crossfire book

Hu Yumei had lived two lives before she died. The first, as a soldier. The second, as a veterinarian. She grew up in the military—an orphan raised by the state, sleeping in bunks, waking to gunfire, learning to follow orders like they were gospel. Discipline molded her. Combat carved her. By sixteen, she was on the front lines. By twenty, she'd survived two wars. She fought in deserts that baked her lungs dry, jungles that swallowed the sun, cities buried in dust and fire. She held dying friends in her arms and still whispered their names in her sleep. When she finally came home, there were no medals. Just silence. So she walked away from the warpath and started over. No more weapons. No more killing. She studied late, cleaned cages by day, and became a veterinarian. People didn't get it—but the ones who really knew her, did. She'd always been gentle with the wounded, whether they barked, meowed, or bled like her. Her new life was made of fur and feathers, rescue calls and shelter shifts. She swapped rifles for syringes and combat boots for rubber gloves. The world grew quiet around her, finally. Until everything fell apart. The job was supposed to be routine—rescue a snow panther from a remote island and relocate it to a sanctuary. Nothing dangerous. Nothing new. No one said anything about pirates. They came fast, loud, brutal. Explosions rocked the ship. Gunshots tore through the halls. Men with masks and rifles stormed the deck. She didn't panic. She never did. Even in her blood-smeared lab coat, she moved like a soldier. Protected the others. Got the young biologist to safety. Shielded the cook. Held the line. And then she was shot. She hit the water bleeding and gasping, clawing toward land like her body was made of lead. She didn't stop. Not until she collapsed under a tree on the shore, shaking, barely alive. Even then, she tried to help the others—pressing wounds, whispering instructions. Her own pain didn't matter. Her last thoughts weren't about herself. She thought of her six dogs. Her three cats. The five golden fish she fed every morning. Still waiting. Still alive. And Maximus—her golden eagle. Her heartbeat. Hatched from an egg in her palm. Who would feed him now? Her best friend was scared of butterflies. Her ex-husband didn't even like birds. "Oh dear," she murmured, breath fading. "Maximus…" ⸻ The first thing she noticed was the weight. Her limbs felt like stone. The air was heavy, muffled, too thick to breathe. She heard voices. People shouting. Afraid. She tried to move. Couldn't. Then—hands. Shaking her hard. "Wake up, little darling! We have to leave now!" She gasped, coughing. The air hit her lungs like cold water. Not her air. Not her body. She blinked into a tear-streaked face—strange, terrified. She didn't know this woman. Where…? Everything spun. This wasn't the jungle. This wasn't Earth. The air buzzed with something ancient and strange. She looked down. Her arms were tiny. Soft. Her chest—flat. Her voice—missing. A child's body. The woman clutched her close and grabbed a worn bag. They ran. As she was jostled on the woman's back, memories surged like a flood. Memories that didn't belong to her. A girl named Fan Yumei. Seven years old. Kind. Brave. Dead—just last night—from a fever after a night venture for treasure to awaken her core. In this world, there's 5 Culitvation paths and both humans and beasts had ranks. Star-levels from one to seven. Classes from F to SS. Everyone fought to rise higher. Fan Yumei had gone searching—alone—for a miracle. Inspired by a classmate whose brother found rare 3-star core plants near the Dew Springs Mountains, she thought maybe she could find something too. Something that would let her awaken with higher purity. Something that would change her fate. Her family was somewhat poor. Her parents weren't powerful. They only really had the money for tuition and traveling as she couldn't stay in dormitories unless she awakened.

Riley Styles is a cold, calculating billionaire, forged in the crucible of war and haunted by a childhood marred by the ruthless grip of loan sharks. In stark contrast, Stephanie Rogers is a gentle but fiercely determined young woman, resolutely fighting to shield her widowed mother from the very predatory empire that once tormented Riley's family. Their fates intertwine on a tempestuous night when Riley witnesses the brutal assault of loan sharks on Stephanie and her mother. With the instinct of a man who has dedicated his life to hunting down the monsters that shattered his past, he charges in, unleashing a fierce wrath that reverberates with his own pain. Grateful yet shaken, Stephanie finds herself face to face with a man who excels in weapons and warfare but lacks the warmth of human connection. Riley, taken aback by her quiet bravery, discovers that her spirit penetrates the icy walls he has built around his heart. As Riley immerses himself deeper in his mission to dismantle the country’s deadliest loan shark network, Stephanie becomes an unwitting target—one aimed at breaking him. The very woman he risked everything to save now hangs in the balance, and Riley must confront the haunting battle he has feared his entire life: the battle for his heart. Will he guard his emotions or fight for the love that could save them both?

