Sweet, fiercely loyal and introverted despite being a famous Pop Star, Harper Isabel Romano does not believe in the concept of romantic love- even though she has sung ballads about it. Between her busy schedule and her tattered, destroyed heart, she has no desire for a relationship or anything akin to romantic love. Yes, she adored music. It was her first, after all. It had kept her alive when she wanted nothing else. Her three best friends and brother were also exceptions, the only people who came close enough to earning her absolute devotion. But when trouble emerges, a situation threatening her first true passion- music, she finds herself seeking solace with a man she barely knows. A man who screams danger and despair from a mile away. A man who threatens her sanity by eliciting emotions in her. Feelings she thought had died. Because despite Raiden's cold, unassuming personality, he made her feel alive. Wanted. Protected. Cherished. For the first time in her life, she Dares to dream of a world where she is genuinely Alive. *** Enchanting, Lethal and wise enough to keep all his cards close to heart, Billionaire Raiden Hattori is a leviathan hidden behind the tailored suits and persona of a stoic gentleman. He has never had time for love, for hearts and flowers. Not when he was drenched in the Sins of his Past and Present but when he listens to her sing, watches her imbue emotion into her music and bring it to life, he can't ignore her or the pull he has towards the famous pop star whose eyes behold suffocating sadness. She is a Puzzle he cannot solve, the object of his obsession. And when the chance to get close to her, to study her and understand the pull comes, he breaks all his rules. He tables a deal she can never refuse. He Dares to Live only for her. His only Exception. Theirs is an all-consuming, erotic love filled with secrets and tainted by past demons....and when it all unravels, it threatens to destroy them. ***
***
I didn't want to hate my Father. Even though he was breaking my heart, tearing it into pieces as I watched him. His anger was palpable, hanging heavy over the room. We were in his office, the foreboding place I dreaded to be called into on most days.
I had hoped things would be different. That this conversation would be less catatonic than how it had been. My fear was justified as I watched the man who had once been kind, the man who read me to sleep and had held me when I had nightmares- pace the room angrily, unable to look at me.
Things were different after Mom's left.
"You want to tell me that you're giving up EVERYTHING I've worked so hard to give you for a pipe dream?! Don't be stupid, Isabel! You will take over the Law department at Griffin Entreprises and that is final!"
Father's voice boomed throughout the room, making me flinch as I tried and failed to hold his enraged glare. I could hear the crack forming, and feel it consume my entire body as despair threatened to fill my being. I was scared, so scared of going against him. Of refusing to listen to his every word.
I had respected him all my life, and done everything he wanted me to. I had been a good daughter, dedicating myself to my studies and my extracurricular activities. I excelled in school, in my piano recitals, and on the debate team. I had passed my bar exams, pushed down all my mental health struggles to the deepest depths of me, and graduated from Law School. All my achievements had been a way to make him proud, to show him that I was trying to make up for all my wrongs.
I had tried to do what he wanted, to learn from my peers at Griffin Entreprises as I prepared to take over as he wanted me to.
But one night changed everything. I found the world outside was totally different from the life I had been living.
I didn't want to betray to myself this time.
I respected and loved my father ,but no for this time.
"I can't do that, Father. This is what I want, what I truly desire to do with my life. My music has already been received really well. My songs have already broken chart records. Jonah, my manager, is sure that I'm going to be one of the best. All I hope for is your support, Father. Please, let me do this. Let me be happy. I promise to make you proud."
He scoffed angrily at my words, holding my firm gaze with his glare. I steeled my resolve, holding back the fear that always came with defying him. I had made the conscious decision to do this and it was that resolve that gave me the confidence to stand firm as I held his gaze.
"If you think that this would make me proud of you, you are sorely mistaken. You are a disgrace to this family. You want to ruin your life? Fine! Have it your way but know this, you are no longer my daughter! I rescind all your privileges. Let's see how well you survive on that meager damn dream of yours! And do not expect anything from your brother either. If he helps you, then I assure you that I shall take everything from him too. Don't destroy his life as you have yours!"
"Now leave my sight! I never want to see you again! You are dead to me, child. Like your mother...Get out! You are no longer welcome here!"
"I'm sorry that you feel like I have disappointed you, Father, but I will not apologize for doing what I love and for being myself. Thank you for all you have done for me so far."
"Just get out of here, right now! You ungrateful, selfish wolf cub. You are exactly like your mother . I'm even counting on you to be different, to improve yourself, to take over the company, and become my pride? You let me down so much."
He barely spared me a glance but I refused to break down before him any more than I already had. I had to be strong, to remind myself that he detested weakness. Even in my final moments with him, I wanted to appease him. And so, with a singular nod, I turned and left the room- even though my very soul was shattering.
