basking in the afterglow

When the world fell, it didn't go quietly. In the year 2049, humanity vanished overnight in a global blackout. Cities became graveyards. Creatures that defy science roam the ruins. Kai Mercer, a cybernetic war veteran with fragmented memories, awakens from stasis in an abandoned military lab—only to find the world unrecognizable. But he isn’t alone. A rogue AI whispers secrets. A girl immune to infection holds the key to rebuilding the future. And deep underground, something monstrous is evolving. To survive, Kai must gather a broken team, uncover the truth behind humanity's collapse, and make a choice: Save what remains—or burn it all down. In a world where death is only the beginning, how far would you go to stay human?

Elis, a Kitsune caught between worlds, has always watched from the shadows, guarding secrets he barely understands himself. But when Everlyn, the Light Guardian, becomes entangled in a threat beyond imagining, Elis is forced to step into the open. Together, they face Devyn, a merciless harbinger of darkness, and ancient beings whose power defies comprehension—the Siren and the Djinn. As battles rage and the very earth trembles beneath them, Elis must protect Everlyn while confronting the limits of his own abilities and the truth of who he is. Lingering Afterglow is a story of courage, loyalty, and the bonds that form in the crucible of danger. In a world where survival is never guaranteed, one Kitsune’s determination to stand beside the girl who changed his life may be the spark that shapes everything to come.

Some wounds don't leave scars. After losing the people he loved most, Caelum convinces himself that keeping others at a distance is the only way to avoid being hurt again. His days become a quiet routine of studying, reading, and pretending he's fine. That routine begins to crumble when four persistent classmates refuse to leave him alone. What starts as unwanted company slowly becomes something he thought he had lost forever. Afterglow is a coming-of-age slice-of-life novel about grief, friendship, healing, and learning to cherish the ordinary moments that quietly become the most unforgettable ones.

What makes someone... remember? What does it mean to forget someone? How does anyone remember what they've already forgot?

Rebecca Winters has it all or so it seems. At twenty-nine, she’s sharp, ambitious, and fiercely independent, the kind of woman colleagues respect and friends admire. Yet beneath the polished jumpsuits, stacked jewelry, and her signature scent of jasmine and vanilla lies a longing she can’t quite silence: the fairytale of love, a partnership, the white gown, the promise of forever. Enter Kevin Lockwood. Her new boss. Confident. Magnetic. Impossible to ignore. His presence unsettles Rebecca in ways she hasn’t felt before. A brush of his gaze, the spark in his compliments, the way he says her name, it all feels like the beginning of something dangerous, something she swore she wouldn’t let happen again. After all, there’s one rule she promised never to break, don’t fall for a colleague. Especially not your boss. But Kevin is different. Or is he? When a phone call interrupts one of their late-night work sessions. a call from someone named Naomi. Rebecca’s curiosity ignites. Who is Naomi? A wife? A lover? A secret? For the first time, Rebecca notices his bare ring finger, realizes she has never truly looked beyond the tailored suits and carefully chosen words. And once that thought takes root, she can’t stop questioning everything. Her closest friends, her “circle,” the women who’ve become her sisters, warn her to be careful. But even as they tease and laugh over wine, Rebecca knows she’s already in too deep. Kevin Lockwood is a man carved from shadows, and secrets cling to him like a second skin. And the closer Rebecca draws, the more she wonders…whose skin is she falling in love with? Borrowed Skin is a taut psychological thriller about deception, obsession, and the deadly price of secrets too deeply buried.

