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Swept Out to Sea / Or, Clint Webb Among the Whalers by W. Bert Foster

Chloe, a driven marketing exec in New York City, thought life was perfect until a stray Corgi brought her unimaginable luck, catapulting her career into the stratosphere. Then came Eleanor Vance, a formidable Manhattan socialite, who orchestrated Chloe's bizarre marriage to her unseen, notorious son, Ethan. The wedding was a blur, ending with a six-figure check and a chilling sense of dread. Days later, celebrating her new wealth with her colleague and roommate Jessica, Chloe’s world shattered when Jessica, fueled by a chilling smirk, violently shoved her off her apartment balcony. I hit the ground, the city lights spinning, but instead of death, I awoke bolt upright, back at the exact moment I first found the Corgi, my heart hammering with the terrifying memory of my murder. Jessica was there, her eyes flickering with cruel recognition, and she snatched the Corgi, claiming Chloe’s "luck" and almost immediately securing the K-Corp account I’d previously earned. Shock gave way to horror as I uncovered the truth: Eleanor Vance's comatose son, Ethan, was part of a terrifying ritual, his spirit needing to inhabit a child conceived by a "pure life essence" – a virgin whose life force would be drained. The Corgi was the conduit, and I, Chloe, was the original, unsuspecting target. Armed with the horrifying knowledge of what awaited me, knowing Jessica remembered too and was now walking into my former nightmare, I knew this wasn't just a second chance, but a desperate fight for survival against a monstrous, supernatural trap.

Bebee by Ouida

Victoria Gibberson, an 18 years old telepathic girl who can read the mind of others whenever she wants. It was a curse more than a gift Her parents died in a car accident, one year back, and thus, the first thing she did after completing high school was changing her place of residence, moving to a small town called Pearly Canines with her aunt. But there was something strange with this place. There was a strange lure in this place. The thing that was most strange to her was, she felt an undeniable attraction to this guy called Alexander Hunter. He would stare at her deeply as if knowing her deepest secrets, showcasing her his utmost care. It didn't help her when one night, he came and leaned towards her before whispering seductively in her ears, "Hello, mate. Let's fall in love with each other."

For ten years, Areli was left to rot on a rural pig farm, known to everyone as the Battle family's brain-damaged, illegitimate daughter. When the family faced bankruptcy, they desperately needed a daughter to marry Finn Branch—a violent, paralyzed billionaire—to save their cash flow. "I am not spending the rest of my life pushing a wheelchair!" her legitimate half-sister screamed. So, her father dragged Areli back to New York. They locked her in a damp basement, threw cheap candy at her like a stray dog, and forced her into a cheap, ill-fitting gown. At the wedding, Finn didn't even show up. Instead, his best man walked down the aisle holding a fat white rabbit to exchange vows with her. The cameras flashed as the crowd mocked her slack-jawed, drooling face, making her the ultimate laughingstock of Manhattan's elite. Her family sneered from the front row, celebrating that they had successfully fed a useless idiot to a monster just to save their wealth. They truly believed she was a pathetic puppet who couldn't even string a sentence together. But they didn't know the car crash hadn't scrambled her brain at all. Beneath the dirty dresses and vacant smiles, Areli was "Spectre"—the Dark Web's most lethal hacker and assassin. She hugged the rabbit, flashing a bright, foolish smile at the cameras. It was time to use her terrifying new husband as a shield, and tear the Battle family down to the studs.

