Under the Surface

Emmylene Lantsov built herself from the ashes of a stolen childhood. Cold, brilliant, and untouchable - nothing gets to her. Until the letters start coming. Anonymous. Cryptic. Threatening. And they know things they shouldn't. Enzo Steele is the elder son of the family- charming, ruthless, and born to inherit his father's empire. He's been trained to eliminate threats... not receive them. But someone's watching him too. And the riddles they leave behind are only getting darker. When the letters don't stop, Emmylene and Enzo are forced into an uneasy alliance. But the deeper they dig, the more tangled their lives become - because these messages don't just connect them in the present. They tie them to a past neither of them knows - a secret powerful enough to ruin everything. And maybe... to destroy them both. Because the truth isn't just buried - it was never meant to be found.

Liz woke up in a stranger's body... and into a life dripping with secrets. Altea was sweet. Soft-spoken. The kind of girl no one suspected-until it was too late. Now Liz walks in her skin, carrying ghosts, questions, and a heart that's not hers. But someone is watching her. Someone who sees too much. And then there's him-the detective with storm-cloud eyes and a past that cuts like glass. He's supposed to find the truth. She's supposed to stay hidden. But when their paths collide, something dangerous begins to stir... something neither of them can control. In a city where every smile could be a lie and every death could be deliberate, love is the most dangerous trap of all. A haunting thriller laced with slow-burn romance, identity twists, and deadly intentions-where nothing is what it seems, and no one walks away clean.

They say every ending is a beginning in disguise. For Dawn Pierce, that disguise looks a lot like disaster. When the life she planned falls apart, she's forced into a new one she never asked for - one that will test everything she believes about love, identity, and belonging. Because sometimes the life meant for us doesn't start with a choice. It starts with a collapse. (quick title explanation) (Describing a "dawn" as "insurmountable" creates a powerful, paradoxical image. It suggests that a new beginning or a potential moment of hope/clarity is, for some reason, impossible to reach, get past, or deal with successfully. As a book title, the phrase is effective because it is evocative and creates intrigue. It immediately suggests themes of: Hopelessness or despair (a new day that cannot be reached) An unchangeable reality or fate A profound challenge in the face of what should be a natural occurrence.)

Grace led a seemingly happy life until, at age six, her world crumbled-her mother vanished without a trace. When Grace tearfully asked her father, Jackson, why this happened, he responded coldly, "This is the consequence of her actions. Those who make mistakes are bound to be punished." His words sent a chill through her young heart, leaving her uneasy and unsure of the man meant to protect her. As the days turned into months, Grace lived with her father, carrying an unshakable discomfort about his mysterious behavior but clinging to a quiet determination to uncover the truth about her mother's disappearance. Content Warning: This story contains themes of violence, physical and emotional abuse, manipulation, and exploitation. It also includes graphic depictions of abuse, harassment, and distressing imagery, including scenes of blood and gore. Additionally, sensitive topics such as involvement in the adult industry are addressed. Reader discretion is strongly advised.

She lies to survive. Hides a truth that could destroy her. A billionaire wants revenge. The streets want blood. And the only thing she's certain of? She'll burn it all before she lets them take her down. Some names carry blood. Some stories were never meant to be told.

"To the girl who was marked to die- And the version of himself that did." Y/N didn't ask for this. It was supposed to be a girls' trip. A few days of laughter, beaches, and blurry memories. But somewhere between the airport terminal and the baggage belt, her life flipped upside down. She took the wrong suitcase home. And whatever was inside that case... It wasn't meant for her. It belonged to people who don't make threats-they make examples. People who don't leave loose ends-they erase them. Now she's being watched. Tracked. Hunted. And at the center of it all, living just a few floors above her, is a man with no name- No trail. No hesitation. Only orders. Kim Taehyung. A ghost in plain sight. Elegant. Cold. Unreadable. He doesn't miss. He doesn't speak unless he has to. He's killed for less. And she's already on his list. She doesn't know him. But he knows her. He's memorized her schedule. Her routine. Her silence. He's waiting for the moment- The call. The final green light. And when it comes? He won't flinch. ⚠️ Mature Content Warning This story contains themes of emotional conflict, intense romantic tension, psychological manipulation, and mature situations that may not be suitable for all readers. Scenes may include violence, strong language, sensuality, and morally grey characters. Reader discretion is advised.

A body found. Eyes blackened. A case that should've stayed buried-until it started happening again. She's not just chasing a killer. She's chasing answers that were never meant to surface. And when the past rises, so does something darker. Something hidden in blood. Something not human. A forbidden bloodline. A city in denial. And a truth powerful enough to start a war. The shadows are calling. She just doesn't know... they're calling her name.

Carissa Belfiore's mission was simple; hunt down the man terrorising her city and burn his syndicate's web of deceptions to the ground. The catch though? She must work together with the devil in disguise. 𐀔𐀔𐀔 Four months after the trail went dark, Cara and her team gain a second chance at retribution, at tracking down the man responsible for the mysterious chain of disappearances plaguing the streets of her town. Retribution, though, comes at a cost. Missing people and stolen identities unsolved, Cara's boss presents to her with a new ultimatum. She must pursue this mission with Asrea's top (infuriating) agent or lose the rights to the case. With no other choice, Cara must learn to thread the thin line of peace with the devil disguised as a federal agent, one who has little belief in patience and even less so for mistakes. Much like everything else though, it was easier said than done. As the two of them begin to dismantle the empire brick by brick, Cara finds herself pulling at loose strings tying the pieces of the missing puzzles connecting her past to her present. Strings, she soon realises, had been buried by the hands of someone desperately trying to keep her from finding out the truth. A truth that might just break her. No retrogrades, no reversals, and no unknowing the known. If only she could've done it alone, for even the devil must be paid his dues. The devil whose icy, blue eyes never fail to see through every shield and every shadow she'd built around her heart, the very shadows that seem to calm within his presence. The man whose icy rage threatens to thaw her blazing heart. 𐀔𐀔𐀔 First Draft Completed on 12/1/2025 Completed on 12/3/2025

Desperation comes in many twisted ways, with many different outlets, but the very best strategy to seek that which you desire is how you trickily fool the wise clock of time. Iris is running out of time, her desperation is a vixen with wings, a giant beast that's captured her body and soul. On a hunt to find her sister, she's running out of reasons, conclusions, hypothesis's. Who took her sister? Why? Who slaughtered her drug addicted father in cold blood?...and why did they leave her to figure the pieces? Was it intentional? Is she any closer to finding the truth and her sister now more than ever? Time is boiling down, before her secret missions in search to find out who ruined her family must end.