sci-fi franchise since 1979 nyt

Fern Burke's husband, Edwin Smith is supporting both households, his own and that of his sister-in-law. He argues that Vera Green, his sister-in-law, would become the subject of gossip since her husband has died, so he brings her along to the military, leaving Fern behind in the countryside. Every month, he sends Fern three love letters, yet gives all his military allowance to Vera. During the famine, Vera and her two children stay comfortably in Edwin's city home, eating meat buns, while Fern and her children starve to death in silence. Fortunately, Fern has been given a second chance at life. This time, she won't suffer quietly…

Since catching his dad cheating when he was a kid, Jaxon Shane has suffered from severe psychological disorders, which caused his frigidity. His grandpa set a rule that whichever between him and his uncle has a kid first will become the future head of the Shane family. To stop Shane Group from falling into his uncle's hands, according to the doctors' advice, Jaxon decided to try stimulation therapy. One day, he found that he had a sexual response to a nurse, Teresa Turner, from the hospital owned by Shane Group. So,Jaxon decided to sign an agreement with Teresa and make her become his master.

Lance, an Air Force special operations officer and heir to the Ashton Family, survives a mission related plane crash and is rescued by Nora, a small town doctor. When he awakens, he realizes he has lost his memory.Nora's adopted sister, Karin, claims credit for Nora's heroism after finding out who Lance is. She informs the Ashton Family that Lance is dead and assumes the role of the Ashton family's heiress since the family is grateful she at least tried to save their son.To keep her lie from being exposed, Karen targets Nora relentlessly——unaware that Lance is alive and, under Nora's care, is slowly regaining his memory.

Fern Burke's husband, Edwin Smith is supporting both households, his own and that of his sister-in-law. He argues that Vera Green, his sister-in-law, would become the subject of gossip since her husband has died, so he brings her along to the military, leaving Fern behind in the countryside. Every month, he sends Fern three love letters, yet gives all his military allowance to Vera. During the famine, Vera and her two children stay comfortably in Edwin's city home, eating meat buns, while Fern and her children starve to death in silence. Fortunately, Fern has been given a second chance at life. This time, she won't suffer quietly…

Flora, an attendant of the Hall of Wealth, owned a magic brush that made her drawings real. But she accidentally changed the fate of Henry Bell, the mortal world's richest man, turning him from wealthy to penniless. To avoid heavenly punishment, she went to the mortal realm to help him regain his fortune.Ever since their meeting,Henry's bad luck reversed. Pleasant surprises kept coming: a riverbank ruined by enemies hid tons of gold; his father, manipulated by his stepmother, saw the truth and reconciled with him.With her magic brush, Flora helped Henry shame his stepmother and her son on the racetrack and win a huge contract. As his fate gradually corrected itself, her mission approached its end.

Anna Poole had faced hardships since childhood. While trying to resolve a company crisis with her good friend, Serene Cox, Anna was drugged and sold to Mr. King. After Anna injured Mr. King and escaped, she ended up in the room of another man, Zach Howl, who was also under the influence of an aphrodisiac. As a result, they unexpectedly became intimate. As soon as Anna regained consciousness, she decided to confront Serene and accidentally overheard a conspiracy between Serene and the supposedly deceased Bryan Lane. Outraged, Anna confronted Serene, who injured her and caused a fire to start. In a life-threatening situation, Anna was saved by Waver Taylor, who had just returned to the country. Ten months later, she gave birth to twins, and one of them was taken away by the Browns. Along with a doctor, the Brown mother and daughter falsely claimed that the child died to suffocation.

My mate fell in love with the mute Omega who saved his life and wanted to call off our engagement. I kindly advised him, "The position of Alpha Queen is not an easy one. She may not be able to bear the responsibility." The mute Omega felt insulted and committed suicide by taking Wolfsbane. Eight years later, when Ryan became the Alpha King, the first thing he did was destroy the Snowfang Pack and come for my life. "This is what all of you owe Saya." When I opened my eyes again, I was back at my 18th birthday banquet. Ryan's father, the former Alpha King, had once asked me what my wish was. "Since Ryan and Saya are each other's fated ones, let them be together. Let them complete their bond under the moonlight and receive the blessing of the Moon Goddess."

My mate fell in love with the mute Omega who saved his life and wanted to call off our engagement. I kindly advised him, "The position of Alpha Queen is not an easy one. She may not be able to bear the responsibility." The mute Omega felt insulted and committed suicide by taking Wolfsbane. Eight years later, when Ryan became the Alpha King, the first thing he did was destroy the Snowfang Pack and come for my life. "This is what all of you owe Saya." When I opened my eyes again, I was back at my 18th birthday banquet. Ryan's father, the former Alpha King, had once asked me what my wish was. "Since Ryan and Saya are each other's fated ones, let them be together. Let them complete their bond under the moonlight and receive the blessing of the Moon Goddess.

