The Nightmare Before Christmas Shock Lock And Barrel Novels & Stories

At the wedding, just as I was about to exchange rings with my fiancée, her conniving boyfriend intentionally pushed his son toward her. Right in front of everyone, the boy looked up with teary eyes and asked, "Mom, why are you marrying this man? Don't you want me and Dad anymore?" My fiancée, who never lied, smiled, took the child's hand, and said, "I was only pretending with this man earlier. Now I am going to marry your father." The banquet hall buzzed with whispers. Everyone expected me to get jealous and blow up. Instead, I said the child came first and calmly handed the ring to the boyfriend sitting below the stage. Seeing how cooperative I was, my fiancée grinned and promised she would give me a healthy baby boy someday as a thank you. However, she seemed to have forgotten that we had not officially tied the knot yet. Truth be told, I had no intention of ever doing so.

Three days before my wedding with Luca D'Angelo, I accidentally stumble upon him having an affair with my best friend, Delila Rusconi. Delila can be seen sitting on Luca's lap in his office. She caresses his chin in a seductive manner. "Delila, I told you before that Katerina must never find out about our affair!" Luca pinches Delila's fingers together, his voice carrying a strong hint of warning. Delila just giggles before kissing his hand. She replies flippantly, "I know, I know. You have no choice but to marry her in order to gain control over the coastal port trades. I completely understand." I inhale sharply before fleeing the scene in panic. Tears brim in my eyes instantly. I can't believe that Luca, the man who's loved and doted on me for three whole years, has chosen to marry me solely just to make more profits despite the fact that we only get to know each other because of a marriage alliance. The future plans I have in store for us, as well as my rose-tinted fantasies about romance, are completely shattered because of the scene I've just witnessed. Tears continue to stream down my cheeks as I call my dad on the phone. "Papa, I'll heed your order and give up on the marriage alliance with the D'Angelos. I'll return to Chitchily in three days and carry out my responsibilities as a family member."

Kara Hatchett once dreamed of Derrick Whitney’s love. Why shouldn’t she? He married her after all. But three years have passed since her secret marriage to the billionaire, and Derrick seems to dislike her more than ever. Even worse, his ex-college sweetheart, Jade Black is back in town after breaking his heart and stealing from his family before she left, but Derrick seems to have forgiven her. Even worse, he’s publicly in love with her, and acting like the doting boyfriend even if he refuses to acknowledge her as his girlfriend. So, with only two months left in their contract, Kara knows their marriage is over. She’s ready to bury the remnants of her unrequited love for him and move on with her life, ready to divorce Derrick and leave him without looking back. But Derrick isn’t letting her go…

Tess let a stranger claim her. He touched her like she was worth everything, then walked away when he learned something about her he swore never to get involved with. Now he's her boss, and he pretends she doesn't exist. Donovan has rules. But Tess almost made him break them. He touched her, almost claimed her, but had to force himself to stop. Now she sits outside his office every day, and he's haunted. He avoids her like a disease, becomes crueller than ever to suppress his own desires. Because if he lets himself feel anything, he won't ever be able to stop. His addiction had a face now, and she's destroying every defense he's built.

At our class reunion, my husband, Calvin Vance, threw the game on purpose so his friends could "force" him to get a marriage certificate with his ex, Molly Rowan, and post it online. Everyone piled on. Calvin was already pulling out the divorce papers, practically shoving them at me. "It's just a game. Don't make a big deal out of it." I stayed quiet for a long moment. They all looked like they were waiting for me to lose it. Instead, I took the papers. "Divorce is fine. But you have to do three things for me." He agreed without hesitation and pushed me to sign. "Three things? Forget that. Three hundred, whatever. Just sign it. When we get remarried, I'll make it up to you with a huge luxury wedding." What he didn't know was that the second he chose to divorce me, my mission had already failed. The System would erase me. The only way to survive was to complete the three tasks it gave me.

