Haunted by the past, Rhiannon Carmichael returns to her hometown for her father's funeral, only to uncover a web of secrets and a possible murder, forcing her to confront the family she left behind. *** Victor Carmichael, the titan of local construction industry, is dead. Officially, it was his failing liver that finally did him in. Off the record? He's been murdered, and the only one who suspects it is his prodigal daughter. Gaffney, South Carolina, holds the ghosts of Rhiannon's past - the past she desperately tried to escape. Forced to sift through fractured memories and lies, she must expose a killer possibly lurking in the heart of her family. Every smile hides a secret, and every hug is a potential weapon. Whodunnit? Her mother, Lorraine, who seems to hold back more than tears? Her resentful brother, Tom? Then there are Beverly, the enigmatic interior designer with a past as murky as the swamps surrounding Gaffney, and Aubrey, the glamorous influencer whose connection to Victor runs deeper than anyone knows... Each clue, each whispered secret, pulls Rhiannon deeper into a dangerous game. As the idyllic charm of her quiet hometown crumbles, the lines between friend and foe start to blur. The more time passes, the more she realises: her returnal to Gaffney is not a blissful family reunion. It's a deadly reckoning. © 2025 EvelynHail Exclusively on Wattpad Based on prompt 61: "The silence in room is deafening, as though it has a life of its own. It's time to rewrite the fairytale, but this time, the ending will be yours, and it won't be happy."

Silence was the only thing I trusted. He didn't fear it. He followed it straight to me. Mae doesn't flinch. Reece doesn't lie. She's quiet for a reason. He's dangerous on purpose. Together, they don't soften - they sharpen. This isn't about healing. It's about holding on - even when it hurts to be held. A dark contemporary about survival, trauma, and the kind of love that doesn't ask permission to stay.

*ONC 2025 Shortlist & Ambassador Pick* On the morning of her wedding, Edrea is prepared to seal a political alliance with the man she despises. But fate, or something far darker, has other plans. An empty box appears in her garden. A hidden path leads her underground. And a deck of cursed cards delivers her into the hands of Malphas, a demon bound by an ancient contract. One that now claims her as his. Trapped in a world of shadows, Edrea is torn between a cruel fiance who seems far too pleased by her disappearance and a demon who watches her like she's the only thing keeping him tethered to existence. Malphas swears he won't take anything she doesn't offer freely. But the longer she resists him, the more she begins to wonder... This is a mature 18+ story.

|ONC 2025 LONGLISTER & ROUND 2 AMBASSADOR'S PICK| It has been a week since the old mausoleum at the Nethermly Cemetery collapsed without warning. This week has been full of unexplained deaths and strange sightings. Like every resident of Nethermly, Reverie Ashford had locked herself safely in her house. She planned to enjoy some peace and quiet until the town returned to normal. But of course, the universe seems to hate her: The first newcomer the town has had in centuries had to come knocking at her door. Draven did not want to ask for her help. But his people had been massacred, and if the remaining few didn't act fast, the same would happen to the oblivious residents of Nethermly. He did not want to dig up his past, nor did he want to drag an unwilling girl into this. But they needed every help they could get, and they were running out of time. If they failed, Nethermly would be erased from the map. Prompt 86: Nobody new has come to your hidden town in centuries - until now. Someone appears on your doorstep, claiming they're here to find you. But how do they know your name? Prompt 103: After a catastrophic accident affects an entire town, the residents begin experiencing strange and inexplicable symptoms. ~~~~~~~~~~ Rose Gold Awards 2025: Best First Line 4th place Rose Gold Awards 2025: Paranormal 5th place

Mira Harper has the perfect husband. Callum is kind, has a stable job, and a nice house in the suburbs. Most importantly, he's great with Mira's 14-year-old son, Ezra. Sure, they moved fast--her friends say too fast--but he felt like a miracle she couldn't turn down. Then, a woman shows up on their doorstep claiming to be Callum's ex-wife, accusing him of murdering her daughter. At first, Mira believes Callum--she's insane. Then Mira finds Callum's "trophies" right where she said they'd be. IDs, medals, yearbooks. There's so much about Mira and Ezra that Callum doesn't know. And she realizes that Callum's returning the favor. Told in dual timelines, FAMILY MAN is a romance in the past, and a thriller in the present. Prompt 127: I've got a long list of ex-lovers, they'll tell you I'm insane.

