Quit Smoking Whistle

We wrestle not against flesh and blood…” There are stories the Church forgot. Names erased from scripture. And sins buried so deep, even Hell won’t speak of them. In the heart of a sleepless city, something ancient is waking. Threads are pulling. Voices are returning. And across the world, unnatural things are moving like shadows beneath the skin of reality. A girl marked by silence. A man who walks between damnation and divinity. And a war that no one remembers starting. Some hunt for answers. Others hunt for power. But there are a few who hunt the smoke — because they know where there’s smoke… there’s something trying to stay hidden.

In a realm shrouded by relentless mist and ancient curses, Hollowveil Village stands as a spectral monument to forgotten horrors. At the Northern Gate, a ghostly monk—his face hidden behind tattered bandages, his form suspended in eerie blue energy—haunts the threshold with a chilling, broken whistling reminiscent of a lullaby gone horribly wrong. When the village’s night is pierced by the brutal massacre of its soldiers—a scene of severed heads, blood-soaked uniforms, and erratic, mind-controlled villagers—the supernatural terror begins to bleed into every corner of this cursed land. Meanwhile, at Bastionspire Fortress, the story shifts to the rigorous training grounds where promising warriors such as Duke, Drex, Jack, Touka, and Samaira push themselves to the brink. Here, raw ambition and the mysterious power of Kendra Energy collide in explosive combat—each punch and parry charged with otherworldly force and the promise of latent potential. Their gritty battles, filled with raw dialogue and hard-fought victories, build up not only their skills but also the mounting tension of an impending mission. As whispers of disappearances and long-forgotten tragedies surface, a devastating assignment is announced: to investigate Hollowveil Village—a place rumored to be cursed ever since a natural disaster claimed hundreds of lives centuries ago. In the midst of this, sinister figures emerge: masked assassins led by the corrupt and calculating Boss Dango, whose oily charm masks a ruthless hunger for profit and power. These operatives, working from the shadows, orchestrate a twisted mining operation deep within cavernous, abandoned passages beneath the village—a dark enterprise that hints at a larger conspiracy and forces the characters into a confrontation with forces beyond mortal control. Haunted by unspeakable rituals, the persistent echo of a monk’s whistle, and the tragic survival of men like Rhett—who claws himself from the grave to warn his comrades—the narrative weaves together elements of high-octane martial prowess, horror, and supernatural mystery. As both the disciplined soldiers and the enslaved villagers find themselves caught in a cycle of death, betrayal, and occult manipulation, every step toward uncovering Hollowveil’s secrets carries the weight of destiny and despair. “BLOOD IN THE FOG: THE WHISTLER OF HOLLOWVEIL” is a relentless journey through a world where courage battles corruption, ancient curses resurface, and the dead never truly rest. Every whispered lullaby hides a scream; every flash of Kendra energy is a spark of hope amid inevitable darkness.

Step 1: Eat a nuke. Step 2: Become a god. Step 3: Complain about how much your eyes hurt. Sil Lan wanted nothing from life. Just some quiet. Some trading. Maybe a smoke. Then space crack appear on Earth, mana leak and he awakened an S-rank ability so broken, even reality flinched. The Eyes of Miracles. Now he can create anything. Change anything. As long as he’s got the energy. Good thing he’s surrounded by nuclear warheads.

She survived the fire. But the smoke never left her lungs. Now in a world that no longer believes in magic, Syraeth tries to outrun both her grief and the monsters that still hunt her. But when she crosses paths with a stranger who carries the same wounds—her fate begins to unravel. And the truth waiting for her may burn worse than the flames she escaped.

