289 Book(s) Related to what is lucky relic

Nora Williams was a fake celebrity influencer who built her reputation by wearing fake designer items online.

She was a minor celebrity in real life but a major one on the internet. Everyone believed she was a wealthy and privileged heiress; however, in reality, she struggled to make ends meet, barely able to pay her rent.

One fateful night, she encountered a powerful man, Leon Carruso, who saw through her fake image. Instead of exposing her, he offered to turn her fictional life into reality. "This perfect life that you want it so badly... I could make it happen in the blink of an eye, but there is one condition – you must marry me in return, Nora…”

“This life you promised me; why didn’t you warn me about it? Why didn’t you tell me it was you from back then? You tricked me into marrying you!”

“Well, let me explain…”

Vanessa, an omega in the Blood Moon Pack, suffered a devastating blow when the Alpha's son spurned her in favor of another. Seeking solace elsewhere, she eventually returns to her pack, only to be greeted by tragedy: the untimely passing of the beloved Luna, the woman who raised her.

In the midst of grief and upheaval, Vanessa’s world is further rocked when she discovers she's been chosen as the Alpha's second chance mate. Alpha Alexander, grappling with unexpected emotions and the significant age gap between them, struggles to come to terms with this twist of fate especially considering Vanessa was once rejected by his own son.

As tensions rise and emotions run high, Alpha Alexander’s conflicted feelings lead him to make a rash decision: to punish Vanessa for a drunken mistake made in the heat of the moment. But as the lines blur between duty, desire, and resentment, both Vanessa and Alpha Alexander find themselves on a collision course with destiny.

“Divorce? Divorce?” Camilla brokenly asked her husband. She couldn't believe what she heard.

“Yes, I think we should just get a divorce.” Caesar barked.

Camilla Garrison was betrayed by her fiance, by sleeping with her step sister.

That wasn't enough; she was also chased out from the house her maternal grandfather left for her and was tricked by her blood brother and father to sign her company in their name.

Devastated and heartbroken, she left the country with the help of a friend, where she will change her name to Phoenix Gilbert and get married to her ex fiance Trillionaire uncle just to get revenge.

After Camilla had over a quarter of her problem, a found secret would destroy everything.

She also have a lot of enemies to overcome.

Dive into this story and see how Camilla did all this. What would be Caesar's reaction when he found out Camilla had lied about herself?

What would also happen when he found out his wife was his nephew's ex?

Her Ex-fiance also wanted to win her back?

The rules were simple:

1: Don't fall for your coach.

2: Never fall for Ashley's brother.

Too bad she hates him. And he's not fond of her either.

Mia used to be a delight to watch in the water. A champion swimmer with a future so bright, no one could deny. Then while on a vacation, her parents drowned, and the pool that once felt like home, became a place so hostile that she couldn’t breathe. Now she is watching her dreams slip away. And the last thing she needs is a new coach who looks at her like she's already given up.

Liam James.

Talented. Charming. Aura Filled, Intimidatingly gorgeous, and calm. He doesn't know her history or why she panics at every practice. All he sees is a girl who once carried the team, went through a rough season, and now won't even try to bounce back. And he doesn't hide his disappointment.

She thinks he's arrogant. He thinks she's wasting everyone's time. Every interaction is a disaster.

But here's the other Letdown: Liam is also her best friend's brother. So while Ashley plays matchmaker with Liam and a rising model who fits perfectly into his world, and also her ticket into modelling. Mia is stuck with him at the pool. Practice after practice. Arguments after the other.

But something shifts between them, one day at practice.

Now the sharp words have turned into softer words, and lingering stares.

The emotions have turned into something neither of them can ignore.

But the rules remained. Coaches can’t date their athletes. Her best friend wants him for someone else because her future depends on it. Mia is falling for the one person she's not supposed to want. And that's not even the worst part…

I was the hottest A-list actress in Hollywood, until a few deepfaked videos of me "abusing assistants" and malicious photos of my "rotting face" dragged me straight to hell.
In just one month, I became a monster despised by the entire internet.
Facing tens of thousands of death threats telling me to "die with a rotting face."
They wanted me to die crying. I didn't. Instead, I decided to express my deepest gratitude to the bullies who ruined my life.
And my "thank you" is going to cost a fortune.
But I never imagined the real monster wasn't hiding behind a screen—he was holding the syringe.