🏆 Round 1&2 Winner - OPEN NOVELLA CONTEST 🏆 In a world where every citizen's lifespan is predetermined at birth, Liora receives an unprecedented message - she has been granted 20 days of freedom before her scheduled expiration. Confused and terrified, she escapes the surveillance state that has controlled her every move, determined to uncover the truth behind her unexpected reprieve. As she navigates a world she's only known through censored screens, she meets rebels who claim the system is rigged, a scientist who might hold the key to extending life, and a government agent determined to bring her back. Each day reveals more secrets-about herself, her past, and the society that dictates who lives and dies. With time running out, Liora must decide: will she fight for a future beyond her 20 days, or accept the fate she was assigned? ----- Written for the Open Novella Contest 2025 Prompt 110 - 20 days of freedom ----- Cover by @devarsh_yagnik (the prologues at the end because of the prologue ban 😭) ----- Copyright © 2025 by Sani Cybele All rights reserved.

Markus has left everything behind to live in a remote cabin near a lake. He wants to be alone, but in the middle of a snowstorm, a stranger knocks at his door and asks for shelter. Prompt 44: In the middle of a storm, a stranger arrives at your cabin, and you offer them shelter. But the storm's forecast says you'll be stuck for much longer than expected. This novella is a standalone but is set in the For Centuries universe.

A professor and a detective must pair up to discover the secrets of the bog behind the former's new home. *** The Autopsy of Jane Doe meets Predatory Natures by Amy Goldsmith in this tale of folk terror. Following an incident at her workplace, professor of psychology Raisa Thorne decides to take a sabbatical at her late great-grandmother's house in North Wales which she has only just inherited. She has a history with this place; back when she was six certain things had happened during a fateful summer that claimed the life of her only aunt. Raisa doesn't remember anything about it, save for a lingering sense of unease. But when she discovers a body in the bog behind the house soon after her return, things start to unravel as Raisa experiences a wealth of uncanny phenomenon. Indira Mukherjee is the first coloured police chief in this small Welsh town. No-nonsense and practical, she believes it to be just another murder case when the body in the bog is retrieved. But when strange events happen, some of which get downright bloody, Indira is forced to think beyond the bounds of logic. The two women must team up to find the truth; what is it that lies beneath the bog? *** Cover is made by the awesome @AngeBlancRose.

When Rosalin arrives in the imperial capital, Livia, she carries with her a burden of secrets. Her purpose is not what she says aloud. But Rosalin is not the only one shrouded in lies: there is no sign of Empress Cassyna's twin sister, Servina, and everyone speaks of her as if she is a ghost. What Rosalin hoped would be a journey to save her and her family's lives turns into a game of power and peril. A feud between two rival siblings is written in Livian history and myth, but this is no tale of goddesses in heaven. This will endanger the whole empire. [ONC 2025 - PROMPT 66]

Ellery Mazick -a low grade shifter tasked with guarding the missives of war generals and commoners alike- never expected to be drafted for war. When General Valerus, a self-proclaimed Bloodtracer, charges into her world with frosted veins and a challenge hung over his head, Ellery's bound to hate the man who serves their corrupt crown. Thrown into a whirlwind of scales and swords, she investigates the lies among fire-breathing beasts, while catching the attention of reclusive misty eyes. A voice filling her head. A presence over her shoulder. Watching. Waiting. As more secrets are uncovered about her heritage and the threat against Valerus' life intensifies, Ellery must decide not only her allegiance, but if winning his war will cost her a heart. Round One 》✔️ 2k 》✔️ Round Two 》✔️ 8k 》✔️ Round Three 》✔️ 20k 》✔️ Longlisted 》 ✔️✨️ | Cover by the lovely -MilaSteele | | An Open Novella Contest Entry |