betrayal

"In a game where every move is calculated, the most dangerous player is the one who doesn't know they're playing." At thirty-three, Han Bo-young is the prodigy of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. A dual graduate of American law and medical schools, she possesses a mind that operates like a supercomputer, dissassembling crime scenes with a clinical coldness that unnerves her peers. But Bo-young is haunted, not by the dead, but by a past and present she's unable to escape from. The city is paralyzed when a series of "impossible" murders begins. The victims are high-profile figures: senators, doctors, and icons, found murdered in very artistic ways. At every scene, a signature is left behind: a single, black obsidian chess piece. The media calls him The Grandmaster, a killer who treats the city as a board and human lives as pawns. As Bo-young leads the hunt, she finds herself trapped in a psychological cage. The killer seems to be omniscient, always aware and prepared for every situation. The pieces are moving. The clock is ticking. And in this game, checkmate means the end of a soul.

Claire Hartwell has everything wealth can provide—a mansion, designer clothes, elite education, and a future meticulously planned by her formidable mother, Victoria. As the only daughter of one of the city's wealthiest families, Claire has been groomed to marry within her social circle and preserve the family legacy, never questioning her gilded cage. Everything changes when she meets Clifford. He's nothing like the polished men her mother presents. Clifford comes from the slums, where his father drives a delivery truck and every achievement stems from determination and brilliance. He wears second-hand suits and lives in a cramped apartment filled with books. When Claire watches him command a university debate stage with sharp intelligence and unshakable confidence, she sees something her world has never offered: authenticity. Claire falls for Clifford's brilliant mind, his uncompromising values, and his indifference to her family's wealth. Clifford loves Claire's courage, her questioning spirit, and the genuine person beneath the designer labels. But their love ignites a war. Victoria Hartwell cannot accept a son-in-law from poverty. To her, Clifford represents everything she's avoided: struggle, hardship, and the humiliation of watching her daughter "marry down." She orchestrates schemes to separate them—bribing Clifford to leave, threatening to disinherit Claire, enlisting powerful allies to destroy Clifford's career before it begins. Yet Clifford refuses to bend. He meets every threat with quiet defiance, every insult with grace, every manipulation with unwavering principle. He tells Victoria plainly: "I'm not here to audition for your approval. I'm here because I love your daughter." Caught between her mother and the man who truly sees her, Claire faces an impossible choice. Choosing Clifford means losing her family, inheritance, and everything familiar. Choosing her mother's approval means losing herself—and the only man who's loved her for who she is, not what she represents. As conflict escalates, secrets emerge. Claire discovers her mother once loved someone "inappropriate" and was forced to sacrifice him—a loss that hardened Victoria into who she is today. Clifford confronts his own fears: the crushing weight of proving himself in a world designed to exclude him, and doubts about whether he can give Claire the life she deserves. The battle peaks when Victoria issues an ultimatum: leave Clifford or be disowned. Claire's father must finally choose a side. Friends betray, unexpected allies emerge, and both Claire and Clifford must answer: Is love enough when the world stands against you? Between Two Worlds is a contemporary romance about class, dignity, and choosing love over comfort. It's about two people from opposite sides of society discovering that true privilege isn't wealth or status—it's the freedom to be yourself and love without compromise. Claire and Clifford prove that honor, integrity, and genuine connection cannot be bought or bargained away. Their love doesn't just bridge two worlds. It challenges what both worlds believe truly matters.

Adrian Vale was supposed to have it all—a billion-dollar empire, a bride who loved him, and a legacy carved in his name. He was kind, trusting, and believed loyalty meant something. Until he was betrayed and lost everything on the day that was suppose to be the happiest day of his life. Adrian stood at the altar and watched his fiancée walk into his brother’s arms, the same brother who stole his birthright in front of everyone, and from that day on, the gentle heir died. What emerged was a man forged in ice and fury. Years later, Adrian rebuilt himself into something far more powerful than what was stolen from him. He became the predator in every boardroom, the nightmare his enemies whispered about, and the man who trusted no one and needed nothing. His life was perfectly controlled, he was cold, calculating, and completely alone, with no weakness, love, and he stop giving people second chances. Then Elena Marlowe walked into his world. She had warm eyes that saw past his walls, a genuine smile that made him feel almost human again, and an innocence that didn’t belong anywhere near a man like him. She didn’t run when he pushed her away. She didn’t break when he was cruel. What Adrian doesn’t know? Elena was sent to destroy him. Planted by his enemies to become his weakness, to slip past every defense he’d built, to make him feel again—so they could rip it all away. And what Elena doesn’t know? She’s the weapon. And she has no idea she’s being used. When the man who vowed never to love again meets the woman designed to break him, the line between revenge and redemption begins to blur. He starts feeling things he swore he’d buried forever. She starts seeing the wounded man beneath the monster. But when the truth comes out—when Adrian discovers the one person who made him believe again was sent to ruin him—will he become the villain everyone feared? Or will she be the only one who can save them both? In a world built on betrayal, can two broken people find something worth fighting for?

