Afterward

Nine years into my "non-cohabiting partnership" with Simon, his father passed away. The first condition in his will was simple: Simon and Ella had to conceive a child. On the day the child turned one month old, Simon would inherit his father's fortune. Simon told me this himself—the night I walked in on them tangled in our bed. Afterward, as he took a slow drag from his cigarette, he murmured, "Lily, just wait a little longer. Once I get the inheritance, I'll marry you." But he went back on his word. From then on, every time Simon planned to meet Ella at our house, he would hang a string of bells on the door. Since his father's passing, those bells had chimed ninety-nine times. After the ninety-ninth, the news arrived—Ella was pregnant, and their engagement party was set. My daughter saw the invitation, hesitated, then softly asked, "Mom, is Daddy's name on this?" I forced a smile and gently smoothed her messy hair into a neat ponytail. "Daddy is marrying the one he loves," I said. "And I'm taking you home." Simon never understood—I never cared about that marriage certificate.

Losing her mate to the vampires takes a turmoil on Peyton Barlowe, and things get worse when no one from her pack believes her because she's nothing but a mere omega. Instead, she gets accused of her mate's death even when she made it known that he got killed because he discovered the vampires' secret. She runs away before a judgment is being passed on, moves into a new town, and hides from the towns' werewolves, scared her smell would sell her out as a rogue. But what she doesn't expect is to save the life of an injured unconscious man who she found outside her doorstep. And when Peyton returns the next day from job hunting, she finds the stranger gone. Afterward, she's dragged out of her apartment by the towns' werewolves and charged for trespassing because she's a rogue and they're scared she'd wreak havoc in their pack. Killian, the cold, ruthless Alpha of the Blue Wave pack goes to the pack's council to oversee the interrogation and immediately recognizes Peyton as his mate, even her scent sells her out as the person who saved him. He doesn't settle with the idea of getting a mate, but he saves Peyton on one condition. She's to be his slave.

Our daughter, Luna Woods, developed a high fever. Her body was burning hot. I immediately dialed 911 for help. The dispatcher on the other end kept repeating his questions. He spoke slowly, as if deliberately stalling for time. By the time I finally heard the ambulance siren, Luna was already turning cold in my arms. In less than a year, my wife and I separated. We were consumed by endless grief and blamed for each other. Afterward, I merely existed for the sake of it. I was a hollow shell of a man. Then, one day, I received a wedding invitation from my ex-wife. The moment I played the audio invitation, a chill ran down my spine. The groom’s voice was identical to that of the slow, dawdling dispatcher from that year! I rushed out, utterly distraught, only to be hit by a roaring train. When I opened my eyes again, I heard Luna crying in the next room. Her forehead was burning hot. My wife hurriedly handed me the phone. “Quick, call 911! I’ll get a wet towel.” My hands trembled as I took the phone. When it was answered, I heard a familiar male voice through the receiver. “911, what’s your emergency?”

Isebella’s life takes a dramatic turn when her mother falls gravely ill, with one final wish: to see her daughter happily married before she dies. Desperate to fulfill her mother’s dying request, Isebella makes a reckless decision at the Moonlight Party. She marries the first man she meets, Ryan, a stranger with no family, no wealth, and seemingly no future. To Isebella, it’s a temporary arrangement—just enough to give her mother peace. Afterward, she plans to walk away, no strings attached. What she doesn’t know is that Ryan is far from ordinary. From the moment he laid eyes on her, he knew she was his destined mate. And behind his quiet, humble façade lies a secret that could change everything. Ryan is the son of the Lycan King, the most powerful prince of the empire. As Isebella and Ryan’s worlds collide, their unexpected union sparks a thrilling journey filled with passion, danger, and ancient secrets. Will Isebella discover the truth before it’s too late, or will her heart be claimed by the very man she never expected to love?

A bloody resistance against colonial invasion that tears Seme's indigenous leadership apart marks the entry of a strange culture into the clan. Osayo, the priest, seeks to protect the clan's religious system from erosion by the Blue-eyed (colonists). He, however, has to face off with a few loose canons, including his own son who escapes to a mission center far from home and ends up falling in love with a convert. In the meantime, a terrible plague breaks out in the clan, killing animals and people and leaving the land barren. Coupled by a misunderstanding of concepts in the new faith propagated by the Blue-eyed, a longstanding rift and blame game emerge between the converts and the conservatives, and spuns into a cutural marriage. Soon afterward, Osayo dies and his son, Okayo, realizes he has a greater role to play. The supernormal powers of the clan's aboriginal religious tree are stolen by a witch in line with a prophetic myth. And in a painful and tumultous mission to reunite the two conflicting religions of Seme Clan and limit the Blue-eyed's influence, Okayo puts his front foot forward in combating witchcraft so as to have the tree's powers in safe custody, and protect good from being superseded by evil.