They don’t know I’m a girl.

They all look at me and see a boy. A prince.

Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires.

And, when they storm into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervene to protect her. I make them take me too.

The plan is to escape with my sister whenever we find a chance.

How am I to know our prison will be the most fortified place in their kingdom?

I’m supposed to stay on the sidelines. The one they have no real use for. The one they never mean to buy.

But then, the most important person in their savage land—their ruthless beast king—takes an interest in the “pretty little prince.”

How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy?

And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave?

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This is a dark romance—dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+.

Expect triggers, expect hardcore.

If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in!

Damian vs Grace: aloof, handsome heir vs brave, soft‑looking girl who makes the first move.
They fall; a bad misunderstanding sends her overseas. He chases, crashes, forgets... Five years later, at a crowded crosswalk, their eyes lock—
"My heartbeat recognized you before I did."

TRIGGER WARNING!!!
This story contains themes of obsession, possessiveness, stalking, emotional manipulation, and psychological control. It is unapologetically intense and unsettling in all the right (and wrong) ways.
Be guided.


Eight years ago, Shannon watched her stepbrother get handcuffed and taken to jail for a crime she committed.

He took the fall for it without hesitation. Not because he was noble. God, no. But because obsession looks a lot like love when you're seventeen and scared.

After that night, she never went to visit him in prison, nor did she reply to any of his letters.

She buried him with the past and went on to live a peaceful life without him.

But the past never forgets.

Eight years later, when she was living a simple, peaceful life, had a decent job and a husband who loved her deeply, Shannon's past came knocking at her door.

Strange things start happening... Doors left open. Favorite things mysteriously replaced. Eyes she can't see but feels always watching her.

Everyone says she's paranoid. Everyone says He is still in jail.

No one believes her when she says she had a STALKER.

Her judgment is already upon her because, now, HE is out of prison. And the first place he goes is her doorstep, because he says she owes him her life. And he's come to collect what's his.

How far can Shannon run from a man who never stopped loving her in the most terrifying way?

A man who'd kill anyone, even her husband, just to make her his?

HIS NAME IS KENAI... The Stalker You Never Want To Have.


If you enjoy slow-burn stalker dynamics and morally gray characters, this one's for you.

I am originally of royal vampire bloodline.
But because of one sentence from my adoptive father, I hid in the human world for decades.
The Church called me a "filthy heretic" because vampire blood flowed in my veins.
Yet they burned a blind girl to death, her crime being that she "couldn't see."
They burned an old blacksmith to death, his crime being that he wanted to learn medicine.
They burned a young mother to death, her crime being that she refused to be violated by the captain of the holy knights.
Bathed in holy light, I realized for the first time—
The demons... are in the light.

Nicole had loved Samuel for five years, but ultimately it was him who brought her pain and cheated on their marriage. And when she had risked her life to carry his baby, Samuel had no regards for her nor her baby!
Nicole thought she could win his heart, but a serious fire destroyed her and wiped out her love for him.
Five years later, Nicole came back as a cold, unfeeling psychopath . This time around, she was no longer the same lady who lost everything because of love.
With her new found strength, she will step on those scums who brought her pain in the past and pretended to be pure in the face of this earth.
Now, she wanted to avenge herself and bring Samuel Green down.

“Are you not… mad at me?” I asked breathlessly. “That I’m a girl?”

He gripped both sides of my arms. His eyes scanned my face as he cupped both sides of my face tightly between his hands. “I don’t care… I don’t care that you lied… I love you either way,” he panted and pressed his lips against mine.

My hockey stick landed against the ice with a loud clank as I began to kiss him back.

He didn’t hate me anymore.

William didn’t hate me anymore!!


Daphne Sinclair is an obsessed fan of a hockey player, William Hollander. When William suddenly announces that he would quit hockey after high school, Daphne gets a crazy idea.

She would attend William’s high school, dressed like a boy, and try to get into the school’s hockey team. This way she would be close to William and try to get him to keep playing.

Will Daphne’s plan work?

Will she get into the team, or will the school figure out that she is a woman and send her away before she even gets a chance to carry out her plan?