Savannah is Moon-Kingdom’s shame: marked at birth, possessed every new moon, blamed for deaths that turn to sand. Sentenced to die, she’s saved only by law—until a mate-bond revelation ties her to Hector and crowns her Luna. For a moment, power and safety bloom. Then the mark shifts. The Alpha grows distant. Secret rites whisper through the halls. A rival alpha circles the borders. When war and betrayal tear the pack, Savannah is left for dead—and finds death is only the beginning. If you want dark mate-bond romance, ruthless politics, and a heroine who claws her way back from the grave, start reading.

In this world, even a "God" can perish. When a conspiracy threatens to sweep across the entire universe, what can fragile creations do? This is the story of many races and the countless realms that exist. Can creation overpower its creator? Or will all be forced to succumb to fate? Since the first Shaman Lord shattered the Mirror of Destiny, nothing has been predetermined. Welcome to a world where hope seems futile, yet countless races press forward in despair—resisting the war of the cosmos.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be known that this book wouldn't have made it this far without the support my dear writing buddy Rachel E. Canton who is a great writer of SINS OF THE SERAPHIM - https://www.webnovel.com/book/sins-of-the-seraphim_26438336605116805 and Derek J. Perna To Rachel & Derek, Thank you for everything! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When the last heir of Ardel lost everything, fate would bring her to her rightful protector. Anna Adhemar, the forgotten princess, found herself betrayed by the Regent. Hunted by the Bargesians and the ruthless slave traders, she desperately fled for her life. Rescued by a mysterious man, her newfound safety was short-lived as she succumbed to a potent aphrodisiac. Then, she awoke in the arms of the fearsome Knight Commander of Gerhard, stripped bare, in a foreign kingdom. Fear, confusion, and a sense of profound devastation enveloped her. But the man before her declared, "I am your husband. I married you last night." Then, with unwavering determination, he vowed, " You're my woman now. No one can hurt my woman." --- Kyren Raychard, the Crown Prince who had chosen to forsake the throne and become celibate, led the Knights of Gerhard to safeguard his kingdom’s border from slave trading activities. Outside his camp, he found Anna poisoned and delirious. The healer informed him of the only cure, of which he must race against time to give and honour her. For the first time, he felt an overwhelming instinct to protect and claim her as his own. Unaware of his deepening affection, he belatedly realised his feelings as he stood on the brink of losing her. Bound by a soul-binding spell, their fates intertwined…

The night the sky cracked open, Ayana thought it was just another storm. She was wrong. From the falling smoke emerged a man with no memory, no past — and eyes as dark as dying embers. He calls himself Kael. But the Church calls him something else. Ashborn. As strange disasters begin to follow him, Ayana discovers a terrifying truth: Kael does not destroy worlds — he amplifies emotions. Fear becomes chaos. Hatred becomes war. And love? Love could burn everything. Now hunted by angels and haunted by forgotten memories, Ayana must decide— If loving him means ending the world… Will she still choose him?

The night before her coronation, Princess Elara of Dravara made a mistake she could not take back. Her friends begged her to enjoy one last night of freedom before duty tied her forever. So she escaped the palace in disguise. One night. One party. One stranger whose touch she could not forget. She left before sunrise, thinking no one would ever know. But secrets always return. Weeks later, Elara finds out she is carrying the child of the man she cannot even name. And on her coronation day, as she prepares to wear the crown, fate plays a cruel trick, the same man comes back, not as a lover, but as an assassin sent to kill her. He almost ended her life that day. His blade touched her throat. But instead of striking, he whispered that it would not be today. Then he disappeared into the dark, only to return again, this time hiding among the men who wished to become her bodyguards. Now he stays close to her, walking beside her every day, guarding her in public, while secretly waiting for the right moment to finish the job. Elara now carries a dangerous secret: she is a queen with a crown on her head, a child growing in her womb, and an assassin always by her side. His hands once held her in passion, but those same hands were trained to spill her blood. Surrounded by enemies and trapped in lies, Elara must wonder, has she given her heart to her protector, or has she trusted the man who will one day destroy her?

