Romans de Cho_Joyce

The breeze was gentle that afternoon, rustling the bare branches as though whispering secrets only the trees could understand. Riele stepped carefully between the headstones, her fingers interlocked with Harry's as they made their way toward the familiar spot. It had been three months—three quiet, aching months since they last stood here together. Time had softened the sharpness of their grief, but the ache still lived somewhere inside them, persistent and tender.Their mother’s grave was just as they remembered. A simple marble headstone with her name etched in gold: Esmeralda Grants, Beloved Mother, Eternal Light. Harry bent to brush away the leaves that had gathered at its base while Riele knelt, her hand smoothing over the cold stone."Hey, Mom," Riele whispered. Her voice was steady, but her chest quivered with the familiar ache. "We came to visit you. It's been a while, I know."Harry crouched beside her, setting down the small bouquet of wildflowers he’d picked up on the way. H

Charlotte was pacing the length of her living room, her newborn daughter nestled against her chest in a soft carrier. Utter was lounging on the sofa, half-watching her, half-focused on the bottle he was warming for Hope. Harry sat on the floor, his back against the couch, absentmindedly shaking a rattle and making faces at his niece who, despite her tiny size, already had a gaze sharp enough to quiet a room.The door creaked open and Riele stepped inside, cheeks pink from the cold outside and something else—something warmer.“I have news,” she said, pulling off her scarf and hanging it carefully by the door. “Big news.”Charlotte turned immediately. “What kind of news? Don’t tell me you’re leaving town again.”“Not that kind of news,” Riele said with a soft laugh, her voice unsteady with anticipation. She moved toward them slowly, like someone holding a secret she’d been dying to share but afraid to say out loud.Harry raised an eyebrow. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”“No,” she said

The sun had barely risen when Charlotte felt the first real pang. It wasn't like the false alarms she'd had over the last few days. This was different—heavier, deeper, a pressure that curled from her back to the pit of her stomach with the force of something ancient and inevitable. She’d always imagined that when this moment came, she’d be frantic or afraid. But she wasn’t. She was just... ready.Utter drove them to the hospital, one hand on the wheel, the other gripping Charlotte’s with all the quiet reassurance of a man who had grown into his role more than he ever expected. Riele sat beside Charlotte, holding her other hand, whispering encouragement and trying not to cry.“You’ve got this,” Riele kept saying, her voice soft, steady. “You’re stronger than you think.”Hours passed. The waiting room filled and emptied, nurses moved like angels in scrubs, and finally, when Charlotte thought she couldn’t take one more breath, one more push.A cry filled the room.And just like that, she

The hospital was bathed in soft white light, the air tinged with antiseptic and quiet murmurs. Riele shifted on the waiting bench just outside the maternity ward, her hands gripping the edge of her coat tightly. Harry sat beside her, fidgeting with his phone but not really looking at it. It was past noon, and Charlotte had been inside for over an hour now."She’s strong," Harry murmured, breaking the silence. "She’ll be okay."Riele nodded slowly. "I know. She’s been preparing for this day for months. I’m just... nervous."Harry reached over and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "She’s lucky to have you here."Before Riele could respond, the elevator doors chimed, and a familiar figure stepped out, arms filled with baby bags, blankets, and a soft-looking teddy bear. Utter.His eyes found Riele first, then Harry. He gave a small nod and approached, his steps hesitant but determined."I heard... she went into labor," he said, his voice slightly breathless. "I wanted to bring a few things.

Jay hadn't traveled this far in months. The jet hummed beneath him, a steady sound that failed to drown out the noise in his thoughts. He sat by the window, staring out at the endless sky, a tablet balanced on his lap. Every few seconds, he'd glance at the screen showing his destination time—still hours ahead. His mother had summoned him. No one summoned Jay unless it was urgent.He had a rough idea why. The last time they spoke, she hinted at her desire for grandchildren, her voice laced with nostalgia and a touch of disappointment. “You're not getting younger,” she had said. “And neither am I.”Jay had brushed it off then, more concerned about Riele, about the tension growing between her and Kim. But now, with Riele emotionally distant and Kim hovering uncertainly between guilt and silence, Jay had found no excuse to delay this meeting.When the jet touched down, the staff ushered him into a sleek car that took him straight to the estate. His mother’s home was a sprawling villa tuck

Kim stepped into his apartment and leaned against the door as it clicked shut behind him. The silence was a relief. No condolences, no murmured apologies, no lingering eyes studying his every reaction at the burial. Just silence. But it didn't soothe him. If anything, the emptiness felt heavier.He dropped his coat on the couch and sat down, resting his head in his hands. Esmeralda’s burial had drained something in him. Riele’s tear-streaked face haunted his thoughts. There were still unspoken words between them, too many, and the distance that had crept in after the incident with Jane was still there, even though they’d tried to move past it.A soft knock interrupted the stillness. Kim stood slowly, frowning, not expecting anyone.When he opened the door, Jane stood there with a sad smile and a bottle of wine in hand."Hey," she said gently. "I just wanted to check on you. Is this a bad time?"Kim hesitated. "You shouldn't be here, Jane." Everything about her felt wrong. But exhaust

