Novel & Cerita Five Years After A John Matherson Novel

[Warning this book contains strong sexual content and violence, readers discretion is strongly advised] Hallow Groove was a quiet and peaceful town until the enigmatic Lycan brothers, Lucian and Lucifer, descended upon it. Suddenly, death, chaos, and inexplicable disappearances become a daily occurrence. Alexandra, a young and ambitious journalist, is determined to uncover the truth behind the brothers' activities and puts herself in danger to do so. Delving deeper into the investigation, Alexandra begins to realize that there is more to these brothers than meets the eye. Lucian, the brooding and intense brother, intrigues her with his quiet strength and aura of danger. Lucifer, on the other hand, is charming and charismatic, and Alexandra finds herself drawn to their magnetic personality. Caught in a dangerous game of love and secrets can Alexandra navigate the complex relationship between the two brothers, each vying for her attention and affection while guarding their own hidden agendas and uncover the secrets behind the strange disappearances in Hallow Groove?

After the great war between humans, vampires, werewolves, and elves, an agreement was made that hybrid offspring would rule the world. Every century, alliances through marriage between humans and those three clans would decide the next ruler. Whoever bore the first hybrid child would claim power for their line. In my previous life, I chose to marry Jax, the eldest son of the werewolf pack, known for his fierce loyalty. I gave birth to our hybrid son, a white-furred pup we named Zeal. Our child became the next world ruler, and Jax gained immense power. My sister had lusted after the elves' beauty and married into their clan. But the elf prince slept with every female in the forest. In the end, my sister caught a disease that left her barren. Jealous and bitter, she set a fire that burned me and my young pup alive. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of the racial alliances. My sister had already slept with Jax first. I knew she had been reborn too. But she didn't know that Jax was brutally savage with his mates, having torn countless she-wolves apart in his bed during his ruts.

After I get drugged by my stepmother and gets delivered to Don Edoardo Ariani's private cruise ship, I tell her smilingly, "Oh, there's no need to take me there. I'm already home, after all." My entire family thinks that I'm hallucinating, so they start berating me angrily. "Chiara, Gina has racked up a huge gambling debt. Only Edoardo is capable of saving us now. He loves pure and innocent women like you the most. As long as you can serve him well for one night, our family will be able to tide over this crisis. "Once Gina has paid off her debt, you'll have received benefits from Edoardo as his lover. By then, we'll be able to experience what it feels like to be a billionaire!" The drugs' effects on me have yet to fade, but this family—the people whom I trust the most in this lifetime—doesn't even hesitate to drag me into the most luxurious suite of the cruise ship. No one knows that Edoardo has kneeled before me and pleaded for me to help him establish his forces in Siceria seven years ago. Tonight, my family has personally delivered me to his suite. Tomorrow, I'm pretty sure that there will be a few extra bodies floating on the sea.

“Marry me, Katleah. Be my wife.” Words that suddenly changed the course of her world. She was being proposed to by Marco De la Vega, the most handsome man who owned numerous hotels and airlines across the Philippines. But the marriage he offered came with a contract that they were forbidden to love each other. It was hard for her to accept such an offer. What if she failed? What if she ended up falling for him? Yet, despite her doubts, she still accepted. For three years, their life as husband and wife was never easy. In secret, she endured the humiliation from his family because she had already learned to love him. But how long could she bear it? What if, in their marriage, she was the only one in love? Would she insist on sacrificing what was left of her dignity, just for the sake of her love? She thought he had also come to love her after the many joyful nights they shared. But she was wrong because Marco wanted to end their marriage. And though her heart was breaking into pieces, she had to accept that they were never meant to be. After signing the divorce papers, she flew to America with her real family. Seven years later, aboard a private plane, she returned as a top surgeon, a billionaire’s heiress, and a loving mother to two beautiful six-year-old twins. Be ready for her final retribution...

In the tenth year of my marriage to a genius pianist, I came down with a strange illness. A month ago, my husband missed my birthday party to care for his ailing sister-in-law. Night after night, I had waited for him to return home. But that night I forgot to wait at all and went to bed early. Half a month ago, he attended an important performance with his sister-in-law. I had always been petty and prone to jealousy, yet this time I didn't get angry. I simply went home in silence. Three days ago, I fell seriously ill with a burning fever. My husband rushed back from out of town in a panic—but only to tend to his sister-in-law, whose hand had been scalded. When we ran into each other at the hospital, I was strangely calm. I, who used to be fiercely jealous, felt nothing at all. I forgot the promise we had made to grow old together. I even forgot how he once fretted over me for days when I'd scraped a bit of skin. It wasn't until he said he wanted to bring his sister-in-law home and take care of her for the rest of his life that I—my memories riddled with holes—summoned the system at last. "I want to go home."