Since childhood, Melanie Llyod has lived under the shadow of loss, her mother gone and her stepmother intent on securing a vast inheritance. Raised in a world of fragile comfort, Melanie grows weak and dependent. But after a sudden accident, Ashton Llyod reappears in her life, urging her to find strength and independence. The emotions they've suppressed for years begin to surface. Though they share no blood, they've lived as siblings for 18 years. But in the 19th year, everything changes… Kate Llyod, determined to steal Melanie's fiance, relentlessly tries to expose the secret connection between Melanie and Ashton. Amidst the growing misunderstandings, Melanie decides to bury her feelings and honor her engagement. Ashton, too, chooses to distance himself, focusing on his responsibilities. But when a twist of fate leads to a murder attempt, Ashton is left gravely injured and hospitalized. At last, both must confront their true feelings for each other. Yet, the challenges ahead are far from over…

"On the Olympus Continent, where dragon clans rule through ancient bloodlines, Lily was hidden away by her mother in a remote frontier since childhood. Years later, as an adult, Lily was arranged to marry Lucas Stormscale, the heir of the mighty Stormscale Dragon Clan. On the day they returned to the capital to select her crown, Lucas’s “adoptive sister” Vivian publicly snatched the crown and humiliated Lily in front of everyone. When Lucas finally arrived, instead of defending his fiancée, he coldly suggested making her his side consort. At the engagement ceremony, Vivian and the Stormscale family openly stole the wedding, annulled the betrothal, and exposed Lily’s “inferior bloodline” to the entire court. She would dismantle their power, force Lucas to writhe between ambition and lingering affection, and watch Vivian plummet from the clouds into the mud. In the end, Lucas knelt at her feet, full of regret. Lily looked down at him with calm, indifferent eyes and said softly, “Do you deserve it?”"

Stella Hart, once a wealthy heiress, is lost and taken in by her foster mother, Serena Cook, who arranges a betrothal between her and her son, Jason Vale. After Jason suffers an accident, Stella sells herself to a childless couple to save him. However, once the couple adopts her, they later have twins and decide to abandon her. Stella’s grandmother, unable to bear her suffering, takes her in and cares for her with great love, leading a life of mutual dependence. Meanwhile, Jason and his mother work tirelessly to find Stella, and eventually, Jason becomes the president of a publicly listed company. On the other hand, Stella faces a series of misfortunes, including betrayal and mistreatment by a man she thought she loved. When Jason finally finds Stella, the person he has cherished since childhood, he vows to make up for all her suffering. As their story unfolds, Stella’s true identity gradually reveals itself, and they eventually reunite, with true love prevailing in the end.

In the Eldoria legal circle, newcomer Helen Jones was targeted by rumors spread by the opposing lawyer in a case. Sam Liam, who had just returned from Nexa, timely appeared to help. Helen had harbored a secret crush on Sam since high school, and her aspiration to become a lawyer was also inspired by his encouragement back then. So when Sam proposed marriage, she said yes at once. However, her step-sister, Hana Seth, found out about their marriage and, also having a secret crush on Sam, repeatedly targeted Helen. Although the issues were resolved without major trouble, Helen was deeply embroiled in a rumor scandal. Meanwhile, she was admitted to the law graduate program at the University of Nexa, so she decided to leave the law firm to pursue further studies. Sam became an adjunct professor and went with her. Cole Skyler, a law firm partner, traveled to Nexa on business and, upon learning that Helen was studying there, began to target her. But he was impressed by her resilience and eventually changed his attitude, choosing to bless them. Sam and Helen ultimately achieved a happy ending.

I go into business with my childhood friend, Ian Ziegler. The business is a success, earning 1.2 million dollars in profit. Ian gives me my share—a whopping 5,000 dollars. Noticing my dissatisfaction, Ian puts his arm around my girlfriend, Nina Foster, and tosses the keys to his Bentley onto the table. "What, is five grand too little for you? Fine. Since you're so broke, I'll give you a chance to turn things around for yourself. There's going to be a soccer game tonight. We're both going to place our bets. If you win, you can get all 1.2 million, plus my car. "But if you lose, your girlfriend's mine. You'll also have to get on your knees and lick my shoes right here in front of everyone." Everyone else in the room cackles gleefully, eager to watch me humiliate myself. Smirking, I nod. "Sure. I'll take that bet." These people have no idea that five years ago, I'd single-handedly taken down the Northwest Aravian illegal soccer betting circuit. I'd set a trap for a match-fixing syndicate, beating the crooks at their own game. I'd walked away from that life after that. But now, Ian has seriously decided to challenge me to a soccer bet?

