Chained Hearts: From Slavery to Sovereignty - Chapter 68: You... love someone?

“I never spent a dime from your debt, you both lost it gambling always…” Another slap landed on Astrid's face and this came from none other than her dad, Josh.“You ungrateful brat, it's only the request I am pleading for,” Josh let out and then a sardonic smile escaped her lips.She wiped the tears from her face and now stood from the ground.“I am not going to get married to a man old enough to be my father.” she declared firmly this time not avoiding eye contact with her dad that much.“What?” Josh's voice countered.“Why for once can't you love me?” She cried out her hands moving to her chest as she tried to hold in her tears.Josh moved closer to her, lifting her by her chin roughly, “Then do this one favor for me and save us from losing everything I have ever worked for,” His voice was a bit calm but stern, one could tell he didn't care about Astrid.********Astrid Daniels who is hated by everyone and is known as the faso of family is forced to get married to the man arranged by her father to protect his company from plummeting and also help in paying his debt.She refused but then was told by her dad that he would help pay for her mum’s surgery if she was doing his wish.Since she was a high school drop she couldn't get a good job to pay for her mum's surgery so she needed to agree to her dad’s proposal.On the day of her wedding ceremony with the older man, things turn around when she goes into the wrong hall and gets married to one of the richest men in their city and also her crush.What fate do you think awaits her?

Everything was wrong in Dante's life, so in one last breath, he faded away, thinking he could finally rest in peace. However, fate played him another hand, changing his course and reincarnating him into a completely new world, born again as an orphan. He was soon adopted by the Strongest Vampire in the World, Valentina Scarlet.Amidst the dawn of the New Era, prophesied as “Age of the Stars,” where incredible beings with power will dominate everything within their reach, Dante finds himself immersed in an era akin to a frenetic flame of madness that will ignite the hearts of youth to the far reaches of the stars. Now, Dante only wants to become the strongest of them all to protect his beloved wives whom he will encounter along his bloody path.The Demon King of Devastation will shake the world completely, and the world will tremble. Lastly, if you truly enjoy the story, I invite you to leave your comments, criticisms, and stones of power! I need your support to rise higher every day!

Fate, a gatekeeper who had been working for the castle, is beset by a few burdens.

Anton is a great-grandfather. He is living quite a happy life, despite his advanced age and declining health… until a group of cultivator bandits moves into the area. The nearby guardians of the area, the Order of Ninety-Nine Stars, are unable to track them down as they continue to ravage nearby towns. During one desperate winter Anton is out on a hunt when his family- his entire village- is killed or taken as slaves by the bandits. He lacks the strength to fight them, and he wasn’t even present for their arrival to die with his loved ones. At the pit of his despair, he wonders if he ever had any chance to change things. What could he even do? He cannot even pull his best bow, and his eyesight is failing. If he had been a cultivator… perhaps there might have been a chance, but he was decades- perhaps even most of his life- too late.Participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge (2022)Notes on cultivation levels:There are five general stages of cultivation, though the fifth is extremely rare. Each cultivation style might have their own name for the stages.1. Body Tempering2. Spirit Building/ occasionally System Creation (Ninety-Nine Stars)3. Constellation Formation (Ninety-Nine Stars)4. Life Transformation/Galaxy Construction (Ninety-Nine Stars)5. Ascension