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THORN BENEATH THE SILK

The first semester at VIT, Indore, was a humid cocktail of new freedoms and old anxieties. For Gangesh Verma and his band of brothers, it was about finding their footing, usually while tripping over each other. **Scene: The College Library - A supposedly quiet Wednesday afternoon.** Gangesh was buried in a thick book on Jurisprudence, his brow furrowed in concentration. Across the table, Sagar was using a copy of "Economic Theory" as a very expensive pillow, softly snoring. Aditya was scrolling through his phone, muttering under his breath. "Bhench— I mean, seriously? This guy's profile pic is a fish. A fish! How can you take a guy seriously whose greatest achievement is a photograph with a Rohu?" Karan leaned in, a conspiratorial glint in his eye. "Guys, I have a plan. A foolproof strategy to get Sagar through Professor Dixit's class without him ever waking up." Gangesh didn't look up. "Karan, your last 'foolproof strategy' to get canteen samosas for half-price ended with Aditya having to serenade the canteen aunty." "And it almost worked!" Aditya protested, his voice a little too loud for the library. A sharp "Shhh!" came from a nearby aisle. Karan waved it off. "Details, details. This is different. We get a voice recorder, record the lectures, and play them to him while he sleeps. Subconscious learning!" Sagar, without opening his eyes, mumbled, "If you play a lecture, I'll just have nightmares about supply-demand curves." He shifted his head to a more comfortable position on the book. Suddenly, a different sound cut through the quiet—not a shush, but a voice, clear, bold, and laced with impatience. "This is a library, not your personal dormitory. Some of us are actually here to work." They all turned. There she was. Anya Chauhan, standing with a stack of books balanced on her hip, her gaze fixed on their table. She was flanked by her friends. Suman stood just behind her shoulder, a look of pure, unadulterated scorn on her face that could curdle milk. Kusum was slightly behind, her gentle eyes wide with a mix of concern and second-hand embarrassment. Sandhya simply observed them all, her expression unreadable but her eyes missing nothing. Aditya shot up, his pride wounded. "Arre, we were just talking! This isn't a jail, you know." Suman took a half-step forward, her wit sharpened and ready. "The way you're using your brains, it might as well be. The silence is clearly bothering you." Gangesh closed his book with a definitive *thud*. The sound drew everyone's attention. He met Anya's gaze, his own calm but firm. This was his "lead" mode kicking in. "She's right. We were being loud. My apologies." He looked pointedly at Aditya and Karan. His pride wouldn't let him ignore a valid point, even from a rival. His principles demanded he acknowledge the fault. Anya's eyes narrowed slightly, assessing him. She had expected a fight, not a concession. Her pride wasn't satisfied with just an apology. "An apology doesn't magically restore the concentration you broke. Control your... circus." Her gaze swept over the snoring Sagar and the fuming Aditya. It was the word "circus" that did it. It wasn't just an insult to him, but to his friends. His loyalty flared. "We acknowledged our mistake," Gangesh said, his voice dropping, becoming quieter but more intense. "But insulting my friends crosses a line. You have your pride in your work, I have mine in my people. Let's leave it at that. Justice has been served with the apology. Don't push for more." The air crackled. It was no longer about library noise. It was a clash of ideologies. Her fierce protectiveness of her space and her friends' peace versus his principled loyalty to his own. Kusum, sensing the rising tension, gently touched Anya's arm. "Anya, let's go. We found the books we needed." Anya held Gangesh's stare for a second longer, a silent challenge issued and accepted. A small, almost imperceptible smirk from Suman showed she enjoyed the dismantling.
Rudra_Kumar_2983 · 1.6k Views

shadowed desire

After a traumatic incident three years ago, Zara is ready for a fresh start. Moving abroad to Saint Monarch Academy, a prestigious boarding school in London, she hopes for a quiet, uneventful life — far from the shadows of her past and the memories that haunt her every step. But Saint Monarch is anything but quiet. From the moment she arrives, Zara is confronted with chaos: sprawling dorms that resemble mansions, unpredictable roommates, and students whose wealth and influence rule the campus. Among them are Juniper Harrington-King and Isa Windsor, two powerful figures in the school’s hierarchy, whose personalities clash with Zara’s desire for invisibility. And then there’s Saint, the notorious King of Campus, ironically nicknamed for being anything but saintly. When his attention turns to Zara, it’s relentless and unyielding — not because he needs her, but because she’s impossible to ignore. Thrust into the spotlight, Zara must navigate elite social circles, unexpected alliances, and a web of rivalries, all while trying to maintain her sense of self. As she struggles to reconcile her past with her present, Zara discovers that even at a school full of rules, influence, and appearances, nothing — and no one — is truly as they seem. In a place where popularity is power and peace is nearly impossible, Zara’s journey becomes one of self-discovery, resilience, and the challenge of staying true to herself while surviving the storm.
Zara_Nwosu · 3.8k Views

