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When seventeen-year-old Maya's mother remarries, she's thrust into a new life with her wealthy stepfather-and his devastatingly attractive son, Adrian, who happens to be the most sought-after guy at her new elite private school.
When seventeen-year-old Maya's mother remarries, she's thrust into a new life with her wealthy stepfather-and his devastatingly attractive son, Adrian, who happens to be the most sought-after guy at her new elite private school.
The moving truck had left three hours ago, and I was still staring at the boxes stacked in what was supposed to be my new bedroom. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the California sun painted everything in shades of gold that felt nothing like home. Nothing like the cramped apartment in Chicago where Mom and I had spent the last ten years scraping by. Now we were living in a mansion in Beverly Hills. Because Mom had married Richard Cross a man so wealthy he probably used hundred-dollar bills as napkins-and apparently, fairy tales do come true. Just not the kind I'd ever imagined.
"Maya, sweetheart, dinner's ready!" Mom's voice floated up the marble staircase, sounding happier than I'd heard her in years. I pushed off from the window seat and caught my reflection in the mirror across the room. Same boring brown hair, same unremarkable hazel eyes, same girl who'd spent four years perfecting the art of being invisible at Lincoln High. The girl who was about to start senior year at some elite private school where everyone probably had trust funds and summer homes. The dining room could have hosted a small wedding. Richard sat at the head of an obscenely long table, his salt-and-pepper hair perfectly styled even after a full day at his law firm. Mom beamed beside him, wearing a dress that probably cost more than our old monthly rent. "How's the unpacking going?" Richard asked as I slid into my chair. "Good," I lied, stabbing at my salmon. Everything in this house was intimidating, from the crystal chandelier hanging overhead to the actual Monet on the wall. "Thanks again for... all of this." "You don't need to thank me, Maya. You're family now." Family. The word sat strangely in the air. We'd been family for exactly six weeks-since the small courthouse wedding Mom had insisted on to avoid making a "spectacle." "Where's Adrian tonight?" Mom asked, glancing at the empty chair across from me. "Basketball practice ran late. He'll grab something when he gets home." Richard's expression softened when he mentioned his son. "You'll meet him tomorrow. I think you two will get along well." I nodded and smiled, but my stomach knotted. I'd successfully avoided meeting my new stepbrother for six weeks. Mom had mentioned he was my age, popular, and "very handsome"-which translated to exactly the type of guy who wouldn't give me a second glance at school. The type who made girls like me invisible. Better that way. My plan for senior year was simple: keep my head down, get good grades, and count down the days until college. No drama, no complications, no drawing attention to the fact that I was now living in the most expensive zip code in Los Angeles despite clearly not belonging here. After dinner, I escaped to my room and tried to focus on unpacking, but the silence of the enormous house was deafening. In our old apartment, I could hear Mrs. Peterson's TV through the thin walls and the constant hum of traffic. Here, the only sound was the distant splash of water from the infinity pool outside. Around eleven, I gave up on organizing and headed downstairs for some of those fancy cookies I'd seen in the kitchen. The house was dark except for the soft glow of under-cabinet lighting. I was reaching for the cookie jar when I heard the front door open, followed by footsteps and the soft thud of something dropping. "Shit," a low voice muttered. I froze. Adrian was home. The footsteps moved through the foyer and toward the kitchen. I could slip out through the back door to the pool area, circle around, and sneak back upstairs. Or I could act like a normal human being and just say hello. The footsteps were getting closer. I grabbed a cookie and turned around just as someone walked into the kitchen. And promptly forgot how to breathe. The guy standing in the doorway wasn't just handsome-he was the kind of beautiful that should have been illegal. Dark hair that looked like he'd been running his fingers through it, sharp jawline, and eyes so intensely blue they seemed to glow in the dim lighting. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and had the easy confidence that came with knowing you were the best-looking person in any room. This was my stepbrother. We stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. His gaze traveled from my messy ponytail down to my oversized pajamas and bare feet, then back up to my face. Something unreadable flickered in his expression. "You must be Maya," he said finally, his voice deeper than I'd expected. "And you're Adrian." My voice came out as barely a whisper. He moved closer, and I caught the scent of his cologne mixed with something else-something uniquely him that made my pulse quicken in a way that should have been a warning. "Sorry I missed dinner. Coach kept us late." He opened the fridge and pulled out a water bottle, his movements fluid and confident. "How are you settling in?" "Fine," I managed, clutching my cookie like a lifeline. "It's... different." "Different good or different bad?" "Just different." A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Diplomatic answer." The kitchen suddenly felt smaller, the air thicker. I needed to get out of here, away from those blue eyes that seemed to see right through me. "I should let you eat," I said, edging toward the doorway. "Early day tomorrow." "Maya." The way he said my name made me stop. "Welcome home." Home. Such a simple word, but the way it rolled off his tongue made something flutter in my chest. I mumbled a goodnight and practically ran upstairs, my heart hammering against my ribs. In my room, I leaned against the closed door and tried to process what had just happened. This was bad. This was very, very bad. Because in thirty seconds, Adrian Cross had managed to shatter every wall I'd carefully built around myself. And tomorrow, I'd have to face him at school, where I'd undoubtedly discover that every girl at Westbridge Academy was just as affected by those blue eyes as I was. My plan to stay invisible had just become a whole lot more complicated.
