SCARRED HEART
"C'mon, move it!" I whisper-yelled at Amber amidst the burning flames and smoke even though I could see that she was exhausted.
"I'm tired!" She whispered back. "I'm also exhausted and in pain but do you see me slacking off? You got me in this mess in the first place so don't you dare play the tired card." I said to her angrily not bothering to keep my voice quiet anymore.
We heard cracking sounds and looked to the direction the sounds came from. One of the pillars holding the warehouse broke away and was falling towards Amber.
"Watch out!!!" I yelled and pushed her out to the other side of the direction the pillar was falling to.
"Ahhhhhhhh!" I screamed from a searing pain from my ankle.
Megan is a college student who lacks parental love due to the fact that her lifestyle is not in accordance with what her parents chose for her. She meets Harry and she fell for him along the line but they ended up being manipulated which led to their breakup. Years later, secrets are revealed, mysteries are solved and Harry wants Megan back in his life but she is no more the same person she was before. The question is: will she allow her emotions dance in freedom or will she put it in a cage, locked away?
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Chapter 6
The late afternoon sun spilled golden light across the open field, casting long shadows on the wild grass. I stood still, gazing softly on the horizon, where the trees blended into warm skies. A light breeze blowing strands of my hair, making them dance gently across my cheeks. Behind an easel set up a few feet away, Drew worked intently, brush moving steadily over the canvas.
"How am I doing?" I asked.
"You're doing great," he called out, squinting slightly as he mixed paint on his palette.
"I better be," I replied with a small laugh.
"You've had me standing here like a tree for almost an hour. My feet are going numb."
He grinned without looking up. "Well, you look like art right now, so it's worth it."
I rolled my eyes playfully but held my pose. Truth is, I didn't mind being Drew's subject. The calmness of the field, the quiet focus of his work, and the sense of being a part of something beautiful felt oddly comforting. It wasn't every day someone painted me, after all.
I waited a bit before I spoke up, "you brought food right? Perché muoio di fame." (Because I'm dying of hunger.)
"Hai sempre fame." (You're always hungry.) He replied.
I gasped in bewilderment, "no I'm not!"
"Sì, sei tu." ( Yes, you are.) He dropped a deadpan look my way.
"Mangi decisamente troppo per essere una Signora." (You eat way too much for a lady."
I made a 'hmph' sound giving a defiant look in response. I threw myself back on the grass, trying to annoy him. I broke out in a song,
"Ho fame, ho fame, ho faaameee, ho fame, ho fame, hoo faaamee." (I'm hungry.)
"Alright," he said with a laugh.
"Done for now. Let's go eat and go home. We can't keep the lady hungry." He said and started packing up his things.
"Yay!" I cheered happily and got up to assist him with it. He covered the painting he was working on with a plastic wrap and put it in the back seat of the car.
We drove into town and stopped by a cozy restaurant tucked between a bookstore and a flower shop. The scent of freshly baked bread greeted us at the door.
"Smells like heaven," I muttered, already scanning the menu before we sat.
We ordered pasta and iced teas, then sat across from each other, the air between us warm with familiarity. I twirled my fork through the pasta, taking the first bite eagerly.
"I love you, do you know that?" I said to him with food in my mouth.
"Yeah, because I'm feeding you right now." He said, eating his meal.
I threw him a meaningful look and replied, "I can't really argue that."
"So," Drew said, "Are you always this good at standing still, or is it just for me?"
I chuckled, "only for artists with charming smiles."
He raised an eyebrow, "so I'm charming now?"
"Don't push your luck," she replied, smirking.
We talked about random things - old movies, the weather, art exhibitions that Drew had attended. For a moment, the world felt slowed down and simple. No rush, no pressure, just us, the food, and the soft hum of conversation around us.
After dinner, Drew dropped me off at the apartment I shared with Amber. I thanked him with a quick wave and a smile before heading up the stairs.
As I stepped into the apartment, the first thing I heard was Amber's voice - sharp, tense, and hurried.
"No, I told you-listen, I don't care anymore, okay?" Amber was pacing near the couch, phone pressed to her ear.
I paused, surprised by the tone. Amber hasn't noticed me yet.
"I'm done talking about this." Amber said, turning abruptly. Her eyes met mine. In a flash, her voice softened. "I'll call you back."
She ended the call quickly, slipping the phone into her pocket.
I raised an eyebrow. "Everything okay?"
Amber forced a small smile. "Yeah. Just... drama. You know how it is."
"Drama with who?"
"Doesn't matter," Amber said, waving it off. Her expression, however, didn't match her words. Her eyes looked tired, lips pressed together tightly.
I stepped closer. "Amber, talk to me. What's going on?"
