The next morning was all sunshine. The couple went to the restaurant and had the Bridal Breakfast, including mimosas. Valerie was on top of the world. Sitting across the table with real linen and the elegant setting was something she had never experienced. Then she looked at her husband. Her husband. Valerie’s heart fluttered. The server, attired in a white shirt, black bow tie, and cummerbund, poured their coffee from a...

Chapter 1 I was from a small rural community in southeast Kansas, and was disappointed with my job, my social life, and my morale was low. I had dated and had two extended relationships. Without going into detail, they didn't end well. Suffice it to say, I wanted to leave all that behind to start anew. I'm Anne, twenty-four, 5'4", 120 lbs, with long brown hair and hazel eyes. In preparation for the move, I took online cou...

It began without ceremony. No thunderclap, no lightning bolt. Just Claire—her hair tucked behind her ear, hazel eyes lingering half a second too long across the dinner table. I knew then. Not because I wanted it, but because I recognised the feeling from other lives I never lived. The slow hunger. The quiet knowing. She was my daughter-in-law. That should have made it easy to dismiss. Instead, it made everything impossibl...

The speedboat skimmed across the Andaman Sea, the hull slicing through pale turquoise water with a deep, satisfying hum. Phi Phi lay ahead, its jagged limestone cliffs and cascading greenery rising like a dream just beginning to stir. The morning sun shimmered low, softening everything into a tropical haze. Savannah stretched her legs out across the padded bench seat, letting her head fall back with a sigh. “Twelve hours...

Part 4 – Yacht Day Morning at the Hotel | 9:00–9:30 AM The Ferrari’s low growl faded as it rolled to a stop in front of the estate hotel, the sound oddly refined in the early-morning air. Christopher stepped out, fresh from a cool shower and dressed for the day, light-blue linen shirt over tailored navy shorts, leather sandals, overnight bag slung casually over one shoulder. His aviators were in place, and the only giveaw...

We were having our monthly Saturday party. Mark and Mona came in ready to party but for another reason. They put their contributions to the party on the table. Mona found a place on the couch, and Mark asked who needed a drink. “Did you two start without us, or what’s up?” Stacey asked. Mark found a place on the floor with a pillow; “I went to see my dad yesterday. His next-door neighbor was over having a beer. I sat and...

Peter Langston was a man of precision—timely flights, structured meetings, and the same hotel every time he travelled into the city. The Grand was more than just a place to rest; it was a ritual. The staff knew him well enough to greet him with warm familiarity. “Good evening, Mr. Langston,” the concierge would always say with a smile. “Your usual suite is ready.” But tonight was different. A delayed meeting had kept Pete...

Pam and I had been on the go for almost two months. Near the end of September, we started to get jobs close to home. I’ll never forget the first job we could stay home. “Coffee, Baby?” I heard that sweet little voice. I started to sit up in bed, turned to take our mugs of coffee from Pam, and lost it. She was standing there in an oversized tee shirt, pink fuzzy slippers, and her hair in curlers. I had to make a mad dash f...

I thought it might be time to turn a hobby into a part-time job. Photography had always fascinated me; there was something about capturing a fleeting moment that felt almost magical. I loved all kinds of subjects, from landscapes to portraits, but it was one experience that eventually gave my life a whole new meaning. Life at home had been quiet for years. My partner, Jane, had turned her passions toward travel, often jet...