The Night Before I Knew Him Novels & Stories

Everything has a cost. I never thought the cost of falling in love could be my life. But when the Vampire Council gets reports of increased magical activity in the surrounding areas, they give the order for vampires to kill any witches they come across. I trust Lucas to never hurt me, but he’s not the only vampire in my life, and let’s just say the others aren’t my biggest fans. While I’m busy trying not to be come vampire chow, something dark and powerful is surrounding Thorne Hill, infecting everything—and everyone—that gets in its path. If the darkness gets to the Ley line, then the whole town is doomed. I won’t go down without a fight, but how can I fight something I can’t even see?

She went to a club with her friends to drink for the first time after finishing her third-year examinations. Gabriella was a 21-year-old virgin who had never kissed anybody before. She met a stranger at a club, accompanied him to a hotel, had her first kiss, and lost her virginity. She enjoyed herself. When she awoke the next morning, the man was gone,  He left. She found out she was pregnant a few months later. She continued to go to the hotel in the hopes of running into the man, but after four months, she gave up. He abandoned her, leaving her to face the situation alone. She dropped out of university to raise her son. She returned to school a year later to complete her studies and get her degree. She then saw the person she had slept with on TV and realized he was now engaged, as well as the fact that he was the well-known multi-billionaire Javier Hills. What would his grandma do when she finds a boy who looks just like her grandson?

My husband, Tyler West, and I had been childless for five years. Under my best friend, Julia Morse's encouragement, we decided to adopt the child with a so-called tragic background—according to her, anyway. We treated Howard Whitley like our own son and proceeded to raise him for more than a dozen years afterward. Only when Howard came of age did we find out that he was actually the illegitimate son of Julia and a rich man named Alex Saggese. In order to flee from Alex's wife, Catalina Tassi's vengeful acts of assassination, Julia and Howard purposefully lured me and Tyler into riding a car that was tampered in advance. Because of that, we were caught up in a tragic car accident, making us the sacrifice needed for Julia and Howard to shake Catalina off their backs once and for all. To make things worse, Julia and Howard flew overseas and lived lavish lives by spending our money! When I open my eyes again, I've returned to the day Julia keeps convincing Tyler and I to adopt Howard. That's when I feel Tyler gripping my hand tightly, a dark look on his face. Immediately, I realize that he's gotten reborn as well. In this life, we will never step down that path of idiocy ever again!

One reckless night. One dominant stranger. One obsession that refuses to end. Ava Sinclair thought the dark, sinful stranger she met at an exclusive club will be a fleeting escape from her suffocating life. But Damien Blackwell doesn't let things go easily. Marked by a single night of passion, Ava is dragged into Damien's world. A world of power, jealousy and secrets. He owns the night, and now he wants to own her. But Ava isn't one to be caged...or is she?

The night before I was supposed to marry the heir to the Moretti family, I found a string of ninety-nine filthy texts on my fiancé Leo’s phone. A woman named Ava Collins, telling him she loved him. Shameless. Desperate. She was begging him to call off our wedding, threatening to kill herself if he went through with it. I didn’t waste a second. I shoved the phone in his face and demanded an explanation. The silence stretched for an eternity before he finally broke. “Her brother was Liam. My underboss. He took a bullet for me. My bullet. I promised him I’d look after her.” "Jennifer, we grew up together. You know it’s you. It’s always been you. I swear, I’ll handle it. I’ll cut her off." I searched his eyes, hunting for the lie. I swallowed the acid in my throat and chose to believe him. The wedding was on. This was bigger than us. It was a treaty signed in blood between two families. And God help me, I still loved him. But on our wedding day, as we stood at the altar, vows on our lips, Leo got the call. It was her. Ava. On a bridge, threatening to jump. Demanding he come. Now. The diamond ring, a breath away from my finger, clattered to the stone floor of the church. Not a word. Not a single explanation. He just left. Left me, our families, our future... left me standing alone at the altar. Through a blur of tears, I screamed after him, "Leo, if you walk out that door, we are done!" His only reply, tossed over his shoulder, “She needs me.” He never looked back. Carrying his child, I vanished from his world and never looked back.

