Novel & Cerita Zadie Smith

“Hmm.” Luca lowered himself, his groin making contact with mine. He brought his nose to my hair and sniffed, letting out an appreciative moan. “Roses. I like it.” “Luca…” his name came out as a moan when he nibbled my ear. “Don't hurt Matt, please.” He looked at me with an indescribable look. “And what are you willing to give me in return for sparing your lover's life?” I gaped at him in surprise. He knew? That Matt was my ex boyfriend? “How did you…” He shook his head with a humorless laugh. “You wound me, honey. I know a lot of things. I just choose not to say it.” “I haven't threatened to kill you in your sleep, have I?” I asked, then let out a defeated sigh when he raised a brow in disbelief at me. “Fine. What do you want in return?” He stared down at me for one… two… five seconds and then said, “I'd like to watch you come undone. With my tongue.” ********** Born into a family of generational tradition, Ariadne has a duty to uphold. She has been engaged to part of the society's son Santiago Russo since birth. Never having met or talked to her fiancè, she's accepted her fate that she could never be married to the one her heart wants. On the day of her debut, she is hit with an avalanche of shock when she discovers after an unforseen circumstance that Santiago won't be the one marrying her, but his Uncle, Luca Russo, the infamous, ruthless, billionaire bachelor in New York will be the one she will be tying the knot with. Caught between accepting her new fate or rebelling, Ariadne learns that there's nowhere to escape the beast and the only way to survive is abiding by his rules.

I stopped fighting. The moment I came back, I stepped out of the family spotlight on purpose— no arguments, no expectations, no awkward “let’s bond” moments. And somehow… that’s when my parents lost their minds. They made my little sister the heir? I congratulated them and filed my transfer to the Vegas branch the same afternoon. They threw her a massive coming-of-age gala? I smiled, booked a flight, and left before the invitations were printed. They bought her a limited-edition luxury car? I claimed my “old wrist injury” made driving impossible and insisted she take it. I thought they’d be relieved. I thought they’d finally get their perfect family without me messing up the picture. But instead—my cold, distant parents started calling nonstop. Showing up at my door. Pleading with me to come home. Asking what they did wrong. Why now? Why only when I stopped trying? Because in my last life, I spent decades clawing for their love— only to die bitter, resented, and humiliated. Even my grown son told me I was embarrassing. This time, I came back different. I refused to fight for a place in their world again. I refused to compete with my sister. I refused to beg. But the moment I stepped away… the entire family empire began to crack. And now they’re terrified. Not because I left— but because they finally realized what they lost.

Elena Rossi married Victor Moretti, the most feared mafia Don in the underground world. For three years, he treated her like a queen. Everyone said the ruthless Don was madly in love with his wife. Elena believed them. Until the night everything fell apart. At a family banquet, Elena was drugged. When she begged Victor to stay with her, he simply told his guards to take her to the hospital—then left to meet her sister. In that moment, the love Elena had once been so proud of shattered. She soon learned the cruel truth: Victor had married her only because he believed she was the woman who once saved his life. And now that the “real” savior had appeared—her sister—Elena had become nothing more than a mistake. So Elena made her choice. She quietly arranged everything, had Victor unknowingly sign the divorce papers, and disappeared from his world—carrying his unborn child. Only after she was gone did Victor realize. The woman he thought he married out of gratitude had long become the one he could not live without. The woman who had saved his life years ago had been Elena all along—only she had been injured back then and lost that part of her memory. By the time the truth came to light, Elena was already gone. The cold-blooded mafia Don who once controlled the entire underworld finally lost control.

Sophia Walsh thought she had it all: a husband who loved her, a home, and the possibility of a happy family. But on her wedding anniversary, her dreams are shattered when Ryan accuses her of cheating, fueled by his conniving friend Lana. The tragedy culminates in the death of Sophia's baby, which leaves her humiliated and shattered. Just as Sophia reaches the lowest point, Landon Sullivan—a man she never expected—arrives to reveal the truth: she is the rightful heiress of the powerful Sullivan family. With a new-found strength and resources, Sophia gets ready to rise from the ashes and take revenge on the people who wronged her. But with great power comes great danger. As Sophia settles into her new identity, she must determine whether revenge is worth the cost-or if she can find peace in reclaiming her life on her terms.

