once bitten twice shy

Alex Mercer never thought his life would end on a rainy night, skidding off a slick highway in his beat-up car. But death wasn't the end; it was just the beginning of his nightmare. Waking up in the fiery depths of hell, Alex faced Lucifer himself, a devilish grin plastered across the fallen angel's face. "You were destined for eternal torment," Lucifer said, his voice smooth as silk yet carrying the weight of countless damnations. "But I have a proposition for you." The deal was simple yet horrifying. If Alex wanted a second chance at life, he had to rid the Earth of Lucifer's escaped minion demons who had broken their chains and now wreaked havoc among the living. The reward? A ticket back to hell, but this time as Lucifer's lieutenant rather than a prisoner. To fulfill his part of the deal, Alex was granted a fragment of Lucifer's power: the ability to summon hellfire, manipulate shadows, and sense the presence of evil. Armed with these abilities, Alex is sent back to Earth, but not as the man he once was. Now, he's something more a hunter, a reaper of the damned. Yet as Alex fights to send demons back to hell, he begins to question the true cost of the deal. What will remain of his soul when the last demon falls? And can he trust Lucifer, the Prince of Lies, to keep his word?

Once a rising star in the Air Force, Gilbert Hayes’ life took a sharp turn after he was dismissed for past mistakes. Two years ago, when his girlfriend, Vivienne Astor, was battling lupus, Gilbert made a heartbreaking choice: he donated his kidney, hoping the powerful Astor family would help his ailing mother in return. Though they kept their promises, Gilbert’s mother didn’t survive, leaving him with nothing but a broken heart. Allowed to marry Vivienne out of his genuine love for her, Gilbert now faces relentless rejection from his in-laws. Once warmly welcomed, he’s now seen as unworthy of their family—dismissed for his humble background, despite his sacrifice. But Gilbert’s transformation from a pathetic loser to a potent legend begins when he becomes the commander of a private legion and the heir to the powerful Hayes family. Now, the tables are turning. Those who once looked down on him will soon be begging for mercy.

In a world divided by power and lineage, **Arin Valenhart**, a 34-year-old illegitimate son of the cruel Emperor James Ron Valenhart, rises from a life of neglect and obscurity to achieve greatness. As one of the thirteen imperial knight captains in the notorious Valenhart Empire, Arin's exceptional intellect and fervent determination place him at the pinnacle of martial prowess, earning him a distinction that incites envy among the royal family.  When the Emperor's trueborn heirs perceive Arin as a threat to their supremacy, they plot to eliminate him, sending him to the perilous borders teeming with cult fanatics armed with only a handful of knights. Betrayed and fatally wounded, Arin breathes his last, only to awaken in a new body—**Crown Prince Rael Lunaris**, of the powerful Lunaris Kingdom. Having been reincarnated as the crown prince, Rael combines Arin's memories and skills, unleashing his potential as he navigates the treacherous waters of royal politics, siblings envious for their father's favor, and the ever-looming dangers of external forces like cult factions. As he struggles to assert his identity amidst familial rivalry and burgeoning threats to the realm, Rael embarks on a journey toward destiny that will not only redefine his life but also impact the future of the Lunaris Kingdom itself. In this epic tale of ambition, betrayal, and the battle for legacy, alliances will be forged, secrets will be unveiled, and the fate of the lands will hang in the balance as shadows of the past collide with the promises of a new dawn. Will Rael uncover the strength within to secure his lineage and protect his kingdom, or will the ghosts of his former life consume him once more?

"Maybe you should go earn some real money, Eddie. After all, that's how the world operates.” Eddie stared at Eunice, his face a mix of pain and betrayal. "You’ve betrayed me, Eunice. All for what? For someone with more money?" His voice wavered. "I thought you had changed.” "You're right, maybe it only happens in books and movies, but believe me, my success will outshine any grass-to-grace tale ever written or depicted on screen.” Eddie, a hardworking orphan at Aveston University, is used to being overlooked and mocked, especially by his girlfriend Eunice’s best friend, Tasha. Despite his struggles, Eddie gives everything for Eunice, only to discover she’s cheating on him with Nathan, a wealthy and influential student. After a confrontation turns into a fight, Eddie is wrongfully arrested, his pleas ignored due to Nathan’s powerful father. But fate takes a turn when Eddie is saved by Damien Aviatux, the richest man in Aveston, who reveals himself as Eddie's long-lost father. Inheriting Damien’s immense fortune, Eddie’s world changes overnight. Armed with wealth and power, Eddie sets out to take revenge on Nathan and his father, who once served his family. As Eddie rises to the top, he navigates betrayal, tragedy, and love, ultimately finding happiness with who loved him for who he is, not his money. “From San Roman, down to his son. They will go on their knees!”

