When He Opened His Eyes

His lashes fluttered and when his eyes met mine this time, the emotions they expressed before were extinct. “You’re my best friend’s daughter. You’re the girl I swore to protect and shield from those who would seek to harm or use you. I cannot do this now. Your father will not forgive me. I will not forgive myself.” “But you want me.” “What I want doesn’t fucking matter, Elle. I am not the type of man you should desire. I am bad and I’m only going to hurt you.” “Why don’t you let me make that decision myself?” “Because you’re too blinded by the silly feeling you have to see the truth. There can be nothing between us. Not now, not ever.” he said with the utmost certainty. . All Estelle Biggs ever wanted was Jace Henshaw II, and all he has ever wanted to do was protect her from everything that would harm her, including himself.

"You were just a tool, Imogene." Her heart stopped. "And I was foolish enough to believe you cared." *** Imogene Scott had always known her place—by Damien Shaw’s side, even when his love was a distant dream. Marrying her only because of an unexpected pregnancy, Damien’s affection never blossomed. Instead, her devotion turned him from a mere sales manager into the billionaire CEO of IMU, one of Europe’s most powerful tech empires. But her sacrifices weren’t enough. After losing their baby, Damien’s coldness deepened, sealing their marriage with an unspoken “no meddling” rule. Imogene’s reward? Watching Damien parade countless mistresses, all while she buried her own dreams to fuel his. She believed, naively, that one day he’d see her worth. But when he fell in love with her stepsister and served her with divorce papers, Imogene’s world shattered. Realizing she was nothing more than a pawn in Damien’s game, she vanished—pregnant and determined to protect her unborn child. Three years later, Imogene returns, not as the broken woman who fled but as a renowned artist and mother to their two-year-old daughter. Now, Damien realizes what he’s lost and wants her back. But this time, Imogene is ready to fight, and she’s not making the same mistake twice.

Marissa thought the marriage was forever. Until one day, her husband Alaric's first love Stella came back, she was faced with the accusations of cheating while being pregnant with their second child. Alaric handed her divorce paper, he took their first child, daughter Nova and Marissa grandmother's house. Years later, fate brings them back together, Alaric's empire collapses, Nova is gravelly ill and the woman he once discarded is now untouchable. Broken by regret, Alaric begs for a second chance but Marissa holds the choice: forgive the man or finally make him taste the pain he gave her.

After a scandalous one-night stand forces Sophia Chen into marriage with billionaire Alexander Wyndham, she spends two years loving a man who keeps his heart locked away for another woman. When Sophia finally finds the courage to leave, Alexander refuses to let her go, believing he's fulfilled every duty as a husband. But Sophia wants something he's never offered, his love. Now she must choose between everything he can give her and the one thing he won't.

Sofia Esteban had given up her fortune, her family and her name for love... only to have her husband shove divorce papers in her face and announce he was marrying another woman… who claimed to be pregnant with his child. Two months later, Sofia wakes from a coma with no memory… only to discover the man she loved has married her rival and her life has been shattered…

Five years ago, when my boyfriend's small company was on the brink of bankruptcy I stepped in to save him, quietly supporting him from the shadows. Without revealing my identity, I became the company’s largest shareholder. Five years later, the night before his company was set to go public, he held me in his arms and said, "Emma, after the company goes public tomorrow, don’t leave. I have a surprise for you." At that moment, I was swept away by the idea of his "surprise," my mind racing with the hopeful thought that he might propose. I didn’t notice the cold glint of malice lurking in his eyes. The next day, as his company went public, he slapped me across the face and sneered, "Do you even see what kind of person you are? Did you really think someone like you could marry me?" He grabbed me by the hair and dragged both me and my best friend in front of a crowd of thugs and beggars he’d gathered. “These worthless cast-offs aren’t good enough for me anymore. Consider them my gift to you. Do whatever you like with them!”

For three agonizing years, my mother struggled with kidney failure. Finally, after all the waiting and the constant dialysis, she was next in line for a transplant. Hope seemed so close. But then, my husband, Zachary Levi, an esteemed nephrology professor, did the unforgivable. He surreptitiously gave his lover's mother the kidney that was intended for my mother. He said almost dismissively, "Ella's mother couldn't wait any longer. Your mother's been on dialysis for so long, she's not going to die anytime soon." Later, my mother passed away. I called Zachary one final time. Yet, it was a woman who answered. "Margaret, right? Zachary's in the shower. Is there something you need?" I stared at my mother's smile on the gravestone, and an overwhelming emptiness spread through me. "It's nothing. Just wanted to talk about the divorce."

Life has never been good to me. And just when I thought life couldn't get any worse, the Goddess mocked me one more time and gave me a stubborn and difficult Alpha as my fated mate - someone who wanted nothing to do with me. But what did I have to lose? To begin with, I had nothing. So leaving and forgetting all about him should be easy. Well it was, until it wasn't. ¤¤¤¤¤ The book is the second in the Black Shadow Pack Series Spin-off Novels. While the story stands alone, I recommend that you read the series and the spin-off novel Book 1, to gain a better understanding of the characters. BLACK SHADOW PACK SERIES: Book 1 - HE'S MY ALPHA (Completed) Book 2 - THE BETA IS MINE (Completed) Book 3 - LOVING THE GAMMA (Completed) Spin-off Novel Book 1 - IN THE ARMS OF MY ALPHA (Completed) Spin-off Novel Book 2 - THROUGH THE EYES OF MY ALPHA (Completed)

Asher and Malachi Wild, identical twin Vampire Princes, and second in line for the throne, are having some minor business troubles. Mystery crates are being moved using their import-export business, in shipments both into and out of the country. They don't know who, or why, or how it's happening. They get frustrated and go for a drive to clear their heads, and end up at a pub. A mysterious red-headed bartender catches their eye, for more than one reason. She's impressive, in all the right ways. Curves for days, strong, mysterious, and able to kill a nearly seven foot tall man while barely breaking a sweat. Now if they could just get her to talk to them and give them her name... Eliza Wellsong, Head of the Assassin's Guild for England. There are one and a half-thousand people under her command, and she's half-forced to take a night off by her second in command. She goes to the local pub to help out her friend, the owner of the pub, Molly, instead. Then the two princes walk in, and they just can't keep their eyes off her. She's confused, she's fat, and not that pretty, what the fuck is up with them? But then they're kind to her, and honest. It's a nice change of pace, and they're handsome enough, maybe she should let them in?

My boyfriend, Simon Hepworth, gets down on one knee for the 66th time. Moved by his persistence, I finally say yes. But on the eve of our wedding, he drops a bombshell on me. He tells me he wants to have a child with his stepsister, Fiona Hepworth. I find it ridiculous and get into a huge fight with him. But I never could've imagined what would come next. On our wedding day, I wait at the altar for three hours, bouquet in my hands, only for him to dismissively tell me that the wedding is postponed. All because he and Fiona have an IVF appointment that very day. "Fiona was abused by her father growing up. She'll never be able to marry," he explains. "I just want to help her fulfill her dream of being a mother. It's just IVF. It's not like we're actually sleeping together. Stop being so sensitive." He then hangs up, leaving me alone at the wedding under the gaze of countless guests and flashing media cameras. The shock sends my father into the ICU. Standing by his bedside, I make a vow. "Dad, you were right. I won't marry Simon. Next week, I'll come home and take over the family business."