a poisoned dinner

The Zhekova family's young master approached Cindy Clarke with an old phone and said, "You dropped this five years ago, and I picked it up. Do you still deny it?" Five years ago, she was set up and got pregnant. Cindy Clarke never imagined that the father of her son would turn out to be the Prince Charming that the entire nation loved. She had a weak father, a scheming mother, and a sister plotting to harm her? None of that mattered! Adrian Zhekova said, "Whatever they want, I'll give it all to you. Let them be jealous." If her opponents slandered Cindy Clarke? Adrian Zhekova said, "I'll shut down their account." Don't like it? Endure it! Morgan Clarke said, "Sob, sob... Arthur Woods says I'm an illegitimate child without a dad." After the Woods family went bankrupt, Adrian Zhekova turned to Cindy Clarke and asked, "When are you going to make us official?" Cindy Clarke replied, "Since I met you, it's been like having a cheat code. Everything goes my way." Adrian Zhekova replied, "That's right, I'm that cheat code."

Old phone in paw, Mr. Zhao corners Ye Fei: “You left this with me five years ago—still pretending we never happened?” Back then, Ye Fei got tricked into Mommy-hood, and Baby’s dad turns out to be the nation’s top heart-throb! Coward dad, scheming mom, meanie sister? → Zhao buys her the moon and watches them pout. Internet trolls? → One click → *poof* account gone. Little Ye Xiaomo tugs Zhao’s sleeve, pouting like a dumpling: “Daddy, Wang says I’m a wild kid with no dad!” Zhao pats his head: “Wang’s Wi-Fi just took a nap—forever.” Final scene: Zhao wearing an apron, waving a ladle: “So, when do I get upgraded from secret dad to official husband?” Ye Fei giggles: “Ever since I met you, life’s on easy mode!” Zhao winks: “Exactly—I’m the built-in cheat code!”

Personal chef Beau St. Clair, recently divorced from his cheating husband, returns to the small Ohio River town where he grew up to lick his wounds.<br><br>Jack Rogers lives with his mother, Maisie, in that same small town, angry at and frightened by the world. Jack has a gap in his memory that hides something he dares not face, and he’s probably suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.<br><br>Maisie, seeking relief from her housebound and often surly son, hires Beau to cook for Jack, hoping the change might help bring Jack, once a handsome and vibrant attorney, back to his former self. But can a new face and comfort food compensate for the terror lurking in Jack’s past?<br><br>Slowly the two men begin a dance of revelation and healing. Food and compassion build a bridge between Beau and Jack, a bridge that might lead to love. But will Jack’s demons allow it? His history could just as easily tear them apart as bring them together.

Henry Appleby has an appetite for life. As a recent high school graduate and the son of a wealthy family in one of Chicago’s affluent North Shore suburbs, his life is laid out for him. Unfortunately, though, he’s being forced to follow in the footsteps of his successful attorney father instead of living his dream of being a chef. When an opportunity comes his way to work in a real kitchen the summer after graduation, at a little Italian joint called Fiorello’s, Henry jumps at the chance, putting his future in jeopardy.<br><br>Years ago, life was a plentiful buffet for Vito Carelli. But a tragic turn of events now keeps the young chef at Fiorello’s quiet and secretive, preferring to let his amazing Italian peasant cuisine do his talking.<br><br>When the two cooks meet over an open flame, sparks fly. Both need a taste of something more -- something real, something true -- to separate the good from the bad and find the love -- and the hope -- that just might be their salvation.

It only takes a few days for Ollie D'Angelo to lose his boyfriend, his job, and his home. Instead of mourning what he doesn't have, Ollie celebrates what he does: the freedom to pursue his real passion -- cooking. He begins Dinner at Home, a home-catering business, and it takes off.<br><br>Late one night, Ollie catches Hank Mellinger, a streetwise hood down on his luck, about to rob his car. Ollie soon discovers that appearances aren't necessarily what they seem. Hank isn't a criminal caught red-handed, but a hungry young man trying to make a life for himself and the four-year-old niece he's trying desperately to take care of.<br><br>Instead of calling the cops, Ollie offers Hank a job and a way to pull himself up by his bootstraps. Together, they discover they can really cook ... and that their shared passion for food just might lead to a passion for each other.

