thing we do in the dark

Vivian Harrington gave everything—her trust, her mother's shares, even her heart—to her charming boyfriend Nathan Ellis. But the moment she signed those papers, Nathan, his father Gideon, her scheming stepmother Monica, and her jealous stepsister Serena betrayed her... and sent her to her death. When she opened her eyes again, she was back—reborn, right before the betrayal. This time, she knows who her enemies are. And she knows who truly loved her. Adrian Chandler—the dangerous underworld king who once avenged her and died for her. He may not believe her love now, but Vivian swears she'll make him hers, even if she has to burn the whole world to do it.

My younger sister and I spent ten years fighting over Rowan Vale, the Alpha of Silver Ridge Pack. In my first life, I became his mate. Everyone said he was obsessed with me. Why else would he keep me carrying litters for seven years and give Silver Ridge six heirs? When I went into labor with the seventh, I nearly bled out. Rowan sent the healers away and forced wolfsbane down my throat himself. Only then did he tell me the truth. If it were not for the fact that only a daughter of the Hart bloodline could bear pureblood Alpha heirs, he said, he never would have claimed me at all. I had been useful for one thing only: giving him heirs. Now that he had enough, I had none. I died hating him. In my second life, I handed the bond papers from Silver Ridge Pack to my sister. “Go,” I told her. “You’re the one he wants.” Five years later, she was sent back to me half-starved, shaking, and marked by restraints. Through sobs, she told me Rowan had never loved her either. He had kept her because she was still a Hart daughter, because she could give him heirs, and because her scent could calm him during rut. She died less than two months later. When I opened my eyes again, I was in my third life. The unsigned bond papers from Silver Ridge Pack lay on the table between us, and my sister and I could only stare at each other. Who, exactly, did that Alpha want?

I was born broken. My Alpha mother was the one who branded me. She said emotion was a sin. A weakness. Especially for a werewolf. Especially for an Alpha’s heir. The day we were born, she clamped emotion-suppressing collars around our necks. Mine and my twin sister's. The slightest flicker of emotion, and the collar flashed red. My mother would then push the button, injecting me with a diluted "silver solution" to suppress my feelings. But my sister Cassia's collar? Always a calm, steady blue. Even when she shattered Mom's precious moonstone, it just pulsed gently. And me? I’d just whisper, "Mom, the thunder scares me," and my collar would erupt in a violent red. Then came the sting of silver poison burning through my blood.. I used to argue. But Mom always said the same thing. "The data doesn't lie. Pain is a teacher. This is for your own good." After thousands of these injections, I started to believe it, too. That I was born out of control. The night of the alliance's Moon Goddess Festival, Mom was taking my sister to the rooftop party. Something scared me during the day. The collar flashed red, and my mother started the punishment. But this time, the collar malfunctioned. It shot a dose a thousand times stronger into my neck. I collapsed on the carpet, begging, "Mother, the collar... it hurts so much... help me." My collar was flashing a frantic red. My mother just looked down at me, drenched in a cold sweat, and pressed the button for the maximum dose. "You'd lose control like this just for attention? You're a lost cause." She turned, took my sister, and slammed the door. I couldn't help but think, Mom must be right. The collar is red. It doesn't really hurt. I'm just being dramatic, looking for pity again. I'm sorry, Mom. In my next life, I'll be the perfect daughter you always wanted.

Leroy Miller is the most gifted assassin ever produced by the Valley of Villains.Before his graduation, his mentor Veronica presents him with five beautiful women as a reward. The women are enchanting and seductive, but each conceals deadly intentions—they plan to strike Leroy down the moment he lets his guard down. Little do they know, Leroy has perfected the assassin’s creed of absolute ruthlessness. When Leroy finally descends from the mountains, he encounters masked assassins from the Black Dragon Sect pursuing Cleo Turner, a poisoned young woman who desperately grabs his arm for help. Leroy coldly glances at her and pushes her away, turning to leave. The assassins grow arrogant, shouting at him to get lost. But then Leroy’s gaze cuts through them like a blade, and his killing intent instantly envelops the entire scene...

