Ghosts Ellie Goulding

When disgraced journalist Elliot Dorne receives an anonymous invitation to Wintercroft Hall—a decaying mansion on a fog-shrouded island—he is promised the story of a lifetime. But upon his arrival, Elliot finds himself among six strangers, each with their own shadowy past. Their enigmatic host, the frail and reclusive Vivienne Ashworth, claims she has summoned them to reveal a deadly truth about the Ashworth family legacy. Before she can confess, Vivienne collapses, and chaos ensues. A violent storm traps the guests on the island, and the discovery of a gruesome murder sets paranoia ablaze. As Elliot uncovers cryptic messages, hidden rooms, and a chilling photograph that ties him to the Ashworth family, he realizes that nothing about this gathering is random. With the mansion’s dark history unraveling and secrets surfacing at every turn, Elliot must confront the ghosts of his own past to survive. But the deeper he digs, the clearer it becomes—someone inside Wintercroft Hall is playing a deadly game, and not everyone will make it out alive. When disgraced journalist Elliot Dorne is invited to the remote and crumbling Wintercroft Hall, he’s promised the story that could save his career. But the mansion’s sinister halls conceal more than just secrets—they harbor a legacy of betrayal, murder, and lies. Elliot is joined by six strangers, all summoned by the enigmatic Vivienne Ashworth. Frail and reclusive, she claims to know the truth about their darkest sins. Before she can reveal anything, a violent storm cuts them off from the outside world—and the first body is discovered. As cryptic messages and chilling clues emerge, Elliot realizes that his connection to the Ashworth family runs deeper than he could have imagined. Someone in Wintercroft Hall knows the truth about his past, and they’ll stop at nothing .

"I told you five years ago, Richard—your Omega is dead. I’m just the man paid to keep your father’s heart beating. Don’t confuse a business contract with a deathbed confession." Five years ago, Joshua Harrington was the "discarded runt" of the Harrington Pack. On a rain-slicked highway, his Alpha husband, Richard, made a choice: he saved his "fated mate," Bianca, and left a pregnant Joshua to plummet over a cliffside. The world mourned the weak Omega. The Pack moved on. Richard lived with a hollow chest and a "fated bond" that felt more like a cage than a blessing. But ghosts don't always stay buried. When the Harrington Patriarch is struck by a lethal silver-poisoning, only one surgeon in the world can perform the impossible: Dr. J, a cold, clinical genius who smells of sterile steel and holds the life of the Harrington lineage in his hands. When Dr. J walks into the boardroom, Richard’s wolf howls in recognition. But the man standing there isn't the submissive boy who used to wait up for him. Joshua is icy, powerful, and utterly indifferent to Richard’s Alpha command. He has a secret in the city—a son with Richard’s eyes and a "Silver-Rank" aura that could topple the Pack’s entire hierarchy. Richard wants his husband back. Joshua wants a divorce settlement. As the truth about the "fated mate" bond begins to unravel, Richard realizes he didn't just lose a spouse—he betrayed the True Blood heir. Now, the CEO Alpha must become a beggar, chasing a man who no longer needs him, in a world where a scalpel is deadlier than a claw. He left him to die. Now, he’ll have to learn how to live for him.

Nora and Noah's story from contracted: Love in the Shadow. "Hey, Nora..." Noah tried calling her, she ignored him. He bit his lips in anger, as her hand touched the doorknob, he yelled, no, more like roared, "DANYON!" Nora immediately froze in place. She closed her eyes for a second, fighting back tears. that name--- Noah, seeing her wounded expression, took a deep breath, "Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to--" "Don't," she snarled, haughtily glaring at him. “Don’t you even think about it.” “Nora—" He began to say, but she turned her back on him and stormed out of his office, ignoring the many eyes that followed her. ** Nora Danyon wasn’t supposed to survive the crash that killed her husband and children. Stripped of everything—her family, her sanity, and her will to live—she’s forced to start over in a world that feels colder than ever. And just when the darkness threatens to swallow her whole, he shows up… Noah Bamford—her late husband’s best friend and the man she once secretly loved. But Noah isn’t the same boy from the past. He’s distant, guarded, and haunted by ghosts of his own. Still, his presence pulls her back to life—until one stolen kiss in an elevator changes everything. Now emotions are spiraling, old wounds are ripping open, and just when Nora starts to believe in love again… Noah betrays her in the most unforgivable way. Now Nora is forced to male a choice ------ In a world where nothing is promised, and love isn’t written in contracts, can two broken souls rewrite the rules—or will their story end in ruins? There is drama, there is hate, and there is love, and above all, do they deserve a second chance? Sit back and enjoy the ride.

