The Hard Thing About Hard Things

𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐭𝐳𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐝 She had everything. Perfect family. Amazing best friend. A dream. Until she lost in all in the space of 7 seconds. Her life flips upside down. She was lost. Her mind is infiltrated by dark demons and harsh truths. Emerson struggles to find her purpose. Until him, Kingston James the perfect yet broken boy who happens to be on the same ice hockey team as her older brother. What happens when the sparks fly after one party and Em is left dealing with her feelings for him. It is worth the risk to lose herself in love again and potentially lose someone else. 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 He is a super star. On and off the ring. But he always knew everything was surface level. His brother was his best friend, until he decides to leave and King is left wondering what is the point. He was lost. Except now, he knows he wants to be the help his brother never had. Struggling to maintain the nice guy mentality when his mind is full of darkness. He believed he would never come out of the dark. Until her. His teammate and best friend’s younger sister. A dream - kind, sweet and gorgeous. But totally off limits. But after an enlightening encounter wonders is she the light he needs.

After sleeping with her childhood friend for the 999th time, he was still enjoying it as much as before. The next morning, Sinead Green had kiss marks left all over her. She could feel the soreness all over her body if she moved even just a little. The scent of love was still heavy in the hotel room as Nelson's lean arms held her close. As Nelson Lane was still enjoying the warmth in his embrace, he nonchalantly said, "Wear something nice tomorrow and come home with me." Sinead looked up at Nelson, surprised…

Two weeks before our wedding, Jonah Alston suddenly wants to postpone it. He says, "Sasha says she's having her first exhibition on that day. She'll be alone during the opening, and I'm worried she'll get stage fright. I have to help her. We're just going through the motions with the wedding, anyway. What does it matter whether it's a day earlier or later?" This isn't his first time postponing our wedding for Sasha Lester's sake, though. The first time he did it was because he claimed she missed having homecooked food after undergoing surgery. He'd flown abroad to care for her for two months. The second time was because he said she wanted to head into the mountains to get inspired. He'd gone with her out of concern for her safety. Now, this is the third time. I hang up and look at Austin Everett, my childhood sweetheart. He sits across from me, looking leisurely as he taps his emerald-embedded walking cane on the marble floor. I ask, "Do you need a wife?" On my wedding day, Sasha holds up her glass and waits for Jonah to clink it with his. However, his eyes are red as he watches a livestream—it's the wedding of the scion of Everett Group, the country's largest property development company.

This book is for the people who feel as if they are alone. This book isn’t just about a love story but also about trauma that comes with wanting to be loved. I don’t condone anything that this book is about. This is awareness. Somewhere in this world this happening to so many people. This is for them. For them to know you aren’t alone, you are heard, and it is NOT your fault. These topics need to be talked about. You will fall into their lives, feel connected to at least one of these characters. And some you will despise. You will see everyone’s point of view and what they think. Giving you breaks from certain characters. I hope you love and see the potential within this novel. And if you have triggers, please don’t read. This book is filled with triggers to help people see that they are heard! To spread awareness! With much love- Marie Dallas ❤️

On the day that was supposed to be my wedding—the bride wasn’t me. The ceremony I’d waited for five years for turned into a joke when Valentina, my sister, walked down the marble aisle in a white wedding dress. Her arm was linked with Luca’s — the man who was supposed to be waiting for me at the altar. “I’m sorry, Bianca,” she said softly. “But you are no longer the bride today.” Then she touched her stomach, eyes gleaming with triumph. “I’m pregnant with Don Romano’s child.” Her words detonated inside my skull, and the whole world went silent. As if afraid I wouldn’t believe her, she lifted something glossy up towards the light. A black-and-white ultrasound image. It read clearly: Gestational age — 12 weeks. My eyes burned, tears stinging as I turned to Luca, desperately searching for anything—a denial, an explanation, regret. Instead, he only sighed, weary and resigned. “Bianca, I’m sorry.” he said helplessly. “Valentina doesn’t have much time left. This wedding… it was her last wish.” “I’ll make it up to you,” he added. “We can have another wedding later.” My father, Moretti, stood behind him, wearing the same stern expression he’d worn my entire life. I have never seen him smile at me, not even once. “Bianca,” he said sharply, “Your sister is dying. Let her have this.” My brother nodded without saying a single word, as if that was enough to be a solid answer. All my life, they had chosen her—her tears, her whims, her needs—over mine. Today was no different. Something inside me quietly cracked. Fine. If no one in this family cares about me, I’ll leave.