A story between a girl named JayJay and a boy named Keifer who have met in the past. The boy doesn't remember the girl this story shows that Keifer is trying to bully the girl while JayJay is fighting back with the same force and the same power. Later on they both fall in love and Keifer then breaks JayJay's heart leading to more drama and more plot twists in the coming story.

Monica and Jade were best friends until betrayal tore them apart, creating a rift so deep it made them wish death upon each other. It all began with a murder that both ruined and completely changed their lives. They clashed at every turn, even after finding love. In the name of revenge, and driven by the other’s lack of remorse, they did unforgivable things to one another. Eventually, they discovered that everything had happened for a reason, but that realization did not stop them from continuing to hate each other. This is a slow-burn supernatural romance woven with death, revenge, crime, guilt, and fated love.

Bounded by faith, they meet again after so many years but why can't she remember him. Would he fight for his long time crush or would he give up? And even if he does fight, would their suitors back home let them be in peace? Would they be together despite all the challenges they face or would they be torn apart because of the oppositions they face? Read to find out what happens to Jordan and Oliannah. Rich people from rich homes with relatives who would stop at nothing to bring them down. A/n: this book is an updated version of falling in love by pen which I stopped due to some reasons. It is an original story of mine so please don't be deceived.

“Even when hope shines through, destiny always has the final word.”

In a kingdom of witches, and a kingdom of vampires, there was peace and coexistence until Fang Ling, the vampire King's brother discovered that the blood of humans granted a vampire immense powers. He led a coup and took over the throne, killing his brother, the vampire king who had maintained peace all these years. The son of the overthrown vampire king, Tian Yu was rescued by the witch queen and taken to the witch kingdom. There, he met the witch Queen's daughter Yuyan, a beautiful princess that he couldn't resist. What started as a young sibling love soon transformed into a steamy forbidden romance. They weren't supposed to fall in love, but they did anyways. He marked her, leaving a permanent scar that claimed her as his. The witch queen decided to support their union and let them wed. But on their wedding day, the witch kingdom was attacked by the tyrant vampire king, and Tian Yu was stabbed in the heart with the cursed blade. But due to the prophecy the witch kingdom had forseen, about Tian Yu being the one who will bring back peace to all kingdoms, the witch queen couldn't let him die. Yuyan decided to sacrifice herself to save him, promising to reunite with him in the future. 500 years later, they were reunited in a forced marriage, but this time she had no memory of him. And this was the beginning of another love tale.

For years, the world has feared the dark for the wrong reasons. The Ashen Veil, a legendary order of assassins and information-brokers, once operated from the shadows to remove the cruel, the corrupt, and the untouchable. When they vanished into quiet retirement, crime did not end. It evolved. In their absence, nations empowered ruthless intelligence guilds that served crowns and councils, and politicians not justice. Fear became policy. Truth became a weapon. When an attempted purge nearly wipes the Veil from existence, their reluctant leader Kael Morvane pulls his broken family back into the war they swore was over. What begins as retribution becomes a continent-spanning shadow war that no one will forget. Will the darkness that once allowed the world to continue in peace or will the new world order remain in control. Or will someone else step forward from the shadows…

This story begins during the canon timeline, bridges world-breaking events, and continues past the series finale. Dracule Marya Zaleska has always lived in the shadow of her father, Dracule Mihawk, the world’s greatest swordsman. But Marya is no ordinary heir to a legendary name. Gifted with the enigmatic Oni-Oni no Mi (Mist-Mist Fruit), she wields the power to summon spectral apparitions and manipulate the veil between the living and the dead. Yet, this power is both a blessing and a curse, as it binds her to a destiny she does not yet understand. Determined to escape her father’s towering legacy, Marya sets out on a journey to uncover the truth about her mother, a woman shrouded in mystery who sacrificed herself to protect a secret so profound it could shake the foundations of the world. Along the way, Marya discovers fragments of her mother’s past—clues that lead her to ancient ruins, forgotten battles, and a conspiracy that ties her family to the origins of the Devil Fruits themselves. As Marya delves deeper into the mysteries of her lineage, she navigates treacherous seas, faces off against ruthless enemies, and uncovers the truth about the Mist-Mist Fruit’s dark origins. But the closer Marya gets to the truth, the more she realizes that her parents’ sacrifices were not just for her sake—they were to protect the world from a looming catastrophe. As the line between ally and enemy blurs, Marya must confront the darkness within herself and decide whether to embrace her Mist-Mist powers or reject them to forge her own path. "Dracule Marya Zaleska: Oni Phantom - Devil Fruit Origins" is a tale of legacy, sacrifice, and self-discovery. In a world where the past and present collide, Marya’s journey will reveal the secrets her parents died to protect and challenge her to rise above the shadows of her name to become a legend in her own right. Will she uncover the truth in time to save the world, or will the weight of her legacy consume her? #FinalSaga #PostCanon #BridgeLore #PostTimeskip #CanonExpansion #WorldBuilding #HighWordCount #DailyUpdate