"A world where I can be me... A world where I'll be set free... It's all I've ever wanted. But why wouldn't you let me be? I've done what you've told me to do... I've become a monster in my past lives for you... Please... give me this lifetime. I beg of you." she said in a monotonous tone, while tears fell from her lifeless eyes. Her face is devoid of any emotion. She can't feel the pain caused by the continuous lashing she's currently experiencing. But her already broken heart is being crushed into dust, a single shard desperately hanging by a vein. After her torture, she was shut inside a dark cold basement made solely for her. In there she sat, staring at nothingness. She felt helpless. Tears fall nonstop. Alas, her body's numb but her heart isn't. An hour passed, and she heard footsteps. They aren't people to be trifled with, she's sure of it. But she doesn't care. "BANG! BANG! BANG!" she gunshots heard after another. A loud 'BOOM' caused by explosives. Shouts and screams. Cries for pity. The chaos outside continued for a few hours, then it stopped. An eerie silence, you could easily hear even if a pin is dropped. The footsteps, it's heading toward her cell "Creak" the metal door opened, and light crept in. People wearing cloaks and masks entered. The golden insignia slightly gleams in the dim cell. "Why?." is the only word she said as the man who acts as the leader stopped in front of her. The man didn't say anything but extended his hand to her. Her eyes squinted, then her lips lifted into a smile that means a lot. As to what it is, it could only be known in the future. She stood up not taking his hand and strode out of the room. Outside are piles of dead mutilated bodies that resemble more of a butchered pig than a human. Fresh air invaded her nostrils the sweet spring breeze caressed her face. Then the wind got stronger as their ride came. They got into the Mil Mi-26 helicopter. After everyone got in they immediately took off. She stared at the place she had lived in which is now wrecked beyond recognition with a slight hint of satisfaction. From the corner of her eye, she saw that person. She can't read his expression because of his mask. But she knows he's pissed off by the way he's clenching his fist. She stared at his figure as it disappeared. 'This is just the beginning.' she thought and closed her eyes getting herself ready for the next chapter of her life. Whether this is a blessing or a curse, she knows not but, she swore to live this life to the fullest whatever it may be.

Born in the Dark City’s blood arena, Mirelle was trained to kill—or die entertaining the crowd. She refused. Mercy made her the crowd’s favorite—and the owner’s problem. With Kirella, the guard meant to keep her caged, she runs. Together they cross a city ruled by the dark powers. Most monsters on the Dark side—bound by fear, coin, or twisted faith—hunt them for favor. Whispers speak of a hidden shrine and a relic called the Happiness Light—a spark said to open gates and break collars. From alleys to tunnels, from monster wards where even “beasts” protect their own, Mirelle and Kirella choose each other first. Clean slow-burn romance, close-quarters fights, and small cliffhangers every chapter—until they reach the last border and leave Elyka’s darkness behind.

Ass rats

Accidentally bound to a quick transmigration system, Ning Yue is resistant on the surface, but inwardly, she's screaming wildly: "As long as I keep completing missions, it's equivalent to gaining eternal life, I'm going to keep transmigrating forever!" In "True and Fake Rich Daughter," she is the fake rich daughter who was abandoned. She declares, "The wealthy family abandoned me, so I will create a wealthy family of my own!" In "Era's Blessed Child," she leads her entire family to build a fortune, turning the fake blessed child into a real blessed child. In "Flourishing Age of Shengshi," having transmigrated into the Empress who was turned into cannon fodder, she simply turns the ungrateful mother and son into cannon fodder instead.

[Hidebound Older Man VS Two-Faced Heiress: Daddy-Type + Seductress + An Old House on Fire] Everyone in Aethelgard says, a man should marry a woman from the West Family. The eldest daughter of the West Family is gentle and virtuous, a sought-after prize in high society. On the eve of her engagement. Her fiancé cheated on her. Willow West, having played the good girl for so long, decides she's done pretending. Fueled by alcohol, she finds a handsome man. Just one wall away from the scumbag ex and his mistress. The next day, she wakes up to her world collapsing. She had slept with the circle's famous 'older man'—Aiden Pierce, her dear uncle's best friend. Her impression of Aiden Pierce wasn't very good. Years ago, when she was having her first romance, she had tried to sneak a kiss with her young boyfriend, only for Aiden Pierce to report her to her uncle before their lips could even meet. The Aiden Pierce of today is even more dull—celibate and restrained, with everyone from his secretary to his assistant being male, and zero romantic scandals to his name. He's nothing short of a hidebound traditionalist! Willow West wants to escape. Aiden Pierce's well-defined hand grips her chin. "Miss West, a man's virtue is still virtue. You must take responsibility for me." * Aiden Pierce, who had practiced self-restraint for thirty years, was captured by Willow West—a woman gentle and demure in public, yet passionate and daring in private. Everyone thought Willow West was a good girl. Only Aiden Pierce knew that behind closed doors, the young woman not only smoked and drank but was also a cool, badass biker. * The assistant has recently noticed a change in the workaholic President Pierce. Not only is he hitting the gym three times a week, but his style has also shifted from uniform high-end suits to a different streetwear brand for every day of the week. His once stern and unsmiling face now frequently breaks into a smile. Even his eternally unchanged screensaver has been replaced. It's now a picture of a sexy, wavy-haired beauty in a black biker suit, holding a cigarette and sitting on a motorcycle!