Amber shook her head. "Nothing worth discussing. Really. I'm fine."
Before I could press further, Amber changed the subject. "Anyway, how did your day go? Have you finished working on the assignment you had?
"Yeah, but I'm still waiting for it to be graded so I can know how well I did it."
We eased into conversation, Amber slowly relaxing as she listened to me retelling of how my day went - the field, the painting, the food. Amber shared a bit about her own day, carefully avoiding any mention of the earlier phone call.
As they curled up on the couch, Amber looked over and said, "We should do something tomorrow. Just us girls. You know, unwind."
I smiled. "I'd love that."
*****************
The next afternoon, I and Amber went to a popular hangout spot in the city - a blend of café and lounge, buzzing with people. Laughter echoed from tables, and the scent of coffee lingered in the air. As we settled into a spot near the window, a familiar voice called out.
"Megan?"
I turned and saw a tall figure approaching. It was Harry. He looked different, he had his curly hair pulled back in a bun, making him look more manly.
"Harry!" I stood, surprised. "Wow,"
"We've been coming across each other more frequent, I think we're meant to be. Don't you think so?" He smiled at me. We exchanged a brief hug.
"Uh, no, I most definitely do not think so." I answered firmly.
"What brings you here?" I asked.
"Meeting some friends. Looks like we found more."
Amber waved politely from the table, and Harry introduced himself. We chatted for a bit before he left to go meet his friends.
Later, I excused myself to the restroom. On my way back, I almost bumped into someone exiting the men's room.
"Careful," the person said, catching my arm lightly.
I looked up - it was Harry again.
"Wow, again," he laughed.
"Guess fate's playing tricks," I replied with a grin.
Harry reached into his pocket and brought out his phone, saying,"We should catch up sometime. Here, let's exchange numbers."
I handed him my phone, and he typed in his contact.
"Talk soon?" he said.
"Hmmm, I'll think about it."
As I walked back to my table, I felt Amber's curious eyes on me.
"Well?" Amber asked, sipping her drink.
I slid into my seat with a smile. "Looks like today brought a little extra surprise."
Amber smirked. "I saw that. You're totally texting him tonight."
I just laughed, looking out the window as the sun dipped lower, thinking maybe just maybe the universe knew exactly what it was doing.
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7.8
I was three million dollars in debt, forced by my agent to star in a reality show as the brainless gold-digger who married a decrepit billionaire.
But right before the live broadcast, as I touched the tacky neon dress I was supposed to wear, a violent vision struck my brain.
I realized my entire life was a script, and I was just a villainous side character designed to make America's Sweetheart look like a saint.
My agent was secretly taking payouts from her PR firm to deliberately ruin my reputation with endless hate traffic.
If I followed his orders today, I would be torn apart by the internet, lose every contract, and eventually die alone in a cheap motel.
I couldn't accept that my every fake smile and stupid decision had been manipulated to destroy me just to elevate someone else.
Why should I let them sell me out and turn my life into a complete joke?
Looking at the ugly pink dress, I threw it straight into the trash.
"You are fired, and my lawyers will be in touch about your offshore accounts."
I poured a glass of freezing water over my head to wash away the heavy makeup and the helpless persona I had worn for years.
I kicked out my backstabbing agent, put on a pair of plain black leggings, and walked out to face the live cameras.
To hell with the script. Today, I was going to expose this fake PR marriage myself.
7.7
Brotherzoned
7.7
"My brother is off-limits. And you're really not the type to break promises."
Those were the words Sienna gave me the day I moved in.
But she didn't know how hard it would be when I walked into the house to find her older brother, Zayne Bellandi, dark, dangerous, and annoyingly attractive, waiting for me. Not just in my new home... but in every corner of my life.
And let's not forget how my last relationship ended: watching the guy I thought I loved marry someone else. But here I am, falling into the one thing I promised I'd never touch.
9.5
It was city gossip that Aiden Elliott, a powerful figure, was old, hideous, and close to death.
For money, Millie's greedy father, sly stepmother, and jealous stepsister forced her into marrying this so-called dying man.
Refusing to give in, Millie rebelled by spending the night with a male escort-only to find out later he was the very man she was set to marry, the rumored tyrant himself.
"I'm old and ugly?"
"Impotent?"
"You want a divorce?"
Aiden wouldn't let her go.
From then on, Millie became his cherished wife, pampered and protected, envied by everyone.
8.0
I sat at a table for two in the center of Le Coucou, clutching a gift box that had cost me two months of savings. It was our three-year anniversary, and I was waiting for Gavin to finally ask the big question.
But when the heavy oak doors opened, Gavin didn't walk toward me with a ring. He walked in with a polished blonde heiress tucked under his arm, her hand resting protectively over a small baby bump.
