Vulnerable Artinya

In the high stakes world of wealth, philanthropy, and power plays, Shadows of Desire weaves a tale of love, betrayal, and redemption. At the center of it all is Sophie Langston, a passionate and driven woman who co-founded a charitable foundation with her long-time business partner and lover, James Thornton. Their organization, built on the ideals of changing the world, has become a beacon of hope for struggling communities. But as the foundation grows in influence, so do the enemies lurking in the shadows. Sophie and James find their relationship and partnership tested when an unexpected visitor walks into their lives, Richard Mallory, a disgraced businessman with a tainted past. Despite having tried to undermine the foundation before, Richard proposes a substantial investment, claiming he wants to make amends. Torn between suspicion and the potential benefits for their projects, Sophie reluctantly agrees, setting off a chain of events that unravel deep-seated conspiracies and hidden agendas. Soon after, whispers of internal conflict and financial instability begin to surface. Rumors swirl about a power struggle between Sophie and James, putting their relationship under intense public scrutiny. Behind the scenes, they uncover a more sinister plot at play. Dominic Kane, a ruthless corporate raider infamous for hostile takeovers and blackmail, has set his sights on their foundation. With a history of exploiting the vulnerable for profit, Kane sees their organization as his next target, aiming to use it as a pawn in his larger schemes. As Sophie and James grapple with this new threat, they must navigate a web of deceit, power struggles, and hidden motives. Old allies resurface, trust is tested, and secrets from the past are unearthed, forcing the couple to confront their own vulnerabilities...

"Mommy!" seorang bocah laki-laki menghampiri Disya yang sedang duduk menikmati es krim bersama dengan ketiga sahabatnya di salah satu caffe. Disya tentu saja membelalakkan matanya, yang benar saja bocah laki-laki di depannya memanggil Disya dengan sebutan 'Mommy' padahal Disya masih duduk di bangku kuliah semester tujuh, dan lagipula Disya belum menikah, bagaimana mungkin dia sudah mempunyai anak? Kailash, nama bocah laki-laki itu. Rupanya dia salah mengira Disya Mommynya. Hingga akhirnya seorang lelaki menghampiri meja mereka. Disya sampai membelalakkan matanya, mulutnya menganga ketika melihat lelaki tampan itu. Devan, lelaki yang dipanggil 'Daddy' oleh Kai. Baru pertama kali bertemu saja, rasanya Disya langsung jatuh cinta. Memejamkan kedua matanya, sedikit membenarkan posisi duduknya, lalu menengadahkan kedua tangannya di depan dada. "Ya Tuhan... jodohkanlah hamba dengan Pak Devan, kalo Pak Devan masih ada istri, ambil saja istrinya!" "Astaga, Disya omogan kamu ih!" pekik ketiga sahabatnya berbarengan. Mereka tentu saja syok mendengar ucapan sembarangan yang diucapkan Disya beberapa detik yang lalu. "Sejak kapan kamu suka sama om-om hah?!" "Sejak hari ini!" Berbeda dengan Disya yang langsung terpikat, Devan malah melihat Disya dengan tatapan tidak suka. Namun, Disya akan tetap bertekad, dia harus mendapatkan hati Devan. Setelah menjadi detektif dadakan untuk mengamati Devan. Sebuah fakta yang berhasil membuat Disya merasa sangat senang. Devan hanya tinggal berdua dengan Kai, yang artinya Devan adalah seorang duda bukan? Benar! Tentunya itu adalah kesempatan besar untuk Disya mendapatkan hati Devan. Tidak perlu mengambil hati Kai—bocah itu sudah menyukai Disya sejak pertemuan pertamanya. Tugas Disya hanya mencari cara untuk mengambil hati Devan. Akankah Disya berhasil? "Otw jadi Mommy Kai." — Nadisya Queensa Fatyavia. "Ck! Gadis kecil!" — Devano Zayn Ganendra. ***

“I'm always here for you, princess,” I murmured softly to put her at ease. “You've always been like a brother to me, Dante,” Kiara murmured gently, oblivious to the ache she had just planted in my chest. ‘Brother’ That word had stabbed me five years ago, coming from the one girl I loved more than anything, my best friend’s sister. Five years, and it still burned. Now I was back, and nothing—not her, not anyone—would stand in my way as i reclaimed what was rightfully mine. Kiara Andrés learned from a very long time that the only way to survive in the cruel mafia world was by laying low and going unnoticed. And she had perfected it until her brother's best friend -Dante Carlo- has returned to claim her. He is blind to anything but her and will stop at nothing to have her. The man he was now wasn't the same man she fell in love with five years ago. This Dante was ruthless. Furthermore, trouble is brewing with the Russians, and the only way to claim victory over them is by a marriage alliance between the Andrés of the Mexican cartel and the Italian mafia with…Dante. Kiara is very wary about the Dante that returned — so different from the boy she fell in love with — because she had spent years bearing the scars of her father's physical and emotional abuse. Can Kiara trust this new Dante with her heart? Will Kiara be brave and vulnerable enough to let this man back into her heart and break down her walls, or will she try to fight out of this arrangement?