Welcome to the enigmatic tale of Reinhart Glast, a warrior wrapped in a hard hat, hit by a storm of misfortune in his prime years. Threatened by Parkinson's Disease, his world crumbles into a heap of depression, pushing him to the edge of despair. As he contemplates death, life serves him a bittersweet twist - instead of oblivion, Reinhart's existence is whisked away to another realm, where he is plated as... an instant dinner? Fork your way through the unfathomable world of Fallenia, a simmering cauldron across dimensions, where the air stirs with magical energy known as Mana, and humanoid dragons, the Dralkons, color the sky. At the heart of this world lies the Roost of Grammel, where Queen Maze sits on the overheated throne, ensnared in a whirlwind of conspiracy and strife. With her kingdom on the razor's edge of chaos, the heat of politics blisters relentlessly. In the spice-ridden milieu of Maze's royal tribulations, our unlikely hero Reinhart appears, struggling to digest his peculiar fate. Their paths merge in an unusual mélange of destiny and dire need, as they bite into the thick crust of Fallenia's challenges. The epic adventure of this duo cooks up the central plot of our story, as they navigate the cauldron of deception, whip up alliances, and serve their enemies with defeat.

Lily Morrison is excited about her job as an associate lawyer in a New York City Law Firm. When SanguinX Pharmaceuticals takes over the floor of her office building, strange things start to happen. Sparks fly when Lily meets the company president and billionaire, Greer Argento and his creepy nephew, Gavin. Greer and Lily have an immediate attraction, but Gavin senses something mysterious about her and sets his sights on her as well. Tension between the two men builds who fight for her and end up revealing their true identity as vampires. SanguinX has already developed LuminX, a secret formula that allows vampires to live in the light. Lily joins them as they try to unravel the mystery behind the lost formula for LamiaX, the drug that will change everything for the modern-day vampires, discovering also other hidden secrets that threaten Lily's life and the future of vampires. Poisoned Blood is created by Evangeline Greene, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

What happens when a dying bartender wakes up in the body of a queen married to a cursed king? Yvonne Jegede is a fiery, no-nonsense bartender with only two months left to live. Diagnosed with a terminal illness, she’s determined to make the most of her days, checking off every wild item on her bucket list. Love? Marriage? Not on the agenda. But fate has other plans. Yvonne was killed but then wakes up in a strange, medieval world, as Queen Anneliese, wife to the infamous, icy, ruthless, and merciless King of Aragón He's not just ruthless; he’s hiding a curse so twisted and unthinkable that no one but he knows the truth. Trapped in a kingdom she doesn’t understand, surrounded by intrigue, danger, and a husband who sees her as little more than a pawn, Yvonne must learn to navigate court life while keeping her true identity a secret. But the king is no fool, and as his suspicions grow, so does her realization that his coldness hides a deeper pain. Can Yvonne break through the walls of this cursed king’s heart? Or will she lose herself, and her chance to return home, in the process? Heaven help her if she doesn’t.

What force of nature is more dangerous than love? Desire. Desire is just as potent as love but more deadly and the high is so addictive that most would say the consequences are worth it. Most except for Julian Doyle. He's guilty of both Love and Desire, and because of this recklessness, he has watched the world change for over a century. Cion has lived her life with the knowledge that the world is not as it seems. Sprites, ghosts, and demons live among the masses, and she is one of the 'lucky' few to know it. Cion and Julien are two completely different supernatural beings. Will they be able to withstand the forces trying to keep them apart? *** To kiss him sober is out of my league. But somehow with all these excuses, I still close my eyes and brace for him. I want to feel the heat of his lips but feel nothing. His breath is on my ear as he mutters, "Your name is beautiful." Poisoned by Desire is created by Lydia Clarke, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

Fu Xiaoxiao transmigrates into a book and immediately faces the crisis of being sent to the countryside. As the unloved middle child, her younger sister is the one meant to go — but her mother transfers her job to the sister instead. A disaster of a start. To avoid being sent away, she has to marry within seven days. She meets a few ordinary men and decides she'd rather go to the countryside. Then she runs into a neighbor who's also looking for a spouse — and his conditions are surprisingly good. A dowry of three hundred? Bicycles and a radio? Just take care of the kids, and separate rooms are fine? The others may pass, but she won't. Every day is a battle of wits with the two kids. Life is eventful, she gets a salary every month, and the boss is never home. Absolutely perfect. Except... wasn't this big shot supposed to be infertile? Then why does he keep strutting around naked in front of her? She has professional ethics. She won't be seduced by a good body. Hmph. Men only slow down her sword swing. Lu Feng grits his teeth at Fu Xiaoxiao, who remains completely unmoved by his countless attempts to seduce her, and traps her in his arms. "Boss, let's talk this through. I know forty a month is a bit much — how about... five less?" Trapped in his embrace, Fu Xiaoxiao thinks he's unhappy with her high salary and starts bargaining. "I'm giving myself to you for free." Lu Feng grinds out through clenched teeth. This woman has no heart. "...Can I say no?" Fu Xiaoxiao swallows, staring at the washboard abs so close. "Such a good deal — are you sure you don't want it?" Lu Feng squints, tempting her. "Fine." A fool turns down a bargain.