Crimson Ties: Love in the Crossfire By: Night_Dream_Ben Leo Santiago has always kept his heart locked behind walls—tough, silent, and fiercely protective of the few people he cares about. As a senior at Helix Academy, a school simmering with secrets and violence, Leo’s only goal is survival. That is, until Kieran Vale storms into his life—dangerous, sharp-tongued, and undeniably captivating. Kieran, a mysterious transfer with a hidden past and a reputation that precedes him, seems to see right through Leo’s defenses. Their worlds collide in a brutal mix of high-stakes school rivalries, deep-rooted trauma, and undeniable attraction. What begins as tension soon ignites into something much deeper, and much more dangerous. As threats close in from rival factions and secrets unravel within their school, Leo and Kieran must learn to trust each other—not just with their lives, but with their hearts. But in a world where loyalty is tested and betrayal lurks in every shadow, will love be enough to survive the crossfire?

When ruthless billionaire CEO Damien Cross is blackmailed by his powerful parents into marrying before his 30th birthday, he agrees to a contract marriage with the last woman he expected—Aria Drevon, a sharp-tongued, seemingly modest florist. What he doesn’t know is that Aria isn’t just good with roses—she’s a highly trained assassin, invisible to every system, and deadly to the bone. For her, the fake marriage is the perfect cover. For him, it’s a shield from corporate sabotage and family interference. Their first meeting? A rainstorm, a ruined bouquet, and a rock hurled at his Bentley. Their second? A deal neither of them wants but both desperately need. But as the staged romance plays out under public scrutiny, the line between act and obsession begins to blur. Aria’s latest target overlaps with Damien’s empire, pulling both into a lethal web of mafia vendettas and international espionage. A hit goes sideways. A mafia boss lands in the ICU. And suddenly, Aria’s cover—and her heart—are both under threat. Damien knows something’s off. She’s too calm under fire. Too secretive. Too... dangerous. And when the passion finally detonates, it’s all fire and fury—one storm-drenched night, he pins her against the penthouse glass, breaking down every barrier. She kisses him like she’s drowning. He holds her like he’s willing to burn for her truth. But in a game built on lies and bullets, can love really survive? Or will the assassin bride vanish before the truth catches up to them both?

Six years ago, FBI agent Sophie Lane vanished after staging her own death—just hours after discovering she was pregnant with Arthur Morgan’s child. Her mission was clear: infiltrate the heir to a criminal empire, extract encrypted ledgers, and disappear. But when duty collided with love, Sophie made an impossible choice. Now, Sophie lives quietly in Colorado, raising her daughter under an alias, hiding from both enemies and the man she betrayed to save. Arthur, having lost two years of his memory in a staged crash, believes Sophie dead—until a flash of memory ignites a relentless quest for the truth. Their paths collide in a mountain town, where old passions reignite and new secrets surface. But revenge isn’t the only thing closing in. A deadly cartel, corrupt federal agents, and the weight of a child’s innocence all converge. As Sophie and Arthur battle past betrayals and present threats, they must decide: will love survive when built on deception? And can a man once forged in violence become the father his daughter dreams of?

Caught between love and loyalty, Bima struggles to maintain peace between the two most important women in his life—his mother, Ratna, and his wife, Sinta. Raised by Ratna after his father’s passing, Bima feels a deep sense of duty toward her. But his love for Sinta, an independent and strong-willed woman, often puts him at odds with his mother’s traditional values. What begins as subtle disagreements escalates into a full-blown emotional battlefield, leaving Bima feeling trapped in an impossible situation. No matter what he does, one of them is always left hurt. As tensions reach a breaking point, Bima is forced to confront his fears, challenge long-held expectations, and make choices that will determine the future of his family. Will he find a way to bring harmony between the two women he loves, or will he be forced to choose one over the other—at the cost of his own happiness?