The dull throb behind my eyes was just the beginning. I blinked, and golden text shimmered in the air: "Divorce Day! The classic starting point for the wife-chasing crematorium!" I was Ethan Miller, a tech entrepreneur who' d just coded for 36 hours straight. But the man in the mirror was Liam Stone, a cold CEO infamous for mistreating his wife, Olivia. A divorce agreement lay before me. The words weren't just floating text; a flood of Liam's memories poured into my mind. This man, driven by obsession for a manipulative ex, Sarah Jenkins, was destined for a miserable end. The toxic story was supposed to lead to Olivia's humiliation and suffering. Hovering comments confirmed it: "He' s definitely thinking about his precious Sarah right now." They expected me to act like the jerk Liam was, to prolong Olivia' s pain, and then spend 200 chapters groveling. They wanted the "crematorium." But I wasn't Liam. I wouldn't live his pathetic life. With a decisive flick of my wrist, I signed the divorce papers. "It's done. You're free." The floating comments flickered, then vanished. The plot was broken. My phone buzzed with a call from Sarah Jenkins. The "white moonlight." I didn't answer. I blocked her number. Then I fired the head of marketing for embezzling company funds to pay for Sarah's lavish lifestyle. My father, Richard Stone, confronted me, demanding I beg Olivia for forgiveness and threatening disinheritance. His words were harsh: "You will not see another penny from this family or this company." "Okay," I said. "You can have the company. You can have the family inheritance. I don't want it." I walked away from everything, the chorus of confused comments a soundtrack to my liberation. Later, at a charity gala, I watched them circle: Sarah, Mark Davies (her accomplice), and Olivia. The original story slated this night for Olivia's ultimate downfall. They had conspired to plant false rumors and even faked an accident that led to Olivia' s miscarriage. But I had other plans. With a tap on my phone, security footage of Sarah and Mark' s damning conversation, detailing their schemes including the "accident" that caused Olivia' s miscarriage, filled the screens. "You were so quick to believe the worst of me. You never once questioned your 'best friend'. You never once used your own judgment. You let them play you like a fiddle." I left the chaos behind. My father called, begging for forgiveness now that the truth was out. Olivia, too, whispered apologies. But my answer was cold: "The man you married, the Liam Stone who was obsessed with Sarah and cruel to you, that man is dead. He was killed by you, by Sarah, by Mark, by my father. You all had a hand in it. So don't talk to me about the past." A few days later, Olivia showed up at my new penthouse. She wanted to understand. "My tragedy was being born as Liam Stone in the first place." I told her. "I have no love for you, Olivia...You are a stranger to me. And I'd like you to leave my home now." I wanted peace. I wanted to build. And I would.

This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

"They have broken through the fence!", Robin cried out from behind . The air suddenly became tensed around everyone waiting to for the battle of their lives. While Ruth turned to Sean who kept his gaze at the last stronghold. "Sean, please let me and the kids go", "You know I can't do that. They'll kill you and take the boys away once you step out there", Sean said without looking at her and she was already crying and tried to wrench herself free from his grip but failed yet again for the third time to loosen herself from his grasp. "Let...us go back, Sean. I want to go back to my old life", "It's too late for that", "Then why didn't you tell me sooner? Why now?!", She screamed. "Because I didn't want you to lose that side of yours, yes, Ruth, that side of you being a CEO taking care of your late dad's business empire. He worked hard to build a life for you and I didn't want to you to give up everything just to be with me...", He replied searching for a response from her bewildered face and continued when he received none. "The way we were before things went bad was okay to me and I don't want to lose that side of me either", "What side, Sean? She questioned. "The side of me being the father of the children standing next to you and I may have lost the right to be chief but I don't want to lose you to them because this side of me is the only thing that matters to me right now", Those were the words of Sean and deep down, his words bore a hole in the center of her heart. Ruth knew that he was telling the truth that she had long been trying hard not to accept...

18+ mature content. Alice has her life all sorted, she has a good job, a wonderful fiancee. Apart from a little secret, she was a werewolf, her life was in her control. After losing her parents in a rough attack she had been sent away to live with her aunt, a keeper.Alice was what one would call an urban werewolf who had no intention of finding her mate.But things didn't turn out as expected when the most handsome, powerful and dangerous Alpha of US claimed her as his mate. With her wolf in the heat but her mind warning her against the union. How will she resist being his Luna?

Sophia Wilson thought she was escaping heartbreak when she agreed to a marriage with Lucas Smith-a man she barely knew, a supposed heir to a crumbling fortune. It was meant to be simple: a contract, an arrangement, an opportunity for her to detox from the betrayal that shattered her trust. No love. No complications. Just a fresh start. But from the moment she steps into the grand Smith estate, something feels off. The wealth, the security, the carefully curated world Lucas inhabits-it doesn't match the story she was told. And Lucas? He's cold, detached, warning her to stay out of his business, as if his past is something worth hiding. Then one night, curiosity leads Sophia into forbidden territory, and the truth she uncovers sends her reeling-Lucas was never bankrupt. He is, in fact, one of the most powerful young CEOs in Toronto. Their marriage wasn't about saving him. It was about controlling him. Now trapped in a web of deception and power, Sophia must decide: will she play along with their game, or will she be the one to rewrite the rules?

