Lahat

[MM STORY]
My darkness meets a darker soul.
I’m a golden boy.
A genius law student, the heir to the Carson empire, and the dutiful son.
Or, at least, that's what it looks like from the outside.
Deep inside, I have the urge to set the world on fire.
I keep these impulses in check, rarely indulging in mayhem.
Until one night of debauchery backfires, and I'm caught by a villain.
I bury the entire ordeal with the rest of my skeletons.
That is, until that night walks into my classroom in the form of my new professor.
Kayden Lockwood.
A criminal who’s teaching criminal law.
I can't expose what he's done without unmasking my secret life.
What I can do, however, is force him to taste the poison he gave me.
In the clash of titans, Kayden and I break and crumble.
And I'm starting to realize this dangerous game may have no winners.
Kiss the Villain is a dark MM romance. Please check the author's note or visit the website for content warnings before diving in. While this book can be enjoyed as a standalone, diving into the Legacy of Gods series will give you a deeper connection to the characters. 
"Katelyn, your love disgusts me." When Ethan forced her to apologize to that woman, completely ignoring whether she lived or died, Katelyn finally came to her senses that her marriage was a joke. Ethan had never cared about her, not even at her mother's funeral, when he cheated on her with her own sister. She filed for divorce and bid Ethan farewell.Katelyn soon returned to her career and steadily became a highly sought - after editor - in - chief.Fate smiled on her and she was discovered by her billionaire biological father, who made her the heir to all his fortune. As she danced passionately in the arms of her new boyfriend Cayden, Ethan watched with burning jealousy and regret. Unable to contain himself any longer, he dropped to his knees before her and begged, "Please, Katelyn… please come back to me." 
BLURB
."Ever have that feeling nothing you ever do matters?"
This is Lila Vitale's story, being overshadowed by her elder sister all her life no matter the efforts she puts in.
Finally, she is put in the spotlight when her elder sister, Lily, abandons her husband because he went blind, and she ( Lila) has to be the replacement by pretending to be her.
Lila is not happy about this at first but steps up to the challenge as she is finally seen and relied on by those she cares about.
Lucien, a year later regains his eyesight due to surgery. Lila, hopeful to be set free by the truth, gets disappointed when her sister Lily miraculously appears to take back the place she abandoned and the man Lila had grown to love.
To make matters worse, Lila realizes she was just a pawn being used all along and overhears death plots about her unborn child.
As the betrayal deepens, Lila tries reaching out to Lucien who treats her like a pest, hurting and giving her no choice but to disappear. Not too long after, Lucien figures out the truth and seeks out for her but isn't he too late?
Will Lila ever want to let him back into her life again, especially when she is hell-bent on revenge?
EXCERPT.
"You have to come back, Lila. To me. You and our children". He whispered gently, his blue eyes filled with care towards me, his hands on my cheeks, stroking them softly.
I closed my eyes, rubbing my face against his palm, enjoying the texture. How I had longed so much for this.
"Our children? Remember Mr. Knight. I never married you neither are my bastard children yours". I commented, repeating his exact same words five years ago as the side of my lips curled up in disdain. 

On the day Jeanette Young is diagnosed with terminal gastric cancer, William Ashford cheats on her with his first love, Giselle Wills.
Jeanette doesn't cry or make a scene. Instead, she tries to fix the marriage with everything she has, only to be met with divorce papers and Giselle flaunting a baby bump at her doorstep.
That's when Jeanette finally gives up and agrees to the divorce. She takes the hefty settlement, and since she won't live long anyway, goes on a revenge spending and investment spree.
Who would expect a random project she invests in to go viral overnight? A lottery ticket she buys hits 50 million dollars in winnings, and even the broke college student she sponsors turns out to be a future business prodigy.
In the blink of an eye, Jeanette becomes the most powerful investor in the game.
With money comes health, so her condition steadily improves, her career soars, and countless suitors vie for her attention. Even her cold ex-husband—William—starts getting attracted to her and frequently begs for reconciliation.
One night, the teary-eyed William pleads, "Please just give me one more chance."
Jeanette smiles. "Your life's a mess, Mr. Ashford. You don't deserve me."
Later, she learns the hard way that careless words do invite trouble. 

