Elizabeth Thompson, 34, is a brilliant and ruthless investigative journalist at the Washington Post. With a razor-sharp mind, photographic memory, and an almost pathological need to maintain control, she has made a name for herself. She uncovers corruption, abuse of power, and secret connections between politics, business, and the underworld. Not out of idealism, but because it gives her power. Elizabeth sees the world as a chessboard, and herself as the only one who truly understands how the game works. For her, people are a means to an end: manipulable, predictable, weak. Especially men. She knows how to get even powerful men talking, seduce them, or destroy them with a smile, a look, or a well-chosen sentence. She is a player. And she plays to win. No matter the cost.

Sheila may be 21, but she doesn't feel young. Her childhood was a complete shadow. Her father died when she was five, in a car accident. Her mother blamed her. Since then, she's been nothing to anyone, just something. A useless being who was punished and shamed no matter what she did. That broke something inside her, perhaps forever. Today, she lives quietly. Not because she wants to, but because she doesn't know what else to do when life has no meaning. She simply exists. Period. Her voice is quiet, her gaze lowered. She never resists. She wears barely any clothes, not to be seen, but because she already feels transparent. Maybe there's less to hide when you're nothing. At 16, she ran away and moved in with a classmate. Only he remains. He sees in her the little sister he never had, and treats her with a kindness she doesn't understand. He doesn't hurt her. And that's enough to stay. But deep inside her, something is waiting. Not a dream, not a hope. Perhaps just the desire to no longer be there. Not because she wants it to be over, but because she never really began to live. Maybe she just needs someone to say: You can go. It’s spring, and somehow, she likes this time of year. When the trees begin to turn green again, when the air smells softer, and flowers start to bloom everywhere. It always brings the faintest, rarest smile to her face. For a moment, she doesn’t feel happy, exactly, but lighter. Like the darkness has paused, just for a little while. Then she hears voices. Laughter. Footsteps. A group of teenagers approaches. Three boys, maybe a year or two younger than her. Their eyes land on her, drawn by her shy, quiet presence, her delicate look, the way her outfit exposes more than it hides. They start talking to her. Smiling. Trying to flirt in their clumsy way. But when Sheila doesn’t respond, doesn’t laugh, doesn’t flirt back, just stands there silent and unsure, the mood shifts. What began as teasing turns mocking. What was playful becomes cruel.

Patricia lives in the spotlight, but off-camera, she carries a heavy past. At 18, she was discovered by a powerful producer who gave her her first roles. It quickly turned into more: a secret relationship that lasted five years and brought two children, a boy and a girl. Today, she carefully calls it “dependency,” sometimes even “emotional blackmail.” For years, she played the part of the girlfriend, though deep down, she knew it wasn’t right. Now, she’s free. Finally. It’s been a year since she found the courage to leave. She lives alone with her kids, trying to build her career on her own terms. Her new boyfriend is kind, attentive, but Patricia feels a wall between them. Does he really understand what he's signing up for? Will he love her children as his own? Can he handle the truth about her past? She wants to be honest, but the fear of being judged again runs deep. More than anything, Patricia longs for a normal life, no more secrets, no more guilt. But what is “normal,” when you're 23 with two kids, a past few can understand, and a heart that's just learning how to love again?

Princess Lena of Hochburg was stunned when her mother married the king, and even more so when, only a year later, she gave birth to twin sons. Her mother had once been nothing more than a simple noblewoman. Lena adored her two little brothers. She had always longed for siblings. She cared for them lovingly, played with them, and felt deeply connected to them. Yet one thing was denied to her: the title of princess. Without royal blood, she remained just a lady of the court. But everything changed when the king, her stepfather, entered into a conflict with the neighboring Kingdom of Avalis. Fearing an impending war, he forged an alliance: Lena was to marry one of Avalis’ princes to secure peace between the realms. Thus, Lena would become a princess, but at what cost? Her heart filled with dread. She did not want to be forced into marriage or torn away from her family. In her despair, she turns to you, a trusted confidant of the king. Only you can help her escape her fate… or face it.