What would you do if you found out that a long-ago acquaintance left you the equivalent of millions of dollars in his will? That's exactly what happens to down-on-his-luck Lord Dawlish in P.G. Wodehouse's Uneasy Money.

Overnight, Ella lost her family, her home, and her entire life. Discarded by the foster system, she was left shivering in the freezing mud outside her ruined estate. That was when Javier Shepherd appeared. The terrifyingly cold, powerful billionaire pulled her from the dirt, threw her into a massive glass penthouse, handed her an unlimited black card, and vanished overseas, leaving her in the hands of a cruel caretaker. The caretaker treated Ella like garbage, feeding her cheap, processed meals while using the black card to buy designer bags. The toxic food triggered a severe allergic reaction. Ella collapsed in the dark hallway, her throat swelling shut, gasping for air while the caretaker locked the door and turned up the TV. She almost died on that cold hardwood floor. When Javier found out, he ruthlessly destroyed the caretaker and sent her to prison. He guarded Ella's hospital bed with terrifying intensity and even moved into her apartment to stop her panic attacks. Yet, when Ella finally broke down crying over her dead parents, his eyes turned to ice. "Losing emotional control over a juvenile past is an inefficient waste of energy." He sneered, treating her grief like a bad financial investment. Ella was completely bewildered. Why did this dangerous man protect her so fiercely, yet hate her past so deeply? It wasn't until his cousin visited the hospital that the cruel truth was revealed. Javier wasn't saving her out of kindness. He had been obsessed with Ella's mother—his family's adopted daughter who ran away years ago. To him, Ella wasn't a person to be loved. She was just a replacement asset, a ghost of the woman he never got over.

Divorce was a nightmare she never envisioned, especially not with the man who held her heart. Born into a world of wealth and influence, Tyra Ralene Sandoval was groomed for leadership, her every move calculated to secure her place at the helm alongside her brother, Tyler Rale Sandoval. Their paths collided in the bustling halls of college, where Tyra found herself captivated by Laxus Miguel Villafuerte, the charming heir to V Corps. Their love blossomed, culminating in a whirlwind romance that led to marriage within two years. The discovery of Laxus's infidelity shattered Tyra's world, leaving her with nothing but the painful remnants of a love that had once promised forever. Desperate to mend the pieces of her shattered heart, Tyra sought refuge in a foreign land, hoping to find love and a chance to move on from the betrayal she had endured. The news of her father's illness forced Tyra's return, but she wasn't alone. By her side someone stood, who meant more to her than anything in the world. Fate had a twist in store, bringing Tyra and Laxus face-to-face once more, and with it, a revelation that would rewrite their destinies. Would she give him a second chance, or would she embrace the love that had healed her broken heart? Could forgiveness bridge the chasm between them, or would they be forever bound by the pain of the past?

Ina, a nanny in the Gomez family, had a peaceful life and no major problems ever since she set foot in their house. However, everything changed in an instant when her employer's husband, Roy Gomez, developed feelings for her, and she found herself falling for him as well. Nevertheless, from the start, she knew that it was wrong because he was already married, and the woman he married had rescued her from an orphanage. Perhaps fate was exceptionally cruel, making her fall in love at the wrong time and with the wrong person. Should she take the path she knew was wrong just for love, or should she continue on the path that was right and proper? Should she fight for her love for the man, or should she bury it and protect his family? Would she become the cause of the woman who had taken her in, experiencing heartbreak again, or would she help her overcome the trauma of her past?