Just three days after we got engaged, I stumbled across a private story posted by the girl he had grown up with. 'Too bad the boy who confessed to me ninety-nine times is marrying someone else in ten days.' In the photo, he trailed behind her through a crowded mall, his arms loaded with shopping bags, looking as if he had rehearsed the scene a hundred times. Curious, I scrolled down to read the comments. 'No way. The childhood-best-friend and first-love storyline still lost? Girl, that hurts.' 'Lost? He's getting married and still spending the whole day shopping with her. She didn't lose anything.' 'I feel bad for the bride. I'm seriously waiting for confession number one hundred to happen at the wedding, followed by a runaway groom scene.' Watching strangers bicker in the comments, I quietly pressed the like button, blending into their chaos. None of them knew that in just ten days, I would be the one stepping away from the altar. The fake-death package I'd ordered was already in motion. While my fiance and his childhood sweetheart mourned the love they claimed was out of reach, I quietly counted down the days until I could disappear for good.

[Abandoned on our anniversary, I became the woman he called "too damaged" to be his Luna.] I gave Andre ten years. Five children gone. He walked in with his mistress—and a newborn—on our anniversary. He thought discarding me would make me vanish. He was wrong. The fortune he flaunts? I helped build it. The allies he trusts? They remember who stood by them first. I may have been his rejected wife, but I was never his shadow. He thinks discarding me was the end. He’s about to find out it was the beginning of his worst nightmare.

She wanted love. Then she met the man who wore a helmet and changed everything. Levrae Vause was a sweet and rich girl who only wanted someone to love her not her money. She moved far from home to start a new life. There, she met Jax. He was kind, funny, and charming. For five long years, Levrae gave him all her heart. But Jax was hiding something big. He never stopped loving his ex-girlfriend, Eleanor. He only dated Levrae because of her father’s money. When Levrae found out the truth on a Christmas cruise, her heart broke into tiny pieces. She ran to the bar, cried, and drank... and that’s when she met Kieran Snow a quiet man who wore a helmet and never showed his face. One wild night brought them together. Levrae asked Kieran to help her get revenge on Jax. The plan? Pretend to be a couple. Hold hands. Take cute pictures. Make Jax jealous. But fake feelings started to feel real. Kieran was gentle, kind, and always there when Levrae cried. She started falling for him without meaning to. He fell for her too but she was scared. Scared to love again. Scared he’d leave too. Then the real storm hit. Jax and Eleanor tried to ruin everything. Jax lied and told the police Kieran stole money. Eleanor tried to hurt Levrae, but Kieran drank the poison instead. Levrae was blamed and thrown in jail, crying and scared. But love never gives up. Kieran lived. The truth came out. Jax and Eleanor were both arrested. And Levrae? She was free and ready to stop running from love. At the end, Kieran didn’t give her a ring. He gave her a helmet with her name on it. And she said yes.

While setting up the wedding bed, I discovered an unidentified liquid on the sheets. In my new marital home, someone else had already stayed here! My mind went completely blank, and I video-called my fiance. Surprisingly, the call was answered instantly. "The new bed is really soft. I tried it out for you," said Jeremy's assistant, Rachel. She smiled, flirtatious and smug. Perfect. I don't want this man anymore.

Tiffany's soul hovered overhead. She watched them rip her heart out—still dripping—and stuff it into a cooler. Destination? Velmont City, Dalvona. For the same girl who'd sold her to traffickers in Nyamara. Outside the OR, Hector stood there, eyes all soft. His assistant called. "Mr. Coxon, we've located Ms. Talwyn. Want me to send someone?" Hector didn't blink. "Don't bother. A girl like that deserves to die." The surgical light flipped green. A doctor strolled out. "Congrats, Mr. Coxon. Surgery went smooth. Ms. Pusey and the baby are doing great!" Hector started crying happy tears. This was the man she had loved for ten years.