Ray Bradbury Zero Hour Novels & Stories

It's been ten years now and I've programmed my brain to forget her little did I know that I was deceiving myself. Things changed when I saw her. She looked different. She wasn't the same little girl I had fallen in love with. She was now a grown woman. She was gorgeous. I needed her beneath me just for one night. I'd get her out of my system and move on. That was probably a lie. Months later. Here I am drowning my sorrow in alcohol on my last night as a single man. I was getting married to a woman I never truly loved. Tara gave me a shy smile as she approached the aisle with her father. Kelsey looked away and ignored me. I was about to slide the ring on Tara's finger and her father's voice stopped me. "Stop." I turned around and faced him. Tara grabbed his hand angrily. "Dad what are you doing?!" Tara yelled furiously.

After I was caught in a dockside explosion, I was bound to a Survival Program. It gave me twenty-five years and four designated targets. If even one target’s Love Score or bond score reached 100%, I could wake up in my real world. But I failed all four. Because every target I tried to reach eventually turned toward Sophia Lane, the heroine of this world. They called my pain a performance. They called my tears manipulation. They said I was only pretending to break down so they would choose me over Sophia. But if they never loved me, why did they lose control when my mission failed and I chose to leave this world for good?

When I'm pulling an overnight shift at midnight, I receive a text from my boyfriend of five years, Robert Howell. "I've already ended the rental agreement on our previous apartment. I'm sending you our new address now." After glancing at the address, realization dawns on me immediately. "Is this because of Daisy again?" Daisy Baldwin is the so-called delicate yet strong-willed young woman, whom Robert has mentioned to me. This is our third time moving apartments in just half a year. We've moved from a high-end apartment located in the boisterous city all the way to a residential area in the rural slums. All this… just so Robert can get closer to Daisy. I must have exposed Robert's true intentions, for he sounds quite humiliated and furious. "Can you stop being so petty? Dee Dee was stalked after she got off her overtime shift! You're a woman as well; how is it that you don't have any trace of empathy for her?" As I look out the window and see the night sky, I feel a wave of exhaustion hitting me all of a sudden. Honestly, I don't remember how many times Robert and I have argued over Daisy. At first, I was enraged and aggrieved. Now, I'm just speechless. "I can't be bothered to waste my breath on you. I'm going to pick Dee Dee up from work now." Robert ends the call before I can respond. The thing is, Robert has never asked me if I wanted to move right from the start. He also never asks me if I need a ride home since it's already this late at night. That's why I drop my signature on the overseas assignment agreement that has been left on my desk for a week without consulting Robert at all.

My name becomes the sensational topic on the trending list thanks to my company's employees, who have cyberbullied me relentlessly. It all started when an intern named Cecily Plinkton posted a complaint on her social media feed, claiming that the seafood thermidor, a new food item that had just gotten released in the company's cafeteria, was sold for 14 dollars, which was four dollars more expensive than before. "What a scum company! Are the higher-ups that crazy over money? They're just leeching from us white-collar peeps repeatedly!" The entire Internet doesn't hesitate to curse me out. They claim that I'm a cold-blooded capitalist who's greedy enough to charge her own employees for lunch. No one cares about the fact that I've been shelling out my own money in order to upgrade the cafeteria's food choices just so I could make the employees happier. Every day, they get to eat over hundreds of dishes to their fill for free. Every week, the expensive dishes, such as lobsters and crabs, are charged at the net price. Thanks to these free benefits, the administrative department has been suffering from almost a one-million-dollar loss every year. So, I announce that the food prices in the cafeteria will be changed to reflect the current market's prices. At the same time, I've fired the head chef and the kitchen staff and left the meal preparation to another company that produces instant meals. As soon as the announcement is made, the entire company goes into a frenzy. The employees all crowd outside my office while begging me to bring back the benefits with tears streaking down their cheeks.

On the third day of attempting to conquer Blake Stone's heart, he confesses his feelings to me. But the thing is, the affection meter displayed above his head shows the number "0". After we start dating, Blake pampers me to no end. He even proposes to me in a grand fashion on our sixth year anniversary. With tears in my eyes, I'm about to nod when I see a range of comments floating across my vision. [Blake must be exhausted from all the acting, huh? He has to reel in his disgust and keep up the act with Joanna for six years in order to protect Keira from her.] [That idiotic replacement actually got so immersed in this act! I'm laughing my ass off right now!] It's as though my blood had transformed into ice. No wonder the number never changed throughout the years. At the same time, the system's icy voice rings out in my mind. "The final phase is now activated. The countdown to the time left to conquer your target's heart has started. You have ten days left. If you fail, you'll be wiped out from this world." I just smile as I draw back my hand that was about to wear his ring. Then, I wipe my tears away. "I'm sorry, but I'm sick and tired of this stupid strategy game."

