The Upside Down Stranger Things

The seventh time Claire Fisher bailed on our marriage license appointment, I finally cut her out of my life—for good. From then on, if she was at a party, I wasn't. When she was scheduled to perform at our college's anniversary celebration, I made sure to leave early. The moment my company announced a collaboration with hers, I resigned without a second thought. Even on Christmas Eve, when she showed up at my parents' house with gifts, I slipped out with a half-hearted excuse about "visiting a friend." I blocked her number. Deleted her from my contacts. Burned every bridge and salted the earth behind me. No calls. No texts. No social media. I didn't reach out. She couldn't reach me. Simple as that. For the better part of my life, I was hopelessly in love with her—waiting on her, caring for her, putting her first in every way that mattered. I gave her all of me without ever holding back. But after the seventh time she left me sitting alone at the City Hall, something inside me broke. I was done. If that meant spending the rest of my life alone, so be it. Better that than sitting in an empty apartment, listening to the silence, holding on to hope for someone who never planned to show up.

On the day of the mating ceremony, I'm supposed to be marked by William Ernst and become the Luna of the Shadow pack. However, Annie Denver, my younger twin sister, suddenly comes back from abroad. Dad, Mom, and William end up abandoning me, choosing to pick her up from the airport. While Annie posts a family photo on Facebook, flaunting how everyone in the family loves her, my family cuts me off whenever I try to contact them through mind-link. They end up closing the mind-link. After calling countless times, William finally accepts my call and asks me to stop rushing him. He tells me that today's mating ceremony is canceled and will be rescheduled on another date. My dearest parents, brother, and the man I love the most all turn me into the laughingstock of the entire pack—and the most ridiculous bride of all. Despite being laughed at, I didn't cry or make a scene. After taking care of everything, I write a number in my journal—the 99th time. This is the 99th time they have disappointed me. From this moment on, I won't beg for their love anymore. I fill out an application for Arcetic expedition, ready to leave them. They all think that my silence and constant compromises with Annie mean I've matured. They fail to realize that I'm disappointed to the core. I am leaving for good.

My husband, Daniel Thompson, looked down on me. I was just a farmer's daughter in his eyes, and he never loved the son I gave birth to. It wasn’t until our baby turned 100 days old that he held him for the first time. Then, one day, his first love, Claire Matthews, came back to the city. That night at dinner, Daniel, who was always cold and distant, finally smiled. He even reached across the table and placed a piece of meat on Noah’s plate. Noah beamed all evening, clutching onto that tiny gesture like it was a treasure. Just before bed, he whispered to me, "Mom, do you think he likes me now… even just a little?" I wrapped him in my arms, tears blurring my vision as I gently shook my head. "No, sweetheart. It’s because the woman he truly loves is back. It’s time for us to go."

I stare at the email on my screen, unable to move my fingers. Tomorrow is our company's crucial product launch, and I just learn that the patent for the algorithm I spent three years developing is now filed under Matthew Ashford's new assistant, Sophie Bennett. I storm into Matthew's office to confront him. Sophie sits on his desk with her legs crossed, looking completely innocent. She claims that she filled out the form by mistake. "It's just a clerical error. The patent still belongs to the company. What's the big deal?" Matthew stands up from his chair, positioning himself in front of Sophie. I can't believe what I am hearing. "Matthew, this is my research!" "Emma, you're thirty-five. Why are you picking a fight with a twenty-three-year-old intern?" He frowns. Then, he turns to Sophie. "Starting tomorrow, you're the new CTO. Emma needs… some time off." I'm utterly stunned. A decade of marriage and five years dedicated to building a company together have been shattered by a few casual words from him. Thirty minutes later, Sophie posts a photo on social media of herself sitting on Matthew's lap. They are both clinking champagne glasses. "So lucky to have the best boss ever. I'll make sure to be his loyal kitten." Below that, Matthew leaves a comment—three red heart emojis. I shut my laptop and pick up my phone. "Hello. Is this Mr. David Langley from Novara Group of Sundale Valley? This is Emma Whitmore. I've changed my mind. I'm ready to join you." I pause. "And by the way, about that unreleased algorithm upgrade, I have the complete technical blueprint. Make me an offer." Later, I fly to Tallisport with an eight-figure check in hand, while Matthew goes frantic trying to find me.

