Romance

He stole her first kiss on their first encounter, and she accused him of being perverted and arrogant. Her straightforward personality hooked his interest despite the danger ahead.He announced a surrogacy competition to draw her towards him. She left no option but to join the competition only to find out he was the same person she hated most. Trapped to the trick played by this ruthless billionaire, she played along with his game, and his dark secrets gradually unfolded, destroying and drowning them in the deep abyss. He suddenly disappeared from her life, but another stranger came in. His kiss was so similar, and he dotes on her.“Darling, don’t cry...” He let go of her, his fingers gently touching her hair. “I won’t touch you, I won’t touch you anymore, okay?”She cried more violently, and she said in a choked voice, “Don’t talk!”“... Why?” He was a bit stunned.Gently biting her lip, she could not help saying, “When, when you talk, you sound like him very much...” 
Bella Thompson assumed a new identity and entered into a three-year marriage contract with Justin Salvador, hoping to win his heart with her unwavering devotion.To her dismay, Justin hastily presented her with the divorce papers as soon as their contractual period expired. Heartbroken, Bella signed them and returned home, resuming her identity as the heiress of the Thompson business empire.From then on, Bella no longer hid her remarkable talents. She was not only a billionaire heiress, but also a medical prodigy, a world-class hacker, and a fencing champion.Determined to get her revenge, Bella went all out to humiliate her ex-husband’s childhood sweetheart at an auction. She also became her ex-husband’s biggest business rival.Finally, Justin confronted her, saying, “Bella Thompson! Must you be so ruthless?”Bella sneered and retorted, “How I treat you now is only a fraction of the cruelty you subjected me to back then!” 



After Blair saved the injured and amnesic Mable, she pestered him with a thick face and repaid him with her body.However, throughout their two years of marriage, Blair always turned his nose up at her.“You don’t deserve to like me!”So, Mable came to her senses and decided to start life anew by returning to her original self.After the divorce, Blair found that his ex-wife, whom he cast aside like old shoes, had transformed into an impressive big shot.Wealthy families revered her as their queen, while mysterious hidden families respected her as their lady.Ace mercenaries worshipped her as their mistress, while medical leaders regarded her as a legend.Even the world’s richest man would confess to her in fancy ways on live stream every day…“Mr…. Mr. Fowler, Madam—”“Wants to see me?”“No, the prince of Fargen, the richest man in Tolfiend, and major-general of Sorolen are all on their way to propose to Madam!”Blair slammed the desk and stood up. He dialed the phone and said, “Mabes, let’s remarry…”“Remarry? You’re not worthy!” 
Madeline Jillard has spent 23 years living with the Jillard family. Suddenly, she's informed that she's not the Jillards' actual daughter.
The people, whom she has called Mom and Dad for so many years, don't hesitate to kick her out.
Madeline's childhood sweetheart, who also happens to be her fiance, abandons her immediately when he finds out that she's just a poor fisherman's daughter. After that, he quickly marries the actual Jillard heiress.
Unexpectedly, Madeline's real family doesn't live in a village—they stay in a luxurious mountain villa that's worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
In just one night, Madeline becomes the heiress of an actual elite family. Not only do her parents dote on her, but she also has three fiances who are as handsome as models and have conquered their respective industries.
Everyone thinks Madeline has struck the jackpot. The aristocrats of Kingsbourne look down on her because of her background as a fake Jillard.
What they don't know is that Madeline happens to be the famous designer everyone is fawning over. She's also a famous painter whose paintings are very hard to procure, even with money. At the same time, Madeline moonlights as the miracle doctor who people in various industries desperately want to consult. In fact, she's also the CEO of Horizon Group, the company that all the elite families want to work with.
Madeline is literally everyone at this point!
As for which fiance will get to become Madeline's husband, the richest man in the world, Samuel Jameson, speaks up instantly before she can mull over that question.
"Get the hell away from Madeline! She's only interested in becoming my wife!" 