When my mind-link request had been ignored by my parents for the twentieth time, I went to the Werewolf Council, clutching the report on silver dust corrosion in my hand. “Hello. I’d like to renounce my pack identity—effective immediately.” Ten minutes later, my parents burst in, dragging my adoptive younger sister, Elsa, with them, panic written all over their faces. The door burst open with a bang, and my Beta father charged in like a storm. His fangs bared, claws twitching. “You’re nothing but a spoiled brat craving attention! Stop this pathetic act. You’re an embarrassment to a Beta’s name!” My mother, a forensic specialist for the pack, immediately snatched the report from my hand. After a brief glance, she let out a cold sneer. “You faked this report just to get our attention? You’ve been a liar since you were a pup.” Elsa clung to both of them, tears in her eyes as she sobbed, “I’m sorry, Jenifer. It’s my fault for holding the shifting ritual. But please... don’t lie to our parents just to make them feel guilty!” Blood was still pouring from my nose, but I wiped it away calmly and stood tall before the werewolf councilors once more. “I haven’t had a real family for a long time. Please—remove all my personal records from the pack. I just don’t want my funeral—scheduled for three days from now—to be delayed.”

I wheel myself into the birthday celebration that Wales Price has thrown for me. The atmosphere is originally lively, but a brief silence descends when everyone sees me. The guests are there for different purposes, but celebrating my birthday is not one of them. "Is that Mr. Price's crippled fiancée, Joey Hertza?" "Yeah, but the one he really loves is Anna Giovanni. I saw them kissing in a corner earlier." They use their wine glasses to block their mouths as they speak loudly. They think I'm still the crippled deaf I used to be. They don't know that I regained my hearing last week. I can hear every mocking comment they make. Meanwhile, Wales stands there and allows it to happen. He doesn't stop the guests from talking about me. He seems to have forgotten that I only ended up like this while protecting him. I shoved him away when the accident happened and got trapped underneath the car myself. When I was rescued, Wales swore to stay with me and care for me for life. It's only been three short years since then, but he's already changed. I receive a message on my phone. "Ms. Hertza, the lifelike corpse that you've ordered is now complete. Reply to this message with your confirmation, and your death-faking service will be immediately effective. We will send the corpse to your and Mr. Price's wedding in five days." I don't even hesitate as I reply with my confirmation. Enjoy your wedding, Wales.

When my mind-link request had been ignored by my parents for the twentieth time, I went to the Werewolf Council, clutching the report on silver dust corrosion in my hand. “Hello. I’d like to renounce my pack identity—effective immediately.” Ten minutes later, my parents burst in, dragging my adoptive younger sister, Elsa, with them, panic written all over their faces. The door burst open with a bang, and my Beta father charged in like a storm. His fangs bared, claws twitching. “You’re nothing but a spoiled brat craving attention! Stop this pathetic act. You’re an embarrassment to a Beta’s name!” My mother, a forensic specialist for the pack, immediately snatched the report from my hand. After a brief glance, she let out a cold sneer. “You faked this report just to get our attention? You’ve been a liar since you were a pup.” Elsa clung to both of them, tears in her eyes as she sobbed, “I’m sorry, Jenifer. It’s my fault for holding the shifting ritual. But please... don’t lie to our parents just to make them feel guilty!” Blood was still pouring from my nose, but I wiped it away calmly and stood tall before the werewolf councilors once more. “I haven’t had a real family for a long time. Please—remove all my personal records from the pack. I just don’t want my funeral—scheduled for three days from now—to be delayed.”

My father and brother had preferred my sister over me since we were kids. In fact, they hated me. When I was bullied at a party, it was a mafia boss, Edwin Carlson, who stepped in. He saved me and announced right there in front of everyone that I was the woman he loved. He warned that anyone who dared mess with me again would have to deal with him. Edwin bought a castle deep in the forest just for me. He filled the garden with my favorite tulips and held a grand wedding there that made headlines across the country. For a while, I became the woman everyone envied. Seven months pregnant, I attended my father's birthday party. But that night, a sudden fire broke out. My biased father and brother only cared about saving my sister, Kelsey Grant. They rushed her out while I was left behind to die in the flames. In the end, it was Edwin who carried me out. But when I woke up in the hospital, I saw something that shattered my heart. "What the hell were you thinking, starting that fire?" Edwin's face was dark with rage. "Stephanie's only seven months pregnant! Are you trying to force her into early labor? Were you trying to kill her and the baby?" My father and brother spoke in hushed voices, trying to explain. "Kelsey has leukemia. The doctors said we can't wait anymore—she needs surgery soon. And she needs the baby's bone marrow..." "I care about Kelsey's life more than you do. Why else would I have married Stephanie? But you can't hurt her. I have my own plan!" Edwin warned coldly. "Saving Kelsey is the goal, yes—but if you try to save her at the cost of Stephanie's life, I won't allow it!" After hearing that, I fled the hospital room in a panic. So that was why he married me. Not because he loved me, but to save Kelsey. Everything he did for me—his kindness, his care—was all for her. Just like my father and brother, he loved Kelsey. Not me. If no one loved me, then I figured I might as well just disappear.