Bailey seems to be never destined to fit in, a little geeky, but under it all, a hidden beauty that so many seem to miss, but still not what her pack Alpha is looking for in a fated mate... so he is determined to reject her and make her life hell. Bailey, knowing her life will likely never be the same focuses on what she can control, her future, and heads off to study; becoming a teacher. Asher is the Beta of Autumn Valley Pack, a neighbouring pack. A broken man having suffered the loss of his mate after a rogue attack, Asher is slowly crumbling. Falling to pieces. A shadow of his former self, and not a man that anyone wants to be around anymore... Until, Autumn Valley Pack require a new teacher, and Bailey finds herself there and pushed together with the Beta. Is there a connection building or is that in their imaginations? And what will happen when Bailey's mate comes back to claim what is his? 

After being evicted by the Gray family, Shannon Gray magically becomes the heiress of an affluent family.
The Gray family regrets kicking her out and wants the Jensen family to give them half its assets as compensation. Shannon sneers and uses a truth-telling talisman to expose the Gray family's true colors and the skeletons in its closet. Similarly, when a scumbag refuses to leave her alone, she easily makes him have nightmares every night.
Her cousins look down on her and think she's a disgrace, but the head of the Shaw family comes knocking on their door, looking for her. "As long as you're willing to save my daughter, I'll agree to any condition you have!"
The head of another affluent family that's never gotten along with the Jensen family shamelessly comes knocking, too. "I was a fool for acting the way I did in the past. I'll announce to the world that I'm your lackey as long as you're willing to help me!"
Later, even Shannon's cousin, who once detested her, becomes her loyal follower. "She's the best cousin ever, and I'll curse anyone who dares say a word against her!"
After everything that's happened, the Jensen family finally snaps to their senses and realizes that Shannon, whom they'd thought was a pitiful little thing, is a master at geomancy and divination.
Shannon needs to rid people and places of malevolence, save lives, and suck up to a bigwig. She can't help saying, "I'm exhausted."
Benjamin "Bigwig" Cooper takes the initiative to share her burden. "You don't need to suck up to me. I'm already yours." 

I've loved Chris Gildon for a decade, but all he says is, "You're boring as hell. I couldn't be any less interested in you."He turns and spends his days and nights with another woman.We've known each other for ten years, but nothing comes from our relationship. I decide that I don't want to be his second choice anymore.Later, I get engaged to someone else. Chris knocks on my door in the middle of the night. "Maddie…""What can I do for you, Mr. Gildon?"As soon as the words are out of my mouth, a man's sexy voice rings out from the bedroom. "Babe, where did you put my underwear?"Chris staggers and spits a mouthful of blood before me. Sometime after that, I see that he's posted a story on his Instagram. It writes, "Once you miss out on someone, it stays that way for life. She might love you now, but that doesn't mean she'll love you forever. So, appreciate her while you have her." 




When her half-sister stole her fiancé, scarred her face, and threw her from a skyscraper, Amelia thought it was the end—until fate gave her a second chance.Reborn with bitter clarity, she vowed not to repeat the same mistakes. In her past life, she had been kind to a fault; now, she would wear a mask of innocence to outmaneuver every snake in the grass.One by one, she tore down their schemes—leaving her treacherous sister begging, her stepmother pleading, her worthless father groveling, and her ex-fiancé crawling back.Her response was a cold smirk and two words: “Get lost.”But the one thing she never anticipated was crossing paths with Damien Taylor—the most powerful and untouchable man in the capital—on the very first day of her new life.They said he was ruthless, ice-cold, immune to any woman’s charm. Amelia believed it… until she learned the truth: the man was dangerously cunning.“Miss Johnson, I saved you. How about dinner?”“Miss Johnson, I helped you. Don’t you owe me a favor?”Backed against the wall, Amelia felt his low voice vibrate through her:“You owe me too much, Amelia. It’s time to pay up—starting with you.”Only much later would she realize… she’d been owing him all along. 


Thaddeus Cromwell is about to marry his childhood sweetheart, Danica Watson. Louisa Graham, who has been by his side for seven years, neither cries nor makes a scene. Instead, she personally organizes a grand wedding for him.
On the day of Thaddeus' wedding, Louisa puts on a wedding dress as well.
Two bridal cars pass each other along a long, bustling street. As the brides exchange bridal bouquets, a customary gesture of goodwill in their country when wedding processions meet, Thaddeus hears Louisa say, "I wish you a happy marriage!"
Thaddeus runs after Louisa's bridal car for ten full miles before finally catching up. He grabs her arm and sobs tearfully, "Louisa, you're mine."
But a man steps out of the bridal car and gently pulls Louisa into his embrace. "If she's yours, then what about me?" 


