Perfect Peace: A Novel Novels & Stories

I bring her favorite white roses and tell her that there is still good in the world. I tell her that evil is always punished. And I tell her that good people are always remembered. Rest in peace, Mary. The world owed you justice, and I have delivered it.

He reached out, wanting to comfort her. Right then, Abigail Cook poked her head in, holding her nose. "Honey, the new house needs a deep clean before we move in. Can we use your housekeeper?" "You bought her a house?"

Dear Reader Thank you for reading the first chapter of the book called, My Perfect Mess. My Perfect Mess was originally written as an Interactive Story Game. I am in the process of adapting it into a novel form. The original version contains a great deal of dialogue to fit the platform for which it was intended. Though you can enjoy the story in its interactive format too as currently published. (eg when Becca speaks, the format will be as this: Becca ~ “What is there to explain, Matt.”)

Even Mateo made an appearance, dropping off a bottle of expensive whiskey with a gruff, “Don’t celebrate too hard.” By evening, it was just Noah and me again, curled up on the couch, a movie playing softly in the background. I traced idle patterns on his chest. “Think it’ll last?” Noah’s fingers stilled in my hair. “What?” “This.” I gestured vaguely. “The peace.” He exhaled, pulling me closer. “Nothing’s ever perfect.” I knew that. Knew there would always be threats, always be challenges. But for now— “It’s enough,” I whispered.

“The intensity?” She thought carefully. “I miss who I thought I had to be to survive it,” she said. “But not the life itself.” He nodded. “That makes sense.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “This part feels… earned,” she added. “It is,” he said. “Most people never get here.” Later, Serena opened her notebook and wrote one final line for the day: Peace isn’t the absence of story. It’s the decision to stop running from it. She closed the book.

The Winter Paris Competition is over and I can finally relax. With Tanya Pennington named the winner, I can finish out the remainder of my Model Perfect contract and be away from the spotlight. All eyes are on Tanya Pennington and her girlfriend, Lucia Perez. Tanya is the first lesbian to become a model girl winner for Model Perfect. All social media platforms are buzzing with the news. As for me, I am glad it's all turning out the way it needs to.

he murmured. “Then I’ll watch again,” I said. “Better rituals deserve witnesses.” He kissed the top of my head. “You're mine, Ava,” he said again, not because he doubted, but because he likes the word when it’s answered. “Always,” I told him. We went back inside when a low breeze pressed cold fingers against our ankles. Damian took out the memoir I’d mentioned the night before—the woman with the hats and the revolutions—and he’d dog-eared a page where she said something that sounds like us: Peace is not the absence of wolves. It’s their choosing to sleep beside your heartbeat. He read it aloud, and we both sat in the quiet that follows when a sentence lands exactly where it was meant to.

“I woke up at five and reached for my phone on the nightstand, the exact same way I’ve done every single morning for weeks, bracing myself for whatever panicked alert Lena or Rowan had waiting for us. There wasn’t one. Just an ordinary, quiet morning, with nothing urgent in it.” “It’s strange how unsettling peace can feel,” Sophie murmured, tilting her head up toward the pale sunlight. “After you’ve spent enough time living entirely without it.” “I don’t think it’s peace itself that’s unsettling us,” Dominic countered gently, his grip tightening comfortably around her waist. “I think it’s simply that we’ve forgotten how to trust it. Every single time peace has shown up in the last two months

Edward was glad for the sheltered porch as it kept him dry whilst Sebastian fiddled with the lock to the house. “Welcome to the Hallowswift’s secret holiday home,” Sebastian said and opened the door. “I’ll switch the lights on.” Edward stepped through the doorway with his suitcase as Sebastian switched on the lights and was surprised to see how average the interior looked. It could be anyone’s home, there were no royal crests or antiques. It was all very normal. After a moment of consideration he decided that he liked the normality of the house. It would be easy to forget what was waiting for him after his holiday if he was in a place like this.

“Hello.” “....” Silence. There’s no answer from across the phone. “Yeobseyo.” “....” Suddenly the caller hung up. Tiara just fell silent while staring at the phone screen. Weird. “Is it trying to scare me?” Tiara put the phone back down. Her hands are moving to clean up the old book. The book with the cover of ‘The Power of Darkness’ has a unique shape. The carving of roses with minimalist style on the cover looks real. Tiara’s never seen a book cover like this before. She tried to open the book, but it couldn’t open.