After spending the past month working overtime and burning the midnight oil every day, I finally closed a business deal that's worth 50 million dollars before the company's annual dinner. My boss, William Lewis, begins giving away the end-of-the-year bonuses with a wide smile on his face. "The finance director helped our company save three million dollars worth of taxes. He will receive a villa by the river as a gift." "The head of IT led the team and solved various difficult problems. He shall receive 200 thousand dollars in cash." "Lily Lane, the receptionist, has always shown a great attitude whenever she greets the clients. She shall receive a Hermes bag." When it's my turn, I wipe the sweat off my palms before accepting my bonus. But upon opening the giftbox, I see three entrance tickets to the local zoo instead. "You must be sick of receiving commissions all the time as the sales director. Why don't you take advantage of this holiday to spend some quality time with your family?" On the way home, I dial a number. "Mr. Skylar, there's a problem with the 50-million-dollar contract. Let's discuss it later."

She has never fallen in love before and is as innocent as a child He is a notorious gang leader and a playboy with a different woman in his bed every night What would happen when they collide?? Foreword Arielle is the epitome of innocent with never been in love in her life before and never having had a boyfriend due to her strict family. She has always had a bubbly personality while living in her own fantasy life Xander is a notorious gang leader with a secret and has been hurt enough times in life to know better than to feel weakness and fall in love. He has hardened his heart for years and doesn't know any feelings other than hatred and coldness What happens when they meet in an unexpected place and gets tangled in each other's limbs? What happens when they have their own 48 hours of a fantasy world? They promise to never cross paths again but what happens when Arielle is thrust into an arranged marriage with none other than Xander's brother? Can they keep their secret? Can they deny the physical attraction towards each other? Will Xander finally learn to love or will he only hurt Arielle in the end? 

There was a man who was very unlucky in his childhood until he grew up. He had to experience so many bad obstacles in his life that everything he does has it flawed. The reason for him to lose everything he’ve got. His only luck that was in him he thought was - he’s born to be a very handsome man. Until one day, he dreamed that everything he does will became true. Will he be able to control his destiny?

Eloise Muir is a young, energetic woman. She has everything in her which makes any man kneel to her. Working in a News Firm, she had encountered many admirers and turned down their proposals elegantly. But, her one co-worker, David Cooper was reluctant to accept her refusal, hence, he kept finding every way to please her and help her in anything she wanted no matter how cold or indifferent she would act to him. After Eloise's trip to Germany, she was supposed to return alone but she returned with an unexpected boyfriend who soon turned into her loving husband. After the delightful rollercoaster of events in Eloise's life, she returned to her work as a Married Woman looking more sexy, confident, and beautiful, but she didn't know that there was someone waiting eagerly for her return. On her first day at her job as a Married Woman, Eloise and the seven members of her staff got kidnapped by none other than David. He felt betrayed by Eloise and was eager to punish her, to make her realize that no one except him could give him the best pleasure of her life. Seven Days, Seven Hostages. One Hundred and Sixty-Eight Hours, Will Eloise be able to survive in those terrible hours and days of her life? Will she be able to resist the temptation of David and betray her husband? Will she be able to make wise decisions that would save her and her colleagues' lives, or would she be drowned in David’s lustful games?

She was her own person and knew exactly what she wanted. He owned the whole damn thing and thought he could do anything. She had something he wanted but didn't know. He had what she'd always dreamed of, but she had no idea how to achieve it. She lied out of love. He didn't forgive anyone. She hated him from the first time she saw him. He tried to destroy her in every way possible. Bárbara Novaes never imagined that her peaceful life would suddenly turn upside down, when a deathbed request would make her main objective to enter the life of the best-known CEO in the country. Heitor Casanova has never seen a woman as persecuting and insistent as Barbara. But it didn't cross her mind that she didn't want the same thing as everyone else: "him". The bond that united them would force the two to live under the same roof, with a single common goal: to protect what they loved most. Is it possible for mutual anger to turn into love? Would they admit the new feelings that were emerging that they were not able to accept? And would they overcome together all the obstacles that would be created to prevent this relationship from happening??? My first enemies to lovers and CEO together!!! What will it do??? I don't know. Want to find out with me??? Cover: Larah Mattos