Veronica thought her dreams were coming true when she landed an internship at Ca-son Corp, but everything came crashing down when the CEO suddenly dies, putting her job in danger. Desperate to save her career, she agrees to a contract marriage with the CEO's successor, Arthur Callaghan. But as they go through this fake marriage, the chemistry between them makes it difficult to keep things purely contractual and they find themselves fighting not only for their jobs, but for their lives. With unexpected turns at every corner, Veronica must uncover the truth behind a deadly conspiracy before it's too late. Will she be able to survive the threats and find true love in the process?

“I’m nothing to you. My presence repulses you, but the lust in your eyes is clear, Malakai Phantom.” I spat right in his face. The ruthless Alpha King only grinned… then licked my spit off his skin. “You’re playing with me,” I whispered, trembling. He leaned closer, his shadow swallowing me whole. And then his lips claimed mine. The Alpha King claimed me. ** Angelique Manchester was never the kind to bow. Not to her hateful mother. Not to the filthy merchant who bought her like property. But Malakai Phantom? He’s different. Dangerous. A man who rejects her with one breath and owns her with the next. Years after their fateful night, Angelique has rebuilt her life. She lives in the sun until it was taken from her. Then the darkness storm back in. It's cold. Powerful. Unforgiving. It's Malakai Phantom. He says she owes him. Fate says she’s his. And the fire between them says they’re both lying. In a world where betrayal bleeds deeper than love, Angelique must face the man who ruined her and the truth that might destroy them both. Because once the Alpha King claims you ... He never lets go.

I'm the true heir to an affluent family who got switched at birth. But when I'm reunited with my family, they suddenly announce their bankruptcy. The sprawling mansion is repossessed, leaving me, my wife, and my parents to sleep on the streets. My parents are so furious that they end up getting admitted to the hospital—one gets a stroke, and the other passes away. My wife gets her legs broken by one of the creditors, and my son is so frightened that he becomes mentally impaired. To bear the astronomical medical bill, I work countless part-time jobs and put myself through the wringer. Everything changes when, one day, I accept a job as a temporary driver. I go to a lavish hotel's banquet hall. A celebration for a gold wedding is being held there, and I see my late mother and paralyzed father sharing a kiss onstage. My crippled wife is dancing offstage as she enjoys the festivities. Meanwhile, my son speaks fluently in a foreign language as he speaks with a foreign child.

“…I and my son wanna bend you over that stuff pier table worth $ 4.6 million and fuck the decency out of you!" Mr. Reagan naughtily rasped, with a stern grin on his face. ••••••••••••••••••••• Gabrielle's POV I was compelled to sign a sinful contract with a powerful man, Mr. Reagan, the fifth wolf. Furthermore, he forcefully engaged me to his drop-dead gorgeous son, Hidalgo Massimo Reagan. Both father and son wanna have me and they both trapped me, Caged me. Imprisoned me. And possessed me. I was more like property to them, and there was no escape! I am their adorable plaything —and they are my wildest fantasies. They are my pretty distractions. And They are my commanding kings! •••••••••••••••••

I slipped into a vegetative state because of an accident. For the next five years, my wife, Ella York, remains devoted to me. She turns down all of her admirers and has chosen to raise our child on her own. At the same time, she exhausts herself from taking care of me to the point that she suffers from stomach bleeding. Everyone advises her to find a new man to settle down with. But Ella exclaims in a choked-up tone, "I'll always be Zack's wife for as long as he lives!" When I miraculously wake up from my comatose state, the first thing I do is file for a divorce under the condition that Ella leaves this marriage without a cent to her name. All of my family, friends, and relatives are pissed off at me, to say the least. "You bastard! Ella has stayed by your side for the past five years! How dare you cast her out the moment you wake up!" As I gaze at Ella's tear-streaked face coldly, I say to everyone else, "Go ahead and check the security footage at my son's kindergarten. Then, you'll understand how Ella has taken care of me over the past five years."