Eun Ja Kil

Detective Jane Michaels arrives in Ridgeview to start fresh after a catastrophic case nearly ended her career. On her first day, she’s assigned a gruesome case involving a serial killer who dresses his victims as brides and leaves a single rose. As Jane dives deeper, she uncovers unsettling details about the victims and their lives. Amidst the investigation, she crosses paths with Nathaniel Carter, a kind and mysterious local writer who slowly chips away at her walls. But Ridgeview is a town of secrets, and the truth is never as it seems. When a victim escapes the killer’s clutches and gives a description, the case takes an unexpected turn. The town is rocked as the killer is unmasked—someone who was hiding in plain sight. In the final confrontation, Jane must use her wit and emotional resilience to bring the killer to justice. But even as the case is solved, a sinister shadow lingers, and Jane faces her own demons, left with an unsettling gift that raises more questions than answers.

Natash·Yael's teenage years were marked by academic neglect and a wasted life, primarily due to her mother's passing and her stepmother's jealousy. She even resorted to smoking and pretending to be tough at bars. However, the turning point in Natash·Yael's life came when she encountered Jaclyn·Dills by chance. Jaclyn·Dills' words of wisdom awakened her and inspired her to return to school. As time went on, Jaclyn·Dills was set up for an arranged marriage by her father, and Natash·Yael's father introduced her to Jaclyn·Dills in an attempt to gain favor with Jaclyn·Dills' social circle. However, this blind date led to an unexpected outcome because Jaclyn·Dills was deeply drawn to Natash·Yael. This set the stage for a love story filled with misunderstandings and turmoil. Natash·Yael mistakenly believed that Jaclyn·Dills didn't love her and continued her reckless lifestyle, eventually leading to her pregnancy. In turn, Jaclyn·Dills became cold and volatile due to these misunderstandings. A series of misunderstandings and conflicts eventually led to their separation, with Natash·Yael leaving with her child. However, once Jaclyn·Dills realized the truth of the situation, he was determined to win her back. But the story is far from over, as Jaclyn·Dills' business trip triggers a new round of misunderstandings, making this tumultuous love story even more intricate. Now, he is determined to reunite with his beloved at any cost.

Erika's parents used to be under the board of directors of Evans Industries. In order to obtain more shares, the young CEO Charles agreed to marry their daughter Erika. It was supposed to be a Contract Marriage, but Charles really fell in love with Erika who was still in college. But just the day before the wedding, Erika saw a picture of Charles kissing a famous actress. This photo appeared on the headlines of major media, which broke Erika's heart to the extreme. At the same time, she found that she couldn't contact her fiancé. Erika left Charles at the same time she found out she was pregnant. Five years later, she re-emerged as a partner in Wilson's Company and entered into a business partnership with Evans Industries. She found herself still deeply in love with Charles. And Charles misunderstood the relationship between Erika and David Wilson, CEO of Wilson Company, and he was very jealous. Charles also found Erika's child, whose father was his. In the end, he revealed his heart to Erika: he chose to cheat back then, only because he was diagnosed with a terminal illness. He thought he was going to die soon, so he could only choose this method to prevent Erika from falling into despair. Five years later, Erika met Charles again with her daughter. When she learned the truth about the past and planned to forgive him, she found that Charles was related to the death of her parents…

Buried deep in the Aster estate was the Heartwood—ancient, sacred, mine. Told my husband, Julian Aster—back when he actually listened—that if it ever fell, I'd die with it. At first, he freaked out. Flew in glacier water, hired a whole squad of plant experts to nurture it 24/7. Then one day, just because his childhood friend—Isabella Duvall—got a scratch from the bark, Julian had the Heartwood ripped out. The second it crashed, I choked on glowing blood—ichor. My power? Gone. Barely standing, I grabbed his arm. "You knew. If the Heartwood dies, I—" He laughed. Straight-up mocked me. "Sera, come on. That fairy tale? Only Grandma still believes that crap. Is that mayo on your mouth? Relax—it's a tree. I'll buy you a forest if you want." Overnight, my hair turned gray. Skin cracked. Eyes dulled. Still, I dragged myself to his grandmother, Henrietta. "I kept your family safe for two hundred years. That's why the Asters thrived. But the Heartwood's gone. Debt's paid. One day left. Whatever happens next? Not my problem."

