Strictly Platonic Meaning

Before the engagement ceremony takes place, my fiance, Vincenzo Rizzi, makes a formal announcement on the deck of a cargo ship docked at the new harbor. Apparently, my younger stepsister, Sofia Russo, will become his legitimate wife. Vincenzo has an arm wrapped around Sofia's waist. As they stand beneath the spotlight, Vincenzo smiles tenderly at her. "According to the mafioso's rules, only those who have received the core elders' acknowledgment shall become the Madre of the family. Others are nothing but lovers and mistresses." Under the family elders' blessings, Vincenzo gives Sofia a black diamond necklace. Then, they exchange vows with each other and are now engaged. I just watch the ceremony take place quietly. Then, I make an appointment to have an abortion. I have loved Vincenzo since I was 16 years old. I'm 28 years old now, meaning I've been in love with him for 12 years. Yet, Sofia is the only one he has ever loved. In that case, I choose to let go of him once and for all. After that, I travel to a hidden safehouse located in Sombral. All I've left for Vincenzo is a letter stating the termination of our engagement and a farewell gift. But the man, who has never shown concern toward me this whole time, ends up breaking down to the point he doesn't even have the mood to deal with his family matters.

Because of Claire's incitement and slander, Jackson accused Grace of having an affair with Shane. He even disowned the child in Grace's womb, as he felt that he had never had sleep with his wife after they got married. When Grace's child was born, Jackson took a DNA test and the results showed that the child did not match his DNA, meaning that Grace's child was not Jackson's. Grace couldn't believe it, because she had only done it once with Jackson when he came home drunk. However, repeated DNA tests showed that the child was not Jackson's. Grace took a DNA test on herself, and the results didn't match either. It turned out that the baby was not her baby. Then, where did Grace's real baby go? Why did her baby suddenly become not her baby? Jackson chose to divorce because he felt betrayed. Grace agreed to divorce, because she was sick of living with the cold and sharp-mouthed Jackson. Until the truth was revealed, it turned out that Grace had never been wrong. However, Grace was already angry. She signs the divorce papers and together with Shane they search for Grace's real baby, which has been swapped and thrown away by someone else. Until a fact about the baby makes Grace furious and wants to avenge the death of her baby.

The year is 2304 and war has ravaged the world, leaving scattered communities. Keira, a headstrong 25-year-old, has joined the Eagle tribe with the goal of making a difference. Their primary mission is to take back Meraki, a planet that was intended only for the wealthy and privileged. For the past 50 years, raiders seeking riches have taken over Meraki and severed all communication. The Eagle tribe, trained by old war heroes, has been selected to assess the situation and is actively searching for scattered pieces of a space shuttle that was used to travel to Meraki. Keira is one of the few women who joined the force, as most women help out with daily necessities. She has no interest in marriage, but she can't help but react whenever Josh is nearby. Josh, newly appointed as second in command, has a string of women eagerly throwing hints of marriage, and he would stop at nothing to make them sway. His piercing green eyes, sun-kissed blonde hair, dashing dimples, and ripped physique due to excessive training would contribute to the madness. As fate would have it, she found herself crossing paths with Caleb - a master of manipulation with a dashing demeanor. Despite his apparent immunity to emotion, he exuded a commanding presence that was both cold and alluring. There was something dark and mysterious about him that drew her in, and she couldn't help but feel like he had a way of penetrating her guarded thoughts. Meraki is a place for dreams, a meaning to a better future, or maybe where dreams are now scattered by the selfish traits of men for self-gain.

“Lily Myles, what is the meaning of this??!! How can you accept the marriage proposal of your sister's fiance when I, your own fiance, is standing right here?! What sort of embarrassment and disrespect is this??!!!" Aiden bit out in rage. “I told you I forgave you.” Lily whispered. Her eyes glistened as she slipped the ring onto her finger with a smirk on her face. “I never said I’d forget.” When Lily Myles catches her fiancé in bed with her own sister, her world shatters in an instant. Everything… the wedding, the future, her sense of worth turns to ashes. But she isn’t the only one betrayed. Ethan Cole, a secret billionaire, her sister’s fiancé, discovers that the woman he planned to marry was sharing her heart and her body with another man. When pain brings them together, vengeance becomes their common language. Aria and Ethan strike an unholy pact, to ruin the ones who destroyed them. To make their betrayers taste humiliation, heartbreak, and loss. But as the line between revenge and desire blurs, something dangerous begins to grow between them. He was supposed to be her partner in payback not the man she dreams about. She was supposed to help him destroy love, not teach him how to feel it again. Now, revenge has a price neither of them expected: their hearts.

