2nd-glance Novels & Stories

In the split second when the research lab explodes, my boyfriend, Thomas Bastion, dashes to Melody Harper, who is standing furthest from the blast zone. He shields her from the impact with his own body. When the sounds of the explosion stop, the first thing he does is carry Melody to the hospital. I'm lying on the floor. My body is covered in fresh blood, but he doesn't spare a single glance at me. Thomas has taken care of Melody for the past 18 years. His heart is filled with nothing but her. There's no space for anyone else. I only survived because my colleagues rushed me to the hospital. When I am discharged from the ICU, I call my teacher, Louis Carpenter. Both my eyes are swollen from how much I've been crying. "Mr. Carpenter, I've made up my mind. I'm willing to join you for the confidential research. It's fine if we have to leave in one month. I don't care that I'll be unable to contact anyone for the next five years." The wedding ceremony that I have been dreaming of is supposed to take place in a month's time. However, I no longer want to get married.

Born a servant, hunted for a legacy she never knew she had, Khalifa’s life is about to ignite in flames of betrayal, prophecy, and blood. Marked with the red crescent of the Warrior Moon, she carries the secret of the lost House Rashad, a royal lineage destroyed in a war no one dares speak of. When assassins strike under the cover of night and the Temple of the Moon burns to the ground, Khalifa is thrust into a dangerous world of conspiracies, treacherous alliances, and secrets that could shatter the kingdom. Prince Louis, noble and battle-worn, is forced to protect her, but every glance hides suspicion, every gesture carries weight, and every decision could mean life or death. Khalifa must learn to wield the skills she never knew she had, confront the ghosts of her family’s past, and navigate a labyrinth of spies and traitors. Shadows move in every corner, enemies wear faces of friends, and betrayal comes from where she least expects it. As the prophecy unravels, Khalifa realizes the ultimate choice is hers alone: embrace her destiny and claim the throne, or risk the destruction of all she loves. Loyalties will fracture, hearts will break, and the line between survival and sacrifice will blur. In a world where every sword could be the one to pierce her heart, the fate of the kingdom rests in the hands of a girl who never asked to be royal.

All I wanted was to see my grandmother one last time. I booked the earliest flight out. I got to the airport early. I did everything right. It still wasn’t enough. At the gate, the agent barely looked at me before deciding I didn’t belong. One glance at my worn clothes, and I was already dismissed. “Flight’s overbooked. You’ve been moved.” Just like that. Meanwhile, the passengers behind me with designer coats, tailored suits, platinum status, walked straight through. No questions asked. No delays. Some even got help with their luggage. I didn’t have time to argue. “My grandmother is dying,” I said. “Please. If I miss this flight, I won’t make it in time. Can you at least ask if someone’s willing to switch? I’ll pay.” He leaned back, unimpressed. “People say that all the time,” he said. “And you? You expect me to believe it?” Then he smiled. “What, do you think your family owns this airline?” I stopped arguing. Stopped pleading. Wiped my tears and stood up. Because what he didn’t know was my family does own the airline.

**This book is the second book in the Billionaire series. It can be read as a standalone novel, but it is highly suggested that you read The Billionaire’s First Glance prior to this novel.** I, Zander Cavanaugh, the all-American football quarterback, have done something that could get me killed. I fell in love with the brilliant, curvy mafia princess Isabella Aventini at first sight. Everything about Isabella called to me: her captivating blue eyes, her soft caramel skin, every dip and curve of her voluptuous body was just the start. Isabella was smart, kind, and funny. The kind of girl you can’t help but fall in love with. I know she felt the same way as I did. We were drawn together like magnets, but that’s not how the mafia works. Isabella is a commodity to be sold or brokered for the sake of alliances and has been promised to the ruthless and cutthroat DeMarco family since birth — a fate she neither wants nor needs. Isabella’s father, Mafia Don Salvatore Aventini, has managed to keep us apart by sending Isabella away to finish high school. However, when fates aligned, Isabella not only ended up attending the same university as me, but she’s also my college-assigned tutor. I know there is no chance for us, and still I fell in love with her, knowing it could mean my death.

On New Year’s Eve, an old friend called to congratulate me on the birth of my son. “Emrys, you’ve been keeping this a secret pretty well! If I hadn’t seen you and your wife taking care of the baby together, I wouldn’t have known you had a child!” I froze in my tracks. How could I not know I had a child? And that I was taking care of him with her? I immediately called my wife, who was still working late, to confront her about it. She just laughed and said our friend must have been mistaken, which was why this whole mix-up happened. But the very next second, our friend sent a photo. In the photo, she was facing sideways, holding a child in her arms, with a man standing beside her. Only his back was visible, but the silhouette was exactly like mine. Her smile was gentle and radiant. At first glance, she looked utterly blissful. I stared at the meticulously prepared New Year’s Eve dinner spread before me and suddenly flung it to the floor. I immediately dialed my brother. He was a lawyer. “Celene Zeller cheated on me. She even had a child. “I want a divorce. I want to kick her out of my company and make her leave with nothing.”

