The Cost Of Delayed Affection

After surviving the brutal apocalypse for ten years, hardened survivor Hayley Reid was betrayed by her base and unexpectedly woke up two weeks before the apocalypse began. Back in time, her useless father and stepmother were still pressuring her to give up her house for her brother and his newlywed wife. This time, Hayley didn’t hesitate to sell them the house for dirt cheap. While they celebrate this great deal, Hayley went crazy stockpiling supplies. With the help of the super base system’s overpowered perks, she built an unbeatable shelter. While everyone else was stuck in zombie chaos, Hayley relaxed in her fortress like she was on vacation. While everyone else struggled to find food, her dog enjoyed a full buffet every day. While everyone else risked their lives squeezing into crowded survivor camps, Hayley’s base stood as the strongest steel fortress in the whole world!

I'm the most important family he's got now." Bianca held her hand up to the vase as a cruel smirk twisted her lips. "You pale in comparison." **** Evelyn thought she was already living a blissful married life. Her husband, Adrian, was handsome and wealthy, and she was about to become a mother. But all of this was shattered by the arrival of her husband’s sister-in-law. Adrian, usually distant and indifferent to everyone else, showed an unusual level of care for Bianca, beyond the boundaries of family. Evelyn endured countless slights and provocations, until she discovered that Bianca had been two months pregnant, a secret kept from her alone. Determined to leave this broken household, Evelyn made up her mind to walk away. But Adrian behaved unlike himself. Desperate to win Evelyn back, he sought to make amends for the mistakes he had made.

My mom, Gina Lowry, uses the six million dollars from selling our family hotel to buy my cousin, Harry Sullivan, a villa. The next day, my fiancé of five years, Charles Gomez, dumps me. "Vivian, this is the end for us," Charles says, sitting in the café of a five-star hotel. His tone is so matter-of-fact that it sounds as if he's merely discussing a business deal. The engagement ring in my hand suddenly feels burning hot. I ask, "Why? Our wedding is next month." He stirs his coffee casually and replies, "Your family is known for favoring sons above all else. I looked into it. Your parents sold off the family business and gave all the assets to your cousin, Harry." A chill runs through my whole body as I argue, "That was my parents' decision. It has nothing to do with me!" "Does it really have nothing to do with you?" Charles looks up, his gaze sharp. "You're a daughter of the Sullivan family. In the future, you'll have to keep supporting your useless cousin endlessly. My family won't have any part in such an unreasonable practice. It's simply too embarrassing." In a trembling voice, I plead, "Charles, we've been together for five years. Is what we have less than these worldly considerations?" He lets out a light scoff. "What we have? Vivian, you're 28. How are you still this naive? In our circle, marriage is never just about two people." He stands up and adjusts the cuff of his custom suit. "I hope you find someone more suitable for you." I watch his resolute back as he walks away. Biting my lip hard, I refuse to let the tears fall. My phone chimes as a message from my mom comes in. In the photo, Harry is standing in front of a luxury villa with his arm around the influencer girlfriend he's been dating for three months. He is smiling smugly, like he's at the top of the world. Mom sounds overjoyed in her voice message. "Vivian, look how grand Harry's new home is! Now, he won't have to worry about his marital home when he gets married!" I stare at the photo and laugh through my tears. The moment I leave the family group chat and block all my relatives, my fingertips feel ice-cold. I sneer inwardly, "Since a daughter can never compare to a son in your hearts, then from now on, that precious nephew of yours will be your only family. When he drives you out of the villa bought with your entire savings, I wonder if you'll remember the daughter you abandoned today."

*Emily 🖤* Just one night. That’s all it was supposed to be. I never knew one night could change everything. Could burn through every wall I’ve built. Could leave me craving someone I should’ve walked away from. He’s handsome—dark in the way shadows linger even when the lights are on. Powerful. Dangerous. Magnetic. Everyone says he’s a hero. That he’s the man who takes down the monsters hiding in plain sight. But he doesn’t look like the hero to me. Not when I’ve seen the way he watches me. Not when I’ve felt the way his hands command and control. There’s something he’s not telling me. Something I shouldn’t have seen… something I can’t unfeel. And now my sister is involved — and that’s when the truth dawned. This isn't just danger. It's a storm. I should run. He’s mafia. I’m just a college girl with a sharp tongue, a guarded heart——and one secret. I’m not built for his world. But near him, all the strength I thought I had crumbles. I’m bold. I don’t bend. But with him, I shatter. And the worst part? I don’t want to be saved from it. I want him. All of him — the light, the dark, the secrets, the sins. But one thing I know for sure: Love like this? It always ends in blood. *Xavier.* ⬛ One night. That’s all it took. She thinks it was nothing, but from the moment I saw her, I knew. She was mine—her body, her mind, her chaos. She cracked the Omertà file. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s already in my world. In my world… There’s no way out. ---

Latifa has given all she has got for love, and has taken it upon herself to create a favorable world ever since she lost her parent to a fatal aviation accident at a young age. she refuses to be sentimental but, she misses her mum so much, seeing herself fight a fight she may not be able to win Is dramatic. Latifa had wished for a simple life and that she could tell her mum what the other co-wife, her stepmom, and her ex-boyfriend did to her, and to show the scars she was given for being molested against her will. Her life has always been a chaotic one, as it happens over and over again, being so unfair, hard, inconsiderate just as if she was meant for the wrong side of existence. Latifa became a call girl and left her stepmother's tiny rough care to be alone and work to take care of herself. A few months later latifa came back to take revenge with another love trial on a man whose social strata were seemingly incompatible. a fun-loving filthy billionaire (Alastair), who presented an alluring deal she couldn't resist at first. Alastair who seemed to have enjoyed the first one-time experience, shortly, asked latifa to move in with him as part of the deal which she accepted but the uncertainty came unexpectedly, latifa see herself drowning in her deepest thoughts, yet another epic moment of her life. “Alastair, your uncle is familiar.......” I murmured..

