A secret society. An ancient circle that has bound powerful families together for generations. Built on vengeance, money, power and... blood. Luigina has spent most of her life far from her roots-half Ghanaian, half American, and far away from the family she never wanted to return to. But when she is forced back to Ghana, her life collides with the one person she never wanted to face again;her cousin, Violet. Violet is admired, praised-everything Luigina believes her father ever wanted in a daughter. But behind Violet's perfect image stands her father, deeply rooted in the Dark Circle, a powerful and dangerous society that controls the fate of their families. Beneath the respect and wealth lie secrets that pull Luigina into a world where loyalty is deadly and trust is fragile. Then there's Dylan. Dylan becomes Luigina's refuge-her ally, her comfort-and the one person who makes Ghana feel like home. What begins as friendship slowly turns into something deeper, something dangerous. Stolen glances. Unspoken feelings. A love Luigina knows she shouldn't want-but can't escape. Alongside Violet, the three form a fragile friendship that feels impossible yet real. Until Luigina realizes the truth she's been trying to deny; Dylan seems to belong to Violet in ways Luigina never will. What Luigina doesn't know-what no one is meant to know-is that Dylan's grandfather is the leader of the Dark Circle. The man at the center of the blood, the power, and the secrets. And Dylan is far more connected to the Circle than he lets on. As Samson, Violet's twin, begins to move in the shadows, secret plans unfold, alliances shift, and buried truths surface. Luigina must confront not only her rivalry with Violet, but the terrifying truth about the boy in secrets and rivalries are written in blood, loving the wrong person could cost everything.

November 2012 is the day that led to it all. The day she decided to feel nothing. To the students of her rigid boarding school, Rachel is the untouchable,favoured princess. But behind the mask lies a fractured reality and a hunger for an escape that status can not buy. As an addict, Rachel navigates the school's strict systems burdened by the weight of lies and a secret she is too afraid to tell. When she crosses paths with Andrea - a tomboy whose silent rebellion is as sharp as a blade - Rachel's carefully curated mask of deception begins to fracture. Between a blackmail video threatening her reputation and a secret habit demanding a price she can no longer pay, Rachel is forced to face a harrowing truth: her descent isn't coming - it's already here. Some fairy tales don't have a happy ending. Some just have a survivor. And Rachel is exactly that.

In her mid-twenties, and married to an ever-absent surgeon, Elsie Hewitt-Langston finds herself quietly crumbling under the weight of postpartum depression (PPD) after a year of bringing her firstborn son to life. Once filled with promise, she now views her marriage dripping towards unmet expectations. And her husband? He's gradually withdrawing. Yearning for tenderness, understanding and care, Elsie chooses a quiet escape when thoughts of separation loom in her mind, leaving both child and husband in hope of remembering who she was . . . and who she might still become. © 2025 ellalbooks

The Open Novella Contest is back for 2026! Join fellow storytellers and plant the seed of a tale that will blossom into a 20,000+ word novella within 12 weeks! Your epic quest begins February 1st, 2026, so mark your calendars with this date!

Nalikem, a young Ghanaian girl get pranked on her birthday by her classmates with a young man who happen to be at the right place at the wrong time. Her nakedness is exposed to this man by accident, and they are forced to get married by the dying mother of the guy as her dying wish. Their lives change for each other. What happens to this young couple after they get married, even though they have no wish of getting married. do they change each other's perspective on marriage. ####$######## "You are going to marry the girl" My mom said out of the blue. "What" Maafia shouted "Maa stop joking" "Who said I was joking." "Kobby why are you not saying anything?" "Because he will marry her" my mom said again. "No, that is not the reason. I am just pretending I can't hear what she is saying" "He will marry her I asked John to look into her family for me." "Ma you are serious" "I am not joking we shall continue this conversation with your dad." she said and left.

Day moves with her family back to Neil where it all began. She falls in love with the gentle Hitman of the Yale mafia family Kade Yale. As their love unfolds she discovers many secrets about her life in Neil They fight to keep the bond and love alive. Kade swears to protect her from everything. ************************* " I withdrew from the kiss and looked at her. She is so beautiful yet so timid. She is trying to fight the edge to bite her lips so bad. I gently traced my fingers on her lips. "You are so beautiful Day. Allow me to love you and make you mine Day. Mine and mine alone." I said as she looked deeply into my eyes. I know she wanted to agree but she just stared at me.