Taeyeon Fine

After my father died, my mother remarried and took my younger sister and me with her. But her new husband had one condition—she could only bring one child. From people who used to hang around my dad, I later learned that my grandfather was actually a wealthy antique collector. My sister clung to him for her own future, refusing to let go. But in his eyes, her only job was to get straight A's; everything else—her clothes, her meals, her allowance—was kept to the bare minimum. I went with my stepfather instead. His business took off, and we eventually moved into a huge mansion. He even set me up with an engagement to the heir of a powerful, wealthy family. My sister was eaten up with jealousy. One day, she doused me in gasoline and dragged us both back in time to that day we had to choose our futures. This time, she lunged for my stepfather's hand and held on tight. "I want to stay with Mom and Dad," she announced. I didn't miss a beat. I immediately ducked behind my grandfather. 'Fine, Phoebe. You're the one who chose a life as a bargaining chip. Don't blame me for it. You can have it.'

“You murderer!” No A resounding slap followed those words from Katrina’s Mother-in-law. The entire extended family gasped in shock but no one made a move to help. Not even Katrina’s husband, Damon Winchester. He just stood there, watching lazily, like he always did while his mother berated her for every little thing. But this wasn’t little, no. This was more than the fine china dishes that were one of the family’s heirlooms which Katrina broke last thanksgiving and earned her harsh insults from her mother-in-law. This was nothing like the family dinner she made last Christmas that caused half the kitchen to catch fire, needing a renovation. This couldn't be compared to that afternoon in summer, when she knocked over an antique vase while dusting, freezing as it cracked clean down the middle and her mother-in-law murmured that Katrina’s touch spoiled anything of value. No. This was the death of the only woman who loved someone as unlovable as Katrina. The woman who raised her. The woman who constantly fought for Katrina’s place in the Winchester Family even when she didn’t belong. Alana Winchester, Damon’s grandmother. Like every other thing, it was all her fault. Everything Katrina touched turned to ashes.

The day my mother brought her childhood sweetheart back to the villa, my father—who had already quit smoking—stood on the balcony and smoked through the entire night. Back then, his colleagues at the research institute all envied him for having a wife who was a CEO. They said he should have stayed home and enjoyed life—why work so hard outside when all he needed to do was keep a firm grip on the household finances? But my father never agreed. "Those things are all external," he would say. "As long as the feelings are still there, we'll be fine whether we're rich or poor. And if one day she no longer loves me, I'll leave with nothing and walk away alone." He never expected his words to become prophecy. My mother truly did stop loving him. Later, when she appeared before the media, arm in arm with that man, my father didn't look back. He boarded a flight overseas and disappeared from our lives. And as I stared at the photo in my social feed—my fiancée's hand entwined with someone else's—I knew it was time for me to leave too, just like my father had.

Anastasia's perfect marriage shattered on a snowy winter day when she caught her husband making love with her cousin. Kicked out with papers that proved her marriage was never legal, and on the verge of losing her business, a bakery passed on to her by her mother, she felt utterly broken. When Leon Hart, the cold billionaire rival from her college days and the man she once rejected, walked into her bakery, she didn't expect mercy. Instead, he offered a deal. Pretend to be his fiancée for Christmas, and he would clear her debts and save her bakery. But what Anastasia doesn’t know is that the contract she signs is a trap, filled with devastating fine print and fueled by Leon’s hidden agenda. As fake feelings turn dangerously real, dark truths come to light, including Leon’s shocking connection to the accident that killed her parents. Trapped between a past that broke her and a future built on lies, Anastasia must decide how much she’s willing to lose. When her ex-husband suddenly wants her back, she’s forced to choose. The man who destroyed her… or the billionaire who might destroy her all over again.

In the split second when the research lab explodes, my boyfriend, Thomas Bastion, dashes to Melody Harper, who is standing furthest from the blast zone. He shields her from the impact with his own body. When the sounds of the explosion stop, the first thing he does is carry Melody to the hospital. I'm lying on the floor. My body is covered in fresh blood, but he doesn't spare a single glance at me. Thomas has taken care of Melody for the past 18 years. His heart is filled with nothing but her. There's no space for anyone else. I only survived because my colleagues rushed me to the hospital. When I am discharged from the ICU, I call my teacher, Louis Carpenter. Both my eyes are swollen from how much I've been crying. "Mr. Carpenter, I've made up my mind. I'm willing to join you for the confidential research. It's fine if we have to leave in one month. I don't care that I'll be unable to contact anyone for the next five years." The wedding ceremony that I have been dreaming of is supposed to take place in a month's time. However, I no longer want to get married.