In the glittering world of fashion, ambition and love clash in a fiery tale of chaos and fate. Wendy Naredo, a simple yet driven probinsyana, lands a job as an executive assistant at Rivera Clothing & Co., one of the most powerful fashion empires in the Philippines. Her quiet strength and work ethic catches the eyes of the dashing bachelor, Liam Rivera — the heir to the company — whose confidence and charm make him a favorite in both boardrooms and hearts. But standing between them is Ricci Dawnielle Yulo — a stunning beauty queen and Miss Universe alumna, who is not just Liam's fiancée but also a woman hungry for power. As the love triangle unfolds, hearts are broken and vows are made. Wendy eventually finds peace in the arms of her childhood best friend, Jace Raymund Reyes — a brilliant, innovative moreno guy who represents the quiet kind of love that never fades. Meanwhile, Liam marries Ricci, thinking it’s the right thing for the empire his father built. When the old Arnulfo Rivera dies, the corporate kingdom begins to crumble. Ricci, alongside the mysterious and flamboyant Dubai-based designer Pradesh Luxur or Armando Abueva Jr., schemes to seize full control of the Rivera empire. Their alliance is a deadly mix of lust, power and vengeance — with Wendy as their biggest threat. As Pradesh's obsession with Jace grows, his desire to destroy Wendy intensifies. Chaos erupts when Bryan, Wendy’s troubled ex-lover, returns and becomes her assailant in a desperate attempt to claim a love long lost. His actions end in tragedy. But the biggest heartbreak comes with the murder of Jace — a casualty of Ricci’s thirst for dominance. As betrayal piles upon betrayal, the truth begins to unravel. Liam discovers the web of lies spun by his wife and her ally. Ricci is convicted, Pradesh flees into a world of illusions and decadence, only to meet a brutal end at the hands of one he once toyed with. Wendy, broken by loss and haunted by everything she's survived, nearly gives up on love — even contemplating a life of solitude and faith. But Liam, transformed by pain and revelation, fights for her — not as a CEO, not as a lover scorned, but as a man willing to sacrifice everything for the woman he has always loved. In a heartfelt finale at the historic Manila Cathedral, Wendy and Liam finally tie the knot — not just as a union of hearts, but as survivors of a battlefield where love, power and destiny collided. Hearts in the Crossfire is a sweeping romantic novel that explores the depths of loyalty, the destructiveness of ambition and the redemptive power of true love.

They broke her heart. He might break her soul. But this time, she's the one holding the gun. Amara used to believe in love. Until the man she trusted betrayed her, shattering her family and leaving her heart in ruins. Three years later, she's a ghost in the criminal underworld, surviving in silence. But when a photo of her missing brother resurfaces, her hunt for the truth leads her straight into the hands of the city's most feared mafia boss: Dante Moretti. Cold. Calculating. Deadly. Dante doesn't do favors. But Amara isn't looking for one. She wants answers, leverage and control. Instead, he gives her a choice: work for him or walk away and lose every chance of finding her brother. But power in Dante's world comes at a cost. So does desire. Trapped between the lies of her past and the heat of an unexpected attraction, Amara must decide: How far she's willing to go to survive? And can a heart that's been broken can ever beat on its own terms again? "Heartbeat in the Crossfire" is a slow-burn mafia romance about reclaiming power, resisting temptation, and surviving a world that only respects strength. Perfect for readers who love: Mafia bosses with ice in their veins and secrets in their eyes. Smart heroines who don't need saving. Forbidden attraction and dangerous alliances.

Alessia was supposed to be untouchable—the pregnant queen of the family, fiancée to the Underboss who swore he'd die before he let her bleed. Then the bullets started flying, and Matteo made his choice. He didn't choose her. He threw himself over Lily, a civilian, while Alessia took a round meant for no one, the shot tearing through the place where their child grew. He left her on the floor of that warehouse, bleeding out, certain she was already dead. But she didn't die. She survived the impossible, and something inside her died instead—the part that loved him, the part that still felt warmth. When she finally opens her eyes, the soft woman Matteo abandoned is gone.

In a world divided by power and blood, love is the deadliest game of all. Princess Seraphina has spent her life trapped within the gilded walls of royalty, a pawn in political alliances she never agreed to. Desperate for freedom, she dreams of a life beyond the throne—until one fateful night changes everything. Lorenzo De Luca, the infamous mafia heir, is a shadow feared by kings and criminals alike. Ruthless, enigmatic, and cold, he lives by one rule: loyalty above all.