"Standing here in front of you today, sharing my story - this wasn’t supposed to be my reality. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t ask myself: What could I have done different? Was there anything I could have done to prevent this heartache; to prevent this tragedy? And regardless of every possible scenario I came up with, there was always a way around it,” Yvonne said as she wiped tears from her eyes and composed herself. “I shouldn’t be standing before you today. I shouldn’t feel this pain; but because this is now my reality, I’m sharing my story with you.”

He watched as she screamed and yelled with every strike that the man made to her face. From her mouth, she spit blood that was rolling down her face. He continued to watch the man repeatedly hit and kick the woman in the stomach, again and again."Noooo stop! Please stop!" as she yelled his closed fist went upside her head. Michael knew he had to do something to stop the man from beating the beautiful woman.

Morgan and Messiah share many things. Love, hate, lust, trauma, and children. They are bonded forever by the gift of parenthood, but Morgan's attachment to Messiah comes with immense pain. After the discovery of Messiah's condition, Morgan's conflict is intensified. She knows how healing the M&M bubble can be, but she also knows that Messiah has the ability to ruin her. Will Morgan finally take her second chance with her first love? Or will she make the hardest decision of all and let go of the past?

The bond between a mother and son is a bond like no other, but the bond 15-year-old Micah shared with his mom Noelle went far beyond that. Having to witness his mother being abused at the hands of her husband for years, he appointed himself her protector which led to him enduring the same fate. Vowing to protect his mother until his dying breath, Micah had no clue the day would come as soon as it did and at the hands of his own father.

A serial killer is on the loose in the city of Detroit, breaking into people's homes and killing their entire family, even their pets, just for laughs. Now he’s even going as far as kidnapping women, but the police are showing little to no interest in the case because it’s minority low- and middle-class families. With no one to stop him, anyone could be the next victim--even you! But whatever you do, don’t scream because the screaming brings him joy.

Yana and Osis escaped the compound to avoid the constant training, only to discover that they had spent the entire time on the island of St. Lucia. For a brief moment, they were able to live a normal life and enjoy the island vibe. But everything has a cost, and they'll pay a high one when Zaira and her henchmen track them down, along with the island's native gangsters, the Glockboyz, attempting to kill them.

From the time she was born, Faith had only known pain from her abusive mother. She'd never understood the reason why her mother hated her with a passion, but there is only so much one person can take before they break. When she finally releases the anger and rage in her heart, she'll realize that she's a far cry from a normal person. She realizes that the killing comes naturally like any hidden talent, and that she enjoys setting free the evil in her heart. Her mother does everything in her power to stop her from discovering who she really is.

In the aftermath of her daughter Blessing’s murder at the hands of her father, Shonte struggles to pick up the pieces and get back to some type of normalcy. Thanks to her man, Shaheem, she’s able to suppress the anger she feels at her loss; but baby mama drama, paternity tests, and Shaheem being absent due to his newfound fame causes the anger she fought to suppress to return in full force. Finally getting the happily ever after she’s always dreamed of, she’s willing to protect it at all costs.

Being rejected by Darrell after previously doing him dirty, Shonte’s scandalous, ratchet side rears its ugly head, and she uses the one thing he loves more than life as a bargaining chip - his daughter Blessing - leaving a whole in his heart. Filling that hole with frustration and hate pushes Darrell to the brink of insanity, leaving him no choice but to take drastic measures to ensure he and his Blessing can be together.

Bianca Whitted was less then ecstatic initially about her pregnancy, but the love of her love convinced her he had her and their child, so she continued on with her pregnancy, looking forward to the arrival of her bundle of joy. What she didn’t count on was her child’s father doing a 360.

Tess is a strong determined business woman by the day and queen of the streets by night. She will stop at nothing to get the life she wants for herself and her three best friends along with her man, even if it means breaking old bonds and creating lifetime enemies. What she doesn't realize is in the game of cut- throat there are no rules.

On a beautiful island in the Caribbean, a woman with a checkered past has retired from a life of crime. She is now raising her son, trying to spare him from the ills that her former life provided. However, in a blink of an eye it all changes. When a wealthy tourist gets entangled with her son, it forces Aries to show who she really is and her old connections are called.

Lyle DeLeone has always had the mentality of a hustler. Having grown up with a weak, drug-addicted mother and an ignorant, misogynistic father, she had to learn early on to protect herself and handle her own. Unfortunately, her ways caused those around her to deem her unlovable. So, it was no surprise that when she met the handsome Rashawn, she quickly snatched him up, hoping to prove that she, in fact, could be loved by a man. Married life with Rashawn isn't bad, but it isn't good either.

"Run away from the boy that gives you butterflies, he's going to break your heart." Morgan Atkins had been told that phrase ever since she was a little girl, and still she allowed herself to fall for the boy that made her heart flutter. After losing her first love, Morgan is terrified to love again. She's settled for a comfortable life with a respectable man. She has everything. She's living in the lap of luxury, and although she's comfortable, she's bored out of her mind. When a ghost from her past blows into town, she finds herself entangled in an illicit affair.

Meet Heaven: a young girl who is loving, submissive, and beyond appreciative of her husband, Ross. As a teenager, Heaven lived solely for her sister, Divine, and her daughter, Sunshine. Because her mother is mentally ill and her father ran off, Heaven had to do some unimaginable things just to feed the family. Then came Ross, and everything changed. He wasn't some filthy rich, dope boy that some young girls dream of, but Heaven felt like Ross was her blessing.

When Dwight Wilson is offered a big promotion, the wrinkle is he must move from Florida to Maryland. Although Dwight accepts the job, his wife Tracey decides to remain in their new Florida home. Try as they might, their relationship ends in divorce, and Dwight eventually marries co-worker Alicia Dixon. And that’s when Tracey comes back into the picture—with some rather surprising news.

When Ellery moved to New York with her boyfriend, she thought they’d live happily ever after in their small New York apartment. She never thought he’d pack his bags and leave because he “needed space”. With her newfound single status and fear of being alone, Ellery buries herself in her artwork and paintings until one night she helps a mysterious intoxicated stranger get home safely. Little did she know the mysterious stranger is none other than CEO and millionaire Connor Black.

Women are missing and dying in the Triangle area of North Carolina. One woman holds the key to why. With the conclusion of the Y-Man murders nine months ago and her resignation from the FBI, former Special Agent and Behavioral Analyst Rainey Bell has finally found peace and contentment she never thought possible - even if she remains a bit paranoid. Her wariness is justified when a monster from her past rears his demonic head. Rainey has faced death and evil before - alone. Now it’s different - she has a family to protect, her own. Only Rainey can keep them alive. Or can she?

Malek Johnson's hustle is the basketball court, and he's the best Flint's projects has ever produced. He's on his way to the University of Michigan, but not for long, because all the NBA scouts say he's destined for the pros after a year or two of seasoning. Malek finds love in the super fine girl everyone calls Halleigh, and he promises her that he will take her out of the hood.

Monica has just discovered she is not able to conceive, and her husband, Nate, wants a divorce so he can start the family he’s always dreamed of. However, he does not want Monica to get half of his considerable fortune, so he hatches a plot that will cause her to violate the fidelity clause of their prenuptial agreement. Will he be able to orchestrate Monica’s fall into temptation? Essence best-selling author RM Johnson spins a riveting tale of love, money, and betrayal.