Storm Watch C. J. Box

After my fiance’s childhood friend found out I was born with a heart condition, she secretly poured a high-dose energy drink into my champagne. The moment I drank it, my heart started racing, and stabbing pain spread through my chest. In a panic, I tore open my only emergency medication, but the water I used to take it had been swapped with strong lemon water. As soon as I drank it, my face went pale. I lost all strength and collapsed to the ground. “Lemon water’s full of vitamin C. It helps with hangovers and keeps you healthy.” Charlotte Whitmore laughed so hard she nearly doubled over. With her arms crossed, she looked at my fiance, Ethan Cross, the boss of the Rolling Stones. “Ethan, your fiancee’s acting is incredible! “I’ve been a doctor for years, and I’ve never seen anyone react like this to a little champagne and lemon water.” I bit my lip until I tasted blood. The pain made my eyes sting, and I clutched Ethan’s leg. “Honey, please, call an ambulance! I can’t take it anymore…” For a moment, his expression wavered, but the guests quickly cut in. “Come on, stop pretending! Nobody dies from a bit of champagne and lemon water.” “Yeah, you’re just jealous Charlotte got promoted and didn’t want to toast to her.” Ethan’s face turned cold again. He yanked my hand off and stepped away. “Charlotte’s a doctor. You’ll be fine with her here.” I stopped begging and texted my father asking for help.

In a world ravaged by global nuclear fallout, I struggled to survive alongside my fragile, sweet-faced best friend, dodging one radiation storm after another. The route to the Central Safety Zone was blocked—we had no choice but to use two detonators to blast open the tunnel. Otherwise, we would be caught in the storm, our bodies rotting away until we either dissolved into blood sludge or turned into zombies. … In my previous life, I had risked everything to secure those detonators, only for my best friend to hand them over to a complete stranger without hesitation. "They have elderly people and children on their side too," she said earnestly. "One detonator can save many lives. Iris, you can't be selfish." I was so furious my blood pressure nearly exploded, but with no other option, I went straight into a horde of zombies to steal backup detonators. I lost an arm in the process, drenched in blood and barely standing. Yet, she complained that I was covered in gore and had frightened the children. After finally regrouping with the main convoy, I rushed to deliver the formula for anti-radiation medicine to the research institute so that more people could be saved. But she accused me of stealing supplies and trying to flee, which led to my expulsion from the base, and death, my body rotting away under the radiation. When I opened my eyes again, there was still one hour left before the radiation storm hit. I looked down at the two detonators in my hand, then at my pitiful, tear-brimmed best friend—and I smiled. Since she loved being a good person so much, this time, I would let her be one to her heart's content.

No quinto ano de casamento, Virgínia Prado reclamou que o suplemento de vitamina C que o marido havia comprado era amargo demais. Ela decidiu levar o frasco ao hospital. O médico, após examinar o conteúdo, ergueu os olhos e disse que aquilo não era vitamina C. — Doutor, pode repetir o que disse? — Perguntou Virgínia. — Repetir quantas vezes não vai mudar nada. — Respondeu o médico, apontando para o frasco. — Isto aqui é mifepristona. Se for ingerido em excesso, não só causa infertilidade, como também prejudica seriamente o corpo. Virgínia sentiu a garganta apertar, como se algo a estivesse sufocando. A mão dela que segurava o frasco ficou pálida de tanto que ela o apertava. — Isso é impossível. Foi o meu marido que preparou isso para mim. Ele se chama Marcus Mello. Ele também é médico aqui no hospital. O médico ergueu a cabeça e olhou para Virgínia com um olhar estranho, carregado de algo difícil de decifrar. Por fim, ele sorriu de forma enigmática e disse: — Senhora, é melhor você procurar o setor de psiquiatria. Todos aqui conhecem a esposa do Dr. Marcus. Há dois meses ela deu à luz. Não perca seu tempo, querida. Você não tem chance.

When I was discharged from the psychiatric hospital, my brother and sister-in-law dropped everything to personally pick me up. Even my nephew, who had just finished his college entrance exams, arrived with a box of carrot cake he had waited in line all day to buy. His warm smile was the picture of innocence. “Auntie, congratulations on your discharge. With me here, you’ll never feel lonely again.” To outsiders, we were the perfect family—envied by all and even awarded the title of a local model family. But behind the facade of family bliss lay a very different story. On the very day my brother transferred the last of the family properties to me, I went live on social media. In front of an audience that idolized my so-called perfect family, I boasted about my "accomplishments." I conned my nephew into paying for a spot at an elite school, duped my sister-in-law into stepping into a scandalous club, and tricked my brother into losing everything he had worked for. “My brother has treated me with nothing but kindness. And I can only repay his kindness with betrayal.”