Kai Xen, eighteen years old, the son of Xen and Amelia attends Elite Academy which looks like a normal school but deep dark secrets lie within it. A secret no one knew about until six students mysteriously vanished from the school only to find themselves in a strange world. Kai, one of the students was used to disappearing and appearing all the time but the five people he was with looked like they had no idea what had just happened. He wasn't worried about how he got there, he was more worried about why he was there. "Can someone just explain to me what the hell just happened?" One of the girls- Livvy Elle asked. Kai looked around for something, a clue or whatever that could tell them where they were but everywhere was covered in fog and no one could make out anything. "We are probably in the land of the dead." One of the guys- Blaze Grayson whispered making scary sounds that were enough to make Livvy run up to meet Kai for protection. "I am already scared as it is...please don't

"Dad...Just find a safe place to hide OK?" Amelia told her father touching his face. They were talking when Dalton came to meet Amelia grabbing her by her hair. Andrae used that moment to hide. He could hear grunting and shouting, but he couldn't see anything. Dalton carried Amelia up and toss her against the wall making her grunt in pain as she fell to the ground. "Go and save her I will handle this," Carlos told Xen. Xen looked at Carlos to see if he will be OK. Carlos nodded. Dalton was this close to attacking Amelia when Xen ran to shield Amelia from the attack. Dalton figured he couldn't move anymore and when he looked down he saw a sword in his stomach it was then he knew this was the end. Slowly and slowly each part of his body started vanishing until there was nothing there. Rose knew she was dead and there was no going back from it, she fell to her knees and they gave Carlos the privilege to kill her. "You were a thorn in the flesh," Carlos told her as he grabbed the swor

Amelia and her dad looked at each other as they all wore shocked expressions on their faces. "Can someone explain to me what is going on here?" Andrea asked. He was surprised to see his daughter. He looked at Laura and said, "What has come over you?" He asked turning his attention back to his daughter. He was sad to see his daughter being tied down like an animal. "Release her right now!" He ordered but they all laughed at him. He was even more surprised to see his wife laughing at him. "Laura." He called."That's not mom," Amelia said."What do you mean?" He asked."Mom is dead." She turned to see her dad's reaction. "Mom is dead." She said again.Andrea shook his head. "That's not possible." He said still in doubt. "Your mom is standing right..." He paused as he took a few seconds to take note of the situation. After he was done speculating, he looked at Amelia. "How...how come?'"She was killed by a ghost," Amelia said. Even without looking at her dad, she could tell her dad was gi

Amelia and her mother walked to a certain area. She was becoming uncomfortable because her mother hasn't said a word to her which is weird. "Mom," Amelia called but her mother didn't listen to her. She walked closer to her mother tapping her on her shoulder she called again, "Mom." This time Laura turned to face her with a smile on her face."We are almost there," Laura told her daughter."Almost where??" Amelia asked feeling uncomfortable in the area. "Mom, let's go back. We have wandered far too long, they must be waiting for us right now." As Amelia turned to leave, Laura grabbed her hand making her turn to face her. Immediately Amelia turned, Laura pulled her close and hits Amelia's head with her head making Amelia stumbled and faint.Laura pulled Amelia by the leg and dragged her to a remote area where Dalton stationed them to be.~~~"Where are Amelia and her mother?" Tamara asked."They have been gone for too long." Devon with a worried look on his face said."I will go and loo

Xen and his friends came up with an idea. "I feel this is going to work," Jason said. The others nodded in agreement."I guess we can handle this," said Carlos."I knew with Xen this thinking stuff will be amazing." Everyone chuckled at Devon's remark."I better start going now before Riele-Rose finds out I am gone." Xen stood up and was about to take his leave when Amelia stood up to meet him."Be safe okay?" She said. Xen nodded touching her cheeks. "And my mom, can you help me find a way to get her here?" Amelia asked.Xen nodded and bade them goodbye.Amelia sighed. It was like there was this empty void she was feeling inside of her but she doesn't know why she is feeling that way. Clarissa noticed and she came to meet her. "Are you ok?" She asked.Amelia placed her hand on her chest and said, "My heart feels empty...like something is missing."Tamara who heard the conversation joined them and said, "Maybe you are missing Xen, I mean you guys just shared a passionate kiss."Amelia

Amelia and her friends were brainstorming on the plans but nothing seems to be working out. "I don't think this is going to work out," Devon said as he gave up thinking."We need Xen. He is the brainbox of the ghosthunters, without him. We are nothing." Tamara answered.Amelia looked around to see who else agreed to that and her surprise, everyone agreed.She stood in front of them and said, "Listen, guy, I know this is hard for every one of us but we need to accept the fact that we don't have Xen here with us anymore. The brainbox of the ghosthunters is on a break right now but at least we still have the heart..." She pointed to Carlos. "...without Carlos, we wouldn't be able to achieve anything and Tessa said something... We need to work together, two heads are better than one and the great thing about this is that we have more than two people in the group which makes it easier for us to come up with a plan."They all nodded. "We will come up with a plan then," Jason said as they we