The sight of my brother through blurry eyes as he hurried down the hallways of my childhood home stopped me in my tracks, my limbs weakening at the sight of him.
My older brother didn't hold back, pulling me into a long and tight hug that centered me and comforted me more than I thought I needed.
"Oh sorellina...You should have waited for me. What did he do?"
He whispered, silently rubbing my back to comfort me. A sob broke free before I held back the others, knowing well enough that Fathe would not be pleased to hear it.
I struggled to compose myself, pulling back from him to grant him a reassuring smile.
I knew my brother well enough to know that would go to war with him, regardless of the consequences.
"I'm fine, fratello. I promise. I have to go now, though. I won't be able to come back soon but I will try my best to make sure I mend things. "
I could feel his confusion, his sadness, and shock. His anger. Taking a deep breath, I found the strength to walk away from him too, and make my way outside of my home.
"It's okay, Harper...This is a new beginning for you. You've got this."
I whispered over and over again, finally getting a hold of my emotions. I was ready to step into the next phase of my life. I would not be looking back, not anymore. I had severed ties with the Griffin name conclusively. Father's plan for me was destroyed and he would not ask me to come back. The thought in itself hurt like hell but I was glad for it- It made the transition process easier...
"Call Jonah."
I spoke up once the Bluetooth was turned on, allowing the car assistant to pull up my new manager's number. Jonah believed in me even when everyone else thought he was crazy. He was one of the greatest managers of his day and age and yet he had chosen to take a chance on an amateur like me. It was a blessing in disguise to have captured his attention and I held onto it, refusing to make him anything but proud of me.
I wanted to ensure that his kindness and his faith in me were not wasted. I wanted to prove all the doubters wrong. I wanted to shine and make him even more renowned than he already was. I was ready to become the best I could be, all on my own accord and without my Father's guidance. I would become the Greatest of all time.
"Hey, Bella. How did it go?"
His voice was warm, and reassuring as it floated through the car. I steeled my spine, knowing full well that I needed to be stronger. He would worry if I started sobbing and screaming like I wanted to. He already had too much on his plate for me to add my family issues to it.
"Not so good but I'm fine. We're moving forward as agreed. I want to start recording the rest of the singles and collaborations tomorrow. Let's hit the ground running and become the best of the best, Jo. I'm counting on you."
Silence reigned momentarily, a small sigh escaping Jonah before he seemed to regain his cool and understand my need for him to let it go. I wasn't ready to talk about it and wouldn't for a long time yet.
Someday soon...but not now...I need work, a purpose that reassures me of my decision...
"Alright, Harpie. I'm going to make you a superstar, I promise. All your sacrifices will not be in vain. Let's become the best of the best, okay?"
I nodded before realizing he could not see me. I voiced my approval, letting the silent tears fall through my smile. I believed and trusted him. He had scouted me out, found me and made my dream come true. My music had already touched so many lives and I was ready to spread the joy and contentment that always filled me once I opened up my heart and let the lyrics flow.
I want to reassure them, to let them know that they are loved...Which is why I can't give up. I must spread joy to the world...
Father, I'm sorry...
Mother, I hope you're watching me become what you've always wanted me to be...myself.
***
Book One of the Immortal Six Series- The Beast Immortal Calliope Kain Rowenys has grown up hearing stories of a world beyond her wildest dreams. Never could she have imagined that it was all true. Her fantasy becomes a reality when the being stalking her dreams comes to collect. He is the King of Werewolves, and she is his betrothed. The Natus Kingdom awaits their Queen's crowning and dark forces churn in the background- waiting to destroy her and the man she hates to love... Lucien Gray has been a recluse all his life. Despite being a King, an Alpha sworn to protect his kind, he considers himself nothing but a Beast and an Immortal one at that. He despises his responsibility and the Celestials that granted him such a cruel fate. But then she comes into his life, and everything is shifted. She is meant to be his Salvation and although he never believed in redemption, he does now if it means staying by her side forever Together, they battle dark forces who wish to corrupt their future, fighting side by side in the wake of disturbing revelations and loving each other all the more- forever and always.
