Is The Secret Garden A Gothic

Rossie, a senior at Haul Academy is restless and torn between her crush on Michael and the pressures of exams. Unable to sleep, she wanders the campus at night and discovers a hidden, magical garden glowing with moonflowers and jasmine tended by the enigmatic Midnight Gardener. This mysterious figure, cloaked in a long coat and hat, teases out Rossie’s secret feelings for Michael, offering her a moonflower that pulses with light and thrives on truths. The Gardener’s cryptic advice and the garden’s strange allure pull Rossie into a web of self-discovery. Driven by rumors, Rossie visits the old library to confront a cursed mirror said to reveal one’s destined love or greatest loss. To her shock, the mirror first shows the Gardener’s face, then Michael with her rival, Angela, fueling her fears of rejection and inadequacy tied to her parents’ divorce. Returning to the garden, the Gardener suggests the mirror reflects her fears and not fate, urging her to face her truths without anxiety. Emboldened, Rossie confesses her feelings to Michael in the courtyard, learning he likes her too, though rumors and Angela’s influence complicate things. Their playful banter sparks hope for a deeper connection. However, during a literature class, Rossie is haunted by the Gardener’s spectral presence, visible only to her and a chilling message on the chalkboard: “The garden’s watching.” Her outburst in class draws attention, but the Gardener vanishes, leaving Rossie questioning reality. As she grapples with the Gardener’s cryptic influence and her own insecurities, Rossie realizes she must confront her fears to pursue her feelings for Michael. The story blends magical realism with a coming-of-age narrative, exploring themes of love, self-doubt, and the courage to face one’s truth.

Amid the waves of steam and machinery, who can reach the extraordinary? In the fog of history and darkness, who is whispering? I woke up from the mystery, opened my eyes and saw this world: Guns, cannons, huge ships, airships, differential machines; potions, divination, curses, upside-down people, seals... Light still shines, mystery never fades away. This is a legend of "The Fool".

Despite being betrayed by her boyfriend, the neglected heiress Lariette Elsher is still forced to marry him – all because her family wants to appease the fake daughter. The one she was switched at birth with. Screw this! She's done playing nice! Devasted and enraged, Lariette seeks her friend's help – to pick the best man at her butler cafe to be her contracted husband. Enter Ruediger Alvord, infamously known as the poor outcast of the Alvord family, the Elsher's family nemesis. He proposes to be Lariette's partner-in-crime, to wreak havoc in both families. While Lariette is busy getting her revenge, she fails to notice her contracted husband's strange behavior. She also fails to recognize him from a distant past. Before> Ruediger: I have nothing much on my name but, I can be a good househusband. Lariette: It's okay. I can feed you. After> Ruediger: Do you want that house? It's nothing much. Only one billion. Lariette: Aren't you just... a househusband? Since when is her husband a billionaire?! ---------- WSA 2025 Entry Exclusive cover illustration by @khaizusan (Instagram) Font and design by LotusLin We'll have two main couples in this story. Their romance will be shown simultaneously instead of in different volumes :) First: Neglected heiress FL X hidden bigshot ML Second: Returned with a bun FL X groveling husband ML

Crystals of hope. Lana a 16 years old innocent girl chosen to be the guardian of the village. Valoria a quiet , peacefully village got blessed with the unique treasure. In a deep village of ancient times lived the garden of crystals which which always blessed the people with eternity. It was the people's responsibility to protect the garden of crystals. So many dark sorcerers wanted to gain control over the crystal garden because of its powerful magical powers. But the villagers had to fight to their hardest to stop evil in their village. Every after 1000 years, a new guardian of the crystal land is chosen. At this time, Lana Alexa was chosen and she was accompanied by Rylan Dian. The struggle for protecting the garden was the sacrifice of their own lives, they always fought with powerful and most powerful darker and evil sorcerers but they never gave up. Their motive is to keep and protect the crystal garden.

Manuel is the type of person you’d overlook—a quiet, introverted teenager who rarely talks and prefers to stay out of the spotlight. But what people don’t know is that behind his silence, he’s building something they could never imagine. It all begins when Manuel befriends an advanced AI—a public technology, not his secret—but their bond quickly changes his life forever. With his AI friend by his side, Manuel uncovers hidden systems, cracks digital markets, and starts playing games no one else can see. Step by step, he secretly amasses wealth, influence, and power—while everyone else still thinks he’s just the quiet boy in the corner. But in a world where secrets control everything, how long can you hide the truth? Manuel’s quiet rise to becoming a zillionaire is no fairy tale. Rivals are watching. Friends may turn. And sometimes, the biggest danger comes from those who already know the truth. Can you really trust anyone? Can you really keep a secret?

