It was supposed to be a quick business trip but Detective Molly Rayne finds herself in the midst of a high-stake murder case with two strangers and collectively, they must uncover the truth before it reveals her hidden past and the murderer strikes again. -x-x-x- ❝Three Strangers. Two Secrets. One Key.❞ It was supposed to be a quick business trip, a bullet train ride from New York to Chicago. But the minute the train pulled out of the station, things started to go wrong. A person was murdered in the sleeper cabin, and everyone on the train was a suspect. Detective Molly Rayne, a tough-as-nails veteran with a dark past, was on board and found herself drawn into the investigation. With every mile that passed, the mystery deepened. As she uncovered secrets and motives among the passengers, Molly realized that the killer was more cunning and ruthless than anyone could have imagined. It was like something out of an Agatha Christie novel, only with a lot more blood and sarcasm. When the train arrived in Chicago, Molly was left with a body count, a trail of clues, and a nagging suspicion that one of her fellow passengers was more than they seemed. -x-x-x- wattpad ambassador select x1 | ONC shortlist qualified featured on @mystery profile's Murder reading list as of 04-07-2024 cover by @GraveyardSiren -x-x-x- highest ranking: #7 in onc2024 out of 567 stories #14 in mystery out of 27.5K stories #28 in detective out of 30.3K stories -x-x-x- Feel free to leave your suggestions/honest feedback/constructive criticism :D

| Amby Awards 2024 Top Pick | Ever since she was injured in a terrible accident, Cordelia Williams has felt adrift. The accident claimed more than her limb; it ruined her reputation and destroyed her dream of becoming a famous painter. Worried that her disability makes her a disgrace to her prominent Regency family, Cordelia tries to find other ways to contribute to her family's legacy. But Cordelia's mother is determined to keep her hidden at their country estate--especially after a wealthy gentleman begins courting her beautiful sister. When Cordelia's father arranges her exit from high society, Cordelia is faced with a difficult decision: accept the quiet life her family planned for her, or overcome her fear of being seen. ☆ FEATURED @HistoricalFiction @ShortStory @Wattpad Ambassadors

"No, stop! Just stop..." My voice comes out as a whisper. "Stop being so nice to me. Stop making me wish and dream for something that... that's never gonna-" I place a hand over my mouth, an attempt to muffle my sobs, and shut my eyes. *** Celeste Brown believed in love; she loved love. She craved it more than anything. She had been in love once, and it was beautiful. He was beautiful. But when that love had come to an end, she couldn't comprehend what or why it went wrong. She reasoned that it was because she was undeserving of love--that no one would ever stay in love with her. After all, Jordan hadn't. Celeste swore off love, never wanting to taste the bitterness of heartbreak again. Which is why when unwanted but familiar feelings started to bubble up towards the surface again, she tried everything in her power to stay away. But fate seemed to have other plans... Prompt 45: "Keep your happily ever after, it ain't mine." (Main) Prompt 8: You start singing along to a movie soundtrack late at night forgetting that your window is open. Someone from the outside starts singing with you. *** This story has been written for the Open Novella Contest (2024) here on Wattpad. All rights reserved. Do not copy or duplicate my work in ANY way.

#4 Grand winner of Open Novella Contest 2024 🏅 _________________________ Regina Patrissia, the hundredth consort of King Rex III enters his harem at the age of eighteen. Widely known as the "Quiet Mouse" whose existence was ignored by all, in two years the "Quiet Mouse" has become a ferocious predator who could put anyone's intelligence, beauty and skills to shame. But the only opponent in her field was her husband, the Sun of the Empire, Emperor Rex, a genius in military strategies and cold in attitude. How would fate tie the two contrastingly similar figures when external forces outnumber them, betrayal lurks in every step and disloyal eyes watched their every conscious move? •─────────✦❀✦────────• Current Word Count: 20 K + Primary prompt: #59 Reincarnating into my favorite novel wasn't what I had in mind when I was begging for a second chance. Other prompts: #2, #16, #20, #24, #25, #26, #28, #35 and #48. •─────────✦❀✦────────• Cover Credits: Alfaesha Banners Credit: AngeBlancRose 🏅ONC 2024 Round One Qualifier 🏅ONC 2024 2024 Round Two Qualifier 🏅ONC 2024 Round Three Qualifier 🏅ONC 2024 Longlister 🏅ONC 2024 Shortlister 🏅ONC 2024 Top 5 Finalists 🏅ONC 2024 4th Grand Winner 🏅Featured on Historical Fiction RL 🏅Winner of EC Fiction Awards