All Reina Valentine has ever known is Death and Despair. As a Royal, the Queen of all Vampires, she is dubbed as the pinnacle of a race, the fearless leader who was destined to bring their kind into an age of prosperity. She, however, prefers the company of the shadows. Darkness is her solace and for almost a century, she slumbers and embraces it... Right until she is awoken to a world beyond her wildest comprehension. A threat larger, more dangerous than Vampire Hunters has assailed their world and her return is integral to dispel this great tragedy from coming to pass. New alliances are made, old wounds are torn open and the dawn of a new age is in the horizon. This may just be her new beginning- the rebirth she never knew she needed. ** Zero Alexander Black is the charismatic CEO of one of the world's largest international corporations. His days are dominated by spreadsheets, board meetings, and charity galas. So when the beast from his dreams appears before him and attacks him in the real world, his entire life is turned upside down. Folklore and fairytales appear to have always been true, and for some reason, it wasn't as shocking to him as he expected. Not when it put him in front of Royalty and the woman of his dreams. His empty, forlorn existence comes to life with adventure, near-death experiences, all of which fill the void in his heart. For the first time in his life, he is truly Alive. Follow their adventure as they fight to not only liberate their world but save it from plunging darkness. A love story blooms, one that was written in the stars all along...
A girl whose notion of love was shattered forever. A boy who just wants to be truly loved and cherished. They couldn't be more different from each other and yet something so carnal and wild bubbles between them, igniting a fire that leaves them both slighted in its wake...Will they come out on top? Will they be able to keep each other close? Or will their connection become a cinder, like ash blown away by the harsh realities of their lives....
She is a free spirit, trapped in a bird cage of death, danger and despair. Little Alessa has always known one thing above all- she was born to be the perfect Principessa of the Cosa Nostra, the Italian Mafia. She was urged to smile when asked to, laugh even when the jokes were anything but funny, charming to all who were allies. She was perfection incarnate...well, that's what they think. They know nothing of her wild abandon, of her plans to be anything but the perfect princess, royalty of a world dredged so deep in blood, she choked on it. Her plans to run were absolute...well, until HE came along. The mysterious Pakan-a Don like her father- shielded by the shadows that he ruled from. He was the anomaly that she least expected. He destroyed her plans and she hated him for it. So why then does her heart beat so fast when he is near? Why is he the one she thinks about before she sleeps? Why does she so long to see him when she's sad? She wanted the freedom, the life beyond the shadows and explore the world. But Emerald colored eyes, cocky smirks, rough hands, cigarettes and darkness were starting to look a little more appealing...
P-please, I beg you. Come let's go tell Christian I had no hand in whatever happened, p-please." I clutched the lapel of his jacket desperately. "Let's go. You need to tell my husband you were paid." "Young lady, you're harassing me." His tone was cold and his stare granite. But I could care less. "You harassed me first! You had sex with me without my consent, my husband knows and now I'm pregnant with this child he doesn't want. You ruined my marriage! I-I hate you!" ************************************ Caught by her husband with another man on their matrimonial bed the morning after her birthday, Hailey Codza could not defend herself. As though it's not enough, she gets pregnant. Her enraged husband decides to pay her back for her infidelity by having an affair with his ex-girlfriend - Denise Kellers, the family Hailey never knew she had. Losing her family's wealth and company to her husband and his ex (now girlfriend), she is devastated, homeless and penniless as all her credit cards are blocked by her husband. She sees the man who is responsible for her pregnancy. The man she has no idea how he'd found his way to her matrimonial bed - Jared Johnson. Jared is annoyed when this strange woman disrupts his meeting and accuses him of ruining her life, marriage and impregnating her. It affects his business deals and having no choice, he marries her to calm the public whilst engaged to someone else. But he loathes her and allows his family treats her badly. Hailey who has fallen in love with Jared is broken when she can no longer take the humiliation. She signs the divorce papers and leaves, only to arrive six years later to the country as a self-made, secret billionaire and a mother of twins. Now her two ex-husbands are begging to have her back...
June Rivera was divorced by her husband after three years of marriage because he wanted to be with her sister who was pregnant for him. Kicked to the curb with a divorce and rejected by her parents,she struggles to make ends meet and get a job until she saves Luis Ambrose from an accident - the only child of Rafael Ambrose, a widowed man and the CEO of Ambrose Corporation. When little Luis asks to have her as a nanny, and Rafael's mother pressures him to get married, they draw a contract. To be Luis's nanny and his fake wife for one year in exchange for 50 million dollars!
Five years ago, Alessia La Rosa's life took a drastic turn when, suffering from memory loss, she wed to Dominic Carter under her grandfather's mysterious arrangement. But their marriage was a facade, bringing her only humiliation and heartache as Dominic showed no love, and she couldn't conceive. Upon discovering Dominic's infidelity, Alessia sought liberation through divorce. Yet, fate had more in store for her. Five years later, spurred by an anonymous email hinting at her lost child's whereabouts, she returns to the city with her twin babies in tow, determined to uncover the truth. As she navigates the tangled web of her past, a surprising twist awaits. Dominic, upon meeting her again, finds himself drawn to the woman she has become, unaware of her true identity as his former wife. Little does he know, the woman he's falling for is not only his ex-wife but also a powerful Doctor and Master Hacker.
Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.