The Ones That Love Us Never Really Leave Us

Wendy McNaulty never expected her twenties to look like this—sharing a quirky Boston townhouse with her two best friends, juggling a job she doesn’t love, and navigating a love life that’s as messy as the city’s winter slush. With Grady, her charming and overly confident roommate, and Scott, the quiet and steady best friend who knows her better than anyone, Wendy’s life is a whirlwind of late-night pizza runs, laughter, and unspoken tension. When a disastrous breakup pushes her to “figure herself out,” Wendy vows to swear off romance and focus on herself—only to find love and scandal showing up where she least expects it. As lines blur between friendship and something deeper, Wendy is forced to confront her own heart. Torn between the thrill of the new and the comfort of what’s always been, she begins to unravel feelings she’s kept buried for years. But just when she thinks she has it all figured out, an unexpected twist threatens to change everything. In the midst of secrets, mistakes, and the kind of vulnerability she’s always avoided, Wendy learns that true love doesn’t always come in the form you expect—it’s often been standing right beside you all along.

Selene Wyndham falls in love with the merman, Zirion, at first sight. Despite the gossip and criticism, she rescues him from the beast pit. Although he's indifferent toward her, she never complains. She merely wishes that he never again suffers pain and hardship. She even vows to protect him for a lifetime. This goes on until the day he personally sends her into the beast pit, where she's torn apart and killed by a savage beast. Only then does Selene realize that from the very beginning, everything has been an elaborate scheme set by her younger sister, Vanessa Wyndham, to become the head of the family. And Zirion was Vanessa's very first pawn to set her plan in motion. "How does it feel to be sent into the beast pit by the very man you love, Selene?" As a set of sharp teeth pierce through her body, Selene's consciousness fades away. When she opens her eyes again, she has returned to the moment when she rescues Zirion from the beast pit. This time, Selene drives Zirion away and saves a young wolfman instead. She then makes him her personal guard. One day, the rain is pouring heavily when the once lofty and proud Zirion kneels at Selene's feet, ignoring the mud and filth on him. He digs out a scale from his body and begs in a sorrowful voice for her to spare him another glance.

Autumn Simeons had loved Damian McLaren for as long as she could remember. From childhood to their teenage years, he was her safe place, the one person who made life feel lighter. But while Damian came from wealth and privilege, Autumn’s life was far simpler—and his heart seemed to belong to someone else. She kept her feelings hidden, choosing to be the best friend he could rely on. That fragile balance broke when Damian got a girlfriend who saw Autumn as a threat. Tension grew until, without warning, Damian cut her out of his life completely. One day they were inseparable; the next, he treated her like a stranger. Months later, fate intervened when Damian’s mother, worried about his slipping grades, asked Autumn to tutor him—unaware of the rift between them. Both protested, but their parents insisted. Now, forced into the same space, Autumn must face the boy she still loves, who seems to resent her presence. His girlfriend’s shadow hangs over every exchange, and unspoken history simmers beneath the surface. As old feelings resurface, Autumn realizes some lessons can’t be taught from books—they live in stolen glances, unsaid words, and memories that refuse to fade.

Karen Luis, diagnosed with cardiorespiratory disorder, has a year left to live. Pushed into an arranged marriage with the blind son of the most influential family in Willow-ridge, Karen thinks her fairytale romance has just began however she finds Kevin Kord anything but the man of her dreams. Despite his arrogance, his cheating nature and his love for another woman Karen sticks to him hoping for a change of heart however, Kevin: I'll do anything you ask; just don't ask me to love you. Karen: I'll die anytime soon, I don't need you to love me anyways.

Syrhane Ong is a Medical Technology student in her third year. She is clever, outgoing, and driven by a strong desire to succeed. Her family is Chinese, and they are highly traditional when it comes to marriage. Syrhane has never dated anyone because she knows her parents will pick a guy for her in the end. She was frightened of falling in love, of getting hurt, and of hurting the person she cared about. Syrhane Ong's buddy and classmate, Soren Gonzales. They've known each other since their first year of college because they're in the same class. As a result of the pressure and problems they're carrying, they've had to deal with a lot of obstacles. Unlike the other students, Soren's family is not wealthy. He is a scholar and a hardworking student who is striving to maintain a good grade while still supporting his family. That one night, though, changed everything. They began to have strange feelings for each other. The friendship between a male and female who developed feelings for each other. Owen Cujuangco, on the other hand, appeared out of nowhere in Syrhane's life. This individual will cause the two of them to break up. Because Syrhane's father wants Syrhane to marry Owen, she has no choice but to obey his father because that is the only way she can make him proud of her. Soren made a wish for the two of them, hoping that the stars would align in their favor. He wants to love Syrhane, but he knew it would be impossible due to their disparities in their current circumstances. They've been waiting for each other to cross their paths again as time passes, and time will bring them back together.

