How long is a lifetime? For Luc, it stretches far beyond human reckoning. As punishment for a crime that shook the foundations of the world he once belonged to, he is now condemned to walk the earth among mortals. Luc has carved out a vast empire for himself through both respectable ventures and shadowed dealings, but none of it brings him peace. One rain-slicked evening, from the balcony outside his favored courtesan's room at the infamous Bessie's brothel, Luc watches a line of enslaved girls being dragged in. Among them, a girl with hair like the sunset and fire in her eyes is struck for resisting. Something ancient stirs within him. On a not-so-uncharacteristic impulse, Luc decides to buy her. ... Aida, stolen from a faraway land, is young, bruised, and burning with defiance. Her presence was never meant to matter, but soon she becomes more than a passing distraction and inconvenience to Luc. She cracks something long buried in his soul: a memory of grace, a glimpse of light, a pull toward something he thought lost forever. Forced to share a living arrangement neither of them truly understands, their constant clashes breed awkwardness, tension, unexpected moments of humor, and something more. Can two broken souls, worlds apart, save each other from the darkness they were never meant to endure alone? *This story is original fiction with Luc as the main character, set in an alternative Victorian era. It is intended to be the prequel/spin-off to 'Until The End Of Time', where Luc played a major part toward the end. Slavery is depicted. Cover by @sulkytae ♦️Pink Diamond Award and 1st place of the Historical Fiction category of the 🌺🔥Phoenix Awards🔥🌺 @AthenaPersephone9 🏆Historical Fiction Category Winner in the Milestone Awards 2024 @YuHuaCommunity 🏅First place in the Historical Fiction category of the The Hot & Bothered Awards @gremlin

Leila Cheung returns to her hometown after having been away for 5 years, away from the very painful memories she has endured for the majority of her childhood, courtesy of the five boys - Jason, Andrew, Peter, Kyle, and Eric - who had bullied and tormented her relentlessly. Now, transferring to Northvale High in her senior year, Leila hopes to make a fresh start and succeed in her studies - only to find out that four of her bullies also attend the same school. Worse yet - they recognize her and decide to make her their own personal 'pet'. How will she survive this ordeal, especially as the leader Jason's cruelty evolves into an obsession darker and more twisted than she can ever hope to imagine?