Arya Vitale, the daughter of his sworn enemy was supposed to be a bargaining chip
A pawn in a blood war but from the moment Giovanni De-Santis laid eyes on her, he didn’t see a pawn… he saw his
So he took her
Stole her from her wedding, forced her into a contract marriage, and branded her with his name in every way that mattered
To the world, it was a business strategy
To him she was never meant to be his, it was an obsession
But she isn’t the fragile princess he expected. She’s smart, sharp, hot-headed, sassy, and far too good at making him feel things he buried long ago
And when she runs away he hunts her
Because Giovanni doesn’t lose
Not his empire
Not his war
And never the woman he’s marked as his own
But some wars can’t be won with bullets
Some secrets refuse to stay buried
And the deadliest betrayal may not come from his enemies at all…
What happens when the one thing he can’t control
is the only thing that could destroy him is the only thing that could destroy him?
And a war that demands blood….even if it’s hers. 

When I ended up in jail for the crimes my boyfriend Bob committed, he used and abandoned me, marrying the Alpha's daughter Lisa. After my release, I became a wedding planner, organizing their wedding.Little did I know, the Alpha himself would come to meet me for his daughter's wedding. And to my surprise, as he approached, I heard the voice of my wolf Susan deep inside me."mate..."His scent of lavender and sea salt overwhelmed me completely.Unbelievably, the handsome, wealthy, and charming Alpha is my mate?Could I possibly become my ex-boyfriend's mother-in-law? Though, there are rumors that the Alpha killed his former Luna... 

"I can feel it," he said with his back still turned to me."What?""You eye-raping me," he chuckled and turned around."Don't you own a shirt?" I rolled my eyes at him, trying to keep my cool. "And why are you calling me out here for?"Ryder smirked. He cleaned his hands with a towel and tossed it off somewhere. "To pick up where we left off," he said as he stalked towards me.I didn't move away, I was too entranced. In one swift move, Ryder grabbed my face with both hands and he kissed me fiercely and passionately. Just the contact was enough to send shivers up and down my spine. I couldn’t hold back anymore, so I kissed him back, feverishly. He smiled and I smiled too, and he used this opportunity to slip his tongue inside.***What happens when a girl falls in love with the one person she's not supposed to?***"You and me, and never us: a complicated series of almost-interactions."It's the summer before college and Kara is forced to spend the holidays with her new family. Little does she know, a lot can happen in one hot summer.The moment Kara lays her eyes on Ryder, she knows she's a goner. She has never met anyone as sexy, fun, and liberating. But she's made a promise that she won't give herself away before marriage.The moment Ryder lays his eyes on Kara, he knows his life wouldn't be the same again. He has never met a girl so pure and genuine. He's made it his life mission to be with her, for better or for worse."If God is love, you're my religion."Sometimes we can't choose who we fall in love with. Kara and Ryder's love for one another is the kind of love that only comes once in a blue moon, but unfortunately, they can never be anything more than a brother and sister. All that love, yet it is barely anything at all... 
Three years ago, I had my positive cancer diagnosis in one hand as I consoled Anderson Graham, whose eyes were red and teary.
"It's just cancer. I can beat this."
However, he continued crying until he was almost out of breath. He hugged me so tightly that I thought my bones would crack.
"Yvonne, promise me that you'll beat this. I'll wait for you to return so I can marry you!"
In order to live, I had to remove most of my stomach.
Every single day, I was faced with handful after handful of pills and never-ending chemotherapy.
Three years later, I'm finally healed and can return to Anderson's side.
During my return party, his female best friend chuckles as she raises a glass.
"Andy was as celibate as a priest while you were overseas. I kept a close eye on him every single night and made sure nobody else was in his bed.
"I practically tattooed the words 'Do Not Touch' on him to make sure nobody else would go for him!"
The noisy room suddenly becomes so quiet that I can hear a pin drop.
I do my best to ignore the prickling ache coming from my chest.
With an equally bright smile, I raise my glass and reply, "Should I give you an award for keeping his bed occupied, then?" 