For seven years of marriage, I don't dare make a sound around my husband.
All because he can hear everyone's voices—everyone's except mine. He says he's allergic to mine.
I've tried everything to change my voice—even had vocal cord surgery.
But no matter how hard I tried—every time he'd just cover his ears like I was hurting him.
I've cried myself to sleep so many times, feeling guilty.
Until our son's birthday.
Standing by our front door, our little boy grinned up at his dad and asked, "Dad, can I pretend to be allergic to mom's voice too? Just like you?"

The day before my engagement to my fiancé, I discovered I was a fake heiress.
And now, the real young lady had returned, and I was being sent away to the poor countryside.
But unlike what they said, my biological parents weren't poor country folk—they were the wealthiest family in the nation!
And I owned top-tier farms, a mysterious jewelry studio, and was a hidden tycoon who could shake up the entire business world.
My fiancé, who had looked down on me, was now crying and begging me to marry him.
He came to me with photos: "Pretending to be greedy, pretending to be ignorant, when you're actually a top-tier mogul? My fiancée, you've deceived me so thoroughly."

I came to Northveil Academy with no magic, no reputation, and zero tolerance for arrogant boys who decide what you're worth at a glance.

Rhydan Valecrest looked at me once and called me nobody.

He said I wouldn't last a semester, that Northveil would eat me alive and he said it calmly, like he was doing me a favour by being honest.

Then he walked away without looking back.

I didn't forget that.

But then my magic stopped staying quiet, and the most powerful boy at Northveil, hockey captain, werewolf heir, and whatever darker dragon thing lurking underneath all of that, can't stay away from me.

Turns out I'm the only one who can hold him together when he falls apart.

He needs me.

He hates that he needs me.

That should be his problem.

So when did this stop being his problem and start becoming mine?

Noah Martin is the most handsome physics instructor at his college. Of course, being an ex-model helps a bit in that department. He is engaged to a beautiful and talented designer, Olivia Wilson. They have a newborn daughter, Amelia, and are extremely busy with both of their careers. With the stress of everyday life and their newborn baby… they begin to just live together and not really be together. They skirt around the main issue between them and find excuses to not talk about it. When Noah’s coworker, Lea, and Olivia’s main male model, Adam, show up to tempt them… they are forced to deal with their relationship problems head on.

Warnings: Sexual Content, Cheating, Manipulation.

Suggested Age: 18+

Tell Me it Gets Easier: When a Relationship is Worth Saving is created by Minette Enfers, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

To pay for her daughter’s leukemia treatment, Nora takes every job she can find. But the wedding she’s hired to plan belongs to the one man she never expected to see again.
Five years ago, Xie Yanchen was her first love. Now he’s a powerful CEO… and about to marry another woman. Worse, she must plan their wedding herself.
What he doesn’t know is that she secretly gave birth to his child.
What she doesn’t know is that this reunion will change both their lives forever.
As the truth slowly comes to light, he realizes the woman he once lost has spent five desperate years raising his daughter alone.

Selena stole my sister's talent and became a saint. To appease her, my family threw my sister into a mass grave. The first thing I did after crawling back from purgatory was to crush Selena's knees. She knelt before my sister's grave, never to rise again. As for the Archbishop of the Privy Council? He would kneel before the thorny cross on my chest too.

"Starting price for my wife—one dollar!" James announced, pointing at the dog cage where I lay curled up like a dying animal.

The crowd at the wedding erupted in laughter. "Five dollars!" "Ten!" They threw bids like trash, mocking the woman who used to be Mrs. Windsor. Lillian, wearing my stolen necklace, poked me through the bars with a metal rod. "Look at you, Aurora. You're nothing but filth." I closed my eyes, accepting my fate. My husband had sold me. My dignity was gone.

Suddenly, a cold, authoritative voice cut through the noise.

"Two hundred million."

Silence fell over the hall. Every head turned. Walking through the doors was a man radiating power—Louis Smith, the newly found heir to the Smith empire. The man I had pushed away ten years ago. James turned pale. "Mr. Smith... this is a joke..."

Louis didn't even look at him. He walked straight to the cage, his eyes burning with a terrifying mix of rage and tenderness. He ripped the lock off with his bare hands and pulled me into his arms. James tried to block him. "She's my wife! You can't just take her!"