Born into wealth and pampered like a princess, Lian Evelyn never imagined her life could fall apart in a single moment. It all began with the arrival of a strange woman in her family’s home, bringing with her a quiet storm that slowly destroyed everything. In the chaos that followed, her family was accused, brought down, and disappeared just like that. No one came to defend them. No one cared. Now, Evelyn is nothing more than a servant who must obey everyone. To protect the only people she has left, her younger siblings, she gives herself to a prince as a concubine. She does not know him. She does not love him. Her heart is empty, completely empty. Until one day, that heart slowly begins to beat again. But just as love starts to bloom in her soul, she is betrayed and abandoned. Her heart shatters. The pain she feels brings back the same grief she had when she lost her parents. Because this time, she has lost the person she loved. Since then, Evelyn no longer believes in love. But after some time, everything begins to change. A man appears, offering his hand. Not to save her, but to watch her rise with her own strength. Can Evelyn stand again? Can she heal her broken heart and learn to believe in love once more?

Warning 18÷ only: In my world, werewolves make the rules, dragon shifters rule with fear, and vampires sit on thrones like they own the air we breathe. They are always male. And trust me, they are always cruel, especially the ones this story is about. I am an orphan. I am disabled. From the first moment people looked at me, they decided my fate. On my first shift, everyone believed it would be a joke, a mess, something weak and shameful. The elders whispered that I would turn into a rat or something useless. They were wrong. I turned into a dragon. A female dragon. The prophecy says the first female dragon shifter will bring the end of the kingdom. Because of that, I am called an abomination. A monster. A threat. There is a bounty on my head so high that no one would hesitate to kill me for it. A girl has no place among royal dragon guards, so I am forced to hide. I cut my hair, bind my body, and take the shape of a man. That lie sends me to the Academy of Sixth, a place meant to break monsters and crown kings. The dragon royals are cold. The werewolf kings are worse. Their princes are wild, dangerous, and full of arrogance. They rule the academy like they rule the world, with fists, power, and no mercy. Everything falls apart when I discover the truth. I am mated to all five of them. They feel the pull. They crave the boy they think I am. I feel it too, even though I fight it with everything in me. If they find out who I really am, I will not be rejected. I will be executed. I cannot hide forever. I cannot resist them forever. What happens when five princes learn that the boy they desire is their mate, a disabled girl, and the very dragon their world fears will end them all. Last Chance Academy is a dark reverse harem paranormal story for readers 18 and above, where power is deadly, love is forbidden, and even the shadows are not safe.

His mouth was on mine before I could think. "This is a mistake," I gasped against his lips. "The best ones always are," Bryan growled, backing me against his office door. His hand slid up my thigh, lifting my gown slowly. "Sign the contract, Alice. Give me six months. Let me use you the way they used you." "And then what?" I asked. "Then we destroy them together." His thumb traced my bottom lip. "Every single one.” Alice Morgan thought the worst betrayal was catching her husband in bed with her best friend, but she was wrong. The real betrayal was discovering they were both part of a corporate conspiracy that destroyed her career, her reputation, and nearly her life. Three years later, she's rebuilding in a new city when she walks into Bryan Hale's office, the ruthless billionaire CEO who's been hunting the same people who ruined her. He has the power and resources, and she has the evidence they've been trying to bury. Together, they make a perfect team. But their alliance comes with a binding contract that ties their fates together legally and financially. If one falls, they both do. Trust isn't optional; it's survival. As they plot revenge by day and battle their explosive attraction by night, the lines blur between partnership and obsession, because when you make a deal with a man like Bryan Hale, you don't just risk your fortune. You risk your heart, and Alice already lost that once.

Xal needed a job. Instead, he got a death sentence in the form of a disaster named Kian. Still he agreed, because this purple-haired freak kidnapped him, 'allegedly' and mentioned the spirit that killed his sister. Khem. But, he stayed, because Kian Vaeloren burns when he heals, flinches at closed doors, and reminds him of the warmth he misses the most. As they journey across the veil between worlds, battling corrupted spirits and healing the dying, the two men uncover secrets buried in the ruins of their pasts and build a deeper friendship than either of them expects. When Khem’s true plan begins to unfold, Xal and Kian must choose between justice, vengeance, and sacrifice.