The People We Keep

In a world where judgment is so easily passed, how can love be free and true? Is there a world where two people can freely express their love for one another and show their true color? How can someone so sure about himself become so conflicted about everything because of a stranger he just met?

She thought he was a stranger. She didn't know he was already everywhere. Alie's life is unraveling-her career, her relationships, her confidence. The last thing she expects is to catch the attention of Caine Blackthorne, a reclusive billionaire whose dark allure is matched only by the shadows in his past. What begins with anonymous gifts and subtle gestures quickly twists into something far more dangerous. He knows her secrets. He controls her choices. And no matter how hard she tries to escape, his voice is always there in the silence: You're mine. Drawn to the man who terrifies her, Alie finds herself caught between fear and desire. But when obsession turns to captivity, she'll discover that loving a man like Caine comes with a price-one she may not survive.

BLURB: I crossed an ocean to hunt the very person who ruined my grandmother's company. But now I'm entangled in a web of lies, secrets, blackmail and landed in a twisted agreement with my boss. To stay in her husband's bed, be his only lover, so he doesn't make more lovers she isn't aware of. I was supposed to be the hunter but now I'm confused on who is using who.

Arlo grew up knowing exactly where he stood on the edges of a world that was never meant for him. The son of a servant in a house built on power, rules, and silence, he learned early that some lines should never be crossed. Especially not with someone like Nikolai. Cold. Untouchable. Dangerous in ways Arlo never questioned. Until the day Nikolai started paying attention. What begins as something quiet—familiar, almost harmless—turns into something neither of them can control. Because in Nikolai’s world, desire isn’t just forbidden. It’s dangerous. And when someone from that world decides Arlo doesn’t belong anywhere near him… Staying might cost him everything. But leaving? Might be the one thing Nikolai won’t allow.

Stephanie's voice trembled as she took a hesitant step backward, "But you have a fiancée," she stammered, shaken by the unexpected turn of events. "I couldn't resist," Paul Costa replied in a husky tone, his own steps closing the distance between them. "But..." Stephanie tried to protest, but he silenced her with a gentle yet firm answer, "Shhh. No buts. I want you, and I will have you," he whispered, sending thrilling shivers down her spine. A single night of passion with her boss, Paul Costa, takes an unforeseen twist when Stephanie discovers she's carrying his child. Paul, the CEO of a corporate giant, is on the brink of marrying an heiress from another influential conglomerate, destined to become "Mrs. Costa." However, fate has a different plan, as he finds himself falling deeply in love with Stephanie, a love he cannot openly embrace due to societal expectations and traditions. Their budding romance faces the harsh realities of tradition and social norms, and they must face a world filled with lies, deceit, and betrayals. A dangerous secret lurks, threatening to destroy everything they hold dear

When Dexter Welch, a security guard who works in the residential area, sees me driving my pink Toyota Corolla everywhere, he's very certain that I'm a sugar baby who's being backed by her own sugar daddy. On the first day, I see one word getting carved into the car hood. It says "bitch". I merely give the hood a wipedown without uttering a word. Later on, I swap out the current SD card of my dashcam to an SD card that has a 512 GB memory. On the second day, my car windows get smashed in. When I go over to the property management office to check the security footage, the front desk agent tells me that the security camera overseeing my car "happens" to be broken. Dexter leans against the desk with a grin on his face. "If that car of yours is ruined, then so be it. Tell your sugar daddy to buy you another one." I crouch down and take a picture of the damage. Then, I save it into a folder called "evidence" in my phone. On the third day, two of my tires have gone flat. When I bend down to pick up a spare tire, Dexter hugs me from behind all of a sudden. He murmurs into my ear, "What's so good about sleeping with an old codger? Why don't you date me instead? I'm young and strong—" That's when I grab a wrench and smash it right into his arm. As Dexter nurses his injured arm, he glares at me. "How dare you lay a finger on me! Go ahead and lodge a report, then! My uncle's the property manager here! What can you do about me, hmm?" I silently note down Dexter's work ID without saying anything. On the fourth day, I drive another pink car back to the apartment. As soon as Dexter notices the flash of pink in its usual parking slot, he smiles as he exits the guardhouse. Then, he pulls out a key from his pocket and scratches my car with all his strength. An older gentleman who happens to be walking his dog nearby freezes in his tracks. He sounds so startled that his voice actually cracks. "Have you gone nuts? Do you know the model of the car you've just scratched? That's a top-tier Rolls-Royce!"