"This is Tiffany Stone. My fiancée," he said, his voice devoid of any warmth. He didn't apologize for being late or for the three years we'd spent together. Instead, he pulled out a checkbook, scribbled a number, and slid a ten-thousand-dollar check across the white tablecloth.
"Consider it severance for your time," he added, as Tiffany mocked my cheap drugstore dress. "Don't contact me again. Tiffany doesn't need the stress." I was the entertainment for the entire restaurant—the pathetic girl dumped for a better model. By the time I walked out into the rain, I had lost my boyfriend, my home, and the funding for my secret medical research project.
I was an orphan with no safety net, facing an eviction notice and a ruined career. I had given Gavin everything, and he had discarded me like a broken tool. The injustice burned in my chest, a hot, sharp rage that replaced my tears.
Desperate and freezing, I ducked into a coffee shop where I met Colton Bentley, a reclusive billionaire in a wheelchair. After I defended him from a cruel date, he offered me a contract: a marriage of convenience and a seven-figure payment to act as his shield. I signed the papers that night, ready to use his wealth to rebuild my life. But as I watched my new husband navigate his penthouse, I noticed his "paralyzed" legs tense with a strength that shouldn't exist.
9.5
He was born from the void between stars - a being of immense power, forged from cosmic origins.
For thousands of years, he walked among humanity, protecting them and keeping his true strength hidden. After losing the only family he had, grief led him to seek his own end... only to wake up in a world entirely unlike his own.
Here, cultivation is the main path to power. Those who master spirit qi gain superhuman strength, speed, and abilities that place them far above ordinary people. Four great sects rule the land, competing for resources, secrets, and dominance over each other.
Icaros joined the Li Sect, where he found companions he came to trust and care for: the capable and easygoing Li Han, the sharp and composed Su Yan, and the spirited Nelly. For a time, he felt he had found a place to belong, even as he kept his true nature hidden and wondered whether he could ever learn to cultivate like those around him.
Everything changed when their voyage was suddenly attacked. A powerful figure floating in the sky cut their ship apart with sharp, devastating energy strikes, leaving only destruction in his wake. Believing his friends had been lost in the disaster, Icaros chose to stop holding back any longer.
> "I am done hiding!"
He unleashed his full power: golden light blazed from his eyes, he flew at incredible speed, and he broke through every barrier and enemy in his way. On the shores ahead, he tore through hordes of powerful jade monsters, destroying them completely before flying deep into the interior of the island.
Meanwhile, survivors washed up scattered and alone. One young cultivator found himself on the shores of Jade Island - a place most cultivators avoid, as it holds no treasures or useful materials, only danger and endless deposits of ordinary jade. Yet despite the risks, ordinary people have built settlements here, finding safety from the conflicts and power struggles of the outside world.
This island works by different rules. Spirit qi is scarce and unstable, making cultivation far less effective than elsewhere. Instead, the people here rely on advanced technology - weapons and explosives that can injure or even defeat those with great physical strength. Here, skill and preparation can be just as powerful as raw strength, and even the strongest cultivators must move with caution.
Now, Icaros has vanished deep into the island. His companions are lost somewhere across this dangerous land. And the mysterious swordsman who destroyed their ship has already arrived here, searching for an ancient map said to lead to the legacy of a being from another world.
Will they find each other again? And can anyone survive in a place where the usual rules of power no longer hold true?
✅ Chapters 1–19: FREE
🔒 Chapters 20 onwards: PAID
(Continue the journey of power, friendship, and discovery!)
8.0
After divorcing my cheating husband, I thought I had found my savior in his powerful business partner, Cole.
For three years, he pampered me like a queen, building a perfect, golden cage of devotion.
But on the day I happily discovered I was pregnant, I overheard him talking to my ex-husband's mistress.
"Elinor is just a convenient tool. If she gets pregnant, I'll fake a paternity test and annul the marriage so she leaves with nothing."
My entire marriage was a meticulously crafted lie to secure his position and protect the woman he truly cared about.
Before I could quietly escape, Cole orchestrated a brutal attack.
I was dragged into a dark alley, beaten until my ribs fractured, and my unborn child was violently ripped away from me.
As I lay bleeding out in the freezing rain, my heart shattered into dust.
I didn't understand how the man who kissed me every morning could coldly order his thugs to beat me to death just to appease his real lover.
They left me there to rot, thinking they had finally erased the naive fool who got in their way.
Three years later, the world still believes Elinor Marsh died in a tragic car accident.
But when Cole and his elite circle attend a high-profile Interpol reception, they don't expect the new Chief Liaison Officer to step onto the stage.
I am Helena Fu now, and I have returned to burn their empire to the ground.