In a world where secrets are deadly and trust is a luxury,Lena Mendoza is on a mission to uncover the truth behind her parents' mysterious deaths. Desperate for answers, she lands a job at V.E.I.L, a covert organization with more ties to her past than she could ever imagine. As she dives deeper into her investigation,Lena crosses paths with Liam, the older brother of her best friend, and discovers they share a dark connection-Operation Blackthorn, the mission that claimed both their parents' lives. With danger lurking at every turn, Lena must rely on her skills and newfound allies, including her close friend William, to navigate the treacherous waters of espionage and betrayal. But as tension builds and secrets unravel,Lena and Liam find themselves drawn to each other, their simmering attraction threatening to complicate their mission. In this high-stakes game of deception, can they uncover the truth without losing themselves-or each other-along the way?

Some spells need to be broken... before they break you. Laura Quillspell's greatest wish is to win the golden medal at the Harvest Feast dessert competition and finally defeat Ambrose Waycaster. But when the harmless spell she infuses into her chocolates turns into a potent love potion, she gains two unwelcome admirers: her exuberant best friend and Ambrose himself, her infuriating rival, who now looks at her as if she hung the moon. With less than a week left before the festival, Laura must undo her magical mess before she loses the competition, her dignity, and maybe, just maybe, her heart. --------------------------------- 🥇 ONC 2025 Round 1 winner 🏆 ONC 2025 Shortlister --------------------------------- This is my entry for the Open Novella Contest 2025, based on prompt 126: "Because you're you, and I'm me, and we just don't fit." - Idea of You, Book by Robinne Lee The present version is slightly edited and improved from the original that was entered into the contest. This novella is also available on KoalaQuill and (coming soon) on RoyalRoad.