Shoved into the backseat of his father's car right after graduation, Riley Hale ended up marching toward a company building with a bagged lunch and a pen. Still in his toga, the fresh graduate never thought he’d land in the office of the continent’s top lizard, err, dragon, as his aide. And that would’ve driven any person wishing for a corporate career to tears. After all, who wouldn’t want to serve the fastest ticket up the corporate ladder: Kael Dravaryn, the infamously elegant, unhinged, and extremely overpowered Dragon Lord of the continent? Well, that would be Riley. The same Riley who didn’t expect to spend his days dodging fireballs, dressing his boss in robes more complicated than dark magic, and serving as a literal target during morning sparring. Now trapped in a job he never truly agreed to, the hardworking aide decided to hold out until it was time for his glorious resignation. But leaving a dragon’s clutches could never be easy, especially one with elemental mastery and a finger worth a private army. Yet, as Riley, who longs to quit, attempts to navigate ancient politics, wyvern threats, and other accidents (many of which are definitely not his fault), he might just hallucinate himself into seeing something beneath his boss’s arrogance and molten glares. Maybe he’d actually care if Riley got turned to ash.

In the first episode, Little Palace Maid Lian Hua, holding tea leaves, thought to curry favor with Zhaoyi. The Emperor intercepted her halfway, and before she could react, he hijacked her tea leaves, leaving her bewildered. In the second episode, she wanted to curry favor with the Noble Consort. During the Noble Consort's birthday feast, she hadn't even presented the meticulously prepared tea leaves before the Emperor seized them, leaving her aggrieved. In the third episode, she had just sneaked out with the Palace Maids to pick bamboo shoots, planning to go back and cook something delicious when the Emperor burst out of nowhere wanting to freeload a meal. If it wasn't tasty, he would punish her, she managed to barely pass muster by exerting all her energy. Before she could feel relieved, the Emperor told her he was also staying to sleep! This time, he was thoroughly taking advantage of her, enjoying free food and lodging without the slightest intention of rewarding her. At night, the more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. All the silver she had saved up in earlier years had been used to sustain the Emperor. Now that the money was gone, she feared being punished for not being able to support him in the future. The more she thought, the sadder she got, her tears plopping down, which woke the Emperor sleeping beside her. In a flurry, the Emperor consoled her, "There, there, don't cry, don't cry. I haven't even had time to reward you, how could I punish you!" After much consoling, and finally with his promise to provide for her sustenance, she turned her tears into laughter. The Emperor breathed a sigh of relief. This Little Concubine would need to be favored properly from now on—he dared not make her cry again. →→【This story has concluded, thank you for reading】→→ New book recommendation: "Consort of the Roll-Royce is Here, Run!"—It's a good read! Please add it to your favorites.

The new novel "Rebirth Space: Charm of the '80s" has been released~ As the eldest daughter of the Yang Family's main branch, Yang Ruxin's pleasure was building the family fortune and supporting her younger siblings. But why was that blind and lame guy such a Relentless Spirit? When she cooked, he would come to light the fire; When she set up her stall, he would follow to hawk her goods... "I say, Mr. Gu, do you have to help with everything I do?" Yang Ruxin asked with a hint of annoyance. "Yes," Mr. Gu nodded earnestly. "Then right now I want to..." "Wife." Mr. Gu hurriedly stood up from his wheelchair, "as long as we don't part, I'll give you anything you want."

