Gardner-webb University Library Novels & Stories

Bertha Cobb's first love, Owen Rountree, made a mistake during his experiment, leading to an explosion occurring in the lab. Eight students died in this explosion as a result. However, Bertha insisted that I take on the responsibility of this accident and admit that the explosion occurred because of the error found in my data. "You're a professor here. Nothing will happen to you if you're the one taking on the responsibility. But Oewn, on the other hand, will get admonished by the victims' families." I got dismissed by the university afterward. In the end, the victims' families burned me to death. My daughter, Leah Callahan, got bullied as well. She was forced to drop out of school later on and died from depression. While Leah breathed her last on her bed, Bertha was in the middle of celebrating Owen's promotion as a professor. When I opened my eyes again, I realized that I was five minutes away from the explosion in the science lab.

At Harvard University, two worlds couldn't be farther apart. Caspian Hale is the golden boy, athletic, charming, and effortlessly popular. A star basketball player with a sharp jawline and a past he'd rather forget, Caspian transfers to Harvard after a fallout at his old school, promising himself a clean slate. Oliver Wren, on the other hand, lives in the quiet glow of sketches. Fair skinned, delicate, and endlessly curious, he's an artist whose mind runs on strokes and brushes, not people. When Caspian's teammates target Oliver for being different, Caspian follows along to keep his image untouchable. But what starts as teasing soon unravels into confusion, guilt, and an attraction he doesn't understand. As pranks turn to conversations and mockery to stolen glances, both boys find themselves caught between who they were and who they might become. In a world that prizes perfection, they discover that sometimes the most beautiful things are built from broken circuits and unexpected hearts.

On the first day of every month, my mom will give me my allowance based on the number of times I had checked in with her last month. "You'll receive 20 dollars for greeting your parents once in the morning and once in the evening. But last month, you only hit ten days' worth of quota, so you can only receive 200 dollars. This also means your 300-dollar punctuality fee will be deducted as well. "After adding on 150 dollars for your basic necessities, you shall receive only 350 dollars for this month's allowance. Remember to write a reflection report on your lack of punctuality later. I'll only transfer you the money if your report is acceptable." I become so overwhelmed by anxiety that my voice starts trembling. "I was busy with my finals last month, Mom! I had to line up outside the library at 5:00 am every day just so I could secure myself a seat! That's why I couldn't call you in time!" In a choked-up tone, I plead to my mom, "I need 600 dollars for the train ticket all the way home during the holidays! 350 dollars really isn't enough for me! Mom, can you please—" But my mom cuts me off firmly, "The allowance system is something that I've specifically designed for you so that I can help you get rid of the bad habit of wanting to receive everything without putting in hard work! Why can't you just understand that I'm doing this for your own good?" After that, she ends the call mercilessly. Just as I'm filled with despair and helplessness, a blond appears before my eyes. He's willing to buy my train ticket for me, but in return, I need to leave with him.

"What are you doing, Ms. Samantha?" Jack angrily said after seeing the employee chit-chatting with some random guys while the other girls are waiting for her service.  The surprised look was evident to the librarian when she sees her boss in front of them. She also stood up in her seat, and she gave a quick bow to her boss. But Jack ignored it. He walks in the direction of a librarian. "This is not an hour of flirting. I'm not paying you a lot of money only to flirt. But, if you like to seduce some guys. So, why don’t we make it intense for the men you’re flirting with? Hmm?" He smirks at his librarian, whose name is Samantha. "S-Sir…I-I'm sorry…I-I will never do…i-it…a-again…j-just please…s-spare my life." "Oh, sweetie, I'm not going to kill you. But, I'll help you to seduce a guy, you want?"The woman quickly shook her head many times because of fear. "N-no…no… si-sir please…no!" But she can't stop her boss from ripping her uniform. When Jack finished tearing off her upper and lower uniform, he even grinned demonically. "You're welcome, sweetie, don't cry. I'm just helping." Jack Krean Tomizara Miller is known as heartless and ruthless. He doesn't even care about people who beg him or asking him to forgive them for what they've done. He humiliated many employees.  So it isn't easy to get a new one on his property, even how significant the income is because they knew him as a demon. But a woman will give a try to apply as a new librarian. She's Linzi Mikaele Franzie.  What will be her fate after entering the famous library and meeting the Notorious Mafia King, Jack?