On the day that was supposed to be my wedding—the bride wasn’t me. The ceremony I’d waited for five years for turned into a joke when Valentina, my sister, walked down the marble aisle in a white wedding dress. Her arm was linked with Luca’s — the man who was supposed to be waiting for me at the altar. “I’m sorry, Bianca,” she said softly. “But you are no longer the bride today.” Then she touched her stomach, eyes gleaming with triumph. “I’m pregnant with Don Romano’s child.” Her words detonated inside my skull, and the whole world went silent. As if afraid I wouldn’t believe her, she lifted something glossy up towards the light. A black-and-white ultrasound image. It read clearly: Gestational age — 12 weeks. My eyes burned, tears stinging as I turned to Luca, desperately searching for anything—a denial, an explanation, regret. Instead, he only sighed, weary and resigned. “Bianca, I’m sorry.” he said helplessly. “Valentina doesn’t have much time left. This wedding… it was her last wish.” “I’ll make it up to you,” he added. “We can have another wedding later.” My father, Moretti, stood behind him, wearing the same stern expression he’d worn my entire life. I have never seen him smile at me, not even once. “Bianca,” he said sharply, “Your sister is dying. Let her have this.” My brother nodded without saying a single word, as if that was enough to be a solid answer. All my life, they had chosen her—her tears, her whims, her needs—over mine. Today was no different. Something inside me quietly cracked. Fine. If no one in this family cares about me, I’ll leave.

Ben has just bought his first house. It's a bit of a fixer-upper. When strange things start happening, he assumes it's the quirkiness of an old house. Because ghosts don't exist, right?

Mechanic or Luna: Book two- Brett and Piercy's Story This book needs to be read after Mechanic or Luna After months of arguing, near death experiences and pain, the time has come. The ultimatum Brett laid down for Piercy has backfired. Not only did he succeed, he is hold her to it. Forcing her to move to his pack. Forcing her to pay bills and move across the country, she is joining a pack that doesn't allow women to fight. Not only does her most recent trauma haunt her, she is forced to relive her most painful memories if she truly wants to find happiness. The only questions through all of this, what is Piercy's breaking point? Is she even strong enough to see past her pain, to find peace and happiness?

The day before Valentine's Day, I handed my leave request to my fiancé and boss, Daniel Harrison. We were supposed to get married at City Hall on Valentine's Day. He glanced at it, set it down on his desk, and did not sign. "Megan already booked her flight to Miami, and the hotel is non-refundable. I need you to cover for her for a few days. I am going to Miami to meet some clients anyway, so I will keep an eye on her while I am there." He looked up at me and softened his tone slightly, like he was trying to soothe me. "Getting married can wait until I get back. A few more days will not make a difference." His voice was casual, as if he were arranging something he already knew I would accept. Megan stood beside him and lowered her head. "I am so sorry, Alessandra. I did not realize your plans were that important." Then she added, "Daniel said you would understand. You always put the company first." She leaned slightly toward Daniel. The colleagues at their desks looked down at their screens. No one said a word. I watched Daniel. He was already scrolling through his phone, checking flight details. He did not look at me again. He did not know that the Valentine's Day we had agreed on was the deadline set by the De Luca family. If I was not married by the end of February, I would have to go back and accept the marriage they had arranged for me. I did not argue. I took off my badge and signed the resignation letter. Then I picked up my phone and called my grandfather, Enzo De Luca. "Grandfather, I give up. I will accept the marriage."

The day I signed the divorce papers, I voluntarily gave up custody of my daughter. Because that day, in the courtroom, she clung to her father’s neck, sobbing with all the fury a six-year-old could muster: “You don’t even love me… do you? If you leave Daddy, I’ll stay with him… and you’ll be all alone forever!” In my past life, I had ignored her childish threats. I fought tooth and nail for her custody. I poured every ounce of myself into raising her. And yet… she spent her entire life hating me. Not once did she ever call me “Mom” until the day I died. On her wedding day, she even invited her father’s mistress to the stage to give a speech of thanks. Now, opening my eyes again, seeing that same cruel little face staring back at me, I simply nodded. “I don’t care.” After all… I never wanted a daughter like her anyway.

Adrian Moretti’s adopted sister—She knew perfectly well that I suffered from severe asthma and could not be exposed to smoke or strong scents. Yet during the yacht reception, she deliberately dragged me onto the open deck, where cigars burned nonstop and the wind howled. Within seconds, my chest tightened. When I reached for my inhaler, my blood ran cold. It was empty. I collapsed against the railing, gasping violently, my lungs burning as if they were collapsing in on themselves. She crouched beside me and smiled. “You’re always so dramatic. It’s just a little smoke. You don’t need to act like you’re dying,” she said softly. “You’re too weak. You need to build some tolerance.” I looked toward Adrian, my vision already blurring. “Adrian,” I choked. “Give me my inhaler. If I don’t use it right now, I’m going to suffocate.” He frowned slightly. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting?” he said coldly. “I’ve never heard of anyone dying from a bit of smoke. She’s right—you’re always seeking attention. We finally gathered tonight, and you’re ruining it.” My heart dropped. I fumbled for my phone and called my mother. “Mom,” I sobbed, barely able to breathe. “I’m being bullied… and I can’t breathe.” My voice shook violently.