How Does Troubled: A Memoir Explore Social Class Struggles?

Makayla Hopkins - I promised myself I’d never get involved with a politician, but Stacey Sherbourn changed everything. Now I know the truth, and it’s uglier than I ever imagined. Her lies aren’t just personal—they threaten everything I care about. Armed with proof of her corruption, I’ve come to the Colorado Rockies to stop her before she can destroy the pristine wilderness she’s so eager to sacrifice. But what I didn’t plan for was Lilac Ray. Fierce, sharp, and breathtaking, she’s everything Stacey isn’t—and everything I can’t afford to be distracted by. Lilac Ray- When Makayla Hopkins arrived in the Rockies, I knew she wasn’t just another hiker seeking solace. She came with purpose—and danger. My half-sister Stacey had already done enough to destroy these mountains, and I wasn’t about to trust her ex, no matter how determined or charming she seemed. But Makayla’s not who I expected. Beneath her cool, tech-savvy exterior, there’s a fire that matches my own. The closer we get to taking Stacey down, the more I realize the real danger might not be trusting Makayla—it might be falling for her. Book 6 in the Ravenwood Series. It can be read as a standalone. However, to learn about the characters and past events that may be referenced, you should check out the rest of the series. Book 1 - The Princes of Ravenwood (staring Makayla's triplet cousins Darius, Elijah, and Forrest) Book 2 - Chasing Kitsune Book 3 - Expect the Unexpected Book 4 - Out of My League (staring Makayla's cousin Reese) Book 5 - Man's Best Wingman (staring Makayla's cousin Clay featuring her in a supporting role)

The contractions were ripping me in two. My vision was going dark. My husband, Don Vittorio, the man who ruled Chicago, squeezed my hand. His dark eyes burned with love. "Just a little longer, mia cara. You'll meet our baby soon." Sweat poured down my face. I still found the strength to smile for him. Then a nurse walked in. She held a syringe. I thought it was to stop the pain. But Vittorio’s hand fell away. He took a single step back. The needle sank into my arm. I heard Vittorio’s voice. It was cold steel. "Dose her carefully. She holds on until midnight. Not a minute sooner. Not until after Ornella delivers." And then I knew. He thought I married him for the money. He was stopping my labor. All for a sick Falcone family rule: the first son born is the next heir. Pain tore through me. I reached for him. Tears streamed down my face. I begged him to stop. He bit his lip. His voice was pure ice. "My brother is dead. Ornella carries his only heir. You will do as you are told. You and your child will not steal his birthright." The drug hit my veins. The violent squeeze in my belly, like some invisible hand, just… stopped.

After my SATs are over, I go to the office block with my poverty certificate to apply for a school loan. The staff member glances at my paperwork before turning my application down coldly. "To think that you're already swindling loans from the government at such a young age! High-income families like yours aren't lacking in the money department at all!" At first, I think this is just a misunderstanding. That is, until the staff member passes me the information on my parents. "Your parents have a villa worth 20 million dollars in the city center, whereas your younger brother goes to an elite academy that costs 800 thousand dollars' worth of tuition fees per year! "Tell me, how can someone from your family be eligible to apply for a school loan?" I'm stunned, to say the least. The entire village has raised me since young. For the past 18 years, I've been the only child of an extremely impoverished family. Little do I know that my parents have already formed another family of their own in the city…

I was from a rich family. But after I finally returned home, my parents made me sleep in the store room and eat leftover food. Yet, they still felt like they had wronged their foster daughter. When the government introduced the Children’s Fairness System, my parents immediately bound the entire family to it. My father breathed a sigh of relief and said, “With this perfectly fair system in place, Annie won’t be treated unfairly anymore.” My mother gently held my hand and said in an unyielding tone. “Ever since you came back, you’ve taken everything that was meant for Annie. This is unfair to her.” My elder brother never showed a hint of kindness toward me either. “I only acknowledge Annie as my sister. You’ve gotten way more than you deserved already, so don’t push your luck,” he said. I looked down at the cheap clothes I had worn for five years. Then, I glanced at Annie’s lavish bedroom and countless luxury items. I found it all utterly ridiculous. However, when the system took effect, they all ended up breaking down.

A boy stuck between who he was, who he has become & who he could be. Plinio Murray or as he prefers to be called, Nio, is a bully. He picks fights with anyone for no reason. He is cruel. His face is scarred. He is savage. His hits nearly killed a boy last year. He is ruthless. His pockets are brimming with illegal money. He is the one of whom everybody is scared. His grades are failing. Not that he gives a shit but Mr. Harrison has tied him in a study session the school's sweetheart. Famous by the nickname Angel, Celeste James is everybody's favorite. With her quarterback boyfriend Kevin, they are the golden couple of the high school. Beginnings of the study session are rough and pretty electric. Already caught in between her secrets, Plinio is nothing but a headache. Just when she decides to end the study sessions with him, Celeste learns that perhaps Plinio isn't much hopeless after all. Can a bully always hurt others and not get hurt on the way? After all what goes around comes around. Twisted truths, cheating partners and a gradually blossoming love; maybe there isn't much difference between who is beautiful and who is battered.

Sometimes one needs someone who is just as damaged to get better. °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° A perfect life, family and friends. After finishing high school with flying colours Elicia Rae and her best friend Jeremy Martin enjoy their four months before heading to UCLA where they planned on following their parents' footsteps and partaking in medicine. Tragic events unfold leaving Elicia shattered, nothing is perfect, was the one thing she got to understand. A few visits to the psychiatrist and uncountable visits to a certain woman named Lydia, a therapist. Results in Elicia taking a gap year. She meets Treadway, a victim of abuse and becomes his light at the end of the tunnel. When a depression patient meets a victim of domestic abuse.