Romans & histoires Winona State Library

Ethan smiled. “Nothing. I love hearing you say my name. It sounds so good to hear it from your mouth.” "Oh! You’re teasing me!” I pouted. “You’re mean. You know I’m in a weak state right now, but you take advantage of my situation and tease me.” "Helena Starr.” I stopped when he mentioned my full name. “Yes?” "Your name is appropriate for you since your blue eyes shine brightly like stars.” It was unexpected, so I bent my head and blushed again. “Oh, thank you.” If he kept saying sweet things like that, how could I survive? My heart, oh, my heart, I was in danger! *** As an orphan, Helena doesn’t know her real parents. She only knows they have passed away. Living with Freya, her adoptive mother, and having a relationship with her boyfriend, Kenneth, is the peaceful life she wants. Until Kenneth ends the relationship. Then her life turns upside down. But it is the moment Helena meets with Ethan that she experiences many confusions, as Ethan has hidden something. As an Alpha King, Ethan lives his life to lead his people. A bitter past hinders him from finding his true mate and love until he meets Helena. Ethan cannot resist the instant connection and affection with Helena, but his secret will put her in danger. He knows he must protect Helena at all costs. Will Helena find out Ethan’s secret and have the happily ever after she longs for?

The day my adopted sister Xina was diagnosed with a rare blood disease, I was captured by rival pack hunters and taken across pack territories. In a hidden den beneath the mountains, I was chained like an omega during the day and subjected to endless humiliation. At night, they locked me in a moonless chamber and extracted my blood and bone marrow while I was conscious. By the time my pack found me, my body was broken beyond recognition, covered in bite marks, and infected with numerous diseases that even our supernatural healing couldn't combat. My mother, Alpha Serena, looked at me barely clinging to life, and howled so painfully she collapsed several times. My brother Ivan even traveled beyond our ancestral lands to find healers who could treat me. But in my half-conscious state, I accidentally overheard their conversation: "Mother, we captured Lisa just to save Xina, and let her be violated by so many rogues. Now we're taking one of her kidneys too—isn't that going to kill her?" Mother was silent for a long time, then choked up and said: "For Xina, I had no choice." "Besides, Lisa challenged Xina's rank all these years, made her severely depressed. This is just me atoning to Xina on her behalf." "It doesn't matter if she's been tainted. From now on, we'll keep her in the packhouse and take care of her. That'll count as compensation." As the silver blade sliced into my body, tears streamed uncontrollably from my eyes. A den with four wolves... was simply too crowded.

After her father's heart attack, Munachi Alice Rowland needs to stop being the spoiled rich kid in order to assume the position of the director in his gallery. What she isn't prepared for is finding out how bad the state of the gallery's finances are. Now Muna must find a potential investor to get the company back on its feet and pay off their debts. Grant Stevens, Muna's former school mate who made high school hell for her has returned to the city, richer, more powerful than ever and also hot as sin. When Muna finds out that Grant is the CEO of the company her father owes millions of dollars to, she is beyond shocked. Things get worse when she discovers the agreement her father signed with Grant's company. Muna has no choice, other than agreeing to Grant's every wish, which might just entail marriage with him. Muna is very sure it is yet another strategy to torment her, just like he always did nine years earlier. She is supposed to hate Grant, but how can she explain the constant attraction she feels instead whenever he's close? With his flirtatious smile and advances, can she be able to guard her heart and get married to her enemy for two years without catching feelings? As they say, there's a thin line between love and hatred, could Muna's nemesis have some stronger feelings for her after all?

