Award Winning Novel

When Luca realized that I hadn't asked for money for five days now, he thought I'd finally stopped being a greedy slumdog and handed me a black card as if giving alms. "I can foot your mother's medical bills, but only as long as you stop trying to siphon money off the family. I'm doing all this because I want you to become an outstanding Donna, y'know." He had no idea that my mother was already dead, or that I'd signed the divorce papers—I certainly didn't need the money now. As I left, I found myself still wearing the soda can pull tab that he gave me on a whim for my wedding ring. I sighed—no one would believe that the noble Donna of the Gambino family needed approval just to get money for socks. All because he believed Lina, his secretary, who told him that I had married him for his money. When my mother's heart started failing five years ago, Lina refused to approve my request to foot the bill and even framed me for lying. Luca had no idea that I was only bearing with this abuse because my mother was being nursed in his private hospital. Now that my mother was gone, I decided to be myself again and leave him forever.

I was a human girl raised in turns by vampires, elves, and werewolves. To repay them, I signed a three-year repayment contract with all three races, dividing my time and service among their leaders. When the vampire count was weakened by sunlight, I cut open my wrist and let him drink my blood. When the elven prince's Tree of Life began to wither, I stepped into the forbidden forest and traded ten years of my life with a witch in exchange for spring water that restored the tree to full vitality. When the werewolf Alpha's wolf spirit grew restless, I searched for the herbs that could soothe him. I always knew my place, and I never crossed the line. The vampire count sneered at me. "Leah, you're more obedient than the blood servants I keep. The moment I summon you, you offer your wrist on your own." The elven prince warned coldly, "This is only a transaction. Once the Tree of Life recovers, you will leave as agreed. Don't imagine I would ever make an exception for you." The werewolf Alpha tossed a check at my feet. "This is your contract fee for the next three years. It's enough to last you a lifetime. Don't forget this. You haven't been marked, so don't overstep." Later, I finally repaid everything and prepared to return to the human world. The vampire count was willing to stand under the burning sun just to make me stay. The elven prince threatened to destroy the Tree of Life if I left. The werewolf Alpha dropped to one knee and presented me with the Luna's crown. In unison, they said, "You're not allowed to marry anyone else."

I was the most insignificant omega in the pack. In my past life, Alpha Asher Croft asked me to be his mate ninety-nine times, and I said no every single time. On the hundredth attempt, he locked me in Croft Manor and held me so tight I couldn't breathe. His eyes burned with obsession, and I was terrified. So I ran. I made it halfway to the border before the rogues found me. Asher took three silver bullets, saving my life. The first shot destroyed his hand, the second blinded his eye, and the third went straight through his heart. He looked at me as he died, blood soaking through his shirt, and his expression was stubborn and fragile all at once. "Cassandra, why can't you just love me once?" Then the miracle happened. I opened my eyes and found myself back on the day Asher first told me he liked me. This time, I reached out and took his hand first. I thought we'd grow old together, but Asher betrayed me three times. On our bonding night, he deliberately walked into the wrong room and slept with someone else. My heart shattered, but I forgave him. Three months pregnant, I got a call at two in the morning during a storm, and he left me stranded on the outskirts. I lost the baby. I wiped my tears and let it go. But the third time, he exiled my brother over a cat. That's when I finally understood. It was time to leave. This time, I'll make sure Asher never finds me again.

As the full moon hangs above the masquerade, Apollo Cadwell shows up with Bella Lohart. One is my Beta mate, the other his childhood sweetheart. Since she doesn't have a gown for the ball, he gives her my dress instead. It's a one-of-a-kind piece I've handmade myself—priceless, even—that I'm supposed to wear for our mating ceremony. "Bella has never been to a masquerade before," he says. "A beautiful dress will help her feel more confident." I calmly hand the dress over and watch Bella slip into the gown I've designed stitch by stitch. She clings to Apollo's arm, acting sweet. "You're the best, Apollo. Can I borrow the ring on your hand as well? That moonstone is too dazzling to miss." One of our friends can no longer stand it and speaks up. "Nora spent an entire month making that ring by hand. Are you just going to give it away like that? Have you even considered Nora's feelings?" He patiently slides the ring onto Bella's finger, then replies casually, "I'm just letting her wear it for a night. Nora won't mind. I'll just soothe her afterward, and she'll be fine." He's right about one thing. I will be fine. Slowly, I began erasing myself from his world. Before leaving, I keep my promise to the Elder that I'll personally travel to The Spine of the World on the Faron Continent to continue my research on the Moonshadow Herb Alchemy Research. From that night on, Apollo and I might never cross paths again.

