Sigma Bungo Stray Dogs

Elena stifled a smile, but he already saw her mouth start to curve upwards and he grinned at her. She ignored him. "I'm serious, Chandler." His smile was instantaneous. "Noted." She licked her lips. Her eyes were wide and nervous, and she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "And you can't me." Chandler tilted his head to the side and studied her. Pushing away from the car, he took a step closer to her. She held her ground, lifting her chin at his approach. "What if you ask me to you?" he said quietly. "Then can I?" Elena exhaled shakily. "I won't do that." "No?" Carefully, he touched his thumb to the curve of her chin. She shook her head, and his hand fell away. "Maybe you won't," he told her. "But hear me right now, love, I'd love it if you asked me for a ." —------ When Elena Davis decided to move to Vacaville, she had just one thing in mind — to start her business over after she'd failed the first time she tried. It'd be nice to live in the same city as her twin sister, and getting reunited with her university crush, Elijah Kendrick doesn't seem like a bad idea. But fate, however, has its own plans and she finds herself drawn to someone else—his brother, Chandler Kendrick.

Aurora Claramay. She was called ‘ The Villainess Rose ‘.The only daughter of a grand duke, well-protected by her three brothers. Some say that she’s the villainess in this story and some don’t. Her cold and distant-like personality attracted many suitors while her elegance, gracefulness, and perfection are ladies' idols. Many say that she’s unattainable and beyond one’s reach. On the other hand, rumor has it she’s cold-hearted, merciless to those who betrayed her, and non never received her trust. Aidan Wyatt. He called by many as ‘ The Light ‘ who shone as bright as the sun and beamed as the dazzling moon. Just as the reputation had known by all, he is a well-respected person, justice for the wronged, people called him a monster on the battlefield and a hero who brought peace for the empire. An archduke who ruled both the south and the east. Countless offers came before him, marriages, alliances, partnerships, etc. However, being the first knight in command during the battlefield and a great strategist, was not a groundless rumor. Being quick-witted as well as sly as a fox, he manages them effectively. Fate brought them together one night, where the full moon shines brightly, where all the trees and flowers danced together with the wind and where fireflies even fairies decorated the starry night. However, many agreed that they’re both like chalk and cheese and sometimes fight like cats and dogs and maybe, just maybe some butterflies in their stomach. Will love be born between these two or will thorns be piercing both hearts?

Eliza was the true daughter of Alpha Morgan who had been switch at the birth. On the very day she was brought back to the family, the fake daughter Katherine left a suicide note and burned herself to death. “It's all because of you!" Eliza’s elder brother shouted, "If you hadn't come back, Kathy wouldn't die!” And Eliza’s parents looked at her with complex and hesitant eyes, filled with unbearable pain. What’s more, her betrothed and fated mate said: "Such a wicked woman who drove someone to death, I would rather remain unmated forever than mate you! I reject our mate bond." Eliza now understood that they regretted bringing her back... The fake daughter became the family's cherished memory, while Eliza, who had endured countless hardships to please them, was nothing more than a pile of mud. Eliza froze to death next to the horse stable in that dilapidated room, and the fake daughter returned at this moment During the family joy, news of Eliza's death reached them, and they said, "Is she trying this trick? She's not Kathy; if she wants to play dead, throw her out to feed the dogs!" Thanks to the Moongodess, when Eliza opened her eyes again, she was reborn. This time, she will take back everything that belongs to her, she will seek revenge on everyone who has ever hurt her, and she will never forgive.

I am the wife of the capital city’s esteemed tycoon. We were married in secret for three years. At the celebratory banquet, I was about to make our relationship public. However, his first love, Juvelia Shaw, stumbled into the hall clutching her torn collar. “Edwin, save me! Peri Sanders brought along her penniless brother. He just forced a kiss on me in the lounge! “He says he’s your brother-in-law. If I want to get into the Gough family, I have to please him.... Argh! I have been defiled!” The room fell deathly silent before erupting into a chorus of finger-pointing and curses. They accused me of forcing my brother to assault the esteemed tycoon’s woman just to secure his favor. Edwin Gough’s eyes blazed crimson. He ripped off his coat and wrapped it tightly around Juvelia. Then, he flung a glass of red wine at my face. Gritting his teeth, he glared at me. “Peri, bring out that beast of a brother of yours!” “Since his mouth is so vile, let’s pull out his teeth and cut his tongue off to feed the dogs! Otherwise, I’ll make the entire Sanders family pay with their lives!” Amidst the crowd’s looks of contempt and disgust, I burst into laughter. My brother had long since lost his voice. Three years ago, in a fire, he had inhaled excessive smoke while saving Edwin, which had destroyed his vocal cords. His tongue was gone too.

My in-laws were old-fashioned. They insisted that spending New Year's in their hometown was a must for a smooth year ahead. We could not get train tickets, so we decided to drive back. When my wife’s first love heard about it, he insisted on coming with us. He even brazenly took the front passenger seat from me. “Charles, I get carsick easily. I can only sit in the front.” Evan shot me a disdainful look. "It's just a seat. Why are you being so touchy?" “If you knew how to drive, would this even be an issue?” My in-laws chimed in as well. “You’re a grown man. Why are you making such a fuss over something so small?” Outnumbered, I had no choice but to squeeze into the back seat with my in-laws. Then, when we were passing a toll booth, Yvonne spotted a stray dog and was suddenly overcome with compassion. “That poor dog. Let’s bring it home with us.” I immediately objected, “The car is already full. If we bring a dog too, we’ll be over the limit. We won’t even be allowed on the road.” Before I had even finished speaking, Evan turned on me without hesitation. “Charles, in that case, why don’t you give up your seat for the dog? You can just take a cab back!”

