Substitute Crossword Clue

To her husband and his mistress, Nora was just a naïve housewife—blindly in love, tolerating his infidelities and betrayals. But to those who truly knew her, she was an instrument of death—a Mafia Boss whose name alone struck terror. Raised by a ruthless Mafia King, Nora grew up in cruelty, vengeance, and blood. Her legend began when, as a child, she took her own mother’s life. Trained to be her father’s deadliest weapon, she used her beauty to disarm enemies, leaving none alive. Yet beneath her ruthless exterior lay a forbidden weakness: love. Against her father’s orders, Nora fell for a man she swore to protect. When her father discovered the truth, it cost the man his life, shattering Nora’s heart and forcing her to flee. In a new city, Nora adopted a quiet life as a stripper, determined to bury her past. But everything changed when billionaire Steve Smith walked into her club. Jilted days before his wedding, he needed a wife to secure his inheritance. Desperate for a fresh start, Nora agreed to an arranged marriage. What began as a business deal blossomed into love, but their happiness was short-lived. Steve’s ex-fiancée reappeared, and Nora’s father finally found her. As her dark past resurfaces, Nora must decide: embrace the Mafia Queen she once was, or risk everything for the love she’s found. Dive into this gripping tale of power, love, and redemption to uncover Nora’s ultimate fate.

"Do you, Sarah Bernard of the Crystal-Cloud pack accept Philip Jaxon of the Blood-Slashing pack, to be your husband?" 'Am I doing the right thing? Will Sarah detest me for the rest of her life? Maybe I should confess now. My heartbeat increased and my head spun.' "Sarah?" I looked up and saw Philip watching me with hope in his eyes... How can I tell him that I am a liar? No... it is too late to turn back now. "I do" ****** Catherine has always been bullied since young because she was wolf-less, aside from her junior sister, Sarah, everyone was against her; not even her parents could protect her. Instead, they humiliated her for being an abomination. When she finally got a mate, he rejected her because she was wolf-less. Out of shame and quest to liberate from her current situation, Catherine had to take her sister’s position as Alpha Philip’s wife but unknown to her, it was her one step to hell. Alpha Philip only wanted her for his benefit. She traded her forever for her selfishness, she planned to run away but it was inevitable. If she wants the Luna position, she has to fight with her last blood. Can Catherine win or survive? Is she just a pawn in Alpha Philip's game?

It's been five years since I started trying to win over Zachary Pierce. I even went so far as to have a child through IVF, hoping it would finally make him care. But no matter what I do, I can never reach 100 percent affection from him. It always stays at 99 percent. Sometimes it even drops lower. One day, exhausted and aching, I go looking for him. As I reach his room, I hear laughter coming from inside. "She still hasn't figured out the egg wasn't even hers. The moment the baby was born, Zach's affection score for her dropped to zero." "So what if she finds out? She should be grateful that her face looks so much like Yvonne's. Honestly, I'm done entertaining her. It's exhausting." At that moment, everything clicks. All the hope I've held onto, every sacrifice I've made, they were all just a joke. I turn away and say to the system, "End this for me. Send me to another world."

Hindi inaasahan ni Reiko Cordova na mapapasubo siya sa isang trabaho na hindi niya inaplayan. Ngunit dahil sa kagagawan ng nakakatanda na kapatid at walang iba na pagpipilian, kinailangan niya na pumalit dito bilang isang "kabit" ng guwapo at masungit na piloto na si Kenji Jarvis. Hindi inaasahan ni Kenji Jarvis na mapapasubo siya sa pag-aalok ng isang trabaho sa isang babae upang masiguro na hindi siya iiwan ng kan'yang asawa na nahuhumaling sa matalik na kaibigan nito. Umupa si Kenji ng babae na magpapanggap bilang kan'yang kabit para pagselosin ang asawa na nagloloko. Ngunit sa hindi inaasahan ay tinakbuhan siya ng naturang babae dala-dala ang pera na naibayad na niya. Kaya wala silang nagawa ng kan'yang kaibigan kung hindi ang takutin at ipaako ang trabaho sa naiwan na kapatid ng babae upang siya ang pumalit at magpanggap na kabit niya. Ang pagpapanggap ay mauuwi sa katotohanan nang isang gabi ay makalimot si Kenji sa kontrata. Ang babae na itinuturing lamang niya na isang pamalit sa kasunduan ay magkakaroon nang mas malalim na ugnayan at halaga sa kan'ya. Papayag ba si Reiko na habang-buhay na lamang siya na maging "replacement mistress" sa buhay ni Kenji, lalo na at alam niya kung gaano kamahal ng lalaki ang asawa nito? O gagawin niya ang tama at kusa na lamang na lalayo sa lalaki na natutunan na niya na mahalin?

