The Lottery Setting

At my mother's funeral, I caught my husband passionately kissing a sales associate at the local department store. When I confronted him about it, he turned the tables and accused me of being paranoid and delusional. Later, I discovered she had been calling my husband "daddy" in their text messages. The betrayal left me emotionally numb, and I decided to step aside, giving them my blessing. What I did not expect was discovering that she was not just involved with my husband—she had been sleeping around with multiple men. When my husband finally learned the truth, he came crawling back to me with tears streaming down his face, begging for forgiveness. By then, I had already moved on with my life and wanted nothing to do with him.

After the real son, Asher Vale, was brought back, everything in our house became tied to drawing lots. The chef of the day, who would have to cook a particular person's preferred dishes, had to be decided by drawing lots. Even our parents' kisses and hugs were chosen the same way. I always drew the short stick. The long stick, by default, belonged to Asher. He never had to do anything to receive our parents' love. Whenever I felt it was unfair and wanted to cry, Mom would scold me sharply, "I bought the lot-drawing box because I was afraid you'd feel hurt. I wanted to be fair to both of you. If you want something, decide it yourselves. Your father and I won't interfere. If you can't draw the long stick, you can only blame your bad luck." So I began practicing every day, shaking the box diligently, over and over, in hopes that one day, it would help me earn my parents' love. Unfortunately, for ten years, I never once drew the long stick. Until my birthday. Asher wanted to go to the amusement park, and Mom once again told us to decide by drawing lots. I secretly glued the two short sticks together and handed them to Mom, hoping to keep her with me. She slapped me hard across the face, screaming that I was cheating and disobedient. Then she stormed out of the house with Asher. When I fell to the ground, the short stick stabbed deep into my neck. 'I'm sorry, Mom. Next time, I'll work harder. Next time, I'll definitely draw the long stick.'

My husband falls for my cousin at first sight while still married to me. They conspire to make me fall from grace. I end up with a ruined reputation and family. I can't handle the devastation, so I decide to drag them to hell with me as we're on the way to get the divorce finalized. Unexpectedly, all three of us are reborn. As soon as we open our eyes, my husband asks me for a divorce so he can be with my cousin. They immediately get together and leave the country. Meanwhile, I remain and further my medical studies. I work diligently. Six years later, my ex-husband has turned into an internationally renowned artist, thanks to my cousin's help. Each of his paintings sells for astronomical prices, and he's lauded by many. On the other hand, I'm still working at the hospital and saving lives. A family gathering brings us three back together. It looks like life has treated him well as he holds my cousin close and mocks me contemptuously. However, he flies off the handle when he learns I'm about to marry someone else. "How can you get together with someone else when all I did was make a dumb mistake?"

Mates! The one person created solely for you. The other part of you, the missing piece of your soul. They say that a mate is there to cherish and protect you. They say that nothing is stronger than the bond between mates. And they say that it’s always love at first sight… Well, let’s test that theory, shall we? Preview: Lesley’s POV His voice got deeper and more menacing with each word that left his lips. “But if you for just one second think you’re getting out of this by getting me to reject you---” He pushed me so hard against the wall, I’m sure my ribs broke! “You’re. DEAD. WRONG!!!” His enormous body was pressed against mine, trapping me between him and the wall. His hand gripped my throat – not cutting off my airways, but enough to let me know, that he was currently in control of my life. “You’re. MINE!” My heart dropped. His threatening growls were getting closer and closer until I could feel his breath on my skin. His wolf was in control. His alpha wolf… “And I’ll bend and break you before I’ll EVER let you leave! Do you understand?”

In the seventh year of our marriage, I caught Nolan Garrison kissing his secretary at a bar. He called me shortly after I walked away. "It was just a friendly kiss! What’s with the attitude?" he snapped through the phone. I could hear his friends in the background teasing him and saying that I would be madly jealous while pleading for him not to leave me tonight as usual. Before hanging up, Nolan warned me that he wouldn’t come home if I didn’t apologize. However, I wasn’t bothered by his threat. I didn’t care if he decided to come home or get a divorce. Three minutes later, I posted an update on my social media: “Prioritize self-love and grant others the freedom they seek.”

