Novel & Cerita The Rising Tide

I looked up, desperation rising in my chest. With no way to repay the debt, begging was all I had left. “Please... give me a year. I’ll pay back the loan. I just need time to find—” “No. There is no time,” he cut in, his voice calm but final. “You have only one choice,” he said. “Marry me—since you didn’t bring the money to clear your family’s debts.” My throat went dry as I stared at him. “It’s simple. Marry me for one year. That’s the deal. You want your mother out of jail? You want your father not to join her after getting out of that hospital bed? This is how.” * Natasha Williams had two dreams; to become a successful doctor and start a family with the love of her life. Everything seemed perfect until her sister ran away and bailed on her arranged marriage, putting their family in a tough position. Now Natasha was the only one who could fill her shoes and save her family’s reputation, but she couldn’t abandon everything she’d worked for. But when she catches her boyfriend proposing to another woman, her whole world shatters. Heartbroken, she had no choice but to agree to the marriage proposal. Her groom, Sylvester Manson was not a man to reckon with. He was the infamous billionaire heir of the Manson empire, and all he needed was a wife to secure his inheritance. Bound by a contract marriage, their fates are intertwined, but what happens when they blur the lines between reality and fantasy? Will they be consumed by their duty or passion?

[ ᴜɴʀᴇǫᴜɪᴛᴇᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ]"Let me go, Heath. You know it's wrong." I whispered, as he shifted himself closer towards me. "What's wrong with me hugging you?"I took a deep breath. "You just got cheated on by my sister who you were about to marry in some weeks! Not to mention, you loved her so much you fought against your whole family to marry her. Is that enough of a reason now?"With that being said, he left me abruptly and I could feel him still standing behind me. "You just have to mention that now, don't you? When I'm trying to cope up with the truth?""It's the truth. You really were getting married to-""Is that the reason you're leaving me?!"I frowned. "What?""I was going to marry Kiara. You didn't like it-""Why wouldn't I like it if you'd marry my sister?!" I yelled, my own temper rising at his random observation. "It's simple. You were jealous." ___Eight years working your butt off for someone you love, only to watch them fall in love with your own sister and propose a marriage by your help, is not something everyone have guts for, to do. Follow the journey of Heath Evercrest and Hazel Scarlett, as Hazel struggles to put up with her employer's sudden unexpected odd request, while her own heart threatens to betray her sooner or later, in her own quest.___Warning - Contains kisses and scenes that might make you blush.Copyright © StarryRitika 2020.

Esmeralda Cantari has spent her life being told she is a mistake. The unwanted daughter of a powerful angel prince and a disgraced witch, she was cast aside by her father and barely tolerated by her mother’s coven. When her magic fails to appear like every other young mage’s, the coven finally exiles her for good. But the night they drive her out, something awakens. Blood answers her call. Wings of midnight blue and black tear free from her back. And suddenly the powerless girl everyone despised becomes something far more dangerous. Returning to Rosewood Sanctum for her third year, Esmeralda must hide abilities that could make her a target in a school ruled by powerful bloodlines—including the half-siblings who have bullied her for years. Yet strange things are already happening around the academy. Students are disappearing. Bodies are found drained of blood. And rumors of ancient monsters once thought extinct begin to circulate. The only people who seem to notice Esmeralda’s true potential are the most feared group of heirs at Rosewood: a shadow demon with dangerous curiosity, a brooding shifter whose beast reacts to her presence, a brilliant mage who feels he’s seen her before, a relentless fae warrior who sees her strength, and an angel prince who is watching her far too closely. As the mystery deepens, Esmeralda begins to realize her awakening may not be a coincidence. Something ancient is rising in the shadows of the supernatural world. And it has already started hunting for her.

I helped my wife, Kim Carey, rise from obscurity into stardom, only to discover that she was having an affair with a rising young actor who looked like me. When I asked for a divorce, she cried and begged me not to leave. In the end, I caved in. I gave her three chances. The first time, she stayed up all night to post a public statement clarifying all the rumors between her and Emmett Stone. She canceled all her work and stayed with me for an entire week. The second time, on my birthday, she publicly announced that Emmett was her soulmate. She even released intimate photos of the two of them. She buried herself in my arms and said righteously, "Emmett is depressed. I'm only doing this to comfort him. You're the only one in my heart. This is the last time. Please believe me." Then, she abandoned me in the wilderness, just because Emmett had suffered a minor injury on his hand. The final time, my father was critically ill and urgently needed a huge sum of money for surgery. She refused to even transfer a single cent to me. "All the money has been invested in Emmett's new drama," she said coldly. "Your father won't die that quickly." That night, my father missed the best window for treatment and died on the operating table. My heart was completely shattered. When Kim finally returned home late that night, I asked for a divorce once more.