After I am diagnosed with stomach cancer, I ask for some money to buy medicine. I don't want to be in excruciating pain when I die. My three elder brothers rush into the ICU. Andy Lewis—my eldest brother—slaps me hard across my face. He scolds me for ruining his beloved younger sister, Summer Lewis' coming-of-age party. My second brother, Sherman Lewis, calls me a liar. He accuses me of pretending to be sick to swindle money from them. Jimmy Lewis, who is my third brother, calls me useless. He tells me that I deserve to die. My parents, Kenneth Lewis and Autumn Farrow, don't believe that I'm sick. They pin me with looks of contempt and ridicule. "You still haven't stopped that lying habit of yours even though you're all grown up. You even learned how to blackmail us with your death. "If you want to die, do it sooner. It'll spare us from being disgusted when we're forced to look at you day in and day out." I end up dying on the first day of the New Year. Before I breathe my last breath, I send a message to the family group chat. My entire family goes crazy after reading it.

My six-year-old son, Zac Quest, deliberately fed me almond cake, which I was allergic to, to make me miscarry. Standing in front of the hospital bed, he hid behind my husband, Sterling Quest, with a long face and refused to admit his mistakes, "Grandma said you won't ever divorce Dad once you give birth to my sister. I don't want you as my mom anymore. I prefer Ms. White!" Sterling said indifferently, "We'll have other children. Winona... is indeed more fit to raise Zac than you." Hearing those words, I gave up completely. The day I was discharged from the hospital, I went back home and cleared out all my belongings. All I left behind was a divorce agreement and a letter disowning Zac.

When men become murderers... See how these young men will fight fate. “Strange Noises in the Attic” There was a monster locked up in my attic. This monster was my biological brother. He was locked up by my parents for 24 years. My parents told me that my brother was mentally ill and had severely violent tendencies, so he could only be locked up to prevent him from hurting others. However, I once accidentally entered the room. My brother covered my mouth immediately and told me with a fearful look that those two people were not my real parents. “The Spirit House” When I was in college, I met a middle-aged rich woman on social media. She was very kind to me. She always gave me money and intimately called me "little boy". She said that she was born and raised in the countryside just like me. She liked me, and thus she would lead me to fortune after I graduated. I thought she was joking. However, she really came to me in a Porsche Cayenne when I graduated.

These young girls are overwhelmed by complicated society, human relations, and accidents. What they faced are not only relationships but also the cruelty of the adult world. There are so many scumbags. Their boyfriends, husbands, and even their fathers may harm them. What should they do to survive? See how these young women will fight back. “I Am a Scorpio” Mark Yeager sent my private photos to his buddy. [Doesn't my girlfriend have a good figure?] The words were followed by two smug-looking emojis. His buddy replied: [I prefer women with flat chests.] I felt disgusted reading the message. Mark shrugged indifferently. "You are all women. Why are you afraid of her seeing your photo?" Yes, his buddy was a woman. I felt like an unreasonable and resentful woman. I had had enough. It was not something a Scorpio like me would do. This time, I did not want to put up with them anymore. “The Kiss of Karma” He blocked me with a fierce look and said, "So... Does what you said about being with me still hold up?" "Of course." I hugged Yorrance Sonic. "I really like you." I heard something falling to the ground with a bang as Yorrance waved to someone behind me. "Mom!" I turned around and saw my husband holding hands with a woman, whom Yorrance called "mom".

As Jason and I try to stay one step ahead of the Marching Tides and their nefarious associates, we draw ever closer to the shocking truth of who the mastermind behind the Marching Tides really is. Something tells me I’ll regret learning the answers at the end of my journey.©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

Selena is the Alpha of the Golden Gate Alliance. Strong, calculating, fierce, those are the words her pack uses to describe her but at home she's nothing more than a punching bag for her adoptive brother and adoptive mother. That is, until she captures and detains her rival Alpha in her home, at least that's who she thought he was. Now she lives under the same roof as him, a coldhearted killer who reeks of bloodlust. Will Selena's life devolve into a maddening hell, or will the time she spends with him evolve their connection into something intimate, saving her from her torturous family?