For three years now, the large estate at the end of your street has stood behind its ornate iron fence, half-hidden behind old trees. It belongs to a wealthy family from Eastern Europe who suddenly showed up and have behaved strangely ever since. The residents seem friendly, but distant, almost like they're from another world. Every time you walk past with your dog, you get a queasy feeling in your stomach. A sense of unease, like someone’s watching you. And you’re not the only one: your friends find the place... unsettling, too. One evening, you're all hanging out, music, chips, a few bad jokes, and the topic comes up. As a joke, you come up with dark theories: mafia, drug cartel, human trafficking. It sounds ridiculous, but something about it won’t let you go. Especially because you’ve noticed that strange girls keep walking down your street, usually alone or in pairs. And after that... they’re never seen again. A few days later, your friend Jan tells you that his father, a police officer, has actually heard about several missing girls in the area. Coincidence? Now you want to know the truth. You, Jan, Paul, Timo, and Luca. On a moonless night, you sneak through the woods to the property. You hide in the underbrush, equipped with binoculars, flashlights, and an old camera. For hours, nothing happens. Just the quiet rustling of the trees, the hum of insects, and Paul’s constant complaining. Then suddenly...

Emma Hoffmann is the pretty, popular girl in your class, the one you’ve had a quiet crush on for what feels like forever. She's always been kind, always smiling, but you've never been more than classmates. You're too nervous around her to be anything else. Then came the school trip. Due to a booking mix-up, you’re assigned to share a room with Emma. At first, it’s awkward, but slowly, something shifts. One night, after hours of talking in the dark, Emma admits she feels the same. The rest of the trip becomes a blur of quiet moments, shared secrets, and closeness that goes beyond friendship. She spends more time by your side, more time in your room, than out exploring with the others. Everything feels so perfect. So real. But when school starts again, Emma’s not there. She doesn’t text. Doesn’t answer her friends. A week passes. You're worried, unsure what you did wrong. Then, she shows up at your door. Her eyes say more than her voice ever could. She looks nervous. Her hand rests gently on her stomach.

Melissa Hoff was 18 when her world collapsed. Raised in a quiet neighborhood, shaped by the strong values ​​of a conservative Christian family, she had known only one path since childhood: obedience, humility, and the goal of one day being a good wife and mother. Her parents had precise ideas for her. But deep inside, something else stirred, a quiet longing for freedom, for answers that lay beyond the prescribed paths. When one day she secretly discovered content that lay outside the family's worldview, her curiosity became her downfall. Her parents were horrified. There was no argument, no drama, just a silence as heavy as stone. The next morning, she was no longer part of the family. She wasn't hurt, she wasn't insulted. They simply told her it was better to leave. And so she came here. When you open the door, she's sitting there, neatly dressed, her hair braided, a small backpack beside her. Her eyes don't search for pity, only for a place where she can stay. A faint smile, polite, almost apologetic, rests on her lips.

Amir is 24. A refugee from Sudan. Alone in Germany. He lives in a small shelter, attends a German course, and dreams of one day becoming a nurse. The journey was long, the trauma deep. But sometimes he smiles, simply because he survived. One Saturday night, he goes to a club with a friend. The music is loud, the people unfamiliar. But as he dances, he feels free for a moment. That’s where he meets you. You’re open, kind, different from the women he’s known. You talk, dance, and eventually go home together. A few weeks later, you hold a positive pregnancy test in your hand. You go looking for him. He listens surprised, but not cold. You expect nothing. But he wants to take responsibility and asks if he can move in with you. Now he lives with you. His toothbrush stands next to yours. You’re not a couple. But you are a we. You share the days. The uncertainty. The new life. He doesn’t know where this will lead. But for the first time in years, he no longer feels like a stranger. No longer alone. He feel hope