From the ruins of her failed marriage, Ayla learned the hardest lesson of all: never to trust men completely. Natuto na siya. Mula sa dating asawa, tanging sakit, pighati, at pang-aabuso lang ang natutunan niya. She closed her heart off, deciding that love was not for her anymore. Instead, she sought temporary comfort-giving her body freely to whoever came along, thinking that was all she was good for. Pero may isang bagay na hindi niya kayang tanggalin. Sa tuwing nakahiga siya sa piling ng ibang lalaki, sa tuwing susubukan niyang magpakaligaya, ang mukha ng kanyang ex-husband ang lilitaw sa kanyang isipan. It haunted her, stealing every moment of pleasure, making her feel dirty and trapped. She could never truly enjoy intimacy. She was physically there, but her mind and soul were miles away, imprisoned by her past. Until she met Fiyero. They shared an incredible night, a moment of pure passion and release. For Ayla, it was just that-satisfying a need, a temporary fire to keep the cold away. She told herself it meant nothing. Just two people finding comfort in the dark. Pero para kay Fiyero, that night was everything. It was the beginning, not the end. He pursued her with sincerity, wanting more than just her body. He wanted her. Ayla found herself drawn to him, unable to resist the pull. She could easily throw herself at him, surrender to the heat between them, and enjoy the physical bliss she never thought she'd feel again. With him, the ghosts of her past were silent. With him, she felt alive. But the question remains... She can give him her body. She can give him her nights. Pero kaya nga ba niyang ibigay ulit ang kanyang puso?

Note!! There are 2 books in this series "I didn’t rescue you out of mercy, Daphne. I took you because you’re mine." After Daphne’s pack was slaughtered, she lived as a rogue, eventually becoming a stripper to pay off a dead man’s debts. But her life shatters when she discovers her mates are the two most powerful men in the Moonstone Pack—and they don’t want her heart. They want her womb. Used, abused, and forced to carry a child for a man she hates, Daphne thinks she has hit rock bottom when a tragic betrayal steals her baby and her freedom. Then comes Theo. He is the ruthless Alpha of the Silver Pack, a man who wears a mask to hide his "demon" eyes and a heart turned to ice. He saves her from the wreckage, but his touch sparks a fire that shouldn't exist. He is her mate. He is her protector. And he is her stepbrother. In a world where the weak are discarded, Daphne must train to prove she is worthy of the Silver Pack. But as the ghosts of their shared past return and war looms on the horizon, Daphne realizes the biggest danger isn't the Alpha who wants her dead... it's the one she was never meant to love. He’s her family. He’s her King. And he will burn the world to keep her. ************ Book 2: Danielle was supposed to be a prize to settle a gambling debt. Instead, she became the obsession of Mexico’s most feared Mafia Lord. Santiago is ruthless, powerful, and carries a secret that links his dark past to Danielle’s. He stepped in to save his stepsister’s daughter, but he didn't expect the defiant, beautiful dancer to awaken a hunger he can't control.

The Heart Beneath the Thorn — A Modern Beauty and the Beast Retelling 💔 In a glittering city of fortunes and façades, The Heart Beneath the Thorn reimagines Beauty and the Beast through the broken glass of betrayal, redemption, and forbidden love. Emilia Grace, a fierce yet quietly bruised soul, is just trying to survive. Between juggling hospital shifts, family debts, and the ghosts of her past, she’s never had the luxury of dreaming. But fate has a cruel sense of humor when she’s assigned to care for Max Carter—the cold-hearted billionaire who once made her school years a waking nightmare. Max was the golden boy with the cruel smirk—the privileged heir with everything, except peace. Years later, a tragic accident leaves him scarred, not just physically but emotionally. Isolated and emotionally exiled, Max is now a man haunted by his past choices and a legacy wrapped in barbed wire. When Emilia walks back into his life, she's no longer the girl he mocked—she's the woman who might just be his undoing. Forced into each other’s orbit, what begins as a war of words slowly melts into lingering stares, late-night confessions, and an unraveling of everything they thought they knew. Max, the beast of her memories, begins to reveal the tender man beneath the mask—a man who collects poetry he never shares, who builds gardens no one sees, and who might have always loved the girl he couldn’t protect. But trust doesn’t bloom easily in thorn-covered soil. And when old enemies, buried secrets, and a scandalous inheritance come to light, Emilia must decide: can she love the man who once broke her, now that he’s the only one trying to piece her back together? A tale of enemies-to-lovers, second chances.

ADRIANNA GREY: Father called me cursed—a mistake that should never have existed. He blamed me for my mother’s death and treated me like a burden he couldn’t wait to discard. In the end, he sold me to the Alpha King, a man worshipped by the kingdom but a devil in private. He made me his sex slave, stripping me of my dignity. Just when my suffering was nearly over, his sister framed me. As punishment, he resold me—this time to another Alpha King even crueler than him. Every day of my life felt like drowning in darkness. I saw no reason to keep living. Then he appeared. My unexpected savior. He risked his life to free me, protected me like I was made of something precious, and treated me with a gentleness I’d never known. He would burn the world to keep me safe. But after everything men have done to me… can I really trust him with my heart? Especially after discovering the truth about what he truly is? ⸻ ERIC BLACKWELL: She was a small, innocent-looking girl in shabby boy clothes when I first saw her, but her doe eyes caught me instantly. After saving her from being burned alive at the market, something inside me changed—something I had never felt in thirty years. Then she disappeared. I searched for her everywhere, only for fate to return her to me in the worst way: she was a sex slave to my boss. Knowing she was in danger, I didn’t care what I had to lose or what I had to do—I was going to save her again. But saving her woke the ghosts of my past, and now those secrets threaten the fragile bond I’ve risked everything to build with her.