Liam Wayne is minding his own business when the apocalypse arrives and drops his entire residential complex, Greenhill, into a monster-infested forest with no warning and no exit. He awakens a survival system almost by accident, unlocks a point exchange store and the ability to merge spaces, and makes a choice that surprises even himself—he is not leaving anyone behind. He pulls together an unlikely team, a motorcycle queen, a firefighter built like a wall, a surprisingly lethal young girl, and more, exchanges system points for weapons and supplies, and turns a community of ordinary neighbors into something that can actually fight back. Seven days of relentless undead waves.Internal betrayals from the selfish and the desperate. And through it all, the quiet stubborn solidarity of people who decide that survival means nothing if they do it alone. Liam leads them through every wave, every threat, every knife in the back, and carves a path out of the wasteland for every last one of them.

"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?”"

On my eighteenth birthday, the High King summoned the heirs of the four great clans—the Vampires, the Werewolves, the High Serpent Clan, and the Merfolk. He laid their portraits before me and said, "Choose one to be your bondmate." I did not hesitate. I pointed to Damon—the werewolf with no noble bloodline, born in a forgotten corner of the realm. The entire court erupted in disbelief. Everyone knew who I used to love. Alpha Iris—the heir of the most powerful Lycan bloodline. For seven years, I chased him with blind devotion. No matter how harshly he treated me, I never gave up. I confessed to him over and over, sometimes right in the royal court. I even performed a blood-binding ritual—slitting my wrist—to earn the right to marry him. In my previous life, I got what I wanted—I married him and we performed the mate bonding ceremony. With that union, he inherited the High King's resources and rose to become the ruler of all four clans. However, what I did not expect was that after our wedding, he turned around and marked my adoptive sister. My parents were furious and sent her away. From that day on, Iris hated me with a vengeance. He surrounded himself with women who all looked eerily like her. One by one, they came—each more vicious than the last. With his silent approval, they tore me down, piece by piece, until I was nothing more than a joke—no longer the queen I once was. The suffering pushed me into severe depression. Only suppressants keep my wolf form from spiraling out of control. Until one day, my medication was replaced with a slow-acting poison. He was the one who did it. I died alone, locked away in the cold palace, a child still growing inside me. However, fate gave me another chance. In this life, I would not make the same mistake. When the High King once again asked me to choose a partner for the marriage alliance, I chose Damon—the one no one ever noticed—without even blinking.

When my appendix bursts, my parents, my brother, and even my fiancé are all too busy celebrating my sister's birthday. I'm outside the operating room, frantically calling every family member I can think of to sign the consent form, but every call is either ignored or hung up on. After hanging up on me, my fiancé, Joel Graham, texts back."Sophie, stop being dramatic. It's Yvette's 18th birthday today. Whatever it is can wait until after the party." I quietly set my phone down and sign the consent form myself. It's the ninety-ninth time they've chosen Yvette Norton, my sister, over me. This time, I choose not to care. I'll stop letting their favoritism hurt me. Instead, I'll do everything they ask of me without complaint. They'll all think I've finally learned to be obedient, and they'll never realize that I'm preparing to leave them for good.

On my eighteenth birthday, the High King summoned the heirs of the four great clans—the Vampires, the Werewolves, the High Serpent Clan, and the Merfolk. He laid their portraits before me and said, "Choose one to be your bondmate." I did not hesitate. I pointed to Damon—the werewolf with no noble bloodline, born in a forgotten corner of the realm. The entire court erupted in disbelief. Everyone knew who I used to love. Alpha Iris—the heir of the most powerful Lycan bloodline. For seven years, I chased him with blind devotion. No matter how harshly he treated me, I never gave up. I confessed to him over and over, sometimes right in the royal court. I even performed a blood-binding ritual—slitting my wrist—to earn the right to marry him. In my previous life, I got what I wanted—I married him and we performed the mate bonding ceremony. With that union, he inherited the High King's resources and rose to become the ruler of all four clans. However, what I did not expect was that after our wedding, he turned around and marked my adoptive sister. My parents were furious and sent her away. From that day on, Iris hated me with a vengeance. He surrounded himself with women who all looked eerily like her. One by one, they came—each more vicious than the last. With his silent approval, they tore me down, piece by piece, until I was nothing more than a joke—no longer the queen I once was. The suffering pushed me into severe depression. Only suppressants keep my wolf form from spiraling out of control. Until one day, my medication was replaced with a slow-acting poison. He was the one who did it. I died alone, locked away in the cold palace, a child still growing inside me. However, fate gave me another chance. In this life, I would not make the same mistake. When the High King once again asked me to choose a partner for the marriage alliance, I chose Damon—the one no one ever noticed—without even blinking.