Hurt Me Like You Mean It [BL]

Lance Dixon is drowning in a debt that isn’t his. His parents’ financial mistakes have fallen entirely onto him, and his life has collapsed into a constant struggle to stay afloat. He has never denied what he is. Lance is a masochist, and most people he’s dated couldn’t handle that truth. Every relationship ended the same way, leaving him with needs no one was willing to meet. Everything shifts on a night he drinks too much and ends up venting to a stranger. In a mix of frustration and alcohol, Lance jokes that he’d sell himself to anyone willing to pay off his debt. The stranger, Ansel Lowell, doesn’t brush it off. He asks how much. And when Lance tells him, Ansel offers a deal: three months living under his terms, in exchange for clearing the debt completely. The deal is straightforward and seems almost like relief. But as the days pass, the dynamic between them deepens in ways neither expected. What began as a simple exchange grows into a connection that is far more consuming, and far more dangerous, than either of them intended. [Excerpt] Lance meant to pull away when Ansel stepped closer, but his body didn’t move. Ansel’s hand hovered near his jaw, just close enough to make Lance’s breath catch. “Do you understand what you agreed to?” Ansel asked quietly. Lance swallowed. “You’re paying off my debt. I stay with you for three months. That’s it.” A hint of a smile tugged at Ansel’s mouth, which made him more dangerous because of it. “No, Lance. That’s the surface of it. I want you to hear the truth.” Lance’s pulse stumbled. Ansel leaned in just enough that Lance could feel the warmth of his breath. “I’m going to take up space in your life. I’m going to have you when I want you. I’m going to learn every weakness you try to hide, and I will use them. I will claim you, piece by piece, until you can’t tell where your choices end and mine begin.” Lance exhaled shakily. “Do you worst Mr. Lowell, I can handle it.”
Scone_ · 23.6k Views

The Transmigrated Villainess after her Fall

From Duke’s daughter to famous songwriter/ singer to crown princess, Serena Maxwell did it all. A winner in life who defied the odds of being a novel's villainess. It would have been perfect if it all ended with the royal wedding, but life holds more mystery and follows with misery at times. A divorcee before getting a chance to be widowed, a handicapped Marquis’ younger sister whose parents’ dukedom has been sequestered, poor and too embarrassed to even show her face in public, she can only live simply as a shadow of her former self. Writing plagiarized songs and selling them while in a guise to earn a living. Just when she thought that the situation couldn’t get any worse, worse turned to worst. Despite their self-imposed hiding, a Court Summons arrived summoning her brother to court to face graft charges with possible lifetime imprisonment as sentence. Determined to find help, she seeks the young minister of Justice, the heir to the Brenford dukedom, Christopher Cross. However, given her current position, it’s not easy to approach said esteemed person even when they were old acquaintances. With no better choice, there’s only one place she can go to be able to meet him. Back to the glitzy, glamorous, and pretentious ballrooms of the nobility facing old acquaintances, from holding the crown to being the clown, becoming the butt of all jokes while receiving surly stares and audacious propositions from the male peers, Serena can only swallow her pride and brave it all. -- After his revenge, Grand Duke Charlton Daniel has become one of the most accomplished and distinguished noble with an unshakable status in society. However, at the end of the day, he felt empty. He used and betrayed his lover to get the best of his cousin. He deceived his ailing mother, the younger sister of the former king, while taking part of the party ousting the royal family. He now has everything, but at the same time, nothing. Sometimes he wonders, was everything he did, worth it? Faced with the emptiness and loneliness despite emerging triumphant, he could only come to terms with the phrase, life must go on. Determined to move on from the past, he started seeing duke Ligeti’s granddaughter, Larissa. She was innocent and naïve, but she gave him peace of mind. So, with building a family in mind, he was thinking of proposing marriage. However, just when he thought that he found his solace, his past lover suddenly appeared before his eyes. She was as beautiful as he first saw her, or maybe even more. Was it the lights or just something in her eyes? Without doing anything, she caused waves and even tsunamis in his heart. Deny it all he might, something was still there. Yet, no. After all she did to him, and him to her, they were over. He can’t possibly forsake his present lover because she came back to... she was back for him, wasn’t she? And just when this thought processed in his mind, reality came crushing in. Before his very eyes, she was seducing another man. -- Will Serena and Charlton rekindle their love this time around? Or will she find true love in another man’s arms? Read and find out! (update schedule, 1-2 chapters a day)
champilyn · 112.2k Views
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Taming the Beast World with a Frying Pan