My wife, Vivian Lane, is the wealthiest woman. Her assistant had made it clear he had three "do-not-disturb" rules: no messages after work, no calls on weekends, and absolutely no contact when he was in a bad mood. Because of this, the company lost a major deal—one worth over a hundred million. Yet the assistant looked completely unbothered. "Sorry, I had no idea one phone call could make such a difference. If something goes wrong and I have to be the one to take the blame, fine—I'm just another cog in the machine." My wife snapped, "Who said anything about blaming you? You did exactly what you were told." She shot me a look of pure irritation. "You take the profits from the project, and when things fall apart, you dump it on the regular employees? Is that how you run a business? If your company folds over something this small, it just proves you're not fit to be in charge." It suddenly clicked, and I let out a quiet laugh. So she thought this project belonged to my company? I didn't bother correcting her. To be honest, I couldn't really hold it against her—after all, it wasn't my company going under.

Language used: ENGLISH • • • • Don't Let Go Trilogy #1 • • • • When I was just 5 years old, I used to love grandma's stories. Like, having an arranged marriage and being in love. It was magical but now that I really think about it, it's a bit silly. Why? It's simple. Less freedom. Girlfriends. Boyfriends. Sleep-overs. Parties. Journeys. You can't possibly do all of those things when your hands are tied. Besides, what if you don't love that person? And that you'll never, ever, learn to love that person? Can't you choose the person that your heart wants instead? Seriously, love is complicated. • • • • • Kira Castelle is an amiable, easy-to-talk-to, and a laid-back 17 year old lady that has sworn to put love aside and continue reaching for her dreams. Not until a perfect storm happened. When females turn 18 and males turn 21, they are assigned a marriage partner by the government. With this, they just have to wait for the country to find their compatible partner and become happy. When Kira Castelle finally turned 18, she has to meet her partner. Neal Valastro. A drop-dead gorgeous man of stone. He's the epitome of perfection and Kira's polar opposite. The problem is, will this work out just fine for Kira? Will she ever be Ready? or Not? • • • • •

To give my girlfriend a surprise on our anniversary, I forced myself to finish five days' worth of business in just three. I rushed back overnight. However, the moment I reached my front door, I stopped. Laughter and lively chatter spilled out from inside. Only a minute earlier, Sheila Jones had texted me, saying she was home alone and missed me badly. Then I heard someone call out from the room: "Sheila, your turn! Truth or dare, and make it a good one!" "Oh, you're all so nosy," she laughed. "Fine, I'll tell you, but you can't tell Erick." "Come on, say it already! Like we'd ever tell." "My first time," she said, "was with Yoel." The room erupted in knowing laughter and teasing cheers. I stood frozen. Yoel Lewis? Was not he supposed to be Sheila's closest guy friend? Before I could even wrap my head around it, Yoel chuckled and added lightly, "First time? That's not all. We even had a kid together." I pushed the door open and stepped inside, smiling as I looked at the two of them. "Really?" I said calmly. "Then where's the child?"

"You want to play a game, wolf? Fine, let's play a game. The game is called making that throbbing sensation between your thighs go away. " * Isberlt have been a rogue for as long as she can remember. After the death of her mother, and sudden disappearance of her father from being thrown out of the pack; Isberlt made it past the outskirts of the life she was used to, with a promise to never return again. Now living her supposed normal human life by being a medical assistant to one of the most intrigued scientific researchers world, Isberlt is finally living the life she wants. —The life that puts her werewolf gene behind. The life outside her past. But that's until she's caught by The Alpha King. The big, feral Alpha. An Alpha that's referred to as deadly. An Alpha that other Alphas bows to. An Alpha that loathes disrespect and disobedience. An Alpha whose name makes all others tremble. What could such an Alpha possibly want from a rogue like Isberlt? Just when she thought it couldn't get any worse; he unleashes his feral fury on her; Chained and strapped down of power. Will Isberlt make it through the brutal life that she's forcefully being dragged back into? Or will her contrasting attitude to that of the Alpha be the end of her?

"Fine, I’ll do it, but only on the condition that my grandma gets proper treatment. If you don’t hold your end of the bargain,” Sandra said as her tone quieted down before adding, “even the stars won’t save you from me.” ******* He wanted a bride, and unknown to him, he’d married the wrong bride. Aztec Marshall was cruel, and toxic for a powerful alpha, but that was how he reigned. Many who knew him were too scared to even look in his direction. Women who loved his dangerous aura wanted him, but all he needed was for his pack to be strong. She was a simple human, with simple desires, though her greatest challenge was to finance her sickling grandma, the only family that truly cared about her. Adopted into a werewolf family, Sandra Franzel didn't know that she was just a contingency plan for them, until the dreaded day came, when she had to fit herself into a damn gown, thanks to her sister, Scarlet who had made a run for it on her wedding day. However, for the sake of her grandma, Sandra wasn't scared to be the devil’s wife. Bound by a marriage of convenience, they both have to learn to live with each other, even though the longer they stay married, the more secrets come to the surface.