The House Across The Lake

In the haunting shadows of Calabria, Dr. Talana Fabrizio transforms from a healer into a vengeful force. Betrayed by her family and ensnared by the ruthless Drake de Marco, she navigates a treacherous world of mafia intrigue. Talana battles the demons of the underworld while falling in love with the second most powerful and ruthless mafia, Don, Massimo Morelli. All the while coming to onto who she truly is after years of being kept in the dark and away from those who truly loved her. As desire and vengeance intertwine, will she find love or lose herself completely?

“In this house. It’s just you and me, I own you now. You’ll be in charge of all the cooking and cleaning in this house. You are not permitted to take one step out of this mansion; making any little mistake could cost you your life.” He announced. “Whenever I call you, respond immediately, don’t make me call you twice, that could also cost you your life. This house must remain clean as it is right now, and at night, be on guard in this house. My men are out there guarding outside this house, but you’ll be in charge of this house. I don’t want to catch you sleeping, it might also cost you your life… I hope you understand.” The 25th of September is always a day of agony, torment, misery, pain and anguish. It all started on the 25th of September, and just like it started… it ended. My life has always been a mess until I met Felix, who turns out to be a bigger mess… or not.

When my parents were having an argument, my brother and I were put on the condenser fan unit out the window. We were tens of stories high. Our love-struck mother refused to let us back inside because he wanted our father to regret his decision. But that wasn't going to happen. Our father only felt that our mother was annoying. He then went out of the house after slamming the door behind him. Our mother was infuriated as she pointed as us. "If it weren't for you two drawbacks, I would have divorced him a long time ago. Shut your mouths or you can forget about coming back in!" My tears were blew dry by the cold wind. I swore inwardly that I would never forgive them. Later on, when our father was drunk driving and accidentally rammed into our mother. The two of them became disabled due to the car accident. The insurance company paid us over 1 million dollars, but I chose not to treat them.

I never thought the love I harbored for Jordan would be the exact thing meant to bring me down. Lora had always understood that her relationship with the strong Alpha of the Black Moon Pack was unshakeable. Designed to govern together, they were meant to be mates. But what she understood about love falls apart when Jordan's choices violate her confidence. Following a romantic night with Jordan, Lora is left perplexed and hurt by his enigmatic comments. She finds him with her sister Eva the next morning, and the truth of his treachery really hits home. Jordan left Lora to pick up the broken bits of her heart; his destined partner is her sister. Still, the suffering is not limited. Lora quickly finds she is pregnant with Jordan's kid while she works through her sorrow. Worse, he plans for her to be presented to Alpha Revan of the competing Stormfang Pack as a payment for peace. Driven into Revan's dark realm, Lora finds herself pulled to the perilous Alpha even as she battles the emotions he sparks inside her. When Revan, a guy years of yearning for his right mate, finds Lora pregnant with Jordan's kid, he is enraged. His wrath starts a fight between the two packs, and Lora takes front stage in a fatal struggle. Between the two Alphas and caught between her history with Jordan and her present with Revan, Lora must negotiate a world of treachery, power conLoraicts, and twisted wants. Lora has to muster the will to recover her destiny when her heart is shattered and her future is unknown. But will Lora's choice offer atonement as both packs rush into war, or will she be engulfed in the treachery that follows her every step?

“Apa yang bisa kamu lakukan untuk saya, Nes?” Suara berat dengan bahasa formal yang kaku itu menyentak kesadaran Nesa. Sudah pasti lelaki itu persis dengan apa yang digambarkan kepalanya. Dari namanya saja seolah sudah terbaca; Barata—Tua, tambun, jelek dan genit. Jemari Nesa meremas ujung baju kurungnya yang menjuntai hingga atas lutut dengan kuat. Dia dikirim ke rumah besar ini sebagai tebusan utang menggunung bapaknya pada sang tuan tanah. Dia harus kabur dari sini. Dia sudah berbalik dan hendak mengeluarkan jurus seribu langkah, tetapi suara bariton lelaki itu berhasil menghentikannya. “Jika kamu nekat keluar dari rumah ini, maka pintu rumah ini akan selamanya tertutup untuk kamu. Dan kamu tahu apa artinya?” Nesa menelan salivanya susah payah. Apakah ini akhir kegadisannya? Terperangkap ke dalam cangkang si tuan tanah tua?