Miguel has built his life around the land. Born of indigenous Costa Rican ancestry, he believes ownership is stewardship, not control. High in the mountains of Monteverde, he struggles to preserve his farms and a failing eco-lodge sustained by pristine mountain springs that carry life-giving water for the entire valley. Bobby, a kindergarten teacher from Ireland, arrives in Costa Rica carrying a private grief. A genetic diagnosis has ended her hopes of motherhood, and leaving Ireland for Costa Rica is the only way she knows to start a new life. Vulnerable and unmoored, she falls under the influence of Sean, a charismatic expatriate who offers work, protection, and belonging—while quietly binding her to his business interests. The springs beneath Cabinas Las Nubes become the fulcrum of their collision. To Miguel, it is sacred. To Sean, it is a commodity to be stripped and laundered through shell companies tied to South American narco networks. When Miguel refuses to legitimize the illegal extraction, intimidation escalates into violence, culminating in the kidnapping of a child—Christopher—to force his compliance. Bobby recognizes the danger too late but refuses to run again. Risking her life to save Christopher, she confronts the man who once controlled her and exposes the depth of her courage. Her choice strengthens Miguel’s resolve. Working from within, he dismantles Sean’s operation and reclaims the land before it is destroyed. Set against Costa Rica’s ancient waters and living terrain, the novel explores grief, integrity, and the quiet ferocity of love chosen under threat.

"This game of yours is barbaric. How dare you make me play it?" Karen's anger rose again as she realized it was his own fault for being sore, tired, and bleeding. She could have died if it had not been for that asshole guy. "I suggest you take your finger out, Karen, and speak to me in a more respectful manner," Xavier warned. She finally lowered her hand, but she wouldn't back down. What he had done was unacceptable. "Why did you leave me to fight those werewolves if all that senseless bloodshed was to find a mate? I'm a hybrid, half-wolf! Obviously I shouldn't be there," she said angrily. "I have my reasons," he replied lightly. "Damn it!" she grabbed his fur again to make sure. ****************************************************** Karenina Mason, a headstrong and independent young woman, is not just an ordinary human-she is a rare hybrid with a powerful lineage. Unknowingly, she becomes entangled in a perilous game of political intrigue, where the coveted prize is to become the mate of the enigmatic and all-powerful Alpha of Westwood. Karenina resists this unwanted destiny, but fate seems insistent on thrusting her into this union. In her vulnerable state, Karenina finds herself surrounded by adversaries, and her once-trusted friends remain beyond her reach. Forced to rely on Xavier Westwood, a mysterious and captivating figure with his own hidden agenda, Karenina is drawn into a world of danger and desire. As they navigate the treacherous path together, an intense attraction grows between them, unraveling long-concealed secrets that should have remained locked away-secrets that may unleash powers too volatile to control.

When powerful mafia boss Nico Ricci's sheltered younger sister Aleta suffers a mysterious hit-and-run that leaves her with complete amnesia, fate places her in the hands of her brother's greatest rival—Elio Castellano. Elio, thirteen years her senior and harboring deep resentment toward the Ricci family, recognizes her immediately. Instead of returning her to her brother, he seizes this opportunity for revenge by convincing the vulnerable Aleta that they're secretly married. What begins as a cold deception grows complicated as their chemistry ignites into passion. As Aleta gradually recovers fragments of her memory, she discovers they have a forbidden history: a summer romance in Italy years ago that her brother ruthlessly ended with lies and manipulation. But Aleta's accident wasn't random. As Nico tears the city apart searching for his sister, dark secrets emerge about his criminal empire that even Aleta wasn't meant to discover. The hit-and-run that stole her memory may have been ordered by someone much closer than either Elio or Aleta could have imagined. Caught between family loyalty and consuming love, Aleta must decide whom to trust when her full memory returns. Meanwhile, Elio faces an impossible choice between his thirst for vengeance and the woman who has unexpectedly captured his heart. In a world where passion and danger collide, Aleta and Elio are on a treacherous path toward truth and redemption. Their journey exposes the thin line between love and revenge, proving that some vows, even forgotten ones, are destined to be remembered—and some secrets are meant to be revealed.

