Before We Knew It Novels & Stories

My sister had struggled with severe depression for years, and the only thing that seemed to ease her pain was her dog, Toto, who had become her constant companion. But when her illness flared up again, Toto was nowhere to be found. Then, my husband, Lionel Cress's childhood sweetheart posted a picture of Toto on social media. [With her, it feels like you're here with me.] I lost it. I called Lionel in a frenzy, but despite being my sister's psychologist, he was completely indifferent. "Your sister has been sick for so long. How could she suddenly relapse just because Toto's gone for a few days?" When I rushed back home, I found my sister in the bathroom, her wrists cut. Later, Toto's body was discovered outside our building, with Lionel's gift to his childhood sweetheart—a ring—lying next to her. I buried both my sister and Toto, and left behind nothing but a divorce agreement. Lionel went crazy, desperately trying to find me.

I've spent one month burning the midnight oil just to prepare the base draft of the multibillion-dollar business deal that I've just secured. That's when Lucy Yamlet, my director, produces a few blurry photos that were secretly taken before accusing me of having an illicit relationship with a higher-up of the client company. "I'm not targeting you on purpose, Selena. Right now, the entire industry is swarming with rumors of you using your body to secure this business deal. Your actions have brought our company shame! "In order to preserve the company's reputation, you must withdraw from this deal. It'll be best for everyone if you transfer the liaison authority and the core documentation to Liliana so that she can communicate with the CEO of Galaxy Corporation instead." My boss just keeps drinking tea and pretends to not hear Lucy's scathing words. My team members all play on their phones quietly as well. Upon noticing my lack of response, Lucy continues, "Now, now, don't go around harboring resentment against me, Selena. I'm worried that you might embarrass yourself at the meeting with the client later on while having to endure the stress of hearing those rumors. Everyone in our industry will definitely gossip about you, you know." Only then do I look up at Lucy. "Thank you for your concern, Ms. Yamlet, but I'm not afraid of embarrassing myself." After all, the so-called higher-up of Galaxy Corporation who had an "illicit" relationship with me is the actual CEO, Theodore Luther. He and I have registered our marriage as of yesterday.

Gwen Shivers worked as a fashion illustrator and designer at one of the biggest fashion companies in the country. Charles Emmett is the new CEO of Emmett Inc. met Gwen on an accidental encounter. They fell in love with each other at first sight. Their relationship was kept secret from everyone around them because of Charles status. Gwen got pregnant, Charles was so happy that he proposed to her. Their conversation was heard by his mother who vowed to do anything to split them apart. Seven months into her pregnancy, she was pushed down the stairs by Charles's mother and was rushed to the hospital. When she woke up from her unconsciousness, she got to know that Charles was engaged to another woman and they were planning to get married. She was devastated and vowed not love again and just take care of her child. Charles' mother told him that Gwen said she didn't want to marry him anymore and that their baby is dead. He didn't believe her but she showed him the engagement ring he gave her. He searched everywhere for her but it was as if she disappeared. He also vowed not to love again, he became ruthless and cold to everyone around him.... Six years later, they were brought together again......

Our bodies tangled in the car. My husband moved inside me, lips claiming my chest, when the sudden ring of a phone ripped me out of our intoxicating haze. Gabriel answered without hesitation. It was one of his closest friends from the medical world, speaking in German. “Don,” the voice said casually, “your mistress is two months pregnant. What are you going to do?” Gabriel didn’t pause. His tone was calm. “Grace can’t have children,” he replied. “I’ll let her carry the baby to term, then adopt it as my own. That secures the heir. This stays between us.” Something inside me froze. The one thing he had forgotten— I majored in German. And he learned it just to win me. I didn’t scream. I didn’t confront him. Instead, I smiled, stayed quiet, and kept playing the perfect wife. Later, I slipped the divorce papers into a real estate contract and watched him sign without reading. Then I quietly registered a new identity. For the next three days, his absence—and her taunting messages—erased the last illusions I had about love. When my new identity finally went live, I walked away without looking back. Carrying his child. And disappearing from his world forever.