After a scandalous rumor threatens to destroy Ruan, a member of the wildly popular idol group One4All, he’s exiled to a luxurious island for rehab—far from the flashing cameras and public scrutiny. Bored and bitter, Ruan proposes a reckless idea to his handsome new manager, Jax: a six-month secret fling. No strings. No feelings. Just sex and rock 'n roll. But as the months pass and the line between fake and real begins to blur, Ruan is faced with an impossible choice—his career, built on years of sacrifice… or Jax, the man who unexpectedly captured his heart. Will he risk everything for love? 
Or will their secret remain buried on the island forever? An island. Six months. One secret… “We said no feelings, Ruan.”
“Yeah, well... I lied.” Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. This book contains mature themes, including Boy’s Love (BL) romance, adult relationships, and explicit content. Reader discretion is advised.

All I ever wanted was to have a peaceful life and minimal social interaction, instead I died on the day of my graduation ceremony and got reincarnated in a fantasy world filled with magic, dragons and wars with politics. Accompany Elijah, who was a law graduate in his life on earth, as he unfolds the mysteries of the new world and embark on an epic adventure which starts by the feeling that his death was a plot of fate and heavens.

In Northern Song dynasty Bianjing, Yuan Ruolan’s privileged life unravels when her family’s patron is arrested for sedition. As political suspicion spreads, her father, the principled official Yuan Zhen, secretly seeks help from old allies to protect both families. Amid the turmoil, Ruolan falls in love with a man above her station, but duty and family honor make their union impossible. Drawn into a world of danger, longing, and intrigue, Ruolan must choose between her heart and her family’s survival.

In the heart of a bustling Nigerian town, Zainab is known as the quiet, modest tailor with golden hands and a perfect smile. Her clients adore her. Her neighbors respect her. Her life seems flawlessly stitched—until a mysterious stranger walks into her shop and unravels everything she’s tried so hard to conceal. Beneath the layers of Ankara and silk lies a haunting past, a forbidden love, and a truth that could destroy her family’s name. As old wounds resurface and new desires bloom, Zainab is torn between duty and desire, silence and survival. How long can she keep sewing perfection when her own life is falling apart at the seams? A tale of secrets, sacrifice, and the kind of love that dares to exist in the shadows. The Tailor’s Secret is a gripping urban drama that pulls you in, thread by thread.

what will happen when an enemy begs . Read the Princess secret to find out about love that was not meant to be but feels right

Rowan sees beauty in death. The Order he has sworn to obey only sees defilement. As the reviled Caretaker of the Order, Rowan has accepted his role as a dutiful outcast because he believes it is the only way to prove his worth to the man who holds his sisters’ souls as collateral. With his magic and his voice, Rowan can absorb death and transform it, but only in ways the Order deems acceptable to maintain the stability of the reality it claims to protect Order must subdue Disorder. Reality must triumph over illusion. He is tainted and always will be. Rowan has never questioned those lessons, but that changes the night he harvests a crimson soul that is more than human and chooses to keep it a secret. When Rowan’s song transforms that soul into a beautiful and mysterious man he names Wren, he is forced to accept that sometimes duty is a lie and illusion is the only thing you can trust. As the fabric of the Order begins to unwind and a new kind of Disorder takes hold, Rowan will need to choose again, stand with the Order that held him down, or forge a new path with Wren at his side. He may be the only one who can restore balance to the worlds, but only if he can find balance within himself first. ************************************* Updates 3-4 times per week. Note: This story focuses on relationships. I promise an epic romance, lots of swoon-worthy moments, and a healthy amount of fluff. When it does get steamy…you might get burned. Fair warning for explicit content. I don’t shy away from my spice. There are lots of side characters and couples to fall in love with, in addition to the main couple. If you love the idea of found family, you will be happy. This book is set in a non-heteronormative world, so you will see various gender identities/expressions and types of love. ************************************* Excerpt (if you want the full steamy version, you will have to read the book!): Still reeling from the new magic that coursed under his skin and unsure of how to react to the desire that threatened to take control of him, Rowan froze. Wren's hot breath against his mouth sent a jolt of pleasure through his body, and he choked back a groan. A different kind of panic flared in Rowan's chest, burning him as if he were the one on fire. This was what he wanted, what he'd thought about every night since Wren left. But wanting more was one thing. Acting on it was another. He'd spent so much of his life hiding, he didn't know how to do anything else. One corner of Wren's mouth twitched as Rowan pulled away. When he attempted to free himself from Wren's grasp, Wren just hauled him closer. Rowan liked that he didn't have to think about what to do next. His bare chest thudded against Wren's torso, and the heat from Wren's body merged with Rowan's skin, melting him from the inside out. "What did you just do to me?" Wren's deep voice vibrated against Rowan's chest. "The Disorder of your illusion was holding you captive. I…I absorbed it." "Oh? Where did you learn to do that? Have I been gone that long?" Wren's grip loosened slightly on Rowan's wrists as if he was satisfied now that Rowan was practically sitting on top him. Rowan stared at Wren's lips. He opened his mouth to protest, but immediately closed it again. "I know you aren't going to say that I shouldn't touch you." Wren's free hand splayed over the small of Rowan's back. "Not when you started it." Rowan's breath hitched. "No. I'm not going to say that anymore. Not to you." "I thought you were afraid to be touched." Wren's fingers traced a circle over the curve of Rowan's spine as if testing for a reaction. "I know that I'm not afraid of you." Rowan waited for the panic to set in, but all he felt was desire. "With you, I want…" "You want what?" "I want more." Triumph flared in Wren's gaze before he narrowed his eyes. "Really? Then why are you still trying to get away from me?"