Natasha Davis always had the dream of getting married to her high school sweetheart, Paul, so she wasn't bothered when she got pregnant for him at the age of 17. That was until Paul decided to leave the country to further his education. Six years later, Natasha is a single mother to give year old Mirabella and she needs to find a job. Unable to find a quality job without the required certificate, Natasha settles for the job of a nanny. Not just any nanny but a nanny to Malcolm Grayson's kids. Malcolm Grayson is a divorcee with a set of twins. His ex-wife, Yvette Brooks, a popular actress cheated on him and divorced him, leaving two kids behind. After almost four years of looking for the perfect nanny, he finds Natasha. However, Malcolm finds out that Natasha is not like any woman he knows. She is smart and determined and loyal to a fault. He start to fall head over heels for her, despite his heartfelt desire for his wife to return to him. Natasha realizes that she cannot fight her attraction for her strong-headed, annoying and insufferable boss. And just when the both of the think they've found love with each other, Natasha lands a major role as an actress that will launch her stardom. But this means she has to leave the state for a while. Not only that, Yvette decides to return back to claim her husband and kids and Paul soon finds out that he has a kid somewhere. Both of their exes return to their lives and Natasha and Malcolm have to go extra mile to prove the love and trust they have for each other.

My father-in-law, Eason Chapman, suffers from a sudden heart attack. On the way to the hospital, I'm forced to a stop by a Ferrari. Knowing that the Ferrari belongs to my wife, Cindy Chapman, I lower the car window and tell her to make way for me right away and to not waste any time. What I don't expect is to see Cindy in a state of undress while she's sitting in the front passenger seat. Meanwhile, her first love, Harley Gunn, is the one behind the wheel. "You really have grown bold, Ian Jowett! How dare you take my dad's car out on a spin! Don't forget that you're just a live-in son-in-law!" I glance at the rearview mirror, where Eason's face has already gone blue. Then, I yell in alarm, "Hurry up and get out of the way! Dad is suffering from a heart attack right now! I need to take him to the hospital!" Cindy screams at me angrily, "How dare you use my dad's luxurious car to give your dying, broke dad a ride to the hospital! Get him out of the car right now! Don't jinx my dad's car with your dad's death!" I'm not in the mood to fight with Cindy, so I put my foot down on the gas pedal and start speeding toward the hospital. Throughout the journey, Cindy keeps stopping me with her Ferrari, causing me to brake repeatedly. In the end, Ian closes his eyes in the backseat forever.

"Answers and answers. We can solve our collective family issue," He said, eyes widened to whatever brilliant plan he had that was growing even more in his mind. "With you in my arms, the world would believe I have finally found the woman of my dreams," He continued, unaware of the growing distress that threatened to unravel me, "And my father would not dream to approach you. Out of fear that you might expose his scheme." I stepped forward, my palms on both sides of his cheeks- cupping them while he stroked my thumbs. "And what about who I am to seduce?" "He would be so interested in you because he believes I am interested in you." He would presume I was unavailable - and thus desirable. **** Son of the richest politician in the state, Alexander made a name for himself as one of the best and richest CEO of the biggest security company in the state. He ran away from home at the tender age of eighteen, leaving behind a broken-hearted Jasmine. **** When Jasmine is given the most daunting of tasks, to prove she can be more than the disappointment her mom claimed she was. She did not expect to see the man who made her believe love could be real working for her target. The man whom abandoned her when she needed him the most. Alexander must find a way to get out of what he called "dealings with the devil," while Jasmine tries her best to make sure she doesn't fall in love with him again. But is all really fair in the game of love?

I burst through the hospital doors; they barely let me into his room. Machines beeped in a rhythm that sounded like a countdown. I grabbed his frail hand. “No, Eli, stay with me; please stay with me.” The nurse stepped back to give me space. “His condition’s worsening. We need the rest of the money by tomorrow so that the surgery will be performed, or we’ll have to transfer him to a state facility, and you know what that means.” I nodded numbly. I promise to think of something. I said, sobbing uncontrollably and forcefully handling the doctor the money Ryker gave to me. I know it's not enough, but please help me start with this. I will make it up. The nurse returned the money, and nurse Kara pulled me outside. “What are you doing, Lucy”? Is this how you intend to save your brother? *** What would you do if you needed to save your brother from a sick bed? Lucy, a stripper, is on the verge of losing her brother because of hospital bills that she could not afford. Comes Ryker, a Ruthless Mafia Boss who is the best option for Lucy to save her brother because all she needs to do is give birth to his heirs, and he would settle her brother's hospital bills. After Lucy signs a contract marriage with Ryker, she discovers that Ryker has been keeping secrets of hers; he knows that Lucy is a wealthy heiress. Will she continue to carry Ryker's baby, or will she terminate the pregnancy?

