Novel & Cerita Westchester Public Library Chesterton Indiana

On the day of my wedding gown fitting, a stranger burst into the VIP suite and stabbed me with a knife. “You think you deserve a dress this expensive after stealing someone else’s man?” She tore at the delicate fabric of my skirt. Then, with a twisted smile, she hurled a bottle of acid at me. The blade was buried in my lower abdomen. The pain drove me to my knees. She grabbed my hair and yanked my head up. “Gerald’s my husband! What are you? You’re nothing but a mistress who can’t even be seen with him in public!” Blood dripped down my fingers. That was when it finally sank in. The man I had been with for seven years had been keeping another woman by his side. “What’re you staring at? Even if I kill you, with my husband’s influence, no one will dare touch me!” Staring at her smug face, I pulled out my phone with hands slicked in blood and called my brother. “Matt…” My voice was unnervingly calm. “Come pick me up at the bridal shop. And please inform the Hoover family that the engagement is off.”

Raine Ellery never imagined her survival would come at a deadly price. Confined in a contractual marriage with the billionaire CEO Cassian Ashcroft to save her late mother's legacy, Raine simply had to escape her crumbling world. But the moment she signs the contract, Cassian collapses at her feet, and by midnight, he's declared dead. The media named her the bride of bad luck. The public thinks she’s cursed, while the Ashcroft board accuses her of murder. And the bargain she thought would be her salvation becomes a trap from which she cannot escape. Imprisoned in a penthouse filled with secrets and haunted by scandals, Raine is forced to play a high-stakes game of silence and survival. But when rumors of Cassian's secret enemies, a hidden inheritance war, and a conspiracy of faked death begin to surface, Raine is drawn into a quest for the truth before the world buries her with it. And just when she believes it's the end, Cassian returns—alive. Now Raine must face the most dangerous twist of all: the man she never truly knew is back… and he is not alone in what he wants.

Ling's parents have been separated since she was young, and she copes with the separation by taking good care of her father. When the public school her father works at receives news of a donor who'd supply the school with new books, Ling becomes enthusiastic. But upon meeting Joshua Aragon Villafuerte, the donor, all her senses tell her this handsome, rich boy is more than what he is. Joshua grew up never knowing what a mother's love was. He doesn't mind though since he sails through life easily with a rich father as his support. Though charming and your general nice guy, behind his easy-going smile Joshua isn't faring well--not when you witnessed your own mother put a bullet to her head at the tender age of six. Just when two people try to overcome their childhood heartaches, Ling and Joshua discover what links them together. And whatever truth comes out of their predicament, they can't deny that they need each other to get pass their demons.

Amber Sinclair never imagined that saving her family would cost her entire life. Three years ago, her half-sister vanished days before her lavish wedding to billionaire heir Vincent Liam. With the Sinclair family on the verge of ruin, Amber was forced to become the substitute bride overnight. But what was supposed to be a temporary sacrifice turned into a nightmare. Vincent believes Amber orchestrated Chloe’s disappearance to steal her place, and ever since their wedding day, he has hated her with every breath. Behind the glamorous cameras, luxurious mansions, and perfect public image lies a marriage poisoned by resentment, humiliation, and heartbreak. To the world, they are the perfect couple. Behind closed doors, they are strangers bound together by lies. But as buried secrets begin to surface, Vincent slowly realizes that the woman he despises may have been innocent all along... and the people he trusted most may have destroyed both their lives. Now Amber must decide: Should she keep fighting for a man who never loved her... or finally walk away before his hatred destroys her completely? Because sometimes, the most dangerous lies are the ones dressed up as love.

Financial reporter Zoey, known for her pride and icy beauty, and with a formidable business acumen, finds herself at the center of a scandal on the very day she and financial tycoon Barlen are to get their marriage license. An insider exposes her, claiming that she loves only Barlen's wealth and that their marriage is merely a product of her exquisite acting skills. Unaware of the brewing storm, Zoey and Barlen are in the midst of obtaining their license when the news breaks. Barlen, upon reading the revelations, 'borrows' Zoey's phone and promptly turns it off, facing the onslaught of public opinion with firm evidence in hand. Surrounded by media reporters, Barlen is bombarded with questions about his perspective on the scandal. He deliberately twists the narrative: "My wife, she doesn't just love my money. Could she possibly love someone else's?" The reporters press on, clarifying their query: "Do you mean she only loves money, not you as a person?" Barlen remains composed: "She loves my money, and I love her as a person. Is there a problem with that?" In a single sentence: He redeems her with all his love and warmth. How could I not be enamored with someone like you?