"You need to give me three every day, that's the only way you can have me as your husband" "Three, what?! K-?" "Yes, . Sound easy to do, right?" He smirk and lean closer to me "Not unless you wanted more than just a " "W-What do you mean by that?" "Just so you know, I can accept more but not less of what I ask from you" --- Herravie is the only woman who's using the name Costello for the sake of revenge. For her, the only reason she was born is to die. Her existence only means one thing- vengeance. But her life suddenly turn upside down when she accepted the mission given to her related to the death of her real parents. She must pretend to be someone, for her to become the wife of Sain Czar Ildefonso. She needs to spy on him and then kill him afterward. She thought it was a very easy task to do. She just has to be his wife for everyone's eyes and then kill him. She doesn't need to waste a sweat to please him. But things become out of control when suddenly it turns out that he is the bane of the meaning of her existence and she becomes the subject of all his desire. Will she be able to complete her mission or end up defying everything that was planned just because of a three ? The three dangerous .

“The monster you’re talking about,” I muttered, my heart pounding furiously against my chest. “Let it out. I want to feel it,” He smirked, the type that sent shivers down your spine. The type that warned you ‘never make a deal with the devil’ kind. “Watch your tongue, darling,” His cold deep voice had its way of doing something to my stomach, especially when he laid threats. “I don't fuck like a gentleman. I also don't fuck like a monster,” he strides towards me, pinning his gaze on my body. “I fuck like the devil in your nightmares, and you’ll scream like I am your God.” A contract relationship. Signed by ink in words. It was supposed to be a contract, but it was a trap: “Both parties expressly agree that this arrangement is strictly contractual in nature and devoid of any emotional or romantic involvement. Any demonstration of affection, emotional attachment, or behavior suggestive of romantic intent shall constitute a material breach of contract. Violation of this clause will result in immediate termination of the agreement, and the offending party shall forfeit all benefits, assets, or compensations received under this contract. This clause is non-negotiable and emphasized as a binding condition of the agreement.” However, there was another; “Party A must be in a perfect health condition.” *** Olivia Hayes is terminally ill and suffers from cancer. She has lived all her life prioritizing her mother’s health condition until one sentence shattered her dynamism; “I’m sorry, Miss Hayes. The results confirm it is cancer.” With her mother in a critical condition, she struggles to raise the funds for immediate treatment not until her encounter with Ezekiel Grayson, a cold heartless CEO offering a contract that could directly change her life… and destroy it forever.

"I didn’t know," I said, trying to steady my voice. "And stop throwing it in my face like I planned this. Bella is my best friend. I would never do anything to hurt her or ruin our friendship." He let out a low, dark laugh. "And she has no idea how sweet her best friend tastes when she is soaking wet on my tongue." **** Aria Grace loves to play dangerous games, but nothing prepares her for the fire she feels after her one-night stand with a cold, rich, and unforgettable stranger. She thinks it is just one night until she walks into her best friend’s mansion the next morning and sees him again; Nicholas King is her best friend’s dad. Aria knows she should run far away, but she keeps running back into his arms. But when his hidden life and her mother’s old lies come crashing down, will their dangerous love survive? Author's Warning: This book is sinfully steamy and not for the faint of heart. Expect explicit adult scenes, a forbidden age-gap romance, and a dark, dominant daddy who breaks all the rules. If you're under 18 or easily scandalized, turn back now. For the bold, the curious, and the daring, welcome to your next obsession. 18+ only. Read at your own risk. NOTE: You'll also find other bonus, short stories aside the first story that are strictly 18+ as well, and contain graphic sexual contentl, hardcore sex, stepfather, double penetration, multiple partners, gangbangs, taboo fantasies, and emotional entanglements. If you cannot handle messy emotions, power games, and men who do not play fair, this story is not for you. Proceed with caution. You have been warned.