| 3x Featured | ONC 2024 Ambassadors pick | ONC 2024 Honourable mention | "Be careful of the waters you tread in, Mr. Crawford because you might become the very thing that lurks beneath." In the gritty underworld of London, Rhazien Crawford leads a double life. By day, he works as a detective, solving crimes and bringing justice to the streets. But by night, he is a vampire hunter battling the undead and protecting the innocent from their bloodthirsty clutches. One night, Rhazien's usual hunt takes a dark turn when he stumbles upon a child caught in the middle of a massacre. Unable to leave the boy to his fate, Rhazien takes him under his wing until Van Helsing Inc. can find him a safe home. But as he delves deeper into the child's past, Rhazien discovers that he is the son of Lord Ravenwood, the notorious crime boss of London. Now, Rhazien must decide between his duty as a detective and his duty as a vampire hunter. With time running out and his morals at stake, he must find a way to liberate London from the grip of corruption and protect the kid at all costs. Will he overcome the darkness within and emerge victorious, or will he succumb to the shadows and become the very thing he hunts? Only time will tell in this thrilling tale of danger, intrigue, and battle between a hunter and the creatures of the night. Prompt #3: "Your greatest fear is the monsters in the dark. The last thing you expect is to become the Monster in the dark." Started on: February 14, 2024 Ended on: April 28, 2024 Republished: August 29, 2025 Total word count: 27 600 Round 1(2000 words):✔ Ambassadors' pick: 🏅 Round 2 (8000 words): ✔ Round 3 (20 000+ words): ✔ Longlist: ✔ Shortlist: ✔ Honourable mention:🏅

A young woman makes the brave decision to flee her toxic stepfather, only to be taken hostage by an escaped convict hours later, but he may just be the key to her freedom. 🔥BOOK ONE IN THE MAYHEM SIX SERIES🔥 *** After stealing money from her wealthy but controlling stepfather, Nataly Collins makes the bold decision to run away with her four-year-old sister. But as she does, she crosses paths with an escaped convict from the local penitentiary, and he plans to keep the sisters hostage until he can safely cross the Canadian border. Of course, the more Nataly spends time with this convict, the more she learns he isn't what he appears to be despite his death-themed tattoos and intimidating stature. Soon it becomes obvious that they need each other to avoid capture. And Nataly can't help but feel the safest she's ever felt around him. Will she be able to fight off her emerging feelings for this dangerous criminal?l? ~ ACCOLADES ~ 🏅ONC HONORABLE MENTION ✨ ONC Shortlister ❤️ AMBASSADORS PICK 🔥 Third ranking in #badboy

"I will become as monstrous as I must." Five hundred years after the Great Freeze, the empire of Britannia stands, untouchable, as the greatest power in the world. The Britannia that emerged from the Freeze is an empire built of iron and ice, of blood and ash and bone. Its rulers govern a strictly-organized society, with each class serving a purpose and kept strictly separated. Daphne Corvus has been raised from a frozen hell to the heights of wealth and power for one purpose alone: to become that which she hates the most in order to bring a cruel empire to its knees. If she succeeds, she will see the sister she's lost again; if she fails, she will die, and her sister will be left to suffer In order to succeed, she must first infiltrate the school where Britannia turns the children of its most powerful families into its greatest commanders. But the Academy is notoriously competitive, and Daphne is far from the only student who needs to triumph. *This story is my entry for the 2024 Open Novella Contest*

Storms tended to bring change. Solving Neridia's first ever murder case wasn't exactly what Nemera had in mind. The overworked yet semi-retired bartender had seen her fair share of death and destruction within a world full of dragons and demons. But when Aidari Rainheart, a young Stormspell elf is accused of murdering one of her own, Nemera is dragged in to follow in her former Master's footsteps. Whether she liked it or not. The role of the Night Rider is a heavy burden to carry and without the usual comforts of following others' lead, Nemera finds herself drawn to secrets hidden deep within the Brink. But nothing is ever that easy when elves are involved and much like a good mead, the truth starts to get a lot murkier the more she delves in. Especially when Aidari turns out to be hiding far more than any elf in Neridia. Caught between a peace treaty, the aftermath of war and a complicated relationship with a happy go lucky pyro spirit things go from bad to worse when Nemera learns who exactly the victims are. Political coups turn into a full on power vacuum and how poisoning a dragon could lead to the murder of two of the most prominent elves in history. After all, killing an immortal race had never been done before. Somehow, Nemera has to learn to put aside her biases, her booze and most importantly, her bad mood to help those truly in need and maybe get a free tip at the end of the day. With a healthy dose of wit and a sobering reminder of what every Traited faces, perhaps her Master's last wish was for her to become something more than being a drop in the barrel.

When cynical addict Rodion Popov makes a deal with the Devil and wagers his soul, his life takes a turn for the demonically surreal. Thrust into a city of shapeshifting sinners and chaos spirits, he must complete five tasks at the Devil's behest in order to escape the despairing world he lives in. And the Devil? He just so happens to be hell-bent on making sure Rodion fails. Thankfully one of the Devil's minions, Shutka, is not. Out of pity, she joins Rodion, serving him as something between companion and counselor. But as the tasks escalate and the strain on his body and mind intensifies, Rodion finds himself seeking an answer to the question at the heart of his deal, a question Shutka can't possibly help him answer: is it possible to redeem a soul? Honors/Awards: ONC 2024 Honorable Mention ONC 2024 Ambassadors' Pick (Round One) "THE DEVIL COMES TO ANGELOVSK" is featured on: @humor's "dark humor" reading list @humor's "ambassadors' monthly pick" reading list @opennovellacontest's "2024 honorable mentions" and "2024 ambassadors' picks" lists Copyright © 2024 Elle Chaika Open Novella Contest VII (2024) | Prompt No. 32