Adelaine Montclair has built her entire life on perfection — the perfect daughter, the perfect fiancée, the perfect public image. But when she discovers her secret fiancé, Zain, tangled in the arms of her best friend on the night of her lavish engagement party, perfection shatters. Cornered in front of two hundred influential guests, Adelaine makes a reckless move: she introduces a mysterious stranger, Dante Moreau, as her real fiancé. What begins as a desperate lie spirals into a dangerous game of appearances. Dante, cold and enigmatic, has his own reasons for playing along, reasons tied to the Montclair empire and the father who controls it. Together, Adelaine and Dante navigate staged kisses, relentless media attention, and family pressure to wed quickly. But the line between fake and real blurs, forcing Adelaine to question whether Dante is her salvation or her downfall. As old betrayals resurface and hidden family secrets threaten to destroy everything, Adelaine must choose: keep playing the role others wrote for her, or reclaim her own story, even if it means falling for the man who vowed never to love her.

On the day Moon Spencer received the Medal of Honor, she made a public declaration of love on live television to her accompanying military medic, Xavier Quinn. “If it weren’t for Xavier, I’d have died in that storm at sea. He is the most important person in my life.” At the same time, her husband, Nathan Johnson, was lying on his deathbed at home. For years, he had taken care of Moon’s parents and raised their child alone. The strain destroyed his health, and he had little time left. He never expected that after twenty years of sacrifice, he would not even hear a word of thanks from her. What truly broke him was their daughter’s comment. “Dad, don’t you think Dr. Quinn and Mom are perfect together? You should leave sooner and make room for him.” Nathan collapsed in fury and regret. He died that night. When he opened his eyes again, he was back to the night before Moon left for her coastal deployment. This time, he refused to stay behind as the forgotten man who kept everything running. In this life, he would pursue his own dream.

Seraphina Vale has always been a survivor. Bullied mercilessly by her affluent college classmates and betrayed by her closest friend, Isla Kensington, Seraphina has spent years hiding behind a quiet, unassuming façade. Her turning point comes when Isla’s ultimate betrayal, she leaked Seraphina’s private journal containing intimate reflections about her deceased mother and that led to a public humiliation so devastating that Seraphina ends up hospitalized. Emotionally shattered and at her lowest point, Seraphina stumbles upon Adrian Montclair, a charismatic yet ruthless Mafia boss who offers her an unexpected lifeline. Adrian, a man haunted by his own dark past, sees something in Seraphina that reminds him of the person he used to be: broken but not irreparable. He offers her a "contract." He will help her rebuild herself, reclaim her life, and exact justice against those who wronged her. In return, she must agree to one favor in the future, the nature of which he will not reveal. Desperate and with nothing to lose, Seraphina accepts, plunging herself into Adrian’s dangerous world.

Ophelia Martins was once the girl everyone wanted to be—charming, magnetic, untouchable. But when betrayal rips through her inner circle and the ones she trusted most reveal their darkest sides, her world shatters. From best friends turned enemies to ex-lovers hiding cruel secrets, Lia is left to rebuild her life from the ruins of public humiliation and heartbreak. As she struggles to find her footing, Tyler Reed, her childhood friend with a mysterious past, steps in. But Tyler’s return isn't just timely… it's calculated. Beneath his easy smile lies a vendetta years in the making, and Lia might be the one piece in a revenge game she doesn’t even know she’s playing. Secrets run deep in Crestwood High. Everyone has something to lose. Everyone has something to hide. And just when Lia thinks she’s taking back control, a buried truth about her identity threatens to unravel everything. Love. Lies. Legacy. In a world where betrayal feels like love and revenge wears a charming face, can Lia survive the truth long enough to reclaim her own story?

Alessandro Romano has it all money, power, and a future already planned for him. In a few days, he’s getting engaged to the perfect woman. At least, that’s what the world sees. But Alessandro is living a lie. He has never loved a woman. He has never even wanted to. And the night before his engagement, one kiss with a stranger makes him feel more alive than ever. That stranger? Micah Hartwell. His soon-to-be fiancée’s older brother. Micah is everything Alessandro isn’t: bold, unafraid, and tired of hiding. Their connection is dangerous, messy, and impossible to ignore. But secrets have a way of surfacing. Sandra, the bride-to-be, is hiding something too. She knows Alessandro’s truth and she’s using it. The engagement is fake. Love is fake. But the damage? That’s very real. When everything blows up in public, Alessandro has to choose between the life he was raised for… and the love he never saw coming. He Said He’s Straight is a story about lies, love, freedom, and the fire it takes to be yourself even when the whole world says you can’t.