How Does Carpe Diem End?

When the Irwins were on the brink of bankruptcy, I proposed a marriage of convenience to Ryan and saved them from collapse. Ever the playboy, Ryan was so grateful that he swore eternal loyalty to me, even getting a vasectomy immediately to prove his devotion. He took me across mountains and rivers, saying he wanted to etch our love into every corner of the world. Three years later, he got me drunk, stole my phone, and used it to infiltrate the Knights’ estate. That night, he orchestrated the complete downfall of my family’s legacy. My parents overdosed on sleeping pills. My sister was dragged into an alley by his men, violated, filmed, and the footage was auctioned off to amuse wealthy heirs. I begged him to let my family go. However, he gripped my face and forced me to watch as my parents were cremated. “You think marrying me back then was some noble sacrifice? Sure, the whole city praised your family for helping mine in our darkest hour. But what did they say about me? “They call me your lapdog, Lily!” Ryan destroyed the Knights to prove he was better than us and not anyone’s dog. He tore up the divorce papers and shoved the shreds into my mouth. Ryan wanted me to watch as he rose to power and made the world kneel before him. To humiliate me, he brought home a different woman every night, turning our house into a hotel while I served them. “What’s the Knights’ worth now? With your status, cooking for them and massaging their feet like this is only fitting.” It didn’t matter. When I saved him from that avalanche, a shard of stone slashed my heart. Now, I only have three days left to live.

One spilled coffee. One dangerous man. One mistake that changes Valerie Rousseau’s life forever. Valerie only wanted an ordinary life. Instead, one disastrous shift leaves her kneeling before Santiago Morales, the ruthless Spanish mafia boss known as El León. Powerful, possessive, and dangerously charming, Santiago decides Valerie is no longer merely a waitress who ruined his expensive suit. She is now his new favorite toy. His responsibility. His obsession. His. Santiago Morales is feared for a reason. A Spanish mafia king who lives by rules, loyalty, and consequences. But with power comes enemies. And claiming Valerie places a target on her back. As Santiago’s enemies discover his growing obsession, Valerie becomes the perfect weapon against him. But when she falls into the hands of Marek Kowalczyk, a scarred and unpredictable man with loyalties of his own, the lines between enemy and protector begin to blur. Marek was supposed to use her against Santiago, not become tempted to keep her for himself. Now Valerie is caught between two dangerous men. One has already claimed her. The other may be willing to betray everything for her. But when El León finally vows, “Till death do us part,” it is not merely a promise of forever. It’s a promise that only one of them may leave the marriage alive.

When I found out about Kenneth Hale, I didn’t argue with Claire O’Neill. I simply handed her the divorce papers. Her eyes turned red as she sat there. After struggling with the decision for a moment, she tore them up. "Give me ten days. I’ll send Kenneth far away, and he’ll never appear in our lives again." So over the next ten days, Claire went whitewater rafting with him, climbed snow-covered mountains, bungee jumped, and went skydiving. They did every thrilling thing they could think of. They watched the sunrise together by the ocean and went to Silver Pines Retreat to meditate, filling those days with every romantic experience imaginable. Then, on the ninth night, after I had packed all my belongings, I accidentally answered a video call from myself ten years in the past. "You really are me ten years from now! Then Claire and I must already be married with kids, right?" Pain flickered in my eyes. I walked straight onto the balcony and pointed the camera down at Claire and Kenneth, who were holding each other tightly, unable to let go. "This is what happens." Finley Morton looked as if he’d been struck by lightning. "That’s impossible…" My voice was exhausted, as though every last bit of strength had been drained from me. "Finley, please. Don’t marry her."

I was three months pregnant when the car crash happened. In those final moments of fading consciousness, I frantically dialed Damian’s private, encrypted line—the one meant only for emergencies. He never picked up. By the time I was rushed into surgery, I received a crushing blow: Damian had forcibly reassigned my lead private physician to the South District. He needed the best doctor to treat his childhood sweetheart, Evelyn, who had just been widowed. When I finally drifted awake through a haze of agony, my trembling fingers swiped open Instagram. I saw Evelyn’s latest post: “I knew that no matter the distance or the time, Damian would move heaven and earth to reach me. He even brought his Chief Physician just to help me heal from my grief.” In the accompanying photo, Damian—a man known for his cold, lethal eyes—was gazing at the woman beside him with a tenderness I hadn't seen in years. While I was clawing my way back from the brink of death, fighting to save our child, my husband was playing protector to another pregnant woman. A hollow, self-deprecating laugh escaped my lips. Without a second thought, I slid the wedding band off my ring finger. I opened my inbox and hit "Confirm" on the invitation from the world’s most elite International Finance Institute. If Evelyn is all he cares about, I’ll give them my blessing. In seven days, I will vanish from his world forever—and I’m taking my baby with me.

I volunteer to be the mate of Carl Wood, the Alpha of the Nightfall pack, as a direct measure to resolve the conflict between our two packs. He marks me on a full moon night. His gaze is so fervent in that moment that I interpret his look as a genuine sign of his attraction. Carl personally leads the elite fighters across the border two years later. He grabs my head, making me witness the gruesome dismantling of my mother, father, and brother by the pack; his gaze is alight with vengeful satisfaction. "Did your father show mercy during our youth when he destroyed my pack, Aria? Do you truly believe that having you here is enough to make up for this vengeance?" Carl assumes the position as the most powerful Alpha of the northern region, with Selena Hall established at his side as his Luna. I am kept barely alive, imprisoned in the depths of the dungeon in the pack. If I attempt to end my life, Carl retrieves the bones of a relative from the cemetery and incinerates them right in front of me, bellowing with bloodshot eyes, "You're not allowed to die unless I allow you to, Aria!" I immediately cease all resistance after that. Carl's heart was pierced by a silver-tipped arrow during his escape years ago. I had to implore the dark witch to use dark magic and substitute my sound heart for his. There are only three days left before the poison completely takes hold of me.

On her third wedding anniversary, Emilia believes she is about to give her husband, Jason, the greatest gift of all. The company her late parents left. She thinks love and trust will keep them together forever. But in one cruel moment, Emilia learns the truth: Jason never truly loved her. He betrays her, takes everything she owns, and leaves her with nothing but heartbreak. Lost, hurt, and with nowhere to turn, Emilia’s world falls apart. One night, she meets a quiet stranger who helps her when she needs it most. Their meeting is brief, and meant to be forgotten, or so Emilia thinks. Trying to rebuild her life from scratch, Emilia finds a new job and hopes for a fresh start. But fate has other plans. Her new boss turns out to be Sebastian, the man she never expected to see again. Old misunderstandings, wounded pride, and hidden feelings turn their working days into a battle of sharp words and silent glances. When Sebastian's family pressures him to get married, he makes a risky decision: a pretend marriage. To Emilia, it sounds like a chance to stand tall again and reclaim what was stolen from her. What begins as a deal slowly turns into something much deeper. But the past refuses to stay buried. Jealous enemies spread lies, old wounds reopen, and Emilia must decide if she is strong enough to believe in love again. As danger closes in and secrets are revealed, Emilia learns that true love is not about gifts or promises; it is about courage, and choosing to stand up for yourself. Will Emilia finally get the happy ending she deserves, or will the shadows of betrayal steal her future once more? A powerful story of loss, strength, and finding love when you least expect it.