The Elevator By William Sleator

To the world, they are perfection, the billionaire and his elegant wife, the family everyone envies. But behind closed doors, they are strangers bound by a contract and by one secret that could destroy them both. When Alexander and Elena Harrington announce their “divorce,” everyone expects a scandal. But they can’t let the real reason for their separation become public. Their empire is built on illusion, and if the truth gets out, it could destroy everything. Their only son is the fragile thread holding them together, and the same reason they can’t let go. But love was never part of the deal. As society braces for scandal, a rival billionaire shows Elena what affection truly feels like. And the man who never shows emotion begins to unravel, consumed by jealousy and obsession. In a world where loyalty is currency and betrayal comes wrapped in diamonds, some vows are meant to break and others become the only thing worth saving.

When Dahlia is sold to the cruel and heartless alpha king by her step-father, she resigns herself to her fate as a breeder. Her only hope is to bear him a son, which will earn her freedom. But fate has other plans in store for her. The alpha king turns out to be her mate, although he remains oblivious to their bond. As Dahlia struggles to accept her destiny, she realizes that the alpha king sees her only as a tool to produce an heir. Heartbroken and pregnant, she decides to flee with her unborn child. She runs far away from the kingdom, hoping to escape the alpha king's clutches forever. Meanwhile, the alpha king realizes his mistake and vows to find Dahlia, his mate, and their child. His determination to bring her back leads him to embark on a perilous journey, facing challenges and obstacles in his path. As the alpha king chases Dahlia, he discovers that he's not the only one who's after her. An evil pack led by a power-hungry alpha wants Dahlia's child, believing it to be the key to their domination. The alpha king must fight to protect his mate and child from their enemies, risking his life in the process. But when the alpha king finally catches up to Dahlia, she reveals a shocking truth. She sacrificed herself and their child to protect the kingdom from an impending danger. She handed over their son to the evil pack, hoping to keep them at bay and give the kingdom time to prepare. Now, the alpha king must choose between his love for Dahlia and their son and his duty to the kingdom.

“I, Marcus Steele, Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, reject you, Luna Blackwood, as my mate and Luna.” Luna Blackwood’s wedding day becomes her nightmare when her Alpha publicly rejects her, declaring her too weak to bear his children. As her former best friend steps forward as his chosen replacement, Luna’s world crumbles. But what Marcus doesn’t know could destroy them all. Luna carries the last royal werewolf bloodline, a secret that makes her the most powerful supernatural being alive. Hidden from those who hunted her kind to extinction, she possesses abilities that could reshape their world forever. When mysterious Alpha Kai Nightshade reveals the conspiracy behind her rejection, Luna faces an impossible choice: remain broken and hidden, or embrace her destiny as the prophesied Lycan Queen who will unite all supernatural beings. From public humiliation to ultimate power, Luna’s transformation will prove that being rejected was the best thing that ever happened to her. But first, she has a war to win.

Kael Vance arrives at the academy with one goal: survive long enough to uncover the truth behind his family’s mysterious downfall. Cold, calculating, and fiercely independent, Kael trusts no one. In a place where alliances shift like shadows and betrayal lurks behind every smile, he quickly earns a reputation as someone not to be underestimated. But his carefully built walls begin to crack the moment he crosses paths with Lucien Draven. Lucien is everything Kael despises—privileged, powerful, and dangerously perceptive. As the heir to the influential Draven bloodline, Lucien moves through the academy with quiet authority and lethal precision. He sees through Kael’s defenses almost instantly, sparking a rivalry that quickly turns into something far more complicated. Their clashes are intense, both on and off the training grounds, each encounter laced with tension, pride, and an undeniable pull neither of them is willing to acknowledge. As deadly trials push students beyond their limits, Kael and Lucien are forced into close proximity, their survival depending on cooperation rather than conflict. Secrets begin to unravel—about the academy, their families, and hidden force manipulating events from the shadows. Kael discovers that his past is deeply intertwined with the Draven legacy, and Lucien is not as untouchable as he seems. What begins as hatred slowly transforms into a fragile, dangerous bond—one built on shared pain, unspoken truths, and forbidden desire. But in a world where emotions are exploited as weapons, loving the wrong person could be ultimate weakness. As tensions rise and loyalties are tested, Kael and Lucien must decide whether to cling to their pride or trust each other enough to survive darkness closing in around them. Because at Draven Academy, the sharpest blades aren’t always made of steel-and the deepest wounds are carved by those you dare to love.

