The Constant Gardener

"You think you can just leave without a trace after what happened that night?" His hands pinned her arms above her head, his piercing blue eyes boring into hers. "W-what do you mean?" she stuttered, his scent reminding her of that night—the night that had changed her life completely. "What do I mean? Are you seriously asking me that, woman? If your brain can't recall how we burned together on that bed, how about I remind you right here?" His face was dangerously close as he growled into her ear. Her eyes widened. He meant it. Every single word. He was the king of the entertainment world, after all. "Let me go," she demanded stubbornly, her voice barely audible. He let out a low, dark chuckle that sent a chill down her spine. "Let you go? Oh, I'll let you go, Tatiana. But not until you understand the consequences of crossing paths with me." •••••••••• In the world of the entertainment industry, we see constant change and creativity. Trends come and go, as do collaborations between artists and producers. This world can make anyone wish to be a part of it—it is said to be inspiring and enjoyable... Meanwhile, that's only on the surface. The same world is filled with deceit, betrayal, fake love, ruthless competition, toxic fans who could ruin you, suicide, and dissatisfaction... This world is mostly dominated by men. How can a woman, hurt by this world, face it—especially when she had a night and her life tangled with the king of them all?

Tony Gambino never forgave me. His childhood sweetheart died saving my life, and for seven years, his hatred was a constant, silent burn. I fasted. I prayed. I begged for absolution. He met my penance with a cold sneer. "I'll only forgive you when you're dead." The words were a knife to the heart. So why, when we were both poisoned, did he shove the only antidote down my throat? As the poison claimed him, blood trickling from his lips, he choked out his last words, "Scarlett... in our next life, let's never meet." Later, I tried to visit his grave. His sworn brother and Consigliere, Richard Bruno, blocked my path. He pressed a gun to my forehead. "I don't know how you have the nerve to show your face here, Scarlett. He'd be alive if he hadn't saved you. "I should never have let him give up Elma for you. You're a curse. Everyone who gets close to you gets destroyed." Their eyes were unanimous in their blame. And they were right. So I watched his gravesite from a distance, my own guilt a heavier stone than any marker. Not long after, I was killed in a gang crossfire. When I opened my eyes, I was seven years in the past. This time, I made a different choice: I let Tony go—so that everyone might live.

She was betrayed by her fated mate, but claimed by the ruthless Alpha king. **** As the illegitimate young lady of a noble family, Athena has been living lower than a servant. Under her father’s constant neglect, her stepmother’s deliberate abuse and her stepsister’s bullying, she has managed to survive with her sharp wits and feisty nature. If it weren’t for a promise to her dead mother, Athena would have escaped from her father’s cruel family a long time ago. One day, her neglectful father decided to marry her off to an old but wealthy marquess who has more than 10 concubines after his fated mate, for wealth. Her heartless father claimed she was doing their family good. Did Athena accept her father’s arrangement just like that? No! She threw the promise to her late mother out of her mind, and hastened her long-term escape plans with the love of her life, her secret fated mate, Helios. However, Athena did not expect Helios to stab her in the back for her stepsister, claiming they were fated mates. What happens when Athena’s family locked her up in preparation for the marriage? Will Athena succumb to her unfortunate fate as one of the old marquess’ property or does her future hold much more, especially when she unexpectedly catches the eye of the ruthless Alpha King at a royal ball? **** THE SECOND CHOICE SERIES: The Alpha’s replacement mate: Unwanted Luna has a son (Completed) The Alpha King’s Second choice (Ongoing)