[Warning: Mature Content R-18+] Ren, a world-class chef with a low tolerance for idiots, didn't plan on dying. She definitely didn't plan on waking up in a jungle where the men have ears, tails, and absolutely zero concept of personal space. Welcome to the Beast World, where "courtship" usually involves a dead carcass at your feet and a very direct sniff of your behind. Ren’s goal? Survival. The Beastmen’s goal? Breeding. Armed only with a cast-iron skillet and a Gourmet Hunter System that trolls her as much as it helps, Ren realizes she has a unique problem. Her cooking is so good it cures the beasts' "Feral Madness." The side effect? It makes them incredibly… frustrated. Now, she’s stuck with four apex predators who look at her like she’s the main course. Ren just wants to open a restaurant and introduce civilization to these savages. Unfortunately, they’re more interested in glazing her buns than the ones in the oven. Warning: Contains heavy comedy, shameless flirting, accidental flashing, and a slow burn that will leave you as thirsty as the male leads. ----- Excerpt: "Put that down!" Ren shrieked, wielding her spatula like a sword. Kael, the massive White Tiger beastman, froze. He was currently naked, gloriously muscular, and holding her lace underwear between two sharp claws like it was a delicate flower. "This," Kael grumbled, sniffing the fabric deeply, "smells like you. But why is it so small? It covers nothing. Is this a courting gift?" "It’s a thong, you over-sized house cat! Give it back!" "No," Kael growled low in his throat, his golden eyes darkening with heat as he stepped closer, backing her into the kitchen counter. "If you want it back, you’ll have to take it from me. Preferably with your teeth." [System Notification: The Target 'Kael' has entered Mating Heat. Recommended Action: Run... or appease the beast.] Ren looked at the system screen, then at the eight-pack abs in front of her. "I hate this world." ** Let's Connect: Instagram: dolly_.roma Discord: DollyRoma#7887
DollyRoma · 29.4k Views

Wanted By My Alpha Boyfriend, Mated To My Alpha Boss

She was the promise he had to keep. She was the revenge he had to take. Now, she's the prize in a war between two Alphas. For Elara, an ordinary Omega struggling to survive, dating Lucian Knight feels like a dream. He’s a powerful Alpha CEO, devastatingly handsome, and for the past year, he’s been her perfect, devoted boyfriend. On the night he plans to propose, her dream shatters into a million pieces. She discovers the truth about his past—a past as a vicious playboy who deliberately destroyed loving relationships. The very reason he’s a reformed man is the reason she has to leave him. Heartbroken and reeling, Elara does the most impulsive thing of her life. She accepts a contract marriage from her enigmatic and cold-hearted boss, the billionaire Alpha CEO Victor Sterling. He offers security, respect, and a gilded cage far from the pain of her broken heart. It seems like a practical, if icy, escape. But Victor has a secret. He is Lucian’s sworn enemy, the man whose own happiness and belief in love were obliterated by Lucian’s cruelty years ago. The contract marriage is his masterstroke of revenge, a calculated move to steal the woman his rival loves. Elara is nothing but a pawn in a dangerous game forged from a broken past. Now, two dominant Alphas are locked in a brutal war for her heart and her future. Lucian, desperate to win back the woman who saved him from himself, will stop at nothing to reclaim her. Victor, who planned to use her, finds his frozen heart beginning to thaw in her presence, rediscovering a warmth he thought was lost forever. Caught between the reformed devil she loved and the ruthless husband she’s bound to, Elara must navigate a world of obsession, vengeance, and unexpected passion. When she uncovers the devastating truth behind her marriage of convenience, one question remains: In a battle of two Alphas, who does an Omega truly choose: the man who wants her, or the man who needs her?
Heartgainer · 23.5k Views

Restaurant in Douluo Dalu

"I, Qian Daoliu, a level 99 peerless Douluo, am willing to guard your door—just let me have one extra meal a day!" The Grand Elder of the Spirit Hall was willing to become a restaurant’s security guard for nothing more than a bowl of fried rice. Pope Bibi Dong emptied the Spirit Hall’s treasury just to secure three meals a day for a whole month! It all began with a mysterious restaurant called Maple Dye Pavilion in Wuhun City. The rules here were unusual: Only Soul Masters were allowed to dine, and each could eat only once per day. A bowl of clear soup noodles cost one hundred gold soul coins, and ordinary Soul Masters would see their soul power increase instantly after eating it. Only a Soul King could order a plate of Mapo Tofu, and after eating it, they could even obtain a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring! Ju Douluo Yueguan discovered the perfect companion for the immortal herb Qirong Tongtian Ju during a single meal. Hu Liena, Yan, and Xie Yue became loyal fans of the restaurant, queuing up to eat there every day. Here, skill determined the menu, and luck determined your future. Soul rings, soul bones, martial soul evolution, immortal herbs… anything was possible. When all the powerful figures of the Douluo Continent became regular customers of the restaurant, what would become of the continent’s 格局 (overall structure or balance of power)? Tang San exclaimed: "All my hidden weapons and martial arts techniques… how did they all end up as prizes in the restaurant’s raffle?!"
ATOMIC_ZOHAK · 410.3k Views