Two ladies with striking resemblance cross path. Julianne Crawford is tired of living as a submissive wife in her in-laws house. Her plan to escape coincided with the charity event where Quiva, a typical and cunning pickpocket attended with the aim to steal. She bumped into Julliane while she was trying to escape. Unknowingly, her phone had fallen and Quiva had picked it up as one of her ‘godsent’ gift to her. As she tried to leave the event, she met Mrs Crawford who said some derogatory words at her and called her ‘Julliane’. Quiva did not understand what was happening but she played along, thinking another jackpot had been scored, not knowing that something worse was coming for her. Quiva followed the Crawfords back to their house, assuming her position as their son’s wife, Julliane Crawford. She pretended to be Julliane to steal money and stymied the lives of the Crawfords until they learned to accept her. While she thought her dream had finally been fulfilled - a life living in wealth. An enemy from the past was rising to return, ruining her entire plan. However, as Quiva spends more time living as Julliane, she begins to develop feelings for her husband and struggles with the guilt of lying to everyone around her. Meanwhile, the real Julliane has started a new life, free from the constraints of her old one, but she can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. As the two women's paths continue to cross, secrets are revealed and loyalties are tested. Will Quiva be able to come clean and confess her deception to the Crawfords and her husband, or will she lose everything she's gained in her new life? And what will happen to Julliane, who has been living in the shadow all along?

In a city where ambition shines brighter than honesty, Ethan Blackwood has built his life on control. A rising executive with a flawless image, Ethan keeps his emotions tightly guarded, believing that vulnerability is a weakness he cannot afford. Love, if it exists at all, is something distant—something meant for other people. Kai Rivera lives by an entirely different rulebook. A bold, intuitive photographer, Kai sees the world through shadows and light, capturing truths others work hard to conceal. Unafraid of emotion or connection, he moves through life with fearless curiosity—until a chance encounter at a rain-soaked art gallery collides him with Ethan. What begins as a charged glance turns into an undeniable pull. As Kai’s uninvited lens follows Ethan into quiet cafés, crowded elevators, and hidden rooftops, tension grows into something neither of them can escape. Ethan’s carefully built walls begin to crack under Kai’s relentless honesty, while Kai finds himself drawn deeper into a man who refuses to admit how much he wants to be seen. But desire is never simple. Jealousy, misunderstandings, and the pressure of expectations threaten to tear them apart. Forced into moments of uncomfortable proximity, both men are pushed to confront the truths they’ve been avoiding—about fear, identity, and the cost of loving openly. When emotions finally collide, Ethan must decide whether protecting his image is worth losing the one person who sees him completely. Shadows Between Us is a slow-burn BL romance about longing, restraint, and the courage it takes to step out of the shadows. It is a story of two men learning that love does not demand perfection—only honesty.

When wandering healer Elara Nightvale is dragged to the cursed court of the Dragon King, she expects death not the dangerous pull she feels toward the man everyone calls a monster. Gifted with forbidden healing magic that drains her life with every use, Elara has spent years hiding her power. But in the dark kingdom of Ashenrealm, her abilities awaken something ancient and deeply tied to the king himself. Verath Dravenor, ruler of the Ashen Throne, carries the soul of the last dragon and a curse that turns desire into destruction. The closer he grows to someone, the more unstable his power becomes. Lovers have died. Allies fear him. He has sworn never to want anyone again. Until Elara arrives. Her presence calms the dragon within him yet ignites an obsession he cannot control. Forced into proximity after an assassination attempt and rising rebellion, Elara and Verath become reluctant allies. She heals his wounds; he shields her from enemies who would exploit her rare bloodline. With every touch, their bond deepens, blurring the line between survival and forbidden attraction. But Ashenrealm is on the brink of war. Rival kingdoms plot to overthrow the Dragon King, while dark magic resurfaces, threatening to unleash an ancient power tied to Elara’s lineage. As Verath’s curse worsens, he must choose: push her away and lose control… or claim her and risk consuming her completely. When passion finally ignites, their magic intertwines in a soulbinding union that could break the curse or destroy the kingdom. In a world where love is dangerous and power demands sacrifice, Elara and Verath must decide if their bond will save Ashenrealm…or burn it to ashes.

