Love and Crosses: What The Heart Wants
Joyce Iheanacho · Ongoing · 119.3k Words
Introduction
Meet Riele Grants, a twenty-two-year-old lady, vibrant and cheerful. She works as Kim's assistant. She hated Kim because of his cold personality but when she got closer to him, she found out he was a cold jerk with a warm heart and slowly she found herself falling deeper in love with him. She thought she saw those signs visible in him too not until his first love came and he became a different person.
"I told you several times, I don't have feelings for you anymore," Kim answered her.
She finally got him to talk after pestering him for a long time. How does a person change in such a matter of time? She wondered. "What about everything we shared? The love? The..."
"You were nothing but an obsession to me, Riele." he cuts in.
Riele looked at the lady beside him who was holding his hand as if her life depended on it. "Are you saying all this because of her? If you..." before she got to finish her words, he pulled Jane closer and kissed her.
She got the answer she needed. She was nothing but an obsession he is trying to get rid of. She shouldn't have trusted her heart to handle this situation. She should have used her head instead.
Chapter 1
The feeling of waking up on Monday mornings can be very traumatizing. Riele thought as she got up from bed. Life has decided to cheat on her over everything. Her mom is being hospitalized after the incident that happened a few years ago. All she has now is her younger brother- Harry. A ten-year-old vibrant boy with glowing bronze eyes and shiny black hair that was believed he got from his dad. Riele never really knew who her father was or what he looks like. Her mom-Esmeralda had been the one taking care of them. Anytime Riele brings out the topic of her dad, her mom always dodges the topic and she didn't understand why. But she didn't mind because Esmeralda made sure her children weren't lacking anything at all.
Riele checked her time, it was just seven- forty-five which means she has fifteen minutes to prepare herself for work, or the company bus would go without her. She entered the bathroom, did all she needed to, and for the next ten minutes, she was out. She opened her wardrobe and she scanned through all the clothes she has.
"I do need to go shopping". she said as she took out a blue crop top with black-tummy trousers. "When you work in a modeling industry, you've got to show it". she quickly put her clothes on, brushed her wavy dark brown hair which she packed up in a ponytail, and wore her favorite moon-star-shaped necklace. Glancing one more time at the mirror, she looked good to go. She brought out her blue canvas and wore it.
She was admiring herself when the company horn beeped. Picking up her bag and trying to remember if she isn't forgetting anything, she went out of the house, locked the door, and entered the bus.
"Good morning Mr. Anderson." she greeted the bus driver who returned her greeting with a smile.
Since she was the first on the bus, she took her seat on the second seat by the right close to the window. Riele is someone who loves watching the movement of things when the car is moving.
"How is Esmeralda?". Mr. Anderson asked as he started the engine and drove to the next house.
"Same old story". Riele answered trying not to feel the effect on her mother.
"and Harry?".
"He's having a sleepover at his friend's place should be back by this time next week". She answered.
The bus stopped at different stations as more company workers entered the bus. Riele was the kind of person who kept to herself so she didn't talk to most of them but she has a female bestie who means the world to her.
Checking her phone for any updates, a text came in from Charlotte- Charlotte. Riele opened the message.
Charlotte
Where the heaven are you? Don't tell me you overslept and forgot what day it is.
"Calm your bowels down! I'll be there before you even say the word Abracadabra". Riele pressed the sent icon as she kept her phone aside to enjoy the rest of the ride.
Thirty minutes ride and Riele was almost dozing off even though she slept early yesterday.
"Didn't have much sleep last night?". A guy(Allen) asked as he tapped her shoulder.
"She was probably having a nightmare of being chased by crocodiles". A girl (Madison) said as she waited for Riele to get off the bus.
"Ah ah! Very funny!". Riele said as she got off the bus and waved to the two people she just had a conversation with.
Walking to the company, Riele's countenance fell but she didn't understand why. She became sad all of a sudden. Entering the elevator which she was thankful was empty, she pressed the number 3 button on the elevator keypad since her office was on the third floor.
Waiting patiently for the elevator to make that clicking sound, the elevator door opened and she came out only for her to find her bestie in the whole world right in front of her with her arms folded across her chest.
"Took you long enough". Charlotte said as Riele hugged her which of course she returned gladly. "guess what". Charlotte said.
"You know I suck at that".Riele told her almost whining as she went to her seat. Charlotte dragged her chair closer to Riele who was setting her table.
"Guess who is retiring?". She asked.
Riele stopped what she was doing as she glanced at her friend who seems happy about this whole thing.
"Blow me away". Riele said waiting to be stunned.
"Mr. Owen".
"What?".
Mr. Owen is the CEO of the company but he was a transferee. Talk about a man in his latest fifties who can dress a monkey to look beautiful. This man has that gift.
