind his icy walls lies a darkness that threatens to consume them both. As Valarie struggles to keep her secret, unexpected sparks fly between her and the Alpha King. Yet danger lurks in the shadows, and the truth about Vanessa's attack could destroy the fragile bond they’ve begun to form. In a world ruled by secrets and strength, Valarie must decide: will she fight for her freedom, or risk everything for the love of a king who might never forgive her betrayal?

Mirabella had built her life around love, trust, and devotion, believing that her marriage to Ethan was the very definition of a perfect union. Despite struggling with infertility, she held onto the dream of a future filled with happiness, willing to sacrifice anything for the man she loved. However, her world is irreversibly shattered when she unexpectedly walks in on Ethan in bed with her older sister, Sienna—the one person she had always trusted. Instead of guilt or remorse, Ethan throws divorce papers in her face, blaming her for her inability to conceive, while Sienna mocks and humiliates her, making it clear that Mirabella has been replaced. Left homeless, heartbroken, and utterly betrayed by those she once considered her entire world, Mirabella spirals into despair, her once-glamorous life crumbling around her. As she drowns in hopelessness, a powerful yet mysterious ally steps forward, offering her the support, resources, and guidance she needs to rise from the ashes of her past. Fueled by pain but strengthened by newfound determination, Mirabella reinvents herself, stepping into a world of power, influence, and ruthless ambition. No longer the fragile woman Ethan and Sienna discarded, she meticulously orchestrates a masterful plan to reclaim her dignity and dismantle the lives of those who wronged her. But as Ethan and Sienna’s world begins to crumble under the weight of their own greed and deception, Mirabella is faced with an unexpected realization—true power is not in revenge but in the ability to walk away. Will she take her vengeance to the bitter end, or will she choose to embrace a new beginning, where her happiness is no longer tied to the past?

Amelia Carter never expected her life to collide with Dominic Blackwood — the grumpy billionaire, ruthless CEO, and her brother’s best friend. Once the carefree boy who teased her like a little sister, Dominic has become a man shrouded in power, secrets, and a dangerous edge she can’t ignore. Desperate for a fresh start, Amelia takes a job as Dominic’s executive assistant, stepping into a world of high stakes and cold luxury. But working for Dominic is a battle of wills—he’s as demanding as he is infuriating, pushing her to her limits with biting comments and piercing gazes that stir something deep within her. As days turn into nights and business bleeds into temptation, the line between professional and personal blurs. Beneath Dominic’s gruff exterior lies a storm of pain and passion, and Amelia soon discovers that the man she thought she knew is far more complex—and broken—than she ever imagined. Their connection ignites into a fierce, unrelenting fire, forcing Amelia to confront her own desires and the dark past Dominic hides. But loving Dominic Blackwood comes at a price, and surrendering to him could ruin them both. In a world of power, secrets, and shattered trust, can Amelia break through Dominic’s walls without losing herself? Or will their love destroy everything in its wake? Ruin Me, Blackwood is a dark, steamy modern romance of forbidden passion, emotional scars, and the fierce battle to find redemption in the arms of a man who refuses to be tamed.

April Moore’s played by her family’s rules all her life. Now, she’s outlived most of her family and those rules she’s forced to live by have the world seeing her as worthless. April believed she loved David Moore, and she believed he loved her when they married. Soon after the wedding, his sweet compliments, and generous gifts disappeared. Two years later, April said goodbye to her deadbeat husband and enjoyed being challenged by an interesting billionaire. What’s a woman who’s claim to fame’s the yearbook’s ‘Ms. Plain Jane’ going to do with the football captain. Sure, it’s years after graduation but, the things he remembers! Damien Jones is busy pretending to maintain the image of a useless playboy. While he’s stepping in for his father at the new resort because his father wants to hide his slow death. Now corporate sabotage hits the resort during the wedding of a friend Damien is acting as best man for. It becomes complicated. The resort booked for the wedding for the week. The harm came from a guest or staff member. Competition is steep in this town and reputations can die if this leads back to someone. April’s full of talents and secrets. She always was. damien believes he has a chance with April. she’s lost the training wheels and she’s coming out swinging at life. to damien, April’s beautiful in everyway. But will society have something else to say about their relationship through the backdrop of their friends’ wedding and business gone awry? April and Damien will confront social climbing relatives, corporate saboteurs, steamy nights and more. After that, will they find love?

Arabella Winters made a desperate choice to save her father’s life: sabotage Sebastian Bancroft’s engagement to the Windsor heiress. Her mission was simple, create a scandal that would destroy his wedding plans. And she succeeded. But Sebastian Bancroft is no ordinary billionaire. As the ruthless head of the Bancroft mafia empire, he’s a man who never forgives betrayal. To make Arabella pay, he traps her in a dangerous game of revenge, a contract marriage designed to humiliate and control her at every turn. What starts as cold, calculated vengeance begins to turn into something darker and far more dangerous. The lines between hatred and desire blur as Arabella finds herself falling deeper into Sebastian’s complicated world. Now, she must decide whether to play and submit to his rules or risk everything to rewrite the game against the mafia billionaire who refuses to let her go. Excerpt: “Did you really think you could cross me, Arabella? That you could disrupt my plans and simply walk away unscathed?” Her voice faltered, though she tried to hold her ground. “I… I didn’t have a choice.” “Oh, you had every choice,” he murmured, stepping closer. His breath brushed against her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. “But now, my vixen, you’ll live with the consequences.” He tilted her chin up with a surprisingly gentle touch, though it only amplified the tension in the air. His tone dropped, low and dangerous. “You’re mine now.” Before she could respond, his lips claimed hers, not gently, but a claim. It wasn’t the kiss of a man seeking affection; it was the kiss of a man who wanted submission. And, despite every instinct telling her to resist, Arabella found herself unable to pull away…

When Eliana lost her job and faced a heap of debt, a lifeline event happened in an unexpected form. A marriage contract with wealth and emotions scarred Geoffrey. Geoffrey's father's life is hanging a string, and the pressure to secure his family legacy is mounting. Eliana, out of options, agrees to the agreement without hesitation, stepping into a world where love is a transaction and trust is a luxury. But their fragile agreement is threatened when Geoffrey's Ex discovers their Union and would stop at nothing to win him back. Will Geoffrey be swayed by his ex's manipulation or will he see the potential to build something genuine with Eliana? Will their reel marriage turn into a real marriage, or will it crumble when the terms expire?