It doesn't matter how she ended up in this four-walled room. What matters is she gets out. ***** After a night out in New York City, Liliana Rossi wakes up in a windowless room with no recollection of how she got there. And she's not alone. The dark and tattooed Mateo Aguilar is also held captive. As the two struggle to survive and hatch an escape plan, they also struggle with growing attraction toward each other, facing Lili with the biggest question yet: is Mateo the reason she's here, or the one who's going to save her? ✨ Wattys 2018 Shortlist & Featured Story ✨ Content warning: this story references themes that readers might find triggering, including drug use and sexual assault. [[word count: 60,000-70,000 words]] Cover designed by Stefanie Saw

"Happy day... Happy years... Happy holidays... I can finally rest! The school year had finally come to an end, and with it came the promise of two glorious months of freedom. A group of friends, exhilarated by the prospect of endless possibilities, began eagerly making plans. They dreamed of adventures and escapades, of doing anything and everything their hearts desired. Beaches, road trips, late-night hangouts, and spontaneous outings-nothing was off the table. The excitement was palpable, and their imaginations ran wild with all the fun that lay ahead. But life, as it often does, had other plans. Just as their excitement reached a fever pitch, strange and unsettling things began to occur. It started small, with a creeping sense of unease that none of them could quite put their finger on. Odd occurrences and eerie coincidences began to shadow their every move. They found themselves looking over their shoulders, feeling watched, as if unseen eyes followed them wherever they went. Then, the news broke. It was the kind of news that sends shockwaves through a community, the kind that changes everything in an instant. There had been a murder, a gruesome and inexplicable crime that left everyone on edge. The investigation was intense, with police scouring for clues and answers, but the fear lingered. For these friends, the carefree summer they had envisioned seemed to slip further out of reach with each passing day.

It wasn't very difficult to plan out my first victim. I watched them all day, studied their movements, listened to their conversations, and watched them fall asleep. The funny thing about it was that I was just a few feet away from them. But how could they have known? Why would they have to be scared for their lives when they were oblivious to how fast I could end them? When all goes wrong, nothing else can go right. A last week school field trip could cost you your life. But why think that way when the trip has yet to begin. When a group of five friends go on a school field trip to the woods, things seem normal until one of them goes missing.

𝐈𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟. . . . . . . . . . . We've all heard the tales of good and bad, the tales of innocent deceit and her hero, the tales that despite their nature, show us the beauty in contrast. But it's the tales of pure evil that get swept under the rug. The tales of deception, where cruelty is rewarded. The tales that have you questioning who the real villain of the story is. There's a simple philosophy to most thing in life; two wrongs 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 make a right. So what ensues when you put two of the worst kinds of people together? Loyalties transfer, lines blur, and hatred ignites complete chaos. She's cunning. 𝘏𝘦'𝘴 𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴. She's dangerous. 𝘏𝘦'𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴. She's evil. 𝘏𝘦'𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦. Or so that's what we're told. The devil is always worse. But maybe, just maybe, she's the devil in disguise, playing his advocate... . . . . . . . . . . - 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 - 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 - 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. - 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧. - 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞.

Avery's senior year is turned upside down when a kiss with her older brothers' best friend ignites a forbidden relationship tangled in danger, heartbreak, and family secrets that could destroy everything. *** "Aiden..." I shake my head, eyes fixed anywhere but the gorgeous man next to me. His hand grips my chin tightly, just enough to make me avert my eyes to his. "You know you want this as much as I fucking do. I want you to be mine. I want to be the one to hold you and kiss you the one you go to whenever you're happy or fucking sad. But let it be me, let me fucking show you that it should be me." He glares, jaw tensing. ...... ©hessaherophinelove

When Alexis agrees to help the school's player, she must guard the secret that could unravel everything - even as unexpected feelings complicate the game. *** What happens when Alexis Dawson, the 'resident loser' of Redwood High, agrees to help the school's notorious player, Aaron Walker? How can she stop herself from falling for him? It isn't all love and romance - Alexis has a secret of her own. Join them on a journey of jealousy, betrayal, trust, friendship, and love. A little favour just got a whole lot more complicated. *** He was so close, his breath hit my lips. His eyes darted from my eyes to my lips. I stared intently, awaiting his next move. His lips fell near my ear. "Shut up and kiss me" He whispered roughly. A chill shot up my spine. I pulled back, staring at his eyes and leaned in...

When Arianna marries billionaire Zach Price to save her family, she doesn't expect to fall in love with a man who'd always consider her a second choice. An unexpected turn of events brings the couple closer together, but can a marriage based on lies and deceit ever survive? ***** When Arianna's older sister, Olivia, decides to run away on the day of her wedding, Arianna is forced to take her place to save her family from ruin. But her new husband is angry, heartbroken, and seems to hate her guts. The cold, elusive billionaire Zach Price has never quite struck Arianna as the kind of man she'd want to spend her entire life with. She was more than content with her sweet, thoughtful boyfriend Noah, but when circumstances force them together, Zach and Arianna's hearts get entangled in a way she never saw coming. As the couple grows closer, they must battle the demons of their past and of the lives they left behind - especially when Olivia returns and decides she wants Zach all for herself. Content/Trigger Warning: This story contains scenes of violence and sexual abuse, and mentions abortion and miscarriage. [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]] Cover designed by Ren Tachibana