Twenty-fourth

A NOVEL ON STOCKHOLM SYNDROME BOOK 3 OF A THREE BOOK SERIES *TRIGGER WARNING* This book contains scenes that some readers may find disturbing… and also slightly annoying. “Miss. Iris, do you believe she has a point?” she asked and returned to her seat once again. “I don’t think so, her father and uncle deserve to go to jail.” My answer extracted a smile from her like she was proud of my response. “My name is Christine; I am a renowned medico-legal psychotherapist. Been in the business for over twenty years and that is what a case of Stockholm syndrome looks like. In my years of experience, we see situations similar to this but its our job to help the victims realize” “Wow…” I started, really amazed at what she had said and what her work entails. I was only concerned why they locked me in a room with a psychotherapist “it must be difficult at times” I added. “yeah, its difficult every time” she laughed “but today isn’t about me, I have a question for you.” There was a brief pause in between before she carried on “Does Hunter deserve to go to jail?”

The past is perilous, but we can't help but glance back at times. Millions of people have been affected by the word "memories," which has brought them grief, despair, and pessimism. They were lives that had a reason for existing, lives that could have lasted decades and accomplished a great deal.... Maria Camara Villagonzalo becomes an astute twenty seven-year-old girl with huge ambitions who aspires to achieve her dreams in life. She dreamed of having a complete family, yet, it didn't happen. She knew it wouldn't be simple to live happily because there are still secrets she needs to unfold.... "Looking up to the sky, seeing the brightest star. Ended up with a sigh, and a heart full of scars," Camara murmured, resolved to realize her ambitions and uncover the secrets of her family's past.... There are some things we don't want to happen but must accept, some things we don't want to know but must learn, and some people we can't live without but must let go. And that, my friends, is life. So, what kind of twists and turns does Camara have in store?

Tired and desperate, a twenty two year old Caroline Dawn just wanted to have a descent job, a peaceful and a happy environment. She just wanted to at least experience a wealthy life. But despite of that, Caroline is a woman of principles. She wanted everything to go in a process. She wanted to work hard for herself and achieve the victory on her own. But when she met her Billionaire boss, Arthur David, everything got complicated. She never taught that loving someone could be as hard as this. She built a wall to stop herself because she knows that it's hard to enter the man's world, she covered herself with beliefs and had to stand so strong. The world was too cruel, running away is the only way to escape from the pain and agony. The man she loved the most failed and destroyed her, destiny was too hard to her as well and when she started to run, the only thing she have is her anger dominating her heart and a fading love. She started to run, she promised that there is no turning back anymore.... even if it will break her, even if it will destroy her, or even if it means she will carrying a child, alone.

When I was born, my father left me to die beside my mother's corpse in the fields. Why? Because I looked like a ghost—white hair, white eyes—and the chaos that followed my birth terrified him. He didn’t even give me a name. Twenty years later, I’m still wolfless. Still the family punching bag. Still hated by the entire pack. And when the Alpha’s son, my mate and my step-sister framed me, I was sentenced to death by hanging. But death never came. Instead, I was claimed by another mate. The devil himself. Primus Alexander of the Theriakon Pack. The most feared, merciless creature to ever walk the earth. His goal? Find or mold a strong mate and produce an heir. My goal? Find peace, maybe even freedom. Easy enough. Or so I thought. But what happens when friends, loyal subjects and even family try every means to kill me? Because the deeper we fall, the more I uncover the terrifying truth—about his need for a child… and worse what he really is.

"I'm dying," I told him. "So, I figured I might as well lose my virginity to the hottest guy on campus before I go." ----- Ellie Carter never expected to be twenty one, single, and terminally ill with only six months left to live. But with nothing left to lose, she makes a deal with the campus badboy, Beck Ryder, to have one reckless and unforgettable night. It was supposed to be a one time thing. But somewhere between the late night cuddling, the constant teasing and the surprising discovery that he's not just the resident campus fuckboy (turns out he actually has a heart), Ellie catches feelings against her better judgment. Now she has to live with the knowledge that she's falling for Beck, and he might be falling for her too. How will she survive when she finds out that she might not be dying after all? Will the consequences of her actions come back to bite her when a vengeful ex enters the picture? Or can the throwaway fling turn into something real? If she thought dying would be hard, it turns out that living is way messier.

