The Distance

The Heart Beneath the Thorn — A Modern Beauty and the Beast Retelling 💔 In a glittering city of fortunes and façades, The Heart Beneath the Thorn reimagines Beauty and the Beast through the broken glass of betrayal, redemption, and forbidden love. Emilia Grace, a fierce yet quietly bruised soul, is just trying to survive. Between juggling hospital shifts, family debts, and the ghosts of her past, she’s never had the luxury of dreaming. But fate has a cruel sense of humor when she’s assigned to care for Max Carter—the cold-hearted billionaire who once made her school years a waking nightmare. Max was the golden boy with the cruel smirk—the privileged heir with everything, except peace. Years later, a tragic accident leaves him scarred, not just physically but emotionally. Isolated and emotionally exiled, Max is now a man haunted by his past choices and a legacy wrapped in barbed wire. When Emilia walks back into his life, she's no longer the girl he mocked—she's the woman who might just be his undoing. Forced into each other’s orbit, what begins as a war of words slowly melts into lingering stares, late-night confessions, and an unraveling of everything they thought they knew. Max, the beast of her memories, begins to reveal the tender man beneath the mask—a man who collects poetry he never shares, who builds gardens no one sees, and who might have always loved the girl he couldn’t protect. But trust doesn’t bloom easily in thorn-covered soil. And when old enemies, buried secrets, and a scandalous inheritance come to light, Emilia must decide: can she love the man who once broke her, now that he’s the only one trying to piece her back together? A tale of enemies-to-lovers, second chances.

I thought I would be beaten and broken forever. It was the curse of not shifting. Without a wolf, I was no better than a human to my pack, an omega. I was there to serve and clean up after them. The only light in my life was my boyfriend, Jake. At least, he was until he decided to sleep with and mark my sister. When all hope was lost, and I was ready to make my escape, my life was turned upside down. The Lycan King was known to be cruel and heartless. He had slain thousands, ruled with an iron fist, and was now searching for his mate. Turns out, being a human was the least of my worries….

"Don't move!" Coming home late from work, I was sneaking a shower in the shared bathroom of my rental when a warm body suddenly pressed up against me. His rough palm clamped over my mouth, pinning me against the cold tile. He held me there against the damp wall, his skin burning hot against my back as he let out a low, gravelly threat. "My guys are right outside. Just try and scream." Instead of panicking, I leaned back into him, shifting slightly. I tilted my head back and breathed softly into his ear. “So… you want everyone hear? I don't mind… we can give it a try.”

I was nineteen the first time Cole Whitfield broke me. Not with cruelty. With a single word. Why. Not did you — why. Like the answer was already settled and he just wanted the story to make sense. I told him the truth anyway. He said nothing that mattered. So I picked up my bag, walked out of his apartment, and decided that a man who trusted a rumor over two years of me wasn’t worth a correction. I spent the next two years becoming someone I actually liked. New city. Graduate program. A published paper with my name on it. I was done with Cole Whitfield in every way a person can be done. Then I walked into Seminar Room 114 and he was sitting right there, gray eyes already on the door, like some part of him knew. I sat down. I opened my notebook. I did not look up. Here’s the thing about studying how people form beliefs: you understand exactly why he believed it. That doesn’t mean you forgive it. That doesn’t mean two years of silence disappear because he’s learned how to look at you like he’s sorry. He wants a conversation. I want my degree. But the campus is small, the seminar table is round, and the boy who broke my heart at nineteen is doing everything right at twenty-one — and I’m starting to understand that composed isn’t the same thing as healed. I hate that I still know the exact sound of his voice.

A young, beautiful she-wolf moves into the house opposite mine. She always strikes up conversations with me, her tone filled with enthusiasm. "You and Mr. Howl have such a great relationship. Even after seven years of marriage, he still kisses you goodbye when he leaves. It’s so sweet." She blinks playfully before continuing, "I have a friend who constantly complains about his mate. He says every time he kisses her, it feels like he's kissing a fat pig. Her scent disgusts him, and he can't even get hard when she's around. "And at night… just the sight of her belly rolls and sagging skin makes him want to throw up." I don’t particularly like this she-wolf, but I still offer her a polite smile. That night, however, when my mate kisses me, he suddenly freezes—then pushes me away and runs to the bathroom to vomit.