Caleb Smith's best friend, Kevin Baker, calls me in a panic and tells me that Caleb has been in a terrible racing accident. Without a second thought, I rush to the hospital and donate two pints of blood to save him. As I walk past a hospital room, I freeze. There's Caleb—standing perfectly healthy beside a hospital bed. Kevin throws his head back and howls with laughter. "It's April Fools' Day. We actually managed to trick Winnie Jewel into donating two pints of blood. Too bad that it's useless, though. We might as well feed it to the stray dogs." Vivian Jewel, lying in a hospital bed, looks up at Caleb. "Caleb, don't you think that's a bit much?" A fond smile curves Caleb's lips as he replies, "I can't help it. Where does Winnie get the nerve to take your place? She should have stayed in the orphanage, but since she forced her way back into the Jewel family, she can't blame us for taking your side." Kevin jumps in eagerly. "This year marks the eighth year since she returned to the Jewel family, and the eighth year we've been pranking her." Their undisguised mockery spills out of the room. I pull out my phone and contact my aunt, Gianna Jewel. "Aunt Gianna, I’ve decided. Let's leave the country."

On the night of Halloween, my best friend, Mina Corvelle, rushes to save the black cat before me, triumph dancing in her eyes. That is when I, Elora Aldridge, realize that she has been reincarnated, too. In my past life, she scorned the stray for being filthy, so she kept her distance. So, it was I who took pity on the cat and rescued it. When I walked past an old blind woman manning a roadside stall, she told me that the cat was a rare dark fortune cat. Once it recognized a master, it would draw dark riches from all directions and bring unimaginable wealth. I dismissed it as superstition. Yet, the very next day, I was inexplicably promoted to director of the department. Soon after, my family's dilapidated old house found itself part of a redevelopment scheme, and we were given compensation of eight apartments and 30 million dollars in cash. Even the enigmatic golden boy of Lakeshire, Cassian Mercer, started to pursue me relentlessly, declaring that he would only marry me and no one else. But not long after I married Cassian, Mina trapped me—and the black cat—inside the apartment. She then set it on fire, burning us alive. Outside the inferno, she screamed, "Why should you get everything without even lifting a finger? All those riches should've been mine!" When I open my eyes again, I find myself back at the very intersection.

Mia George. A reporter, a tomboy. Never been involved in anything related to having a relationship with any guy. But is quite okay with her not so boring life. She is suddenly endangered, when the man who was thrown into prison because of her is back...and is out to take revenge on her. Alex Friedrich. He's ruthless, cold and distant to everyone around him. A lawyer who hasn't lost any case before. He prefers being alone, in his study with heaps of books. He's more closer to his dogs than humans. But he's bound to know his life will never remain the same when he saved the life of Mia George. Bolu Afolabi. An elegant doctor. She's independent, has it all. She meets Alex and falls deeply for him, hoping reciprocate her feelings. Her love for him, turns into a dangerous obsession and she is willing to take lives down because of him. Charles Douglas. A cop and also a single parent. He believes he's contented. He loves his job, his daughter. Yet he despises women. He's vowed never to have any relationship with them or whatsoever. Ever since the mother of his daughter abandoned his daughter, when his daughter was an infant. His six years daughter goes missing and is brought back to him by a lady. But, what happens when he starts developing feelings for this same lady? Worst, his life and his daughter's is at stake, when an infamous hardened criminal is after him. ****Totally worth reading****

In the VIP lounge of an underground casino, Maeve, the Falcone family's princess, had been plied with too much hard liquor. Fueled by alcohol, someone goaded her into revealing the most shameless thing she'd ever done to win over the Don. She swirled her glass, pointed at me dealing cards behind the table, and threw her head back with a laugh. "Seven years ago, when Declan was in a coma after a shootout, I took his private phone. And I deleted the distress message that bitch sent him. Every last trace of it. Then I replied in his name: You're a burden. Go die." "You'll never guess what happened next. That idiot stood outside the safe house all night in a downpour, like a stray dog. I almost died laughing…" The room erupted in crude laughter. Only the man enthroned at the head of the table remained silent. The crystal whiskey glass in his hand shattered with a sharp crack. Blood mixed with the amber liquor, trickling over the veins on the back of his hand before dripping onto the carpet. His murderous, bloodshot eyes were locked on me. I calmly dealt the last hole card in front of him and offered a clean, white silk handkerchief. "Don Declan, you should wipe your hand. Blood on the felt is bad luck." After all, some stains never wash out.

Three years ago, Adeline Wright tossed a stack of money at her boyfriend, Christian Shaw, broke up with him, and flew home to submit to an arranged marriage. Now, three years have passed, and Christian flies back to the country as well, right on the cusp of Adeline's wedding. The once-impoverished man turns out to be the heir to one of the most prominent families around—and is also a good friend of Adeline's fiance, Stanley Cooper. She dumped him, and he lied to her. That makes them even, right? Believing that to be true, Adeline is keen to keep her distance from Christian, who feels like a ticking bomb. Alas, step by step, Christian locks onto her, mocking her when he witnesses the way Stanley hurts her. The two pretend to be barely more than strangers in public while secretly engaging in a clash of wits behind everyone's back. The only person who knows the truth about their relationship asks Christian, "Do you seriously hate her that much?" Christian doesn't answer. Eventually, Adeline calls off the engagement, flies off to a foreign country, and becomes a war correspondent. Amid the gunfire, Christian appears once more. As the stray bullets whiz through the air, he shields Adeline beneath him, his eyes bloodshot. "Even if you're gonna die, Adeline, you're gonna have to die with me."