In her past life, Lindsay and the adopted daughter of the Harper family were kidnapped together. Tragically, her biological parents, five older brothers, and childhood sweetheart all chose to save the adopted daughter first, resulting in Lindsay's death. Reborn, Lindsay decided to sever ties with her family and break up with her childhood sweetheart. Determined to survive, she set out to conquer the entertainment industry. Her eldest brother, a powerful CEO in the entertainment world, soon witnessed her star studio rise to the top of the industry. Her second brother, a top agent, saw her become the ace agent in the circle. Her third brother, a popular and talented singer, watched as one of her songs quickly topped the charts. Her fourth brother, a genius new director, found himself envious of her film’s box office success. Her fifth brother, a top young idol, saw her win numerous awards and become a top actress. Eventually, her biological parents and five brothers begged for forgiveness, filled with regret. Even her ex-boyfriend, now a renowned actor, begged for reconciliation. Lindsay, however, refused to forgive them.

I return home from my business trip that night. The pharmacy I always go to calls to say that my membership card was used that afternoon, but the payment failed, and the account needs to be topped up. I look over at my wife, Catherine Francis, who's focused on making dinner. I ask her what she bought. She smiles and pulls out a box of supplements. "I've been staying up late working these past few days. My heart's been acting up a little, so I bought some heart supplements." Seeing my expression go flat, she lets out a helpless sigh and takes a card out of her bag. "I know you're particular about money. Since I accidentally used your membership card, I'll pay you back ten times. Okay?" However, I don't take the card like I used to. I just look at her calmly and say, "Let's get a divorce."

Marriage is a Sacred and Safe Haven. But in Business Traditions, it is a merge deal between two families wanted their wealth to become secure. Both parties agreed upon merge marriage, except those people who will be involved and will be continually granted each family's will. Carly, a 24 year-old aspiring Geographer doesn't really get and agree upon the idea of arranged marriage. Even as a nerd, she wanted a social life outside of the box that she never had when she was studying. A geek by appearance, an adventuress at heart. And Calvin, a 28 year-old full time and successful Business man. But the company he worked so hard in his whole life time will never be on him unless he will agree upon this deal. A hard worker and doesn't have time to socialize and doesn't know how to take a break. These two people meet and agreed that they both don't agree at this marriage. They both wanted to escape this situation but how? By mere pressure and desperation, it came up an opportunity. It wasn't really planned nor an idea but they unexpectedly had an Accidental Escapes.

When you're homeless after catching your BF and BFF together, the next time you see them, they're screaming in public, your hot billionaire fiancé casually wraps an arm around you and says to your BFF: "Jenny, watch your mouth in front of your new mom... and your future little brothers." Jenny: 😱Dad!? Ex-BF: 🤡

It was only meant to be a one-time, one-night solution to ONE problem. Okay, that's a lie. There are two problems: #1) I'm broke. Through no fault of my own, other than I fell down a rabbit hole so deep, I'm now buried in my sister's debt—with my name, Nikki St. Claire, stamped across it. #2) I honestly need a reprieve from my overly mundane, personal life. So when I stumble upon a highly exclusive and extremely secretive auction, I'm both intrigued and potentially saved, given I've left no "box" of what I'll do unchecked on the interview questionnaire, which exponentially increases the reserve that's set on me. Only thing is… The man who buys me turns out to be Jameson Richards. A drool-worthy billionaire bachelor. Also… My boss. How we got this tangled up in each other is a story unto itself. What we do once I accept his one-night contract is a tale riddled with lust and love.

Ariadne Harper thought her brother couldn't get any worse than just turning into a bad guy, but Jaxon Harper did something Ariadne never expected before by sold her to marry a billionaire. After being dumped to marry a stranger man 10 years older than her, Ariadne's life was no different from a precious bird in a luxurious cage. Everything was available for her, but the freedom was taken away, her life was confined in the mansion, even her husband treated her so coldly as if he didn't care. Ariadne slowly hatee her life, but what if something dangerous was hidden behind the reason for her marriage? Ariadne didn't know much about her husband, and why he was interested in marrying her even though he had another woman he loved. A long journey awaited Ariadne to uncovered the secret behind her marriage, and when she opened the secret box, Ariadne would find the reason for her to love Maximilian Leander Milton, or hated him to death.