As the princess of the merfolk, I can't go ashore by nature. Yet, I've fallen in love with the werewolf Alpha, Silas Walker, who lives on land. In order to be with Silas, I've struck a bargain with the witch of the deep seas. I've traded in my voice for a pair of legs. For the next century or so, Silas and I remain together as an affectionate couple. On my birthday, I find out that he's actually cheating on me with another Omega named Helena Payne. As he holds Helena in his arms, he whispers sweet nothings into her ear. "Haven't I just satisfied you last night? Oh, you little minx…" Meanwhile, Helena clutches the moonstone that's supposed to be mine. She nestles into Silas' arms as she says, "Will the Luna be angry at me when she finds out that you've given her moonstone to me? "I didn't mean to steal from her, to begin with. It's just that I've been feeling uneasy lately, and I need the moonstone to help calm my nerves…" Silas tightens his grip on her hips. "Hmph! I'm only lending the moonstone to you for a few days! You know how important Annelise is to me! If you dare tell her anything about us, I'll definitely screw you over!" This scene completely breaks my heart. After that, I text my mom right away. "Mom, I want to go home now."

Emilia Clark, a young woman struggling with mounting family debts, responds to a mysterious job posting that arrived unexpectedly in her email. When she arrives at the upscale office for what she assumes is a standard interview, she discovers she's the sole candidate for an unusual position that wasn't clearly described in the original correspondence. The role, as revealed by the formidable Mrs. Grey—matriarch of a wealthy and traditional family—is that of a surrogate mother. The Greys are offering an extraordinarily large sum of money for Emilia to carry a child for their family, with the biological father being Mrs. Grey's son. The older woman presents this as a business transaction, delivered with cold efficiency and an underlying air of entitlement that comes with generations of wealth and influence. Mrs. Grey makes it clear that this is a one-time offer with no room for negotiation or delay—Emilia must accept immediately or leave and never return. There will be no second chances, no time to consider, and no opportunity to ask questions or seek advice. Caught completely off guard, Emilia finds herself in an impossible position. The money would solve her family's financial crisis and lift a burden that has been consuming her life. Yet the weight of the decision—to carry a child for strangers under such pressured circumstances—leaves her reeling. As Mrs. Grey waits for an answer, Emilia must quickly weigh her desperate need for financial security against her autonomy, dignity, and the ethical implications of entering into such an arrangement under duress.

She told him she loved him in high school; he laughed in her face. And, ever since then, Lucia Brielle Renaud had vowed never to fall in love again. Ten years and a successful career later, Lucia's first love... or is it her mortal enemy, Dylan Thomas is back in her life with one sole task; to claim the one position Lucia has ever dreamed of taking on: Vice president of Retro Corp! Oh, another cool fact... he doesn't remember her. At all. Lucia is determined to do everything... even go the extra mile to ensure that she gets that position, and possibly her lost pound of flesh while she's at it, but how far will she go? Dylan Thomas returns to his father's company after so many years also vying for the position of vice president. Little does anyone know that he comes with his own ulterior motives and personal agendas. He meets Lucia, otherwise known to him as Brielle, and the level of attraction he has for her is maddening and almost instantaneous. With lust, feelings and physical attractions getting in the way, who will emerge victorious in this battle for power?

Cyrus wondered if there was anything in this glittering and hectic world that could truly make his heart feel at ease. He put on the mask of a gifted individual who was admired by others. But buried underneath that veneer lies a yearning for genuine love. Cyrus realized that all he had sought for a long time was simply encased in a lovely youngster when Claude appeared in his monochromatic universe. Claude Hemsworth was the name of that young man. They experienced misunderstandings, quarrels, and even times when they couldn't be together. Will Claude and Cyrus be able to endure the challenges of fate, hold hands, and walk toward their desired destination in the end?

Selene is the hybrid daughter of Nicholas and Aiday Serkan. Phoenix is the son of a wizard. What happens when tragedy strikes? Will Selene and Phoenix be forced into marriage like Selene’s parents? Will Selene be able to handle the darkness that lives within her? Will Phoenix be able to confess his feelings for the young hybrid? Will he be able to help her through the trying times?