My adopted sister won the Elixir Challenge by stealing my potion. To her shock, she was informed that the event was a selection event for the future wife of the Serpentkins' future head—the same heir who was infamously impotent, barbaric, and hideous. When the Serpentkins sent over a proposal letter, demanding her hand in marriage, my fiance panicked and promptly took my adopted sister away for a quick marriage and even consummated. Once the deed was done, she returned triumphantly, showing off the mark on her lower back. "Well, what are you going to do now, Winnie?" she gloated. "Your fiance is mine now, and you'll be twenty-five in three days. If no one comes to pick you up, you'll just be dumped into the hands of some wife-beating Rogue who is ageing and unwanted…" Actually, she was wrong—I had a choice. I went to the parlor where my parents—who were busy fixing the mess my adopted sister made—were, announcing, "If she refuses to marry the future head of the Serpentkins, I will!"

When my appendix bursts, my parents, my brother, and even my fiancé are all too busy celebrating my sister's birthday. I'm outside the operating room, frantically calling every family member I can think of to sign the consent form, but every call is either ignored or hung up on. After hanging up on me, my fiancé, Joel Graham, texts back. "Sophie, stop being dramatic. It's Yvette's 18th birthday today. Whatever it is can wait until after the party." I quietly set my phone down and sign the consent form myself. It's the ninety-ninth time they've chosen Yvette Norton, my sister, over me. This time, I choose not to care. I'll stop letting their favoritism hurt me. Instead, I'll do everything they ask of me without complaint. They'll all think I've finally learned to be obedient, and they'll never realize that I'm preparing to leave them for good.

My adopted sister won the Elixir Challenge by stealing my potion. To her shock, she was informed that the event was a selection event for the future wife of the Serpentkins' future head—the same heir who was infamously impotent, barbaric, and hideous. When the Serpentkins sent over a proposal letter, demanding her hand in marriage, my fiance panicked and promptly took my adopted sister away for a quick marriage and even consummated. Once the deed was done, she returned triumphantly, showing off the mark on her lower back. "Well, what are you going to do now, Winnie?" she gloated. "Your fiance is mine now, and you'll be twenty-five in three days. If no one comes to pick you up, you'll just be dumped into the hands of some wife-beating Rogue who is ageing and unwanted…" Actually, she was wrong—I had a choice. I went to the parlor where my parents—who were busy fixing the mess my adopted sister made—were, announcing, "If she refuses to marry the future head of the Serpentkins, I will!"

Joe Holt, the fearsome legend of the mafia underworld in the past, has recently gotten released from prison after serving his sentence. He washes his hands of his sinful past and decides to become a law-abiding citizen so that he can spend the rest of his life with his wife, Lily Archer, in peace and quiet. He even finds himself a job as a delivery trucker in order to earn honest money.One day, Joe happens to come across an owner of a BMW, who's used to bullying others in his daily life. The owner wastes no time in jeering and humiliating Joe verbally.When Joe's old friends receive word of the incident, they hurry over in an attempt to back him up, but Joe merely waves a hand calmly and refuses their help. He intends to stick to his principles by not causing any chaos and conflicts.Joe is bent on severing all ties with the mafia underworld as well as his past. All he wants to do now is protect his family and live out his life in peace and stability.

