THE RISING BASTARD SON - Chapter 8 - - - A Pause to Breathe

As the Gods descended onto Earth to bless their children to save them from the threat of extinction, supernatural beings were born with the help of the System.

However, not everyone was blessed.

Zayn was a “Normie”, but he was quite happy about that!

Who the hell needs the Blessing of a God or a spoon-feeding system?

I don't!

As long as I had the Grimoire of the Ancient, some fragmented memories of my past, and my Army of Spirits, not even Gods would dare to look me in the eyes!

In a world where power is hidden behind corporate empires and ancient martial legacies, John Lopez lives a double life. Known publicly as a carefree young man, he secretly bears the terrifying title of the King of Horizon, a supreme martial expert feared across the continent.When his beloved sister Queenie becomes the target of a brutal smear campaign threatening to destroy her company and reputation, John is forced to confront the shadows lurking in the high towers of business and politics. As conspiracies deepen and enemies rise—ranging from corrupt business moguls to deadly assassins—John’s wrath becomes unstoppable. But danger isn't only around him—it strikes home when his eldest sister, Alice, falls victim to a rare and deadly poison. With time running out, John must defy the odds, wield ancient techniques, and unleash the full fury of Horizon’s might to protect his family.

In the realm of Nexaria, where elemental spirits and divine beings shape the fate of the world as a land of mortals striving to become gods against the demons of the Abyssal universe, a young boy named Lassim Vanthar embarks on an extraordinary journey of advancement, adventure and becoming a bastion for those around him in their fight against the Dragal.Born into a noble family with a legacy of Fire elemental martial prowess, Lassim possesses an unparalleled gift on his 8th birthday—a connection to two differing elemental spirits, a feat unheard of in the history of his world. A gift and a tampering of the order until now that is an omen. It is a sign of the Gods influencing the future fate of Nexaria on a more serious level.Lassim must harness the power of his dual spirits to protect his loved ones and confront the looming threat of the Abyss' encroachment on his universe, but one step at a time as he grows from just a tool of the God's to a major power as the hero ofnot only Nexaria, but the entire universe.Lassim faces daunting challenges, battles fierce adversaries, and unlocks the mysteries of his own destiny that has been tampered with by the Gods of this universe. How will he react and adapt to his situations?

Angel Johnson was a waitress struggling to make ends meet when an unexpected contract with Tryson Bliss, one of City Y's most powerful and ruthless billionaires, changed everything.Tryson needed a fiancée to appease his demanding family, and Angel, desperate for money and a way out of her humdrum life, agreed to play the part.What began as a calculated arrangement soon evolved into something neither of them expected—an intense and forbidden connection.But when Tryson's family uncovers Angel's true motives, they cast her out with venomous disdain.Humiliated and heartbroken, Angel's last hope is confronting Tryson. But instead of an apology or a chance at redemption, she finds herself shattered when he declares that he has chosen his first love, Riley, the woman he was preparing to marry.Devastated and with only her pride left, Angel walks away, determined to rebuild her life alone.Two months later, Angel is lost in the pulse of the music at a dark, crowded bar, seeking refuge in anonymity.A hand seizes her from behind, and her breath catches as she turns to face the man she can't forget—Tryson.His eyes, once cold and calculating, are now stormy with raw emotion, and he pulls her into his orbit, holding out the contract she once signed. “We haven't finished our work, Angel. The contract says you have a year left to be my fiancée. Don't tell me you're planning on breaching it now.”With no choice but to comply, Angel moves back into the house that once rejected her.But to her surprise, the family she once loathed now welcomes her with unexpected warmth and kindness.As she navigates this unsettling shift, Angel is left to wonder—what has changed, and why?What secrets do they hide that could alter everything she thought she knew about Tryson and his family?And as Angel's heart begins to thaw, she's confronted with the hardest question of all: Can she keep the secrets she's hidden from Tryson?And will Tryson fight for her love a second time, despite everything that has come between them?