Zyra had always been an outcast, despised by everyone in her pack for her parents' sacrifice. Her dear ones had died while saving a stranger who was wolfless and mateless, leaving Zyra alone and isolated. Despite her kindness and helpful nature, she was constantly bullied and enslaved by her packmates, living in a constant state of fear and isolation. One day, the moon goddess finally gave her a mate. But he despised her and rejected her, despite coveting her beauty. Anguished and heartbroken, Zyra kicked the hell out of him and had a one-night stand with a stranger, resulting in an unexpected pregnancy. But even with her pregnancy, her mate still had his eyes on her, causing Zyra to fear for her life and the safety of her unborn children. When the Lycan King came to claim her as his mate, she saw it as a chance to escape her current situation. Bullied, enslaved, and alone, Zyra fled in the middle of the night and raised her babies in secrecy. But the truth behind her parents' death was far from what she had been told. As Zyra delved deeper into the mystery, she discovered a shocking conspiracy that involved the very people she trusted the most. As she began to uncover the truth, she realized that the Lycan King may be the only one she could trust, despite fearing him at first. But with her mate and her pack still on the hunt for her, Zyra knew that she needed to keep her true identity a secret, even from the man she could come to love and trust the most.

From Bully to Lover He spent years tormenting her. She spent years trying to forget him. But fate has a twisted sense of humor... and a dangerously possessive heart. Violet "Vee" Rivers grew up in the shadows—quiet, smart, and the constant target of one boy’s cruelty. Xavier "Zay" Knight was her worst nightmare: cold smirks, cruel words, and the kind of intense gaze that left her burning with humiliation... and something else she could never admit. For years, she believed he hated her. For years, she hated him right back. Now in college and far from the small town that raised her, Vee is finally free. New city, new campus, new beginning. But her fresh start shatters on day one—when she sees him. Older, sharper, hotter. And still watching her like he owns her. Zay never forgot her. Never wanted anyone else. And he sure as hell didn’t let her go. When he sees another man getting too close, Zay snaps—and makes his first move. What starts as obsession turns into a dangerous game of seduction, secrets, and surrender. Vee is no longer the scared girl from the past—but Zay isn’t the same boy either. He’s darker now. And he doesn’t just want her. He wants every piece of her—mind, body, and soul. She may hate him… but she won’t be able to stop herself from loving him. Even if it destroys them both.

Makynzee has spent all of her life being dependent on people who've always disappointed her, especially her abusive mother. Everyone lies to her - her sister, her uncle, even her beloved father. When her mom strips her of her one true love, gymnastics, she's determined to find and maintain her independence. There's only one little problem...money. She sets out to find a job as a dancer at a gentlemen's club, but finds, the club owner Kalil, instead. With his looks, money, and charisma any woman would be crazy not to want him and Makynzee's no different. Falling for him fast she soon discovers some things just aren't adding up and Kalil may not be the man she thought he was. He wants to be with her and provide for her, but can he protect her? When a love-struck fan becomes obsessed and begins attacking and stalking Makynzee she questions Kalil's ability to be her protector. Makynzee has no idea who he is, where he came from, or why he's here, but he's determined to have her even if that means eliminating everyone she knows and loves. By any means necessary, right? She belongs to him and he's claiming what's rightfully his, no matter the circumstances. When secrets are revealed, they threaten to tear Makynzee apart and chaos becomes her constant companion. Will she be able to escape this insanity or will she become a permanent victim?

Elijah Morris has been fooling around for four out of the five years we've been married. And from the very first month, he openly betrays me. Meanwhile, I spend my time warding people off with expensive contracts, one after another. Eventually, all that's left between us is constant fighting. One day, his younger stepsister, Abigail Wright, returns. And just like that, he finally settles down. That's when the system tells me that I can finally go home. For the next five days, I no longer ask about his schedule. I don't care if he is with Abigail, nor do I care if she is pregnant with his child. I even move out of the master bedroom myself, listening to them going at it all night. The fifth day after Abigail's return is our wedding anniversary. Elijah bursts into the room, tears up our marriage certificate in front of me, and smashes my most treasured vase into pieces. He grips my throat tightly and growls, "Why did you put mango in Abby's cake? She's allergic, and she almost died! How could you be so cruel?" For the first time, I don't argue with him. Instead, I go along with his accusations. "So what?" I then pick up a shard from the broken vase on the floor under his disbelieving gaze. Then, I draw it across my artery. Just like that, I end my life in this world.