Bethany Porter has been in a clandestine relationship with her best friend's uncle, Noah Vazquez, for three years, only to hear her best friend, Holly Vasquez, say, "My uncle's seeing someone, Beth."
It hits her then that she has been nothing but a substitute for the last three years.
To reclaim her late father's inheritance, Bethany agrees to her mother, Diana Reeves', arrangement and goes on a blind date. Unbeknownst to her, she sits at the wrong table.
"Let's get married. We can go our separate ways in a year," Bethany suggests.
Silas Brennan arches his brow. "Sure. Since there's still time, why don't we go get our marriage license now?"
…
Regret twists in Noah's chest when he sees the ring on Bethany's finger. His eyes mist over as he seizes her wrist. "Can you give me another chance, Beth?"
Before the gentle woman can respond, the man behind her draws her in, his arms settling around her slender waist. "Whoa there, are you trying to be a homewrecker, Mr. Vazquez? Sorry, but that's my wife's hand you're holding. Lay a hand on her again, and I'll cut it off!"
Noah belatedly realizes that the man who stole his girlfriend is his archenemy. 
Lilith Verona’s life looks perfect from the outside. The mansion, the husband who gives her everything, except freedom. Behind closed doors, Lucian’s love is control, his affection another kind of prison.
Then Damien Blackwood walks into her world, Lucian’s estranged brother, all charm and danger, with eyes that seem to recognize every piece of her she’s been forced to hide. Their connection is instant, reckless, and impossible to resist.
What begins as a spark becomes an affair that threatens to consume them both. But the closer Lilith gets to Damien, the more she realizes the truth: nothing about her marriage, her past, or even her identity is what it seems.
And when the lies start to unravel, Lilith will have to decide who she really is… the woman her husband made her, or the one she’s finally brave enough to become.
Because in a world built on power, betrayal, and blood, there are no saints between us. 
Rebirth. Revenge. Romance.
In her past life, Delia was blind to love. Betrayed by her cousin and ex, she discarded her "crippled" husband Curtis-only to die disfigured and alone.
Now she's back.
This time, she tears up the divorce papers and clings to Curtis's side-only to discover he's not weak at all. In fact, when he rises from his wheelchair, the world bows.
"You're mine-body and soul," he growls, his voice like velvet and steel.
She's the one seducing him now-until he's addicted, crazed, and can't live without her.
She'll crush her enemies, reclaim everything they stole, and love the man who once gave her the world.
This time, she'll give him back everything-and more. 
The famous Gregory Sutton of Bircanda City is married! The thing is, not only is his wife ugly and fat, but she's also a country bumpkin!
Two years later, Gregory is still cold and distant toward her. He doesn't want to have anything to do with her at all.
However, Veronica Walsh keeps holding onto the marriage simply because she loves him. After all, he was the beacon of light in the darkest times of her teenage life.
When Gregory's first love, Camelia Sandoval, returns to the country, Gregory forces Veronica to donate blood to Camelia. After the transfusion, he even leaves her with a divorce agreement.
That's when Camelia finally gives up on Gregory. She also snaps out of her lovesick trance and drops her signature on the divorce agreement. After that, she leaves the country and starts her life anew.
Three years later, the ugly and fat bumpkin makes a glorious return to Bircanda City.
Apparently, she's the internationally-renowned top surgeon who everyone admires. The best hacker in the world worships her. The award-winning actor refers to her as his boss. She even has a royal princess backing her up when needed. All the patriarchs of the most elite families in the world rush forth just to claim her as their goddaughter.
Needless to say, Veronica shines bright like a diamond and has countless admirers flocking to her. Naturally, Gregory, that scumbag of an ex-husband, regrets divorcing him.
In the middle of the night, a certain noble-looking and arrogant man pins Veronica against the wall. He begs pathetically, "Veronica, let's get remarried. Please." 




I just experienced the most unforgettable Christmas night of my life.
I had planned a pajama-themed Christmas party with my best friend, Lia Wright, and I purposely changed into my black, lacey night gown, took a sexy photo of myself in it, and sent it to her.
"Daddy, wanna open your Christmas present tonight?" I said in a text message to tease her.
Exactly three minutes later, she replied, "Are you sure you want to play this game?"
I chuckled at how serious she was, then typed my provocative reply. "Just say it if you're too scared to come over."
Now, 20 minutes later, the door to my room is suddenly thrown open with a loud bang.
Liam Blake, my childhood friend who had been giving me the cold shoulder for the past half year, shows up at the door, his eyes rimmed red and with a light dusting of snow on his clothes. He pushes me onto the bed and kisses me fiercely and fervently.
"What did you just call me earlier?" Liam gasps, backing away slightly so his hot breath fans across my lips. His voice is low and hoarse, and I have never heard him speak like that before. "Call me that again."
I shiver hard and quickly sober up before grabbing my phone that was still lit up.
I had thought that I'd been chatting with Lia the entire time. But now, I suddenly realize that the name on top of the chat window had been "Liam" the entire time. 