"After hiding from me for three years, I've finally found you," I say to her, my eyes scanning her from head to toe. "I wasn't hiding. I was simply living my life without you," she scoffs at me, crossing her arms. "It doesn't matter anyway, because here you are now. You look beautiful." "Mr Partridge, I'd appreciate it if we kept things between us strictly professional." There she goes again, calling me by my last name, which was once her own. "We're not working right now. Let's just talk." "Mr Partridge, have a good evening." As she walks away, I'm so captivated by her confidence that I only stand in place and watch her the entire time. I see no trace of the vulnerable woman who was once my wife. Not only is she bold and beautiful, but she hates me. ~~~ Three months after her miscarriage, Layla is served divorce papers by her billionaire husband, Nathan. He wants her to leave because he's reconnected with the girl of his dreams. This leaves Layla shattered and no amount of begging can make him change his mind. Though she starts from scratch in a new town, they meet again three years later. He's now her new boss and this time, he's desperate to win her back With only a thirst for revenge in her heart and a new man in her life who's also a billionaire, is there even the slightest possibility of Nathan getting a second chance to make things right with her? Or is he too late and will live the rest of his life wishing he should've cherished her?

Belle Gray, a 17-year-old with a future as bright as her smile, is the epitome of innocence. She was as pure as any girl can ever be. Her overprotective older brother has ensured she barely had any interaction with boys. But when Noah Alabaster, her brother's best friend, entered her life, Belle's world turned upside down. She realized that she was in love with him who turns out to be his professor as well. She was well aware Noah was strictly off limits, yet she couldn’t help falling for him. Noah Alabaster, a 26-year-old professor, a man of intense passion, irresistible charm and intelligence. He always maintained distance from girls, yet the moment he lays his eyes on Belle, he knows he can't resist her who happens to be his best friend’s sister. Although he did hide his feelings, he soon found himself losing control over his heart. He's obsessive, determined and willing to do anything for the woman he loves, even if it means breaking every rule. The magnetic pull between Belle and Noah is undeniable. Belle's innocent mind filled with forbidden fantasies about him, imagining how would his touch feel on her bare skin, to hear him whisper her name in the darkness. What will Belle do when Noah comes to live with her family for a while? Can Belle resist the temptation that threatens to consume her? Or she will surrender to her desires and risk everything for the taste of the forbidden? As their forbidden love blossoms, they faced complexities to hide their love from the world. But secrets have a way of unraveling. Will their love be strong enough to survive the storm or the intensity of their passion ultimately be their downfall? Dive into the world of love, lust and forbidden desire.

At two in the morning, when the pack elders' urgent summons came, I had just crawled out from beneath my childhood sweetheart, the Alpha heir Slade. My body was still aching from his rough possession. As the only human healer in the entire Blackwood Pack, I was ordered to prepare herbs as a gift for Slade's marriage alliance with the Thorne Pack. I gently lifted Slade's arm from where it was wrapped around me. After a night of passion, his powerful Alpha body was still radiating a feverish heat. I assumed this was just another wolf princess he needed to turn away, so I poked his chest playfully and asked with a smile, "Slade, what excuse are you going to use the 99th time? That you've suddenly developed an allergy to the princess?" He rolled over and kissed my forehead, his eyes heavy with sleep. "My sweet girl, this time the herbs must be prepared by you, and you alone. The success of this alliance rests on your shoulders." I froze. For the past ten years, I had been his secret solace, the one who soothed his violent rages every night. I thought I would earn a formal bonding ceremony, sooner or later. But in that moment, I understood. I was just a convenience, a body for him to use. If that was all I was to him, then I would burn everything we had to the ground. I made a call to my old mentor at the National Institute of Medicine, Professor Sterling. "Professor, that research position regarding gene... is it still open? I'm ready to return to the human world." But when that arrogant Alpha, who claimed we were 'just friends' and 'strictly professional,' discovered he could no longer catch even a faint scent of me in the air, he completely lost his mind.