Chance A Novel Novels & Stories

In the quiet of the forest, the darkest fears are born. The people of Dunballan, harbour a dark secret. A secret more terrible than the Beast that stalks the dense forests of Dunballan. A secret that holds David McCavendish, last in a long line of Lairds, in its unbreakable grip. It’s down to Sally, David’s lover, to free David from the sinister clutches of the Beast. But, with the whole town against her, she must ally herself with an ancient woodland force and trace Dunballan’s secret back to its bitter origins. Those origins lie within the McCavendish family history, and a blasphemous heresy that stretches back to the beginning of time. Some truths are too terrible to face, and the darkest of these lie waiting for Sally, in the Quiet Places. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

On our son's fifth birthday, I found the texts on Stanley's phone—from his best friend's widow: [Stanley, the kid misses his dad again. When are you coming over?] [Stanley, Archie liked a set of matching family outfits. I already ordered them. Let's wear them together this weekend.] [Stanley, Archie starts school tomorrow. I put your name down under "father." Hope that's okay?] And Stanley? He was all in: [Loretta's asleep. I'll head over now.] [My size is 3XL. Don't get the wrong one.] [It's fine. You two have always been my responsibility.] I stood there, frozen. Then I called him back in from the living room, where he'd been helping Luca open gifts. He didn't deny it. Just hugged me and started rambling. "Hallie's Howard's widow. I promised I'd look out for her and Archie. I know I messed up. It won't happen again." We'd been together ten years. Luca had just turned five. Ending a marriage over a few texts felt dramatic. So I let it slide. Believed him. We even went out to celebrate Luca's birthday. Then his phone lit up on the table: [Stanley, the kid's crying for his dad before bed. I can't calm him down.] Stanley shoved his chair back and walked out—no hesitation. I looked at Luca. He was startled at the noise. And just like that, divorce didn't feel so dramatic anymore.

Elowen Vale is fresh out of high school, with no college plans and an invisible place in a home that never truly felt like hers. Pressured by her sister and her best friend to celebrate their final night of freedom, she agrees to a party, a reckless decision that changes everything. There, she meets billionaire Mael Virelis. A mistaken encounter. A disastrous one-night stand. A stolen identity, and a pregnancy she never expected. Elowen runs, disappearing into a new life, far from betrayal, shame, and the man who never looked her in the eyes. Three years later, she's a successful artist and a mother to a little girl with his eyes. When she returns home for her adoptive mother’s funeral, she comes face to face with the man who unknowingly broke her– in a tailored suit and cold, familiar eyes. Now, the past is a battlefield. And the war of hearts has only just begun.

Nell has spent her whole life giving second chances. Third chances. Fourth chances. It's the only way she knows how to survive .Homeless at fifteen. Working her fingers bloody at a corner store. She's never once fought back against a world that keeps knocking her down .Then Lena finds her. A warm smile. A home called Haven House a shelter for lost wolves. For three weeks, Nell believes she's finally safe .But the wolves' kindness curdles. Whispers follow her through candlelit halls. And one night, Nell hears the words that change everything :"She's human. She's nothing ."She doesn't know why Lena's eyes flicker gold. She doesn't know why the moon makes the walls hum. And she doesn't know that the mark burning on her palm is a trap eight years in the making.Because Haven House isn't a shelter. It's a prison.Lena isn't a savior. She's the wolf who killed Nell's parents. And Nell? She's not human. She's the Lunar Omega a creature of impossible power. The kind that doesn't heal. It devours. Now Nell is trapped in a house of wolves who want her gone and an alpha who wants to own her forever. The stolen children Rue, Caleb, and Finn don't know that Lena murdered their real families too. The basement holds a prisoner with Nell's eyes. And the full moon is three days away. They wanted her gone. But when the truth comes out, every wolf in Haven House will bow. The question is: after everything the lies, the betrayal, the blood will Nell still have a fourth chance left to give? Or will the girl who forgives everyone finally learn to forgive herself?

