Why The Future Doesn't Need Us

The things we want are so very rarely the things we need. Clifton Heights, a modest Adirondack town, offers many unique attractions. Arcane Delights sells both paperbacks and hard-to-find limited editions. The Skylark Diner serves the best home-cooked meals around, with friendly service and a smile. Every August, Mr. Jingo’s County Fair visits, to the delight of children and adults. In essence, Clifton Heights is the quintessential small American town. Everyone knows everyone else, and everyone is treated like family. It is quiet, simple, and peaceful. But shadows linger here. Flitting in dark corners, from the corner of the eye. If you walk down Main Street after dark, the slight scrape of shoes on asphalt whispers you're not alone, but when you look over your shoulder, no one is there. The moon shines high and bright in the night sky, but instead of throwing light, it only seems to make the shadows lengthen. Children disappear. Teens run away. Hunters get lost in the woods with frightening regularity. Husbands go mad, and wives vanish in the dead of night. And still, when the sun rises in the morning, you are greeted by townspeople with warm waves and friendly smiles, and the shivers pass as everything seems fresh and new... Until night falls once more. Handy's Pawn and Thrift sits several blocks down from Arcane Delights. Like any thrift store, its wares range from the mundane to the bizarre. By daylight, it seems just another slice of small town Americana. But in its window hangs a sign which reads: We Have Things You Need. And when a lonely traveling salesman comes looking for something he desperately wants, after normal visiting hours, after night has fallen, he will face a harsh truth among the shelves of Handy’s Pawn and Thrift: the things we want are rarely the things we need. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

Prior to that day, she had never been so hopeless in her life. In any case, when she was in the most humiliating circumstance, the nonsensical man she met ended up being the legend of M city. He was rich, amazing, attractive, and he had a unique association with her… She was orchestrated to go on a prearranged meet-up. The two kids cried and called her: "Daddy beats us, help!" She hurried over in sweat, while the man was remunerating those two kids for their incredible acting abilities with huge drumsticks ... She indignantly said, "Alex, my prearranged meet-up has been obliterated by you!" The man said in a soft tone, "I'm the dad of the kid. Assuming you need to get hitched, shouldn't I be the best option?"

She was set up for murder, betrayed by her ex and her best friend... Framed, broken, and left to rot in a hospital bed. Sally had no one left… Except him. Dante 'Doom' Castillo. He was feared by the underworld, worshipped by the mafia, he was her father’s brother, her forbidden obsession. The one man who swore to protect her but not out of love, he wanted something she never even knew she had. A key. To a secret so dangerous, it shattered everything she thought she knew about her life. The fake murder, the betrayal, the inheritance, and the seduction was all a carefully orchestrated game designed to make her run straight into his arms and she did but Sally was done being played, because now she knows what he’s hiding. What he became the moment she shattered the one thing he needed most... Now he’s unstoppable and unkillable. And the worst part? She still wants him.

In the heart of England's urban sprawl and amidst the serene landscapes of rural Poland, a tale of forbidden love, ancient curses, and relentless evil unfolds. Alpha Cyrus Moon, shrouded in mystery and scarred by tragedy, leads the formidable Bloodmoon Tribe with an iron fist, haunted by visions of loss and the memory of his slain Luna. Enter Baelakis Dnanik, an unwitting pawn in the schemes of the ruthless Nightshade, whose abduction sets into motion a chain of events that will challenge the very fabric of fate itself. Unaware of her true heritage and latent powers, Baelakis finds herself drawn to the enigmatic Alpha, their destinies intertwined in ways neither could have foreseen. As love blooms amidst the shadows of past grief, secrets unravel and alliances are tested. With Nightshade's dark influence looming ever closer, Cyrus and his loyal pack must confront their deepest fears and darkest desires to protect their own. Amidst the moonlit nights and whispered secrets, "Why the Moon Roars" is a gripping tale of love, loss, and redemption, where the howls of the werewolves echo the struggles of the human heart. Will Cyrus and Baelakis defy the odds and carve out their own destiny, or will the shadows of the past consume them both?

