*Prologue*_Two years later._The stairwell smells the same — old paint and cleaning spray.Elena stands on the landing between the third and second floor, even though she graduated last spring. She’s not supposed to be here, but the RA who let her in didn’t ask questions.She runs her hand along the railing where Josh carved their initials freshman year with a key. _E.R. + J.C._ crooked and shallow. Someone tried to scratch it out, but you can still see it if you know where to look.She hears footsteps from below.“Thought I’d find you here,” Josh says, a little out of breath. He’s holding two iced coffees. One has a pen tucked under the lid.“You’re late,” she says, smiling.“Five minutes. Like old times.”He hands her the coffee and sits beside her on the step — halfway down, like always.“Do you remember what you said to me the first night the power went out?” she asks.He pretends to think. “Something smooth, probably.”“You said you set your alarm early on Tuesdays.”He laughs. “God, that was smooth.”Elena leans her head on his shoulder. “I’m glad we started here.”“Me too,” he says. “Everything good started here.”

THE ARROGANT CEO AND HIS CRAZY WIFEHe is a flirt; she is bossy.CharactersLeonard GarettKanna WilliamsAshley YvonneKyle KleinAdrianna GarettNancy CosmosPROLOGUELeonard Garett is 25 years old. He is the heir to the Garett family enterprise.He is arrogant, hot-tempered, and not the type of person who forgives easily. He knows he has a bad side, and he doesn't try to hide it. Leonard also has a heart problem, but that hasn't stopped him from living the way he wants.He is a flirt who doesn't care much about people's feelings. He says whatever is on his mind and doesn't like being told what to do.Leonard has a younger sister, Adrianna. She is basically the younger, friendlier version of him.His best friend is Kyle Klein, whose wife, Ashley, is the kind of woman everyone notices. To Leonard, Ashley is beautiful and confident.Then there is Kanna Williams.Kanna is 23 years old and the only daughter of her parents. She is crazy, but sweet, beautiful, caring, and loving. Don't step on her toes, though, because she can become extremely troublesome when provoked.Her parents are secretly very rich, and Kanna has no idea how complicated her life is about to become.Her best friend is Ashley Yvonne.What happens when Leonard's parents give him a position in the company but threaten to take it away unless he marries? Will his parents force him to marry Kanna—or will something completely unexpected happen?

Story HookOn the night seventeen-year-old Elara Veyne turns eighteen, every clock in her city stops at exactly midnight.Then the moon disappears.When it returns seven minutes later, Elara discovers a silver mark on her palm—one that wasn't there before.By morning, three impossible things have happened:Her mother has vanished.A stranger is waiting outside her house claiming to be her father's forgotten heir.And every mirror Elara looks into shows a woman who looks exactly like her......standing beneath a black moon.But the strangest part?The woman in the mirror whispers the same sentence every time:“You were never supposed to survive.”PROLOGUEThe Night the Moon Went DarkThe moon disappeared at midnight.Not behind clouds.Not behind an eclipse.It simply vanished.Every person in the city of Veyra saw it happen.One moment, the sky was silver.The next, darkness swallowed everything.Elara Veyne was standing beside her bedroom window when it happened.She had been watching the moon because her mother had told her to."Whatever happens tonight, don't look away from it."Those had been her mother's exact words.Elara had laughed when she heard them.Now she wished she hadn't.Her fingers tightened around the curtain."Mum?"No answer.She turned toward the hallway."Mom?"The house was silent.Too silent.Elara stepped out of her bedroom.The grandfather clock downstairs had stopped.12:00.She frowned.Her phone had stopped too.12:00.Then the lights went out.Elara froze.Something scraped against the front door.Once.Twice.Then three times.She swallowed."Mum?"Still nothing.She slowly walked downstairs.The darkness seemed thicker than normal.When she reached the entrance, she noticed something lying on the floor.A silver key.She stared at it.She had never seen it before.Then she heard a voice behind her."Don't touch that."Elara spun around.Her mother stood at the bottom of the staircase.Except something was wrong.Her mother was crying.And Elara had never seen her cry before."Mum?"Her mother shook her head."Elara, listen to me.""What happened?""There's no time.""For what?"Her mother hurried toward her and grabbed her shoulders."Tonight, someone is coming for you."Elara's heart pounded."Who?"Her mother's eyes moved toward the window."The people who killed your father."Elara went completely still."My father died in an accident.""No."Her mother's voice cracked."That is what I told you."A loud knock came from the front door.Both of them turned.Knock.Knock.Knock.Elara whispered, "Who's there?"Her mother stepped in front of her."Whatever happens, don't open the door."The knocking stopped.Silence returned.Then a man's voice came through the door."Mrs. Veyne."Elara's mother went pale."We know she's inside."Elara stared at her mother."Who is that?"Her mother didn't answer.The man continued."You've hidden her for eighteen years."Another voice joined him.A woman's voice.Cold.Calm."Give us the Moonborn."Elara's breath caught."Moonborn?"Her mother looked at her.For the first time in Elara's life, she looked afraid."Run.""What?""Run, Elara."The front door exploded inward.Her mother shoved her toward the staircase."GO!"Elara stumbled backward.Something flashed outside.Her mother screamed.Elara ran.She didn't know where she was going.She only knew that her mother had told her to run.She reached the upstairs corridor.Then she looked through the window.The moon was back.But it wasn't silver anymore.It was black.Completely black.And in its center was a thin white symbol.The same symbol that had suddenly appeared on Elara's palm.She stared at it.Then someone whispered directly behind her."Finally."Elara slowly turned.A young man stood at the end of the corridor.Dark coat.Silver eyes.Bloodless face.He looked at the mark on her palm.Then he smiled."You're alive."Elara backed away."Who are you?"The stranger tilted his head."The person who has been searching for you.""For what?"His smile disappeared."To warn you."A scream echoed from downstairs.Elara's heart shattered."Mum!"She ran toward the staircase.The stranger caught her wrist."Don't.""Let me go!""If you go downstairs, you die.""My mother is down there!""I know."Elara stared at him.He lowered his voice."Because I was the one who brought them here."Her eyes widened."You—"The house shook.The black moon above them began to glow.And somewhere in the darkness, a woman whispered:"The heir has awakened."The stranger looked toward the window.For the first time, fear appeared in his silver eyes."It's starting."Elara looked at her palm.7The symbol was burning brighter."What is starting?"He looked directly at her."The war your father died trying to prevent."Then every mirror in the hallway shattered at once.Except one.And inside that mirror stood a woman who looked exactly like Elara.The woman raised one finger to her lips.