Louis smirked, his voice dripping with ice. "Your wife? I just bought her. She's mine now."

"I fell in love with a stranger. I didn't know he was my brother."
When I first saw Victor, I didn't see a sibling. I saw a man who set my skin on fire. I saw a pair of dark eyes that reflected my own soul. Our attraction wasn't just a choice—it was a gravity I couldn't escape. For weeks, we existed in a fever dream of late nights and whispered promises, building a future on a foundation I never knew was forbidden.
Then the truth came out. One old photograph, a single name, and my world shattered.
Now, the touch that felt like heaven feels like a sin. But how do you stop your heart from beating for the one person you were never supposed to touch?

When her marriage comes to an abrupt end, Sparkle tries to channel her pain into saving a dog that has been condemned to die after being involved in a terrible accident, but after a few weeks, she makes the horrible discovery that the dog she saved is, in fact, no dog at all. She saved a badly injured wolf she has mistaken for a husky. He's a powerful alpha who is very ruthless to humans, and Sparkle is no exception, or is she? Find out what becomes of Sparkle when Dalton finally regains his strength and reclaims his pack.


I saved a dying husky from being euthanized, not knowing I was bringing a billionaire Alpha werewolf into my bed. My husband divorced me because he thought I was infertile, kicking me out for a dog he was allergic to. I had nothing left but the injured animal in my backseat. I nursed him, bandaged him, and poured my broken heart out to him. But one morning, the dog was gone. In his place stood Dalton Roux, the most powerful Alpha in the city. He didn't just thank me. He kidnapped me to his mansion, claiming it was for my "protection." "You saved my life," he whispered, his voice dropping an octave as his hands roamed my curves. He pinned me against the wall, his massive erection pressing against my thigh, growling possessively.

The chieftainess returned from the poisonous fog with a swollen belly.
She announced that she carried the child of a god—a child who would bring hope to the entire base.
Only I knew that what she bore was no divine offspring, but a demon that would devour every soul in the base.
Because in my previous life, I was the one it had gnawed to death, alive...

Alyssa never expected her life to get this bad. A sudden rogue attack wiped off her pack, turning her into a mute and wolfless orphan.
She once believed that being mated with her crush Ezekiel was compensation for her miserable life. However, it just made her life worse. What could be more suffering than your fated mate unwanting you and even your child?
Ezekiel already picked himself a perfect Luna but fate gave her a mute mate. And owing to his father's last words, he had to marry Alyssa to get his rightful Alpha position. He married her yet kept their relationship unpublized. He hated her but wasn't ready to let her go.
Everyone believed Alyssa would bear and wait like she always did until Ezekiel finally could make a decision. He's her husband, her mate, and her Alpha, and taking in everything he wanted without complaining was her duty. No one expected she would be the one who asked for a divorce and even dared to run away carrying his heir.
Ezekiel swore to make this little omega pay but why did his heart break when she returned smiling at some other guy?

She was his fated mate... until his first love came back.
On the eve of her wedding to Alpha Liam, Avery's world shatters when Riley returns - the adopted sister who stole her childhood, her parents' love, and now threatens to steal her future. The same Riley who left her for dead five years ago.
But history repeats itself.
As the pack chooses Riley's side again, Avery makes her decision: she won't beg for scraps of love anymore. Not from parents who replaced her. Not from a mate who hesitates. She'll walk away from Frostveil Pack and build a life where she comes first.
There's just one problem...
Now that she's leaving, everyone suddenly remembers she exists. Liam fights to claim his mate. Her parents beg for forgiveness. Even Riley plays the victim.
But a heart broken too many times doesn't heal easily.
Will Avery give them one last chance?
Or will their betrayal cost them the Luna they took for granted?

"Haven't I warned you not to test me princess?" He asked angrily as he brought his face closer to mine.

"You can't tell me what I can and can't do. I'm not your property!!" I screamed angrily at his face as I tried to release his hold on my wrist.

He gripped me harder and pushed me towards his chest as he held my waist with his free hand.

I signed in ecstasy as I caught a whiff of his manly cologne.

"Really??" His husky voice brought be out of my dreamland.

"Let's see then!" He muttered before forcefully pressing his warm lips on mine.