After her father's heart attack, Munachi Alice Rowland needs to stop being the spoiled rich kid in order to assume the position of the director in his gallery. What she isn't prepared for is finding out how bad the state of the gallery's finances are. Now Muna must find a potential investor to get the company back on its feet and pay off their debts. Grant Stevens, Muna's former school mate who made high school hell for her has returned to the city, richer, more powerful than ever and also hot as sin. When Muna finds out that Grant is the CEO of the company her father owes millions of dollars to, she is beyond shocked. Things get worse when she discovers the agreement her father signed with Grant's company. Muna has no choice, other than agreeing to Grant's every wish, which might just entail marriage with him. Muna is very sure it is yet another strategy to torment her, just like he always did nine years earlier. She is supposed to hate Grant, but how can she explain the constant attraction she feels instead whenever he's close? With his flirtatious smile and advances, can she be able to guard her heart and get married to her enemy for two years without catching feelings? As they say, there's a thin line between love and hatred, could Muna's nemesis have some stronger feelings for her after all?

A flicker of hope, a spark amidst the neon grime of New Shanghai. Anya, a slave to the Volkov Mafia, had long buried her emotions under layers of calloused defiance. Years of servitude had carved a burning desire for vengeance into her soul. Then, a whisper of rebellion arrived – a message smuggled in a package, hinting at a Volkov family secret. Anya's heart, long numbed, stuttered awake. This wasn't just a chance to escape; it was a weapon. A weapon to dismantle the empire that had stolen her life, her family, everything. But the path to freedom was a razor's edge. Fear gnawed at her, a constant companion in the Volkov's watchful gaze, their merciless enforcers lurking in every shadow. Yet, a flicker of something else bloomed – a strange, almost forgotten warmth, a sliver of the person she used to be. Could she trust it? As Anya navigated the labyrinth of lies and high-tech security, a deeper truth unfolded. This Volkov secret wasn't just about her escape; it was a key to exposing a far-reaching conspiracy, one that could reshape the city's criminal web. Suddenly, Anya's burning desire for revenge transformed. It wasn't just about herself anymore. It was about a sliver of justice, a chance to dismantle a system that preyed on the weak. But with this newfound purpose came a terrifying weight of responsibility. Was she strong enough to risk everything, to ignite a war she might not survive? The weight of human emotions – fear, anger, and a desperate yearning for freedom – threatened to suffocate her. The price of vengeance was steep, and Anya had to decide if she had the strength to pay it.

For years, the Lycans and werewolves have been locked in a bitter war, their hatred spanning generations. Rosalee, born under tragic and cruel circumstances, was abandoned as a baby at a werewolf pack. Treated worse than the lowest omega, she endured years of neglect and scorn. On her sixteenth birthday, everything changed. Her first shift revealed a truth that shattered her world, Rosalee was no ordinary werewolf. Cast out from the only home she had ever known, she was forced to fend for herself, alone and afraid. Desperate for safety, Rosalee found refuge in a quiet human town, where she built a new life. Working at a small hotel, she finally felt a sense of belonging, even forming a close bond with Dameon, the son of the hotel’s head chef. But her secret loomed over her like a shadow, a constant reminder of what she could lose if the truth came to light. Her fragile peace is shattered when the Lycan King, a powerful, enigmatic figure, arrives at the hotel one fateful night. His presence is a threat to the life she’s built, and his intentions are as clear as his connection to her past. As tensions rise and old wounds resurface, Rosalee is thrust into a dangerous game of survival. To protect her secret and those she cares about, she must confront her identity and uncover the truth about her origins, before the war she escaped catches up with her once again. In a world divided by blood and betrayal, Rosalee must decide where she truly belongs and whether she can forge a path of her own.