all the robots in real steel

In the Valenti Family, you're born with a chip. It's fused into the bio-watch on your wrist, its digital face counting down every second you have left to live. Everyone could see the numbers ticking down on my twin sister's watch. And on mine. They all knew she would die on our 18th birthday. So Vivian became the untouchable princess of our brutal world. Every diamond-stitched gown was hers. The rarest jewels were hers. Even our father's last shred of humanity was hers. That single sliver of warmth he showed only after his gun was holstered. I used to pity her. Her time was running out. But God, I envied her. She had everything I never did: our parents' love. Then, the night of her 18th birthday party. My parents worried I'd make a scene. That I'd piss off the Don of an allied Family. So they locked me in the cellar. Damp. Cold. While a deadly fever burned through me. I pounded on the heavy oak door, my voice cracking. "Mamma, please! Let me out! I'm burning up. My head is splitting open…" Outside, my mother's voice was a steel trap. "Enough, Sienna! Today is your sister’s 18th birthday. Her last day alive! Stop the theatrics! Can't you suffer in silence for the Family's honor?" "But I'm really sick..." Her footsteps clicked away, fading into nothing. Then the darkness swallowed me whole. And on my wrist, the bio-watch was flashing a critical alert. CRITICAL ALERT: Vital signs mismatch. Paired chip data incompatible. Please verify user.

Leonard Miller nearly dies a dozen times completing every level of a mysterious game in closed beta. The moment he returns to the real world, the game goes live.On Earth, for everyone, whether they signed up or not. Dragged back in against his will, Leonard has one edge no other player does: he's already been through all of it. Armed with maxed-out attributes and complete knowledge of every trap and pattern, he tears through the stages, protects the people he loves, builds alliances, and slowly pieces together a chilling truth that a higher civilization has been using Earth as a playground. He intends to shut it down permanently.

Leonard Miller nearly dies a dozen times completing every level of a mysterious game in closed beta. The moment he returns to the real world, the game goes live.On Earth, for everyone, whether they signed up or not. Dragged back in against his will, Leonard has one edge no other player does: he's already been through all of it. Armed with maxed-out attributes and complete knowledge of every trap and pattern, he tears through the stages, protects the people he loves, builds alliances, and slowly pieces together a chilling truth that a higher civilization has been using Earth as a playground. He intends to shut it down permanently.

After her father's betrayal destroys her family, Jeri Snider abandons her fortune and disappears, only to be saved by struggling entrepreneur Clayton Lynn. She helps him build his empire in secret, but once he rises to power, he turns on her, even cheating with her relative, July. When July exposes Jeri and sets her up to be assaulted, mysterious tycoon Craig Lawson intervenes. But why does he care? Jeri once left him without explanation, and now his sudden return feels… calculated. Is love the real motive? Or is this marriage just another trap? Jeri must outsmart them all—before she loses everything for good.

After I was caught in a dockside explosion, I was bound to a Survival Program. It gave me twenty-five years and four designated targets. If even one target’s Love Score or bond score reached 100%, I could wake up in my real world. But I failed all four. Because every target I tried to reach eventually turned toward Sophia Lane, the heroine of this world. They called my pain a performance. They called my tears manipulation. They said I was only pretending to break down so they would choose me over Sophia. But if they never loved me, why did they lose control when my mission failed and I chose to leave this world for good?

"I married the Don for safety. His sons decided I was the real inheritance. Two feet in front of me, Damien drives and hums along to the radio like nothing is wrong. Behind him, in the cramped backseat of our escape car, his sons’ hands are already sliding under my skirt. Every desert bump pushes them higher. Every glance in the rearview mirror is a single breath away from disaster. What starts as stolen touches turns into something I can no longer pretend is one-sided. On the boat, on horseback, in places where a single sound would destroy us all — they keep taking more. And the worst part isn’t how far they go. It’s how badly I’m starting to want them to."