Life has a funny way of throwing curveballs, and for Ella Blake, it was a fastball right to the heart. On the same day she discovered she was pregnant, her husband, Lucas, dropped a bombshell: his childhood sweetheart, Amy, was also expecting—and he wanted Ella to raise the child. Talk about a double whammy! Devastated and feeling utterly betrayed, Ella packed her bags and left the life she once knew, vowing never to look back. Fast forward six years, and she's back, but with a new look and a fierce attitude. Lucas can’t believe his luck when he spots her, mistaking their chemistry for a chance to rekindle their past. But with secrets, old feelings, and Amy reappearing with her own bombshell, can Ella find a way to reclaim her heart, or will revenge take the wheel? What will happen when the past collides with the present?

"I like her," I said as I sat across from my mother unable to keep the frustration from boiling over. "Like who?" "Callie," I admitted, my chest tightening as I said her name. Her expression froze for a moment before she set the papers aside and leaned forward. "You’re joking, right? Callie is your brother’s girlfriend." "I don’t care," I snapped. "I can’t stand seeing him with her. She should be mine, and I’m not going to just sit back and watch them together." "Well, well. This is interesting." She sat back, steepling her fingers. "You really want her all to yourself?" "More than anything," I confessed. A slow smile crept across her face, and it sent a chill down my spine. "Don’t worry. I have a plan.” Whatever she had in mind, I knew it wouldn’t be simple. But if it meant having Callie… I was willing to do whatever it took. **************** Callie was given a choice by her new boss: either lose her job or act as his escort for his family’s Christmas and New Year celebrations, pretending to be his girlfriend. Left with no other option, she reluctantly agrees to be his escort but what she doesn’t realize is that she’s walking straight into a trap. Dive into a story of love, betrayal, romance, suspense, and a Christmas miracle. Second Chances Under the Tree is a gripping and intriguing read that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

On the day Catherine’s younger sister died, everything fell into crumbles. Her adopted parents cast her off, her medical license was revoked, and her reputation was ruined. Her best friend, Monique, helped her in moving to another city to start a new life. She became a college professor despite her struggles of hiding her past. A young CEO suddenly entered her discreet yet peaceful world, changing her usual peace. He offered her a contract that she can’t refuse. She has to choose between peace and freedom. Find out what is Catherine’s choice and either her choice will lead her to happiness or another heartache. Catherine:" You must be sent by my younger sister to me. She might think that I will be lonely once she's gone so she brought you to me." Alexander: "On the day before I thought I died, your voice brought me back to life. I promise in front of the grave of your sister that I will protect and love you. You will never be alone anymore."

SECOND CHANCES AT SUNRISE Years ago, Yara and Jamal were young, in love, and certain about forever—until life pulled them apart. Their relationship didn’t end in chaos, but in painful silence. Jamal, determined to build an empire, chose ambition when fear whispered that love would slow him down. Yara, brilliant and proud, walked away without demanding the closure her heart quietly begged for. Now, Jamal Adeyemi is a confident and charismatic CEO—one who commands industries, decisions, and attention. Success follows him everywhere, yet something essential has always felt missing. Yara, now a celebrated designer, has built her own creative world with warmth, resilience, and independence. Her heart didn’t turn cold—it simply learned caution. Fate reunites them over cinnamon-flushed coffee in Lagos. The spark remains, but neither believes that old love guarantees a new beginning. This time, Jamal does not rush or assume. He shows up—with patience, sincerity, steady action, and emotional wisdom he once lacked. Lunch dates lead to long conversations, honest moments, and a healing coastal getaway where past wounds finally find voice. But second chances demand more than nostalgia—they require trust rebuilt, fears confronted, and love proven through presence and honesty. In rediscovering each other, Jamal and Yara learn that the safest kind of forever isn’t loud—it arrives like sunrise: Soft. Steady. Certain. Earned.

She was betrayed, discarded, and erased from his life while carrying his children. Five years later, she returns as someone new—powerful, untouchable, and unrecognizable. But when fate drags her back into Ethan Woods’ world, old wounds reopen… and deadly secrets begin to surface. Now he wants her back. But she didn’t come back for love. She came back for justice.

My wife doesn't love me. She doesn't love our child either. On the day our son is born, she doesn't even look at him. She just drops him into my arms. Later, her first love returns. For the first time, the cold, distant woman drinks herself drunk at home. She laughs as she holds our son in her arms, and he wraps his arms around her neck in surprise. "Daddy, what's wrong with Ms. Sutton?" he whispers afterward. I kneel and hold him close. My eyes are red as I explain, "Someone Ms. Sutton loves has come back. We shouldn't bother her anymore. It's time for us to move out."