Ksenia Strilets

- Nice lipstick, - he says, his gaze lingering on my lips. - What color is it? Ripe cherry? Burgundy wine? - he guesses, touching my lower lip. - It's the color of ‘Get your claws off me,’ - I remark sharply, pushing his hand away. - I always use it when there's a hint of a meeting with people like you. - People like me? What do you mean? - Even if you were the only man on the planet, I'd rather die than let you touch me with even your little finger. Facing the owner of a local nightclub on one of the worst days of my life, I didn't mince words - I wanted to say everything I thought about him, hoping it would be our first and last encounter. But fate had other plans, bringing us together again and again. Although, to be honest, I'm starting to suspect that fate has nothing to do with it.

She allowed herself just once to be free from problems, responsibilities, and the constant struggle for survival. One night with a stranger was all she needed to feel like a desirable woman before disappearing at dawn. A night with a stranger—a moment of weakness or revenge on his ex? He didn’t have time to figure it out, because he woke up in an empty bed the next morning. What are the odds of seeing her again? One in a million. But one day, she’s the one who walks through the door of his parents’ house.

I wanted to help my friend, so I agreed to work as an Italian interpreter for a businessman for just one day. I did everything that was asked of me and said goodbye to him for good that evening. But the next day, he came to me with a new proposal - to fly with him to Italy to sign a contract, because his business partner, whom I had apparently charmed, was insisting on it. I wanted to refuse, but he came at a very inopportune moment, when I found myself in a difficult situation and urgently needed money. So now I’m flying to Italy with him, and I don’t know what to expect from him or from his partner - a strange old Italian man.

– Don't do that again! – I point my finger at his chest. – Never! Don't do it! – I break free from his grip and immediately head for the house. – We're not done talking, little Sophie, – I hear him say behind me. He returned to her life unexpectedly – bold, attractive, and dangerous to her heart. One kiss from him is enough to break down all the barriers she has built around herself for eight years. She swears to herself not to give in again, but will she have the strength to run away from the man she is so desperately trying not to love? Especially when her heart has long since chosen him. And will he be able to accept rejection when he is ready to fight for her to the end?

In a rush to get to class, I cut off a stranger on the road, and to avoid dealing with him, I pretended to be a foreigner. But it turned out he was my new teacher, and it seems he wants to get back at me for that prank. Now, instead of an interesting internship in a modern office, I have to go to a remote village, live among cows and goats, and dig in the dirt like a mole. But I have a plan: if I can’t get anything done, there’s a good chance they’ll send me home. That’s exactly what I’m counting on as I start my game.

After her beloved betrays her on the eve of their wedding, Alina accepts her friend's offer and goes on a trip to escape her former fiancé. Fresh air, fun entertainment, and new acquaintances are just what she needs to get her thoughts in order. Even a brief resort romance with a local taxi driver seems like a nice idea to her. But will the romance really be so brief, and who is Slava really?