Raquel Renaud has spent her entire life overshadowed by the brilliance of her younger sister, Camille—the epitome of beauty and perfection. Raquel has long accepted her role as the family's overlooked daughter, enduring subtle humiliations and a constant sense of inadequacy. When her parents arrange her marriage to Alvaro Bernardi, a strikingly handsome and wildly ambitious businessman, Raquel dares to hope that this union might finally grant her a life of purpose and love. To Alvaro, Raquel is just a tool to fulfill his family's obligations. He hates her—her looks, her existence, even her audacity to love him. Alvaro’s contempt turns to betrayal when Raquel discovers the cruelest truth: Alvaro is having an affair with Camille, her younger sister. The betrayal shatters Raquel to her core. With her heart in ruins, she walks away from the wreckage of her marriage, keeping one devastating secret: she’s pregnant with twins. Five years later, Raquel returns—not as the woman once overlooked and discarded, but as a force to be reckoned with. Her beauty, strength, and newfound grace now turn heads, leaving everyone who once dismissed her in awe. Beneath her dazzling transformation, Raquel hides the wounds of a past that refuses to heal. When fate thrusts her back into the path of Alvaro—a man now consumed by the weight of his past mistakes—and Camille, who has woven herself deeply into Alvaro’s life, old secrets begin to unravel, threatening to tear everything apart. In a world where love is laced with regret and revenge, Raquel must fight her fiercest battle yet: to protect herself, her children, and the fragile happiness she’s painstakingly built. Will the ghosts of her past rise to destroy her, or will she finally take control and emerge victorious in the story of her own life?

"$100 MILLION REWARD for verified information about CEO Lucius Hunt's REAL wife........ .......... What would you do if the husband you've never met turns out to be the boss you're falling for? I married a stranger named "Lou" to escape my father's loan shark. We exchanged vows through lawyers and phone numbers through his grandmother. We've never seen each other or know each other's real name, We're practically ghosts to each other. It's simply one signature that set me free. Or so I thought. Now I work for Lucius Hunt, Cedarville's coldest CEO. A man who looks at me like I'm a problem he needs to solve. The way he looks at me makes me forget I'm married. Lucius is everything I want but shouldn't want. I told myself it's just attraction. Just my body betraying my marriage vows to a man who thinks I'm a golddigger. But the worst part is? Lucius is married too. To a woman he's never met. And that wife is me! Turns out my ghost husband Lou and my cold boss Lucius are actually the same person. But I realized it too late. Now my own best friend is pretending to be his real wife. His desperate ex wants him back. His uncle wants us both dead. My psychotic ex won't stop stalking me. And my father's loan shark? He insists he wants me as payment, not the money. Five enemies. One target. Seems like Being Mr. Hunt's Wife comes with a bounty on my head.

Fiona Woods has spent five years being the perfect shadow—playing Darwin Solomon’s stand-in for a woman he could never have. Her life has been dictated by his whims, her own desires buried beneath layers of quiet endurance. But when she discovers she’s pregnant, everything changes. Determined to protect her unborn child and reclaim her life, Fiona walks away from Darwin and the toxic world he represents. But Darwin isn’t ready to let her go—and neither are the secrets and enemies circling them both. As lies unravel and hidden truths come to light, Fiona and Darwin find themselves drawn back together, forced to confront the ghosts of their past and the enemies determined to destroy them. Can love emerge from years of pain and betrayal? Or will their chance at happiness be crushed under the weight of secrets too heavy to bear? CHARACTERIZATION FIONA WOODS (FL) Age: Late 20s Traits: Intelligent, resourceful, quietly strong, yet deeply scarred by her years as Darwin’s stand-in. Her resilience comes from enduring pain without letting it break her. Darwin Solomon (ML): Age: Early 30s Traits: Proud, cold, and emotionally detached, but beneath his sharp exterior lies a man struggling with his own guilt and loneliness. BELLA ROBBINS (ANTAGONIST) Age: Mid-20s Traits: Ambitious, manipulative, and desperate to solidify her position by any means necessary. WILLIAM NEWTON (SECONDARY ANTAGONIST) Age: Early 40s Traits: Ruthless, shrewd, and motivated by a long-standing grudge against Darwin that drives him to play a dangerous game of revenge. THALASSA CAREY (FL’S BEST FRIEND) Age: Late 20s Traits: Outspoken, fiercely protective of Fiona, and always ready with a sharp wit or a clever plan.