

The night before our group trip, Raymond Kane tags me in the group chat and tells me to check my flight ticket. When I open the booking, I discover my ticket was refunded three days ago—without anyone telling me. Before I can even type a reply, the messages start pouring in. Madelyn announces, "I bet Ray that you wouldn't check the booking before we left. He got you to look it up yourself. That's cheating!" Raymond shrugs it off. "Doesn't matter. You still lost. She only just found out. Just book another one. We'll just have to sit apart." Their casual banter brings back a familiar ache. It reminds me of the time they bet on how long it would take me to realize my hotel room has been downgraded from a standard double to a shared triple, leaving me to sleep on a folding cot. And before that, they bet on whether I'd notice the art museum on our itinerary had been replaced with an escape room. Whenever I tell them it hurts, they always give the same tired reply. "How were we supposed to know you cared if you never said anything?" But they never ask. I close the booking app and open another one, searching for flights to Isvind. I imagine myself surrounded by the silence of a 5°F night, with the northern lights painting the sky above me. Perhaps a solo trip is exactly what I need.

While selling boxed lunches at a construction site, college student May Bale unexpectedly crosses paths with Joe Cole, the powerful chairman of Cole Corp—and ends up spending a night with him. When she faints during a school sports meet and learns she's pregnant, her stepmother tries to force an abortion. But Joe steps in and brings her home. Welcomed by the warmth of the Cole family, May finds the strength to stand up to those who hurt her, rebuild her life, and grow a career of her own. In the end, she discovers both love and happiness by Joe's side.

The most popular girl from my high school is getting married. She invites everyone in our class to the wedding. I want to act like I don't see the message, but she deliberately tags me in the group chat. "You kept pretending to be a rich girl like me in high school, but I don't hold it against you. In fact, I'll allow you to attend my wedding tomorrow to see what the rich life is like." The other classmates speak up. "You're so generous, Haley. It's no wonder you can marry someone from the Baumer family. I can't believe you can even forgive someone as materialistic as Emma!" "Does someone like Emma Larkin even deserve to attend Haley's wedding? She's so full of herself." As the insults become worse, Haley Stockwell steps forward to keep the peace. "Come on, let's put this behind us. I'm not bothered by these things since it's been so long. Anyway, let's not bear a grudge against Emma when she's already so poor and ugly." Everyone in the group chat starts singing her praises and calling her kind and innocent. I sneer. Haley is the one who kept pretending to be rich—I'm the true heiress from an affluent family, yet she made me out to be a liar. She turned me into the target of everyone's insults. I check the digital wedding invitation to see that the venue is my villa. The groom looks familiar—isn't he my husband's driver? I smile at the thought of what's going to happen. I reply, "Sure! I have to attend your wedding!"

Avalyn, a lone girl raised by wolves in the northern wilderness, is brought back by her birth father Duke Snow only to get trapped in royal conspiracies. After her father is murdered, she bides her time and devises schemes. With her courage and beast-taming skills, she slays her enemies, quells barbarian uprisings and earns widespread renown across the kingdom. Eventually, she uncovers her true identity as the lost heir of the Sacred Court of All Beasts, returns to the divine realm, executes the usurper, and ascends the Throne of All Beasts.

My husband's childhood sweetheart was diagnosed with a terminal illness. To fulfill her last wishes and let her experience the warmth of family, my husband, Aaron Turner, gave her my necklace. He even let her claim my birthday. Even our son started calling her "Mom" in private. He told me, "Chrishell, Sylvia is dying. Just give in to her, will you?" Whenever I asked him to spare even a little time and affection for me, our son, Lucas, would rush to speak on their behalf. "Mom, didn't you always teach me to be generous? Sylvia is dying. Why do you always make things difficult for her?" Over time, I stopped asking for anything at all. Then one night, I overheard my son speaking to his father after returning from the hospital. "Sylvia is so gentle and graceful. I wish Mom could be more like her." Aaron chuckled and affectionately brushed his hand over our son's hair. "Your mom may be a little strict, but it's all for your own good. Since you like Sylvia so much, how about we let her be your godmother?" So even the child I risked my life to bring into this world didn't like me. I lowered my gaze, quietly closed the bedroom door, and pretended none of it had happened. Since they were both filled with such regret, I'd leave quietly and give them what they wanted.

Frost Lord gave her what she never expected: a love she didn't ask for. And the man she'd loved her whole life? He only realized it the moment she was gone. Yet it was already far too late.

General Henry Nolan is bestowed the title of the North Lord, adorned with the regal ceremonial robe and the legendary Dragon Sword of Astil. Yet, his ascendancy is overshadowed by betrayal from within, leaving him with a shattered mind and crippled legs, while his wife, Jean Shaw, becomes the subject of scorn and ridicule. Young scion Alex Cook, captivated by the allure of Jean’s beauty, seeks to claim her for his own and inflicts a grievous blow upon Henry. However, in an unexpected turn of events, this act triggers a resurgence of Henry’s faculties. From the depths of despair to the pinnacle of power, Henry’s journey, marked by unwavering resolve and unyielding determination, sees him emerge from the shadows with the unwavering support of Jean and her allies. Inspired by his wife's unwavering protection over the years, he vows to safeguard her for all eternity.