A Lesson In Thorns Novels & Stories

On our son's birthday, a few aggressive and fierce dogs have suddenly barged into our home for no reason. But my wife, Jacinda Redmont, is quick to order for all doors and windows to be closed. "Our son's still in there! Hurry up and open the door!" I quickly stop Jacinda, only to get slapped in return. That's when I notice hatred and disgust written all over her face. "You weren't alarmed in the slightest when Benny suffered from a fright yesterday, and yet you claim that you'll treat both children fairly! You're filled with nothing but lies, Vincent Fuller! "Since you're that selfish, I'll personally teach you a lesson in fairness and just!" It turns out that Jacinda is exacting vengeance on her bastard son's behalf. Yesterday, her first love, Jaden Sutton, and his son, Benson Sutton, returned to the country without a warning. The dog that I've reared for five years did nothing but bark at them a few times, only for Jacinda to order her men to beat it. "By the way, Benny shall be the one replacing Timmy in the birthday banquet. We should use this opportunity to announce his status publicly." As I gaze at the heavily bandaged child in the ward as well as the hint of provocation in Jaden's eyes, I can't help but laugh. What makes them think that my son, Timothy Fuller, is the one who got injured by the dogs?

During the holidays, I get home in advance, hoping to surprise my wife, Zara Hudson. But the moment I open the front door, I find out that an unfamiliar young man has already taken over my villa and is in the middle of hosting a party. The spot where my wedding portrait used to be now features an intimate photo of that man making out with Zara. "Where the hell did a loser like you come from? How dare you trespass on private property!" I'm shell-shocked for the first few seconds. But soon, I explain, "That woman in the photo is my wife. This villa is mine, too." All the guests begin jeering and making fun of me instead. "You must have gone insane from daydreaming! That woman is Mr. Barrington's wife! Mr. Barrington, go ahead and teach him a lesson!" The man, Alan Barrington, and I get into a huge fight afterward. Furious and humiliated, Alan calls Zara and demands that she get home just to prove that he's her partner. What everyone doesn't expect is that the moment Zara shows up, she gets down on her knees in front of me and begins bawling her eyes out. As I gaze at her pallid complexion, I just chuckle coldly in return. "Zara Hudson, I want you to scram out of my home with that boy toy of yours! Also, you'd better come up with a way to pay off those loan shark loans!"

For seven years, I love Cody Rummish, clinging to his promise—once his sister-in-law, Luna Briche, conceives, our ordeal ends, and we finally begin our married life. But reality betrays me. Just months after moving into his home, Cody slips into Luna's bedroom 88 times—starting with once a month, now nearly one or two visits daily. Every night, I sit in the downstairs living room, counting the minutes, clutching a flicker of unrealistic hope. As the sole heir after his twin brother's fatal plane crash, Cody inherits not just power and wealth but also, seamlessly, his brother's widow, Luna. After the 88th visit, Luna announces her pregnancy. But instead of Cody honoring his promise, a public declaration shatters me—he will formally marry Luna. I unravel, demanding answers. Silent, Cody locks me in the bedroom's walk-in closet. "Luna was trapped in an elevator for 30 minutes! She nearly died because of you! Stay here for five days. Feel her fear!" Only on the sixth morning does Cody casually open the door with a chuckle. "Alright, lesson learned. Time to apologize, right?" He finds only the stench of blood and my cold, lifeless body. He's killed the fiancée who's loved him for seven years.

“You need to learn manners, kitten.” I growl, prowling towards her. "Don't call me that, you kidnapper!” She screeches, throwing another bedside lamp at me. “Take another step forward and I'll—” I grab her and bend her over my knee. I twist both of her hands behind her back, despite her struggles and screams. “What are you doing?!” She shrieks. "Teaching you what happens when you act like a spoilt brat.” I yank her dress up to reveal the smooth skin of her ass, and plain white panties. And land a hard slap on it. *** Dymond Hilary's obsessive ex-lover is trying to murder her. It gets too dangerous, so she runs to the next city, Los-Angeles, with nothing to her name. No job, no home and no means for survival. To make ends meet, Dymond resorts to pickpocketing and stealing. This serves her well, until she made the terrible mistake of stealing from Nile Garres, the most ruthless and tyrannical billionaire in the country. As punishment, he kidnaps her. First to humiliate and teach her a lesson, but then found himself fascinated by his little redhead pet, who he would protect and pamper with all his wealth and power. But how does this ruthless billionaire react when he discovers that his feisty little kitten was pregnant for a powerful rival billionaire? And he finds out she was on someone's murder list? And this "someone" was her psychopath ex-lover?

Everyone who has pain does not show it. Someone may hide it behind a beautiful smile, whereas someone may hide it behind the mask of ruthlessness. I'm a happy soul in front of world, But wounds in my heart are quite too old, I'm searching for peace and all above, I'm passing through the paths, in search of love ~ Ivana Ivana Williams, a simple and hardworking girl had a dream; dream of being loved and cared. After losing parents at a young age and being sent to an orphanage, she never got what she dreamt of. I'm heartless as people say but do they know me? Just as much I want to show them is only what they see, I've learnt my lesson and that's enough for me, Love is the only thing that I don't want to feel ~ Justin Justin Merchant, a cold hearted CEO who doesn't believe upon woman and would choose trusting upon a snake rather than woman after what he went through. She's supposed to be a kind and smiley girl for the world and he's the coldest one. But what's their real identity behind the mask? What will happen when their path will cross? Will Ivana get what she dreamt of? Would Justin be able to trust her? This is my first book on the app Do drop your reviews and opinions

