When He Opened His Eyes Novels & Stories

My ex, Jason Buckley—the guy I dumped five years ago—still sent tiny cash transfers to check if I existed. I never responded. This time, I tapped accept by accident. A second later, he lost it. "Wow, quick reflexes. What guy's been keeping you busy these past five years? Made you this cheap? Knew you couldn't get over me. "You took my 'let's fix this' gift, so we're signing marriage papers tomorrow. "My new dad's loaded—the richest in Seavora—and he can't wait to see me married." I just stared at the one-dollar payment on my screen and left him on read. The next day, he showed up at my place in Seavora City with his mom, parked right in the doorway. "This is gonna be our house, right? If you're not just after my family's money, transfer it into my name first." Yeah. He'd officially lost it. We broke up five years ago. My son's three. And if he's the heir to the richest man... what does that make my husband?

"If you are going to enter my world, be ready to play my game," Mago warned, his eyes gleaming with danger, "If you can't keep up, then you'll have to endure the pain." MAGO CONCEPCION—ruthless, seductive, and incapable of love. He believed emotions were a weakness, and I, ARLENE MEJORADA, believed I could change him. I was the woman who thought I could heal him with my love, drawn in by his dangerous allure that I couldn't resist. I was a willing victim, drawn into his world of power and temptation. I convinced myself that I could handle the pain, that I could survive his cruel, calculating ways. But love doesn't always conquer all. Yet, my determination was unwavering. Soon, I found myself breaking. Piece by piece, he tore through my heart, leaving me shattered and empty, a shadow of the woman I once was. I wanted to save him, but in the end, I was the one who needed saving. This is my story—of how I gave him everything until nothing was left of me. Now I face the choice: do I pick up the pieces and walk away, or keep letting him destroy what’s left of me? My name is ARLENE MEJORADA, and I was willing to endure anything for love. Until I wasn’t.

He never claimed me. But he never let me go either. Ava built her life from nothing her business, her independence, her name. She didn’t need anyone. Until Noah Volkov. Powerful. Untouchable. A man who could control everything… except the way he pulled her into his world. With him, she wasn’t invisible. She was seen. Wanted. Chosen just never publicly. He kept her in the shadows of his perfect life, giving her just enough to stay… but never enough to belong. And when his powerful family chooses the “perfect woman” for him Ava is forced to face the truth: Was she ever his… or just the secret he could never afford to keep?

In the VIP lounge of an underground casino, Maeve, the Falcone family's princess, had been plied with too much hard liquor. Fueled by alcohol, someone goaded her into revealing the most shameless thing she'd ever done to win over the Don. She swirled her glass, pointed at me dealing cards behind the table, and threw her head back with a laugh. "Seven years ago, when Declan was in a coma after a shootout, I took his private phone. And I deleted the distress message that bitch sent him. Every last trace of it. Then I replied in his name: You're a burden. Go die." "You'll never guess what happened next. That idiot stood outside the safe house all night in a downpour, like a stray dog. I almost died laughing…" The room erupted in crude laughter. Only the man enthroned at the head of the table remained silent. The crystal whiskey glass in his hand shattered with a sharp crack. Blood mixed with the amber liquor, trickling over the veins on the back of his hand before dripping onto the carpet. His murderous, bloodshot eyes were locked on me. I calmly dealt the last hole card in front of him and offered a clean, white silk handkerchief. "Don Declan, you should wipe your hand. Blood on the felt is bad luck." After all, some stains never wash out.

When Elara Vance was at her breaking point—homeless, grieving, and clutching a positive pregnancy test—she turned to the only person she ever trusted: Julian Thorne. But instead of the protection he promised, he gave her a cold shoulder and a one-way ticket out of his life, choosing his family’s empire over their "pathetic" love.Five years later, Elara is no longer the girl who begs. She has rebuilt her life from the ashes, fueled by a quiet strength and the secret she kept from the world. But fate has a cruel sense of humor.When her new job lands her in the inner sanctum of the tech industry’s most ruthless billionaire, she finds herself face-to-face with the man who destroyed her. Julian Thorne is now at his peak—more powerful, more handsome, and more dangerous than ever. He doesn't recognize the woman he discarded, but he wants her.He thinks he can win her with his billions, unaware that Elara isn't there for his money or his heart."You told me I was a mistake you couldn't afford, Julian. Now, I’m the debt you’ll never be able to pay off."As the past and present collide, Julian is determined to claim her, but Elara has a bombshell that could topple his empire: The child he never knew existed is waiting at home.

Lena Carter has spent her life as a rogue, hiding from the world of packs and alphas. But when she’s captured on Shadowmoor Pack lands, everything changes. She’s forced to face Alpha Damian Thorn—the cold, ruthless leader who wants nothing to do with a mate. Except fate has other plans. Damian rejects Lena, but the bond refuses to break. The Seer warns them both—Lena isn’t just any wolf. She carries a rare power, one that could rewrite destiny itself. As dark forces rise and an ancient enemy seeks to claim her, Lena must decide: will she fight for the mate who never wanted her, or embrace the darkness calling her name? With love and fate hanging in the balance, Lena and Damian must uncover the truth about their bond—before it’s too late. A slow-burn, high-stakes werewolf romance filled with passion, danger, and a love that defies destiny.

Evelyn Larson's nephew, Maxwell Larson, has been staying at my home for 12 years. On top of sponsoring everything he has in life, I even view him as my own son. Heck, I'm the one who paid the down payment for Maxwell's new family home. But on the night we're having a holiday dinner, he throws me a list in front of everyone. "Uncle Lawrence, I've already hashed out the details with my fiancee's family. We'll be giving her family 700 thousand dollars as a wedding gift. You've raised me for so many years, so you need to prepare this amount for me." I frown instantly. "Didn't I just settle your down payment for you? Besides, Tiffany's about to get married soon. I need to save some money for her own wedding gift." But Maxwell instantly smashes a plate out of anger. "Since she's marrying into another family, that means she's no longer a part of this family! Are you saying that you're willing to give your money to an outsider rather than your own nephew? "If you refuse to agree to my terms, I'll make Aunt Evelyn divorce you right now!" I turn to look at Evelyn out of instinct, only to see her pulling out a gift agreement that she has already drafted. "We don't need to prepare any wedding gifts for Tiffany, seeing as she's the one marrying into another family. Max, on the other hand, is the only son of the Larson family. You should give your money to him instead."

Like any other teenager, Jane has only two wishes in her life. One is to be mated to Malcolm White, future Alpha of Nightfall Pack. Two, she wants to become the Luna of Moonshine Pack. However, imagine her disappointment when her first wish didn't come true as the moon goddess has bound Malcom to her best friend Shauna and she is bound to the enemy. Will she accepts her Lycan mate or reject him for life?

For three years, I was the perfect wife, silent, loyal, and invisible. Until the day my husband handed me divorce papers… to protect another woman. He thought I would beg. He thought I would break. He didn’t know I had already seen it coming. So I signed. And I left. What he doesn’t know is that I’m carrying his child. And I was never just the woman he married. When I return months later richer, colder, and standing beside the one man he can never defeat, the husband who discarded me finally realizes the truth. He didn’t lose me. He was never worthy of me.

The day I received my medical report and found out I was pregnant, my husband—Alpha Scott Hansen—held a small wedding ceremony in the hospital garden with his first love and former mate, Gillian Boyd. He explained, “Her final wish in this life was to be my bride.” But what about me? What was I to him? A replacement? It finally hit me—ten years of unwavering devotion and sacrifice meant nothing compared to a single tear shed by his first love.