Love is the sacrifice of time joy and and sometimes one's freedom

"We all have a dark side, the difference is whether we choose to face it or hide from it." - Unknown The story follows a young girl, Selene, who's running through the woods as if something or someone is chasing her. She feels trapped, and her only solution seems to be taking her own life by jumping into the river. However, just as she is about to succumb to the water's depths, she is unexpectedly rescued by someone with great powers. Her eyes blurry, but she could still see the tall man standing over her. She felt his angry but calm aura as he spoke, "You're not supposed to die. You're the one, as the prophecy goes. The one." Accompanying her on this perilous journey is a mysterious and powerful guardian who has been tasked with keeping her safe as she learns about herself, about life, and that the fate of this world rests on her shoulder. Selene and her guardian grow closer with time. However, he knows that their love is forbidden, as the guardian's duty is to protect her, not fall in love with her.

When elite military surgeon Yan Qingling sacrifices her life to save earthquake victims, she awakens in the body of a powerless noble girl — on the night she is wed to Li Zeyan, the feared War God Prince of the Daliang Dynasty. But instead of wedding bliss, betrayal awaits: by dawn, the loyal Li clan will be falsely accused of treason, stripped of power, and cast into exile. Armed with her secret Evergreen Pavilion — a mystical space that nurtures rare herbs, regenerates wealth, and hides countless treasures — Qingling vows to rewrite fate. She shields the family’s hidden riches, mends wounds no royal physician dares to touch, and becomes the only hope for survival on the harsh exile road. Cold and wounded, Li Zeyan watches his cunning new wife transform from a fragile bride into a fearless miracle doctor, a shrewd protector, and the backbone of a fallen clan. In a world where loyalty is punished and betrayal is law, can an exiled prince and his divine apothecary wife rise from the ashes to reclaim what was stolen — and perhaps, discover a love worth dying for? ⸻

"You are Alice!" She doesn't know what her name is, but she's sure that it is not what they claim. Waking up in the middle of an unpleasant place, and then meeting an unpleasant child then finally calls her to a name she's familiar with but has a different feeling over it, she claims, "I'm not Alice!"

Magic exists. In fact, it always has, though you probably already knew that. It thrives off belief and wonder: the more the world wants and believes in magic and magical things, the more they happen. Enter the Secret Lands, an amusement park that puts that magic front and center, where everyone can marvel and experience it firsthand! Pet actual unicorns, ride fire-breathing dragons, and sample elfish food. It can all be done here! Secret Lands Summer follows the journey of three different individuals: Mikki DuBois, the daughter of the overseer who knows the inner workings; Kennedy Cavan, a young man who just wants a summer job to save for college; and Raelena St. John, the currently emotionally wrecked and unavailable winner of a singing competition. As the Secret Lands searches for the next Coordinator to run the park and its magic, these three uncover truths about themselves, the park, and each other. Oh, and face a lot of magical peril, danger, romance (both LGBT+ and hetero), and all that good stuff!

A new content creator got hired at HYBE entertainment. A 22 year old Aera had her own struggles figuring her way out in the company. She as well had a secret. She wanted to hide this but unintentionally became a Love Expert. Words spread fast and soon reached the ears of the world famous boy band BTS. Having Love issues themselves, the members visit her for help. But the biggest twist starts there! What would Aera do when she finds out that her idol has been taking advice from her so as to pursue her!

