The Silent Waters

I was pregnant. On my way to deliver documents to Tristan Goldberg, a flash flood struck. Desperate, I dialed his number, praying he’d answer. After a few rings, the call connected. But instead of Tristan, a woman’s voice answered. "Tristan, whose number is this? Do you want to answer it?" There was a brief pause, and then Tristan’s voice, cold and indifferent, cut through. "It’s just my maid. Ignore it. Hang up." And just like that, the call disconnected. Staring at the torrent rising around me, my pulse quickened. I texted him, begging for him to send a rescue team. Minutes passed as the waters climbed to my waist, churning and relentless. Then, a message from Tristan finally appeared. Tristan: [What kind of ridiculous story are you making up now?] Tristan: [Emily, do you think you're eighteen, playing these childish games? I want that document in my hands within thirty minutes, or we're getting divorced.] A surge of terror shot through me as I looked up, catching sight of a heavy branch snapping loose and crashing down. In an instant, everything went dark.

"Kevin, let's get a divorce." The man on the phone was silent for a moment, then a cold laugh was heard. "Jessica, what other tricks are you playing?" Kevin asked. Jessica closed her eyes and said calmly, "Kevin, I'll wait for you at home." After hanging up the phone, Jessica, who was leaning against the wall, fell down because she was so weak. The heavy rain outside the corridor came in because of the wind and wet her body. She gripped her phone and bit her sleeve while crying silently. Kevin was stunned when the phone call suddenly ended. Jessica had been fighting a cold war for a year and was reluctant to get a divorce. Why did she suddenly change her mind today?

On the day of her wedding, Vittoria De Angelis was dragged from the altar and forced to marry the enemy. Vincenzo Lucchese, the exiled heir of the Sicilian mafia, returned to avenge the deaths of his father and brother. In front of everyone, he stole his rival’s bride, sealing a new order of power, written in blood. Now, Vittoria is his wife. Not by choice. But by punishment. Trapped with a man who loves her, yet is as dangerous as he is irresistible, she soon learns that running from him may be even deadlier than falling for him. Because Vincenzo doesn’t want obedience. He wants to surrender. He wants revenge. And she is his guarantee. In this silent war between them, love might be the most lethal weapon of all.

Thirty years ago, a progressive rock band called The Yellow Kings began recording what would become their first and final album. Titled “The Final Reconciliation,” the album was expected to usher in a new renaissance of heavy metal, but it was shelved following a tragic concert that left all but one dead. The sole survivor of that horrific incident was the band’s lead guitarist, Aidan Cross, who’s kept silent about the circumstances leading up to that ill-fated performance—until now. For the first time since the tragedy, Aidan has granted an exclusive interview to finally put rumors to rest and address a question that has haunted the music industry for decades: What happened to The Yellow Kings? The answer will terrify you. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

Can a contract marriage built on obsession and deceit turn into a love story? Luca Romano, the heir to the Romano group, is faced with a daunting task - he must get married in order to claim his inheritance. However, Luca suffers from a rare allergy to women's touch, leaving him in a bind. But then he meets Elena, a stranger he has a one night stand with at a bar. To his surprise, his allergy doesn't kick in when he's with her. So he proposes a contract marriage - he gets his company and can indulge in his obsession with Elena, while Elena, who is actually in disguise with a vendetta against the Romanos, can use the marriage to bring them down. As the two navigate the murky waters of their contract marriage, they begin to see beyond their own selfish desires and into the deep love they share. But with Elena's hidden agenda and the Romano family's dark secrets threatening to tear them apart, their love is put to the ultimate test. "Mr Romano's Obsession" is a gripping tale of passion, deception, and true love. With twists and turns at every corner, readers will be left on the edge of their seats until the very end.

