Is it true that touching love, playing with it, will burn and hurt, and the only person who gets hurt is yourself? Chloe once lost a daughter, but fate brought her back to meet her child again, which led to entanglement with the man she had secretly loved for many years. But he still despised her, just like in the past. One day, the man coldly said, "Chloe, let's get married. Stop wasting your efforts seducing other men. I can give you what you want."
The sky gradually turned to late afternoon. The hallway light's "mouse" had long been broken, emitting dim and nuclear rays. Chloe Thomas, carrying a bag of groceries she had just bought from the supermarket, kept her hand against the wall, groping her way step by step.
The old building was about to be demolished and moved, with the security nowhere to be seen. Few households remained, the hallway devoid of light.
To the sixth floor, her heart filled with worry and anxiety, she lowered her head to search for her keys in her bag. Suddenly, her chest collided with an obstacle, causing her to lose her balance. Strangely, the object she hit had a bit of warmth... it was a person!
The faint smell of tobacco lingered around her nose, almost making her lose control and scream.
Her heart pounded, her ears filled with the sound of her own rapid breathing. Instinctively, she stepped back a few paces.
A crisp "click" sound echoed, and a small spark of light burst before her eyes. Thanks to the blue glow of the lighter, Chloe saw a familiar, somber pair of eyes, with dark, sharp pupils filled with impatience and irritation.
It was him...
Chloe tightened her grip on the grocery bag, her fingertips digging into the soft flesh of her palm, trying to steady her breath before she spoke, "What's the matter?"
The man's lighter went out, leaving them in silence before the door, consumed by darkness. After a moment of contemplation, he reminded her, "Open the door."
Chloe seemed to awaken from a dream, hurriedly rummaging through her bag. The more anxious she became, the more her hands trembled.
A slender arm suddenly wrapped around her waist, his solid chest pressing against her back. Her breath immediately hitched, her eyes staring at the moving shadow. They stood so close that she could vaguely feel his body temperature and hear his heartbeat. That warmth went straight into her heart, burning her chest.
He stood silently behind her, reaching into her bag.
Knowing he was searching for the keys, understanding that he wasn't intentionally touching her, she still felt uncomfortable, her eyes stinging as if something uncontrollable was about to fall.
The sound of steady breathing and the jingle of keys by her ear left her dumbfounded as she moved forward, wanting to stop him from opening the door. The man, impatient, rebuked her: "Move."
She hesitated for a moment before stepping aside, obediently standing still, trying to breathe quietly, afraid of breaking the current silence.
The door creaked open, a harsh light flooding in, causing her to squint and slowly lift her eyes to adjust to the sudden change. The image of the handsome man standing in the doorway immediately imprinted in her mind.
Chloe's heart pounded wildly, she quickly lowered her eyes, not daring to look at him for more than a second. She forced herself to carry the grocery bag straight inside, placing it on the round table, slowly regaining her breath. Thinking about the man behind her, her heart couldn't help but flutter with unease.
Turning around, she focused on him, awkwardly asking, "Do you want some water?"
Caleb Wilson glanced around the dilapidated room, the damp smell of New York's rainy season permeating the air. His frown deepened, increasingly impatient, he ignored her question and got straight to the point: "Lily is sick, she's asking for you."
Chloe was stunned, sweat forming on her pale forehead.
She stared wide-eyed, anxiously stepping closer to him, completely unaware of the intense disdain in his eyes, and asked worriedly, "Is it serious? The weather has been unpredictable lately, why haven't you taken good care of her?"
Caleb's lips curled into a mocking smile. Without a word, he stared at her.
Seeing his expression, Chloe realized her rash behavior, her fingers gripping tighter, she lowered her eyes and stepped back: "I'm sorry."
Caleb's eyes widened. Every time he saw this woman's weak demeanor, he was filled with disgust, understanding her true malicious nature like no one else.
"The girl wants the soup you make, cook it now."
Caleb finished speaking and naturally walked over to the sofa, sitting down, his hips pressing against something soft. Frowning, he picked it up. It was a small rubber duck.
The duck looked familiar, similar to the ones Lily had, but this one was larger, like...
"This is the mother duck," Chloe murmured, stepping forward to snatch the duck from his hand, handling it like a precious treasure, carefully placing it in a drawer.
Caleb silently watched her every move, a slight snort escaping his nostrils: "What? Are you still hoping for the mother duck to be reunited with the ducklings one day?"
His words were clear. Even if she wasn't smart, she understood.
Chloe turned her back to him, a bitter smile on her lips: "No, I just want... to keep it so that I can look at it whenever I miss Lily."
Caleb looked at her with suspicion, not believing her. Without giving him a chance to mock her further, she grabbed the grocery bag and went straight to the kitchen.
A fire seemed to ignite in Caleb's heart, yet he had nowhere to release it. Irritated, he took out a cigarette. Glancing around the room but finding no ashtray, he pulled a small trash bin closer.
He noticed a cigarette pack in the trash, stared at it for a moment, and then quietly looked away.
Care for this woman? He would have to be crazy!