Every Christmas Eve, the heir of the Marco mafia family—Adrian Marco, must follow the family tradition: Draw a name to decide whether he’s allowed to marry me. Because I, Irene Cast, am not mafia-born. Unless he draws the slip with my name on it, he can’t take me as his wife. For four years, Adrian has drawn four times. And not once did he draw my name. I always thought he fought with his family because of me— that he was willing to risk losing his position as the Don, just to choose me. Every time he failed, he held me so tightly and whispered, “It’s okay. There’s always next year.” And I loved him so much it hurt. Hurt enough that I was willing to wait, year after year. This year, I told myself: If he still doesn’t draw my name… I’ll secretly switch the result. I sneaked to the door of Adrian’s study, and heard his younger brother ask: “Don… every year you do draw Irene's name. Why do you pretend you didn’t? Is it because you still can’t let Sera go?” But he simply said, in a flat voice, “Sera needs me for something urgent. Do what you always do: swap Irene’s name for a blank one.” He walked out without looking back. Instead of swapping, he tossed the blank slip into the trash, left the one with my name on the table, and hurried after Adrian. I went inside, picked up the blank slip from the trash, and replaced the one with my name. Watching my own name fall into the garbage. Adrian…I don’t want to wait and marry you anymore. I’ll grant you your choice.

Her sixteenth birthday became her worst nightmare. The instant the clock struck twelve, all hell let loose and her life flipped into jeopardy. She was to lose her virginity that same day or welcome death with full arms. The school's rebel, Jordan Hill, doesn't believe in love, he thinks all romcoms are cringe and so are his parents whom he couldn't find even more pathetic when they brought fought a ridiculous offer onto his plate. Turns out it was a lottery, after all, a chance to take the prime Minister's daughter virginity is an opportunity that comes in a lifetime. But why is it that after that one boring night, his soul never departed from her? Wanting no more than to avoid Jordan like a total plague, she succeeded but only for a year. She unfortunately caught his attention again and this time, Jordan is sure to make the rest of her school years miserable than it already was. She refuses to leave, he refuses to back down.

After winning the lottery to be Zavier Cross's wife for 30 days, Raini gets herself involved with the rich and famous Billionaire, Zavier Cross. Having lived a boring life for so long, the last thing she would have ever suspected was her husband to be a Werewolf. Zavier Cross is not ready to lose his mate just yet. He makes a decision to keep the secret of who he really is from Raini for as long as he can and pretends to be 'human'. However, with death threats for Raini on the line and a bouquet of wild dandelions in exchange for her head, that little quest proves to not only be impossible, but extremely deadly.

I set fire to my painting in front of the entire academy. Thunderous applause erupts from the crowd as everyone thinks it's some kind of performance art. Unlike them, Willow Laurent is distraught. She rushes up and grabs my hand, questioning in a shrill voice, "Cassidy Seymour, have you gone mad? This is your only chance to prove yourself!" I shake her hand off me coldly. My only chance? No… What she means is that it's her chance. In my past life, I created this masterpiece with all my heart and soul. But she stole it from me and submitted it as her entry first. Whether it was the composition, the colors, or even my original dot-stippling technique… She replicated every detail flawlessly. Then, she won the National Young Artists Gold Award, signed with a top gallery, and became a rising star. And what about me? I was condemned as a shameless plagiarist. Insults and curses gradually drowned me. "You shouldn't be an artist!" "Plagiarists are scum! They should just die!" Her fans stormed into my studio, smashed my art supplies, and broke my right hand. As I saw no end to the hell that I was living in, I jumped down from the top floor of my studio. When I open my eyes again, I'm back to the very day she first accuses me of plagiarism.

One girl. One chance. One royal destiny. When Everleigh is chosen in a mysterious lottery to attend the kingdom’s princess school, her life is thrown into a world of power, intrigue, and hidden agendas. Among rival candidates who will stop at nothing to see her fail, and a childhood friend who harbors a dangerous secret, Everleigh must navigate a web of secrets, ambition, and unexpected love. As the royal ball approaches and destinies are revealed, Everleigh will discover that some choices can change everything—and that the greatest gamble may be trusting her heart.