Thank you so much for joining me on this wild ride! I'm absolutely thrilled to share my first actual novel with you, a project that has been brewing in my mind for nearly two years. After some time away—think of it like a writing hibernation, minus the cute bears—I'm finally stepping back into the world of creativity. Your support means everything to me, and I promise to do my best not to unleash a total dumpster fire of a story!

Now, let's get real for a moment. I know this book won't be everyone's cup of tea—some might prefer coffee, and others may just want a snack (I get it, snacks are important). You might have some thoughts on things you'd like to change or opinions on my quirky reflective writing style. While I welcome any feedback with open arms (and possibly a snack in the other), I kindly ask that you keep it respectful and courteous. I'm not perfect—far from it—and this story may have its share of "oops" moments.

Lately, I've been facing some major health issues, and writing has now become my trusty outlet. It's like my therapy but with fewer couches and nobody to tell me I'm completely batty! So, if my writing feels a bit like I'm working through a whirlwind of emotions, that's probably because well...I am!

Please, let's keep the kindness flowing! If you find that my writing isn't tickling your fancy, it's completely okay to put it down. No hard feelings here—just remember, my writing may not be everyone's jam, and that's totally cool.

I'm aiming to release at least one chapter a week, but I'm secretly hoping to share them with you even sooner (if I can keep my dog from stealing all my attention!).

Thank you for being part of this adventure, and let's have some fun together!

With all my appreciation (and a sprinkle of mischief),

A.S. Reinhardt (AKA Nepenthe)

𝐂𝐎𝐏𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

All rights reserved, no part of this story may be reproduced or used in any manner without prior written permission of the copyright owner, except the use of brief quotations in the story reviews. This story is a work of fiction, and events are used fictitiously and are the product of the author's imagination, any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

I do not own any of the face claims/pictures I use in this story.

Any dividers you see used in the story are from @sweetmelodygraphics on Tumblr. They are not created by me.

This story is for mature New Adults (18+) audiences so read at your own risk. Currently working on a list of trigger warnings since I'm not fully sure where this story will lead. The story will involve Sexual Themes/Scenes, mild language, death or dying, mentions of anxiety, violence, blood, and possibly more.

If you find anything you feel requires a warning that I do not have here please feel free to message me.