Once Novels & Stories

"I felt brave enough to accept what was in front of me, they say you only find love once in a lifetime, that everyone has their partner, their half of the orange; it was a miscalculation for me, in my mind there was several possibilities for a person to be compatible with more than one person; but, love? No... love is only felt and has it once, and you know when you have found it, you feel it, there are no doubts and fear is not there's space." Is it possible that love can overcome the barriers of distance? Esther and Benjamim, found each other again, after a long time apart and discovered a reciprocal feeling, dormant in both; but not every love story is like movie romances; and they needed to face their fears, distance, and time, in the name of a love never lived.

My daughter Nina always told the truth. At a Family dinner, I was smoothing down my custom gown in front of the mirror when I asked her, "Does Mommy look pretty in this?" She pursed her lips. "Honest truth? It doesn't matter what you wear, you're the ugliest one here either way." The FBI once took me in to "assist with an investigation" for three days. When I got home, I asked if she'd been worried about me. She shrugged. "Honest truth? You're too stupid, Mommy. Getting hauled off like that, you had it coming." My husband, Vincent, teased her once, asking if she'd take care of Mommy when she grew up. She held out her hands. "What's the use of her once she's old? You said it yourself, Daddy. This family doesn't feed freeloaders." I was too furious to speak. She just smiled, all innocence. "I'm only telling the truth, you know." Later she figured out TikTok and posted a little video. She was telling her truth, the same as always. Only this time, she would regret it for the rest of her life.

By the seventh year of my relationship with Vanessa McBride, she inherited everything her late sister, Rebecca Holloway, had left behind, including her brother-in-law, Derek Holloway. Every time Vanessa returned from Derek's room, she would hold me close and whisper softly, "Just wait a little longer, Grant. Once I give him a child, we'll finally have our wedding." It was the only condition her family had imposed for her to inherit the McBride legacy. In the six months after returning to the capital, Vanessa went to Derek's room regularly. At first, it was once a month. Then, once every few weeks. Eventually, it became almost every other night. And after six months of being alone every night until dawn, the news finally arrived. Vanessa was pregnant. But the announcement that followed shattered whatever hope I had left. She and Derek were getting married. "Daddy, is someone getting married?" Looking at the wedding decorations filling our home, I pulled my confused daughter into my arms. "Yes," I told her quietly. "Mom is marrying the person she loves. So it's time for us to move out too." What Vanessa never understood was that marriage was never what mattered most to me.

Nessa once helped a stranger, and one unexpected night changed her life forever. By morning, the man was gone—leaving no name, no explanation, and no way to find him. The only thing he left behind was the child growing inside her. For five years, Nessa raised her son alone, working hard and trying to forget the man who abandoned her. But fate had other plans. At a grand gala, she comes face to face with him again—Matthew Arizmendi, a powerful billionaire CEO feared and respected by everyone. Now that Nathaniel knows the truth, he wants his child but Nessa will do everything to protect her son—even if it means running from the man who once owned her, and the dangerous world he belongs to.

I was married to one of the world’s richest men—Zayne Ford— yet no one knew I existed. To the world, he was a charming billionaire. To me, he was the man who once promised love… then buried me in silence. For five years, I lived as his secret wife, convincing myself that love was enough. That it didn’t matter if no one knew my name, as long as he still looked at me the way he once did. But when his childhood sweetheart returned from abroad, I finally saw the truth. The only thing holding our marriage together was a legal document—cold, lifeless, and easily replaced. So I disguised my divorce papers as a school form and watched him sign them without even glancing up. That careless signature ended our marriage— and freed me. Now, as I start a new life in another country, I carry more than my independence. I carry his child. When Zayne discovers what he’s lost—his wife and his heir— he’ll do anything to find me. But the woman he once ignored no longer exists. He taught me how to break. Now he’ll learn what it means to lose me.

It had been seven years since I broke the mate bond with Dark Wood Pack's Alpha, Shane Lewis. I ran a floral boutique in the Neutral Zone. On an ordinary day, a little girl stood at the door and was staring at me in a daze. She looked about six or seven years old. She was very pretty. Something about the curve of her eyes and brows felt strangely familiar, especially those amber eyes. Our gazes met. In an instant, memories flooded my mind like a movie reel. They were memories that had once caused me unbearable pain. I quickly called out to her. "Hey there, kid. Do you want to try this candy? "It's made from primrose. It's very sweet." She accepted the candy and listened as I talked casually. I told her that I used to be the Luna of Silver Moon Pack. I once had a primrose estate. Unfortunately, someone took it from me. I told her I once had a daughter too. She should be about the same age as the girl now. The girl looked curious. "Do you hate the bad people who took your things?" she asked. I looked at her for a long time and smiled. "Not anymore," I said.

Three months before my wedding, my fiancé, Henry Siebert, decided it was the perfect time to drop a maternity photo shoot on social media—with my foster sister, Betty Foster. The caption? Oh, just this gem: [Legally welcoming our little one into the world.] Betty added a shy emoji. And my mom? She liked the post and wrote: [Once the baby is born, I'll help take care of it so you two can enjoy your time together as a couple.] I couldn't help myself. I replied with a single question mark. And then Henry's DMs came in hot: [She's just borrowing me for a year to get married. Once the baby's born, I'll come back to you.]

“If someone ever told me that having a crush on someone could bring unbearable pain in the end, I would believe them because I have gone through that”. Since college, I have always had a crush on Nathan, one of the most popular and handsome guys in school. But, of course, he never for once noticed me. Even after we graduated from college. He became a hotshot CEO while I was a jeweler who worked in his company. They say an opportunity comes but once, and that was the truth. Nathan's father seemed to notice me, and because of him, I was able to get married to Nathan. But little did I know that that was the beginning of my nightmare. I am Adira, and welcome to my story…

Throughout our seven-year marriage, my CEO wife, Ruby Irving, goes on yet another business trip on Memorial Day once again, so she can't travel back to my hometown with me. But soon, I saw the photos uploaded by her assistant, Wilbur Stork, on his social media feed that featured her sweeping the grave in his hometown instead. The caption writes, "Mom and Dad must be very satisfied with their daughter-in-law because the gloomy weather has cleared up in an instant." I chortle in amusement for a brief moment before liking the post calmly. Then, I comment, "I respect your relationship and wish you nothing but happiness." But my colleagues all go nuts over the latest bombshell. They are quick to form their chat groups and speculate as to how I'm going to cause my next ruckus in the company this time. Ruby soon calls me while sounding very stern. "I know Wilbur does things very brashly due to his young age, but you shouldn't have caused him trouble in the comment section! What will everyone else in the company think of him? How is Wilbur supposed to continue working in this company? "Moreover, Wilbur doesn't have anyone left in his family. What's wrong with me keeping him company just this once? People with happy families like you don't have empathy for others at all! "I want you to delete your comment and remove your like right now. Once the holidays are over, I'll free up some time in my schedule to go back to your hometown with you." As I listen to Ruby making yet another empty promise to me in such a casual way, I let out a soft chuckle. "It's fine." Once the holidays are over, we'll be able to obtain our divorce certificates.

how far will she go to reclaim her life? Even the devil was once an angel, and sometimes salvation comes from the darkest places. A haunting journey of loss, resilience, and the ultimate price of redemption.