Chloe Sue never imagined na ang mapapangasawa niya ay isang lalaking parang yelo na sa lamig, silent and emotionally distant. And Yohan Benjamin never thought that this girl, who was supposed to be just part of a family arrangement, would slowly start breaking down the walls he had spent his whole life building. Nang unang nakita ni Chloe si Yohan, nasa loob siya ng isang eleganteng hall, sun-kissed ang kutis nito. 'Yung mga mata niya, those deep almond eyes, parang may misteryong hindi mo agad mabasa. Tipong kahit sinong lalaki, mahuhulog. Kaya hindi nakapagtataka na halos mapanganga ang buong pamilya Benjamin. Pero si Yohan? Walang reaksyon. Nakatungo lang siya sa maayos niyang military uniform, seryoso ang mukha, at tila ba walang kahit anong nararamdaman. Kung ibang babae siguro, matatakot. Pero si Chloe, curious lang. They're bound by a decades-old debt between their families, at ngayong malapit nang ipadala si Yohan sa battlefield, kung saan walang kasiguraduhan kung makakabalik pa siya, the elders from both families started pushing. Wala nang oras at kailangan na raw nilang magpakasal. Not because they loved each other, but because it was their duty.

Penny Sullivan had been married for three years but her husband never knew who she was.Penny did not expect that the first time that they met would be in bed.She happily signed the divorce agreement and thought that their lives would never intersect again.Unexpectedly, that was just the beginning…One day, there was a rumor in Imperial City. Caleb Fergerson, the CEO of the Fergerson Corporation, fell in love with an up-and-coming designer! The man was known to have never been involved with any woman. He helped her many times and made sure to punish those who bullied her. Other than that, when men confessed their love for her, he would warn them to stay far away from her.Someone was curious and could not help but ask for confirmation. "May I ask what is the relationship between you and Mr. Fergerson?"Penny smiled and said, "We’re employee and employer, and also...ex-husband and ex-wife."

Caught off guard by the sight of her fiancé and step-sister in bed together, Haley swiftly dumped the scumbag and hastily tied the knot with her fiancé’s uncle. Initially viewing the marriage as a matter of convenience, she soon found herself showered with affection and assistance from her unexpected husband. Yet, as time passed, his behavior took a peculiar turn... With her back almost giving out from exhaustion, Haley exploded with frustration, "We need to divorce. This marriage is intolerable!" To her astonishment, a shameless proposition followed, "Let's divorce then. Everything will be yours, including me!" Shane Ford, rumored to be worth billions, was renowned for his aloof demeanor and disinterest in romance. However, after marriage, he transformed into a devoted partner, showering Haley with overflowing affection and occasionally displaying irresistibly adorable episodes of jealousy.

Isolde Vancrest had witnessed the ultimate betrayal. Her long-time fiancé, Alan Princeton, had gotten his own sister-in-law pregnant, and he had the audacity to defend it. Alan: "You can't have children. The family can't end with me." How ironic. This was the same man who had once knelt nine times to propose, swearing he would rather be sterile than ever hurt her. If love was a joke, then pride had lost all meaning. That night, Isolde called the one man in Southbridge whose name most people feared to speak. By morning, she was his wife. When Alan saw her again, it was at her wedding. He dropped to his knees, eyes red. Alan: "Honey, I was wrong. Please… look at me." Isolde took a step back and fell into the arms of the man behind her. "The Prince," the ruthless ruler of half the city, wrapped an arm around her waist. "Seems you've forgotten your place." His voice was biting cold as he looked down at Alan. "Now she’s someone you don’t deserve to even look at."

I, Alpha Lake Rush of the Rush Pack, hereby reject you, JoJo Wyatt, as my mate. However, you will need to keep working to pay off your debt." "Wait, what?" At the tender age of eleven, JoJo Wyatt had been forced to grow up faster than most. Coming from a challenging family background with a distant father and a fragile mother, JoJo realized early on that she had to take responsibility for herself and her younger sister. Her focus was solely on survival—love and romance held no appeal for her, especially after a devastating experience. She swore off relationships with men, but that changed when she began working for him in an unconventional role, trying to pay off roughly 7.8 million dollars for her mother’s hospital treatments. Alpha Lake Rush, 30, was known as the most formidable Alpha in the country. Though burdened by his own struggles, he had learned to be strong and decisive. His past experiences had led him to reject two of his mates. But when fate brings him JoJo, who is working to pay off her debt, everything changes. What happens when his destined mate turns out to be the one person he never expected—his third chance mate?