Twenty Eight

　　Eight years into my time with the Moretti family, I was both their most capable core member and Don Dominic's wife of three years—but we'd never actually signed the marriage contract. 　　Every single time we were about to go to City Hall to register, he'd ditch me for his female subordinate. 　　The first time, he left me waiting on the side of the road all day because she was sick and weak. 　　The second time, he dumped me halfway there because of one phone call from her. 　　After that, I got stood up again and again. 　　After being stood up for the seventeenth time, I decided to give them what they wanted. 　　I accepted the invitation to a top-tier medical project in Paris, packed my bags, and boarded a plane. 　　But when I actually left, he lost his mind...

When my colleagues find out that I'm pretty good at cooking, they start organizing dinners at my place. Lucy Holt, one of the junior accountants, suggests that we split the groceries evenly between us. As a result, I don't think I can reject their request without being rude. On my last day of work, the group gathers at my place for one last meal. "You're such a good cook, Jess! We'll all be transferring you 500 dollars later. It's just a token of our appreciation," Lucy declares with a bright smile. But the very next day, she sends me a message. "Hey, Jess. You know it's illegal to operate an unlicensed catering business from your home, right? Your house will get sealed off for further investigation. More importantly, the value of goods has passed the threshold of 10,000 dollars, which means the fine you'll have to pay is probably going to be about 20 times that amount. "Since we worked together, we decided not to report you to the authorities. We'll just settle this matter privately. All you have to do is give us the fine you would've had to pay instead." This is how I realized that, combined with yesterday's meal, the total amount they've given me for groceries thus far is exactly 10,001 dollars.

On the first day Thea Storme is accepted back to her wealthy family, she signs a betting contract with the fake heiress, Clara Storme. The contract states that if Clara is able to steal from Thea nine times in a row, Thea will have to leave the Storme family on her own. Thea agrees to the bet. On the ninth time, Clara has her eye on Thea's boyfriend, who's a low-income student. She gives him two million dollars and demands that he marry into her family as a live-in son-in-law. "You want me to marry into your family? Sure." Thea raises her head in disbelief. Leonard Falkner taps a finger on the bank card. The moment he meets Thea's gaze of despair, he flashes her a comforting smile. "But I will marry into your family as Thea's husband. I might be poor, but I still have my pride. Except for the woman I love most, I won't lower my head for anyone in this world." That day, Clara cries as she runs out of the house. She even agrees to marry into the Larkin family out of spite. Leonard remains unmoved. He just watches Clara making a fool of herself coldly. But that night, Thea overhears something…

This is a story of two close friends (Courtney and Judy) and the odds that meet them as soon as Courtney turns 18. They hope for a bright future together but have no clue on things that are yet to unfold in their lives.

For three years, we held a wedding in name only—my husband, Kit Rutgers, a pilot, canceled our marriage registration eighteen times. The first time, his female trainee, Katy Ferguson, had a test flight. I waited outside the county clerk’s office the whole day. The second time, he got a call from her mid-drive, made a sharp U-turn, and left me standing on the side of the road. After that, every time we planned to make it official, some crisis with Katy mysteriously arose. Eventually, I chose to walk away. But the moment I boarded a plane to Solara, he lost his mind—and chased me there.

At eighteen, Charlotte never imagined she’d become a wife — especially to Elijah, her brother’s cold and distant friend. He was powerful, feared, and far too complicated for someone like her. But behind his calm façade lies a secret — a woman from his past who would do anything to have him back. When jealousy turns into obsession, Charlotte’s life is put in danger the moment that woman discovers Elijah secretly married a young girl. In a world where love can cost a life, will Charlotte survive loving a man who was never meant to be hers? Because sometimes, love at eighteen isn’t a fairytale — it’s a dangerous vow.

Hannah Perez had never been in a relationship before both of her parents were killed in a car accident. A family friend, the chairman and owner of an airline company, asked her to marry his grandson, Delta Empire's only heir. Her peaceful life turned upside-down after her wedding with Rafael. She learned that he agreed to marry her against his will in order to inherit the company of his family. He had no intention of staying with her and is still madly in love with Samantha, his ex-girlfriend and a famous model. Will Hannah, a 300-pound lady, and Rafael, a fastidious man who is constantly attempting to stay on top of things, find love in their loveless marriage?

“Breathe, Chloe. Just breathe,” Talon said, kneeling beside me. His voice was steady, his hands glowing faintly with a soft blue light as he pressed them to my back. “You're safe now. I gasped for air, coughing as I collapsed into Jett’s embrace. Kael crouched in front of me, his eyes blazing with fury. “Who did this to you?” he growled. “Tell me. My lips trembled, but no sound came out. “Was it Ezra Kane?” Jett asked, his voice low and full of danger. I nodded barely. “I’ll k*ll him,” Kael snapped . ************************************** They were the hottest triplets at Lockhart Academy. Dangerous, untouchable, and absolutely off-limits. Until they wanted me. I used to be invisible, the overweight, wolfless Omega everyone mocked. Rejected by my longtime crush Ezra in front of the whole school, humiliated by my stepsister Peyton, and ignored by the woman who raised me, I thought things couldn’t get worse. Then Peyton signed me up for the school play just to humiliate me, and somehow, I got cast as the female lead. Opposite Ezra. I wanted to disappear. Instead, I ended up in the arms of three powerful Alpha hybrids: Kael, Talon, and Jett. They saved me when I was at my lowest and took me away as payment for a debt tied to a curse only I can break. They say my bloodline is rare. That I’m special. But all I’ve ever been told is that I’m not enough. Now I’m living in their mansion, rehearsing for a play I never wanted to be in, and trying not to fall for the three boys who swear they’ll protect me. I was supposed to be their burden. So why do they treat me like I’m theirs?

I'd been engaged to Ivan since we were kids. When he went off to the military, I stayed behind—ten years of caring for his paralyzed mom, putting my whole life on pause. By the time he came back, I was at the age where most women were settling down. And he showed up with someone else. Ivan laid it out, stone cold: "Nadia's my comrade's widow. If you want to marry me, you'll have to accept her too. Most of my pay goes to her. I promised I'd take care of her. She gets first pick of everything in the house. Don't like it? Then forget about getting married." I looked past him. Nadia stood there, tears dripping down her cheeks, playing the poor little victim. Right then, I ended it. No drama. No regrets. Signed up for the Rural Teaching Support Program the same day. Left love behind. Threw everything I had into teaching.

“Darcy is feeling dizzy tonight. Let's suppress our bond, Emma. We can have our marking ceremony some other day.” Those were the exact words he spat when I called him on the day that was supposed to be our marking ceremony. It was the seventh time he asked me to suppress the sacred bond between us for his childhood sweetheart. The first time he suppressed it was because Darcy’s pack was under attack and he wanted to be by her side. “Darcy is fighting for her survival and you want me to be pulled by our fated bond? Don't make me believe you are this selfish., Emma.” The third time he suppressed it he said, “Darcy is having a fever. I can't leave her alone.” By the sixth time, he didn't bother explaining why he had the witch suppress our bond in the most brutal way possible because he was in a hurry to go meet Darcy. Since we were fated mates, every time he wanted to be intimate with her, he would have a witch suppress the bond between us. As an Alpha, this suppression barely affects him but as an Omega, it would leave me in a terrible pain that I could not get up from my bed for weeks. Though devastated seeing me in such pain, he would offer me only a few lines of apologies and a bundle of promises to make it up to me in future. That's it. So, when the seventh time, he refused to mark me and came home to suppress our bond to be with Darcy, I had already packed my clothes. It will be the last time he suppresses our bond because the next time, there will be no bond between us to suppress.