U Of I Library Catalog

The end of the world had never been so romantic—for Alisa Vega, at least. In an alternate universe where Earth survives the first apocalypse, humans live side by side with other species in a society where impossible things become possible. And yet, with all that magic and technology, love remains to be the most mysterious and unpredictable thing of all. Alisa Vega is a popular celebrity well-known for her beauty and charisma. Growing up in a loving and privileged environment, she had never wanted for anything in her life—until she meets Jester Lee, the rising star of the Adventurer community. Jester saves her life and steals her heart in the process. She confesses her love, but Jester is having none of it. Apparently, he's too busy saving all three worlds from a second apocalypse to entertain any thoughts on romance. But Alisa is convinced that he is THE ONE for her—and she is not taking no for an answer. Join Alisa and Jester as their stories unfold side by side: from gala appearances, photoshoots, and dodging the paparazzi, to navigating through a mess of man-eating monsters, secret identities, and uncovering conspiracies, all in the name of true love. *Author's Note: Some parts of the story may include scenes of violence and gore, dark (morbid) humor and possible emotional trauma (for the characters). Although the author encourages freedom in reading, this warning is in place for those who may find such topics disturbing. Reading should be fun for everyone, after all. Thank you! ^_^

Five years ago, I was the rising star of the nation’s top chemistry research lab, but on the eve of publishing the results of my study, my husband’s crush, Grace, killed me. She made several people violate me and cut my face up. Then, she injected sulfuric acid into my stomach, crushed my teeth and bones, and discarded my body without anyone’s knowledge. At that time, I was three months pregnant. But she told everyone that I stole the project’s research results and fled to another country. Jim, my husband, personally wrote a report to the government to label me as a globally wanted criminal. Five years later, a livestreamer who did nighttime explorations found my dried-up corpse in the basement of an abandoned warehouse.

"Staying is the Key... Fragile Blood is the Freedom..." Mahirap lahat sa umpisa, pero lahat ay nakatakda sa paraang kakaiba. Matagal na panahong pagmamatiyag ang ginawa, makilalang lubos lamang ang babaeng napili niya upang maging katuwang sa lahing pinamumunuan niya. Sa bawat ngiti't tawa ng dalaga ay nakamasid siya, sa bawat pagtulog at paggising nito ay nakikita niya. Matagal na panahong pagbabantay ang nilaan niya, maraming nagtangka ng masama sa taong mahal niya, lahat ng 'yon ay tinapos niya. Lahat ng magtangka ay pagbabanta ang pinapalit niya, ang lumabag ay matatapos ang paghinga. Sa maling pagsagot sa mga tanong niya ay may matinding parusa. Sa gabing ito, nakatakda ang pag-iisa. Dapat na siyang makilala ng babaeng matagal na niyang ninanais at sinisinta. Ngunit kahit ganun ay may takot pa rin siyang nadarama. Alam niyang hindi ito gugustuhin ng babaeng mahal niya. Marami mang babae ang umiibig sakaniya. Ngunit isa lamang ang gusto niya. Ang babaeng nagligtas sa kaniya sa kapahamakan ng sila'y mga bata pa. Mula ng araw na 'yon, binantayan na niya ang babaeng iniibig niya ngayon. Gusto niya man muling makipagkilala rito pagkatapos ng pagliligtas nito sakaniya noon ay hindi maari. Muli lamang niya itong makakausap kapag nangyayare na ang pag-iisa ng kanilang mga lahi sa madilim na Gabi. At ito ay mangyayare ngayong Gabi. Na kung saan lahat ng mangyayare ay doon mag-uumpisa. Sa lahat ng utos na nilikha niya ay may isang mabigat na utos na kinatatakutan niya. Dahil ang babaeng napili niya ang maglalarawan sa nag-iisang mabigat na utos na binaba niya.

Previously known as: I'll never forgive you Maryam Junaid, a pious, confident young Muslimah who lost her parents in a fire at the age of ten. As the little girl wandered the dangerous streets of New York, she was kidnapped and somehow ended up in the foster home of the Mehmoods. At the young age o

Three years ago, Adrian Wolfe, a ruthless billionaire, and Elena Carter, a talented architect, had a whirlwind romance that ended in a bitter divorce. Adrian's obsession with work and his cold, detached nature pushed Elena away. Feeling unseen and unloved, she walked out of his mansion—and his life—determined to build her own success. Now, Elena has made a name for herself in the industry and is living her best life—until she lands a high-profile contract that puts her face-to-face with the man she swore to leave behind. Adrian, who never truly got over her, is her new client. At first, Elena is determined to keep things professional, but Adrian has other plans. He never wanted the divorce and now sees this as his second chance. He’s willing to chase, fight, and prove to her that he’s changed. But Elena isn’t convinced. She refuses to fall for the same man who once shattered her heart. As they work together, buried emotions resurface. Sparks fly, but so do old wounds. Adrian is used to winning in business, but can he win back the only woman he ever loved? And when a hidden truth about their past comes to light, will it break them apart forever—or finally bring them back together?

