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Those Left in the Dark

Inkaryon
The world didn't end with a bang. No fire. No warning. Just silence. Jason Wright and his family now live buried beneath the surface, sealed in a high-tech bunker designed for survival—not comfort. With no messages from the outside and no clear explanation for the collapse, days blur into one another. Their only certainty is isolation. But what really happened out there? Was it a disaster... or something intentional? Is there still life beyond the bunker walls? Are their friends, lovers, extended family still alive—or long gone? How long can a family endure in such close confinement before old roles shift and new attractions emerge? Can Jason carry the weight of responsibility when the world above offers no answers—and the world below begins to fracture? And if he ever gets out of the bunker... what will Jason find waiting for him outside? — Author Notes — This is my first novel. It’s a character-driven, slow-burn psychological drama set in a post-apocalyptic bunker, exploring the effects of prolonged isolation, moral collapse, and shifting family dynamics. The story includes mature themes and emotional complexity. >Content Warnings / Themes: #Incest (gradual tension, emotional and/or physical) #Moral ambiguity #Post-apocalyptic survival #Isolation & mental strain #Power dynamics within a confined space >Why I’m Writing This: I'm writing this story to push my own boundaries as a author and to explore difficult questions about ethics, survival, and human psychology when stripped of societal norms. This project is a learning process for me. I'm not aiming for perfection—I’m aiming to grow. So if you read this and feel something—anything—I’d truly appreciate hearing your thoughts. Constructive criticism is more than welcome, whether it’s about pacing, dialogue, characters, or anything else. Please let me know what worked for you and what didn’t. Thanks for giving it a chance.
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The Duke’s Bargain

“What did you say?” Félix asked. She repeated, “Name your price.” “What is that supposed to mean?” His voice had tapered off with an unreadable emotion that got her weak in her knees, but she held out her chin. “Didn't you once offer to pay me off? Now, make me an offer I cannot refuse. Otherwise, I will go in there"—she gestured toward the Ball—"and make everyone think you dragged me out here to take advantage of me. I know exactly what that would do to your reputation.” “Say. That. Again,” Félix said through gritted teeth as he inched closer to her. ====================== She hadn’t meant to upset him or, worse, blackmail him. She didn’t even know who he was; she only knew he looked important because of how regally he stood in the moonlit dark. Estella was the baron of Cleverdale’s youngest, born into a hard life and always kept on her toes. Her stepsisters hated her. The baroness loathed her. And her father, the only one she called family, shattered her heart when he sold her to Viscount Alistair Ravensdale to cover up his misdeeds. The night of Lady Agatha’s ball, she seized her chance and ran straight into … Duke Félix of Chateaûbriant. In the dark, he mistook her for Princess Coralie, his fiancée, and kissed her. When the moon revealed her face, something about her stuck with him. He couldn’t shake the image of her running wildly or how she smelled like white lotus with hardcore roots. But when she threatened his reputation, he refused to play along. She returned to her world of cruel sisters and an unwanted engagement. What she hadn’t prepared for was the Duke arriving at her doorstep, making two outrageous claims. One. He was the Duke of Chateaûbriant. And two. She had stolen something valuable from him that night. What had she stolen without knowing it? Or worse, what could he possibly demand as repayment? ✯Like it? Add to Library!
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