Rumors said Fabrizio Medici, Don of the Medicis, was ruthless in everything he did. Yet he was nothing but devoted to me, his mother, as if I were his lifeline. Ten years ago, my husband, Victor Medici, betrayed us all. He conspired with foreign enemies, abducted Fabrizio, and staged a coup from within. To save my child, I blew up a car, destroying my leg and face, and erased myself from the world by faking my own death. Fabrizio hardened and lay low. Ten years later, he wiped out our enemies, killed Victor with his own hands, and reclaimed everything that had been stolen from him. Afterward, he spent a fortune rebuilding my body, piece by piece. But when I returned to the country under a new identity to attend Fabrizio's engagement party, his fiancée, Giovanna Valery, mistook me for a hidden mistress. She stormed in with her friends and humiliated me in every possible way. By the time Fabrizio finally arrived, I was covered in blood. Giovanna pointed at me, her voice shrill as she screamed, "No wonder I never see you messing around. So this is your type? Older women?"

Sophie thought she had everything she ever wanted—an incredible life and a boyfriend, Aaron, who was her entire world. Or so she believed. After all the sacrifices and unwavering love she gave him, Aaron repaid her with the ultimate betrayal. He didn’t just cheat—he had the audacity to look down on her afterward, completely unremorseful. Should Sophie crumble in heartbreak and misery? Absolutely not. If Aaron thought he could discard her, he was dead wrong. And what better way to reclaim her power than by using his irresistibly powerful uncle? It wasn’t her original plan, but marrying Damien Cavanaugh turned out to be the best impulsive decision she had ever made. And her heart? That belongs to no one. Not ever again. And Damien Cavernaugh? He new Sophie before she even knew herself, and he's something dangerous she was never meant to collide with. What happens when their unknowingly intertwined lives spiral into something unpredictable? Will Sophie ever be able to stand the dark past and grave secrets of the man she thought she could simply use to get back at her ex? _________________ This book is a sequel of “Mommy, Please Spare Daddy!” Though it can be read as a standalone.

“You can’t love me. We can’t be together. It will ruin my career. It will ruin my life!” That’s what Kayla Danes told Corvin Marlowe when their relationship started becoming real. As one of the country’s most beloved actresses, Kayla was bound by a strict contract–one that required her to maintain the illusion of romance with her loveteam partner who used to be her real boyfriend, Derek Boyles. Her fame was built on that loveteam, and her fans worshipped the fantasy they created. Loving someone else wasn’t just discouraged. It was forbidden. Corvin, a billionaire hotel tycoon, promises he’ll take care of her, even pay the penalty if she breaks the contract. But Kayla has worked hard for her career. It’s everything to her, and she refuses to lose it because of a love she isn’t supposed to have. But after that one night with Corvin and more unexpected meetings afterward, staying away becomes harder and harder. Things get even worse when Derek finds out about their secret relationship. Out of jealousy or spite, and wanting all the sympathy for himself, he reveals everything and turns it into a scandal that puts Kayla in an even tougher spot. Now, Kayla has to make a choice: Her career or the man she loves. But is she ready to let go of either one?

After catching her boyfriend in bed with her best friend, 22 years old Isabella world collapses. Broke, heartbroken, humiliated, and homeless she was offered a job a a maid by Julian Rothwell a cold and mysterious billionaire CEO. He’s handsome and shockingly interested in her. after serving him for sometime Julian offers her a deal, marry him for one year to silence rumors about his sexuality, and walk away afterward with ten million dollars. No love, no touching, no strings. Just a contract. Desperate for a fresh start, Isabella signs. But living in Julian’s luxurious mansion brings more than comfort it stirs old wounds, buried emotions, and unexpected sparks. As she settles into this fake marriage, Isabella discovers there's more to Julian than cold suits and legal documents. And Julian finds himself drawn to the one woman who isn’t impressed by his wealth. But just as trust begins to grow between them, someone close is planning their destruction the trusted family butler, Niles. Underneath his polished manners lies a dangerous agenda. Driven by greed Niles slowly poisons Isabella to make her appear terminally ill. His ultimate plan is to distract Julian and make him sign transfer of ownership documents and inherit his wealth. As Isabella’s health spirals and Julian begins to unravel the truth, the couple must fight not just for their lives but for the love neither of them expected to find.

Liam Chase and I were legendary in Celandre City—the most infamous enemies ever bound by marriage. He hated me for being shameless, convinced I'd schemed my way into becoming his wife. I despised him for playing the celibate knight for Alexa Conley and treating me coldly. In eight years of marriage, his most frequent words to me were, "Get out." Then the flood came. The man who'd never spared me a single kindness shoved me onto the last lifeboat. Over the roaring water, he shouted, "Don't look back! Go! Khloe, my debt to you is paid. In the next life, I belong only to Alexa." I lunged for him, but someone wrenched me back. I could only watch as the water swallowed Liam whole. When rescue teams finally came, they found his body bloated, his fingers locked around Alexa's pendant in a grip no one could break. Afterward, I sold everything we owned, donated it all to the disaster relief, and jumped off a building. But when I opened my eyes, I was back… on the night Liam got drugged.