Martin Ostin, the gifted 22-year-old heir to the powerful Ostin family’s soccer empire and their top-tier club, Ostin City FC, flees his gilded life after realizing he has fallen deeply, irrevocably in love with his young stepfather, Damien Vale. The charismatic 27-year-old head coach of Ostin City FC appears to be married to Martin’s mother, but the truth untold is that their union was purely a paper contract—a strategic business alliance to protect the family’s fortune and influence in the ruthless world of professional sports. What Martin doesn’t know is that Damien has secretly loved him since their college days, when Damien, as team captain and mentor, first spotted the raw talent and quiet fire in the freshman striker Martin on the university pitch. Heartbroken and desperate to escape the forbidden feelings tearing him apart, Martin disappears, assumes a false identity, and signs with fierce rival club Westbridge United. He pours his pain into the game, rising rapidly as a lethal striker through grueling training sessions, intense league matches, and high-stakes derbies. But when the fixture list pits Westbridge United against Ostin City FC, past and present collide on the pitch. Old sparks reignite amid tactical battles, locker-room tension, and stolen moments off the field. As secrets unravel and the beautiful game forces them to confront their desires, Martin and Damien must fight for a love that could cost them everything—or lead them to victory in the ultimate match of hearts. “Truth Untold” is a passionate BL sports romance full of rivalry, redemption, and raw emotion, delivering a hard-earned happily ever after where love triumphs both on and off the pitch.

Escaping from her abusive husband with nothing but the clothes on her back, a beaten and bruised Laura shows up on the doorstep of her estranged older brother - and President of a well-known motorcycle club, Jake Wilson. But before she can even make it into the house, she runs into a tall, dark, deep well of trouble - her brother's best friend and second in command, Talon Nash. *********** He stepped closer, closing the gap between us in one stride. His hands found my hips, pulling me into him with a firm but gentle grip. The sawdust clinging to his skin mingled with the scents of his sweat and cologne, and I breathed it in, reveling in it. “Your reward,” he murmured, his lips brushing against my ear, “is me not dragging you upstairs and ruining you right now in front of all these guys.” My breath hitched, and I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, but I smirked. I wasn’t about to let him win this one. “No fair. That’s more of a punishment than a reward,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “I want a refund.” “NOT getting f*cked in front of the prospects is a punishment?” He chuckled, a deep rumbling sound that vibrated through me. “Fine,” he added, his lips curling into a wicked grin. “Careful what you wish for, angel.” Before I could respond, he bent down and hoisted me up over his shoulder like a sack of flour. I let out a startled laugh, my hands instinctively gripping the back of his jeans. The prospects paused their work, watching with amused smirks as Talon carried me toward the stairs. “Talon!” I protested, though my laughter betrayed me. “Put me down!”

Tessa Smith was born into the perfect life—wealth, fame, and love. As the only child of a renowned business tycoon and his elegant housewife, her days were filled with luxury, private tutors, and the unwavering belief that she would someday inherit her father’s empire. Groomed to be graceful, admired by fans, and adored by the media, Tessa's world seemed idyllic—until it shattered in a single, tragic moment. One fateful evening, masked intruders breached their heavily guarded island manor. Her mother, Kiera, answering the door with love and peace in her heart, was murdered in cold blood. That night rewrote Tessa's future. No longer driven by wealth or societal expectations, she chose a path that no one—least of all her father—had prepared her for: justice. Despite opposition, Tessa joined the force, quickly rising through the ranks as a brilliant, fearless detective. She cracked impossible cases and earned her place in a male-dominated world. Alongside her partner and love interest, Caleb Milanowski—a sharp-minded officer from humble beginnings—the duo formed an unstoppable team, both in investigations and in life. But just when they thought they’d found peace, a final case emerged: expose a powerful, faceless kingpin who had evaded justice for decades. Through riddles and coded messages, the truth led Tessa to a devastating revelation—one that would test her loyalty, threaten her relationship, and force her to choose between love, legacy, and the truth. In a gripping battle between duty and blood, Tessa is thrust into the heart of betrayal. To restore peace to a nation, she must dismantle the criminal empire that may be rooted in her very own family. A tale of love, loss, vengeance, and truth—where every secret comes with a price.