What Can Ruin A Picnic

On our fifth anniversary, Henry Judd—the guy who once swore he'd propose—rented out an entire mall for Cecilia Cheape's birthday. A diamond the size of a pigeon's egg sparkled on her finger. I'd been dumb enough to think it was meant for me. "Cece, I'm gonna give you a birthday you'll never forget," he announced, loud enough for the whole world to hear. Then he yanked the tab off a soda can and handed it to me. "Lulu, those gaudy things don't suit you. You deserve something unique." He slid the can tab onto my finger—his version of a proposal. Cecilia got the dream birthday. I got a piece of trash and a slap of reality. Later, when he found out I was marrying someone else, he got down on one knee with that same ring and begged me to say yes.

Nocturne Ville, as beautiful as the mystery city might be, has always been a magnet for supernaturals in an alternate America. Although neighbouring cities dismissed the bizarre happenings as fables, its citizens knew that there was more to the lovely metropolis than meets the eye, but they preferred to be oblivious to the reality. It was much simpler. There she was in the centre of it all. Desirée Doyle, who had the gentle and luminous aura of an empyrean creature, was divided between accepting the obvious reality and remaining convinced that everything was a myth. All she cared about was finishing college and escaping Nocturne Ville, which was the source of all her problems. Desirée was just interested in keeping her head down as usual, but the appearance of the intriguing André Baudelaire, a Vampire, appeared to be the solution to the hole she had always felt. Their encounter made Desirée rethink everything she had always believed, entangling them in a web of hot passion that André was determined to deny to the ends of the world, given his hatred for commitment as a result of his instability over decades. How can a quiet girl who has always felt incomplete manage the supernatural world? Will she accept the heat and commotion that comes with it, or will she flee to the hills?

The day I win the cheerleading championship, the entire arena erupts with cheers for my team. But from the stands, my brother, Nelson Locke, hurls a water bottle straight at me. "You injured Felicia's leg before the performance just so you could win first place? She has leukemia, Victoria! Her dying wish is to become a champion. Yet you tripped her before the competition, all for a trophy! You're selfish. I don't have a sister like you!" My fiance, who also happens to be the sponsor of the competition, steps onto the stage with a cold expression and announces, "You tested positive for illegal substances. You don't deserve this title. You're disqualified." All the fans turn against me. They boycott me entirely—some even go so far as to create a fake memorial portrait of me, print it, and send it to my doorstep. I quietly keep the photo. I'll probably need it soon anyway. It's been three years since I was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Knowing I don't have much time left, I choose to become the type of person they always wanted me to be—the perfect sister who loves without question, the well-mannered woman who knows when to keep quiet, and the kind of person who never, ever lies.

Five years ago, Sonia walked away from her cold billionaire husband with a broken heart—and a secret: his unborn son. Now a powerful CEO, she returns to London not for love, but business… until fate brings Ethan back into her life. Ethan wants answers. Sonia wants closure. But when secrets unravel and danger lurks in the shadows—courtesy of his vengeful ex and a friend turned enemy—their reunion ignites more than just old flames. This time, Sonia isn't the woman he once broke. And Ethan isn't ready to let her go again. A gripping second-chance billionaire romance where love, power, and betrayal collide.

How do you destroy a man who's already destroyed you? Eleanor was the perfect wife-loyal, selfless, and willing to sacrifice everything for her marriage. She gave up her dreams and career to be a traditional wife. But for her husband,Charles Thompson, it was never enough. He was a serial cheater. A narcissist. An abuser. A man who shattered her spirit, cost her health, her womb, and her mental health. Then left her broken beyond repair. But not anymore. The Eleanor he knew is gone. Another Eleanor is reborn. She's tired of being the victim. Now, she's the hunter. Her mission? To bring Charles to his knees. In this game of secrets, lies, and revenge, Eleanor is ready to take risks she never imagined. She'll break every rule, cross every line, and stop at nothing until justice is served. He ruined her life. Now, it's her turn to ruin his. She's not here to forgive, and she's not here to forget. She will strike back! Charles made the mistake of underestimating her. Now, he's about to learn about a woman's rage.

I was in love. He was handsome and seductive. However, what was supposed to be love became a marriage contract. When my family lost everything, including dignity, I was forced to marry, not out of love, but out of interest. My husband never knew the real reason I accepted his proposal, and I pray he never finds out.

Kaden Zacarias and I have been together for a decade. He gives me all his love throughout that time. But one day, I see the news of him marrying Gwendolyn Crawford as part of a marriage alliance. He tells his friends, "I'm only fooling around with Ella—does she think I'll actually marry her? It's not like my parents will ever agree to it. I can just keep her around as a mistress after getting married. Remember to keep your mouths shut about this." Our decade-long love goes up in flames, but I don't question him. Instead, I call my father with a withered heart and say, "I'll go through with the marriage alliance. I'll leave the country."

Lia lives a quiet life in a small two-bedroom home on the outskirts of a major city. Between playing piano at a piano gallery, waitressing at a high-end restaurant, and her never ending love for books, she never thought there would be anything more to life. She was content. At least she thought so. It wasn't until she went out with her best friend and had a hot encounter with a large and sexy stranger. One moment they are flirting in a booth, the next she's rushing out of an expensive hotel room after waking up naked beside the handsome stranger. After living through her first one-night stand, she decided to leave it at that. But what she wasn't expecting was to be hunted down by the most dangerous man in the country. Turns out, the man from her one-night stand held more mystery than she thought. Now she must determine whether to find some way to be comfortable with his lifestyle and embrace the kind of love she only seen in her romance novels or to stick with her morals and let this relationship go. That is, if he lets her...

When I joined my pregnant wife at her class reunion, I heard the thoughts of her male bestie. 'Once she kicks her bum husband to the curb, the money's all mine!' He was snuggling up to my wife, raising his glass in salutations with a perfect smile, but I still caught the flicker of disgust in his eyes. 'Stupid sow thinks I'm in love with her? Who would care about her if it weren't for her money?' He had no idea that Mary's family had gone bankrupt long ago, and her life of luxury now was all thanks to me!

Sally has had a crush on her best friend Justin for as long as she can remember. The shy, nerdy girl with baggy clothes and glasses, she’s spent years helping him with projects and assignments, hoping he’d notice her… but he never has. Until the day she finally works up the courage to confess, only to be met with something utterly shocking. Enter Cole…Justin’s stepbrother. Tall, confident, impossibly hot, and the kind of guy whose life revolves around late-night frat parties and reckless fun. He’s everything Sally is not and everything she didn’t know she needed. Cole offers to help her win Justin’s heart… but nothing comes for free. In exchange, she has to step out of her comfort zone, navigate his world, and follow his lead. As Cole pulls her out of her shell, showing her confidence, daring, and a side of herself she’s never dared to explore, Sally begins to wonder if the butterflies she’s chasing with Justin were ever real. The more time she spends with Cole, the more she realizes that maybe the heart doesn’t lie, and the boy she’s been chasing all these years isn’t the one she should have been after at all. And the secrets he hides? They could destroy everything she thought she wanted.