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sliceoflife

Between Debt And Desire

Ethan Vale has always believed that no matter how hard life gets, he just has to endure it. But endurance alone isn’t enough when time is running out. At twenty-five, Ethan is already drowning in debt—millions owed to a dangerous man who doesn’t believe in second chances. Yet the debt isn’t the only thing weighing him down. His mother, the only family he has left, is slowly losing her battle against chronic kidney failure, requiring constant dialysis and expensive medication just to stay alive. Every day is a race against time—and money. Determined to keep her alive, Ethan pushes himself beyond his limits, working two jobs just to scrape together what he can. A barista by morning, a delivery rider by night—his body is exhausted, his mind barely holding on, but he refuses to give up. Until everything falls apart. A single argument costs him his night job, cutting off a crucial source of income. With bills piling up, hospital fees increasing, and the shadow of his debt tightening around his throat, Ethan grows desperate. Rejection after rejection greets him as he searches for work, until one opportunity appears—almost too good to be true. A position at one of the most powerful tech companies in the country. Calloway Tech Industries. At the top of it stands Sean Calloway. At thirty-seven, Sean is everything Ethan is not—wealthy, powerful, and untouchable. A self-made CEO known for his cold demeanor and ruthless decision-making, he commands respect and fear in equal measure. Yet behind his flawless exterior lies a man burdened by solitude, raising his ten-year-old son alone while keeping the world at arm’s length. He doesn’t trust people. He doesn’t let anyone in. Until Ethan walks into his company. There’s something about him— something raw, stubborn, and unyielding—that catches Sean’s attention. Ethan isn’t polished like the others. He doesn’t bend easily. And most of all, he looks at Sean not with fear… but with quiet defiance. What begins as a simple employment soon turns into something far more complicated. Because Ethan isn’t just fighting to survive— He’s hiding a life filled with desperation, secrets, and a debt that could destroy everything. And Sean… is a man who always gets what he wants. As their worlds begin to intertwine, tension builds between them—sharp, undeniable, and dangerously intimate. Power clashes with vulnerability. Control meets resistance. And somewhere between obligation and longing, something deeper begins to form. But in a world where everything has a price— Love might be the most dangerous debt of all.
Sora_Toshii · 511 Views

Defying Destiny: Chronicles of Civilization

Lucas had loving parents, childhood friends, and innocent ambitions to one day become a powerful Cultivator define his life. In other words, he was an ordinary boy destined to not leave much of a mark on the world; that is, until a cross-universe accident befalls him on his 9th birthday. Struck by the dying Soul of a man from 28th century Earth, Lucas should have died, but fate apparently had other plans for him. After he awakens, Lucas discovers he possesses memories of a world where science dominates and cultivation is nothing more than fantasy. Rather than dismissing these new memories which seem incompatible with his lived reality, Lucas decides to take advantage of them, aiming to blend the best of both worlds to build a better life for both himself and his loved ones. Unfortunately, this new knowledge is vague, shrouded in a fog that can only be lifted by advancing his strength; hardly an easy task for a countryside boy living on the outskirts of civilization. Even if he does gain access to this knowledge, Lucas still has to find a way to transform it into reality, a slow an arduous process that will require enormous amounts of time, resources, and help from those around him. Lucas doesn’t falter in the face of these challenges and is determined to realize his dreams of establishing a technologically advanced cultivation civilization, but the more progress he makes, and the higher he rises up, the more dangers he encounters, and the more covetous eyes set their sights on what he is trying to build. Will Lucas succeed in changing his destiny, and the destiny of his world, or will destiny consign him to the forgotten annals of history? Only time will tell… ~~~~~~~~ Author notes: First book! Please be kind and give it a chance! 10 ~ 11 chs/wk. Yes harem; most girls won't be part of it. Additional tags: No-System, No-Cheats, Eastern Cultivation, Slow Romance
Pewpewlasergun · 115.1k Views