-
In the kitchen, the sound of running water could be heard as Chloe carefully washed the ingredients. Last night, Caleb had stayed up all night taking care of his daughter, now feeling exhausted. After just a few puffs of his cigarette, he closed his eyes.
Chloe put the clay pot back on the stove, added half an ear of corn to the soup, then dried her hands before heading back out.
Entering the living room, she saw Caleb's long legs draped over the edge of the sofa. His tall, powerful frame was cramped on the small couch, his brows furrowed even in sleep. Still holding the half-smoked cigarette, she tiptoed over and carefully removed it from his hand.
Caleb's sleep was usually light, the slightest noise would wake him, but now he slept soundly, unaware of her presence.
Gazing at his familiar, handsome face, she felt a strange urge to reach out, stopping just an inch away from his furrowed brow.
His previous words always etched deep in her heart, and he expressed his dislike for her touching him, stating that he found it disgusting.
Her parents had passed away. It was a day when she was twelve years old. Her parents died, and she was about to be killed by shapeshifters. Daenerys was terrified. Her eyes welled up with tears, but they also gleamed with hatred as she looked at them. 'Go to hell!' The moonlight bathed their claws, a silver light flashing in Daenerys's pupils. But she wasn't afraid. Faced with death, her gaze didn't waver; it was filled only with hatred. Just before the moment of life and death, a loud noise suddenly rang out. He appeared like a guardian angel. Each step he took made the moonlight retreat. He approached and saved her. He was the Alpha of the Black Wolf pack. He took Daenerys home, raised her, and cared for her in silence. But she was very afraid of him because this uncle Austin always had the look of 'the Grim Reaper.' Originally, they had an uncle and niece-in-law relationship, but in truth, he wanted more. Will this girl realize his feelings and accept them or not?
Jayce Smith randomly meets Evelyn Thomas, who is hiding her identity. After her secret is exposed, he forces her to stay with him. They engage in a battle of wits and courage: Evelyn defies the world, and Jayce vows to spoil her. They are close but each has their own secrets. As the internal struggle of a family gradually comes to light, their unwanted pasts are also revealed. From a small town to New York, from New York to Singapore, they move from fighting each other to becoming friends, ultimately winning the final match—a grand gamble!
"I, Riccardo Saviano, future Alpha of the Grey Shadow Moon Pack, reject you, Artemisia Guerrieri, Daughter of Alpha Franco of the Blood Moon Pack, as my mate and future Luna." One single sentence. One stupid single sentence was all it took to disintegrate my life. And the day of my birthday, on which this sentence was audaciously uttered to me, I lost the love of my life, my future mate, and my wolf, all at once. As I'm still assembling the pieces of my shattered heart years later, there they come. Like lightning out of a crystal blue sky. My Mates. But wait... If I am mated to triplets, how come I'm about to be mated to 5 gorgeous men? *** TW: explicit and foul language; spicy content; explicit sex scenes ***
Trigger warning!!! Intended for mature readers who enjoy morally complex, slow-burn, poseesive, forbidden, dark romance that pushes boundaries. ***EXCERPT*** Blood everywhere. Trembling hands. "No!" My eyes blurred. His lifeless eyes stared back at me, his blood pooling at my feet. The man I loved-dead. Killed by the one person I could never escape - my stepbrother. *** Kasmine's life was never hers to begin with. Kester, her stepbrother, controlled and monitored her every move. At first, it was all sweet and brotherly until it began to turn into an obsession. Kester was the Alpha, and his word was law. No close friends. No boyfriends. No freedom. The only consolation Kasmine had was her twenty-first birthday, which was supposed to change everything. She dreamt of finding her mate, escaping the sickening control of Kester, and finally claiming her own life. But fate had other plans for her. On the night of her birthday, not only was she disappointed that she wasn't mated to the love of her life, but she found out that her mate was none other than him - Her tormentor. Her stepbrother. She'd rather die than be mated to a man whom she had known as her big brother all her life. A man who would do just anything to make sure she was his. But when love turns to obsession, and obsession turns to blood, how far can one girl run before she realizes there is nowhere else to run to?
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
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.
As a simple assistant, messaging the CEO in the dead of night to request shares of adult films was a bold move. Bethany, unsurprisingly, didn't receive any films. However, the CEO responded that, while he had no films to share, he could offer a live demonstration. After a night filled with passion, Bethany was certain she'd lose her job. But instead, her boss proposed, "Marry me. Please consider it." "Mr. Bates, you're kidding me, right?"
Due to the plight of her family, Phoebe had no choice but to embark on the path of selling herself. In an accident, she had a tangled night with Alexander. Everything began to derail, and even if she fled to the ends of the earth, she would still be found by him and entangled... *** Phoebe screamed in frustration, "What do you want from me?" What was this supposed to be? He raised an eyebrow wickedly. "What do I want? You'll find out soon enough." With that, he hoisted her up and carried her back into the office. The door slammed shut with a kick, and he cleared the desk with a sweep of his arm before laying her down on it, his body pinning hers in place, completely trapping her in his grasp. Every cell in his body was telling him he wanted her. He wanted to claim her again. This time, there would be no escape for her-he wouldn't let her slip away. Never again. If he had suffered for five years, then this woman wouldn't get off easily either!