Tethered

Modern

The heavy iron gates of the Wilderness Correction Camp groaned as they released me after three years of state-sponsored hell. I stood on the dirt road, clutching a plastic bag that held my entire life, waiting for the family that claimed they sent me there for "rehab." My brother, Brady, picked me up in a luxury SUV only to throw me out onto a deserted highway in the middle of a brewing storm. He told me I was a "public relations nightmare" and that the rain might finally wash the "stink" of the camp off me. He drove away, leaving me to limp miles through the mud on a snapped ankle. When I finally dragged myself to our family estate, my mother didn't offer a hug; she gasped in horror because my muddy clothes were ruining her Italian marble. They didn't give me my old room back. Instead, they banished me to a moldy gardener’s shack and hired a "babysitter" to make sure I didn't embarrass them further. My sister, Kaleigh, stood there in white cashmere, pretending to cry while clinging to her fiancé, Ambrose—the man who had once been mine. They all treated me like a volatile junkie, refusing to acknowledge that Kaleigh was the one who planted the drugs in my bag three years ago. They wanted to believe I was broken so they wouldn't have to feel guilty about the "wellness retreat" that was actually a torture chamber. I sat in the dark of that shed, feeling the cooling gel on the cigarette burns that covered my arms, and realized they had made a fatal mistake. They thought they had erased me, but I had returned with a roadmap of scars and a hidden satellite phone. At dinner, I didn't beg for their love. I simply rolled up my sleeves and showed them the price of their silence. As the wine spilled and the lies crumbled, I sent a single text to the only person I trusted: "I'm in. Let them simmer." The hunt was finally on.

Romance

Never in her wildest dreams did Mishka imagine that her life would be turned upside down as soon as she stepped into London. "Marry my grandson!" Grandpa Leo's demand threw her off guard. Marriage was not part of her plans, yet she accepted the proposal to marry the most eligible bachelor in London, leaving her dreams behind. Christian had everything planned out in advance. He intended to propose to his girlfriend right after securing the position of CEO at the Knight Group, but a woman derailed all his plans. "If you want to become the CEO of Knight Group, you must marry the girl I have chosen for you!" Grandpa Leo's firm decision put Christian's future at risk, but he quickly devised a plan. "Sign these papers!" Christian demanded in a deep, authoritative tone, extending the file towards Mishka. "What is this?" She narrowed her eyes, taking the file. "Read and I'll explain everything," Christian answered. His cold eyes stared at her, and as soon as Mishka opened the file, her face lost all colour reading the bold letters. "CONTRACT MARRIAGE" Will she give into Christian's demand, or will her masterstroke change the dynamics of the trap he set for her? What will happen when Christian and Mishka's entirely different worlds crash? Will love find its way through the web of lies, deception and mysteries? Let's find out in the story! COPYRIGHT ©️ 2020 AUTHOR ANIKA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Romance

My son was dying in my arms, and the man who should have been saving him was likely choosing an engagement ring for another woman. I rushed Jeremy to the Emergency Room, his small body heavy and limp against my chest. But the person blocking the sliding doors wasn’t a doctor. It was Yvonne, my fian