"Why is he retiring?". Riele asked.
"He is old?". Charlotte said as she pushed her chair back to her desk.
Riele didn't know whether to be sad or happy but if the man is happy about leaving then she should be happy about it too.
"Riele Grants!". A voice called.
"Talk about the devil". Charlotte whispered loud enough for Riele to hear.
"Miss Grants!". He called again making Riele almost jump up from her seat.
"Yes, I'm here". She said raising her hand for identification.
"Good thing you are here". Mr. Owen said as Riele looked at Charlotte who was also looking at her. "I need you in my office". The man said before moving away. As if sensing he wasn't following, he yelled. "Now!". That was enough to get Riele moving.
"Please take your seat". The man gestured as he pointed to a seat in front of him. He sat facing her. "I know you might be wondering why I called you". He started. "The thing is I am an old man and I need to leave this company so that I can rest and have another person who is vibrant take the position".
"But what does that have to do with me?". Riele asked not understanding why his retirement and the new CEO have to involve her.
"That's where you come in as the personal assistant of the new CEO". He announced with a smile on his face expecting to see a happy Riele but her reaction threw him off.
"What?".
"We have checked and cross-checked and it's proven that you're the lady for the job. You will be a Personal Assistant to the world's best model. I also heard that he is a member of a boyband in New York City, what's there not to like?". The man said crossing his arms across his chest as he stared at the shocked Riele.
"Don't I at least have a say on this?".
"No. It's been settled".
"This is so not fair. What if I don't like him? Or what if I don't like the idea of working with him?". she asked almost biting her nails off. It's a sign that she is nervous. "Or what if he doesn't like the idea that I talk too much? Or what if he gets angry because I bite my nails". She argued
"No one likes it when you do that". Mr. Owen said as he handed her a file.
"That's his file". Riele collected it as she flip the pages over.
Mr. Owen stood up and was about to leave when he remembered something. "And you will be picking him up at the airport. Make sure nothing happens to him". Before Riele could complain, the man had already left the office.
Riele sunk to her seat as she went through the file given to her. She will be picking up the new CEO tomorrow around two in the afternoon. "Kim Huxley." She reads as she closed the file, resting her head on the table as she imagined what the future had installed like for her and if she was ready to face it.
Last Chapters
#107 Final chapter: Three years later
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#106 Chapter 106: Honeymoon
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#105 105: The Wedding
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#104 Chapter 104: A mother's blessing
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#103 Chapter 103: A mother's wish
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#102 Chapter 102: All in the past now
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#101 Chapter 101: Kim's change of heart
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#100 Chapter 100: The proposal
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#99 Chapter 99: You only get one chance
Last Updated: 1/21/2026#98 Chapter 98: Don't leave
Last Updated: 1/21/2026
You Might Like 😍
The MC Hacker’s Stolen Princess
She did not come to find out her father had promised her to another man.
As the only daughter of Shane “Rook” Rourke, president of the Lost Coast Renegades MC, Taryn has always known club business comes first. But when Rook signs a treaty with the dangerous president of Iron Mesa, he crosses a line even she never imagined.
Safe passage through Arizona territory comes with a price.
Her.
Kellan Stroud is thirty, powerful, ruthless, and already waiting at Sturgis to meet the woman he expects to marry.
Taryn wants no part of him, no part of the agreement, and definitely no part of a future chosen for her by two men who think a signature is enough to decide where she belongs.
Then she meets Bobby Fuentes.
At twenty, Bobby is one of the youngest fully patched members of the Sons of Doom MC. He is quiet until he has something to say, dangerous when he needs to be, and smart enough to get into places no one else can. Hacking is what he does best.
Until Taryn gives him a new problem to solve.
One reckless connection at Sturgis becomes something neither of them can ignore, and when Bobby realizes exactly what Rook has promised away, walking away stops being an option.
But stealing another president’s future wife is not a misunderstanding.
It is an insult.
A betrayal.
And in the MC world, it can mean war.
Taryn refuses to be anyone’s property.
Bobby has never been good at following rules.
And Kellan Stroud does not forgive what he believes belongs to him.
The road out of Sturgis may cost them everything first.
The Legacy Game
When scholarship student Chris Linds stumbles onto a mystery someone has killed to protect, she becomes the next target. The only person standing between her and death is Ashen Ford, the academy's cold, untouchable Student Council President—and heir to one of Corvain's founding families.
As anonymous invitations summon twelve students into the legendary Legacy Game, alliances fracture, secrets surface, and every challenge brings another deadly truth to light. But the greatest secret isn't who will win.
It's why one winner vanished without a trace... and why someone will do anything to make sure history repeats itself.
