Tends Toward

CONTENT WARNING ⚠️🔞 This book is strictly for a mature audience only. Reader's discretion is advised. On her eighteenth birthday, Sabrina's life is stolen from her. She was sold into marriage to Scott Wendell, a ruthless and powerful billionaire more than twice her age. A man she's never met. A man who claimed her as payment for a debt she never owed But the real problem wasn't the vows she took or the marriage document she signed. It's his son. The revelation that Ace Wendell, the one boy in school that she's always fantasized about, the boy she's secretly loved from afar, is now her stepson. Now living under the same roof, Sabrina finds herself torn between duty to her marriage and the dangerous pull toward the stepson who has wanted her just as desperately.

My dad urgently requested that I bring Jeffrey back as he was rushed to the emergency room following a car accident. I nodded, holding back tears, but deep down, I knew Jeffrey harbored resentment toward me. He blamed me for his shattered relationship, my inherited wealth, and for coming between him and his first love. Nothing could deter him from pursuing her, not even me. "Evalyn, today is Melinda's birthday. Can you just be reasonable for once?" He spoke these words amidst the familiar sounds of laughter before abruptly ending the call. Moments later, my dad took his last breath, his eyes wide open in a final, stark gaze. As I fulfilled his last requests, organizing everything as he had instructed, I decided to let Jeffrey go. It was only then that he began to regret everything…

Fresh from a business trip, my husband swept me into his arms and pulled me toward the bathroom for a passionate shared bath. As our lips met in a dizzying kiss, I noticed something odd out of the corner of my eye: the toilet lid was down. Seven years ago, after reading an online article claiming that men urinating while standing could splash bacteria onto the seat, he insisted we always keep the lid up for hygiene's sake. In all our years of marriage, it had never been lowered until now. A chill ran through me. The bathroom was pristine, not a stray hair in sight. But then I noticed the shower's water temperature was set five degrees higher than the 98.6°F he always preferred. Men preferred cooler water, and women warmer. In an instant, I realized that Nick Doyle had betrayed me.

I was always the second choice — the shadow, the secret daughter. I watched her savor the image I built for her, watched her take everything from me without a second thought — my paintings, my boyfriend, and now… my life. I thought being married to him would finally change my life. But I was wrong… He was cold and unbearable. Yet, for some reason, I couldn’t ignore the strange feeling I had toward him. His cold gaze made me feel safe instead of scared. And every time he was around… I wanted to run into his arms. Little did I know, he would become the most important person in my life. I was falling for him. And now my so-called sister wants him too. But this time… I won’t let her take what’s mine.

Nathaniel Lockwood is a fourth-year medical student at one of the top universities in the States. His plan is simple and clear: graduate with excellent grades, land a good job, and live a stable, peaceful life. Unfortunately, that plan goes straight to hell the moment he takes the wrong “job”—a job that drags him into the dark, dangerous underworld he never wanted to see. Nikolai Ricardo: star of the hockey team, rich, spoiled, and untouchable. In just sixty days, Nikolai makes it his mission to completely upend Nathaniel’s life, manipulating his tutor and orchestrating chaos in ways Nathaniel could never anticipate. Now, every step Nathaniel takes toward his perfect life is sabotaged, leaving him caught between danger, desire, and the shocking realization that he might not be able to escape Nikolai’s game. But the table turns, where Nikolai is only a pawn in a more even bigger game.

My boss has started dating, and his girlfriend is already acting hostile toward me at the first meeting. She looks me up and down and says passive-aggressively, "You're Theodore's secretary, the one he's been taking special care of?" I'm left speechless for a moment, staring at her in disbelief. I am Theodore Grant's secretary—that part is true. When I graduated, my dad deliberately arranged for me to work under Theodore to learn company management. For over a year, I have been working overtime late into the night every day, handling stacks of documents that never seem to end. Everyone says that I'm the hardest-working workhorse in the company. So, why have I gone from being a workhorse to some kind of side piece the moment my boss gets a girlfriend?

The discovery of her mate's infidelity and betrayal left Allissa reeling. But when he is accused of a serious crime and leaves her to take the fall, she must face the wrath of the merciless Lycan King. Desperate to protect her pack, Allissa takes the blame and turns herself over to face judgment by the man who rules with an iron fist and show no mercy. But when he arrives, she is drawn to him and is shocked to find out the king is her mate. Will she find mercy or face a cruel fate at the hands of the king? ~excerpt~ Then my eyes landed on the source, his green eyes locking onto mine as he walked directly toward me. His face was taut, and there was an unforgiving look in his eyes. His lips curled up angrily as my lips parted slightly in shock. Oh no, the Lycan King was my mate, and he did not look happy.

My husband, Matthew Glover, fabricates a scandal to help his childhood sweetheart, reporter Melanie Reed, boost her numbers. "Mrs. Glover Sleeps Around—Multiple Affairs Lead to Repeated Miscarriages." He uses it as a gimmick to grab attention. Next thing I know, my name's in the mud and the internet's tearing me to pieces. When I bring up divorce, Matthew says I'm blowing things out of proportion. "Melanie just started at the TV station. If she doesn't deliver, her coworkers will laugh at her. You're just doing her a favor. It's not like you're actually losing anything." I don't even bother arguing with him. I simply push the divorce agreement toward him. "If you want to help her, go ahead. But we're getting divorced!"

Devil's travels to a new city and would be staying with Mr. Young. What happens when the man she thought would be in his mid forties ends up being a young and handsome vampire. * * * His six-foot-something-tall frame towering over my 5'6 frame as he asked "And what Devika?" "Nothing" I replied with a trembling voice that I didn't recognize. The proximity was fucking with my mind and body and I just can't help it. The way he spoke to me excited me as much as it scared me and I'm unaware of how to act or react. "Really?" he asked again making me shudder. He began to take slow steps toward me while I backed away slowly from him until I hit the wall. "Look at me" he ordered in a domineering way making me feel like a predator hunted by prey.

The day my mafia boss husband, Zann Lima, went bankrupt, a car accident crippled both his legs. He was paralyzed from the waist down. I inherited his astronomical debt, and with it, the responsibility to care for him for the rest of his life. For an entire year, I was beaten by debt collectors until I vomited blood, yet I couldn’t bear to buy painkillers. I collapsed from exhaustion working eight jobs a day, yet I couldn’t bear to take a day off. Every penny I earned went toward keeping Zann alive. I believed this was love’s steadfast devotion, until one night, when I was delivering drinks at a club. I stumbled upon the man who was supposed to be sitting and waiting for me at home in his wheelchair, now clinking glasses with his guests, who all revered him as Don!