Anna Valerian's life takes an unexpected turn when a single moment of betrayal pulls her into the arms of Jace Lysander, a man as enigmatic as he is dangerous. Their rushed union is shrouded in secrets, their connection electric yet fragile. But as Anna steps into Jace’s world, she realizes her own past is far darker and more twisted than she ever imagined. In a house filled with whispers of deceit and a family bound by treachery, Anna must navigate the delicate line between loyalty and survival. Jace’s gaze promises both salvation and ruin, and every step forward uncovers another devastating truth. As the walls close in, trust becomes a deadly gamble, and Anna finds herself questioning not just her husband’s motive but her own place in a game she never agreed to play. In a tale of love, revenge, and shattered illusions, one question looms above all others: how far would you go to uncover the truth?

His hot breath fanned my ear and I nearly died the moment the straps of my dress fell away. Revealing a part of myself that left me vulnerable to his hungry gaze that moved over me. I pride myself on decency, to always be appropriate but the way he clenched his jaw and ran his large hands on my thighs made me go. . . to hell with decency. Reaching out, the need to touch him no longer bearable, I traced the outline of his torso through the fabric of his shirt. But even that wasn't enough as my hands moved underneath the fabric to trace the muscles there. He shifted slightly away triggering a fear in me that I had done something wrong. However, the fear diminished when he removed the fabric- granting my eyes the chance to feast on seeing more of his skin. He moved forward peppering light kisses all over my neck and torso only to latch onto my nipple tugging gently on the hard nub. I cried out at the movement of his teeth and tongue as his hands kept me close hindering any chance to reduce the contact to damn near impossible. Reducing the contact was the last thing I wanted, especially considering how far we had come. . .

Laurel must be willing to lose her father who died in an accident, as a result of the careless actions of a rich kid who is reckless, as well as losing her mother who died due to illness. Everything could be solved with their money and Laurel was disgusted by it. However, the years passed and Laurel's life seemed so lucky, as if God had always given His love to Laurel, and she was grateful for it. Then, she met Aaron, a CEO who had succeeded at a young age with his own efforts. They fell in love, went through everything with a pleasant little drama, until they got married. Even so, the problems never end, until one day Laurel learns a striking truth. Aaron was that young man, the young man who drove so irresponsibly that her father died. All is revealed. All the conveniences that Laurel got, all came from Aaron who did it out of guilt. Meanwhile, Aaron, who initially did everything to get back at his sins in the past, actually fell in love with Laurel. Then, what is their next story? Will Laurel be willing to forgive Aaron or vice versa?

Bruises. That’s all Louis has ever known. At twenty-seven, you’d think he’d have escaped the violent grip of his abusive father—but breaking free from the man who raised you, no matter how monstrous, is never simple. Life has never gone easy on Louis, and now, he carries a secret that’ll finally get him killed by his father: his sexuality. He hides it, suffocates it, tries to erase it—but it never leaves him. All he needs is a savior. Someone to pull him from the dark hole he’s sinking in. But hope has never been more than a cruel fantasy—and he’s long since stopped believing in rescue. Then comes Elias Montgomery. The most feared and ruthless Don in the Midwest. Silent. Disciplined. Calculating. And utterly alone. No one dares cross Elias. He keeps his enemies close, and the traitors? Six feet under. Love has never been part of the equation, not after what happened the last time. So, what happens when, against all odds, Elias crosses paths with Louis? Will he bury the tension—and the dangerous spark between them—for the sake of his image and empire. Or will he risk it all for a boy who’s known nothing but pain?

Lily Harper’s life is perfectly brewed, running her café in Boston, surrounded by the comforting scent of fresh coffee and pastries. But everything changes when Atlas Caldwell, the boy she once loved, walks back into her life after years of silence. As their past collides with her present, Lily’s world is turned upside down. But she’s not alone, Ryle Kincaid, a charming and intense neurosurgeon, has his own plans for her heart. Torn between the memories of a love lost and the possibility of a future with someone new, Lily must navigate a tangled web of old emotions, unexpected desires, and choices that could change everything. Will she open the door to a second chance with Atlas, or is the path forward with Ryle, who’s already staked a claim on her heart, the one she should follow? A captivating story of love, loss, and the crossroads of life.