1st Prize Baldi Basics

"They call me Cherry... But you can call me anytime." ~Cherry~ She would be looked down upon the society, treated as a mere object by men, and considered the dirt of every city because of her job. But for him, she's special. She was the woman who captured his young heart, and everything he has ever dreamed of. He was her first man. And she was his... His Prized Possession. ***** World-renowned most eligible bachelor Xander Oxford is already prepared to be the next Boss of Asia. He's also the heir to the biggest company in the country -- the Oxford Group of Companies. As the son of the most powerful man in the country, he technically has no worries to think of. However, his almost perfect life is rattled when he fell in love with Cherry Lyn Avante - the girl he met in Club-V. At his age, he just doesn't care anymore as long as their relationship doesn't interfere with their private life, and feel happy with each other. Not until Cherry disappears with no trace or means of contact after everything he does. Determined to make their relationship work, can Xander do everything just to find Cherry and be with her again? Or stop himself from falling for the girl who is off-limits to him?

They called her a burden. His fiancè called her a nuisance. Cecelia Morrow was a pawn of her family, sacrificed for their wealth and power. When she caught her fiancé in bed with her sister, the day before their wedding, her desperate plea to escape was met with disapproval. Forced to choose between a loveless marriage and a life of hate and misery, she made a desperate call to her childhood friend, the one person she knew could help her disappear. He was the king of the underworld, a man who hated women. But tonight, everything changed. Lucien Belucci, the infamous Mafia King, had never met a woman who could tempt him, but on his way to a wedding arranged by his brother, he encountered a runaway bride and for some reason, his man that he could never get up was now hard in anger. So when she demanded for his help, he took the chance. "What do you think about getting married today?" A dangerous alliance. A desperate escape. Their worlds collide in a storm of betrayal and passion. Two souls, bound by circumstance and driven by a need for lust and freedom, find themselves in a deadly game where love and revenge become intertwined. Will their escape lead to a new life, or will they be consumed by the darkness they've unleashed?

“You’re marrying her tomorrow,” Jade said softly. He leaned closer. “You’re the only one I’ll ever make exceptions for….” “You think he loves you?” he spits. “He’s engaged to Amara Quinn. Written in blood and money.” **** Jade Miller has always lived in her sister’s shadow. Scarlett is perfect. Jade is the extra. The invisible one. Until the night she kisses Scarlett’s powerful fiancé, Kain Wolf. It was supposed to be revenge. A distraction. A way to feel seen. But Kain doesn’t kiss back to play. He kisses like a man who claims. And in front of the world, he does the unthinkable: He makes Jade his bride. Except at the altar, Jade learns the cruel truth. She isn’t the bride. She’s the substitute. Now trapped in Kain’s ruthless world of power, secrets, and obsession, Jade must choose: stay the pawn her sister always thought she was or rewrite the rules and take the king for herself. Because in this game of love and betrayal… pawns don’t just play. They conquer with charm.

“Go change.” “And if I don’t?” I cross my arms, frowning at him. His lips curls into a somewhat dangerous smile. “Then I’ll do it for you.” 🌸❧✧❀✧❧🌸 Daisy Ripley has spent her whole life living in her stepsister’s shadow. Whatever Zyla wanted, Daisy was forced to hand over. Her toys, her gifts, and even her first birthday car. But when Zyla announces her engagement to Daisy’s ex-boyfriend and first love, something inside Daisy finally snaps. Still reeling from the betrayal, Daisy agrees to attend a company dinner party… hoping to actually forget, just for one night. Instead, she’s kidnapped. Sold. And delivered straight into the hands of Reis Vireli—the most dangerous mafia boss in Chicago. And one thing you should know about Reis: He never lets go of anything and anybody that belongs to him.