Anita Diane Marrero believed that she was not someone to be proud of. She was always alone, seeking love and attention. Since she was a child, no one wants to be with her. Her baker father died and her mother decided to work in a small-time club as a prostitute again. It was Jacob Konstantin Avacena who made her believe that she's a gem. He protected her and was with her upon her mother's request. It turns out, Jaco is not her ideal knight. He's a two-faced elite who's very mysterious and cunning. Her young heart was crushed into pieces after learning that he married her only friend, which she thought his cousin. The rise of betrayals led them apart from each other. the hatred in her heart ruled for years, that no matter what he does, no matter what he say, no matter if he's back again, she will loath will forever.

Anathea Jacobson has had a crush on Gregory Sinclair for ten years. She thinks marrying him is a dream come true. Even if he's just a block of ice now, she'll surely be able to melt him over time. However, all she ever gets is his ice-cold treatment. He's gentle and tender to his true love, but he scorns and neglects her. He also mistreats and humiliates her… Anathea endures it all because they have a son. For his sake, she's willing to cling to her title of Mrs. Sinclair and cage herself in this loveless marriage for the rest of her life. This changes when she's abducted. Gregory spends the night with his true love, and even her beloved son abandons her—he wants to have Gregory's true love as his mother! That's when Anathea sees sense. Her husband will never love her, and her son will never appreciate her. If that's the case, she doesn't want them anymore. She wants to live for herself! … After the divorce, Anathea picks up floral art again. She sets up a company, makes big money, and wins various awards. She wants to give herself all the love she deserves so that she'll go back to being the lively, vivacious woman she once was. Gregory panics when he sees the men surrounding her and vying for her affections. He falls to his knees before her, his eyes rimmed with red as he pleads, "I love you, Nat. Please don't leave me." Anathea sneers. "Your love is too little, too late, Mr. Sinclair." Her son clings to her legs and wails. "Don't abandon me, Mom!" She pushes him away impassively. "Don't call me that. I'm not your mother."

as soon as I stepped out of the villa, it felt like I’d walked straight into a nightmare. Hector, the man I’d missed so much, was surrounded by soldiers, passionately kissing some woman I’d never seen before. The cheers and whistles around them felt like knives stabbing into my heart. I froze, my happiness turning into icy disappointment and rage. I forced myself to walk closer, even though every step felt like I was wading through quicksand. As more people noticed me, the noise died down, like someone had hit the mute button. Hector and his mystery woman were still in their own world until they finally sensed the eerie silence and pulled apart. When Hector’s eyes met mine, panic flashed across his face, but he quickly masked it. Holding the woman’s hand, he approached me. “Elena, this is Vanessa, she’s—” Before he could finish, Vanessa flashed a confident smile and offered her hand to me. “Hi, I’m Vanessa, Hector’s partner. We fell in love on the battlefield.”

Warning: Mature Content Trigger Warning: Trauma, Abuse (Not by the male lead), Psychological Alessandra Maximillan, the Young Duchess of one of the four duchies and a major political figure as well as a role model for both men and women, has nearly everything she desires in life. She is only eighteen years old, but she rose to prominence as the heir to Duke Albert Maximillan of the Maximillan duchy due to her charisma and ability. But she has a little secret and a simple wish. Alexander Terrence is the Duke of the Terrence duchy. He is known as the Mad Duke because it is said that he murdered his own parents in order to become Duke. Then, what will happen when Duke Alexander proposes a contract marriage to Alessandra? The cover is not mine. I found it on Google.

Arkan butuh seorang anak, Aruna butuh uang untuk melunasi utang sekaligus lari dari ayah tirinya yang jahat. Keduanya dipertemukan dan menjalin hubungan mutualisme dalam balutan pernikahan kontrak. Sesuai perjanjian, jalinan kerja sama akan berakhir begitu Aruna melahirkan seorang bayi untuk Arkan. Namun, bagaimana jadinya jika sebelum kontrak berakhir, salah satu dari mereka jatuh cinta, sedangkan yang lainnya terlanjur skeptis soal cinta setelah pengkhianatan mantan kekasih dan sahabatnya? Haruskah pernikahan itu benar-benar diakhiri atau justru diperjuangkan meski orang dari masa lalu menjadi rintangan lain yang menghadang?

When Xeia entered Atienza's house, she entered their life as well. She met JD, her boss's nephew. They didn't get along at first, but as time went by, it changed. They felt like they had feelings for each other, but since she uncovered something about him, she kept distance from him. Until one day, he's nowhere to be found but thanks to DJ, she found him. They had conversation and just after a minute, she felt like as if heaven and earth had fallen on her. She didn't know what she should feel whether happy or sad. She just asked herself, why?