Bella Thompson assumed a new identity and entered into a three-year marriage contract with Justin Salvador, hoping to win his heart with her unwavering devotion.To her dismay, Justin hastily presented her with the divorce papers as soon as their contractual period expired. Heartbroken, Bella signed them and returned home, resuming her identity as the heiress of the Thompson business empire.From then on, Bella no longer hid her remarkable talents. She was not only a billionaire heiress, but also a medical prodigy, a world-class hacker, and a fencing champion.Determined to get her revenge, Bella went all out to humiliate her ex-husband’s childhood sweetheart at an auction. She also became her ex-husband’s biggest business rival.Finally, Justin confronted her, saying, “Bella Thompson! Must you be so ruthless?”Bella sneered and retorted, “How I treat you now is only a fraction of the cruelty you subjected me to back then!” 

Everyone in high society knows that Keith Ford, the scion, is intensely possessive and loves nothing more than showing off his affection.But ever since Ariel Levine's abduction, he realizes the importance of keeping her out of the spotlight.From that day on, his obsession borders on madness. When she develops post-traumatic mutism, he hires the world's top psychologists and brings them into their home to treat her. When she wants to go out, he builds a fully-equipped castle designed specifically for her. It's almost like a small city of its own.People say that Keith is keeping his mute wife under gentle confinement. But Ariel believes that he is just too afraid of losing her again after that one incident.For five long years, she has been living under his airtight protection, completely cut off from the world.One day, Ariel realizes her voice has finally returned. She sneaks out of the castle for the very first time and hails a cab to Keith's company to surprise him.But just as she enters the city center, the police stop her. 
I, Nadine Cross, transplant the nerves from my own hands to my boyfriend's "sister", who loses the use of both her hands in an accident.
With that, Irene Sawyer's painting skills improve tremendously.
However, I lose function in both hands. I can't even lift a glass of water.
My boyfriend, Thomas Graham, tearfully promises that he will forever be grateful to me and will take care of me for the rest of my life.
Because I love him, I silently endure the agony of rehabilitation treatments.
But one day, I accidentally discover that his so-called sister, Irene, is actually his lover.
I confront him, but they tie me up.
"Since your hand nerves work so well, your optic nerves should be good too. Irene's eyesight hasn't been great lately. If you're going to help, then you should help her all the way. Give her your eyes, Nadine," Thomas demands.
I fall into despair as I watch them approach me with surgical knives.
Thomas says, "Don't hate me. You've already lost function in both hands. Your eyes won't do you much good when you're in this state. I'm just making the rational choice."
Boundless darkness descends.
When I open my eyes again, I am back at the time right before the nerve transplant surgery.
This time, I get a dog's nerves instead. 
I am Tanya White, the White Reaper, brought in by Richard Stone at a staggering price to extend the life of his short-lived grandson, Cedric Stone.
I warn Cedric not to smoke or drink while the ritual is underway. However, he reacts by locking me in a bathtub brimming with booze, while ten strong men smoke beside me.
I warn him to resist all pleasures during the ritual's climax. But he immediately turns to Arianna Jones and spends the next month wrapped up in nights of pleasure with her.
I beg the Lord of the Underworld to grant him 99 chances. But he uses the very last one to lock me in and leave to play with Arianna's dogs.
"Tanya, you're a liar. This so-called short-lived fate? Only Grandpa was foolish enough to believe your nonsense. I didn't cooperate with you, yet look at me—I'm still alive, aren't I?"
This time, I say nothing.
"Cedric Stone, if you don't want to live, then I will grant your wish." 