# 1V1 # KASIH SAYANG YANG TUMBUH SEIRING WAKTU Ibu tiri Shi Qian menjebaknya dan memaksanya menikah dengan seorang pria yang koma. Ada tiga hal bagus tentang pria itu. Dia kaya, tampan... dan tidak bisa bangun! Fu Sinian, yang sudah koma lebih dari tiga tahun, terbangun dan menemukan bahwa ia tiba-tiba memiliki istri. Istri kecilnya itu putih, cantik, dan memiliki kaki panjang. "Jika kau tidak mencintaiku, aku tidak membutuhkanmu!" kata Fu Sinian dan dengan dingin melemparkan surat perceraian.***Tidak lama kemudian, Shi Qian yang terkenal tertangkap kamera di mobil mewah Fu Sinian. Fu Sinian mengklarifikasi hal ini dan berkata, “Nyonya Shi dan saya saling kenal.” Netizens: “Hanya saling kenal? Mereka berdua diantar di mobil yang sama! Kami menunggu kalian menampar kami dengan kata-kata kalian, Tuan Muda Fu! Sembilan juta penggemar menonton dan menunggu!” Tak lama setelah itu, Shi Qian yang populer di kalangan itu sekali lagi tertangkap kamera masuk ke hotel bersamaan dengan Fu Sinian dan baru keluar setelah tiga hari. Fu Sinian mengklarifikasi lagi, “Nyonya Shi dan saya tidak memiliki hubungan seperti itu. Kami tidak pacaran.” Netizens: “Tuan Fu pasti gagal dalam pengejarannya! Jika ada gadis yang tidak bisa diatasi Tuan Muda Fu di dunia ini, itu pasti dewi mereka, Shi Qian!” Tiga puluh juta penggemar terus makan jagung dan menonton dramanya! Kemudian, Shi Qian yang memiliki dua ratus juta penggemar, mengalami mual di pagi hari saat di acara penghargaan Aktris Terbaik! Fu Sinian berjalan ke panggung dengan perlahan dan memeluk pinggang Shi Qian sambil berkata, “Terima kasih atas perhatian semua orang. Nyonya Fu hamil anak kami yang kedua!” Semua dua ratus juta penggemar bingung. Shi Qian yang cantik hamil anak keduanya? Mereka menonton drama itu terungkap sepanjang jalan! Kapan mereka ketinggalan?

``` —La madrastra de Shi Qian la engañó y la forzó a casarse con un hombre en estado vegetativo. Había tres cosas buenas de él. ¡Era rico, guapo... e incapaz de despertar! Fu Sinian, quien había estado en coma durante más de tres años, despertó y encontró que de repente tenía una esposa. Su pequeña esposa era justa, bella y tenía piernas largas. "¡Si no me amas, no te necesito!" Fu Sinian dijo y fríamente lanzó los papeles de divorcio. —Poco después, la famosa Shi Qian fue capturada en una fotografía en el lujoso coche del pez gordo, Fu Sinian. Fu Sinian aclaró públicamente y dijo: "La Señorita Shi y yo estamos conocidos". Netizens: "¿Solo están conocidos? ¡Ambos son llevados en el mismo coche! ¡Estamos esperando que nos den una bofetada con sus palabras, Joven Maestro Fu! ¡Nueve millones de fanáticos están mirando y esperando!" —Poco después, Shi Qian, que era popular en el círculo, fue fotografiada nuevamente entrando al hotel al mismo tiempo que Fu Sinian y solo salió después de tres días. Fu Sinian aclaró de nuevo: "La Señorita Shi y yo no tenemos ese tipo de relación. No estamos saliendo". Netizens: "¡El Sr. Fu debe haber fallado en su conquista! Si hubiese una chica que el Joven Maestro Fu no pudiera manejar en este mundo, debe ser su diosa, Shi Qian!" —¡Treinta millones de fanáticos continuaban comiendo palomitas y viendo el drama! Más tarde, Shi Qian, quien tiene doscientos millones de fanáticos, tuvo náuseas matutinas mientras estaba en la Ceremonia de Premiación a la Mejor Actriz! Fu Sinian caminó lentamente hacia el escenario y abrazó la cintura de Shi Qian y dijo: "Gracias por la preocupación de todos. ¡La Señora Fu está embarazada de nuestro segundo hijo!" ¡Los doscientos millones de fanáticos estaban confundidos. ¿La hermosa Shi Qian estaba embarazada de su segundo hijo? —¡Estaban viendo el drama desarrollarse todo el camino! ¿Cuándo dejaron de seguir el ritmo? ```

He's been expelled from every school he's touched-trouble follows him like smoke. This time, it's his last shot before military school. Cold parents. No second chances. But then he meets the class golden boy-perfect grades, perfect smile, and zero patience for bad boys. They hate each other instantly. Or maybe... it's something else burning under the surface. In a world that's cold, maybe the last place he expected to find warmth... was in

A boy named Kubo studies at school together with his friend Lod, the lives of both of them are completely normal and even quite boring until things start to change in Kubo's life and why? Because of the samurais

