The Licked Hand

Emilia Clark, a young woman struggling with mounting family debts, responds to a mysterious job posting that arrived unexpectedly in her email. When she arrives at the upscale office for what she assumes is a standard interview, she discovers she's the sole candidate for an unusual position that wasn't clearly described in the original correspondence. The role, as revealed by the formidable Mrs. Grey—matriarch of a wealthy and traditional family—is that of a surrogate mother. The Greys are offering an extraordinarily large sum of money for Emilia to carry a child for their family, with the biological father being Mrs. Grey's son. The older woman presents this as a business transaction, delivered with cold efficiency and an underlying air of entitlement that comes with generations of wealth and influence. Mrs. Grey makes it clear that this is a one-time offer with no room for negotiation or delay—Emilia must accept immediately or leave and never return. There will be no second chances, no time to consider, and no opportunity to ask questions or seek advice. Caught completely off guard, Emilia finds herself in an impossible position. The money would solve her family's financial crisis and lift a burden that has been consuming her life. Yet the weight of the decision—to carry a child for strangers under such pressured circumstances—leaves her reeling. As Mrs. Grey waits for an answer, Emilia must quickly weigh her desperate need for financial security against her autonomy, dignity, and the ethical implications of entering into such an arrangement under duress.

Luca's expression turned serious. "What's going on, Isabella? You can tell me anything." Isabella took a deep breath before blurting out the truth. "I'm pregnant, Luca." The room fell silent. Luca's eyes widened in shock. Isabella continued, her voice shaking. "And the father... is Vincent Moreno." Luca's face turned grim. "The mafia king?" Isabella nodded, feeling a wave of fear wash over her. She knew what this meant. She knew that she couldn't keep her pregnancy a secret from Vincent. He would stop at nothing to claim his child. Luca's voice brought her back to reality. "You know what this means, don't you? You can't keep this a secret from him. He'll find out, and when he does... " Isabella's eyes flashed with determination. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect my child, Luca. I'll go to the ends of the earth to keep them safe from him." Luca's expression turned somber. "How long can you keep running, Isabella? You can't hide forever." Isabella's jaw set in determination. "As long as I'm alive, Luca. I'll never let him near my child." *** "WHERE IS MY CHILD, ISABELLA?" He thundered, his eyes blazing with fury. Isabella's cup fell from her hands, shattering on the floor. She felt like she was frozen in time, unable to move or speak. The man took a step closer, his eyes fixed on hers. "You've been hiding my child from me for seven years. It's time I took what's mine."

My eighteenth birthday wasn’t just a milestone; it was supposed to be my rescue. For twelve years, I’ve been the Crescent Pack’s shadow, an orphan with no siblings to lean on and no parents to shield me. I had survived on the hope that the Moon Goddess would finally give me a place to belong, a soul specifically chosen to keep me company. I waited for a spark. Instead, I got a wildfire that consumed me. Being mated to Kai was the ultimate prize for every Beta in the territory, a dream they whispered about in the training rings. But the Goddess has a twisted sense of humor. She granted a wish neither of us wanted, and before the bond could even settle, Kai tore it apart. The rejection didn't just break my heart, it shattered something deep in my marrow. The physical agony was a dull throb compared to the humiliation, the sneers of the pack, the laughter of the elite, and the sight of my destined partner looking at me with nothing but disgust. In their eyes, I was a broken girl who should have chosen death over the shame of being rejected. They think the story ends with me crawling into a corner to wither away. What they don't know is that the blood of the weak can hold the oldest secrets. Deep beneath the surface, runes more ancient than the Alpha’s lineage are beginning to glow, pulsing with a power strong enough to destroy the chaos they’ve sown. My power isn't just waking up, it’s starving. And this time, it’s demanding far more than a simple apology. It’s demanding a reckoning.

Maxton Alarcon is the eldest son of a wealthy family who disguises himself and leads a secret life. On the one hand, he is a capable next-in-line CEO. On the other hand, he is a ruthless individual who will go to any length to maintain his position. Elise Carroll is a lovely young baker who has everything she could want. Loving family, supportive friends, favorite job, you name it! However she couldn't find love on her own so she left that choice to her parents. And so she get engaged to Maxton, expecting to be loved and respected equally. Until she discovers Maxton's true identity...

My husband’s friend’s widow uploaded a picture of her pregnancy report. [Thank you for letting me have my own baby.] I responded with a question mark when I saw Jake Green, my husband’s name, in the husband column. Jake immediately called me to yell at me. “She’s a widow and is living alone. All she wants is to have a baby to keep her company and give her life a little more cheer. How could you not show her even this bit of pity? “You know that Henry is my friend. It’s only right for me to take care of his wife after he died! This is called friendship, don’t you understand?!” Soon, Henry’s widow uploaded a photo of a loft apartment. [Thank goodness you’re by my side to let me experience the warmth of a family again.] When I saw Jake busying himself in the kitchen in the photo, I thought it was time to end the marriage.