Ruby Rose Castillo, a twenty eight years old hardworking secretary at Whitlock's Group of Company, due to the influence of alcohol, she bravely accepted a dare of her friend to kiss the most handsome man in the bar. Upon laying eyes on Adam Whitlock, she was convinced that he was the most handsome man...not just in the bar but also in the whole world. So, without any hesitation, she kissed him. When her lips touched his. She become mindless. She wanted him to touch her intimately. She wanted to devour the man who made her body burn. She wanted to taste the decadence that was Adam. And that kiss turned into a hot and intimate encounter at the backseat of his car. He claimed her body, made her taste heaven, made her shout in ecstacy and made her a woman. After that night, she wanted to forget the man who made her climax. She wanted to convince herself that everything's happened was just a dream. But how can she forget him...when the next day that she meet her new boss...it was Adam...the man who pleasured him last night.

Getting married should be one of the wishes humans tend to make, especially to be with the one they love, right? But what happens when a human wishes for nothing in his or her life, but wealth, and nothing else, not even happiness? Meet Emma Maxwell, a twenty five years old wealthy lady, who had been broken many times, because of love, and for that, she vowed to never fall in love again. Like every other person, Emma had always wished to know the feelings of love, to give and to get it in return, but relationship never seemed to be her thing, as she always ended up being the victim of one sided love. After trying series of relationship, without any, working out for her, she decided to give up on love, and started sleeping around with men. As she always said to any man that approaches her for love "that shit ain't for me, I just wanna get laid, and we go our separate ways. But what happens, when her parents, especially her mom, desperately wants her to get married, and not just getting married, but to her friend's son? Do you think she'll agree to it?....

All he ever wanted was freedom… and love. Twenty two year-old Noah has lived a life trapped behind bruises and locked doors. Raised by a cruel father and an indifferent stepmother, his days have been filled with silence, pain, and the desperate hope that one day—someone would see him. Save him. But salvation never came. Instead, he’s sold—like property—to a powerful mafia boss under the guise of an arranged marriage. Cold, ruthless, and feared across the underworld, Damian Moretti doesn’t need love. What he needs is a husband who can serve as a political pawn in a war of families. Noah is everything Damian didn’t expect: fragile yet unyielding, terrified yet defiant. And while their marriage begins in chains, something begins to shift in the shadows of their forced union. As secrets unravel and danger stalks every corner, Noah must decide: will he be caged forever by the choices of others—or rise and claim the life and love he was always denied? In a world ruled by blood and power, can a boy who was never wanted become the heart no one can live without?

Forced Marriage| Ruthless Don| Age Gap| Enemies to Lovers| Substitute Groom| Strong Female Lead| Dangerous Love I was supposed to marry his nephew. That was the agreement meant to end twenty years of war between our families. As the Valente family’s unwanted daughter, I was the sacrificial lamb and I didn’t have a choice. But on my wedding day, the groom disappeared and before anyone could react, his uncle stepped forward. Don Maxton Retroferd, the most feared man in the underworld. Cold, ruthless and Untouchable. And in front of everyone, he claimed me as his wife. I expected him to break me or treat me like nothing more than a pawn in his dangerous world and I prepared myself to survive a man with no heart. But the Don who was supposed to ruin me became the only one who protected me and truly saw me for who I am. Now I’m trapped in a marriage I never wanted… with a man I was never meant to love and the more I tried to resist him, the more I realized that the ruthless Don didn’t just marry me...He claimed me.

On the day the true heiress and I swapped places, my childhood sweetheart, bound to me by a promise made in youth, gripped my hand before our families and declared, "I chose you, not your title." Anna Pedersen, tears brimming in her eyes, enveloped me in a trembling embrace. "Joanne, we'll always be family. I'd never take what's rightfully yours." Everyone assumed I'd turned misfortune into fortune. Though I lost my status as the Pedersen heiress, I gained a steadfast lover and a selfless sister. But three years after fate corrected itself, photos of Calvin Thomas escorting Anna to a prenatal checkup flooded the internet. When I confronted him, he exhaled a plume of smoke and said coolly, "Anna is my true betrothed. This is just setting things right. Why are you so worked up?" He seized my wrist and dragged our engraved engagement ring across the back of my hand, leaving a bloody gash. "This scar will remind you of the twenty years of life you stole. Your life and I belong to their rightful owner."