The Spy Who Left
"I still can't believe she actually did it. Aria Hart, filing for divorce. Who saw that coming?"
"How long do we think it'll take before she comes crawling back?" Another voice joins the conversation.
"Three days," Victoria declares. "Five at most. She has no money, no skills, no family. Where's she going to go?"
When Aria Chen divorced billionaire Leon Hart, New York's elite sneered, betting she'd crawl back within days. She never did.
Three years later, the world is rocked when Dr. Aria Vale, CEO of a revolutionary cybersecurity empire, steps into the spotlight. The mysterious genius who built a billion-dollar company from nothing is none other than Leon's discarded wife, the woman everyone thought was just a pretty ornament.
Now, every powerful man wants the queen Leon threw away a renowned scientist seeking partnership, a financial titan proposing an empire, and an actor offering devotion. Each sees the brilliance Leon ignored.
Then Leon discovers the truth: Aria's sacrifices, her secret double life, and the daughter she's been raising without him. For the first time, the man who once took her for granted must fight for her love. But can he compete with men who valued her from the beginning?
A story of love, betrayal, and power where the king must kneel before the queen who never needed saving.
Tempted By The Enemy
She escapes to Preston Island to attend the wedding without informing him only to collide with Lucas’s hot, fiery and arrogant brother, the twenty-three-year-old, Nicholas Donnelly. Sparks immediately fly between them but Alyssa refuses to acknowledge them fearing her brother's wrath.
The wedding is over and Alyssa tries hard to forget the mysterious Nicholas Donnelly but can he forget her? Can he ignore the attraction he feels for her, feelings that have resurfaced after ten years?
What will Allyssa do when she is stalked by the man who has been invading her dreams since the day she met him? What will she do when she is whisked away to a deserted island by the unpredictable Nicholas Donnelly? Can she tame her heart or surrender to sinful temptations? Read to find out!
Part of the Temptation Series. Can be read as a standalone.
Let Them Kneel
Cast out by her pack. Forgotten by the Lycans.
She lived among humans—quiet, invisible, tucked away in a town no one looked at twice.
But when her first heat comes without warning, everything changes.
Her body ignites. Her instincts scream. And something primal stirs beneath her skin—
summoning a big, bad Alpha who knows exactly how to quench her fire.
When he claims her, it’s ecstasy and ruin.
For the first time, she believes she’s been accepted.
Seen.
Chosen.
Until he leaves her the next morning—
like a secret never to be spoken.
But Kaelani is not what they thought.
Not wolfless. Not weak.
There is something ancient inside her. Something powerful. And it’s waking.
And when it does—
they’ll all remember the girl they tried to erase.
Especially him.
She’ll be the dream he keeps chasing… the one thing that ever made him feel alive.
Because secrets never stay buried.
And neither do dreams.
Faking It With My Worst Enemy On Ice
But on his birthday, everything falls apart when his girlfriend exposes Clare's most humiliating secret in front of the entire team.
Just when Clare is ready to disappear, Rhys Calloway, her worst enemy and the team's arrogant captain, pulls her into his arms and tells everyone she is his girlfriend.
She should have pushed him away, but she kissed him back instead.
Now Clare is locked into a two-month fake relationship with the most infuriating man she has ever met, trying to get over a stepbrother who never cared and survive a captain who makes her forget why she was supposed to hate him.
The problem is that Rhys kisses like he means every single second of it, and just when Clare starts to move on, Zane decides he wants her back.
One girl, two hockey players, and a heart that was never supposed to feel this much. Will she choose the stepbrother who broke her or the enemy who caught her when she fell?
Rejected By My Family, Desired By The Mafia
While the real heiress struggled to survive, the nanny’s daughter, Talia, was raised in luxury as the beloved jewel of the Laurent family, pampered by Camille’s parents, adored by her three brothers, and even promised to the prestigious Matteo Devereux through a childhood engagement arranged by their grandparents.
Then the truth came out.
Six months ago, Camille was finally brought back to the Laurent family. To protect the family reputation and prove their devotion to their bloodline, the Laurent patriarch transferred 35% of his personal shares into Camille’s name overnight, instantly making her one of the wealthiest heiresses in the country.
It brought anxiety to all the Laurent family. But what they don’t know…is that Camille never needed them.
Behind her elegant smile lies a woman filled with secrets powerful enough to shake the whole family. She's a miraculous healer capable of curing the incurable poisons.
Yet despite everything, her family still chooses Talia.
Every accusation against Talia is forgiven. Every scheme against Camille is brushed aside. Even Matteo, the man who was supposed to be Camille’s fiancé—cannot let go of the woman he always believed belonged by his side.
But while the Laurent family underestimates Camille, another man begins to see exactly who she is.
Dante Moretti.