Shan had grown up as a college freshman with her best friend, Ciara for over a period of fifteen years. Ciara Jones is smitten with his best friend Shan, but she can't tell because Shan is dating someone else. Being their loyal best friend, she still supports Shan with everything and shows her love for him. Shan will eventually discover the truth about his real father, Phillip Garcia, and within his family, things happen unexpectedly. Will they conquer everything? Will their family would ever be fixed through everything?

After just a week of getting dumped, Gabrielle Taylor learned from a common friend that her ex-boyfriend and best friend were already engaged. Enraged by their betrayal, Gabrielle crashed into their engagement party and drank to her heart's desire. She put up a face and even wished her best friend and ex-boyfriend all the best. Claiming to already be in a relationship, Gabrielle walked up to a stranger and kissed him outright! . *** Other than his mother, his sisters, and his niece, Kyle Wright, the CEO of the Wright Diamond Corporation, never batted an eye for a woman. He was satisfied, running a business, not intending to be in any relationship. One evening, while excusing himself from a family gathering, a girl came up to him and kissed him out of the blue. His heart raced! Except for the drumming sensation in his chest, he felt everything around him turned mute. He took a deep breath and savored that blossoming scent, coming from the girl. His eyes unwittingly closed as he found himself relishing the brief but stirring kiss! When the kiss ended, Kyle's eyes struggled to open. It was as if time had stopped, and it suddenly dawned on him that for the first time since he could remember, he experienced what it felt like… getting a boner. After that fateful kiss, he swore to make Gabrielle his. *** Book 3 of the Wright Family Series Book 1: Mommy, Where Is Daddy? The Forsaken Daughter's Return Book 2: Flash Marriage: A Billionaire For A Rebound Book 4: The Devil's Love For The Heiress Book 5: I Fell For The Boy His Daddy Was A BonusNote: Each story can be read as a standalone. Follow me on social media. Search Author_LiLhyz on IG & FB.

The night before our wedding, Desmond Arlington got jumped out of nowhere. By the time I made it to the hospital, he stared at me like I was a total stranger. Doctor said it was memory loss—some brain rattle from the hit. Temporary, supposedly. So I went full nostalgia tour, dragging him back to all our spots, hoping something would click. Then one day at the hospital, I caught him running his mouth with his buddy. "Rhea's trying so hard. Doesn't that do anything for you?" "Do what? I'm over it. Same spots, same girl. The new ones are way more fun." "So why marry her? Just call it off and live your life." He snapped, "Shut up. I LOVE Rhea. I'd never bail on the wedding. I'm just... pushing it back a bit." I looked down at the test results—zero issues. Everything normal. And that's when it hit me: you can't help a faker.

My mother-in-law’s final wish was simple—she wanted one last trip to Hawaii, to bask in the warmth of the sun before her time ran out. But her son, Vincent, didn’t see it that way. He thought I was manipulating her, using her as an excuse to drag him on a vacation he didn’t want. So, out of spite, he refused to grant her dying wish. I begged him. Pleaded. Swallowed my pride and all the hurt his accusations brought. After relentless persuasion, he finally relented. I thought, at last, I could give Lucy the happiness she deserved. But on the day we were set to leave, Vincent was nowhere to be found. And that same day, Lucy suffered a heart attack. She passed away with only me by her side—never getting to feel the warmth of the sun on her skin one last time. And then I saw it. A picture. Vincent, tagged at a luxury resort with his ex. The caption from her read: Thank you for abandoning your job to take me on this trip. You’re the best. I didn’t scream. I didn’t cry. I didn’t even confront him. I just packed my bags and left. And this time? Vincent found out about the truth and begged me to stay.

I had gained thirty pounds after I was pregnant for six months. My husband, Jordan Smith felt disgusted by me. He would rather stay at work than come home, and he fell in love with his girl best friend, Holly Brown. On our wedding anniversary, they were acting intimately in a private room. Meanwhile, Holly was wearing my wedding gown. I saw the whole thing with my own eyes. She had her arms around Jordan’s neck and said to me coyly, “It’s not what you think.” Jordan was agitated after he was caught cheating on me. “I’ve known her since we were kids. We have been best friends for so many years. If something were to happen between us, it would have happened a long time ago.” However, I saw the hickey on Holly’s shoulder. She said to Jordan, “Your wife looks obese. My cousin didn’t gain a single pound after she had given birth. Instead, she looked even slimmer. Jordan, did your wife secretly eat pig feed?” Jordan felt embarrassed. He instructed someone to lock me in a bedroom and starve me for a few days. I suffered from a miscarriage. Indeed, I lost the weight on my abdomen, but Jordan went insane.