First Year

On the fifth anniversary of Rebecca Perry's marriage to Vance Bradford, his first love returned to the country. That night, she caught him in the bathroom, murmuring Catherine's name as he pleasured himself. That was why, for five years, he had never touched her. "Catherine is back; she's all alone. I'm just helping her as a friend." "I understand." "I promised her I'd accompany her to the island for her birthday. I'm just fulfilling it." "Okay." "This banquet requires a capable companion, and Catherine is more suitable than you." "Okay, go ahead." When she stopped getting angry, stopped shedding tears, and stopped making a fuss, he grew puzzled. "Rebecca, why aren't you angry?" Of course, she wasn't angry anymore—because she was preparing to leave. Weary of this stagnant marriage, she had secretly learned a foreign language, taken the proficiency exam, and applied to study abroad. The day her visa was approved, she presented him with the divorce agreement. Vance froze. "No joke. How are you gonna survive without me?" Rebecca turned away, bought a plane ticket, and flew to the European continent, vanishing without a trace. The next time he saw news of her was in a viral video. Dressed in a flowing red gown, she danced against a foreign sky, igniting the internet with her performance. He gritted his teeth. "Rebecca, no matter where you hide, I will find you and bring you back!"

"How did you do it Odette?" he asked again. Her lips parted as her heart pounded against her breast. What—" she gasped, her voice trembling. “What—?” He moved closer until there wasn't room between them. The warmth of his body pressed against hers, the scent of him—fogged in her mind. Then his mouth came down, his lips beside her ear, his breath on her skin searing. "Just how did you end my brother's life, Odette?”he breathed. Eighteen-year-old Odette Davenport was married to Salvatore Moretti, heir to a powerful empire. Five years later, Salvatore is murdered, and as his widow, Odette is the last person to see him alive. Nico Moretti, Salvatore's brother, returns home determined to uncover the truth. But as his investigation unfolds, Odette wrestles with guilt and a forbidden desire ignited by his presence. Every glance hides a secret, and every kiss could be their last. This is a dark, suspenseful tale of love, loyalty, and deception delves deep into the Moretti family's dark underbelly.

Five years had gone by since my death. The cops called my mom and told her they got news about me. My mother and brother marched to my grandmother's home and kicked her door down. "Where's Charlie? That shameless woman has been hiding from us far too long. Her brother needs her cornea, and she's giving it to him!" "Charlie's dead," said my grandmother, sobbing. My mother sneered. "As if. The cops called us. They said they had her news. Hand her over or get out of the house, you hag." My grandmother looked at her daughter, tears streaming down her cheeks. With trembling hands, she took my photo out. "I wonder if you've ever regretted saving your brother, Charlie."

On the day the gynecologist confirmed that I was pregnant, my husband, Austin Jones, pushed me into the operating room to donate blood to save his first love. Feeling frail after the blood transfusion, I almost fainted in front of Austin. However, he pushed me away and went to take care of his first love. Furthermore, he hung up on all my phone calls and stayed with his first love all night on the day I miscarried. Time after time, I was met with disappointment. When I finally decided that I had enough of his mistreatment and no longer wanted to love him, he panicked and begged me to give him another chance.

One accidentally crossed, and crossed the United States. Well, there's nothing wrong with crossing America. But who is that guy flying around with a hammer?! Hey ~ Who's there to control the thunderstorm! I didn't know this weather was bad for business...

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."

In the fifth year after my death, my mate, Kade Irvin, comes to the shack that I used to live in once again. He's not here to visit me. The truth is, his new lover, Tiffany Hart's blood cancer has relapsed once again, so he desperately needs my bone marrow in order to extend her life. When he steps into the old and ruined room, he realizes that it's empty. "Nala, get out right now! My patience is limited, you know!" Upon hearing his bellows, the old she-wolf who lives next door, Patricia Howl, rushes over to him. "Are you looking for Nala? She died a long time ago." Kade has already blocked our mind-link. Of course, he's oblivious about how much pain and suffering I had to go through before my death. He just chuckles coldly in return. "Her bastard pup is still in my hands. As if she has the guts to die! Tell her that she'd better come to me before tomorrow if she still wants to see that bastard spawn of hers!" But Patricia sighs and shakes her head. "If you're talking about Nala's pup, that poor thing died a long time ago protecting his mother…"

For seven years, Evelyn Reed hid her true identity as Princess Evelyn Voss of the Lycan Kingdom, suppressing her royal blood and her powerful wolf to live as an ordinary omega at the side of the man she loved—Alpha Alexander Thorne of Shadowfang Pack. She endured his mother’s disdain, the pack’s whispers, and Alexander’s growing distance, believing love would be enough. Until the day he brought his fated mate into their home. Scarlett Hale—beautiful, ambitious, and everything Evelyn was never allowed to be—became the center of Alexander’s world. When he revealed that Scarlett was his mate, when he threatened to drag Evelyn to apologize for something she didn’t do, when he locked her in a cell like a criminal… Evelyn finally shattered. Betrayed, humiliated, and caged by the man who once swore to choose her above all others, she receives the one thing she never expected: freedom. Her marriage is annulled. Her chains are broken. Her father, the Lycan King, and her brothers are coming for her. Now the princess who once ran from her crown is returning to claim it. Welcome home, Princess.

After my divorce, I went to the southwest mountainous regions to volunteer for rescue work, where two years passed in the blink of an eye. One day, our daughter gets diagnosed with aplastic anemia, and her life can only be sustained through a bone marrow transplant from me. It's only then that my ex-wife thinks of me. She heads to the mountains with a group of bodyguards and searches everywhere, but she can't find a trace of me. She thinks I have deliberately hidden myself from her. "As long as you're willing to donate the bone marrow, I'll promise you visitation rights to see our daughter in the future." However, the townspeople tell her that I have long since passed away. She frowns slightly, her expression full of impatience as she says, "I never thought that, after all these years, he would still play these childish games." In the end, she searches high and low, only to unearth my bones.

Hindi kailanman inakala ni Alexandra na magiging bahagi ng isang kasal ang kanyang buhay. Dalawa lamang ang mahalaga sa kanya, pamilya at trabaho. Kaya nang alukin siya ng kanyang boss na magpakasal, matigas niyang tinanggihan. Ngunit isang hindi inaasahang pangyayari ang magtutulak sa kanya na tanggapin ang kakaibang alok, maging pekeng asawa ng kanyang boss sa loob ng dalawang taon. Paano kung sa paglalaro ng puso at propesyon, ang kasinungalingan ay magdala ng tunay na damdamin?