After Melissa Sam's untimely demise, she came to a profound realization of her past misery. Surprisingly, the person who had unleashed his anger upon her turned out to be her ex-boyfriend's deeply wounded uncle. It was rumored that this disfigured man, upon discovering the truth, removed his mask, revealing a startling appearance that left her stunned.With her newfound ability of Mind-Reading after being reborn, Melissa made a solemn vow to become a devoted wife in this life. Rumors soon spread across the city, speculating about an unknown actress named Melissa Sam, who was generously supported by an influential entertainment company. Whispers of a mysterious financial backer abounded.To everyone's astonishment, a declaration was made by the famous Mr. Steven, stating that there was no sponsor behind Melissa. He emphasized that the company existed solely for her and that she was their sole artist. Doubts arose, and people questioned if Mr. Steven would ever recoup his investment.However, the man gazed at Melissa's subtly protruding belly and said with conviction, "Certainly." 


"The entire wealthy circle in Seattle knew how much Stella Carlson loved Aaron Malone. People watched the childhood sweethearts grow from inexperience to maturity, finally getting married in a grand wedding ceremony.On the day of the wedding, despite the alliance between the Carlson and Malone families, the groom ran away. Stella knew that Aaron had rushed to L.A. to take care of his ex-girlfriend, who had attempted suicide.Unwilling to become the laughingstock of all Seattle, she gritted her teeth and dialed the number of her adversary, her tone almost commanding, "Ethan, come and marry me now. This is your only chance for revenge."On the other end, Ethan Powers raised an eyebrow as he gripped his phone, staring at the floor littered with cigarette butts. "Did the groom run away?" he asked. "My darling." 

I looked at the child in my arms and heard the growl of the wolf inside me. For the sake of my child, I had to get out of this snow. I felt my heavy legs and aching arms. When I was desperate, I heard the engine of a car behind me.I turned around and looked at it. It was an old black SUV that could probably give me a lift.But as the car drew closer and pulled up in front of me, I knew I was wrong......When I woke up, I heard a roar coming from the stairway and a huge brown wolf hovering over me.He looked at me warmly for three seconds, and the man next to him was scared off. He knocked the bastard to the ground with one punch, "Get off my property today or I'll kill you."He was the Alpha. I could feel the power radiating from the Alpha who was standing only a few feet away from me."Why are you on my turf?" He asked in a cold voice. I flinched slightly from his tone, then straightened up and raised my eyes to look at him."I didn't know this was your territory, and I'm sorry for trespassing. Thank you for saving me, I'll be out of here in a minute." I said truthfully. The Alpha looked at me for a moment, then clasped his hands to his chest and said, "Did I say you could leave?" 



"Take off your clothes Brie! You can't run from me! I'll always catch you, little mouse." His menacing voice rang out.I was already caged between him and the wall, there was nowhere left to run.He caught my wrists in a strong grip, until I cried out from the pain."Please I'm not ready! I need some more time" I sobbed, my whole body shaking badly,I was willing to do anything to reach out to whatever little humanity he has left.His eyes were cold. Merciless.He was going to hurt me, I knew it."But you were ready to run away with that bastard, weren't you? " The smirk on his face as he taunted me betrayed the icy rage that simmered in his eyes."You belong to me, Brie! I'm your husband! And I won't be denied of my rights, Refuse me again, I dare you to Brie!" He hissed, his grey eyes simmering with hot fury.What happens when Gabriella Thorne gets forced into an arranged marriage with Lucian Castiel.He is Cold. Brutal. He gets anything he wants.What happens when he's determined to TAINT Gabrielle's innocence with his darkness.Is there a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel, or would she be forever tainted by his Psychotic Obsession? 18 + DARK ROMANCE CONTAINING EXPLICIT SCENES. 





WARNING: MATURE CONTENT! An EROTIC-ROMANCE story!***Since high school, Isla Peterson, a college student, had a crush on her brother's closest friend. She wished to be noticed by the man not just as a young sister, but also as a lover. She begged her brother, Apollo, to invite him to her 18th birthday party. Because her brother adores her, he eventually agreed. She was overjoyed when her long-time crush arrived—her wish had been granted.After reaching the legal age, Isla relaxed during her after-party and assured her brother that she would only drink a little. However, she got drunk and involved herself in a situation that forever changes her life. She had sex with her long-time crush, Zero, the famed womanizer.Zero Cohen is a well-known monster in bed who prefers extreme sex over making out. He only had one rule: "keep up with his pace," and he will lavish you with joy. Zero didn't realize it was Isla he claimed that night because they were both drunk at the time. And he admits, the lady was too good for first-timers. He began to crave her body, and every time he saw her, his pet hardened and desired to delve deeper into her core.But can they really expect to go very far in this game? What if they have to face their difficulties? Will one of them give up, or will they fight? What could it bring if the playboy faces his downfall? 