Oh my goodness! "You... You killed him" My lips trembled as I spoke. My eyes focused on Cyrus blood which was spreading out. "Your turn, Step Sister" ******** Betrayed by her lover, Grisella Morretti falls into the trap of Don Raniero, her foster brother who was a ruthless Mafia Boss. To Don Raniero, she was a gold thief that he had to teach some sort of lesson and extract a heavy price for crossing him. But what he doesn't know is that Grisella's capture is just merely a pawn in her own game of REVENGE. Put on your seatbelt as we dive into this gripping tale of secrets, lies and hidden truths.

WARNING: MATURE CONTENT! An EROTIC-ROMANCE story! *** Since high school, Isla Peterson, a college student, had a crush on her brother's closest friend. She wished to be noticed by the man not just as a young sister, but also as a lover. She begged her brother, Apollo, to invite him to her 18th birthday party. Because her brother adores her, he eventually agreed. She was overjoyed when her long-time crush arrived—her wish had been granted. After reaching the legal age, Isla relaxed during her after-party and assured her brother that she would only drink a little. However, she got drunk and involved herself in a situation that forever changes her life. She had sex with her long-time crush, Zero, the famed womanizer. Zero Cohen is a well-known monster in bed who prefers extreme sex over making out. He only had one rule: "keep up with his pace," and he will lavish you with joy. Zero didn't realize it was Isla he claimed that night because they were both drunk at the time. And he admits, the lady was too good for first-timers. He began to crave her body, and every time he saw her, his pet hardened and desired to delve deeper into her core. But can they really expect to go very far in this game? What if they have to face their difficulties? Will one of them give up, or will they fight? What could it bring if the playboy faces his downfall?

I dated my younger brother’s best friend, Dylan Lane, for three years. More than once, he told me how much he loathed arranged marriages and how he hated being chained by family interests. However, one night, after another bout of indulgence, he wrapped his arms around me and begged me sweetly to design a wedding ring for his fiancée—someone he had never even met. The smile froze on my face, yet he just said indifferently, “Aren’t people like us all destined to marry for our families' benefit?” Seeing the blood drain from my face, he even chuckled. “Vee, don’t you tell me you're still as naïve as a 20-year-old girl, thinking I would ever marry you? At most, we're just… pillow friends." Later, I agreed to the marriage my family had arranged for me. Dylan showed up on my wedding day, disheveled and red-eyed. He fell to his knees and begged me not to leave. I stood beside my new husband, hand in hand, and smiled faintly as I chuckled. “Didn’t you say people like us were born for arranged marriages? I’m simply doing what you always wanted me to do. Shouldn’t you be happy?”

Everyone believed Ethan Cross loved Isabella Winters to his core, but nobody knew he'd already found an Isabella look-alike to keep him company through the lonely nights. Even when Isabella recovered, he continued his affair. Little did he know that Isabella's recovery was temporary—within two months, she would lose every memory she'd ever made. After that, she would forget Ethan completely, and her love for him would be erased forever.

Liam had made a major blunder that threatened to bring their business down and damage his father so he had to do everything he could to save him. Even marrying someone he just met. Something odd happened when the two strangers collided and shifted Crystal's way of life into a lifestyle she could never have imagined. Due to the dubious circumstances, Crystal met Liam Spencer. A man who offers her to marry him in exchange of a large sum of money. Crystal Harrison agreed when she heard how much money he could pay her because she had always wished to live a life that was more comfortable and prosperous than her current one. Even though they know nothing about each other, and didn't consider the consequences of such a major decision, the two strangers signed a marriage contract. Now, they have to live as a couple to avoid tarnishing the Spencer's reputation.

Ivan Carey, quiet and always keeping social interaction in school to a minimum, his plan of getting unnoticed is working until he comes across Nathan Calloway in one drunken night. Things lead to things and sexual tension kicks in. With neither boys wanting a rumor passing around, they each agree no one else will know but keeping it that way proves more of a challenge than expected. Can Nathan stick with the rules or has he met his match in Ivan?