The Cold Start Problem

“Darlene Roberts, you're under arrest for the death of George Martins.”I look up with misty eyes only to see a bunch of cops, guns blazing and aimed at me. Funny enough, I don't even freeze neither do I panic. My attention goes back to my ex lover whose limp body is still warm with blood oozing from his forehead and chest. His shirt is torn and his big eyes are staring blankly at me. I've managed to help shut his mouth which was agape and his twisted lips. It seems he had put up one hell of a struggle before he gave up the ghost.“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in the court of law.Does the cop mean what he has just said? I mean, I'm not the murderer here. I rushed here to help as soon as I could!

Julian Vance is the disciplined, fiercely proud captain of the university ice hockey team. His sworn enemy is Kael Sterling, the arrogant and explosive star player of their rival school. When a brutal game ends in a locker room confrontation, a dangerous bet sparks a dark obsession. But the stakes shatter when Julian's mother and Kael's father unexpectedly marry. Now, forced to live under the same roof and play for the same team, their fierce rivalry turns into an agonizing forced proximity. Society's rules dictate they are forbidden, and their mutual hatred demands they stay apart, but the electric tension between them refuses to be ignored. As the ice melts and boundaries blur, Julian and Kael must decide if their forbidden connection will cost them their dreams, or if surrendering to each other is the ultimate victory.

Having dated for five years and been married for seven, she had never missed his birthday in the past 12 years. The 12 gifts from previous years were carefully placed in the storage closet. However, this year's birthday gift...

Imagine getting married to the daughter of the second deadliest mafia gang with a knife on your throat. Yes,just imagine. Even after been forced into this relationship what did I get in return? Humiliation, embarrassment. I was always sent on dirty jobs,killing people for the boss,selling drugs just to please him and his daughter so they could like me and to have peace in the house. I got set up instead and sent to jail. Spending five years in jail actually taught me how my revenge should be like. I got out and I discovered I'm the son of Antonio Lorenzo, mafia of the deadliest gang in Italy and I'm to take over soon. My revenge is going to be bloody. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Follow me on this journey if you're tough enough.

The room fell into a stunned silence. The council members exchanged glances, unsure of how to proceed. King Magnus continued, his voice resonating with power. "I wish to claim her as my mate." He said. The whole grove grew silent as the impact of his words drove home. The wolves turned to each other in disbelief. I could see the effort Jax was making trying to control his temper, his voice was close to the edge. "Sorry my Lord. Did you say you want to claim her as your mate." Lycan King Magnus's gaze turned piercing, his voice steady but filled with a warning. "You heard right so I won't repeat myself. You forget, Jax, that I have the power to claim Sophie as my mate seeing as you just rejected her. Or are you prepared to face the consequences of standing in my way?.." Rejected by her Alpha on her third wedding anniversary after she caught him cheating on her with his sister, Nikini, the timid Sophie Liam is at a crossroad in life. The brooding Lycan king, King Magnus unexpectedly claims her after the rejection. Just when she's had a fresh start with him and finds herself growing attached, her former mate, Alpha Jax comes back into the picture to take her back. Would she forgive him and take him back or stay on with her new found mate.

A woman is taught to be invisible, not to raise her head too high lest she hits her husband's jaw. Dusk descends and Kamsi's orientation is changed. The thought and hope of giving life to a new being could change anyone. Kamsi, a woman in love, realizes that even love is not enough; The institution of marriage needs a lot more. Her story is just one voice amongst other women who are married to loving, overprotective and dominating men. It had been easy to believe one could get a blanket when cold hit but what about a time when the heart turns cold? How warm could love be at dusk?

My younger sister, Sofia Moretti, and I grow up on milk. While our peers are showing no signs of growth, both of us are blessed with an early puberty. Our father, a mafia Don, is worried that we might get tricked into giving our bodies away to young men at an early age, so he has been nurturing two confidants for us when we were still kids. After we come of age, Dad makes each of us choose one as a fiancé. Sofia is the first one to pick Dante, the tall, well-built, and cold-looking older brother. The only choice I have left is Luca, the younger brother who has gotten partially disfigured by an enemy and often wakes up in fright due to the nightmares. In my previous life, I knew that once I rejected Luca, who had PTSD from his past, he'd definitely get kicked out of my family. No one would be able to protect him anymore. So, I took the initiative to accept the marriage proposal. Since Luca tended to jolt awake from his nightmares and tremble violently, I moved to the room next door so that I could guard his door at all times. Whenever Luca was insulted or mocked by my uncles and relatives at family meetings, I'd dig out my pistol and slap it onto the table to shut them up. I spent three years accompanying Luca to therapy sessions. That was how I learned to pick up on every symptom he exhibited before he went into his anxiety mode. I thought I'd be able to touch Luca's heart by offering him my own. But when an enemy family set up a trap that resulted in my and Sofia's kidnapping, they plunged poisonous blades through our stomachs and forced Luca to choose to only save one of us with an antidote. That was when Luca gave the antidote to Sofia without hesitation. "Sorry, but Sofia needs the antidote more than you do." It turned out that Luca had been in love with Sofia this whole time. After Luca picked Sofia up and was about to leave, he murmured to me, "If there ever is a next lifetime, I'll use my life to pay this debt." My final memory of that lifetime consisted of the scorching pain that ate through my organs left behind by the poison. When I open my eyes again, I've returned to the day I'm supposed to pick out my fiance.

You belong to me from the moment you walk in... until I say you can leave.” When struggling 22-year-old Noah Hart lands a job as the personal assistant to cold, ruthless billionaire Elias Voss, he thinks it’s just another paycheck. But Elias isn’t just demanding—he’s a man who doesn’t believe in love, doesn’t tolerate mistakes, and doesn’t mix business with pleasure. At least, not until Noah walks into his office. As the days blur into nights and the lines between personal and professional disappear, Noah finds himself caught in Elias’s dangerous world—where power is a game, and attraction is lethal. But Noah has secrets too. And the deeper he falls, the harder it will be to escape. Can a cold CEO learn to love—or will he destroy the only man who ever saw through his mask?

Two hearts which have always been filled with warmth and joy for so many years of their lives. Suddenly one heart becomes cold because of the other heart. The other heart becomes cold because of some other reasons. Now these both have one thing in common that is coldness surrounding their hearts. Did they really became ice cold? (or) Is it just a façade to show everyone? (or) Is it directed in high demands only towards each other? Could they melt each other coldness easily or would they need the help of a little angel. Sometimes melting ice can be more difficult than we actually think…

It's Thanksgiving, and I'm waiting for Zeke Jones to come home after cooking up an extravagant meal. When Zeke returns, he doesn't even glance at the meal I've prepared for him. Instead, he proceeds to pack a bag. "I can't celebrate Thanksgiving with you this year," he says. I take another bite of my turkey and say nothing. At the stroke of midnight, Zeke's first love posts a new photo on her social media page. In the photo, she's lying on Zeke's back with a bright smile on her face. The moon outside the window is bright. "Happy to spend Thanksgiving with good company," her caption reads. Instead of hysterically questioning Zeke about the post, I just tap on the "like" button without reacting in any way. Zeke calls me. His voice sounds panicked as he tries to explain himself. "Please don't misinterpret the post. I will definitely spend Thanksgiving with you next year…" I freeze for a few moments, letting out a small laugh. I don't offer him a reply. Next time, he says? Oh, Zeke, I'm afraid there won't be a next time.