The ruthless heir of an old-money dynasty. A billionaire CEO worshipped by the public…and the merciless king of a criminal empire hidden beneath the city’s glittering surface. When Dante is poisoned by a rival syndicate with a deadly toxin no doctor can cure, he offers a fortune for anyone who can save him.
Only Camille can. Their deal is simple: she becomes his personal physician, and he gives her anything she wants.
The Mafia King's Unknown Doctor Wife
Tango 2 the Alpha's Heart
My gaze snapped to his. He was smiling, causing my heart to skip a painful beat. Before I could respond, the music began, and my body instinctively reacted to the sweet melody.
I found myself molded to Lex's will, my feet irresistibly following the dance steps.
The crowd gasped as Lex pulled me into a more intimate position, his hands roaming over my body in a seductive manner.
The experience was both terrifying and magical, allowing me to feel every longing emotion through the dance.
I soon found myself lost in his arms.
When the music finally stopped, my arms were wrapped around his neck, his hands resting on my back, our noses almost touching. He gazed deeply into my eyes.
The ballroom fell silent.
Was he about to kiss me?
Lilly’s life was never easy; she lost her memory and family in a blazing fire. Angelica found and took her in—only to make her a slave to the household.
Years of torment and abuse left Lilly weak, vulnerable, and believing she was without a wolf, but that didn't mean that all hope was lost.
At night, in her dreams, he would patiently wait for her—the man who brought sunshine into her darkest moments.
They would dance the night away, but as dawn approached, he would vanish into the morning sun.
Lilly had given up hope of finding a mate, having a family, and leading a normal life.
But things are about to drastically change for her...
Secrets, lies, betrayal... and a baby on the way.
What if Lilly wasn't wolf-less? What if it was all a lie?
What if she had a living family? Would she stay and bond with them or make a run for freedom?
MOONLIT CHASE
But no, I had to walk through the park at midnight like an idiot. Now I've seen something I can't unsee—a massive black wolf tearing apart three men, then shifting into the hottest guy I've ever laid eyes on.
Kieran Vaughn. Wealthy lawyer, werewolf, and apparently, he thinks I'm his mate.
Here's the problem: I don't do relationships. I definitely don't do supernatural things. I absolutely don't do rich guys who think they can control my life just because their inner wolf has decided I smell like home.
When hunters start targeting me to get to him, Kieran drags me into his pristine penthouse for "protection." Now I'm living with a man who looks at me like I'm his last meal, whose touch sets my skin on fire, and who's barely holding onto his control.
He says everyone he loves dies. I say that's not my problem except it is because I'm falling for this broken, dangerous man and his beast.
And in his world? Love will get you killed.
My Billionaire Husband's Secret
He was the CEO of the Blackwood Group — a man whose wealth and power eclipsed ninety-nine percent of the world.
He was gentle. Romantic. Attentive. I fell for him fast.
But a year into our marriage, I began to notice something — a pattern.
Lucas's sexual appetite was intense — he wanted me almost every night. Yet every single month, he arranged a solo trip to send me away. I told myself it was his way of spoiling me.
Then a message arrived from someone called Sweet An.
Do you really know your husband?
From that day on, my life filled with shadows.
I suspected my husband of having an affair.
When Lucas and I made love, something felt wrong — his body too large, too much, like something I couldn't explain.
I heard sounds during sex — animal sounds, like something feral had crawled into bed with us.
My best friend Mia said: "There are men sick enough to let dogs fuck their wives."
The family doctor, Daisy, told me: "You could never stay by Lucas's side forever. Your background doesn't make you worthy of being his wife. Do you understand?"
I went looking for whoever had been tearing my marriage apart. I fought to win my husband back.
But the deeper I searched, the larger the secret grew — something far darker hiding beneath this supposed betrayal.
Does Lucas truly love me?
And why, out of everyone in the world, did he choose to marry me?
THE CHRONO WITCH: BENDING TIME TO SAVE HIM
What she wasn't ready for was finding out Zayn Ponteris had been dead the entire time.
The grief shatters something inside her. And before anyone can stop it, Kayla does something no sorceress should be able to do—she travels back in time.
Suddenly she's fifteen again, standing at their end of year formal, with Zayn alive and right in front of her, completely unaware that in another timeline she watched his parents mourn him.
This time, Kayla is determined to save him. Except nothing goes according to plan.
Zayn has a girlfriend. And the closer Kayla gets to changing his fate, the more she realizes her powers are bigger and more dangerous than she ever imagined.
The supernatural world is closing in. The clock is running out. And the one person standing between Kayla and everything hunting her is the same boy she keeps bending time to protect.
Kayla has no idea what's in store for her.
Because when you bend time, fate bends back.