Tristan Hayes' life took a sharp turn, one moment he was on the cusp of his dream then suddenly found himself drowning. Trauma surgeon residency was brutal enough; losing his scholarship was a knockout blow. Desperate, he swallowed his pride and became "Titan" at Club Inferno. Six months, and he was their star, his body a commodity. Tonight was his last dance – he was booked for a bachelorette party for a bride-to-be linked to the Mafia family. He remembered the haze of perfume, the clamor, the hands pulling him closer and the willing mouths tasting him. He remembered the bride, her eyes wide, her laughter turning into moans and gasps. He entertained the women, the night ending with the bride's face covered in his thick sticky seed. After this night, he wanted to close this chapter of his life. He wanted to forget it all. He should have. Tristan awoke in a cold, unfamiliar room, the fear paralyzing. Now, bound and gagged in a concrete cell, the memory was a burning brand. He learned why they called Giovanni Sokolov "The Siberian Winter." Giovanni, a face carved from granite, stood before him. "My bride," Giovanni’s voice was a low growl, "You entertained my fiancée, She died a week ago, trying to run away with a man. Your seed was the catalyst. You helped her betray me." Giovanni leaned closer, his eyes devoid of warmth. "She was running away, Dr. Hayes. You helped her crave forbidden fruit. You opened the door to betrayal." He smiled, a cruel, predatory expression. "Now, you will pay the price of her betrayal. You will take her place... as my companion in bed... my slave and my plaything. Don't worry I'll make you'll enjoy every second of it."

Mom always said my entire life ran on luck. When I ranked first in my class, she said, "You just guessed really well." When I won a gold medal, she said, "The judges must've been blind." When I got into Westridge University, she told everyone, "This kid has no real ability, just good luck!" So on my first day of college, she tossed me a book of scratch cards. "Since your luck's so good anyway, might as well let it handle your living expenses too. "You get one book per semester. However much you scratch off is all you get. "And just so you can't come crying to me about being broke, I'm blocking you now. I'll add you back next semester." With that, she ignored every one of my desperate pleas and blocked me on every single platform. I wanted to cry but could not even manage tears. All I could do was scratch two cards every day. On good days, I would win 20 to 50 dollars. Most days, I won absolutely nothing. I survived by sneaking expired cookies out of my roommates' trash. By the last week of the semester, I had developed severe anemia. As I used every ounce of strength to scratch the final card, I laughed. Mom was right. My luck really was incredible.

IIsabella and Terrassa have been running from their father Don Ricardo for years in fear of being killed . Only to figure out that it's been Don Ricardo Cameron doing all of it.

Five years after we married, Reuben Slade wants to send me to his superior's bed. The first time, he says, "Lissy, I'll get the project once you have a few drinks with him." The second time, he says, "Sleep with him just once, Lissy. I'll be free of debt once you do." He guarantees it won't happen again, but he goes back on his word. "Maybe you should give him a child, Lissy. He'll promote me to general manager once you do." The day Reuben is promoted to general manager, I divorce him and marry his superior.

My family has always considered me a harbinger of misfortune. It's all because I can see a countdown to my relatives' deaths. I tell them when my grandfather, father, and mother will die. It all comes true due to various accidents. My three brothers hate me to the core because they think I cursed my parents and grandfather. My mother actually dies after giving birth to my younger sister, but my brothers dote on her to no end. They say she's their lucky star because everything goes well for the family after she's born. But didn't Mom die while giving birth to her? On my 18th birthday, I see my death countdown when I look at myself in the mirror. I buy an urn I like and prepare a meal. I want to have one last meal with my brothers, but none of them show up even when the timer hits zero…

Lagi akong ikinukunsidera ng pamilya ko na tagapagdala ng kamalasan. Dahil ito sa nakikita ko ang countdown bago mamatay ang mga kamag-anak ko. Sinabi ko sa kanila kung kailan mamamatay si lolo, ama, at ina. Nagkakatotoo ito dahil sa iba’t ibang mga aksidente. Ang tatlong mga kapatid ko ay kinamumuhian ako mula sa kaibuturan nila dahil sa tingin nila isinumpa ko ang mga magulang ko at lolo. Ang nanay ko ay namatay matapos iluwal ang nakababata kong kapatid na babae, pero ang mga kapatid ko ay walang tigil siyang iniispoil. Sinasabi nila na siya ang suwerte nila dahil nagiging okay ang lahat para sa pamilya sa oras na iluwal siya. Pero hindi ba’t namatay si Ina noong iniluwal siya? Sa ika-18th kong kaarawan, nakikita ko ang death countdown kapag tinitignan ko ang sarili ko sa salamin. Bumili ako ng urn at naghanda ng pagkain. Gusto ko kumain ng huling beses kasama ang mga kapatid ko, pero walang nagpakita sa kanila noong nag zero na ang timer...