Book #1 Love and Chaos Series "Take off your clothes, I want to see the body I'd be living with for the rest of my life," he commands, moving to the other side of the room where the red armchair was. She hesitate and that displeased him greatly, the low growl that left his mouth testified to the fact. "Do you need some kind of motivation? Because you're not going to get it. Take your clothes off!" *** Mia Asika had wanted only one thing for the longest time, enlightenment and the freedom to travel the world in search of it. Mia's dreams however ended the day Ariel, her beautiful and fair older sister who was betrothed to the alpha king, died the night before her marriage and she became the last resort. Hated at sight, the alpha king moved to make her union to him that of misery. Can Mia's will for survival withstand the alpha king's cold and unloving nature? The series in order Book #1 The Alpha King's Ugly Bride Book #2 His Forbidden Mate Book #3 The Alpha King's Runaway Bride Book #4 The Alpha King's Last Wish

CATALEYA DOMINGO, nakasumpong ng pagpapanibagong buhay sa mala-paraisong bayan ng El Nido sa Palawan. May stable job siya bilang isang secretary at isang lihim na online romance writer. Kinalimutan na niya ang mga hindi magandang nangyari sa buhay niya noong nasa Manila pa siya. Kung may isang bagay siyang hinihiling sa kasalukuyan, iyon ay magkaroon ng mapagmahal na asawa at sariling pamilya. LUKAS ADRIATICO, isang mayamang binata na galing sa prominenteng pamilya. May nakatanim na galit sa puso niya dahil nahuli niya ang asawa na pinagtataksilan siya bago namatay sa isang car accident. Naging woman hater siya at ang tingin niya sa mga kalahi ni Eva ay isang laruan lang. Takot siyang magmahal muli dahil baka lolokohin na naman siya. Tanging pangarap niya ang mapamahalaan ang kanilang malaking kompanya. Walang kamalay-malay si Lukas na siya ang ginawang character peg ni Cataleya sa sinusulat nitong romance novel. Parang naglalaro ang tadhana, na sa pagkamatay ng boss niya, ang binata naman ang magiging boss ng dalagang secretary. Sa kabila ng pagiging hostile na boss ni Lukas kay Cataleya, magkakalapit pa rin ang mga loob nila. Ngunit may isang malaking kasinungalingan sa nakaraan ang nag-uugnay pala sa kanilang dalawa.

When the powerful Silverfang family proposed marriage to the Frostbane everyone believed their son Ragnar was meant to wed the family's perfect daughter, Calista. But fate had other plans. The proposal was meant not for Calista-but for her illegitimate sister, Lola. Cursed or chosen, no one knows. Every year Ragnar marries, and every year his brides die before the second dawn. Rumors whisper that the Moon Goddess has abandoned him, his wolf vanished, his soul damned. Yet Lola is destined to be his seventh wife-the one who might finally break the curse... or become its next victim. A bride for the curse alpha" - where love meets prophecy, and survival comes at a deadly price.

A twisting romance about love, friendship and destiny. Tiara meets Thomas by chance or according to him "destiny". He leaves her with no clue on how to see him,driven by her new believe in destiny,she waits to see him again. A different kind of love pictures different love stories of different people, it's a combination of love stories.

In the fifth year of my mating to Alpha Tom, his childhood sweetheart, Becky Bell, was splashed across every tabloid in the territory. Pregnant. Unmated. And accused of shattering another couple’s bond. The rumors hit like a rogue’s ambush. But it was his reaction that truly gutted me. “Becky’s father once saved me, she has no pack, no family left. Everything she’s accomplished… she clawed her way to it. Alone.” My fingers clenched tighter around the pregnancy test tucked away in my purse. “And the only way to protect her now,” he continued, not even looking me in the eye, “is for me to marry her. To claim the pup as mine.” “And what about me?” I asked, barely more than a whisper. My voice cracked. The Sunfire Pack and the Golden Fang Pack—my pack—had been allies for over a century. “How do I explain this sudScott rejection to my parents? To my pack? To the elders? They know we're mate bond.” Alpha Tom inhaled sharply. “Just tell them it was always a business arrangement. That there was no real love between us.” My wolf bared her teeth at that. He had the audacity to look away. “Once the media frenzy dies down, I’ll come for you. I’ll bring you back to Sunfire Pack and give you the grand wedding you deserve.” I stared at him. This Alpha—was seriously telling me he was going to marry another she-wolf, claim her pup, let me get torn apart by pack gossip and speculation, and then what? he's offering me his marriage like it’s some kind of charity? My fingers twitched, aching to throw the pregnancy test at him. But I didn’t. I laughed. For three years, I had been the one he discarded—over and over. And now, even my marriage was to be sacrificed for her sake. It hit me then, sharp and cold: It's time for me to leave him

Gabriel Lancaster—a hot doctor and CEO of a motorcycle company who has everything he needs. Wealth, success, and a daughter he’s more than willing to dedicate his life for. But when his little Sophie needs a mother figure for school events, he makes an unexpected choice. Hiring Ivy Monroe, a woman he met by chance in a hospital, to play the role. Ivy, an aspiring children’s book illustrator, is struggling to keep her small business afloat. So, when Gabriel offers a deal that could change everything, she agrees. It’s just pretend—until real feelings start to grow. As she spends time with Sophie and slowly sees the man behind Gabriel’s cold, tough walls, Ivy realized walking away wouldn’t be as simple anymore. But what happens when Gabriel’s ex-wife returns, determined to reclaim her place? Will Gabriel let Ivy go, or will he finally fight for the family he never knew he needed?