The Bully's Obsession with a Gamer Girl

Some stories start off like a fairytale. Some start off mediocre. Phoebe's started with tragedies. A boy raised by wealth and power. Became a man of danger. Death and destruction follow Taeyung’s every step. People are fake. But not her. Her fire, her spite, her beauty. It was a trap and he fell right in. Consmed by need. He’d burn the world for her. He’d tear down empires. Rip through Earth. He would have her or no one else would. ********************************** I yanked my wrist free and snapped at him “Where are you dragging me?” “You’ll see.” He took hold of my hand and pulled me along; I didn’t fight him this time and kept up with his pace this time. We reached the food court and sure enough the bitch and her little bitchettes were seated gossiping and licking each other’s asses not just sucking each other’s egos. As we approached, the group of girls stopped their chit chat and began staring at Taeyung, eyeing him up and down like he was a delicious, delectable treat. A pit of anger formed in my stomach, and I felt the sudden urge to deck the bitches in their faces, one right after the other. “You thought you could just throw shit on my girl and get away with it?” He yelled in Korean, shoving their food and drinks off the table, sending their dishes flying, spilling the food all over themselves. “What the hell Taeyung?” The leader of their little clique yelled, looking down at her very clearly expensive dress. “Do not address me so informally.” He snapped loudly, the people in the room now looking at us. That’s when the queen bee noticed Taeyung holding my hand. “Why are you holding that foreigner’s hand?” She looked at me with disgust. “Bitch. Shut up with your nationalist bullshit.” I snapped ready to defend myself. But Taeyung stepped forward instead and said “You watch the way you speak to my girl. Or I’ll make you regret it.” He threatened her. He looked angry, ready to jump down her throat and rip her tongue out. “I don’t typically hit women, but for you. I’d make an exemption.” The girls looked at him shocked. I wasn’t, I’ve seen the violent side of him. I know how real it is. Seeing him defend me like this. Protect me. It hit in a way I didn’t want to admit I liked. I smiled starring her down. The frown on her face was so sour it nearly curled the milk in my tummy from the latte I drank this morning. If looks could kill, the one she was giving me was lethal. “How can you say something so cruel to me?” She whined to him. Were they familiar with each other like that? “You touch my girl again and I will personally beat your ass. I don’t care about gender; a bitch is a bitch.” I was stunned he threatened to hit a girl, again. I also surprised myself when I let him call me his girl without any resistance. He turned and walked away, leaving them all baffled. “Why did you do that?” I asked. “Because she’s a rotten little spoiled brat.” He growled. "And I'll be damned if I let her embarrass and harass my girl."
devonany · 15.2k Views

THE BLOOD OF ELYSIUM: DYING TO LEAVE THE ALPHA

Synopsis Sura is the "Human Luna"—a title that is less of an honor and more of a death sentence. For six years, she has been the literal lifeblood of the Black Ridge Pack, subjected to agonizing weekly blood extractions to fuel the pack’s supernatural healing. Her "fated mate," Alpha Kaelen, treats her like a well that will never run dry, until the day she is diagnosed with a terminal wasting sickness caused by his own greed. On their anniversary, Sura manifests a final, cruel gift: the ability to hear the Pack’s Mind-Link. Instead of love, she hears Kaelen plotting her "replacement" with a fertile werewolf mistress once Sura finally stops breathing. But Sura is not just a human. She is the long-lost daughter of a celestial bloodline who sacrificed her divinity for a love that turned into a cage. With the help of a secret human resistance, Sura stages a cinematic death, hacks off her hair, and escapes into the high-tech Human Republic. Three years later, the "weak" Luna is dead. In her place stands a lethal, gene-enhanced operative with the ancient power of Ephphatha—the ability to command the world to open. When she returns to the Chronicles to reclaim her son, she doesn't come as a wife seeking an apology. She comes as a Goddess seeking a reckoning. Kaelen wanted her blood; now, he’ll realize that her blood was the only thing keeping his kingdom from rotting alive. The "Wow" Factors 1. The "Reverse Victim" Evolution Most werewolf romances keep the heroine in a cycle of being rescued. This story flips the script. Sura’s transformation from a frail, pale victim into a tactical, sword-wielding operative with Republic technology creates a "John Wick" level of satisfaction for the reader. 2. The Biological Revenge (The Rot) The ultimate "hook" is the realization that Sura’s sacrifice wasn't just passive. By revoking her "blessing," she turned her stolen blood into a slow-acting poison. The pack that thrived on her pain is now literally falling apart without her, creating a desperate, high-stakes "grovel" where Kaelen doesn't just want her back for love—he needs her for survival. 3. The High-Tech vs. High-Fantasy Clash The visual contrast between the Black Ridge (medieval, primal, fur-and-stone) and the Human Republic (neon, pulse-rifles, and gene-therapy) gives the story a unique aesthetic. Watching a werewolf king try to fight a woman with a sonic-disruptor and a silver-nitrate talwar is a fresh take on the genre. 4. The "Ephphatha" Power The use of the word Ephphatha (Be Opened) as a magical command creates a recurring "power-up" moment. Whether she is opening a sealed heart, an ion-gate, or a villain’s shattered mind, it serves as a powerful verbal signature that signals the protagonist is about to do something legendary. 5. The Emotional "Gut-Punch" (The Son) The stakes aren't just romantic; they are maternal. The conflict of a mother fighting to "un-brainwash" her son, who was taught to despise her humanity, provides the deep emotional core that keeps readers "hooked and sinked" until the final page.
Empress_Ngozzy · 551 Views