Mistreated her whole life by the family she was adopted into, Dakota Stone still strives to win her stepfamily’s love and approval despite their aloof and uncaring behavior towards her. Her life takes an unexpected turn when Elias Persson, a cold and intimidating billionaire, who was supposed to marry her sister, takes a sudden interest in her instead. Faced with a shocking betrayal by her fiancé and sister, she turns to Elias with a surprising proposal - a contract marriage. As long buried secrets in her family come to light, will the weight of her family’s deeds destroy her or will she find a safe haven in the arms of Elias?

Kyra is a resilient, compassionate, yet quite naive nineteen-year-old girl who lived with her father and stepmother ever since she lost her mother. Her stepmother, driven by greed, was determined to sell her off to an old man for money. Due to this pressure, Kyra sold herself to a ruthless billionaire. Will Kyra's sacrifice lead to her freedom, or will it trap her in a cage she can never escape.

Arya Astrid Fonacier is a lot of things; she's beautiful, cunningly smart, restless, and outgoing. She just wants nothing but to prove herself to their school that she and her entire volleyball team deserves the support they can get. That's what only matters to her. Life is never difficult for her. Her family loves her, her friends are supportive of her and she has a boyfriend that she can be proud of. What could go wrong? Well.. It all started when she unwittingly called a deal with their school rival's Alpha, Blaise Rafaelo Gandia. Things in her life is never the same again. And it is a game that Arya definitely doesn't want to play.

When Karen Miller gets convinced by her therapist to accept the contract of pretending to be Brody Taylor's girlfriend, she doesn't expect the worse to happen. Her life gets miserable when Brody's rich and arrogant family visits them. When Brody's parents secretly prepare a wedding party for him to get married to Karen, secrets are revealed and a bummer happens. It was just a contract, she wasn't meant to marry him. This wasn't part of the deal. Will Brody and Karen truly fall in love despite all the pretence?

CONTENT WARNING: Please note that this book contains sensitive themes and includes explicit scenes, making up approximately 20% of its content. It is intended for mature readers only. _ "Teka lang, Sir! A-Ano kasi eh..." Napangiwi si Mahal habang naghahagilap ng mairarason dito sa lalaking ito na binili siya sa Auction. "Are you kidding me? 'Teka lang?' Are you sure that's really 'teka lang?" Napayuko na lang siya dahil sa pagalit na natanong ng lalaki. Halatang napipikon na sa kaniya. Inilapit pa nito ang mukha sa kaniya para iparamdam sa kaniya ang inis nito at nagsalita, "Remember, I paid a hefty 10.5 million at the auction just to purchase you. You wouldn't have even set foot in that auction if you hadn't given your consent. So now that you're under my ownership, don't think you can fool me with your usual 'teka lang, sir' tactics kasi kabisado ko na 'yan." Para siyang tinanggalan ng utak na nakatunganga sa pinagsasabi nito na ang tanging naintindihan lang ay ang salitang, 'kabisado ko na 'yan.' Ano naman ang alam niya sa English kasi tulog naman siya lagi sa subject na iyon noong nag-aaral pa siya. Para naman huminahon ito, nagsalita na lang siya. "Ahm...wag ka na magalit sir, maghuhugas lang naman ako. Ayaw mo naman ng mabaho, diba?"

Their naked bodies were shipping against each other. Her sapphire glossy orbs were staring at his brown eyes. "I love you, Cia. I love you to the extent that I will end and taint that life which would even think about taking you away from me," The firmness of his words were evident in his darkened eyes. "Even if it's your life," he rasped against her mouth. They both knew his love was irrational, an obsession for her. They loved each other enough, especially for her to let his love taint her existence. "I love you, Zale," And her words were enough to make him lose everything in her. She beautifully moaned his name as soon his warmth engulfed her deepest depth which made both of them close their eyes in pleasure, but they had never in their worst ever thought that their eyes would have to witness that thing which their future had stored for them. His deep brown orbs were staring at her who was clad in a beautiful white gown. Her sapphire orbs were downcast as she was standing at the altar but the irony was she was not his bride but his brother's. "Do you, Mr Blake Alcazar, take Miss Celia Reyes as your lawfully wedded wife?" The priest's voice echoed, causing him to fist his palm and her heart to turn numb. "I do," A tear slipped from her eyes, hearing that person's answer who was standing in front of her and feeling those brown eyes penetrating her soul. "Do you, Miss Celia Reyes, take Mr Blake Alcazar as your lawfully wedded husband?" Those deep brown eyes turned predacious and her answer turned them voraciously vicious. "I do," she answered. An answer which sealed two destinies, which shattered two hearts and TAINTED two souls.