Lady Elara was always quiet — not because she lacked words, but because the world never deserved to hear the storms raging inside her. Behind her gentle steps and dawn-like gaze lies a mind sharper than any blade, and a soul burdened with secrets heavier than any tombstone. Alaric Blackthorne, the Duke cloaked in shadows and whispered rumors, is a man forever lost within his own cursed halls. Behind his cold presence hides a fear no one dares to face… except for the quiet girl whose arrival shakes the foundation of his haunted manor. Between moonlit corridors and ivy-choked halls, a dangerous connection blossoms. Torn between duty and desire, fate and freedom, Elara must decide: remain hidden within her silence… or rise to reclaim a strength she never knew she possessed. Meanwhile, Alaric must confront the darkness imprisoning him — and choose whether he’s willing to lose everything for the girl who brought him back to life. A story of quiet strength, forbidden love, and the delicate line between salvation and ruin. Will she find her voice before it's too late? Will he break free from the labyrinth of his own shadows? And when the final door opens… will they save each other, or destroy everything they’ve ever known?

A story about a man that died with a lot of regrets. Follow him as gets a chance to rewrite his story and do right by those whom he fails in the past. Follow his journey as he embarks on the road to becoming The Greatest Of All Time, The Goat, The singularity. Of the beautiful game of Football Thank you for giving my novel a chance I’m quit new to this so I hope you enjoyable read in a world of my creation

My name is Clarise, I was in high school when I had a special friend, her name was Karol… Missis Karol a young math teacher from my school, who almost every day was smoking a cigarette at the smoking area, sometimes with another teacher Missis Stephany. I know that smoking in bad for health, but, for a strange (or weird) reason, I liked to see her smoking. Sometimes I had seen her smoking in the school smoking area and I loved it. One day she caught me watching her smoking… and my story started here.

[Horror Game Developer : My games really aren't that scary!] I hate horror. From the skittering sounds of footsteps racing behind me, to the soft yet unnervingly cold whispers curling around my ears... All of it. I hate it. So much so that I start puking whenever I reach a certain threshold. And yet, I am a Horror Game Developer. A crappy one at that. So, given my lack of ability, I decided to quit. And yet... [Congratulations, you've been selected for the Horror Game Developer System!] Nope, I don't want it. Let me quit. ※ Note : Your world might experience some changes. But don't worry! It's part of the game! *** This is a story about a game developer who hates horror, but has no choice but to develop games scary enough to traumatize people. You want to curse me for making you piss your pants? If that's the case, who do I curse? *** An SCP inspired story with its own twist!

Lucas Andresson. The owner of the artifact "Heart of Chronos" has failed his 49th regression, and now he has only one chance. But... Things didn't go quite well for him, as something unexpected happened.

I like text-to-speech so I'm giving a shot at present tense second person writing to lean into a listener's POV. Enjoy! I use Sonia en-GB for the narrator at 1.2 or 1.5 times speed. Might want to read this part, I kind of left it out the story by making it the synopsis by accident lol. Tavern doors never close on the festive dockside. Traders, settlers, wanderers, and outlaws gather, drawn by the excitement of the New World. The air smells of smoke, salt and sweat, sails catch wind beside steam locomotives' whistles and pistons, each vessel either arriving with strange goods and stranger tales or departing with the thunderous farewells. You step aboard one of them, another spirited adventurer in the crowd, and spend months at sea from docks to coasts, continents to isles, to steam across a windless sea under an endless night sky. When sunlight hits your deck once more, it reveals the New World's waters, like pouring paint into the void. You see the distant sails in the harbour of a forested continent and cheer with the exclamations of waking passengers upon seeing the continent, name pending, no sovereigns and no laws. The landing of all those visiting from the Old World, a boiling pot of all kinds of cultures with each person's distinct flavours of friends, enemies, grudges and dreams. Without hesitation you leave it behind and vanish into the forest, wanting simply to dedicate your life to exploring the interior of the continent. How surprising is it when you found that the elves are all sleeping beauties! Capture them all! Hahahahahahahaha!

