Glow Of A Thousand Lanterns

Mifi grew up believing she was her parents' only child, until the truth shattered everything. A stepsister she never wanted. A family who gave their love and attention to someone else. From that day, resentment took root in her heart. Then came him-Dos. The man who made her feel seen. Wanted. Loved. In his arms, she found the warmth she'd been starved of her entire life. Nights with him became her escape, her secret, her solace. Until the day she discovered the truth. The man she had spent countless nights with... was her stepsister's fiancé.

After her mother remarried a Korean businessman, Isla found herself trapped under the same roof with her stepbrothers; Eun-woo and Ji-hoon. She takes an instant dislike to Eun-woo after he showed his cold side during the first time they met each other while Ji-hoon turned out to be neutral and eventually became close to her. She tried her best to approach and have good sibling relationships with her stepbrothers since they all attend the same university in Seoul. However, everything didn’t go as planned… mostly when both Eun-woo and Ji-hoon realized they see Isla more than being just their stepsister. A forbidden romance between step siblings who are trying to fight for their rights to love despite the society going against them because not all forbidden romances have rules…

Violet eyes with piercing sight. Mane of gold in pale moonlight. Skin so hard and lily white. Voice so soft, yet filled with might. He comes to me in the dark of night. Flash of teeth, smile so slight. There is no fear, no need to fight. In his embrace, I crave his bite. -S.R. Michele, or Shelly to those closest to her, is a typical 21 yr old, trying to find her way in life. She has good family, a close circle of friends. She's outgoing and friendly, and a bit reckless and impulsive sometimes. And she has certain gifts...when she touches things, she can see into the past, she can feel what was felt by others, and she can sense things before they happen. Ok, so maybe she's not so typical. An impromptu trip to New Orleans, a party on Bourbon Street, and an attempted assault in a dark alley lead her into a world she didn't know existed...but one she's not afraid of. She doesn't know if the violet-eyed stranger that comes to her rescue, and follows her home, is a friend or a foe - and honestly, she doesn't care. Once you've had a taste of the darkness, it's hard to pull away... **** This book was written in the late 1990's - early 2000's, and originally published in 2004, under the title: Diary of a Vampire by S.M. Royston. It was my first book, and it wasn't long until I came to hate it! (Please, don't look it up - I promise you, it's terrible) So here we are, years later, and I've decided to throw out my original work, and re-write it. Because I'm the author, and I can do that. The story, characters, and settings are the same - but the writing style is different, and in my opinion, much, much better. I hope you enjoy it. ****

After a vicious family power struggle, I fled to a small border town in the south. I took on a new identity and found work in a flower shop. Everyone believed I was dead. Then one day, someone from the family came to the shop to order flowers for the birthday party for Roman Jackson, the head of the Jackson family. The person who arrived was my former Underboss. She stared at me in shock and demanded to know why I had not returned to the Jackson family if I was still alive. She told me that Roman had kept watch over my grave for two years and that he had attempted suicide three times in the cemetery, each time stopped by someone else. Roman was my ex-husband. He had an adopted sister, Liliana. Fifteen years ago, her parents were gunned down while covering Roman's father's escape from a rival family. After that, Liliana became Roman's most cherished sister. She tampered with my armored car. The brakes failed, and the vehicle plunged off a cliff. I broke three ribs. Roman mobilized every resource the family had and pulled me back from the brink of death. She bribed my bodyguard and laced my red wine with a neurotoxin. I lay unconscious in the villa for three days and nights. Roman sealed off the entire city, hunted down everyone involved, and made them pay in blood. She tried to kill me, and he saved me. This absurd cycle went on for three years. Until the last time. She detonated a bomb at an arms deal I was overseeing, burning seventy percent of my body. As I was lifted onto the ambulance stretcher, I clutched Roman's suit and, with the last of my strength, begged him. "Kill her, Roman. She sabotaged the deal. Those are the family rules." He crouched down, his fingers brushing my bloodstained face. His voice was calm, almost cruel. "Liliana didn't mean to. Let it go. For the sake of what her parents sacrificed for the family." In that moment, my heart to him died completely.

