A struggling journalist rents a house that has been vacant for decades. Every night, the furniture moves, whispers echo through the halls, and shadows creep where there should be none. The deeper he investigates, the more he realizes the house is alive-and it wants something from him.
The town of Ravenshade lay nestled between dark, ancient forests, its streets lined with homes that seemed untouched by time. It was the kind of place where outsiders were noticed immediately, where secrets sat just beneath the surface, whispering to those who dared to listen.
Donald Albert wasn't here for sightseeing. He needed a place to stay, somewhere quiet where he could focus on writing his book-a collection of real-life haunted house stories.
He was also running.
After losing his job as a journalist, a mix of professional embarrassment and personal frustration pushed him toward this project. It was supposed to be a fresh start.
That was when he found the house.
Black Hollow Road, Number 46.
It was too cheap-almost laughably so for a house this size. A two-story Victorian-style home, complete with an attic and basement, sitting on an overgrown property with a rusting iron fence. The kind of place that looked like it had been forgotten.
Donald had seen too many horror movies to ignore the warning signs, but reality was never as dramatic. Houses were cheap for a reason-bad location, poor upkeep, or maybe just an old man looking to offload a property before he died.
He met Mr. Einstein, the landlord, at the house the next morning.
The old man was thin, pale, with a slight hunch in his posture. His dark suit looked a little too formal for a simple house viewing, and his hands trembled slightly as he unlocked the front door.
"You're sure you want this one?" Einstein asked, glancing at Donald with something between curiosity and concern.
"You're still renting it, aren't you?" Donald replied, shifting his bag on his shoulder.
"Yes," Einstein said. "But... it has a history."
Donald smirked. "That's kind of the point. I write about haunted places."
Einstein's lips tightened. "That so?"
"Yeah. Paranormal stories, urban legends. I figured this house might have a good story behind it."
Einsteins looked at him for a long moment, his eyes unreadable. Then, he handed Donald the key.
"If you hear noises at night," he said, voice low and deliberate, "do not investigate."
Donald raised an eyebrow.
"And never stay up past midnight."
A cold breeze drifted through the open doorway. Donald felt a shiver crawl up his spine.
Einstein gave a small, almost pitying smile before walking away.
Inside, the house was cleaner than expected but eerily lifeless. The furniture, though covered in dust, looked recently arranged, as if someone had been preparing for a guest.
The walls were a dull shade of gray, the floors old wood that creaked beneath his steps. There was a fireplace in the main living room, empty, but cold as if it had just been used.
The kitchen was functional but outdated, with a heavy, antique clock hanging on the wall. It wasn't ticking.
His bedroom upstairs was simple-a bed, a desk, a mirror mounted on the closet door. The mirror bothered him for no reason he could explain.
The worst part?
It was too quiet.
Even in an empty house, there was always some noise-wind against the windows, the hum of distant traffic. But here, in Black Hollow Road 46, the silence felt too thick, like a held breath.
It wasn't peaceful.
It was waiting.
---
First Night in the House
Donald unpacked, set up his laptop, and made himself at home.
At around 10:30 PM, he sat at his desk with a bottle of cheap whiskey, writing the introduction to his book.
"What makes a house haunted? Is it the memories of those who lived there, or something older, something deeper? We tell ourselves ghosts aren't real. But what if the house itself is alive?"
He exhaled. Too dramatic.
The air felt colder.
The antique clock in the kitchen-the one that wasn't ticking before-suddenly chimed once.
Donald glanced toward the doorway.
Then, from the hallway outside his room, came a sound.
A soft creak.
Like a footstep.
Donald froze, every instinct telling him that he wasn't alone.
The old landlord's words echoed in his mind.
"If you hear noises at night, do not investigate."
It was probably nothing-the house settling, an animal outside, maybe even the wind.
Still, he found himself slowly reaching for his phone, turning on the flashlight.
The hallway outside his room was empty.
But something felt off.
He walked toward the stairs and peered down. The living room below was dark, the fireplace a yawning black hole.
Then, just as he turned to go back-
A whisper.
Soft. Indistinct. Right behind him.
He spun around, heart hammering.
Nothing.
The hallway was empty.
Shaking his head, he let out a nervous laugh and went back into his room, locking the door behind him.
"Don't be paranoid, Donald."
But as he got into bed, he couldn't shake the feeling.
It felt like the house was watching him,
Morning After
Donald woke up groggy, his head heavy from last night's whiskey. Sunlight streamed through the curtains, and for a brief moment, the house felt normal.
Then, he noticed something.
His desk chair was moved-pulled out slightly.
And his notebook was open, though he was sure he had closed it.
Frowning, he went downstairs.
The front door was unlocked.
He distinctly remembered locking it the night before.
Donald stood still in the middle of the room, feeling his heartbeat in his throat.
Maybe he forgot. Maybe it was just his imagination.
Or maybe-
The house wasn't empty.
And then, from upstairs, he heard it.
A slow, deliberate creak.
Like a footstep.
Right outside his bedroom door.
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"
After hiding her true identity throughout her three-year marriage to Colton, Allison had committed wholeheartedly, only to find herself neglected and pushed toward divorce. Disheartened, she set out to rediscover her true self-a talented perfumer, the mastermind of a famous intelligence agency, and the heir to a secret hacker network. Realizing his mistakes, Colton expressed his regret. "I know I messed up. Please, give me another chance." Yet, Kellan, a once-disabled tycoon, stood up from his wheelchair, took Allison's hand, and scoffed dismissively, "You think she'll take you back? Dream on."
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
For as long as Emily can remember, she has wanted to overcome her shyness and explore her sexuality. Still, everything changes when she receives an invitation to visit one of the town's most prestigious BDSM clubs, DESIRE'S DEN. On the day she chose to peruse the club, she noticed three men, all dressed in suits, standing on the upper level, near the railing. Despite her limited vision, she persisted in fixating on them. Their towering statues belied the toned bodies concealed by their sharply tailored suits-or so she could tell. The hair of two of them was short and dark, and the third had light brown-possibly blond-hair that reached the shoulders. The dark, crimson background incised their figures, exuding an air of mystery and strength. They stood in stark contrast to the unfiltered, primal energy that pulsed through the club. Shocked by the desires these men aroused in her, she was disappointed to learn that they were masters seeking a slave to divide and conquer. She couldn't afford the fee, and she also realized that they were outside her league. Emily hurriedly left the club, feeling disappointed and depressed, unaware that she had also caught the group's attention. A world of wicked pleasure, three handsome men. Over the years, they have lived a life of decadence, their lavish lair serving as a stage for their most sinister desires. But despite the unending parade of willing subjects, one woman sticks out. A mysterious stranger with white porcelain skin and a killer body, a slave, a name with no address, the first lady to attract their eye and they will go to any length to obtain her no matter the consequences.
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."