I'm ten years older than Vincenzo Corleone. He had just turned 23 years old when he took over the Corleone family as the patriarch. A hint of teenage childishness could still be seen etched onto his youthful features. I was the one who held his hand and helped him calm the turbulence of his family affairs. I blocked three assassination attempts that were made on him. I used five years of my life to help him grow from a useless scion into the fearsome don who wielded the utmost authority in Nowork's underworld. Once, Vincenzo had embraced me in the church. He rested his forehead against my palm as he swore, "Age, identity, or the world's viewpoint of us will never stop us from being together, Freya. I will protect you with my life." But after that, he told his older brother, Marco Corleone, "Freya is too old. She's already 38 years old; I can practically smell the rot of age rolling off her. Even the crinkles in her smile disgust me to no end." Some time later, Vincenzo found himself a mistress who bore some resemblance to me. She was young and vibrant—like a white rose who had never experienced the ugly side of society. While Vincenzo gave me the title of the Donna of the Corleone family, he reserved his gentle, doting, and even passionate side for the mistress named Lina Marino. Vincenzo thinks he can pull everything off flawlessly. What he forgets is that the reason why I can establish my reputation in the underworld isn't because of his protection. I've been relying on my ruthlessness and my sharp sixth sense this whole time. When I slam the signed divorce agreement onto the spot before Vincenzo, I say with a smile, "You've fought by my side for so many years, so you should know very well that I can afford to go for high-stakes risks and withdraw my chips whenever needed. "But once I lose, someone here has to pay the price!"

Vera Nightingale was the only human in the werewolf pack, raised alongside Alpha Kieran Ashford since childhood. When she was 14 and rogues cornered her, Kieran was the one who fought them off. When she was 16 and a Beta confessed to her, Kieran kissed her in front of the entire pack and made it clear she belonged to him. The day she turned 18, Kieran announced to everyone that she was his mate, his future Luna. Vera thought she had found her happily ever after. Then their marking ceremony arrived, and Kieran did not show. She waited until moonset. When he finally arrived, he had an Omega with him. "She reminds me of how you used to be," he told her. "I want to keep her." Vera agreed. Kieran thought her love for him meant she would share. He was wrong. In Vera's mind, betrayal only happened once. After that first time, everything that followed did not matter anymore. If that was how he wanted to play it, she would find herself a new mate.

I was Alpha Damian Jones' fated mate. At the mating ceremony, he had made a Blood Moon vow in front of my pack. He had claimed that I, Eva Lopez, would be his one and only Luna in this lifetime. It had been the happiest moment in my life. Seven years had passed since then, and yet I was still a virgin—an untouched Luna who had yet to be marked by her Alpha. Still, I was willing to live my life like this. But not long ago, Damian returned from the battlefield with a she-wolf by his side. She was Chloe Lane, the daughter of the Bloodfang pack's Alpha. He told me that she was here as a guest and that I should take good care of her. I treated Chloe like a little sister of mine and took great care of her. That was, until I decided to visit her with a glass of warm milk one night. When I reached her room, I heard suppressed, breathless moans coming from inside the room. Next, I heard Damian's husky voice. "Why are you crying?" he asked. "Isn't this what you've always wanted?"

