How Does Strikeout End?

I shoot to my feet and practically scream, “She?!? They’re sending a woman?” I suddenly hear the sound of heels clicking on the floor, and turn to see a pair of eyes I never thought I’d be seeing again. “Yes, Tate, they sent a woman. I’ve been hired to save your sorry ass,” she calmly states with a look of disgust in her ocean blue eyes. **** What will happen when Ashton Tate, the scandal-ridden MVP second baseman, comes face-to-face with his ex-girlfriend, Elizabeth Mason, whom the team has hired to salvage his reputation and career? Sparks are sure to fly when the two of them are forced to spend every waking moment together, in an effort to revamp his bad-boy image. Unresolved grudges, past heartache, and malicious former flames and rivals block the path to redemption at every turn. Can Elizabeth help Ashton find his way back to the man he once was, or is this his last strikeout?

Claire Hart loved her husband, Fabian Arrow, for seven years with unwavering devotion. She believed their quiet marriage—free of passion but rich in stability—was built on mutual trust and unspoken understanding. Even when affection faded into routine, Claire convinced herself that love did not need to be loud to be real. She was wrong. On the day everything finally fractures, Claire discovers that Fabian has been secretly reconnecting with his first love, Maxine Wells. What begins as emotional distance soon reveals itself as betrayal—but the deepest wound comes from an innocent voice. Claire overhears her young daughter, Susie, wishing that Maxine were her real mother, and Maxine calmly promising to make that wish come true. In that moment, Claire reaches her breaking point. Without confrontation or drama, she walks away from a marriage she fought alone to save. What she leaves behind is not just a husband, but a life built on silent endurance and misplaced hope. As Fabian slowly realizes that love is not something that can be replaced or postponed, regret comes too late. Claire, determined to reclaim herself, crosses paths once more with Aaron White—a man from her past who once loved her deeply and never truly let her go. With Aaron, Claire begins to understand what love looks like when it is patient, present, and chosen every day. Torn between a past that broke her and a future that promises healing, Claire must decide whether love deserves a second chance—or whether the bravest choice is to let go and move forward. After the Breaking Point is a poignant story of betrayal, self-worth, and rediscovering love after loss, proving that sometimes the end of one love story is the beginning of a far greater one.

Tracie Conner has saved my mom's life before, so I've given her ten chances to make mistakes. On the day of our engagement, Tracie fled the venue with her first love, Elton Stafford. I chose to forgive her. On the day my mom gets discharged from the hospital, Tracie and Elton can be seen making out passionately with each other at the main entrance. I merely ignore them. In the year after that, Tracie keeps making all sorts of mistakes because of Elton. But I treat her like the same and never take her behavior to heart. That's why Tracie begins acting out of hand, thinking that I will always love her. The tenth chance is used up when Tracie brings Elton to our marital home on our wedding day. When her best friend, Erica Frey, accidentally stumbles upon them during their deed, Tracie doesn't give a damn at all. "Elton is my first love. What's wrong with us using this bedroom to get closure? Besides, Jonas loves me so much. Even if he sees me cheating on him, he'll forgive me." I chuckle softly as I watch everything unfold from a corner. Tracie has used up her tenth chance. Now, I no longer owe her anything.

I'm the most hot-tempered stand-in by Emily Kelley's side. When she smiled at another guy, I smashed her million-dollar car. When she had dinner with a man, I set her multi-million-dollar mansion on fire. Everyone thought Emily would kick me out in anger, but instead, she fell even more in love with me. It turned out my arrogant, jealous attitude was exactly like the lost love she couldn't forget. I spent eight years with her, turning a spoiled heiress into a devoted girlfriend who texts back instantly and apologizes at the first sign of trouble. We were about to get married. My friends envied how well I had trained her and thought we would live happily ever after. But on the day we were supposed to get our license, I waited for her at the city hall for hours—only to find out she had married her first love instead. When I arrived at the wedding, Emily looked at me with complicated eyes and apologized. "You should know you were just a stand-in. I never loved you. Now that my one true love is back, it's time for you to go." As I walked toward the altar, the guests backed away in fear, worried I might lose control. I looked at my system screen, which showed they had already gotten married, and calmly handed her the bouquet. "Got it. Wish you happiness. Have a good life." No one knew that all my jealous tantrums and drama were just me completing missions assigned by the system. Now that she and her first love are finally married, my mission is complete. I can finally go home. This game is over.

Keeping her safe has become his life's mission. 
 Gage Hendrix is a man without roots. As an MSD Team Leader for the Department of State, he operates in high-threat environments. Serving in dangerous postings around the world, his team provides emergency security support and crisis response. Keeping the US ambassador's daughter safe in Sri Lanka? An unusual assignment for an "action group" used to dealing with evacuations, wars, incursions, and coups. Expecting a spoilt princess, Gage finds a hard-working therapist with a huge heart and sad eyes. 
 Hiding from heartache is no longer an option. 
 Chantal Durant's best friend has gone into hiding with intel that could lead to a nation's upheaval. Enemies have targeted the last person who helped her to escape… Turning a tragic past into a constructive existence, Chantal dedicates herself to helping others. She likes her work, likes her routine, and doesn't like that her safety is now in the hands of a cocky MSD agent. Her undeniable sexual attraction for the ruggedly handsome bodyguard would not only end his career but could get them both killed. 
 As multiple threats close in, Gage is faced with harrowing decisions. Trapped in an unfamiliar landscape, both Gage and Chantal will have to act fast to make it out alive. "If you're looking for the perfect blend of action and steam set against the backdrop of exciting international locales...your first stop should be Louise Dawn." - Janie Crouch.

When I hear my boyfriend, Terence Bowen, is trapped in a house fire, I immediately rush back to save him. However, after dragging him out with all my strength, I realize it's just a dummy. Laughter erupts from the house next door. "Ariana Brock is such a fool! She fell for it again!" Through a half-open window, I spot Terence lounging on the couch, casually scrolling through his phone. He looks completely fine. "That's the 47th prank we've pulled on her. Three more to go and we're done." "Serves her right. She shouldn't have stolen Bethany Howard's scholarship. Bethany is the one Terence actually cares about. That's why he decided to fake a relationship with Ariana to get revenge 50 times over. Too bad the game will end soon." I bend over, gasping for air. All this time, the relationship I've worked so hard to protect is nothing but a game to them.