Aris bergegas mengemasi pakaiannya, berderai keringat, nafasnya memburu tak karuan. Sementara di luar jeritan orang tertindas dan lolongan kebencian massa saling bersautan. Toko-toko dan kendaraan dibakar. Langit sedang dipenuhi asap hitam dan tangisan kaum perempuan. Di sisi lain, Asha dengan langkah yang gontai, berusaha mencari kekasihnya. Betapapun kacaunya keadaan di jalanan. Setibanya di tempat tinggal Aris, dia mendapati bahwa pintunya tergembok. Ada sedikit angin yang melegakan tenggorokan, setidaknya Aris masih ada di bumi tentu karena dia masih sempat mengunci pintu. Asha memutuskan kembali ke tempat persembunyian, alih-alih Aris sudah pergi kesana. Sayangnya segerombolan massa telah menghadang. Siap dengan segala aksinya. Asha kelimpungan, gemetar seluruh badan. Suaranya tercekat, sementara air mata terus meluncur bebas tanpa henti. kakinya seperti mati. Dalam batinnya dia menggaung pasrah, di pikirannya dia mengenang nama Aris.

Lena Carter has spent her life as a rogue, hiding from the world of packs and alphas. But when she’s captured on Shadowmoor Pack lands, everything changes. She’s forced to face Alpha Damian Thorn—the cold, ruthless leader who wants nothing to do with a mate. Except fate has other plans. Damian rejects Lena, but the bond refuses to break. The Seer warns them both—Lena isn’t just any wolf. She carries a rare power, one that could rewrite destiny itself. As dark forces rise and an ancient enemy seeks to claim her, Lena must decide: will she fight for the mate who never wanted her, or embrace the darkness calling her name? With love and fate hanging in the balance, Lena and Damian must uncover the truth about their bond—before it’s too late. A slow-burn, high-stakes werewolf romance filled with passion, danger, and a love that defies destiny.

Selina Okoye lost everything when her father was falsely accused of fraud by Raymond Bellington—the powerful CEO of Bellington Holdings. The scandal sent her family into ruins and took her father’s life. Years later, Selina is forced into a strategic marriage to Adrian Bellington, Raymond’s only son and heir to the same empire that destroyed her family. Cold, calculated, and quietly noble, Adrian agrees to the union for his own reasons—an inheritance clause that demands he marries before taking over the company. Determined to never forgive the Bellingtons, Selina plans to endure the marriage for the sake of her family’s survival and leave when the time is right. But Adrian is nothing like his father. And as cracks form in her hate, feelings she thought were impossible begin to grow. Just when trust begins to bloom, Selina uncovers a dark family secret—one that threatens to break everything they’ve started to build. Can two enemies-turned-strangers find love in a marriage built on pain? Or will the past destroy their future before it even begins?

Yasmin spent her entire life in the church as a nun. Her father was a well respected and over zealous priest and she was as silent and quiet as an empty chapel. But all that changed the day she met Jacob West, a dominant billionaire bad boy and every girl's dream lover. She learns things about herself that she never knew. He engages her mind and body and teaches her pleasure and pain, a different kind of pain than the one her father inflicted on her for tiny mistakes. Her entire world changes, she knows too much. Will her father ever forgive her? Maybe she was just not cut out to be a nun after all.

The day before New Year's, my younger brother announced he was bringing his girlfriend home for dinner. Excited, I drove my new car to pick them up, taking my daughter along with me. However, as soon as his girlfriend got in the car, her face darkened. "Henry, you didn't tell me your sister was staying at your place—and with a kid!" she snapped. I frowned and was about to explain when my brother quickly interjected, "She's not staying. After dropping us off, she'll be heading to a hotel." Only then did his girlfriend's expression ease. I swallowed my discomfort and asked my brother what he was planning. He leaned in with a conspiratorial grin and said, "Sis, don't cause any trouble for me, okay? My girlfriend is the daughter of the Cromwell Group's CEO!" My eyes widened in shock. Was not the Cromwell Group the same company my ex-husband had just handed over to me as part of our divorce settlement?