Selina Cortez is a twenty-four year old and poor orphan who had big hopes and dreams of being a very successful fashion designer.

She was nice to people who show her kindness but wouldn't let anyone harrass or bully her.

She looked innocent but has the heart of a warrior.

Her dreams were cut short when she crossed path with Damian Black, a very powerful mafia lord who was known for his cold and brutal nature.

Not knowing who he is, she was disgusted at his behaviour but on the other hand, she amused him.

After their first meeting, he couldn't get his mind off her. He wanted her all to himself even though it meant taking her against her will.

What happens when a Mafia lord falls in love with an ordinary girl?

A war is bound to break out because the cold mafia finally has a weakness.

Join me in this amazing ride filled with love, lust, revenge and betrayal.

Note: This novel contains many R rated scenes like violence and smut.
If you don't like this type of stories, don't bother starting it.

She was known as the fearless daughter of one of the Most Powerful rulers. With her dashing beauty, Princess Raziya was admired by many but avoided by all due to her arrogance and viciousness. She felt untouchable.

But what happens when Raziya goes hunting and in the quest to hit an animal, mistakenly shoots a wolf? Not just a wolf, but the gamma of An Alpha no one would want to interfere with.

Alpha Jagger was known as a hybrid and a sadist - one who derived joy from hurting others - and Raziya was known for her unending hatred for Wolves - beasts, as she called them.

So, what happens when the King's favourite daughter finds herself committing the most significant offense against the hybrid Alpha? The Alpha that never forgives?

A spicy read you wouldn't want to miss..

I took my sister’s place to save my family. Now I am living a life that could destroy me. I never wanted anything to do with the mafia. But when my twin sister vanished without a word, I stepped into her world and became her… the wife of Rowan, a man people fear and never question.
Every day, I live a lie. His son, Dante, looks at me like I am his mother, and something inside me breaks every time he says in a low voice that l look like his mom. But not everyone is fooled.
Rowan’s family watches me too closely. They see what does not belong and they are waiting for me to slip so they can get rid of me for good.
I tell myself I can handle it. That I just need to survive long enough to protect the people I love.
But I am losing control. Because the man I was never meant to love is starting to look at me differently. And the worst part is… I think I am falling for him too.

Khalid was known as the cruel leader of his group of bad companions - a group known to be involved in all forms of illegal activities. They were worst than a mafia group.
Innocent Octavia shows up one day and begs to be a part of his group for reasons best known to her.
But in order to achieve that, she had to let go of her innocence, had to let go of her cold lifestyle and act like one of them.
She had to obey all the Master's rules.
And his first rule - you can't be a virgin and work for Master Khalid.

Natasha Reed was a twenty-five years old Lady who was married to her long time boyfriend, Jason Reed.

To others, they were the perfect couple because of the way they had gotten married at a very young age despite their parent's disapproval.

She always felt bad for his because despite being married for about three years, she is still unable to bear him a child. But he still loved her unconditionally, or so she thought.

One faithful day, she found out that he had been cheating on her.

Feeling betrayed and heartbroken, she went to a bar to drown herself and Problems. Then, she met the handsome stranger she had an unforgettable one-night stand with. The next morning, she left before he would wake up and left behind nothing he could use to trace her with.

What happens when she met with the stranger again? What happens when she found out that he was her husband's boss and he had been searching for her since their first night together. He couldn't forget about her and vowed to make her his even though she was a single parent.

What happens when her ex husband wants back into his life and would do anything to earn her Forgiveness and trust again.

She is thrown oh the middle of two men. Wall she picK the hot and rich CEO or her ex husband? Find out more as a deadly affair is bound to occur.

Note: This book is rated 18+ as there are a lot of sex and violent scenes. Be warned!!

Kind Lena was framed and forced to be separated from her lover Raphael by misunderstanding. In order to revenge Lena, Raphael deliberately approached Lena and designed a plot, but they fell in love with each other again and their love never disappeared. But there is more than one conspiracy, the betrayal of friends and families ...... In order to protect each other, they cooperate, eventually built a happy family under many obstacles.

When the apocalyptic red rain fell, my brother and I both awakened spatial abilities.

He awakened a space as vast as a mansion and was hailed by the entire family as their savior.