Wynter Quinnell has never known that she's not related to the Yates family by blood. When her childhood sweetheart and the rest of the world turn on her, the Yates family kicks her out and tells her to search for her biological parents in the hole she'd crawled out from…Wynter laughs it off. She's about to stun everyone by revealing her secret identity, but it turns out the "hole" the Yates family had mentioned is actually the richest family in Kingbourne, the Quinnell family!Over the course of a single night, she goes from the Yates family's fake daughter, who's despised by everyone, to the actual daughter of the richest man in the country. She also has six brothers who absolutely adore her!Her eldest brother is a domineering president. "Let's pause the meeting right here. Get me a ticket back to the country—I wanna see who are the people who have the nerve to bully my sister!"Her second-eldest brother is a famous celebrity. "Cancel the function. I'm gonna take my sister home right now."Her third-eldest brother is a god in his industry. "Postpone the competition. Nothing's more important than my sister."This rocks the country!The Yates family regrets every wrong move they make, and Wynter's childhood sweetheart tries to win her back.But before she can reject him, Dalton Yarwood, the president of Yarwood Corporation and the son of the renowned Yarwood family, proposes to her. It makes her the talk of the town! 



I've loved Chris Gildon for a decade, but all he says is, "You're boring as hell. I couldn't be any less interested in you."He turns and spends his days and nights with another woman.We've known each other for ten years, but nothing comes from our relationship. I decide that I don't want to be his second choice anymore.Later, I get engaged to someone else. Chris knocks on my door in the middle of the night. "Maddie…""What can I do for you, Mr. Gildon?"As soon as the words are out of my mouth, a man's sexy voice rings out from the bedroom. "Babe, where did you put my underwear?"Chris staggers and spits a mouthful of blood before me. Sometime after that, I see that he's posted a story on his Instagram. It writes, "Once you miss out on someone, it stays that way for life. She might love you now, but that doesn't mean she'll love you forever. So, appreciate her while you have her." 
Eloise Wright was a young lady from a bad background, was ridiculed and tasteless. Dominic Richardson was very dissatisfied with that marriage with her, and he was either with a popular idol or a bikini girl for three days. Eloise Wright yelled all of sudden: “Don’t you like me at all?” “Don’t blabber such meaningless words!” “So, won’t you be loyal to this marriage for the rest of your life?” “As long as it’s you, then never!” Eloise Wright knew that he would not be a good father, so she decided to end the marriage for the sake of the child in her womb, “Then let’s get a divorce!” Six years later, Eloise Wright transferred and returned home. Dominic Richardson pulled her directly into the corner where no one was around, and pressed her against the wall. “Eloise Wright, where are my children?” “Gone! It’s a great idea not to communicate with each other, so it’s a clean break!” Dominic Richardson yelled red-eyed: “Then, give me another set of twins, you owe me!” After saying that, he directly groped her! At that time, the three little kids jumped out, “Daddy, let go of my mommy!” Dominic Richardson felt lost and puzzled. Why was there an extra child? 

