Prologue: In the bustling streets of Verona, Italy, lies a small, mysterious theater called Teatro delle Ombre—Theater of Shadows. Famous for its hauntingly beautiful puppet shows, the theater draws dreamers, wanderers, and broken souls. Two such men, each bearing their own scars, find love amidst the shadows. Chapter 1: The Puppet Master Luca Moretti, a…

Chapter 1: The Forgotten Sanctuary Rain lashed against the greenhouse’s cracked glass, and Kaelion Rynthier sat hunched over his tattered journal, scribbling furiously. The family garden, once a beacon of life and color, was now a shadow of its former self. “If only I could find something… anything,” Kael muttered, flipping through pages of ancient…

Chapter 1: A Chance Meeting It was a rainy spring evening in Tokyo. Riku Kurose, a reserved graphic designer, wandered the bustling streets with his camera in hand. Neon lights reflected beautifully off the wet pavement, a scene he was determined to capture perfectly. As he framed the shot, his camera’s battery abruptly died. Frustrated…

Chapter 1: The Diagnosis Leander and Evan had been inseparable since college, a love story written in stolen glances and nights spent wrapped in each other’s arms. Life had felt perfect, their dreams finally within reach—until that fateful diagnosis. Evan’s sudden illness swept in like a storm, and within weeks, he was in and out…

Chapter 1: The Power of a Gaze Lucas had always found the world dull. People were predictable, bending to his will with nothing but a glance. Ever since he was a teenager, his eyes held a secret power—he could control others, make them do anything he wanted, and no one could resist. At first, it…

Chapter 1: The Bond Dr. Samuel Evans had spent his entire life working to become the best cardiac surgeon in the country. He was sharp, methodical, and cared deeply for his patients. But what set him apart was his unyielding desire for perfection, often pushing himself beyond his limits. In his mind, emotions were a…

Chapter 1: The Deal Lucas grew up knowing that life wasn’t fair. He’d lost his parents young, bounced around foster homes, and learned to fend for himself on the streets. When he overheard a group of businessmen talking about Anthony Beaumont—the elusive and charming millionaire known for his massive real estate empire—Lucas saw a way…

Chapter 1: Nathan’s Dilemma Nathan sat in his car, gripping the steering wheel as he stared at his house. The lights inside were on, casting a warm glow through the windows, a picture-perfect home in the suburbs. His wife, Sarah, was likely inside preparing dinner, their two-year-old daughter, Emma, playing with her toys nearby. It…

Chapter 1: The Stranger by the Bridge Rain poured relentlessly over the city, the sound of droplets striking the pavement like the ticking of a clock. It was the kind of rain that seemed to wash away time, as if nothing before it mattered, and what came after didn’t exist yet. On a lonely bridge…

Chapter 1: The Ghost of Myself Luca sat on the old park bench, the same one he had occupied nearly every afternoon for the last few years. His eyes wandered to the empty spot next to him, the place where Elias used to sit, legs crossed, sketchbook in hand. It had been a year since…