Stepping Stones Synonym

“Don't send me away! I promise to do whatever you want. Don't just send me back!" Desperate Candy pleaded with the man she knows nothing about. He slowly turns to look at her, his gaze piercing as ever, sending a chill down her spine. Stepping closer, he reached her chin and raised it to make her meet his eyes, using his index finger. "Little woman, accepting to be my wife means I'll own you and there's no turning back. You seems too fragile to be in my hell," He warned. With nervousness kicking in, she took a deep breath. She'd rather face his hell than stuck in the misery her stepmother had prepared for her. "Yes. I want to be your wife. In return you'll have to protect me from my step mother," She boldly declared prompting the man's lips to curl up into a devilish smile. His gaze settled on her slightly exposed cleavage, and lust filled them. "Strip" He ordered. ___ A deal... With the Billionaire devil... Will Candy ever regret her decision? What happens when enemies, dark secrets and unexpected emotions threatened to tear them apart?

Kathalina Ruiz never believed in fairy tales. Her mother's dying wish bound her to enigmatic CEO Thirdie Stone in an arranged marriage she accepted out of duty, not romance. Yet somewhere between quiet nights and fragile smiles, Kathalina fell deeply for her distant husband only to keep her love locked away, too afraid it would never be returned. For three years, their marriage balanced on politeness and silence. Then one stormy afternoon shattered it all. Kathalina walked into Thirdie's office and found another woman-half-naked-sitting on his lap. Without demanding an explanation, she signed the divorce papers he placed before her, his gaze as cold as the ink that sealed their separation. What she never knew was that Thirdie's betrayal was a lie... a desperate act to protect her from the dangerous threats circling his empire. Heartbroken and grieving, Kathalina fled abroad. From the ashes of her pain, she rebuilt herself into a celebrated jewelry designer, admired for her elegance and independence. But fate had other plans. Years later, her mother's lawyer makes a revelation she has inherited a vast fortune and controlling shares in Stone Corporation. The life and the man she tried to escape are waiting for her return. Back in the city where it all began, Kathalina comes face-to-face with Thirdie once more. Old wounds resurface, secrets linger in every shadow, and danger draws closer than ever. Now, she must decide to protect her heart from the man who once broke it or uncover the truth he buried......a truth that could change everything she thought she knew about their past. A story of love, sacrifice, and second chances, The Stones We Keep asks.....is it ever too late to believe in a love that never truly died?

“This is wrong. You’re supposed to help me fix my marriage” “And yet here you are, squirming under my hands like you're begging me to break it” “You're too close… I can’t think straight when you’re this close” “Then stop thinking. Just feel.” He leans in, his breath brushing against my lips. “Tell me to stop Lillian—and I will. But if you don’t, I’m going to kiss and claim your body like I’ve imagined a thousand times on that chair” *~*~*~*~*~*~*~* When Lillian Calloway walks into marriage counseling, she’s desperate—not just to save her crumbling relationship with her emotionally distant husband, but to hold together the image of a perfect life. Then she meets Dr Ronan Carter. Calm, devastatingly handsome and far too familiar for her comfort. Each session unravels more than just the crack in her marriage—it exposes desires she’s locked away for years. Ronan makes her feel alive. And when the professional lines begin to blur, Lillian finds herself stepping on the edge of something forbidden. He’s her counselor. She’s his client. Falling for each other will cost them everything. But what if the biggest lie was the marriage they were trying to save?

"You think I am a fool?" he whispered in my ear, coming closer. He was pissing me off. "Why the hell do you want to marry me?" I gritted my teeth. He touched my cheeks, and something flashed in his eyes. "No," I said, stepping back, keeping space between us. He was about to speak, but I cut him off. "I will not marry you." ********************** Gurans lives a very depressing life with her parents, who don't have any love for her. With the continuous hatred from her parents and frustration from her own life, she tries to end it. Her suicide attempt turns into another failure in her life as she finds herself in a stranger's house. She tries to leave the house but as the stranger doesn't let her go she starts to believe that she was kidnapped.  Tired of her questions, the stranger puts out a deal for her. Although the details of the deal have not been fully revealed, for her freedom, she accepts it. Finally, she gets free from his hold, but it's not long before he comes to claim her back. Once they start to live together the truth of the deal is slowly revealed turning her life upside down. Cover credit - ** Art Created by ImperialSkyGod using Midjourney **

Numbers is everything here in New Gloria-- and the World. Once your Reborn and earn your class and system, those numbers that measure your abilities mean your life....or your death. Many Heroes lay down their lives in pursuit of fame and power while exploring the Tangent's. But the main goal is to stop the creatures from within the Tangents from coming out and further Terra-forming the Earth, as well as combating the Bosses of the Tangent's who seem to have their own ulterior motives. Somewhere within the vast green forests of western New Gloria, a boy named Claude Grey learns pretty fast that most people in power do everything they can to stay that way, even if that means stepping on the throats of the ones they hold dear. Claude's only ever liked a few humans and as he gets older he learns new ways to hate them. Hate that is cultivated during his exploration of the Tangent's where he stumbles upon a strange and beautiful transformative power that helps to show him how truly horrible humans are and maybe these beasts of the Tangent's arent what the Heroes make them out to be... *** Cover art does not belong to me so if the original creator happens to stumble upon my novel and would like credit or for me to take it down please let me know.