In a city where the rain never washes away the blood, two rival kings rule the underworld. Kael Vescari is the ruthless, young Alpha of The Wolf Mark-charming, brutal, and born to conquer. He thrives on chaos, takes what he wants, and never bows to anyone. Rin Asano is the cold, calculating leader of the Crimson Vultures-a ghost in the city's shadows. No one dares question his authority. No one knows he's an Omega. They were never meant to work together. They were born to destroy each other. But when a third enemy rises from the ashes-the sadistic Ash Fang Cartel-they're forced into a reluctant alliance. Turf wars turn into whispered secrets. Knife-edge threats blur into stolen glances. And behind closed doors, heat rises. As danger closes in and bloodlines are tested, Kael begins to unravel the one secret Rin has killed to protect. And Rin? He starts to crave the one Alpha who was supposed to be his ruin.

Two distant souls. One casual wave. A thousand almosts. In a world where glances linger longer than words, and silence speaks louder than promises, two people begin to drift closer—never quite colliding, never quite letting go. What starts as a gesture becomes a rhythm, and what was never supposed to mean anything slowly begins to mean everything. This is a story of slow-burning closeness, unspoken feelings, fractured friendships, and the dangerous beauty of being seen too deeply. Some love stories are loud. This one hums in the spaces between.

Kamakura Metropolitan University practically worships its resident bad‑boy brood: Akuma Takashi and his hand‑picked trio—Tomo Aizawa, Reiho Tsukishima, Itsuki Moriyama, and Takumi Kisaragi. Handsome, untouchable, and forever bored, they survive on one intoxicating pastime: reckless bets. The whole campus swoons over them, yet something about the quartet feels… off—too polished, too predatory, almost supernatural. It’s a sun‑soaked Thursday when trouble finds them. Akuma lounges in the cafeteria, annotation pen hovering over a battered paperback, when Tomo drops into the seat opposite, eyes gleaming. “Bro,” he drawls, “bet you can’t make the very next person through that door fall hopelessly in love with you.” The glass doors hiss. In walks Kaito Ishikawa—hood up, earbuds in, radiating I‑dare‑you apathy. Once upon a freshman year, he was Reiho’s favorite target; lockers, insults, sucker punches—Kaito endured them all with a single bored blink and a muttered expletive. Reiho flinches at the memory. “Bad call, Tomo. The guy’s got ice water for blood and a tongue like barbed wire.” Itsuki arches a brow; Takumi gives a low whistle. Tomo just smirks wider. Akuma snaps his book shut, eyes tracking Kaito’s deliberate stride. A lazy, dangerous smile curls across his lips. “Challenge accepted,” he murmurs— and in that heartbeat, the game is on. Akuma Takashi is the very definition of breathtaking. With white marble hair that dances with the wind and ocean-blue eyes that could drown you without warning, he’s the kind of beauty that makes people stop mid-step—and girls quite literally beg for his attention. He’s tall—like, stupidly tall—standing at a striking 180 cm, and he knows how to use every inch of it. And then there’s Kaito Ishikawa—just 165 cm of pure, concentrated menace. A short, sharp-tempered little villain, armed with jet-black hair, deep brown eyes, and zero tolerance for bullshit. He’s either buried in a book or glued to his phone, rarely acknowledges class, and yet… he’s always topping the academic charts. How? No one knows. Why? No one dares to ask. Frankly, no one cares—because Kaito doesn’t give a single damn about being understood. He’s chaos in a quiet package. And Akuma? He might be the only one insane enough to unwrap it.