Her world was crumbling under the betrayal of her fiance and sister, spurred on by her parents’ favoritism, when he appeared before her. He was her guardian angel in her darkest hour. This man could change the Brookville city’s destiny with just a glance, yet he chose her. “"Marry me. I'll bring you unimaginable happiness!" After marriage: "Sir, her elder sister's been terrible to her!" “Get that agency contract signed and make my wife the boss instead!" "Sir, your grandfather is offering the lady money to leave you!" "Did she take it?" "Yes, but she claims it's not nearly enough!" "Well, then let's double it," he said, pausing thoughtfully. "Get the extra from Granddad." "Sir, everyone’s whispering about how she's not good enough for you!" "Well, they've got it wrong. It's me who strives to be worthy of her presence." As time went on, all of Brookville came to know of Charles Hoffman and the wife he cherished beyond reason, doting on her to the point of wild abandon. However, not a single one of them knew about that fateful summer day she leaped into his embrace under the rustling trees. In that moment, their love was sealed for eternity.

Four years of marriage. One signature—his own—that set me free, though he never realized what he was signing. I was Sophia Moretti, the invisible wife of James Moretti, heir to the city’s most powerful mafia family. But when his childhood sweetheart, the dazzling and privileged Vicky, returned, I finally understood: I had always been temporary. So I played my final move. I slid the papers across his desk—divorce disguised as routine university forms. James signed without a second glance, his fountain pen scratching across the page as carelessly as he'd treated our vows, without noticing he was ending our marriage. But I walked away with more than my freedom. Beneath my coat, I carried his unborn heir—a secret that could destroy him when he finally realized what he'd lost. Now, the man who never noticed me is tearing the world apart trying to find me. From his penthouse to the underworld's gutters, he's turning over every stone. But I'm not some trembling prey waiting to be found. I rebuilt myself beyond his reach—where not even a Moretti can follow. This time, I won't be begging for his love. He'll be begging for mine.

Five years ago, Aurelia Vale’s life was destroyed in a single, public betrayal. The man she loved, Damian Kade a brilliant, untouchable billionaire humiliated her in front of the world, shattering her career, reputation, and heart. Alone and hiding a secret, she disappeared… carrying a child no one knew existed. Now, her son’s life hangs in the balance. Desperate to save him, Aurelia accepts a contract marriage with Damian: he will fund the child’s treatment and restore her reputation, but in return, she must become his wife for one year and allow him access to their son. No love. No promises. Just survival. Living under the same roof reignites old feelings neither of them expected. Every glance, every touch, and every shared moment draws them closer but shadows of the past, secrets, and impossible choices threaten to destroy everything. In a world where trust is fragile, love is complicated, and one wrong step could cost them everything, Aurelia and Damian must navigate a dangerous path between desire, duty, and redemption. In a life built on deception and silence, the only hope for their family is courage, loyalty, and the chance to rewrite their story together. In a world of secrets, lies, and impossible choices, can they protect the only family they’ve ever known or will the past destroy them forever?

They weren’t supposed to meet. They weren’t supposed to fall. But when the heart breaks the rules—everything shatters.Isabel Buster has always known where she stands—on the outside of power, watching the world of wealth and privilege from behind glass. Quiet, hardworking, and determined to build her own future, she’s spent her high school years avoiding her estranged father’s new billionaire family. But one impulsive night at an exclusive club changes everything.Alessandro De’Luca is used to getting what he wants. The ruthless heir to a billion-dollar empire, he’s dominant, controlled—and completely unprepared for the girl who crashes into his life with wide eyes and fierce defiance. Their connection is instant, electric, and unspeakably dangerous.Because the next day, he becomes her stepbrother.Trapped under the same Sicilian roof, their chemistry burns through every glance and argument. What starts as temptation spirals into obsession, secrets, and betrayal. And when the truth of a cruel bet comes to light, it threatens to destroy not just their fragile bond—but everything Isabel thought she knew about love, loyalty, and herself.As public scandal erupts, lies unravel, betrayal from a close friend and a buried pregnancy changes everything, Isabel must choose: walk away to protect her heart—or fight for a love that was never meant to survive.

My sister and I were reborn on the very day we were to be sent to the Demons as sacrificial vessels. That day, our husbands, the God of Water and the God of Fire, came to rescue us. However, this time, without any discussion, we made the same choice. We refused their rescue and willingly offered ourselves to the Demons. In our previous life, after they saved us, the Demons captured the God of Water's young apprentice as a replacement. In the end, she was flayed and had her bones torn out, dying a brutal and tragic death. Because of that, the God of Water and the God of Fire came to hate my sister and me deeply. They spread rumors that we were the Twin Blossoms of Ruin, destined to destroy the world, and forced us to the point where our souls were completely annihilated. When I opened my eyes again, my sister and I had returned to the moment when the Demons first captured us. We exchanged a glance and then announced in front of everyone, "We are willing to become the sacrificial vessels of the Dark Lord and the Demon King. Take us with you." The God of Water and the God of Fire left with their young apprentice, who was completely unharmed. They were relieved that they had finally protected the one they truly cared about. Only later did they realize their mistake, but by then, they were consumed with regret.