Tough Times Quotes

I never imagined my life would take this turn. Fresh out of high school, I thought college was my next step—until my parents' gambling debts destroyed my savings, leaving me stranded in a gap year I never planned. Now, I spend my days checking in high-profile guests at an elite country club in San Antonio, trying to rebuild my future dollar by dollar. Then he walked in. Pierce White—a man nearly three times my age, newly divorced, dangerous in the way only experience can be. He was supposed to be just another wealthy member, another name in the system. But the way he looked at me, the raw heat in his gaze, ignited something I never expected. And once we cross the line...there's no going back.

Selene Davies was heartbroken when Sunny Dale humiliated and dumped her on her 20th birthday. She felt that she had done everything right in their relationship, and couldn’t tell where things went wrong. After all, she was raised by her mother to be a lady; prim and proper. That night, she gave in to her wildest desires and threw herself into the warm arms of Declan Grayson, the personification of wealth and power. Selene reckoned that there was nothing wrong with letting herself loose and having a great night. However, what if her fling wasn't just a decade older than her but also turned out to be her step-uncle? Well, he was nothing but a fling, no strings attached, or so she thought. Regret was an understatement when she learned that Declan didn't only take her first, but also publicized their affair. He portrayed her as a slut who gave sexual favors for a measly screen time. Now, she has the black market drug, ecstasy in her system, and when it’s effects kick in at random times, she either gets laid quickly or kicks the bucket. Who, or better still, what would be her medicine, when she has no man in her life? *** "Oh my God! Why does my head hurt so much? And my whole body also hurts like crazy. Ouch!!! Selene suddenly spotted a full-grown man lying beside her, “Hey, who the fu*k are you? And why are you in my bed?” Declan only smiled beautifully, a coy smirk lacing his lips. "Take a look around, sweetheart. You. Are. In. My. Bed!” His deep baritone voice sounded in her ear, stirring emotions she swore never to entertain again, or just maybe she never really felt that way before...

Everyone has their dark side but some— like Ruby Fridays, have the darkest. High school can be tough for many teenagers, but for her, it was peculiarly hellish. Clever as evil and twice as pretty, Ruby's beauty was both dangerous and lethal. Trouble always follows her, and strangely enough—she's familiar with the feeling of blood on her hands, and the glimmer of naked secrets and truths that keep her enemies up until sunsets and dawns. But when she got enrolled in a prestigious institution—the infamous, "Rosbite Lustro Academy," despite her tainted school records, she realizes that her ruined fate is already sealed by the almost perfect image of the school— that is nothing but a façade to masked the darkness that lurks within its vicinity. Like a twisted fate, as if reflecting Ruby's name, the Academy holds a sinister game of Truth or Dare every Friday Nights. And the official rules are simple yet sinister. Choose truth? You must reveal your deepest, darkest and most hideous secret. Choose dare? Well, that could be even more dangerous—even deadly. When the game takes an even darker turn with her appearance, suddenly no one at the Academy knows who to turn to and trust with the day by day murders in the broken mists. Yet in the darkness, Killian Wilde, a disguised angel who's surprisingly Ruby's counterpart, decides to interfere with her ruined path. Together with him, they will try to venture into the unknown, to understand the world created on their own. Together, they will look for the missing pieces and connect them. Together, they will unravel the cases and reveal the secrets beyond the broken glasses of their hearts. But with them versus the twisted game, can they win against it, even if it's their own secrets and lives at stake?

Aliyah is a werewolf hunter. During a mission, she was harmed by a teammate, so she fell into werewolf territory. She became the slave of Charles, the strong werewolf at the moment. But he is also the most ruthless werewolf. Aliyah ran away several times and was recaptured. After many events, Aliyah discovers that she is not just an ordinary person; it seems her body also flows the vital blood of Alpha. Will Aliyah find out her identity? Standing between humans and werewolves, which side will Aliyah choose? Can she and Charles get together?

I'm no longer a human, my life is over. I've left everyone I love. I've gone rogue from the CIA. My only hope is my handler. She is tough enough to face my monster. If I lose control, she won't hesitate to take me out. But I'm not the only predator out there. Someone's hunting her. She needs my protection. But if I don't get my animal under control, I may be her biggest threat yet.

"“Funny, charming, and utterly captivating! I devoured this sparkling read.” - New York Times bestselling author Annika Martin The man I hate might be the first one to pluck my petals… Confession: I, Dandelion “Dani” Wright, am twenty-six years old and have yet to be deflowered. No man has hosed my hyacinth. Fondled my freesia. Diddled my daffodil. You get the point. My excuse? I was too busy running my family’s flower shop and winning floral design competitions. Suddenly that whole pesky virginity thing becomes a big deal when Jacob West walks back into my life. The boy I once loved. The same boy who humiliated me when he stood me up for prom. This Jacob is no boy, though: he’s all man now—confident, charming, and so sexy my metaphorical blossoms are getting scorched. I can almost forget I’m supposed to hate him forever. Almost. To make things worse, he’s my main competition now, since he took over his parents’ flower shop. If I give into this sizzling attraction between us, it could jeopardize everything I’ve worked so hard to achieve. But if I’m not careful, he might not just be the first man to pluck my petals—he might also be the only man to capture my heart."

