The Beginning After End Novels & Stories

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."

I'm invited to a wedding thrown by the wealthy Gardners on Labor's Day. But the groom, Daniel Pearce, treats me like an imaginary love rival just because I've complimented the bride, Isabelle Gardner, on her looks. He publicly mocks me for wearing fake brands just to satisfy my vanity and calls me a beggar who's here for free food. On top of that, he also strongly hints that I intend to steal Isabelle from him because I prefer younger women. To make things worse, Daniel even ignores my warnings and commands the groomsmen to corner me in the washroom, where he breaks one of my ribs by force. "Who the hell do you think you are for seducing my wife? Boys, stuff everything you can find in the trash can into his mouth! Let's see if he still can go on yapping with this rotten mouth of his!" The pain and agony is far too much for me to handle. I almost pass out several times in-between the torments. But what Daniel doesn't know is that I'm the Gardners' financial backer when it comes to their business!

“What's done is done! Let's just forget it!” He said and acted nonchalantly, even though he was cowering in fear because something was telling him that the stranger in front of him didn't intend to let go. The man's frown increases and Hayden swears that the temperature in the room increases multiple times. After winning over his heart and stealing his first, this boy wanted to avoid responsibility, which made Zenos annoyed. “You want to run away from me?” He asked in annoyance, and suddenly Hayden found himself under the man without even knowing how. “I'm just…” Hayden wasn't able to finish his words before he was domineeringly kissed by the stranger. Zenos used his left hand to pin Hayden's hand on top of Hayden's head effortlessly. Hayden tried to struggle and blocked the stranger's tongue from dominating his mouth by pressing his lips against each other stubbornly, but the man unexpectedly bit Hayden's bottom lips, making Hayden yelp in pain. The man used that chance to clean all the taste of strawberries in Hayden's mouth, while his right hand continued to stroke Hayden's body wantonly. When Hayden was starting to go dizzy due to shortness of breath, he was released by the man's assault. He breathed in and out rapidly and thanked heaven for the chance to live again. “You can't run away from me… You are mine” Zenos growled into Hayden's neck possessively. Hayden felt a shiver run through his spine after hearing the stranger's words. His breath hitched as the man licked his earlobe and kissed his neck with extreme familiarity, domineeringly. “Mine,” the stranger proclaimed again. Cover isn't mine, found online

The moment Ava saw the word "DIVORCE" printed in bold letters, her stomach twisted into a painful knot. For a second, her brain refused to process it. "You... you're joking," she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper, her throat dry like sandpaper. "I'm not."

Jems Dawson thought she had a normal life until a powerful mafia boss set his sights on the empire her great-grandparents had built. To force her family into surrendering everything, Don Emilio makes Jems his target, since she is the only child of Richard and Emily Dawson. Assigned a mysterious bodyguard for her protection, Jems is unaware that he is more connected to her than anyone could ever imagine. What Jems doesn’t know is that the danger surrounding her is only the beginning. As secrets buried deep within her father’s past begin to surface, everything she thought she knew about her family starts to unravel. Amidst the chaos, she finds herself drawn to the hottest boy in Lincoln High School, the one she hates the most, Ethan Raynolds, who is known for being cold-hearted. He helps her during her darkest moments, showing her a side of himself she never knew existed. Will she embrace this newfound love, or hold on to the enmity she’s always had toward him?

Three days after my boyfriend’s adopted sister died a tragic death, I clutched a so-called "hush money" check in my hand and became an accomplice in everyone’s eyes. My boyfriend once knelt in the pouring rain to beg me, and his sister’s five-year-old daughter cried and begged me to testify, but I refused them both. Ten years later, when I was dying of cancer, my boyfriend had become a billionaire. The first thing he did upon returning to the country was to forcibly extract my memories, even though I would suffer endless pain. "Elara, you vain, heartless monster! Lily and I must have been blind to ever treat you like family!" "Lily has been dead for ten years, and you’ve been walking free with that dirty money the whole time!" "Today, I’m going to find out exactly who paid you off—the person you protected just for money!" My boyfriend held a press conference to publicly crucify me for my crimes. But after seeing the whole truth, he went completely insane.

Isabella Reyes thought she knew the man she married. Gabriel Thorne wasn’t just her childhood best friend—he was her husband, her forever, the billionaire who once swore she was his whole world. But after five years of lonely nights and his cold indifference, Isabella walked away. The divorce was her freedom. For Gabriel, it was just another contract signed with ruthless detachment. He thought he could live without her. He was wrong. Months later, fate drags them back together when Isabella inherits a vineyard his empire needs. The wife he let go too easily has returned stronger, fiercer—and far more tempting than he remembers. Now every clash, every deal, every stolen glance reignites the fire they once shared. Gabriel is ready to risk everything to win her back. But Isabella carries a secret that could shatter them both—one she’s guarded since the day she left. This time, he’s not just fighting for the woman he lost. He’s fighting for the family he never knew he had.

During a train ride, I happen to notice an intimidating-looking man staring at his phone while seated next to me. Surprisingly enough, an R-rated scene is playing out on his screen. Out of the kindness of my heart, I remind the man not to watch such things in a public setting. Without raising his head, he replies coldly, "This is the security footage of my home." Feeling very awkward, I quickly apologize to him. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know that. I'm really sorry." Just as I'm about to say something else, the male protagonist of the footage suddenly raises his head. At that moment, I feel my blood going cold in my veins. After all, he's Reynolds Mitchell, the fiance with whom I'm supposed to partake in a mating ceremony next month.

As I head to see my boyfriend, Howard Schultz, who is working late, I get into a car accident. I call him dozens of times for help, but he doesn't answer a single one. Staring at his brightly lit office building not far away, I sink into despair. When I wake up in the hospital, I see a post from his subordinate. It's a picture showing the reflection of the two of them in the glass door, standing far closer than they should, with the caption, "What do I do when my boss is scolding me late at night?" Unwilling to believe it, I call him again. This time, he finally answers. My voice trembles. "Howard, I got into a car accident…" "Celine, I'm still working. I'll send my assistant to take care of it, okay? Be good. I'll see you after I come back from my business trip." I try to say more, but his angry shout suddenly cuts through the line. "Crystal Jennings! You're only allowed to bring one suitcase for this trip. Why do you have three? Do you think we're going on vacation?" Crystal Jennings—the new intern Howard just hired. I stare at the disconnected call, tears drying on my cheeks. I then call my parents instead. "I agree to the engagement you arranged."

My mate, Carter, sent me to a werewolf prison for four years. On the day I was released, he arrived holding the hand of his pregnant mistress. “This is what your parents owe me.” “From today on, you’ll take care of Amelia.” I nodded obediently. She made me pick roses with my bare hands. Made me plant a hundred pots under the scorching sun. Made me scrub my allergic, ulcerated skin with alcohol. And I did everything she asked. Until the day they brought me back to my old home. The house was gone. In its place stretched an endless rose garden. And my only sister— had become nothing but a box of ashes. That was the moment I understood. I survived not to atone. I survived to take revenge.