In two steps he was on her, yanking her up straight and turning her around to face the wall. She gasped at the change in dynamic: her teasing and taunting were shoved roughly to one side and now he was in full and total control. Jo trembled as he dropped a slow, sexy kiss on her right shoulder, then lightly nipped her soft skin before moving his mouth to her ear. “Don’t you move, angel,” he murmured. “Keep facing forward.” **** Jolene Angeles is fresh out of a nightmare marriage and parked at a roadside biker bar hunting for one thing: Mr. Right Now. In a few days, she’ll have a new job, a new city, a new life, and a single, forgettable one-night stand feels like the perfect way to burn the past down. Then she meets Zeke. Silver-eyed, dangerous. Exactly the kind of mistake she wants. One night, no names, no aftermath. Zeke “Silver” Bennett doesn’t lose control. Ever. He learned that lesson once, and it nearly destroyed him. So when he spots the dark-eyed woman across the bar, he knows the rules: one night, clean break, no complications. Until fate throws them together again... and secrets start detonating. They didn’t tell each other the truth. Now they’re forced to decide: can trust be built on lies? And if the truth finally comes out – raw, painful, unforgiving – will either of them be brave enough to risk real love?

Grace Anderson is a striking young lady with a no-nonsense and inimical attitude. She barely smiles or laughs, the feeling of pure happiness has been rare to her. She has acquired so many scars and life has thought her a very valuable lesson about trust. Dean Ryan is a good looking young man with a sanguine personality. He always has a smile on his face and never fails to spread his cheerful spirit. On Grace's first day of college, the two meet in an unusual way when Dean almost runs her over with his car in front of an ice cream stand. Although the two are opposites, a friendship forms between them and as time passes by and they begin to learn a lot about each other, Grace finds herself indeed trusting him. Dean was in love with her. He loved everything about her. Every. Single. Flaw. He loved the way she always bit her lip. He loved the way his name rolled out of her mouth. He loved the way her hand fit in his like they were made for each other. He loved how much she loved ice cream. He loved how passionate she was about poetry. One could say he was obsessed. But love has to have a little bit of obsession to it, right? It wasn't all smiles and roses with both of them but the love they had for one another was reason enough to see past anything. But as every love story has a beginning, so it does an ending.

⚠️ WARNING: 18+ ONLY. Extremely Explicit. Dark Themes. This is not a "sweet" romance. _____ "Call my name, Ariana" Mateo’s breath was a scorching sin against her ear, his hand tangled in her hair, forcing her head back to expose the pale, trembling line of her throat. He didn't wait for her answer. He bit—a sharp, possessive claim that made her arch against him, her fingers digging into his expensive suit. "M-Mateo," she brokenly whispered, her dignity dissolving in the dark of his library. "Again. Tell me who owns you." ___ Ariana Cole came to Madrid to be a nurse. She came to save lives and build a future. But the moment she collided with Dr. Mateo López, she realized she wasn't there to save anyone—she was there to be consumed. He is the "Ice Surgeon." Twenty years her senior. Her boss. And her best friend’s father. He is a monster in a white coat who doesn't believe in "no." He doesn't want her heart; he wants her submission. He wants to hear her scream his name while his daughter sleeps just down the hall. This is a hostile dance of power, denial, and filthy, intoxicating lust. Every sterile hospital hallway is a hunting ground. Every midnight encounter in his mansion is a lesson in how much she’s willing to lose. Her career? Her best friend? Her sanity? Mateo is going to take it all. And Ariana? She’s going to beg him for more.

Being a war correspondent, I spend all my time searching for any trace of Damian Calloway. Through countless close brushes with death, only one thought keeps me going—I want to die by his side. Four years later, I receive a phone call from him. "Evelyn, Camille finally forgave you," Damian says, his voice coming through the receiver with jarring clarity. In the background, the peaceful, mundane sounds of life drift through the line, a stark contrast to the chaotic battlefield around me. I freeze. "What are you talking about?" Damian chuckles. "I left the military a long time ago. I've been back home with Camille this whole time. You made her cry before you left, and she has a temper. She wanted to teach you a lesson, but she's over it now, so you can come home and marry me." The wedding date we decided on is exactly one month away. It turns out that he has been keeping track of the dates the entire time, treating the danger I survive daily as if it's a joke. When I step into the terminal, his friends don't even bother hiding their smirks. "Look at her," one of them mutters. "She's a total simp. As if she could actually stay mad." "One phone call from Damian, and she drops everything to fly across the world—" Just then, everyone freezes. The smile vanishes from Damian's face as every eye locks onto the unfamiliar wedding ring on my finger.

With a bag of vegetables gifted by the previous tenant in hand, I was on my way to collect rent from the third household when I unexpectedly ran into someone at the entrance of the community. The man frowned, his eyes fixed on the vegetables I carried, as though he couldn't fathom how I had ended up like this after leaving him. Following his gaze, I instinctively shifted the vegetables behind my back. My eyes dropped to the muddy water on the pavement, and I never would have imagined bumping into my ex-boyfriend—the one who had grown up with a silver spoon—in this aging neighborhood. He noticed my movement, and for a moment, something flickered in his expression: a mix of pity and recognition. "Since you've already learned your lesson," he said, "come back with me." At his words, I instinctively stepped back half a pace. "Who said I'm going back with you?" My rejection seemed to sting, darkening his face. "I know you're still blaming me for giving Rachel a child," he muttered, "but it's been three years. Isn't it time to stop? As long as you come back, we can be the same as before." Three years, huh? How quickly time had passed. Thinking of my little girl at home, still babbling her first words, I couldn't help but smile and shake my head. "Let's leave it at that. Go home and live your life with Rachel. My daughter's waiting for me to go back and make her food."