When Landon Scott gets dropped into a supernatural apocalypse overrun by terrifying female anomalies, everyone else runs. Landon does not run. Red Bride haunting the wedding hall gets kissed before she can scream. Ruby Dreadlord of the Bloody Hospital, fearsome sovereign of the undead, is spoiled so relentlessly she forgets to be terrifying. The spider goddess Lady Arachnid of Silken Inn? His new favorite, naturally. He isn't fighting his way through this cursed world. He's charming it, one horrifying entity at a time, until the most feared anomalies in existence are squabbling over his attention. Everyone calls this the age of the bizarre apocalypse.The anomalies have started to suspect the real danger was him all along.

An accident leads to Priscilla Hilton becoming pregnant with a CEO Samuel Walker’s child. Years later, through a twist of fate, she enters a flash marriage with Samuel while bringing her son along. What was supposed to be just another business deal turns into something completely unexpected.Samuel's family falls head over heels for her.His mother dotes on her like her own daughter, his father showers her with gifts, and his sister becomes her biggest supporter.They spoil both Priscilla and her little boy beyond belief. She keeps reminding herself this is all temporary, just until the contract ends. But when the truth finally comes out, she discovers she might actually be the real deal after all.

In her past life, Stella begged the Smith family for affection her entire life but never received even a shred of it. They broke her hands, stole her company, and in the end, Wendy Smith ran her over and killed her. After rebirth, Stella leaves behind a massive sum of money, severs all ties with the Smith family, and reunites with her real father, billionaire tycoon Ben Harrison. Ben becomes utterly devoted to his daughter, showering her with endless love. The heir of the Fenton family falls for Stella at first sight and vows to marry no one else. Using cutting-edge technology, Stella heals herself and reclaims everything she lost in her previous life. The Smith family is left completely stunned, begging Stella to come back and be part of their family again. Stella just laughs in their faces.

Emily Silva and Julian Ford sign their divorce papers and somehow end up in ancient famine-era by nightfall, suddenly parents to two children they've never met. Stranded and responsible, they discover they're bound to a system that lets them sell antiques for coins to buy food as a lifeline in a starving village. With no way home and survival demanding cooperation,they shelve the divorce. What starts as pragmatic partnership slowly becomes something neither of them planned: a real marriage, a real family, and a life they didn't know they wanted until they were living it.

Emily Silva and Julian Ford sign their divorce papers and somehow end up in ancient famine-era by nightfall, suddenly parents to two children they've never met. Stranded and responsible, they discover they're bound to a system that lets them sell antiques for coins to buy food as a lifeline in a starving village. With no way home and survival demanding cooperation,they shelve the divorce. What starts as pragmatic partnership slowly becomes something neither of them planned: a real marriage, a real family, and a life they didn't know they wanted until they were living it.

Audio host Roxy Jenkins accidentally connects with a listener named "Bl4ck" who's trapped in a dangerous situation during her live stream. She guides "Bl4ck" to safety, and he mysteriously vanishes, leaving Roxy with a pile of problems.Just as Roxy is overwhelmed, she encounters "Bl4ck" in real life. His real name is Jakob Longman, and he's from three years in the future. Jakob tells Roxy she'll die in one year. Refusing to accept fate, Roxy teams up with Jakob to fight the mastermind behind it all. They fall in love along the way, successfully expose the villain, and change her destiny.

After our eighty-eighth canceled wedding, I called my business partner. "I'm taking the Haviana market project." There was a beat of stunned silence. "Seriously? That's ten years overseas. You just got married—well, weren't you? Does your husband even know? What about your parents? You always said staying close to them was everything." I glanced around the empty church and let out a sharp laugh. "There was no wedding. No husband. And my parents? They've got Cindy. That's all they need." Another pause. "Alright. Pack your bags. You leave tomorrow." After the call, I ran a hand down my wedding dress. One last tear slipped out, quiet and pointless. Cindy had another "episode" today. Claimed she'd off herself. Andrew canceled—again. I'd looked at him, drained. "It's the eighty-eighth time." He dropped his head, guilt all over him. "Just a little more time, Viv. She's been off since the accident. I'm scared she'll actually do it. I swear, I'll talk to her. For real this time. Then we'll get married. Promise." My parents didn't hesitate. "Vivian, let Andrew go. If Cindy hadn't gotten kidnapped trying to save you, she wouldn't have these breakdowns. Are you really putting a wedding over your sister's life?" "How could you be so selfish?" I'd heard it all before. Used to fight it. Not this time. If neither my fiancé nor my parents wanted me around, then fine. I'd leave.