Yvette Thiel found herself expecting a child, brimming with joy. However, her happiness was short-lived as she ended up in the midst of a divorce agreement.Tragedy struck when Yvette became involved in a car accident, leaving her lying in a pool of blood. Desperate and fearing for their unborn child's life, she pleaded with Lance Wolseley to save their baby. Regrettably, Lance chose to depart with his new partner in his arms, leaving Yvette disheartened and slowly closing her eyes.Subsequently, rumors spread about Lance, who carried a forbidden name in New York, a name no one dared to mention. At a later event, during a wedding ceremony, Lance suddenly lost his sanity. He fell to his knees, his eyes bloodshot as he gazed at the heartless woman before him. "You are carrying my child. Whom do you intend to marry?" 
Liora once believed that her marriage to Adrian would last forever, until slander destroyed everything. In one night, she lost her husband, her family, and her self respect. She was kicked out of her home while pregnant and nearly lost her life. When the world closed its doors on her, Liora chose one thing: to survive for the sake of her unborn child.
Years later, she returned with a new identity and an unwavering resolve. She rebuilt her life from scratch, raised Nolan alone, and buried the name that had once destroyed her. Yet fate brought her back, straight to the city that had once cast her out.
An unexpected encounter between Adrian and Nolan reopens a past he had been avoiding. The undeniable resemblance triggers truth after truth to be revealed, including the betrayal hidden behind Serena's name. As the Vale family's secrets are exposed and danger approaches, Liora finds herself caught between two men: Adrian, the father of her child, and Damien, the unexpected protector who appears as she is building a new life.
Amidst a storm of threats, conspiracies, and love that never truly dies, Liora must choose: to move forward without looking back, or to reopen the door that once consumed her entirely. As Nolan's safety is threatened, all the wounds, longing, and regrets force them to face the reality that the family that once shattered might still be able to stand again.
But this time, Liora won't let anyone bring her down again. 
My husband's little sweetheart is threatening to break up with him again. He’s drowning in misery, drinking so much that he landed in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer. Half dead, he mutters, "She’s the only one who dares to mess with me like this."
Then he grabs my hand and asks, "Honey, you’re a woman too. How do I get her to forgive me this time?"
It’s true. He’s cheated so many times, but this Vivian is the only one he actually cares about.
My phone buzzes—it’s a message from Vivian.
"Mrs. Carter! Please keep your husband in check! As a woman, don’t you have any pride left? Tell him to stop bothering me!"
I let out a sarcastic laugh and, just like always, ignore her.
On Eric’s fifth day in the hospital, he blew up my phone with calls. His mood was a mess as he yelled at me, "I’m in the hospital! Why haven’t you come to see me? Do you even care about your husband at all?"
I stayed calm. "I’m afraid if I show up, you’ll fall for me all over again."
........ 


When Emelie Hoven was hopelessly in love with William Middleton, she almost ended up losing her life. But to William, she was only someone convenient who he thought couldn't live without him.And so, she decided to stop loving him.William didn't like that Emelie was too calm, too rational, and too independent. Later, his wish came true—he got to see her relying on someone and being gentle.He wasn't the recipient, though.On the day of Emelie's wedding, she smiles brightly as she sits on a chair and waits for her groom and his groomsmen to pass the test she and her bridesmaids have set up for them. The atmosphere is lively. Suddenly, William shows up out of nowhere.He gets on one knee before her and holds her hands, looking like he's almost worshipping her. "Leave him, please. Come with me. You loved me first, didn't you?" 
Bonnie Shepard, a country girl, is the talk of the town. Rumors say she's a loser who loves fighting and fooling around.Her fiancé dumps her, and the esteemed Knight family distances themselves, causing the Shepards no small embarrassment. But when the world uncovers her true identity as the nation's leading researcher, everyone is awed.To their surprise, she's not only a math genius, but also a chess prodigy, a medical guru, and a kickboxing expert, outshining even the wealthiest tycoon on the Forbes list.Prominent figures and affluent heirs vie openly for her affection."Bonnie, will you marry me? I'm fit, and I’m the most romantic and considerate partner you'll ever find. Hell, I'll even handle all the household chores!""Bonnie, choose me, please? My family owns a mine, and you can buy anything you want!" Ivor Knight, the CEO who once spurned her, regrets it so much that he can only say, "Fuck off, okay? She's mine!" 

On the way to escape, a stranger took away her virginity. She didn’t expect that the stranger was Jasper Milton, who was rich and powerful, as well as ruthless and cold. It was said that he didn’t love woman. However, it was not true. She was suffering from a sore back after having sex with him every day, and finally she couldn’t stand it, “You don’t need to be responsible for me anymore, and you are free now.” He sat by her bed, pulled her into his arms, and said gently: “Stella, are you mistaken, shouldn’t it be you who is responsible? " Stella Grace:”…" 
Nina had married Jason for ten years.And she once thought she had married a rare good man.However, she hadn’t expected he would kill her one day.He made a fool of her in the name of marriage, snatched her family’s fortunes and even eliminated all of her families just to please his true love.He made full preparation and killed her. Luckily, she was reborn and went back ten years in life.This time, she swore revenge on him – she would ruin his reputation, bring a downfall to his family and give his lover a miserable ending. Those who had hurt her in her previous life must pay the price in this life!Hence, the first thing she did after rebirth was to go back on the wedding with Jason Gu and married his sworn enemy in the previous life, Johnny. Nonetheless, she didn’t expect that Johnny was a bigwig whom she shouldn’t approach.She thought it was just a convenient marriage and they would not develop any feelings towards each other, after marriage, however, she realized she was spoiled by that bigwig. 