Joe Holt, the fearsome legend of the mafia underworld in the past, has recently gotten released from prison after serving his sentence. He washes his hands of his sinful past and decides to become a law-abiding citizen so that he can spend the rest of his life with his wife, Lily Archer, in peace and quiet. He even finds himself a job as a delivery trucker in order to earn honest money.One day, Joe happens to come across an owner of a BMW, who's used to bullying others in his daily life. The owner wastes no time in jeering and humiliating Joe verbally.When Joe's old friends receive word of the incident, they hurry over in an attempt to back him up, but Joe merely waves a hand calmly and refuses their help. He intends to stick to his principles by not causing any chaos and conflicts.Joe is bent on severing all ties with the mafia underworld as well as his past. All he wants to do now is protect his family and live out his life in peace and stability.

You're a university student who's just taken on a part-time job during summer break, yet you've somehow triggered the military's maximum alert. Seeing as you're someone who has once modified a tractor into a tank, you're commanded by Commissar Gilbert Lane to repair J-10, a fighter jet that has been retired from duty, so that it can be displayed at an aerospace exhibition.You intend to craft a replica that looks realistic, but little do you know that you'll end up awakening the Omni-Tech System that allows you to breathe life into everything that you make.Some of your inventions now include nuclear-powered engines, a technology that allows aerocrafts to perform vertical take-offs and landings on the spot, as well as advanced technology that allows aerocrafts to go invisible.On the eve of the aerospace exhibitions, even the most leading experts in the industry are stunned the moment they see your blueprints. After all, these blueprints feature technology and innovations that are considered core secrets of the nation.Witness what it feels like to transform scrap metal into treasure with your hands and build exceptional inventions that shock the entire world.

The night before high school graduation, Ethan Luciano pulled me into his bedroom. His hands were rough, his touch demanding, yet my heart overflowed with a decade's worth of unspoken longing. I'd loved Ethan for ten years, and finally, it seemed my silent wishes had come true. Afterwards, as we lay tangled in his sheets, he whispered that he'd marry me after graduation. Once he took over the Luciano family's empire from his father, he'd make me the most cherished woman in the family. I believed him. The next morning, I sat curled up against his bare chest as he casually told my foster brother, Lucas, about us. My cheeks were flushed, and my heart raced, still clinging to the sweetness of the night before. However, then their conversation shifted into Italian. Lucas smirked, leaning back against the doorframe. "Not bad, Young Boss. Your first time, and the school's 'it girl' just threw herself at you. So, how's my little sister taste?" Ethan gave a lazy chuckle. "Looks like an angel, but a freak in the sheets. Who would’ve thought?" The room erupted in low, conspiratorial laughter. Lucas raised a brow. "So, should I call her my little sister or my future sister-in-law?" Ethan’s tone darkened, his arm tightening around my waist for a moment. Then he let out a sigh. "She’s nothing. Just practice," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I’m trying to hook up with the cheer captain, Sylvia Dawson, but I don’t want her thinking I’m clueless in bed. Cynthia Saville’s just a warm-up." He paused. "But don’t tell Sylvia. I don’t need her getting all emotional." They didn't know that I’d spent months secretly learning Italian, preparing for the life I thought I’d share with Ethan. I didn't say a word. Later that day, I quietly withdrew my early decision application to Caltech and applied to MIT instead.

You're a university student who's just taken on a part-time job during summer break, yet you've somehow triggered the military's maximum alert. Seeing as you're someone who has once modified a tractor into a tank, you're commanded by Commissar Gilbert Lane to repair J-10, a fighter jet that has been retired from duty, so that it can be displayed at an aerospace exhibition.You intend to craft a replica that looks realistic, but little do you know that you'll end up awakening the Omni-Tech System that allows you to breathe life into everything that you make.Some of your inventions now include nuclear-powered engines, a technology that allows aerocrafts to perform vertical take-offs and landings on the spot, as well as advanced technology that allows aerocrafts to go invisible.On the eve of the aerospace exhibitions, even the most leading experts in the industry are stunned the moment they see your blueprints. After all, these blueprints feature technology and innovations that are considered core secrets of the nation.Witness what it feels like to transform scrap metal into treasure with your hands and build exceptional inventions that shock the entire world.