"This is my first time... it hurts... oh, it’s bleeding..." Allie winced as a cut from the kitchen knife throbbed on her finger. Liam glanced at her, his face full of concern, and applied the medicine with a sharp, almost angry tone: "I’ve told you not to go near the kitchen! Just tell me what you want to eat, and I’ll make it for you!" For Allie, her 20th birthday gift was discovering her boyfriend's betrayal with her best friend in bed. Furious, she turned her back on Nick and married Liam Hart, the city’s most influential and untouchable man. From that moment, she faced endless challenges: Nick’s constant manipulations, Liam’s family scheming against her, and the toxic people in their lives. Everyone sees Liam as the perfect, doting husband—no one knows the price she pays for his love. Exhausted, Allie faced Liam one night, her voice trembling with frustration: "Liam Hart, you are a monster in disguise." Liam, looking hurt, replied with a soft grin, “You wound me, darling. How could I possibly be a monster when I’m the one who’s supposed to protect you?”

“Dad please don’t do this”She begged in tears. “Claire darling just be a good girl for daddy” “Dad please”She tried fighting him off her but she received a resounding slap. “Daddy!”She cried as he ripped off all her clothes… *Who will save her from the clutches of her evil step father and brother? *What happens when she gets sold into slavery by her step father? *And what happens when she gets caught up in a burning romance with her master???

Trapped in a loveless marriage, Elena is treated as nothing more than a mistake by her husband, by her family, by society. But when a chance encounter awakens memories of a forgotten past and the stirrings of a forbidden love, her world begins to change. Between secrets, betrayal, and the promise of a love she never thought she’d deserve, Elena must decide: remain bound by the past… or risk everything to follow the whisper of her heart.

Jerome Hernandez was the hottest name in the NBA. He's an overnight sensation admired for his hypnotic moves on the court, striking looks, sharp mind, and refined demeanor. He embodied pure charisma. Yet, behind his skyrocketing fame, Jerome remained a humble, God-fearing gentleman who effortlessly captured the hearts of millions of adoring women. What no one knew was that he harbored a secret love for Jessica Lopez, the world’s youngest, richest, best-selling author. Jessica, with her beauty, elegance, and undeniable glamour, quietly admired Jerome as well. Their paths intertwined through Sandra Mariano, Jerome’s new neighbor and Jessica’s closest, yet undisclosed, best friend. Haunted by the trauma of her parents’ tragic death, Sandra lived a life shadowed by mystery and occasional bouts of multiple personalities. With Sandra’s help, Jerome and Jessica finally found each other and soon became the most envied couple in the celebrity world. But their picture-perfect love story was suddenly put to the test when Jerome began developing feelings for Sandra. Though he tried to resist, the pull only grew stronger until it became impossible to ignore. In the end, he risked his spotless reputation and credibility, silently confessing through his actions the truth he could no longer deny...he was falling for his girlfriend’s best friend.

Hanna, always had a difficult life, grew up without parents and her uncles were never nice to her. As soon as she turned 18, she left for San Francisco to try a better life, although her uncles had a lot of money, they mistreated her a lot and she never had everything even though they could afford it. She went in search of love but five years later, she gave up believing. Nathan, a successful businessman, saw his father lift them out of their misery and lead them to where they are now. He takes control of the entire company and his father's only order is "stay with my secretary there’s no one better for the job" Let's see who this protégé of my father is.

Amira Davis was a rising doctor with a bright future, until her stepsister kidnapped her, stole her kidney, and revealed the man Amira loved was part of the plan. Left for dead, Amira leapt to escape her pain… but fate gave her a second chance. Reborn at 18, she returns with one mission: revenge. When she saves the life of ruthless Mafia boss Leonardo Marchetti, he vows to protect her. But as passion ignites and secrets unravel, Amira discovers she’s the daughter of Leonardo’s deadliest enemy and her entire past was built on blood and lies. Now caught between love and vengeance, family and betrayal, Amira must choose: destroy the man who stole everything or trust him to help her reclaim it all. Revenge runs deep. Love cuts deeper. Start reading now—Amira’s war has only just begun.