On their engagement day, her fiancé cheated with her sister, and pushed her down the stairs even though she was pregnant!Five years later, Charmine Jiang made an impactful return, rooted with a deep hatred for scumbags. She was cold-hearted, ready to fight for the family money, eyed to become a supermodel. She was ready to stun the world.Although she was determined to make her own money for revenge, hordes of men still insisted on helping her, spoiling her.“Who offended my lady? Get the gears ready!”“AK999 ready, I’ve got the scumbags! Dad, Mom, please bring me a little sister!” 

Olivia, an illegitimate daughter, didn't care about getting rich or famous. She just wanted to live a quiet life with her boyfriend and spend the rest of her days with him. Her sister, though, had a great life with a loving family and a fiance, Tyler Harris, who deeply cared for her. But when her sister got very sick, her perfect life began to fall apart. Her sister asked her for something huge and unexpected: have a baby with Tyler. Olivia was shocked and thought it was crazy, but her father kept telling her she should do it, and she felt like she had no choice but to agree. Then came the night when the expressionless Tyler kissed Olivia, and that kiss marked the start of many troubles.Everyone knew Olivia as gentle and meek, but she was much more than that. Now, stuck in this mess, it looked like everyone else might finally get to see the real her... 


Caroline Fisher, the renowned socialite of St. Louis, became a laughingstock after a single word shattered her wedding. Six years of perseverance yielded only a feeble "sorry." With a knowing smile, Caroline declared, "I'm certain he'll return, but this time, I won't wait any longer." Amid her father's coma and vultures circling her inheritance, Caroline made a fateful decision—to wed the formidable and dreaded man of St. Louis. The world deemed him cold and ruthless, yet this fierce tiger proved unexpectedly affectionate, becoming her staunch protector. "What brings true happiness?" she pondered. "To be cherished as a treasure by someone, despite the world's vilification." 
"Will you take me to be your wife, Mr. Lu?""Sure, but I won't love you."These were the words Elizabeth Liang got from James Lu after they slept together and had a crazy night.Set up by her cousin, Elizabeth would've been sent to an old man as a gift, but she misread the room number and had a one night with the hot CEO James. Elizabeth wanted to query her cousin, but she caught her fiance and cousin on the bed. The truth was revealed to all.In desperation, Elizabeth proposed to James to escape from her family. To her surprise, James agreed. They started a titular marriage, but James and Elizabeth gradually fell in love with each other. When she thought they would have a happy ending, she saw James secretly meeting a woman. Finally, she found out why he agreed to marry her... 
Oliver Jefferson, the king of the business world, vows not to marry. But one day, a new chapter of his life begins when he's forced to marry a younger wife!"Mr. Jefferson, Mrs. Jefferson trashed the Westwood residence."Oliver asks, "Does she feel better now?""No…""Send a few people over to help her, then."…"Mr. Jefferson, Mrs. Jefferson got into a fight with someone and landed them in the hospital."Oliver asks, "Is she happy with that?""No…"He continues with his work. "Let her continue, then."…One day, when Oliver finds that his wife has gotten into another fight, he flies into a rage. "You're asking for it, Grace!"Grace Gulliver complains, "You weren't like this in the past, hubby!"He points at her stomach. "You weren't pregnant before, were you?"The nerve of her, getting into a fight when she's seven months pregnant! It scares the living daylights out of her opponent and also Oliver, yet she's delighted that she's managed to win a fight without even lifting a finger! 
Katherine Wright has a two-faced boyfriend. During the day, he is thoughtful, sweet, and a complete gentleman. However, once the sun sets, he turns into a completely different man. At night, he behaves like a feral beast, pursuing his desires in ever-changing ways.
Everyone calls her a lucky woman. She is deaf, but her boyfriend has never shunned her because of her disability. On top of that, he's even trying to help her find a cure.
Katherine thinks she is lucky to have him too. But one day, a robber steals the specially made medicine her boyfriend had given her to treat her deafness. Because of this, she stops taking the medicine.
Just as she is about to break the news to her boyfriend, she overhears his friend say, "You and your brother sure know how to have fun! One of you plays with her heart during the day, while the other toys with her body at night. It's been three years—I can't believe that deaf woman is still completely unaware of this!"