She's lying," he tells the cameras. But the truth in his eyes says otherwise. Struggling on scholarship and multiple jobs to support her family, she never expected one night to change everything. But when a pregnancy test confirms her worst fears, the father, a billionaire's heir, publicly denies her claims to protect his own future. Now she's fighting a battle on two fronts: keeping her scholarship while raising a child alone, and facing down one of the most powerful families in the country. In a world where money talks and reputations can be bought, she has only one weapon, the truth. But when lies have billion dollar consequences, will the truth be enough to survive?

Building an empire comes first. Or it did until I met her. My family’s billion-dollar hotel chain has been my life for as long as I can remember. Travel. Women. Wealth. That’s all I know, until fate grabs me by the throat and decides to not let up. She’s a beach body, a beautiful, curvy California girl who hasn't found the right person to give into yet. I would have felt the same, but something about her has me pacing the floor at night. And my father sent me out to her hotel specifically. The sly dog knowing that she’s exactly the woman I need in my future. But it’s not that easy. It never is. Not until our love produces a little one. Then everything changes. Especially me. Now I want more than just one night. I want forever.

She woke up every morning with a heavy heart, dreading the inevitable encounter with Mr. Montenegro. She couldn't comprehend why he had such intense hatred towards her, always finding ways to belittle and demean her. She attempted to disregard the hurtful comments and taunts, but it cut her deeply. As time passed, her patience began to wear thin. She could no longer tolerate the constant abuse. One day, she confronted him and asked him why he treated her so terribly. He merely laughed and insulted her, calling her weak and pathetic. However, something inside her snapped that day. She refused to allow him to have control over her any longer. Standing tall, she looked at him in the eye and informed him that she would no longer tolerate the abuse. He was taken aback by her sudden display of strength, and for the first time, he saw her as a person rather than just a target. Over time, his attitude towards her changed. He ceased the insults and began to show her a grudging respect for standing up to him. She learned that sometimes, you have to fight back to be treated with dignity and respect. She was determined to never allow anyone to make her feel small again..

My husband chooses to stay in a honeymoon suite with his secretary during a company teambuilding event. "I'm in poor health, so I need Mr. Lowe by my side to care for me when I'm taking a dip in the hot springs. I'm sure Elaine won't be mad because she's so generous, right?" My husband wraps an arm around her waist, sounding displeased as he says, "Ignore her. I'd have wasted my time on her if she's so petty!" Our colleagues chime in. "Exactly! It's best to get a divorce if your wife gets jealous so easily! Now, Ms. Klein is gentle and considerate. You're a lucky man, Mr. Lowe!" I'm the one who recruited all of these people into the company, yet they all now despise me. Since none of them like me, there's no need for the company to exist anymore. I text my parents. "Don't bother investing in the company anymore. I no longer want it."

I run into my fiancé's childhood sweetheart at the entrance of a bar on Valentine's Day. She's been drugged and is unconscious. This time, I pretend not to see her and leave without another look back. I didn't know who she was in my past life and saved her out of kindness. Then, I accidentally saw my fiancé's name tattooed on her collarbone. I thought it was just a misunderstanding until I answered her phone and heard my fiancé's voice on the other end of the line. I hung up out of jealousy and anger. I ignored the 99 calls he gave me. I took his childhood sweetheart to one of my family's hotels and made sure she was well taken care of before leaving. Unexpectedly, she was violated that night. She committed suicide out of shame. My fiancé acted like nothing happened after hearing of this. He proceeded to give me a grand wedding. Then, when I found out I was pregnant, he broke my legs and locked me up at home. I broke down and asked him why he was doing this. He laughed manically. "Averie wouldn't have been violated if not for you. She wouldn't have taken her own life! It's all your fault!" To my surprise, when I open my eyes again, I find myself back to the day I run into Averie Lancaster outside the bar.