LUCIEN'S SUBSTITUTE WIFE

My brother raised me all by himself. We had no parents. As far back as I could remember, one thing had always been deeply ingrained in my mind: my brother was the only person I had in this life. He was all I had.He became my parent, and he loved me more than anything. He did everything he could just to keep me alive. Even at such a young age, I could still clearly remember every sacrifice he made for me.That was why I loved him more than anything else. I could lose everything, as long as I didn't lose him.Although... our age gap was wide.I could still picture his gentle face in my mind, along with his soft hands that were always careful whenever he hugged me—as if he were afraid I might break.He was always there for me.And now, he was missing for reasons no one could explain.He had simply disappeared.Where was he?I remained frozen for several more seconds before finally letting go of the flyer and allowing the wind to carry it away. My hand fell limply to my side as I drew in

I grew up believing in things no one could prove—aliens, magic, powers beyond reason. Somewhere deep down, I was certain they existed.It was my secret...Just like how my brother vanished right beside me.Being different invites questions.Worse—laughter.So I stayed quiet.But if you asked me why, my answer would be simple...It was the boundless nature of the unknown that drew me in. Once its core is revealed, so too are its limits—and seeing those limits, I think, would be a truth worth experiencing.But maybe the universe was playing a cruel game—showing me things that had once been dismissed as mere fantasy.I wanted to believe it was just a dream.But that night...I knew it wasn't.Have you ever woken up feeling as though every part of your body was aching?That feeling when you're doing absolutely nothing—or even when you're busy doing something—and yet your entire body feels exhausted?That was how I felt.There was also a soreness in my neck that had gone far beyond the pain

I am aware of what is happening, and I know it cannot be stopped. Even if one of us had tried to stop it, this would have still happened. The attraction and desire are too strong to resist. Breaking or bending the bond is impossible. We have no choice but to go along with it, as we were swiftly brought into the room of the rest house. Our groans echoed everywhere, and the heat consumed our bodies as we touched each other’s skin.Azriel’s kisses trailed from my jaw to my neck. His accented moans harmonized with mine as our hands wandered across each other’s bodies. He then lifted me, pinning me against the wall with my legs wrapped around his waist. His lips returned to mine, and I grasped a handful of his hair. His kisses took me to a place I had never been before, as if he had cast a spell within my mouth.Our bodies pressed heatedly against the wall, breathing heavily as our lips remained locked. I could taste the shared breath between us. Despite the loud, heavy rain outside, I cou

The rain came down in sheets, the cold droplets soaking through my clothes as I lay on the sand, shivering. My body was numb from the cold and the exhaustion of holding everything inside—my pain, my anger, my heartbreak. I could still see the outline of the ship as it sailed away, carrying Azriel and my mother far from me, as if they were slipping through my fingers, just like everything else in my life.Azriel. How could he not see me? How could he be so blind? My love for him was as deep as the ocean in front of me, vast and endless, and yet he saw only her. Agatha, the woman who had abandoned me, left me to fend for myself, and now she was back, taking everything that mattered.The tears blended with the rain, my sobs drowned out by the crashing waves. My chest heaved, but no sound came, just the silent scream of someone broken beyond repair."Lilianna," a voice cut through the storm. I didn't have to look to know who it was. My father.He knelt beside me, pulling me into his arms