Bernadette Banner Novels & Stories

Avyanna has spent her life mastering survival. A brilliant scholarship student by day, a strategist and fighter by necessity, she carries the weight of a childhood tragedy that left her orphaned. When she falls for Kairus Chu—the rebellious heir of a powerful conglomerate—she allows herself a fleeting moment of happiness. Their love defies all odds, culminating in a secret marriage despite his mother’s ruthless opposition. But behind the scenes, Avyanna’s trusted mentor, Lord Mendez, pulls unseen strings, shaping her fate for his own ends. Their love is shattered when Zhen, a cunning rival, conspires with Kairus’ mother to frame Avyanna for murder. Betrayed, sentenced to life in prison, and pregnant with Kairus’ child, she refuses to be broken. With her only ally, Huan Yue, she orchestrates a daring escape, vanishing in fire and blood—reborn as Bernadette Lu, a shadow queen of the underworld. Years later, Avyanna returns with a vengeance, dismantling the Chu empire piece by piece. She manipulates Dylan Chu, Kairus’ ambitious younger brother, and unearths the true enemy—Lord Mendez, the man who orchestrated her downfall and her parents’ deaths. As she leaves devastation in her wake, Kairus, now a pawn of his mother’s ambitions, is forced to confront the memories of the love he lost. As Zhen and the Chu matriarch fall, Avyanna stands at the precipice of her ultimate choice: to reclaim the love that once defined her or to walk away forever, knowing that vengeance has carved an unbridgeable distance between who she was and who she has become. When Kairus finally finds her, face-to-face with the daughter he never knew, the question lingers—can love survive the ashes of war?

After I've completed 98 tasks for my fiancee, Cheryl Landeau, she finally agrees to marry me once I've completed the 99th task for her. For that task, I'm required to pick her up outside her company. On the day I stand outside Cheryl's company with a huge flower bouquet in my arms, I don't see her at all despite having waited till late night. Soon after, I get hospitalized due to a high fever. When I tap on my phone, the first thing I see is a photo of the marriage certificate belonging to Cheryl and her assistant, Jason York. Jason even includes a caption with the photo. "My mom is very satisfied with her daughter-in-law. Please take good care of me from now on, my dear wife." The next day, I hang a banner outside the company. "May Ms. Landeau and Mr. York grow old in harmony and be blessed with children." All of my colleagues are stunned, to say the least. At that moment, Cheryl quickly pulls me into her office. She then explains, "Jason's mom is severely ill. Her death wish is watch him get married. What's wrong with me fulfilling her wish? Can't you show more kindness toward Jason? "Now, stop throwing that tantrum of yours and get rid of the banner. Once Jason's mom passes away, I'll file for a divorce from him." I just smile as I set off more fireworks at the doorway. "Oh, you don't have to bother with a divorce. I'm worried that his mom might come back to life soon. Let's just end things here."