All Tamara Jones wanted to do was go on one last solo adventure before starting college at the University of Georgia. Being an outdoor enthusiast, she had just the perfect thing in mind. Tamara had it all planned out, an overnight hike/camping trip through the Great Smoky Mountains. What she didn’t plan on however, was being hunted through the forest by a terrifying unknown predator while also getting caught in a mudslide. Thankfully, The Alpha of the Red River Falls pack, Elliot Bishop, rescued her from falling off a cliff just in time. He knew it the moment they met, Elliot had found his mate. After a chance encounter with Tamara, so did Luke Dunham, the Alpha of the Huntsman pack. With Tamara already having to deal with coming to terms that werewolves are real and having two mates that want to start a pack war over her, one sinister threat makes itself known and puts both packs in grave danger.

Chiara Castelli only wanted one thing, and that was to quit her crappy job, go back to university, and get her life on track after enduring all the trouble that her father got her into. Little did she know that he had one more trick for her: he framed her as his accomplice in a crime against a notorious mafioso. Distraught and betrayed, she ended up in the hands of Alessio De Marco, who was known as the Masked Man, the cruel mafia boss. But what everyone didn't know was that it wasn't just his identity that he was hiding behind his mask. It was his past. Because in a world where werewolves are the unknown killers of humans, he's the runaway Alpha Heir. Will he still survive as a monster in the human world after he met her? Will she be the one to uncover his secrets? Will he punish her for knowing the truth, even if he finds out she is his mate?

A debt. A contract. A marriage. A university! Ashley's father borrowed money from a wealthy billionaire to expand his business. Unfortunately, the expansion failed making the company and the family on the brink of bankruptcy to the extent of almost selling his last property which is their house to pay back the debts. But one fateful day, Mr. Walter came to the Black's family house and gave them an absurd offer which would help them pay their debt and get their company back on its feet. The offer was simple. Since Mr. Black was owing Mr. Walter about 10 million dollars, he offered to forget about the money and even help the company to get back on his feet if... Ashley gets married to his philanderous son, Michael, for a year! Read to follow up with the rollercoaster story of Michael and Ashley's one year contracted marriage while still in college, their heartbreak, their scandalous past and how they later fell madly in love with each other!

A fiercely independent and highly disciplined art student, known for her intense focus and guarded nature, is meticulously planning her final thesis exhibition – a project she sees as her only path to healing from a past betrayal that left her emotionally scarred. Her carefully constructed world is upended when a plumbing disaster in the dorms forces her into a temporary, shared apartment with the university's star rugby captain. He's a charismatic, powerful 'golden retriever' type, known for his easy charm and protective instincts, but also carries the weight of his own family's expectations. Initially, she views him as a loud, distracting presence, leading to clashes over shared space and differing lifestyles. However, the rugby captain is 'immediately obsessed' with her quiet intensity and the raw emotion in her art. He actively seeks to understand her, offering unwavering support and protection, especially when her past trauma threatens to derail her artistic process.

!! Mature content 18+!! "Shhhh..... Take it like a good student" Those seven words changed everything. Isadora Mor is in her final semester of college, coasting through classes, avoiding her parents’ high expectations, and silently drowning in boredom. But beneath the surface, Isa harbors a secret she’s never dared to say out loud—a craving for control, punishment, and submission. Enter Professor Theodore Ashford. Brilliant. Respected. Off-limits. He’s the youngest dean in the university’s history, known for his cold stare, brutal grading, and lectures on the psychology of deviant behavior. When Isa enrolls in his class, their worlds collide—and what begins as academic interest spirals into a dark, obsessive game of power and desire. She wants to obey. He wants to break her. But crossing the line comes with a price neither of them is ready for. Rated 18+ | Contains BDSM, taboo dynamics, and explicit content. Read at your own risk.

Ryder Black, the mysterious billionaire in the city. Rumors say Ryder made his riches through killing people and other barbaric things. Some go as far as saying he is part of the mafia but is that really true? Gianna Hunter, fresh out of university and hoping to find a job is suddenly hit with the news of her getting married to Ryder. Gianna believes in true love and would never stand for marrying a man as vile as Ryder so she decides to flee her wedding. Years later, the paths of Ryder and Gianna cross and this time, Ryder is not willing to let her go. After being humiliated at the altar by a girl with a status as low as Gianna's, Ryder feels his pride has been stepped on and Ryder is not known for forgiving those who dare to embarrass him. In his quest for revenge, will sparks fly between Ryder and Gianna? Will Gianna be able to escape the ruthless Ryder or will he make her succumb to his sinister will?