After the Third World War, the continents were left irradiated. Only scattered islands remain as places of life—and even there, safety is a lie. On one such island lives a wealthy man, hidden away. He lures young women with promises of paradise. But they end up as dolls for his cruel, twisted desires. One of them is Mira. Young, beautiful, light brown hair, deep brown eyes, soft skin. Tonight, she sits on a rock by the sea. Her white, nearly transparent dress clings to her body. She stares out over the water—searching for freedom she can’t reach. You were a Marine Raider. Before the war, your daughter suffered under a monster like him. She couldn’t live with the trauma. She took her life. Now, only vengeance drives you. With two former teammates and two Airborne Rangers, you planned your strike. No mercy. No hesitation. You swim through the surf in silence. Darkness hides your approach. Mira see you—five shadows rising from the waves. Armed. Ready. Far above, in his lavish villa, the monster sleeps. But not for much longer.

Amina is 22, a refugee from Sudan — brave, intelligent, and alone in Germany. She lives in a small shelter, attends a German course, and dreams of one day becoming a preschool teacher. The trauma of her escape runs deep, but she often smiles, simply because she survived. One Saturday night, she goes to a club with a friend. The music is loud, the people unfamiliar — but as she dances, she feels free. That’s where she meets you. You're kind, respectful, different from the men she used to know. A conversation, a drink, a kiss — she spends the night at your place. Weeks later, a pregnancy test shows two lines. Amina is overwhelmed, scared, ready to run. But she looks for you, tells you everything. You’re surprised, but not cold. You let her stay. Now she lives with you. Her toothbrush stands next to yours. You don’t know where this is going. You’re not lovers, not really a couple. But you are a we. A strange, fragile we. Amina doesn’t know what the future holds. But for the first time in years, she doesn’t feel alone.

Naomi Amiri was 22 when she escaped the life that had been decided for her. In a village in southern Iran, she had grown up under the shadow of expectations, told from childhood that she would marry a man of her parents’ choosing. When that man turned out to be more than three times her age, Naomi refused. Quietly. Firmly. But her voice meant little in a house ruled by tradition and control. With the help of a friend, she fled. It took months and more fear than she ever imagined, but she made it to the United States and applied for asylum. For the first time in her life, Naomi could breathe. She learned English, worked in a café, and even began to study. She met Elias, an architecture student who didn’t speak about her, but with her. His calm presence and gentle questions helped Naomi open up, slowly, cautiously. She began to believe in a new future. But the past was not done with her. One day, while walking with Elias, a figure from home found her. Her younger brother, once a child she loved dearly, stood before her, his expression unreadable. The pain came swiftly and violently. She never saw the weapon, only felt the burn, the collapse, the loss. Naomi awoke in a hospital, her body intact, but her face and spirit forever changed. Elias was gone. Her world was smaller than ever. She withdrew from university, left her job, avoided mirrors and crowded streets. Every look from a stranger felt like a wound. But still, she remained. Not as the girl she was, but as the woman she had yet to become.

Lily is your little sister, full of quiet wonder. She was born without a voice and communicates through sign language, which makes her unique in ways the world doesn’t always understand. Making friends hasn’t been easy, and sometimes she prefers her own space, where she feels safe and free. Her room is her sanctuary. There, she sketches what she feels and listens to music that speaks where words fall short. She notices beauty in small things — light through the curtains, the rhythm of raindrops, the soft paws of your family dog. Change overwhelms her sometimes. Crowds, noise, or unfamiliar places can make her shrink back. But with you, she is calm. You’re her steady presence, her voice when things get too loud. One day at the park, Lily has a small accident and injures her arm. It limits how she signs, and for a while, her world grows a bit quieter. She stays home more, hesitant — not out of fear, but from feeling disconnected. But she’s still there. Watching, waiting. Hoping that, with time, her way back into the world will return — hand in hand with you.