When my mother first told me about the arranged marriage, Noah Parker lowered his head and kissed me, pulling me closer as we became tangled together. After a haze of passion, he carried me into the bathroom. Warm water streamed over my skin, but his words sent a chill straight through me, as if I'd fallen into an icy pit. "Go home. And don't come looking for me here again." I thought he'd seen the text and was jealous, so I quickly clung to him and swore, "I won't marry anyone else—" His smile stayed, but the heat in his eyes cooled into something distant. "But I'm getting married." He brushed back my messy hair, ignoring how my body trembled under his touch. "My fiancée is gentle and kind—nothing like you. She’d never throw herself at her foster brother like that. We've already set a date. If you keep clinging to me like this, she'll be upset with me."

Humanity has finally done it and destroyed the world. After the spread of the killer virus that no one had a cure for, countries started to fight as greed has pushed them to expand their territories. And in the process, they provoked mother nature to take a stand. The plague evolved into something that twisted and deformed humans; they were neither dead nor alive. Just walking empty husks that fed on flesh and had one purpose, killing. The supernatural were exposed to the rest of the world; as they weren't spared and got affected, too. The result of this knowledge was chaos. Instead of creating one unity, the rest of the living were fighting among themselves and the undead. The entire world turned into a big arena and it was (survival of the fittest).

Naomi entered a contract marriage with Lucas, the only son of a wealthy family. He never loved her, marrying her only to secure his family’s wealth, while his heart belonged to another woman, Valentina. As the contract nears its end, Naomi discovers she is pregnant. Alone, despised by Lucas’ family, and trapped in a house that never wanted her, she must fight to protect herself and her unborn child. Determined to survive, Naomi escapes the mansion, hiding her secret from Lucas. But when he eventually discovers the truth, he realizes that the woman he married for convenience is the only one he can ever truly love. A story of betrayal, survival, and forbidden love, where one woman’s strength and courage will change everything.

"Laurette, you are not qualified to have a child." Hearing these words from her husband, Laurette's heart shattered into a million pieces, leaving her wondering if she'd be enough. Every time they had sex, he'd remind her to take her contraceptive pill, making sure she never got pregnant. For five years, Laurette found herself trapped in a loveless, secret marriage with Bryce – one that forbids pregnancy. No one knew about it – not even her family. It's been five years already; everyone expected children, especially her mother-in-law, who couldn't wait to cradle her grandchild. But the truth was, she'd had a miscarriage years ago, and the doctor said she couldn't get pregnant again. The memory still lingered, a painful echo of what could've been. She kept it a secret, hiding behind a mask of compliance, letting her mother-in-law cling to hope of carrying her grandchild one day. But today was different. Her mother-in-law, Mrs. Ava, fueled by years of frustration, called Laurette "infertile." Bryce stood there, silent. He knew the truth. He knew about the contract, and he didn't defend her. Instead, he handed her divorce papers and said coldly, "Let's get divorced. My first love is back." Bryce Rodriguez chose Irene – his childhood sweetheart – over the woman who'd stood by him for five years. Laurette couldn't compete when her husband's first love returned. Heartbroken but dignified, she walked away without looking back. But fate had other plans. Months later, Bryce accompanied Irene to a prenatal checkup... only to run into his ex-wife, holding triplets! He went crazy and shouted, "Whose children are they?" he demanded, his voice shaking. "I thought you're infertile?" Laurette only smiled. Too late, Bryce realized the truth. He didn't just lose his wife... He lost his entire family.

His rule was simple: I was his substitute and would be his contract wife for two years with no strings attached. He would give me the respect and everything I want except his heart, for it belonged to his fiancée abroad. But I want more; I want his heart. So I confessed my love to him. He divorced me for breaking the rules. Now a turn of events after our divorce lands me in his bed. I thought I was safe since he didn't see me the next day before I left. But a month later… I learned I carried a part of him inside me. Now I’m torn... Do I keep the secret? Or face the man who swore he could never love me… again?