Victor Dumont, a powerful business magnate, watches his seemingly perfect life unravel due to the treachery of Isabella, a captivating yet manipulative woman who has ensnared his heart. As his financial empire crumbles, Victor realizes he has been ensnared in a web of deceit spun by Isabella. Just when he thinks things couldn't get worse, he makes a shocking discovery: he has a child, hidden away by Sophie, his childhood sweetheart. This revelation forces Victor to reassess his priorities and confront the chaos surrounding him. Can he restore his tarnished reputation while also rekindling the love of Sophie, the secret mother of his child?

I went to the Vera Wang flagship store to surprise my billionaire husband for our third wedding anniversary. Instead, I caught him in the VIP fitting room, sleeping with the twenty-two-year-old intern I had personally helped him hire. Through the crack in the door, I recorded him kissing her neck and calling me a "boring decoration." Later, when I ruined her fitting, he grabbed my arm in the middle of Fifth Avenue and called me a hysterical bitch. "You are nothing without my family's trust fund!" He roared the words in front of a crowd, completely convinced that I was just a helpless canary living in his golden cage. He thought he owned my credit cards, my dignity, and my life. That same night, while my grandmother was flatlining in the hospital, he ignored my desperate phone calls just to take a shower with his mistress. He really believed I would swallow the humiliation and come crawling back to his penthouse, begging for my allowance. He had no idea that I had spent my entire twenties building a massive digital empire in the shadows. I calmly tricked him into signing a post-nuptial asset separation agreement and threw all his custom designer suits down a rotting trash compactor. Then, I put on a blood-red haute couture gown and headed to the most exclusive charity auction in Manhattan. It was time to use my own hidden fortune to destroy him.

BLURB "Sever all ties with Tray. Then sign the document on the table." ​Lauren froze. He knew Tray's name? ​"Why?" she whispered. ​"I have no interest in being someone's side-piece. It's a three-year marriage contract." ​"Marriage?" ​She had been bracing for a termination letter, not a wedding ring. She stared at him, convinced she was hallucinating. "Mr. Dashiel... are you talking to me?" ​"Is there someone else in the room?" ​Lauren's brain short-circuited. Why would he want this? She immediately doubled down on her professionalism. "Mr. Lewis, last night was an accident. I'll never mention it. I'll never tell a soul." ​"I'll just be a loyal employee. I'll work twice as hard for the company." ​Dashiel leaned in, his gaze intense and unyielding. ​"You don't understand, Lauren. You don't have another choice." - For five years, Lauren believed the only thing standing between her and a wedding ring was her boyfriend Tray's empty pockets. Driven by a vision of their shared future, she threw herself into her work, penny-pinching and grinding for years just to afford a roof over their heads. ​The illusion shattered when she discovered the truth: Tray wasn't struggling; he was a literal prince playing at poverty. The hardship he shared with her-eating instant noodles in a cramped apartment-was merely a novel experience for him. While she wore cheap clothes she'd sacrificed to buy, he viewed her entire existence as low-class. His refusal to marry wasn't about finances, but about her lack of status. ​Disgusted by the charade, Lauren walked away without looking back. However, her life took a sharp turn when a post-breakup encounter led her into the bed of her boss, Dashiel Lewis.

Due to her genuine love, Nayla doesn't care how harsh Elvan is towards her. In fact, she continues to love him even when she finds out that Elvan prioritizes his female friend, Emma. However, when Emma suddenly confesses her feelings to Elvan, Nayla becomes anxious and restless. Should she end her feelings and cancel their engagement?

"Ostable!" screamed the brakeman, opening the car door and yelling his loudest, so as to be heard above the rattle of the train and the shriek of the wind; "Ostable!"

I gave up my art scholarship to put my boyfriend, Armand, through law school. I worked three jobs and even took a knife for him, believing his promise that we would build an empire together. But the day he became a star lawyer, I found him kissing his client, Cassandra, in the snow. The shock caused a miscarriage. When I tried to end my life, he brought his mistress to my hospital bed to call me a lunatic. He then used my family to blackmail me, forcing me to play the perfect wife while he flaunted his affair. For years, I was his broken trophy, a testament to his power. He had the career I funded, the woman he chose, and complete control over my life. But on the night his mistress held me at knifepoint on a skyscraper rooftop, she didn't kill me. She turned and plunged the knife into Armand's chest instead. And as his legal wife, I inherited everything.