One True Thing Novel Novels & Stories

All I did was grab an extra bottle of water after getting back from a field assignment. That was enough for the new finance manager to call me out in front of the entire office. “Claire, do you have any shame? You bring in nothing every month, live off base salary, and still think you can take advantage of the company? “Transfer ten thousand into the team penalty pool. That’s your fine.” I looked at her for a moment, then said calmly, “Who do you think you are? If anyone’s going to fine me, Adrian can say it to my face.” What she didn’t know—I wasn’t only the company’s top dealmaker, but also Adrian’s wife. Eight years. A secret marriage no one knew about. Was he really going to take her side instead of standing up for me? The answer came fast. “Claire, just do what Rebecca says. It’s not a big deal. Don’t be petty.” I let out a quiet laugh. Then I looked him straight in the eye. “Adrian, if you think I’m petty… “I’ll request a full AI payroll audit. “Let’s see who really owes whom.”

Everyone in the northern territory knew that Damien Malfoy endured brutal punishment every year just for a chance to marry Vivian Locke. The traditions of the Dark Moon Pack required the Alpha to draw a fortune stick at the Moon Goddess Shrine to determine his true fated mate. Yet for three consecutive years, Damien drew fortune sticks that claimed Vivian was not his fated mate. Vivian thought they just had bad luck. It wasn't until the fourth year that she saw Damien switching the fortune sticks. Only then did she realize that Damien had been doing this for four years all because of Denise Ashford, the shewolf who pursued him. When Vivian finally became the Luna of another pack, Damien lost his mind and never marked another shewolf for the rest of his life.

In order to prevent the employees from slacking off at their jobs, the HR department of my company has established a strict check-in policy. We're requested to check-in with the company once per ten minutes. On top of that, we have to follow the HR employee, Felicia Lane's instructions in striking poses. Otherwise, the system will list us to have skipped work for the day. After failing to check-in with the company for the eighth time, I head to the HR department immediately. "Ms. Lane, your check-in policy is far too strict to the sales department! We have to travel everywhere just to make sales and strike business deals with clients! There's no way we can keep returning to the company!" But Felicia just scowls at me disdainfully. "Since you're working at the company, you're meant to follow the company's rules. Why else are you even here, in the first place? If checking in with the company affects your sales performance that much, that just means you don't have any capabilities to begin with. You should reflect on your own work performance instead!" When I recall the number of contributions I've made for the company, I try to seek out my boss to take my side. But he just tells me, "Since this is a rule, you might as well follow it. What's the use in seeking me out?" Later on, I choose not to do anything related to my job just so I can follow the check-in policy very strictly. But the rest of the company flies into a state of panic because of me.

Lady Marilyn Gattar has been married for eight years without a child. She become the personal punching bag of her husband and a laughing stock in the entire city of Ruqgu until a stranger from Nayak approached her. The stranger told her about the oath her mother made to a revered Goddess in Nayak and until she leaves her husband and marry King Treven of Nayak, A cold blooded man with three consorts and no Queen, She will never have a child of her own. Will she go from the frying pan to the naked flame? will her husband release her as the laws in Ruqgu doesn't allow a woman to file for divorce?

My mom, Susan, had a habit of sending me to get her shopping. However, she would always leave out a zero when paying me back what was owed, blaming on her poor eyesight. I never minded. In fact, I would just cover the cost without another word. Then, Summer, my sister, had to throw shade. “Mom sends you money whenever she wants something. You never show us the actual costs, though. I bet you’re making a nice little profit off Mom behind our backs.” Susan smiled and didn’t even bother to defend me, as if confirming Summer’s accusations. My heart sank. Over the years, I had bought her things from major appliances to the smallest groceries, and each time, the payment she sent was short. Susan would just brush the whole thing off by saying, “Oh, my eyes aren’t what they used to be. My bad.” I had poured hundreds of thousands into her expenses, only to end up with a reputation as a thief who cheated her own family. When Susan sent me money for the New Year’s Eve catering, I simply booked food that fit the budget she paid for.