Everyone in Harborlyn says Lila Wynn is the kind of woman men would want to marry.
She is beautiful enough to take a man's breath away, yet she has a gentle and soft personality.
Dominic Steele keeps getting caught up in scandals. Every time, his fiancee, Lila, will be the one to clean up the mess.
The first time, Dominic gets caught going on a date with a rookie model. Lila, who is running a high fever, still drags herself out of bed in the middle of the night and gets someone to remove the trending topic.
The third time, Dominic is cornered at a hotel with an up-and-coming actress. Lila has just come out of surgery for appendicitis. She grits her teeth in pain and goes to smooth things over with the reporters herself.
The ninth time, on the day of Lila's mother, Melanie Norman's funeral, Dominic spends the night celebrating his mistress' birthday.
Lila is crying while she writes and releases a statement to clear things up for him.
Then comes the 100th scandal. This time, the woman who gets caught in Dominic's bed is Lila's sister, whom she has loved and protected for 20 years. 
I stuck by Wesley Grant for five years.
I jumped into the sea, underwent an abortion, and even took a bullet—all for his sake.
I was called his lapdog. Yet, they were unaware that he had saved my life from the brink of death five years ago. From that moment on, I swore I would only remain loyal to him.
At the dinner hosted by the Grant family, he had me lower myself to his childhood sweetheart. It was only when his uncle, Joseph Grant, entered and stopped him that I realized the truth.
The man who saved me five years ago had never been Wesley.
It was Joseph all along.
Without any hesitation, I called the patriarch of the family, Albert Grant, saying, "I changed my mind. The heir of the Grant family should be Joseph. If not, I'll withdraw my investments at once." 
Taryn Vant is a popular, stunning racer. Because she's great at racing, her admirers could wrap around the Earth three times. Nevertheless, she never gives any of them the time of day.
Meanwhile, Zane Wilder is a naturally gifted racer and also Taryn's arch-nemesis.
In public, the moment they appear in the same space, they're always at each other's throats, as if they want to destroy one another. In private, though, they keep getting pulled back to each other.
At first, Taryn believes that Zane feels the same—that they share an unspoken, mutual understanding about their relationship. It stays that way until the day she sees him walk onto the racetrack holding another woman's hand. 




My childhood sweetheart, who once promised to marry me after graduation, proposes to the fake heiress, May Rivera, at my college graduation ceremony.And just when I think I've lost everything, Randell Gunther—the capital's admired "Mr. Zen"—steps forward and publicly declares his love for me.We get married. For five years, he treats me with unwavering tenderness and spoils me like I'm his world.Then, one day, I overhear him talking to a friend."Randell, May’s famous now. Are you really going to keep pretending with Julia?""I can't have May anyway. It doesn't matter anymore. Besides, as long as I'm with Julia, May can live peacefully and without distractions."Every prayer he makes is for May."I pray that May will be freed from obsessions and find peace in body and soul.""I pray that May receives everything she wishes for and loves without worry.""May, though we are not fated for this lifetime, I yearn that I'll be able to hold your hand all through the next."Five years of love are shattered in an instant.I create a fake identity and plan a staged drowning.From now on, in this life and the next, we never have to meet again. 
In Noelle Liddell's past life, she obeyed her brothers' every command. Yet they exploited her and stepped all over her pride so they could dote on Xenia Quigley, their fake sister. Noelle is their birth sister, yet she ultimately dies after being kicked out of her home.
After being reborn, Noelle follows one principle—she stops being such a Good Samaritan, and she's not going to forgive or make up with her brothers. They can go do whatever they want as long as they leave her alone.
Her eldest brother, Donovan Liddell, wonders why his health has deteriorated recently. It's because Noelle doesn't bring him his medication and supplements anymore.
Her second brother, Frank Liddell, wonders why his company's firewall keeps acting up. It's because Noelle doesn't maintain it anymore.
Her third brother, Carl Liddell, wonders why the development of the new drug is going so slowly. It's because Noelle isn't testing it anymore.
Her fourth brother, Blake Liddell, wonders why the scripts he's getting are so horrible. It's because Noelle isn't writing them anymore.
Her fifth brother, Wyatt Liddell, wonders why his prosthetic limb is so terrible. It's because Noelle isn't producing them anymore.
Her sixth brother, Lucas Liddell, wonders why his team lost. It's because Noelle quit.
The six men grovel at Noelle's feet and beg for her forgiveness. "Come home, Nelly. Blood is thicker than water—we're a family!"
Noelle sneers. "You only know that you're wrong after everything's gone to shit. Sorry, but I'm not going to forgive any of you!"