Hearing this, Katherine's blood runs cold. 
Loved for two full decades by Stephen Rimmer of the Rimmer family, Crystal Hoffman believes she is finally about to walk down the aisle—only to be brutally betrayed right before the wedding.
In the name of love for Amy Knott, his new flame, Stephen turns cold and merciless. He hurls cruel insults at Crystal, forces her to kneel, and even threatens her mother's life, crushing every bit of her dignity.
Her mother dies tragically, her unborn child is lost, and she is left penniless. In the blink of an eye, Crystal is dragged from paradise into hell.
At rock bottom, she makes a clean break. Leaving her homeland behind, she goes abroad to pursue the dreams she once had. Through sheer talent and grit, she gains admission to a top university and meets Julian Herring, her guiding light.
While she steadily rises to become a brilliant new star in the pharmaceutical world, Stephen, obsessed with his new lover, allows her family to bleed the company dry, ultimately ending up with nothing left to his name and abandoned by all.
By the time Stephen finally comes to his senses and goes abroad to search for Crystal, she is no longer the woman he once knew.
She now wields real power, and she exacts revenge for every humiliation she once suffered, with interest, as the scumbag and the vile woman are made to pay a heavy price.
This is a story of betrayal and redemption, vengeance and self-discovery, in which the daughter of a lowly maid rises against all odds to seize control of her own destiny. 
Isabella Hart has always been a goody-two-shoes who lives a spoiled and pampered life. Unfortunately, she falls in love with Adrian Sterling, an infamous playboy known for his history in the upper crust.
After using every method in the book, Isabella finally becomes Adrian's girlfriend.
In order to stay by his side, she learns all sorts of positions and tries out various new things to spice up their intimate life together. Also, she lets him take her to bed regardless of the day and time.
Whenever Adrian is about to hit his peak, he loves leaning into her ear and murmuring, "You're amazing, babe. You're really talented at learning new things.
"Relax, babe. Don't clamp down on me that tightly.
"That's it, babe. Oh, I love you so much."
Isabella is the longest girlfriend Adrian has ever had. They've been dating so long to the point that everyone around Adrian thinks that he's finally quit being a playboy.
That is, until Adrian takes Isabella to a gathering one night after their passionate session in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. 
Three years ago, she was a poor judge of character. She was willing to donate her kidney and become disfigured for an a**hole. However, not only did that man cheat on her, he had even nearly caused her to lose her life!Three years later, she regained her beauty. Upon her glorious return, she swore to make all a**holes pay for what they did.It was widely known that Stanley Batton, the wealthiest tycoon in Atlantis, was a cruel man feared by many. Although he had the facial features of a passionate man, he was known for his heart of ice.People constantly speculated on the kind of woman who would be able to open his heart.However, to everyone’s surprise, he kneeled on one knee under the spotlight, and in front of every known media company, to tie a butterfly knot on her shoe.“Stanley Batton, what do you really want?” She seemed panicked and flustered.He laughed at himself. “Xyla Quest, no one else but you can take my life away!” 
Three years ago, I had my positive cancer diagnosis in one hand as I consoled Anderson Graham, whose eyes were red and teary.
"It's just cancer. I can beat this."
However, he continued crying until he was almost out of breath. He hugged me so tightly that I thought my bones would crack.
"Yvonne, promise me that you'll beat this. I'll wait for you to return so I can marry you!"
In order to live, I had to remove most of my stomach.
Every single day, I was faced with handful after handful of pills and never-ending chemotherapy.
Three years later, I'm finally healed and can return to Anderson's side.
During my return party, his female best friend chuckles as she raises a glass.
"Andy was as celibate as a priest while you were overseas. I kept a close eye on him every single night and made sure nobody else was in his bed.
"I practically tattooed the words 'Do Not Touch' on him to make sure nobody else would go for him!"
The noisy room suddenly becomes so quiet that I can hear a pin drop.
I do my best to ignore the prickling ache coming from my chest.
With an equally bright smile, I raise my glass and reply, "Should I give you an award for keeping his bed occupied, then?"