Daphne Vega has one rule: never feel anything. She's a professional con artist. She seduces, she steals, she disappears. Emotion is a liability she can't afford. So when intelligence broker Adrian Wolfe offers her millions to infiltrate billionaire CEO Celeste Laurent's empire — seduce her, access her classified AI technology, deliver the data — Daphne says yes without blinking. Simple job. Wrong woman. Because from the moment Daphne walks into Celeste's world wearing a fake name and a practiced smile, Celeste looks at her like she already knows every lie she's ever told. And instead of exposing her — she pulls her closer. Now Daphne is living in Celeste's penthouse. Wearing Celeste's arm like a crown at billion-dollar events. Playing the perfect fake girlfriend while executives inside Laurent Axis start dying one by one. Accidents. Suicides. Disappearances. The deeper Daphne falls into Celeste's carefully constructed world, the harder it becomes to remember where the performance ends — and where she begins. Then Celeste says four words that change everything: "I knew from the beginning." And Daphne realizes she was never the spy in this story. She was the trap. But if Celeste already knew she was a traitor… why does she still look at her like she's the only honest thing she's ever touched?

A story about a strong woman (you won't regret, she isn't like other female leads) A story about an innocent girl, a girl who only knew how to spread love. She has the eyes of innocence, the face of an angel and a personality of a dreamer but her smile....her smile is so beautiful but what people don't see, is a smile that hides more pain than you can ever imagine. A story about a boy, a boy who was forced to grow up into a cold heartless monster. Every girl wanted to be with him and there wasn't a single girl in the campus who had not slept with him except for those who were the outcasts. He was a playboy, not caring about anyone's feelings except his friends and his sister. His sister was his world, he would destroy anyone who even dared hurt his beloved sister. What will happen when he gets trapped in misunderstandings, vowing to take revenge from the girl who caused his sister pain? What will happen when he breaks her beyond repair? What will happen when she loses her purpose in life and becomes lifeless? What will happen when he finds out the truth and regrets immensely for what he did to the girl he madly fell in love with? What will happen when he gets separated from her? What will happen when he goes insane in her love, yearning and craving for her attention....for her that he abused for something that she never did but rather saved? Will she forgive him or will he lose her forever? After all, the things he had done to her were unforgivable and beyond words..... "P...please don't leave me. Come back to me.... P...please...please Eyshana.... I... I love you" I pleaded and cried as I cradled her lifeless body.

On the day the SAT scores were released, the police showed up at my front door. They said I had murdered three of the top students in my class. The evidence was conclusive. However, on the day it happened, I had been sitting alone at home, drowning in regret over my poor exam performance. "Worthless girl! Useless burden! How did this family end up with a monster like you?!" My grandmother screamed at me, hurling insults as her fists and kicks rained down. The only thing that could have proven my innocence—the security camera—had been unplugged by her the night before. She said the camera gave off radiation and claimed that we installed it to harm her. In an instant, I became the disgrace of everyone around me. After I was convicted, my parents couldn’t bear the blow. They both took their own lives. As for me? Under the crushing weight of public outrage and endless condemnation, I spiraled into depression and died. Even at the very end, I never understood why every piece of evidence pointed straight at me. Then I opened my eyes again and found myself back on the night before the scores were released.

Patrick and Clare wake up trapped in a basement, a thin wall separating their cells. Their captor is mysteriously absent, which at first seems like a blessing. As more time passes with no food or water, they begin to realize a clock is ticking for their survival.They know their captor is still out there, and it is only a matter of time before he returns.©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

My adopted sister, Jasmine, lost a million dollars in a bad investment scheme. On that fateful day, a disgruntled client showed up before us, furious that his entire life's savings had disappeared overnight and desperate to exact his revenge. When my boyfriend, Connor Sanders, showed up to rescue us, both of us reached a pleading hand to him in fear, but he swatted mine away and snarled, "Rosie, cut the crap! I know you're just faking, and you better stop, or else karma will come back to you! Jasmine has a heart condition, so I'll need to send her to the hospital right away!" Faking it? If only he knew the truth—that the unfortunate daughter born with a congenital heart disease was, in fact, me! On the day of my funeral, my boyfriend Connor wept upon my grave and blinded himself out of remorse. From that day onwards, Connor "Hawk-Eye" Sanders would live in eternal darkness.

Before love could lie what is the true face of evil could we face the truth or do we hide behind the what we could see is life that easy