The Lost Bookshop Who Was Madame Bowden

On the day that was supposed to be my wedding—the bride wasn’t me. The ceremony I’d waited for five years for turned into a joke when Valentina, my sister, walked down the marble aisle in a white wedding dress. Her arm was linked with Luca’s — the man who was supposed to be waiting for me at the altar. “I’m sorry, Bianca,” she said softly. “But you are no longer the bride today.” Then she touched her stomach, eyes gleaming with triumph. “I’m pregnant with Don Romano’s child.” Her words detonated inside my skull, and the whole world went silent. As if afraid I wouldn’t believe her, she lifted something glossy up towards the light. A black-and-white ultrasound image. It read clearly: Gestational age — 12 weeks. My eyes burned, tears stinging as I turned to Luca, desperately searching for anything—a denial, an explanation, regret. Instead, he only sighed, weary and resigned. “Bianca, I’m sorry.” he said helplessly. “Valentina doesn’t have much time left. This wedding… it was her last wish.” “I’ll make it up to you,” he added. “We can have another wedding later.” My father, Moretti, stood behind him, wearing the same stern expression he’d worn my entire life. I have never seen him smile at me, not even once. “Bianca,” he said sharply, “Your sister is dying. Let her have this.” My brother nodded without saying a single word, as if that was enough to be a solid answer. All my life, they had chosen her—her tears, her whims, her needs—over mine. Today was no different. Something inside me quietly cracked. Fine. If no one in this family cares about me, I’ll leave.

I'm the true heir to an affluent family who got switched at birth. But when I'm reunited with my family, they suddenly announce their bankruptcy. The sprawling mansion is repossessed, leaving me, my wife, and my parents to sleep on the streets. My parents are so furious that they end up getting admitted to the hospital—one gets a stroke, and the other passes away. My wife gets her legs broken by one of the creditors, and my son is so frightened that he becomes mentally impaired. To bear the astronomical medical bill, I work countless part-time jobs and put myself through the wringer. Everything changes when, one day, I accept a job as a temporary driver. I go to a lavish hotel's banquet hall. A celebration for a gold wedding is being held there, and I see my late mother and paralyzed father sharing a kiss onstage. My crippled wife is dancing offstage as she enjoys the festivities. Meanwhile, my son speaks fluently in a foreign language as he speaks with a foreign child.

She was rejected before hundreds, her bond twisted into agony, her worth declared worthless. Nyra Vale fled into forbidden lands, and the world believed she died. But the Moon had other plans. Five years later, she returns as the Moonshadow, powerful, untouchable, and carrying the stolen legacy of every sacrificed omega. Kael Draven, the alpha who destroyed her, now rules with iron control, burying his regret beneath duty. Their corrupted bond still burns between them, violent and unbreakable, dragging them into a dangerous game of power, secrets, and proximity that neither can escape. As ancient prophecies unravel and a ruthless enemy moves to claim her as a weapon, Nyra must choose: become the monster the world expects, or rewrite fate itself. Kael will sacrifice everything to stand beside her, but after five years of surviving alone, can she trust the man who once chose tradition over her heart? When the blood moon rises, will love be enough to break a curse forged in sacrifice, or will history repeat itself in blood and ash?

In a world where shadows whisper and danger lurks at every corner, a young she-wolf awakens with no memory of her past and no understanding of the fear she inspires in others. As she navigates the perilous underworld of packs and unwanted rogues, she must learn to survive amidst hidden agendas and volatile alliances. Her uncanny resemblance to Adis's deceased girlfriend, Amber, could ignite a war that threatens not just her life, but the fragile balance of power among the city's packs. Desperate to hide her true identity, Adis renames her Amber, thrusting her into a tangled web of loyalty and betrayal. Now, the new Amber must decipher friend from foe, see through the layers of deception, and grapple with whether Adis's haunted past holds any significance for her future. When Adis enlists another Alpha, Tjeck, to train Amber, Tjeck finds himself ensnared in a drama that spirals far beyond his intentions. Torn between duty and desire, Tjeck's loyalty to Adis is tested as he develops feelings for Amber, complicating matters further when he begins a clandestine relationship with Kattie, who is already entangled with Clay, Adis's formidable beta. As tensions rise, will Adis's evil brother, Zombie, unleash the war he's threatening? And what is the magnetic pull Amber feels toward Thorn, a member of the 'Stars' pack, who views she-wolves as inferior? In a gripping tale of survival and self-discovery, alliances will be forged, hearts will be broken, and the fight for identity will reveal what it truly means to be a she-wolf in a world that has forgotten how to trust.

I was diagnosed with kidney disease. My wife, Serene Warner, an heiress from high society, broke down in tears from worry. She did everything she could to find a donor for me. However, just as the doctor handed her the consent form, she hesitated. "Keith's treatment can't be delayed any longer. This donor kidney is compatible with him too. Can you find another matching kidney?" she asked. With a troubled look on his face, the doctor replied, "Ms. Warner, that would be rather hard. Perhaps…" Before he could finish, her daughter spoke up and decided my fate. "Of course, the kidney is going to Keith. Dad is old and a nag. He doesn't even look like me. I don't want it to go to him." Serene gently smacked Tina on the back of her head, but what she said next was just as chilling. "Joseph, Keith studied abroad. He'll contribute a lot to the Warners and this society…" Without saying a word, I looked down at my wedding ring. My heart had grown numb long ago. That was because I had already gone through this. In my last life, this was when I shouted at her, despite having always been a gentle soul. "What about all the sacrifices I made to take care of you two in the past eight years? I'm clearly ahead of him in the list. It should be mine! Why him?" But without question, a poor teacher like me stood no chance against the rich and powerful. In the end, out of guilt, Serene stayed by my side day and night. She reminisced with me about the past, but not even she realized that the memories she spoke of did not belong to us. I slowly faded away. This time, I would not fight her. I would not trouble her anymore. "Alright."

He caught hold of her leg and yanked backwards. She hung on and flailed both legs, kicking him in the head, the face. He fought to hold her legs down. Sweat lathered her hands. They slipped from the post. He yanked again. She rolled over to face him and punched with both fists. Her right fist caught him in the eye. He growled in pain, then threw himself on top of her, pinning her arms and legs. She screamed.She strained to free herself, lunged up to bite him. He jerked backwards. They slid down one stair. She tried to scream again. He slapped a palm over her mouth, his breath hot on her face.She fought him until they had tumbled down every stair. By the time they reached the bottom, every ligament burned. She stared at him wide-eyed, gasping for breath between his bruising fingers.She trembled violently, longed to run again but knew it would do no good. He stood at a good seven inches taller and outweighed her by at least fifty pounds. She didn't stand a chance.All she could do now was placate him. Do what he wanted... no matter what it was!