“Get away from her!” The voice behind us hit like a bullet. We both froze. I turned slowly, and there he was—Castillo “What did you do?” he growled. “I bonded,” I said calmly. “With him?” he roared, stepping closer. “You think he’s worthy of what runs through your blood? Of you?” Aether stepped in front of me. “She chose me,” he said firmly. “You lost her the moment you turned your back, the moment you abandoned her due to greed and uncertainty.” I was supposed to be Luna by mate bond but Alpha Castillo broke me with a harsh rejection. To him I wasn’t worthy to be his Luna, but now after discovering that I’m not just Maybel the pack apprentice healer, but the last Vessel of the moon goddess he wouldn’t let me be with Alpha Aether; my new mated bond. Struggling with Alpha Aether’s hunting past, battling with Castillo’s new Luna who wouldn’t rest until she steals my power, and upholding my new identity as the goddess vessel, with mysteries to uncover. I’m wondering how I would cope with these burdens bestowed on me. Find out how May navigates through Fate and destiny, and how she copes with two Alpha fighting for her love.

Livie thought she found her forever with long-time boyfriend Abel. Livie and Abel were just meant to be. At the age of eighteen, they sneak off to get married. On the night of their wedding, things go too far. A drunken Abel is tricked by Livie's sneaky cousin, Anna. Anna has been jealous of Livie their entire lives. Determined to wreck Livie's happiness, Anna does a terrible thing. When Livie discovers what Anna and Abel have done, she runs away, stepping out of their lives. A heartbroken Abel moves away when his band becomes an overnight success story. A sick Anna reaches out to make peace with Livie nearly a year later. Livie forgives her dying cousin. Suddenly, Livie is thrust into parenthood by caring for Annas young son, Fin. Fin's famous father adds to the distraction of Livie's new reality. Faced with the truth that it is time for her to move forward in life, Livie reaches out to Abel for a divorce. Unfortunately, Abel causes a stir when he declares he wants their marriage to work out. Livie must learn to navigate her feelings for Abel and her desires for a fresh start. Her fresh start may be with a new man or it may be with a second chance romance.

POWERS SERIES (BOOK TWO) ”I’m only here until my father’s debt is paid. I’m not your property,” I said, though my voice faltered under his piercing gaze. Owen smirked, stepping closer, his voice a low, dangerous growl. “Funny, because the moment you stepped into my territory, you became my property, mia cara, and I do not let go of what’s mine until I’ve taken everything I’m owed—and more.” Mae has spent her entire life trying to clean up her father’s messes. But when his largest debt lands her in the hands of Owen, the most feared Mafia Don in the country, her life takes a maddening turn. Owen built his empire on blood, power, and his unwavering belief that family is nothing but a weakness. Mae’s fierce loyalty and willingness to risk everything to protect her deadbeat father—and track down the mother who abandoned her—makes her more interesting than she already is. Trapped in a web of danger, desire, and impossible choices, Mae has to decide: How far will she go to save the people who’ve already let her down? And how long can she resist the pull of the man who claims to own her?

“I’ll agree to this—but only if you stay out of my business.” “You have a deal,” the man chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender, his husky voice dripping with amusement. “But,” he added, stepping closer, his breath brushing against her ear, “you’ll have to agree to my conditions, too.” “I said I’d agree, didn’t I?” Sherry replied coolly. Her expression didn’t waver as she grabbed his collar and pulled him down to her eye level. “Mr. Smith,” she whispered, matching his tone with a quiet fierceness. Hah… This woman is going to drive me insane, Levian thought, already realizing this would be far from easy. ~~~ On her wedding day, Sherry is poisoned by her best friend. Her fiancé? At the hospital, he was celebrating the birth of his child with someone else. But fate rewinds the clock. Waking up a day before her death, Sherry has one goal: uncover the truth and take back control. However, as the secrets unravel, she realizes the betrayal runs deeper than she imagined. That's when the rumored Levian Smith makes her an offer: “Marry me, and I’ll stake my very soul for you.” Now, she must choose—revenge or redemption?

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.