When Avery Cole planned a graduation trip with her long-time boyfriend, she expected a romantic proposal under the stars. Instead, she caught him cheating the night before their flight. Determined not to waste the money, Avery embarks on the trip alone, only to face a string of misfortunes. Her worst humiliation? Being walked in on while pleasuring herself… by a stranger… who turns out to be the rightful occupant of her hotel room. Since every other room is fully booked, the smoking-hot stranger offers to share the space for the night. One poker game turns into strip poker, which turns into a night of passion Avery can’t forget. She leaves her number, hoping he’ll call, but he never does. Weeks later, Avery lands her dream job at a prestigious marketing firm, only to discover her new boss is none other than the man from that unforgettable night. Now, Avery must juggle professionalism with undeniable chemistry, while her mysterious boss seems to have secrets of his own.

A king crab in the company's storage is about to die. In order to prevent the company from suffering a loss, I decided to buy it at the price of 480 dollars and treat my friends to a nice feast. The next day, my boss, Mitchell Wright, calls me to his office. "Ms. Langford, it's true that the net price of a king crab is 480 dollars. But the company has a rule that states that if an employee buys the company's products, they still have to pay according to the selling price." While I'm quite displeased, I still transfer an additional 400 dollars to the company's bank account. But Mitchell raises his voice at me. "Stop being a smartass! The selling price of a king crab is 88 thousand dollars, not 880 dollars!" I do my best to refute. "But we give all of our customers a 99% discount! Surely you can't force me to spend 88 thousand dollars on a crab!" Mitchell just chuckles icily in return. "Rules are rules! While customers are always right, you're nothing but a corporate slave! What makes you think you deserve to receive the same treatment as the customers? "If you refuse to pay the selling price for the crab, then don't blame me for being ruthless!" As I watch Mitchell, who keeps yelling at me with spittle flying everywhere, I find myself filled with an eerie sense of calm. I hope that Mitchell will still be able to chuckle when he finds out that my dad is the biggest seafood supplier.

Chesca Kyrene gave everything to her marriage. She loved her husband Ethan with all her heart, was a loyal, devoted wife, and built their life together from nothing. But three years into their marriage, she discovered the painful truth: Ethan was cheating on her with another woman, someone he claimed he “loved more”. Heartbroken and betrayed, Chesca chose to walk away, even though it meant losing her home, her status, and the life she had dreamed of. She started over from scratch, facing judgment from people who thought she was the one at fault, struggling to survive alone, and healing from the pain of being replaced. Just when she thought love was never meant for her, she met Damian Alistair — a serious, kind, and loyal man who showed her what real love truly is. But the struggle isn’t over. Ethan refuses to let her go, trying to manipulate her, lying to everyone to make himself look like the victim, and even begging her to come back when his relationship falls apart. Chesca now has to fight for her self-worth, learn to trust again, and choose between the man who broke her, and the man who taught her how to love herself again.  

When you are growing up adults usually tell you that you can be whatever you want to be, right?! I was told I would be a starving artist if I became what I wanted to be. I let their words become me. All their words. I let them dictate the person I became. I kept the real me to myself after so many years of their hatred for that person. I let little bits of my soul break away and die to keep their torment to a minimum. I learned to not rock the boat, just keep my head down and do as I was told. I was the party crasher on their life that never left. Until I shocked them when I did. Out on my own, I wasn’t as strong as I thought I was. I settled for the first “nice guy” to come along. That quickly fizzled out after a shotgun wedding. After a year alone I met Prince Charming #2 at a backyard BBQ. I didn’t know my jerk radar was still broken. Then out of nowhere, the one I had always thought was a jerk turned out to surprisingly be my Prince Charming. Being the man, I need in my life. He became everything I needed, and everything I didn’t know I wanted. Allowing me to grow and blossom as a person which inspires him to do the same. And we live happily ever after.

Two sisters were chosen to become the future Alpha’s mate… but only one was ever meant to matter. Elaine is everything Lycoria worships. Beautiful. Powerful. Untouchable. Elena is the mistake standing beside her. Quiet. Overlooked. Human. At Lycoria Academy, strength decides everything, and Elena has none. While her sister rises, Elena is pushed to the bottom, mocked, ignored, and left behind… even by the man fate tied to her family. But fate was never as simple as it seemed. When betrayal sends Elena to her death, something buried deep inside her finally awakens. She was never weak. She was never human. And the girl they discarded? She is about to become the nightmare they cannot survive.