Without my knowledge, Aileen—the daughter of Carlson Green’s first love—secretly lured my five-year-old daughter, Lena, deep into the Wolfsbane Forest. She told Lena there was treasure hidden in the forest. When a distress signal came from the forest, I rushed there with Carlson and the rescue team. The wolfsbane's poison spread silently, making it harder for Lena to breathe. She lay weak in the grass, her face pale, her heartbeat slowing down. Aileen, meanwhile, was sprawled on the path beside the wolfsbane. She only had a few scratches on her knees, but she was crying loudly. "Help me! It hurts so much!" I thought Carlson, the Alpha of the Moonshadow Pack and Lena’s father, would run into the forest to check on his own daughter. But he didn’t. Instead, he bent down, scooped Aileen into his arms, comforting her with care. His eyes were full of worry. "It’s okay now, Daddy’s here." I ran forward, my voice shaking. "Carlson! Lena is still in the wolfsbane grass! I can feel her breathing fading! Come with me to find her!" He only said calmly, "Lena is wearing my Moonstone Crystal. It protects her from wolfsbane. She will be fine. Aileen needs care and treatment more." The rescue vehicle left, taking Aileen and Carlson with it. I ran into the wolfsbane field and found Lena. She weakly tugged my hand. "Mom, don’t cry. It doesn’t hurt at all." "Daddy will come save me after he saves Aileen." Then she closed her eyes. And never breathed again. Even on the day of her funeral, Lena never got to see her father come to save her. Carlson Green, a life for a life. You, Aileen, and her mother will pay back everything you did to Lena—I’ll make you repay it a thousand times over.

My Alpha's ex-girlfriend finds an excuse to move in with us. Whenever she sees me and my pup, she clutches her chest and acts like she's devastated. My Alpha is sure that I'm deliberately showing off our pup to upset her. "I can't believe you keep flaunting our pup to get on Cissy's nerves! I have to teach you a lesson!" He orders his men to have our pup and me thrown into the basement. No one is allowed to bring me food. I try to escape, and I beg for mercy. I tell him our pup is weak because I wasn't in the best of health when carrying it. I also tell him a healer has advised me to be hospitalized for further treatment. He sounds like he's heard the world's biggest joke, and his tone is cold as he says, "How can you be weak when you made it out of being ambushed in the forest? Stop trying to make yourself seem pitiful! Stay in the basement and repent! This is what you get for making things hard for Cissy!" What he doesn't know is that, when I save him from the attack, I lose my wolf because I am injected with wolfsbane. During my pregnancy, I am also hospitalized many times in order to prevent miscarriage due to the fact that my body is too weak. The pup is in poor health and has been receiving treatment since birth. In the basement, I slash my wrists to feed my pup with my blood, but he still dies in my arms. My devastated howls reverberate in the space. Losing my wolf means I no longer have the ability to heal myself. I lie in a puddle of my blood as I hold my pup's cold body close. Three days later, my Alpha decides he wants me back when he drinks a cup of coffee that isn't to his liking. He says, "Let my Luna out so she can make me coffee and apologize to Cissy. She and the pup can be taken to the hospital if she's sincere enough." No one dares obey his orders—my blood is already flowing out of the basement.

My son is gravely ill. His inner wolf is too weak to awaken, and the healer warns that without the Alpha’s blood to strengthen his spirit, he may not last the next full moon. He clutches my hand, his feverish golden eyes dimming. “Mother, can Father take me to the Barnum & Bailey Circus？” But no matter how many times I summon my mate through the pack bond, he does not answer. His presence in the mind-link is an empty void. I can only hold my son as his small body trembles. I whisper stories of wolf warriors and great Alphas, but his breathing grows weaker. When the dawn breaks, his tiny fingers slip from mine. His wolf never wakes. A few days later, the scent of wild roses floods our pack’s sacred grounds. I turn—and there he is. My mate. My Alpha. He strides into the hall with my sister cradled in his arms. Her neck bears his fresh scent mark. His mark. I watch as he presses a lingering kiss to her lips, his hands caressing her like a treasure. Their love is bold, shameless—an unspoken declaration to the entire pack. And only then do I learn the truth. While my son lay fighting for his life, waiting for his father’s touch, longing for his Alpha’s strength… my mate was deep in Rose Valley, tangled in passion with my own blood. I thought my heart had long since gone cold from his neglect, but at that moment, it shatters. I make my decision. I will leave this pack. Yet just as I turn to walk away, the mate who had only ever treated me with indifference suddenly drops to his knees. A broken sob rips from his throat. For the first time, my proud, untouchable Alpha weeps.

A powerful CEO will cross paths with a single mother, a "tough nut to crack," as he calls her. She's afraid of getting into a romantic relationship since she was abandoned by her boyfriend. Ever since, whenever a man approaches her, she scares him away with a brusque attitude. That man with sea-green eyes and cinnamon skin who is her new boss will be her downfall. Their worlds are different, filled with lies, secrets, and a love triangle; accompanied by a passionately charged romance, it will lead them to the abyss. Will Katia be able to stay with him after discovering the secret that the stone-faced man holds? Will the CEO be able to reach Katia's heart?