Christmas was just around the corner, and the head of the company asked us to choose between a bonus and a Christmas gift box for chocolate. I was not much of a sweets person, so I was the first to vote for the bonus. The intern collecting the votes immediately called me out by name in the team chat. "Ella, Christmas is supposed to be about the holiday spirit. Isn't choosing the bonus a bit materialistic?" Even the department manager tagged me. "Ella, the company values team spirit more than anything." In the end, everyone else picked the gift boxes. I was the only one who did not. When the Christmas party arrived, the intern had bought gift boxes filled entirely with nut chocolate. She knew I was allergic to nuts, yet she forced me to try some in front of everyone to show my team spirit. "Ella, this was bought with everyone's bonus money. You cannot just refuse, can you?" The next moment, I was struggling to breathe and a rash spread across my body. The intern looked at me with pure disgust. "Seriously, Ella, do you have to ruin the mood when everyone else is having fun?" I frantically searched my bag for my allergy medicine, but all I could find were a few pieces of chocolate. Seeing me in such a state, the intern laughed. "Medicine is only one part of it. You need more sweets anyway. I swapped your medicine for the chocolate in the gift box." My breathing was getting worse by the second. I quickly grabbed my phone and texted the CEO. [Dad, I'm having an allergic reaction. I'm at the…]

When frustrations over her joblessness lead Stella to reluctantly heed her best friend Lyra's urging for a night of reckless abandon at the club, she never expected to surrender her virginity to a skilled stranger's seduction. However, the next morning's twist of fate leaves her stunned - Stella has been hired as a caretaker for the reclusive yet ruggedly handsome billionaire Mr. Lockwood, who is an uncanny doppelganger of the very man who stripped her of innocence just hours before. Though Mr. Lockwood's wheelchair-bound state seems to defy the passionate lover she knew, Stella must unravel the possibilities and darker secrets surrounding his true identity. Is this wealthy enigma truly the sultry stranger she knew so intimately, or are sinister truths lurking beneath his charming exterior? Can Stella resist the growing obsession that threatens to consume her with every encounter? What twisted games is Mr. Lockwood playing, and how far is he willing to go to possess her utterly? *** As if on autopilot and lost in thought, I knelt before Adrian. My hands moved instinctively to remove his clothes, fulfilling my role as his caretaker. Before fully registering my actions, I had already pulled down Adrian's boxers. My eyes widened as I unexpectedly found myself face to face with Adrian's very sturdy c*ck dangling before my very eyes. With a hint of fascination, I audibly gulped, the sound resonating in the quiet space as I blushed unable to tear my gaze away. "Well damn,"

"Ace...please...I had nothing to do with your father's death..." I whimper, protectively placing my hand over my abdomen. His grip tightens around my throat as my eyes water when I look into his eyes reddened by the effect of the alcohol that he has consumed. All I can see is my death looming over my head as I try my best to be able to breathe through my nose even if he is trying his best to block my airways. "Well, all evidence seems to state otherwise, bitch! You were the one leaking all information about us back to your father. And here I was...thinking that we had something..." his words slur but his actions are completely focused on me. Completely focused on killing me. I can feel it...I am not going to make it... ———————— I wanted to tell him that I didn’t ruin his empire. I wanted him to believe it. But he didn’t listen. And because of him, I ended up losing my baby growing inside me. I lost everything because of Alejandro Harrington. And I have spent the last two years running from him. But now he has finally found me. He is my new boss and to top it all off, I have to remain in this firm as his personal assistant. He still remembers everything and even now, he has no regrets about whatever he did. He’s here to make my life hell.