REVISED PROLOGUE ... A young woman escapes into a world of her own making. A world where silence is comforting instead of lonely. A world where she is loved, chosen, and free to become whoever she wants to be. A world untouched by the pain that reality never fails to bring. But how long can someone keep running from the truth? No matter how beautiful a dream is, it can never replace reality. The more she hides, the more she loses herself. After all, no one learns to stand on their own feet by living inside a fantasy. Then, the impossible begins to happen. The peaceful world she treasures starts to fall apart. The illusion cracks. The voices become distant. And reality comes knocking. ‎"Hindi ko kakayaning wala ka.." ‎ ‎"Akala ko ba... mahal mo ako? ‎ ‎Pero ayaw ko ring iwan si Elias. ‎ ‎Ayoko rito. ‎ ‎"Hindi ka naman totoo Elias eh... Bakit?" ‎ ‎"Hindi ito totoo..." When the line between fantasy and reality finally shatters, she will be forced to make an impossible choice. Will she abandon the world that gave her peace... and face the painful truth? Or will she remain trapped inside a beautiful lie forever? In a world consumed by sorrow, anger, and despair, there has always been only one place she could run to. But every escape has an ending.

REVISED ... Arielle believed she had finally left the past behind-especially the man she once loved and ultimately hurt. She was determined to move forward, convincing herself that some chapters were never meant to be reopened. But everything changes when her new teacher turns out to be Kael, her ex-boyfriend and once the most admired student on campus. Gone is the warm, carefree boy she once knew. In his place stands a man who is colder, harder to read, and far more dangerous than she remembers. His return is no coincidence, and it soon becomes clear that he has unfinished business with the girl who broke his heart. As old feelings begin to resurface, Arielle finds herself trapped between the past she desperately tried to bury and the present she can no longer escape. And when Kael gives her an ultimatum that could change both of their lives forever, she is forced to confront the love she thought she had already forgotten. Some love stories don't end with goodbye. Sometimes, they begin again.

In the Kingdom of Valedorn, life has always been ruled by crowns, bloodlines, and secrets. Aren is a twenty-seven-year-old blacksmith living a quiet life in the village of Bellmere, far from the intrigues of the royal court. With four lifelong friends by his side, he has never wanted power, wealth, or a place among the nobles. All he wants is a simple life beneath the sound of his hammer. Until Princess Maria sees him. Their lives could never be more different. She was born behind castle walls. He was raised beside a burning forge. Yet a single glance between them begins a connection neither of them expects. But while Aren's life seems peaceful, darkness is already spreading through the kingdom. The king is betrayed by those closest to him. The crown falls into dangerous hands. A young prince is forced to flee for his life, carrying a secret that could destroy the men who now rule the kingdom. Then Aren is summoned to the palace. He is promised anything he desires if he can find the missing prince. For Maria, Aren may be the man she cannot forget. For the new rulers, he is the key to finding their greatest enemy. And for Aren, the journey will reveal a truth far more terrifying than any royal conspiracy. Because while the kingdom fights for its crown, something else is spreading beyond its borders. A sickness. A darkness. And soon, the dead will no longer remain dead. Before the kingdom becomes ashes, Aren must decide who deserves his loyalty-and how much he is willing to lose for the truth.