Freeze! Police officer. Surrender your heart at once! The love story of a young police officer who resolved to quit his playboy ways upon finding true love, Anupap. But the heart's mission for someone as devastatingly handsome as him wasn't a simple matter. The true love he found had built walls to shut out everyone who entered his life, because his heart remained buried in a sorrowful past. Police Captain Atikom had to tear down those walls to offer his love—to capture the heart of someone so guarded while others crowded around, competing for his affections. The young police officer had to close this 'love case' as soon as possible.

In an era of steam and machinery a world teetering on the edge of progress and horror, a new breed of predator stalks the streets. Once human, these cursed vile beings mutate into monstrous hybrids of man and beast, driven by an insatiable hunger for human flesh and madness. Their existence is a secret, whispered about in the smoke filled alleys and factory floors, where missing persons posters fade into the grime of the many cities around Europe. As the threat grows, a secret group of guardians forms in the shadows. Their mission: eliminate the monsters, protect the innocent, and keep the truth buried. To the public. Behind the smoke and steel of progress, a hidden war rages one of blood, horror, and sanity slowly slipping away. Who is the prey, who is the hunter who will survive in this god forsaken world.

At Griffin Park Stadium, under England’s cold rain, Danein Blake a worn-out striker fighting for a single moment of glory meets a bitter end. A dirty tackle, a whistle that never came, and a crash into the muddy pitch… that was his final chapter, or so it seemed. But fate had other plans. When Danein opens his eyes, he finds himself in the body of a ten-year-old boy named Leon Fischer, training at a prestigious football academy. His memories remain, his passion still burns—but his name have been wiped clean. And this time, he’s not alone. The Player Insight System has activated. Suddenly, numbers begin to float above the heads of players— Potential: 92, Current: 34 Potential: 60, Current: 90 revealing their hidden abilities and future greatness. For Danein, it’s not just a second chance… it’s a chance to see the game from a perspective no one else has. From backstreet matches to elite academy trials, Danein—now Leon—must battle expectations, memories. Can a man who once fell at the final whistle rise again from the kickoff? "Can this time… I become the player no one forgets?"

I searched for you for many long years after you left me... Back then, i didn't know what to do without you. You were the reason for my existence and you still are. Years passed by, and my heart beat for no one but you... I stand now on the balcony of that abandoned apartment, Wiping the blood off my hands, exhaling smoke, as your laughter echoes in my ears, making my heart pound like it never did before... I won't make you wait much longer I've already found you. Don't worry, my little one... A smoker never quits smoking, And the obsessed never abandons his obsession! You'll always find me surrounding you, Just like smoke surrounds my life... --- ⚠️ This novel is protected under my name! I am the author and writer. No quotes or excerpts are permitted! All rights reserved. Miyana_mee

At Tokyo Metropolitan University, where cherry blossoms fall like unspoken words, Nakamura Kenji moves through life with quiet precision and invisible armor. Brilliant, distant, and utterly alone, he believes silence is survival—until one fight behind a lecture hall cracks that silence open. As rumors swirl and unwanted attention grows, Kenji finds himself drawn into a quiet orbit with two unlikely figures: Tanaka Hiroshi, a popular but grounded classmate who sees more than he lets on, and Sae Takahashi, a sharp-eyed literature major whose red scarf hides her own bruised history. But connection is dangerous for someone who’s spent years building walls instead of bridges. And kindness, once dismissed as a trap, begins to feel alarmingly real. A slow-burn character drama about emotional scars, unexpected friendship, and what happens when three lonely people stop walking past each other- and finally start to see.