As they entered the grand foyer, Sonia felt overwhelmed by the opulence surrounding her. Crystal chandeliers hung from high ceilings, and priceless artwork adorned the walls. It was a far cry from the life she had known. Once they were alone in one of the spacious rooms, Tyler turned to Sonia. With gentle hands, he reached for her veil. "May I?" he asked softly. Sonia hesitated, her heart racing. After a moment, she nodded, closing her eyes as the veil fell away. "You're beautiful, Sonia," Tyler said, his voice filled with sincerity. Sonia's eyes flew open in surprise. "How can you say that? My face... it's..." "a part of who you are?," Tyler finished the sentence for her. "And you are beautiful." He paused, his expression growing serious. "Now, we need to take care of those injuries from earlier." "What do you mean?" Sonia asked....

Baron, a man consumed by the inferno of his own wrath, unleashed a maelstrom of chaos upon the world that had wronged him. His marriage, a distant memory, had been reduced to ashes by the treachery of those he once trusted. Now, Baron's sole purpose was to reduce their empire to rubble. His plan was a symphony of destruction, a cacophony of betrayal and deceit. Alliances would be forged and broken, loyalty would be tested, and the very foundations of power would be shattered. In the end, only one thing was certain - Baron's revenge would be a storm that would leave nothing but devastation in its wake!

In a world where the gods' influence is waning, a group of brave mortals must navigate the complex web of divine politics to prevent catastrophe. The gods, once worshiped and revered, were sealed away by powerful völva thousands of years ago. However, a powerful force is stirring, threatening to resurface after millennia of imprisonment. Kael, a young guard, finds himself entangled in a web of fate when a mysterious girl named Eira appears. Unbeknownst to Kael, Eira's presence is tied to the imprisonment of Loki, the Norse god of deceit and chaos, who is bound in the depths of Útgarðar. As Loki begins to exert his influence over humanity, Kael, Eira, and Vigdis, a seasoned warrior, must join forces to stop the god's destructive power. But tragedy strikes when Eira, the woman Kael has grown to love, loses her soul to Loki's dark magic. With Eira's fate hanging in the balance, Kael and Vigdis must navigate the treacherous landscape of divine politics to prevent Loki's return to power. Can they overcome the odds and save their world from destruction, or will the forces of chaos prevail?

The era of Lorenzo, the devoted boyfriend, was over. Reborn from those depths was a man forged in the fires of humiliation and betrayal. A man whose sole purpose was to make Michael and those who had wronged him pay...in full.   One way or another, this city would be mine. And those who once mocked me would kneel at its feet, forced to bear witness to my ascension.   ****   Little did Lorenzo, now known as Vicario, know that his wish for vengeance would be granted the night he vowed retribution against those who had wronged him.   After spending some years building a fearsome reputation abroad after a humiliating past in his home city, he returned to exert his rage.   However, he uncovered a startling family secret his mother had kept hidden—a revelation that threatened to derail his single-minded pursuit of revenge.   As he navigated this newfound truth, would the formidable figure he had become be shaken? Or would unearthing his origins only fuel the flames of his vowed retribution? Or would his descent into the darkest recesses of his past prove to unearth more than he bargained for?     In this gripping tale of one man's thirst for payback, loyalties will be tested, secrets exposed, and the depths of vengeance explored.

Xavier Stage, a man once brought to his knees by the cruel hand of fate, rose like a phoenix from the ashes, His marriage, a battleground of deceit and betrayal, had left him shattered... But Xavier refused to be defeated. With a fierce determination burning in his soul, he clawed his way back, his ascent marked by a trail of ruthless ambition, He built an empire, his wealth and power a testament to his unyielding spirit, But his enemies, the ones who had wronged him so grievously, would soon taste his wrath! Xavier's revenge was a storm brewing! a maelstrom of fury that would leave none unscathed, no one will be free!

"A mutt like you really thought he could marry into our family?" Isabelle Carter sneered, tossing a box at Karvel Cross’s feet. His old belongings spilled out—along with the engagement ring he had spent months preparing for Mariya. Laughter rippled through the room. "Pick it up, stray," Vincent Langford mocked, swirling his whiskey. "That’s all you’ll ever be. A discarded pet hoping for scraps." "Congratulations, Mariya," he said, voice eerily calm. "I hope your new fiancé doesn’t end up treating you the way you’re treating me.” But the humiliation wasn’t over. Her mother called him a mutt, Vincent Langford, a smug rival, mocked his existence, and soon, Karvel became nothing more than a joke among the elite. A discarded man with no value. What they didn’t know? The stray they cast aside… was a trillionaire heir. Karvel Cross is no longer the broken man they once laughed at. With secrets deeper than the ocean and a past that refuses to stay buried, he’s about to show them all—Mariya, Vincent, and the entire world—that the man they underestimated is the one they should have feared all along. "Dear ex, I don't need you anymore."