Seventeen-year-old Elena Romano has spent her life staying out of trouble. Growing up in the shadows of a powerful mafia family, she knows the rules: keep your head down, don't ask questions, and never get involved. But when she accidentally overhears a secret she was never meant to know, she becomes a target. Luca DeLuca is the heir to one of the most feared crime families in the city. Cold, untouchable, and dangerous, he doesn't believe in love-only loyalty and power. But when Elena's life is put in jeopardy, he makes a risky choice: to protect her. Thrown into a world she swore to avoid, Elena doesn't know who to trust-especially not Luca, whose reputation is built on deception. Yet, the more time she spends with him, the more she realizes that beneath his icy exterior, there's something even more dangerous than his enemies... his heart. But in a world where alliances shift like shadows and betrayal is just a heartbeat away, Elena will have to decide: walk away before it's too late, or risk everything for the boy she was never supposed to love.
The dim glow of the bar's neon lights flickered as Elena Vasquez wiped down the counter, exhaustion settling deep into her bones. The place was nearly empty, save for a few stragglers nursing their drinks. She glanced at the clock-just past midnight. Another long shift, another night of barely scraping by.
Then the door slammed open.
Elena's heart jumped as two men in black suits strode inside, their presence suffocating. They moved with a quiet menace, their eyes scanning the room before locking onto her.
"Elena Vasquez?" one of them asked.
Her grip on the rag tightened. She didn't need to ask who they were-she already knew.
"I-I think you have the wrong person," she stammered, stepping back.
The taller of the two men smirked. "No, sweetheart, we don't." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small black notebook. Flipping it open, he read aloud, "Luis Vasquez. Twenty-six years old. Gambler. Druggie. And as of last week, owes the Castellano family fifty grand."
Elena's stomach twisted into knots. Luis. Her brother.
She had tried so hard to keep him out of trouble, to protect him from the streets that had swallowed so many others. But once again, he had made a reckless choice-one that now had deadly consequences.
"I don't have that kind of money," she said, voice shaking.
The second man, Matteo, leaned against the bar, his dark eyes unwavering. "We know. That's why the boss wants to see you."
"The boss?" she whispered.
The Castellanos were the most feared mafia family in the city. Their name alone sent shivers down spines. And at the top of their empire was Luca Castellano-the heir, the king of the underworld, and a man rumored to be as ruthless as he was untouchable.
Elena shook her head. "I'll talk to my brother-"
"Your brother is gone," Matteo cut in. "Disappeared. Probably running. That means his debt falls on you now ."
Her heart pounded. This couldn't be happening.
"Come quietly, Elena," the taller man warned. "Or we drag you there. Either way, you're seeing Luca tonight."
Elena took a shaky breath. She didn't have a choice.
As the men led her out of the bar and into the black SUV waiting outside, one thought echoed in her mind.
She was walking into the lion's den.
In the heart of the African savannah lies the village of Ndomo, where Amina, a young girl with a mysterious heritage, discovers an ancient artifact linked to her ancestors' forgotten power. The artifact, long buried in the earth, holds immense energy capable of shaping the future of her people and the land itself. As Amina comes to understand her connection to this force, she is torn between embracing its power to protect her village or resisting its dangerous influence, knowing that the same power led to the fall of her ancestors. Amina's journey is fraught with internal and external conflicts, as rival clans seek the artifact to control the land, and Amina grapples with the temptation to wield its strength. Betrayal, self-doubt, and the weight of legacy shadow her every step. The artifact's power, a force that once corrupted and destroyed her ancestors, now seeks to possess her, forcing Amina to make choices that will define her future-and the future of Ndomo. As the darkness returns, Amina must confront not only the external threats that endanger her people but also the dangerous pull of the artifact within her. The line between good and evil blurs as she faces the ultimate question: can she control the artifact's power, or will it consume her like it did those before her? With a suspenseful cliffhanger, the novel explores themes of identity, the burden of legacy, the corrupting influence of power, and the courage to make difficult choices for the greater good.
This story is about a young lady coming from an average to almost a poor background. How would she pay her fees, what will also happen in her love life would she end up with her crush or will she get married to someone else? Find out.
The story is about the king who was looking for a wife but later saw but she was accused of poisoning him did he later marry her?? He had a daughter was she really his daughter? Did his wife have an affair was there a conspiracy find out
He told her to call him Daddy. Not because he earned it, but because he fucking owned her. The moment she signed that contract, she stopped being a woman with dignity and became his filthy little plaything. His holes to use. His mess to ruin. He didn't just fuck her, he rewired her. Stripped her clean of boundaries and filled her with sin. Every punishment made her scream. Every game dragged her deeper into his twisted world. And the way he praised her... Good girl. She should've run the first time he said it. But Daddy doesn't let his toys leave. He breaks them until they beg to stay. ** Mia's life changed the night she let a stranger ruin her. One night. She never expected to see him again. Until she walked into her new job... and her boss turned around. Ace.Her one-night sin in a thousand-dollar suit. Only this time, he wasn't asking her to be his assistant. She was to be his wife.
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
Brenna lived with her adoptive parents for twenty years, enduring their exploitation. When their real daughter appeared, they sent Brenna back to her true parents, thinking they were broke. In reality, her birth parents belonged to a top circle that her adoptive family could never reach. Hoping Brenna would fail, they gasped at her status: a global finance expert, a gifted engineer, the fastest racer... Was there any end to the identities she kept hidden? After her fiancé ended their engagement, Brenna met his twin brother. Unexpectedly, her ex-fiancé showed up, confessing his love...
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
The whispers said that out of bitter jealousy, Hadley shoved Eric's beloved down the stairs, robbing the unborn child of life. To avenge, Eric forced Hadley abroad and completely cut her off. Years later, she reemerged, and they felt like strangers. When they met again, she was the nightclub's star, with men ready to pay fortunes just to glimpse her elusive performance. Unable to contain himself, Eric blocked her path, asking, "Is this truly how you earn a living now? Why not come back to me?" Hadley's lips curved faintly. "If you’re eager to see me, you’d better join the queue, darling."