In the grimy Black Hound Tavern, disgraced hunter Kael Veymar drowns his failures in ale, his father’s shattered crest a noose around his neck. When a Fallen beast attacks him—spewing acid and cryptic threats about the Harbinger—he’s saved by Lyria, a rogue huntress with a deadly smile and a glowing amulet: the Fractalis, stolen by Kael’s father. Their reunion is cut short by Dren, Kael’s former brother-in-arms, who slit Garrik’s throat for the Guild. After a vicious alley fight, Lyria helps Kael escape, but not before a Fallen’s ooze sears his flesh, leaving veins of corruption that **pulse with the Harbinger’s voice. Seeking answers, they flee to Ms. Miller, an old ally who gifts Kael a sword and a warning: "Find Torin. The skulls will whistle your name." But the Guild is closing in. At Celestis Rise Dren is humiliated for his failure, while the Dozen Vanguards receive a bone-chilling letter—its author dead, its ink fresh. The stakes sharpen: - The Fractalis is not what it seems. - And Garrik Veymar’s shadow stretches long from the grave. Now, Kael and Lyria ride toward Godsgrave, where Hunter blades go to die—and where the Harbinger’s eclipse waits to rise. join the books' discord server https://discord.gg/8aRszmmbwf

Jason Reyes is just sixteen, a brilliant but timid boy trapped in a life that’s slipping through his fingers. After his mother is diagnosed with early-stage cancer and his family falls deep into debt, Jason is forced to quit school and shoulder the weight of survival. With no formal education and few options, he discovers an unexpected lifeline—delivering food on his old birthday bike. As he pedals through a world that’s quick to judge and slow to forgive, Jason must navigate the harsh realities of poverty, illness, and betrayal. But beneath his quiet exterior burns a fierce determination to save his family—and prove that even a boy with broken unlucky fate can become a man that will strive to change the hand he got dealt.

The world believes the Alden bloodline died with the flames. But Riven Alden—prince turned exile—remembers everything. The screams. The betrayal. The night his kingdom was erased by those meant to protect it. Now, he's no prince. No crown. Just a name whispered in the ashes. Armed with nothing but a cursed sword and the rage of a thousand ghosts, Riven sets out to tear down the three monarchs who burned his past. This is not a hero’s tale. This is not redemption. This is the story of a man who lost everything— and what’s left when there's nothing but fire inside. Vengeance isn’t justice. It’s survival.

Cheng Xiao has worked for Xu Kai as his secretary for 7 years, but lately she feels that she has moved away from her goal. Applied for a designing position but was hired as his secretary. She decides that it is time to follow her dream and plans to quit, but Mr. Xu has gotten too used and won't allow her to leave him. He realizes that he has been in love with her and plans to make her his.

Laps of Betrayal In the high-gloss shadows of Chicago’s fashion elite, Tessy Collins owns the runway, legs for days, a smile that seduces sin, and a closet full of secrets she’ll never confess. But behind every strut in stilettos is a storm she can’t quite walk away from. Tessy isn't just beautiful. She’s dangerous. She knows it. She likes it. She beds men like she changes lipstick quick, messy, and without apology. But when she crosses the line with David, her best friend Kiesha’s long-term man, things spiral from sexy to savage really quick. What started as a power trip turns into a gut-wrenching betrayal. And when the smoke clears, friendships shatter, hearts bleed, and loyalty get buried under lust. Kiesha isn’t just the girl next door. She’s the girl who held Tessy’s hair at 3 a.m., who knew her pain and loved her anyway. But even she has a breaking point. And when Kiesha finds comfort in Tessy’s first and only real love, Ronnie the one Tessy never got over karma hits like a slap in silk gloves. From fashion shows to hospital beds, bedroom whispers to graveside confessions, Laps of Betrayal is a fierce, soul-burning story of desire, damage, and the women who dare to live out loud. It’s about loving the wrong people, crossing sacred lines, and discovering who you are when there’s nothing left to hide behind. Tessy was never looking for redemption. But fate has a wicked way of undressing you in front of your truth.