My older sister, Scarlet Dawson, is an absolute saint with a savior complex. When the apocalyptic heatwave hits us, she gives out water to our neighbors, food to strangers, and even invites her boyfriend's entire family to live with us. When our supplies are finally depleted, Scarlet actually considers selling me off to a perverted old man in exchange for supplies to look after her boyfriend, Marcus Crosby. I promptly pull out my stun gun and knock her unconscious. Then, I hand her straight to the perverted old man instead. I go back to my villa, where the temperature is constantly kept at 60°F, and enjoy a tub of Ben & Jerry's ice cream under the air conditioning. Not only that, but my villa is stocked with enough supplies to last me for the next few decades!

"Boss.. Boss please forgive me! I was drunk so I thought she was one of the clan's whóre I swear I didn't know she was yours" The man begged like his life depended on it. "Which hand did you use to touch her" Aurelio spoke calmly. "My.. My... L-Left-" He wasn't chanced to finish his sentence when Aurelio cut off his left hand completely. Blood splashed on his cheek as it began bumping out of the man's hand. "Aarrrgghh!!!" The agonizing cry from the man echoed in the room as he peed on himself. Aurelio turned to Amour who looked horrified with the scene she just witnessed. His hands found his way to her neck and he gripped it tightly, bringing her face close to his so he could have a clear view of the terrified look on her face. "This.. Is just the highest level of my kindness compared to what I can do. Remember this, you're mine! Mine to touch, mine to fuck, mine to do whatever I want with... No one else... But me" A drop of tear fell from Amour's eyes. •••• Aurelio Giovanni is the second in command of THE DARK BULLS, one of the biggest mafia empire in Los Angeles, he's the underboss He ruthless, to him "second chance" doesn't exist in his vocabulary Just like air, one never knows his next move. He can be as calm as a gentle breeze but the next minute, a raging hurricane What happens when he sets eye on 22 years old Amour who's just curious to discover the world around her? How did both of them meet? What happens when Aurelio claims Amour as his possession? Will Amour ever escape from his déadly clutches? Or not? What if there's more to it than what meets the eye?

"Aris, kita kan di kampus. Jangan seperti ini, nanti ada yang melihat," ujar Clara dengan nada cemas, mencoba melepaskan diri dari dekapan suaminya. "Kamu lupa kalau aku ini suamimu?" Aris justru menarik tubuh Clara lebih dekat, membuatnya terduduk pas di pangkuannya. "Tapi, bagaimana kalau penggemar Bapak tahu? Ini bisa jadi masalah besar untuk reputasi Bapak," protes Clara, wajahnya memerah antara gugup dan malu. "Aku tidak peduli apa pun yang mereka pikirkan. Yang penting bagiku hanya kamu, Clara, bukan mereka atau siapa pun," ucap Aris lembut, kedua tangannya kini memegang dagu istrinya, memaksanya menatap langsung ke matanya.

When I learned that Holly Jones had gone to deliver cold medicine to her young assistant, even though she knew I was trapped in the elevator and suffered from claustrophobia, I asked for a divorce. Holly signed without hesitation. Smiling at her best friend, she said, "Jim is just throwing a little tantrum. His parents are gone, so there's no way he'd really divorce me. Besides, there's a thirty-day cooling-off period before it's finalized. If he regrets it, I'll graciously forgive him and take him back." The very next day, she posted a couples' photoshoot with her assistant, captioned: [Capturing your every sexy moment.] I counted the days. Calmly, I packed my belongings and made a phone call. "Uncle, buy me a ticket to Hudson City."

Seven years into our marriage, my husband, Lucas Thorne, is hailed as a legendary astronomer in the field of astronomy. It is no secret that he absolutely adores me, his wife. He always keeps a polite, distant demeanor with those around him. Even when his new assistant, Serena Cox, asks for his number, he coldly turns her down. In the year he proposed to me, he named a star "LAW", which was an acronym for "Lucas Adores Wilma". Since then, every asteroid he discovers is named with initials that hold a special significance only the two of us know. To others, they might just be scientific achievements. But to me, they are unspoken love letters. This goes on until this morning, when I stumble upon an unfamiliar phone. I unlock it easily with my middle name, thinking it's yet another quiet gesture of his love. But to my horror, I find a string of explicit messages between him and another woman. The person who was at the receiving end of those messages was none other than… Serena, his assistant.