In the heart of New York City, where danger lurks behind every corner, Lucian Volkov rules the night as a ruthless alpha werewolf and billionaire. His empire-a complex web of legitimate businesses and dangerous mafia dealings-is thrown into chaos when he is forced into an arranged marriage with the fierce and fiery Vera Moretti, the disgraced daughter of a rival crime family. Vera carries the weight of her family's legacy and a secret of her own-she is immune to werewolf bites, a rare genetic anomaly that makes her the most coveted prize in the supernatural underworld. As their worlds collide, Lucian's beast recognizes Vera as his fated mate, igniting an attraction that neither can deny, but old grudges run deep, and Vera's hatred for him blinds her to the truth of their bond. When betrayal strikes from within, pushing them further apart, Lucian must battle rival packs and unearth hidden truths, while Vera grapples with the power of her lineage that she never knew existed. The struggle for dominance and desire leads to an explosive climax-one that could either bind them forever or destroy them both. In a world of blood and betrayal, will Vera surrender to the call of the wolf, or will their love remain a forbidden bite?
If desire were a blade, their first encounter left him bleeding in silence. He'd built a life on peril and pleasure, armor forged from recklessness, never imagining a woman could make him lower his guard. But even with the truth veiled in lies, he was already in too deep-entangled in the game, and captivated by the player.
In their three years of marriage, Chelsea had been a dutiful wife to Edmund. She used to think that her love and care would someday melt Edmund's cold heart, but she was wrong. Finally, she couldn't take the disappointment any longer and chose to end the marriage. Edmund had always thought that his wife was just boring and dull. So it was shocking when Chelsea suddenly threw divorce papers at his face in front of everyone at the Nelson Group's anniversary party. How humiliating! After that, everyone thought that the formerly-married couple would never see each other again, even Chelsea. Once again, she thought wrong. Sometime later, at an award ceremony, Chelsea went onstage to accept the award for best screenplay. Her ex-husband, Edmund, was the one presenting the award to her. As he handed her the trophy, he suddenly reached for her hand and pleaded humbly in front of the audience, "Chelsea, I'm sorry I didn't cherish you before. Could you please give me another chance?" Chelsea looked at him indifferently. "I'm sorry, Mr. Nelson. My only concern now is my business." Edmund's heart was shattered into a million pieces. "Chelsea, I really can't live without you." But his ex-wife just walked away. Wasn't it better for her to just concentrate on her career? Men would only distract her—especially her ex-husband.
Billionaire Bennett Graham urgently needed a wife to close a business deal but his fiancée wasn't ready to tie the knots yet. So his grandmother picked the most unassuming maid for him. Everything was supposed to go incredibly well, and all he had to do was wait until he divorced her a year later. But after seeing Maliyah's ocean eyes.it wasn't looking simple anymore. *** Before I could get her up, it was as if she felt the light and an uncomfortable sound came out of her mouth. "Uh-huh..." She raised her hand to cover her eyes. But I didn't have time to wait for her to wake up, so I told her to "Get Up." My voice seemed to scare her, and her light-fearing eyes suddenly widened and she kept moving to the corner. The only voice in the quiet art room was her fear-filled voice, "No...please...go away...don't come close to me." She was afraid of me? I hadn't even spoken to her before, what was she afraid of? This was definitely not going to work, I couldn't talk to her if she couldn't calm down. Then I moved closer to her, my hand on her trembling shoulder, and I whispered soothingly "Calm down.I'm not going to hurt you.I'm not going to hurt you."I assured and then she moved her hair away from her face as if to stare at me properly. Our eyes met.It was that moment. It felt as if I was enchanted for a moment. Those ocean eyes were the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen.
Elliana, the unfavored "ugly duckling" of her family, was humiliated by her stepsister, Paige, who everyone admired. Paige, engaged to the CEO Cole, was the perfect woman-until Cole married Elliana on the day of the wedding. Shocked, everyone wondered why he chose the "ugly" woman. As they waited for her to be cast aside, Elliana stunned everyone by revealing her true identity: a miracle healer, financial mogul, appraisal prodigy, and AI genius. When her mistreatment became known, Cole revealed Elliana's stunning, makeup-free photo, sending shockwaves through the media. "My wife doesn't need anyone's approval."
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Joshua's mistress drugged Alicia, and she ended up in a stranger's bed. In one night, Alicia lost her innocence, while Joshua's mistress carried his child in her womb. Heartbroken and humiliated, Alicia demanded a divorce, but Joshua saw it as yet another tantrum. When they finally parted ways, she went on to become a renowned artist, sought out and admired by everyone. Consumed by regret, Joshua darkened her doorstep in hopes of reconciliation, only to find her in the arms of a powerful tycoon. "Say hello to your sister-in-law."
Dear readers, this book has resumed daily updates. It took Sabrina three whole years to realize that her husband, Tyrone didn't have a heart. He was the coldest and most indifferent man she had ever met. He never smiled at her, let alone treated her like his wife. To make matters worse, the return of the woman he had eyes for brought Sabrina nothing but divorce papers. Sabrina's heart broke. Hoping that there was still a chance for them to work on their marriage, she asked, "Quick question,Tyrone. Would you still divorce me if I told you that I was pregnant?" "Absolutely!" he responded. Realizing that she didn't mean shit to him, Sabrina decided to let go. She signed the divorce agreement while lying on her sickbed with a broken heart. Surprisingly, that wasn't the end for the couple. It was as if scales fell off Tyrone's eyes after she signed the divorce agreement. The once so heartless man groveled at her bedside and pleaded, "Sabrina, I made a big mistake. Please don't divorce me. I promise to change." Sabrina smiled weakly, not knowing what to do...
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