Alara's life shattered the day she was sold by the man she believed was her father, thrust into the powerful grasp of Ezra—the feared Alpha King with eyes of amber and a commanding presence that claimed her very soul. Haunted by betrayal and the mysteries surrounding her true lineage, Alara must navigate the treacherous waters of a bond she never asked for, yet cannot deny. Ezra, burdened by the loss of his first mate and years of bitter solitude, sees in Alara not just a mate but his destined redemption. Determined to protect his kingdom from the rising dark threats, he must confront his own heart as it dangerously entwines with the fierce and defiant woman brought into his life by fate. Together, they face intrigue, ancient prophecies, and hidden enemies who would see their burgeoning love destroyed before it can bloom. As the line between captor and lover blurs, Ezra and Alara must decide whether trust forged in the fires of adversity can heal their wounded hearts or if the shadows of the past will tear them apart forever. In a world where passion, power, and destiny collide, can love truly conquer all—even when it's sold to the Alpha King?

Alpha Armand is a powerful vampire who rules over his kind with an iron fist. Sarah Williams is a werewolve who has suffered at the hands of vampires and blames Alpha Armand for her pain. Sarah has been planning her revenge on Alpha Armand for years, and she finally gets her chance when she learns of a weakness he has. She sets out to exploit this weakness and destroy Alpha Armand once and for all. But as Sarah delves deeper into her plot, she begins to realize that Alpha Armand is not the monster she thought he was. In fact, she finds herself drawn to him, and he to her. As their feelings for each other deepen, Sarah must decide whether to continue with her revenge or to embrace her newfound love. Meanwhile, there are other forces at work that threaten to tear apart the fragile peace between vampires and werewolves. Sarah and Alpha Armand must navigate treacherous waters if they are to have any hope of a future together. In the end, Sarah must choose between her thirst for revenge and her love for Alpha Armand, as they both face an uncertain future in a world where the lines between good and evil are blurred...

Qykerth is brought to the reality of life when he finds his mother's body the day after his father leaves them under the excuse he will be out cultivating when his mother knows the truth. Qykerth blames himself for his father leaving because he was incapable of living up to his father's expectations as a cultivator and descendant. The loss of his mother brings unfathomable pain causing the power stored inside his body to explode, taking three lives with it, but a mysterious man finds Qykerth's body and grants him a second chance to live. Prince Queseon believes that his father's acts of keeping the humans out of the waters is ridiculous and ventures out into the world and meets a particular creature. As the two of them spend day after day together, both boys fall for the other but live with their unrequited love. Unable to take it any longer their fates connect, they separate and a child is born who faces obstacles a child should never face but with the help of his little fae friend, a new destiny is carved. |Side Stories| *|Lumiere & Licht | *|Daughter of Ice & Disciple of Wind| *|Sucked Into Darkness|

Once a king, and once a slave, can his secrets save his mates? Talen has waited over a century for a mate, and the goddess is generous when she finally grants his wish – she gives him four. It does not take long for Talen to realize that his very long, long life has been spent in training for the arrival of these mates, as he will need every skill at his disposal to not only heal the rift between the Triquetra and Aislen, but to protect them through the coming trouble. The flood waters have brought to Havermouth many threats, and not just in the form of the face-eating former inhabitants of the original abandoned colony of the Havers family. When Rhett is infected by the zombie-making virus, Talen, Aislen, and the Triquetra seek the help of the mysterious warlock Leighton and his family, just as the town fills with black-clad, armed men who call themselves the National Emergency Service... But they aren’t there to help Havermouth recover from the storm. Will Talen’s wisdom and wealth of experience, help save his mates from the dangers of Havermouth? Trigger warnings for this book: this is a dark romance werewolf story containing dubious consent, violence, and assault.

Sometimes, God makes you find out about your husband’s dirty secrets, just so you can divorce him and move on with a better person. Perhaps, his uncle. Robert and I have been married for over two years and he’s never touched me due to being diagnosed with erectile dysfunction, a truth I never discovered until our honeymoon and I learnt to live with that, blinded by love for the man who made my heart flutter. Well, that changes when I walk in on him slamming deep into his secretary who’s on all fours in our room. Feeling betrayed, I divorced him and lost everything I worked hard for, to his deceitful hand. Then I met him. Anderson Waters, the man who’d help me get revenge on his rebellious nephew in exchange for one thing: “Of course, Robert’s a fuckwad. Everyone wants to repay him in his own coin.” Anderson chuckled lightly. “I can you do that for you if you sign this paper. Three years as my wife with respected boundaries, give it a thought till sundown. I’ll be back for an answer.”