Just because she was a helpless orphan, her mother-in-law insulted her, her husband had an affair with a rich girl, and even forced her to divorce and give him the house left by her mother! As she lay helpless on that rainy night, suddenly five men claiming to be her fathers appeared, one was a billionaire real estate tycoon, one was an international movie star, one was a world-renowned top doctor, one was a top scientist, and one was the leader of a global mercenary organization! Then she gradually learned the story of her parents. It didn't matter who her real father was, what mattered was that her fathers loved her and spoilt her, helped her get back at the bullies, and made her life smooth sailing from then on to the top of the world!

Five years ago, Zoey Campbell, the medical talent, was set up with her babies carved out of her belly. The mastermind behind the scene seized the baby boy and drove a wedge between Zoey and her husband, Ian Fleming. Five years later, Zoey came back with her daughter Anna, a talented hacker, seeking vengeance! After a series of twisted plots, Zoey realized she had taken the wrong boy as her son. The boy's real mother was the same one who arranged the brutal operation five years ago. Zoey's real son had been kept this vicious schemer as her punching bag! And the one who planned everything was actually Ian's evil twin brother...

Just because she was a helpless orphan, her mother-in-law insulted her, her husband had an affair with a rich girl, and even forced her to divorce and give him the house left by her mother! As she lay helpless on that rainy night, suddenly five men claiming to be her fathers appeared, one was a billionaire real estate tycoon, one was an international movie star, one was a world-renowned top doctor, one was a top scientist, and one was the leader of a global mercenary organization! Then she gradually learned the story of her parents. It didn't matter who her real father was, what mattered was that her fathers loved her and spoilt her, helped her get back at the bullies, and made her life smooth sailing from then on to the top of the world!

When my mind-link request had been ignored by my parents for the twentieth time, I went to the Werewolf Council, clutching the report on silver dust corrosion in my hand. “Hello. I’d like to renounce my pack identity—effective immediately.” Ten minutes later, my parents burst in, dragging my adoptive younger sister, Elsa, with them, panic written all over their faces. The door burst open with a bang, and my Beta father charged in like a storm. His fangs bared, claws twitching. “You’re nothing but a spoiled brat craving attention! Stop this pathetic act. You’re an embarrassment to a Beta’s name!” My mother, a forensic specialist for the pack, immediately snatched the report from my hand. After a brief glance, she let out a cold sneer. “You faked this report just to get our attention? You’ve been a liar since you were a pup.” Elsa clung to both of them, tears in her eyes as she sobbed, “I’m sorry, Jenifer. It’s my fault for holding the shifting ritual. But please... don’t lie to our parents just to make them feel guilty!” Blood was still pouring from my nose, but I wiped it away calmly and stood tall before the werewolf councilors once more. “I haven’t had a real family for a long time. Please—remove all my personal records from the pack. I just don’t want my funeral—scheduled for three days from now—to be delayed.”

When my mind-link request had been ignored by my parents for the twentieth time, I went to the Werewolf Council, clutching the report on silver dust corrosion in my hand. “Hello. I’d like to renounce my pack identity—effective immediately.” Ten minutes later, my parents burst in, dragging my adoptive younger sister, Elsa, with them, panic written all over their faces. The door burst open with a bang, and my Beta father charged in like a storm. His fangs bared, claws twitching. “You’re nothing but a spoiled brat craving attention! Stop this pathetic act. You’re an embarrassment to a Beta’s name!” My mother, a forensic specialist for the pack, immediately snatched the report from my hand. After a brief glance, she let out a cold sneer. “You faked this report just to get our attention? You’ve been a liar since you were a pup.” Elsa clung to both of them, tears in her eyes as she sobbed, “I’m sorry, Jenifer. It’s my fault for holding the shifting ritual. But please... don’t lie to our parents just to make them feel guilty!” Blood was still pouring from my nose, but I wiped it away calmly and stood tall before the werewolf councilors once more. “I haven’t had a real family for a long time. Please—remove all my personal records from the pack. I just don’t want my funeral—scheduled for three days from now—to be delayed.”