Where Shadows Lie

Dari has hard always been the careful type, coming from a big home, her three elder sisters where already too much to handle, she had made up her mind as a young girl from a poor family, that she will never have a child until she is hundred percent sure that she can give her child the best, Financially, mentally and emotionally, while growing up she had witness her mother insulted several times while seeking help from relatives. her had struggled to survive and go to college all be herself, she was still struggling to pay for her student loan, and meet up with her bills. This was the only reason she was still putting up with her terrible boss. so it was only natural that she was scared and confused when she found herself pregnant from a drunk one night stand with a stranger, who she can't even remember his name.

He owns the night of this city, so he should also possess the most delicate white rose of the nation, Serena, a girl nurtured by love and art, his pure prey. Even though his brother also desires Serena, he’s certain she’ll never escape the palm of his hand. But is that really the case? Because Serena came for one purpose; to destroy this ruthless mafia king. Who is the real prey?

Because of a last-minute business trip, my husband missed the Thanksgiving family dinner. I spent the entire day helping out at my in-laws' place in the countryside with our five-year-old son, only to receive a complaint from the downstairs neighbor just before dinner. "Ari, could you please close your kitchen window when you're cooking? I can smell the hot sauce from all the way here. My husband has a lung condition—he can't handle it." My neighbor's words shocked me, and I immediately called my husband, who was allergic to chili peppers. "Honey, did someone break into the house? The neighbor said there was smoke coming from the kitchen." His breathing hitched for a second before he let out a casual laugh. "No break-in. My flight got canceled, so I was home alone cooking. When are you two coming back? I really miss you." I smiled and told him we'd stay a couple more days, but in the middle of the night, I packed up our son and drove straight home.

Ava Sinclair had two rules for her dream New Year's cruise: no heartbreak and no impulsive flings. But when she catches her boyfriend cheating and a charming stranger, Ryan Carter, offers a deal she can't refuse, pretend to be his girlfriend in exchange for revenge. Her carefully laid plans are tossed overboard. What started as a harmless charade turned into a whirlwind night of passion. But when the cruise ends, Ava and Ryan return to their lives, leaving their connection behind. Ryan showed up months later needing Ava's help to maintain a facade for an Important business deal. Ava agreed again despite her better judgment only to find herself thrust into the spotlight when their photos went viral, branding her as Ryan's girlfriend to the world. Caught between her desires to stay out of the limelight and her undeniable feelings for Ryan. Ava must confront the truth: was their connection always just an act or is there something real worth fighting for?

For five years of our marriage, Matthew Spark was my entire world. I abandoned my career, severed ties with my family, and molded myself into the perfect wife for him. I believed our love was unshakable, and that our marriage certificate was the ultimate proof of it. Until the day I saw him with my own eyes—holding another woman in his arms as he stepped into our home. “Ava, let me introduce you,” he said, his tone as casual as if he were discussing the weather. “This is Sophie Spears, and her daughter, Ella. They’ll be living here from now on.” I froze. I had seen her face before—tucked in the drawer of his desk, in his wallet, even as the wallpaper on his phone. And in that instant, I realized the cruel truth: I was the unnecessary outsider. The interloper. The greater insult came when I confronted him. He calmly produced a marriage certificate—his and Sophie’s marriage was three months before ours. That was the moment I learned my marriage had been nothing but a farce. That I wasn’t even significant enough to be a mistress. And in that moment, I laughed. Oh, Matthew. Did you forget who the largest investor in Spark Enterprise was?

Step siblings, Kiro and Fhey, grew up together with a happy childhood. Until they turned 10, where everything went wrong. They had to be separated and never saw each other again. Years passed and the two meet again. But things weren't the same. The inseparable became estranged. And the truth finally started to unfold.

The night before our wedding anniversary party, my husband—Harvey Clarke—receives constant calls from his first love, Cassie Moss. He responds by holding me closer, and I ask, "Aren't you going to pick up? What if it's urgent?" He firmly shakes his head and says he has already moved on. But when he receives news of her at the party, he breaks down right there and then, oblivious to the room of staring guests. When he tries to leave, I stop him in a panic, but he turns to me with a pure look of disgust. "Cassie's dead. Happy now?" The words hit me like a lightning bolt.

Iris Calloway is engaged to Lucien Blackwood, powerful, ruthless, and everything a future empire demands. A life of luxury, security, and devotion is already written for her. What no one knows is that her heart has already betrayed him. Adrian Blackwood is Lucien’s younger brother just as powerful, just as dangerous, and far more forbidden. He is the one Iris was never meant to want, the one whose quiet intensity ignites a fire she cannot extinguish. Loving him would destroy more than her engagement. It would shatter a dynasty. Adrian wants her too. He just knows better than to claim her. Caught between loyalty and desire, Iris must decide whether to honor the life she promised or surrender to the man who was never meant to be hers. But restraint crumbles, secrets unravel, and when she finds herself entangled with both brothers, the line between choice and ruin disappears. Because some loves demand sacrifice. Others demand destruction. And when desire refuses to choose, everything burns.

A fake engagement. A dying billionaire. A truth that could destroy them both. Eva Monroe is drowning in debt, desperate to save her ailing brother from loan sharks and hospital bills. When she’s offered a life-changing deal—to pose as the fiancée of terminally ill billionaire Cassian Vale—she takes it without asking questions. It was supposed to be temporary. A lie. Until he lives. The treatment works. Cassian survives. And now he wants Eva by his side—for real. To the world, they’re a power couple. To Cassian, she’s the only person who ever saw him as a man, not a wallet. But Eva is hiding more than just her heart. She’s not just a waitress. She’s the daughter of the man who tried to expose Cassian’s corrupt company—and paid with his life. Now the same empire that saved Cassian is hunting her. When the truth explodes, Cassian must choose: Protect the woman who lied to him… Or save the legacy that nearly killed him. One built an empire of lies. The other holds the truth that could burn it all down. And love? It may not survive either. ---  

Having a couple more years to live in this world is full of pain and sorrow, but not to Alayna. She is completely ready to die, and leave this world soon. Until they moved in this new city, where she realized the true meaning of life. But as she realized that, time's running out for her.