While I only awakened a "suitcase" and was ruthlessly drained of all my assets by my parents to support my brother, then kicked out of the house.

They mocked me cruelly: "We don't keep deadweights. Go wait for death in the 70-degree furnace outside!"

What they didn't know was that my brother's space had no preservation function—his stockpile of premium ingredients would soon rot into a pile of maggot-infested meat.

But my suitcase had upgrade attributes!

While they fought each other over a sip of putrid green water in the 200-degree hellscape,

I sat in the "Eden" I had created, watching herds of cattle and sheep, drinking ice-cold fresh milk.

Verine Garzon is curious and pure but she's not innocent. Her wild acts results to something serious in her reproductive health that needs professional help of doctors.

When she met her aunts doctor, Dr. Malcolm Monteclar, the most handsome doctor in the country, she couldn't help but fantasize about his gorgeous face, oozing sex appeal, hard rock muscles and his big thing. When he caught her she didn't hesitate to ask for his help.

Will Malcolm help her?

Lineah's a good niece and hardworking person. Since she was a child she knew, something is missing and her heart felt empty.

She shut herself from intimate relationship, she never had one but it will all change when she found out she's not blood related to his known aunt.

In her journey of searching her identity and real parents she found herself caught up in a steamy romance with the two brothers who promised to help her in exchange of hot nights.

Maria Celiza Carosca is a free girl, she's confident, pretty and popular. The only thing she's lacking is a bit of wisdom. She's not an excellent student, she's trying but still she failed. That's why her main goal is to pass with the help of Magnus James Morrison, the nerd of the campus, but to Celiza's disappointment he refuses. Celiza found a way to make him change his mind but will Magnus help her in exchange of him being her sex student?

All he needed was a bride to break his undying cures as a rejected alpha. He stumbles upon a woman who got claimed by death but woke her up with a kiss.
Shockingly, when she wakes up, she found a marriage contract beside her! How can she love a man who she only sees at night?

"Our worlds cannot be merged together; no matter how much we try, it will be useless. We just have to give up!" Elise's voice shook, though her alpha glare never wavered.
Rory stepped closer, his voice low and guttural. "You think I don't know that? I know it's impossible… I know you can't abandon your people, and I can't abandon mine."
His hand brushed her cheek, eyes blazing. "But that doesn't change the fact that I crave you. Every breath you take pulls me closer, no law or bloodline can stop it. Tell me you don't feel it too… and I'll walk away."


Every year, Elise, the fierce heir to the SilverClaw Pack, walks into the grand mate-gathering hall with hope burning in her chest—only to leave alone. Without a mate, she can never claim the Iron Throne. And this year is no different…
Until a violent storm changes everything.
Stranded on the wrong side of town, Elise crosses paths with Rory, a rough-edged, dangerously handsome rogue leader who's younger, untamed.
He's everything she shouldn't want. Rough where she's refined. A leader of outcasts, branded an enemy to her people. Forbidden.
But fate doesn't care about bloodlines or crowns. The Moon Goddess has other plans.
No law, no tradition, not even bloodlines can break the pull between them. But with packs divided and war brewing in the shadows, choosing Rory could cost Elise her throne… and spark a conflict that might destroy them both.
Torn between duty and an impossible love, Elise must decide: Will she walk away from her destiny… or risk everything for the mate the moon chose for her?

"I hope you're not serving that dirty maid my food!" Eliora—the woman Adrian truly loved and the one who acted as if she already owned the house—snapped with a sharp, venomous voice from the staircase.
"I wasn't planning to eat it anyway," I said calmly, rubbing my stomach. "I have better taste than that. And I don't want anything, or anyone, that might harm my child."


She loved him in silence. He denied her without remorse. Alvara was forced into a marriage with the billionaire who took her innocence, only to discover it was a nine-month trap.
Forced into a marriage built on cold rules and public lies, Alvara quickly learns that being a wife does not mean being wanted. Every kindness has conditions. Every smile hides control. And every mistake is hers to bear alone.
When the marriage ends, Alvara walks away with nothing but scars and a vow never to be weak again.
Years later, she returns...changed, guarded, and no longer willing to beg for what she deserves. But the man who once denied her isn't ready to let go.
In a world ruled by power, pride, and regret, can love survive after divorce… or is denial the one thing that never truly ends?