In a world where supernatural creatures reign in enmity, in a world where lupine hybrids are seen as a spiritual curse from the moon goddess, in a world where death is better than rejection... There, Aurora 'Rory,' existed. Being the last remaining lupine of her ancestral bloodline, her existence posed a threat to the evil pack elders, threatening to expose the hidden conspiracies. She felt alone and vulnerable after she was rejected by Thane Blackwood, the deadly and dominant alpha of the pack, who was feared by all because of his ruthlessness. However, Thane's rejection was fueled by a prophecy from two centuries ago, which foretold a heavy secret. With the belief that Rory's existence is a threat to his kingdom, he orders his pack disciples to hunt her down. Forced to flee for her life, Rory embarks on a life-changing journey that marks her. She embarks on a mission to uncover the truth about her lupine heritage, and also to unveil the prophecy. As the battle intensifies, Rory learns to make use of her lupine powers to fight her battles, and also navigate the system of death, that awaits her. As she delves deeper into her own curiosity, she discovers the actual truth and secrets that surround her rejection including the manifestation of the prophecy. The battle takes a new turn after Thane begins to question if his feelings for his arch-enemy, are that of incurable detestation or love. Will Rory be able to reclaim her place, or will Thane's rejection define her destiny? Will she be able to survive the otherworldly beings? What secrets does the prophecy hold?

By the time I got home from my business trip, it was already past midnight—and my husband wasn't there. A woman's blouse lay on the sofa. It wasn't mine. I called him. He said he was working late at the office. I didn't bother with pretense. "Whose blouse is on the sofa?" His tone was light and casual. "Who else would it be? It's obviously a gift for you. Try it on." Suspicious, I picked it up and held it against myself. The blouse was clearly one size too small. "Honey, this is a size S. I always wear M." My husband owns a clothing company. He handles all my clothes. He's even used my measurements to design women's wear. There's no way he doesn't know my size. On the phone, he froze for half a second, then spoke as if piecing something together. "This is a new women's line I'm launching. I ordered custom pieces for you and my sister. I must've grabbed the wrong one. I'll switch it tomorrow." A moment later, his voice softened with exhaustion. "Babe, you've been gone for days. Without you, I feel so tired… I miss you so much…" It was already late into the night. Hearing him sound vulnerable—something he rarely did—made my chest tighten. I blamed myself for overthinking. But the moment I hung up, realization struck. His sister has the same build as me. She always wears size M.

Naina Harper thought she had it all, the perfect life, the perfect fiancé, and a future with Lucas, the man she believed was her soulmate. Until one night shattered everything. Drugged at a party and left vulnerable, Naina wakes up in the bed of Kyle Prescott, the cold, ruthless billionaire known for his dark desires and untouchable power. What should’ve been a nightmare becomes a mystery she tries to forget. But the real nightmare came after. Lucas didn’t just leave her at the altar, he’d been sleeping with her best friend behind her back. The love she trusted turned out to be a carefully crafted lie. She wasn’t just betrayed. She was played. And then, the final blow. Pregnant. And the father? The man from that night. Kyle Prescott. Now, with nothing left to lose, Naina steps into Kyle’s world, not for love, but for revenge. To reclaim control. To make them all pay. But Kyle isn’t a man you walk away from. Not when he’s already made his move. Not when his name is on her body… and now, in her bloodline. He’s the obsession she never chose. The sin she can’t escape. And the billionaire who won’t let her go. Because Kyle didn’t just touch her life, he claimed it. And now, Naina Harper is forever bound… to his sin. ————— This is a slow burn story with just the right mix of mystery and thriller. It’s not just about love and revenge, it’s about secrets , control and the first line between obsession and fate.

THE PHOENIX’S REBIRTH AND REVENGE Two years ago, Alina Verma had everything—a successful career, a future filled with love, and a wedding just days away. But in a single night, it all ended. Betrayed. Drugged. Drowned in a bathtub. Her engagement ring left beside her as a cruel joke. Her last memory? Rafael Moretti, the man she was supposed to marry, calling her name in panic as everything went black. Now, she’s back. But Alina is gone. In her place stands Natalia De Luca—the long-lost heiress of a powerful crime family. Cold. Calculated. Deadly. She has been given a second chance, and she knows exactly how to use it. The people who stole her life will suffer. And at the top of her list? Rafael. She will make him trust her. Crave her. Break for her. And when he’s at his most vulnerable, she’ll destroy him. But the more time she spends in his world, the more she realizes things aren’t as simple as they seem. The man she once loved is tormented, searching for answers about her death—answers that might reveal the real enemy. And the worst part? He feels it. The pull toward her. The familiarity he can’t explain. Natalia came back for revenge, but the closer she gets, the more dangerous the game becomes. Because if she isn’t careful, she might lose herself to the one thing stronger than her fury. The love that refuses to die.