Joni, siswa SMU underdog yang tidak beruntung dalam hal percintaan. Demi nama cinta ia ngebet ingin membeli motor sport mahal agar bisa dikagumi kaum hawa. Masalahnya ia tidak punya uang. Demi mendapatkan penghasilan Joni menjajal karir di penulisan platform. Ia mengejar kontrak eksklusif yang menawarkan bonus-bonus cukup besar. Namun ia selalu gagal. Dugaannya karena ia tidak bisa menulis novel dengan tema yang tren di platform, yaitu cinta, CEO dan seks. Akhirnya demi nama riset, ia berguru kepada Mang Oja seorang satpam lingkungan rumahnya. Mang Oja memberikan Joni sebuah jimat yang katanya akan membuat cewek-cewek tergila-gila padanya. Dari sinilah petualangan Joni dimulai. Saking percaya dirinya ia nekat menembak guru paling cantik di sekolah, di lapangan usai upacara di depan semua orang. Sejak kejadian itu peristiwa demi peristiwa terus mempertemukan dia dengan lebih banyak wanita. Tidak hanya itu, ia bahkan terpaksa bertarung dengan seorang CEO, berkompetisi bisnis untuk memperebutkan seorang wanita. Sampai sejauh manakah Joni sang siswa underdog yang tidak dianggap oleh wanita berubah menjadi pria perkasa idaman para wanita. Dan dari sekian wanita yang dekat dengannya apakah pada akhirnya ia akan memilih satu? Siapa dia?

Satya Cordovez never imagined her simple life as a nanny could spiral into chaos overnight. It started with an invitation—an exclusive, high-society event na hindi niya dapat pinuntahan, pero sinama siya ng amo niyang mapilit. Sa unang pagkakataon, nakatikim siya ng mamahaling alak at sa sobrang saya ng gabing 'yun, she let her guard down. Lasing na lasing siya, her memories of the night a blur. Ang huling natatandaan niya ay ang mapanuksong ngiti ng isang lalaking hindi niya kilala at ang init ng kanyang tingin na tila ba siya lang ang nakikita nito sa buong kwarto. Kinabukasan, nagising siya sa isang kuwarto na napakalaki na parang kuwarto na ng isang hari. Napansin din niya na may suot na siyang wedding ring sa kanyang daliri. Sa tabi niya, naroon si Colter Alcazan, ang kilalang trillionaire na hindi lang makapangyarihan, kundi isa ring tanyag na bachelor na hinahabol ng lahat. “Good morning, Mrs. Alcazan,” bati nito sa kaniya na may confident na ngiti. “Wait, what?” Napaangat siya ng upo habang nanginginig ang boses at tinitingnan ang singsing sa kaniyang Daliri. “You’re my wife now,” sagot ni Colter, his voice dripping with authority. Satya’s life just turned into a whirlwind she wasn’t prepared for—and there was no way out.

"Dandelion beterbangan menghiasi langit biru musim panas. Kelopak kecil yang seputih kapas tampak menyatu dengan awan. Jauh tinggi ia terbang mengikuti hembusan angin yang bertiup semilir. Di mana pun kau berada, sejauh apapun jarak di antara kita, kuharap salah satu dandelion itu akan sampai padamu. Kuharap kau tahu aku di sini menunggumu, merindukanmu, dan mencintaimu. Waktu yang terus berlalu mengubah segalanya. Namun perasaanku masih sama. Apa kau juga merasakan hal yang sama? Di tengah hamparan dandelion putih berhiaskan sinar mentari senja, aku menunggumu." Yoshino Izumi membenci segalanya tentang Jepang. Jika bukan karena permintaan Sang Ayah, pemuda itu tak pernah ingin kembali ke sana. Bagi Izumi tempat itu hanya menyimpan kenangan buruk akan pengkhianatan seorang wanita yang pernah dipanggilnya“Ibu”dengan sepenuh hati. Namun pertemuannya dengan seorang gadis berambut silver, perlahan membuat Izumi melupakan perasaan itu. Di saat yang sama tanpa Izumi sadari, ternyata ada sosok lain yang juga berharap untuk bertemu kembali dengan dirinya.