After living as a famous Korean vlogger-slash-mukbanger, Neoma died a (shameful) death and regressed to her tragic first life--- the life where she has to live as a hidden princess with a tyrannical father and a yandere twin brother. She died at the hands of her psycho brother in her first life. But luckily, she charmed her "big brother" this time. Her father remains a sc*mbag, though. But a blessing in disguise happened when her twin brother got "sick." Because of that, she has to pretend as the "Crown Prince," forcing her father to treat her well. She thought she was finally on the road to becoming a lady of leisure. But, despite her laziness, she still ends up completing royal duties that put her closer to the throne than her sick twin brother. The next thing she knew, they already prophesied her to be the first empress of their very patriarchal empire. Now Neoma finds herself in the middle of the succession war she never wanted to be involved in! *** [EXCERPT 1] “Neoma de Moonasterio, the first princess of Moonasterion Empire. From now on, you’ll live as Prince Nero’s proxy.” [The hell is this psycho saying?] Neoma, despite her confusion, still smiled at her father--- the emperor. “Father, what do you mean by that?” “From now on, assassins sent by my enemies would target Nero,” the emperor explained. “Until he’s strong enough to protect himself, you’ll pose as your twin brother.” Her smile froze, but she still acted innocent. “But Father. If I take my brother’s position, then wouldn’t the assassins mistake me for him and…” She stopped talking when she realized that was exactly what the emperor wanted her to do. [This sc*mbag wants me to be bait?!] “You’re no longer a princess, Neoma de Moonasterio. From now on, you’ll live as Prince Nero de Moonasterio,” Emperor Nikolai said coldly while looking down at her with glowing red eyes. “Try to survive until your twin brother comes back to take his rightful place, understood?” Neoma was too shocked to react. [Are you f*cking kidding me, you sc*mbag?!] *** [ORIGINAL BOOK COVER. Artwork by sola_cola.] *** [EXCERPT 2] “I’m so sick of your tyrannical a*s,” Neoma yelled at her father aka the emperor. “I won’t forgive you for hurting Lewis and Tteokbokki!” “What will you do about it then?” Nikolai asked with a smirk. “Kill me?” “Yes! I’ll f*cking kill you, sc*mbag!” “Language,” he warned her, upset that his five-year-old daughter curses like a sailor. “Using vulgar words is unbecoming of the future Crown Prince.” “I’m a princess!” Upon yelling those words, the royal princess’s eye color changed from ash-gray to red. [This is getting serious.] “Stop it, Nero,” Nikolai told her sternly. “If you keep that up, the royal knights will come and–” “I’m not Nero!” Neoma screeched angrily. Then she jumped in the air with her left fist, ready to punch him. “In the name of the moon, I’ll punish you!” [What…?] And Princess Neoma, pretending as the Crown Prince for her sick twin brother, punched Emperor Nikolai, her father, in the face.

In a world filled with mystery and wonder, a botanist named Rowan embarks on an epic journey to uncover magical plants hidden within three legendary dungeons Dungeon Top, Dungeon Under, and Dungeon Overworld. Each plant he discovers not only grants him incredible power but also unlocks fragments of his long-lost memory. Alongside NPCs he meets on his quest, Rowan must face ferocious monsters, terrifying dungeon bosses, and a truth far greater than himself. Through his adventure, Rowan learns that tending to plants is not just a matter of life and death but a bridge that connects the past and the future in order to save the world.

it follows a boy and his friends as they encounter different challenges

With the rise of violent souls and dark forces threatening the delicate balance between the living and spiritual worlds, Max, a weary Reaper, is assigned to guide fragile human souls for the first time. Bound by an unexpected promise, Max finds himself entangled with a young girl whose destiny could change everything. As rebellion brews in the shadows and corruption spreads, Max must navigate a journey of duty, loss, and unlikely hope before both realms spiral into chaos.

"She is my secret my beautiful little secret"

An anomalous signal, sending strange codes to the ISS, appeared suddenly. Alex Maltikov, who was working as a communications systems engineer aboard the station, quickly took a picture of the code. But unfortunately, NASA refused to listen. Without them knowing, it was the beginning of the reveal of the secrets that had been hidden by... NASA.

In the tapestry of secrets, as everyone harbors their own, Julia's story unfolds—a journey on the mountain, a rare fruit, an unexpected connection, and a concealed summer secret.