After Series

Isinuko ni Scarlett ang pangarap niya para pakasalan ang lalaking matagal niya ng mahal. Sa loob ng limang taon na pagsasama nila ay nakipaghiwalay sa kaniya ang asawa niyang si Elijah Logan sa araw ng wedding anniversary nila. Yun din sana ang araw na sasabihin ni Scarlett na buntis siya. Pinirmahan niya ang divorce paper without saying a word and naglaho na. Five years after their divorce, Scarlett returns as a famous designer—cold, stunning, and untouchable. Elijah wants her back. But the child she’s hiding? The truth she’s keeping? They’ll destroy him. Because all these years, Scarlett believed her baby belonged to her ex-husband, only to discover the real father is someone far more dangerous… Elijah’s younger uncle. And Scarlett didn’t come home for love. She came home for revenge, against the man who broke her, and the family who ruined her life.

The night of my first shift at eighteen, my two older brothers brought home a twelve-year-old orphaned Omega. My alpha brother seized the rare healing herb I'd spent all my savings on—herbs meant to ease my first transformation—and gave them to her instead. "You're strong enough," he growled. "You don't need such precious herbs." My beta brother snarled with fury, pointing toward the door. "Get out! Don't come back!" I said nothing more, just grabbed my packed bag and left. They assumed I was merely throwing a tantrum, that I'd return in a few days. My brothers, finally free of my presence, took the orphan girl on an international vacation to the Caribbean islands I'd always dreamed of visiting. Many days later, when they returned to the pack, they were shocked to discover I'd accepted an offer from the neighboring pack's Head Healer. The position required fifteen years of isolated herbal research. I could never return home. That night, they fell apart.

When I received the news that my fiancé, Ellison Perez, had postponed our wedding for the 18th time, I happened to be walking out of the hospital, clutching my medical report. Once again, he had delayed our wedding for an entire month, all because of my adopted foster sister, Becky. I thought about what the doctor had told me. After hesitating for a long time, I finally dialed Ellison's number. "I can't wait until next month. If we can't get married tomorrow, there won't be another chance." However, Ellison only took my words as another fit of childish willfulness. "Don't be unreasonable, Lily. Have you forgotten how Becky took your place as the hostage? She was tortured for a whole month before being rescued." "It's because of you that she developed severe trauma. Now you can't even wait one more month for her to recover?" I could hear my parents' voices chiming in over the line. "Becky still suffers from extreme fear of men. Ellison is the only one who can calm her down. Isn't it your fault she ended up like this?" "You're being selfish, Lily. A wedding can wait, but Becky's condition can't!" I had known for a long time that ever since that incident, my entire family had chosen Becky's side. Even so, tears streamed down my face. "Fine," I said softly. "Postpone it." I clenched the medical report tightly in my hand. They did not know that just moments ago, the doctor had told me the truth— I was in the final stage of liver cancer. I only had one month to live.

Nagbago ang buhay ni Arisielle Dominguez, nang ampunin siya ng pamilyang Del Quinco–Huangcho—isang mayamang angkang may limang anak na lalaki at isang babae na kaedad niya. Akala niya natagpuan niya na ang tunay na tahanan. Mula sa unang araw pa lang, alam na niyang iba ang titig sa kanya ni Knife Blade Del Quinco-Huangcho—ang tahimik, matalim, at misteryosong middle child na parang laging may tinatago. Lumipas ang mga taon. Si Knife, isa nang kilalang detective—brilliant, cold, at halos hindi na mahawakan ng mundo. Si Arisielle naman, isang designer na tahimik ang pamumuhay, pero hindi pa rin nakakaalpas sa mga titig at salita ng lalaking matagal na niyang iniiwasan. Hanggang isang araw, biglang gumuho ang lahat. Namatay si Katana, ang kapatid nilang babae, at ang mga bakas ng katotohanan ay nagtuturo sa isang lugar na tinatawag na Euphoria—isang lihim na mundo ng kasiyahan, karangyaan, at kasalanan. At doon sila muling nagtagpo. Sa lugar kung saan hindi mo alam kung sino ang inosente at sino ang nagtatago ng halimaw sa ilalim ng ngiti. Doon muling sumiklab ang tensyon—hindi na lang dahil sa nakaraan, kundi dahil sa pagnanasang hindi na nila kayang itago. Sa gitna ng mga lihim, tukso, at kasinungalingan—isang tanong lang ang kailangang sagutin: Hanggang saan mo ipaglalaban ang pag-ibig kung ang tanging bawal ay siya ring tanging gusto mo? "You're mine, Arisielle. My little sis." "I am always yours Kuya KB."

When my mother first told me about the arranged marriage, Noah Parker lowered his head and kissed me, pulling me closer as we became tangled together. After a haze of passion, he carried me into the bathroom. Warm water streamed over my skin, but his words sent a chill straight through me, as if I'd fallen into an icy pit. "Go home. And don't come looking for me here again." I thought he'd seen the text and was jealous, so I quickly clung to him and swore, "I won't marry anyone else—" His smile stayed, but the heat in his eyes cooled into something distant. "But I'm getting married." He brushed back my messy hair, ignoring how my body trembled under his touch. "My fiancée is gentle and kind—nothing like you. She’d never throw herself at her foster brother like that. We've already set a date. If you keep clinging to me like this, she'll be upset with me."

On my wedding day, my fiancée's adopted younger brother, Jason Sanders, suddenly stood up to toast us as we were exchanging rings. "The first toast is for my sister. She gave herself to me last night so that I wouldn't feel insecure, making me her first man." After he said that, he kissed my fiancée, ignoring the strange looks from everyone. "The second toast is for my brother-in-law. Don't be fooled by my sister's usual aloof demeanor around you; she's actually very passionate in bed. Even though you're impotent, you've still struck gold." My fiancée, Wendy Sanders, covered his mouth in a hurry and tried to laugh it off. "He’s just rambling because he's drunk. Just ignore him." But Jason broke free from Wendy and looked at me challengingly. "The third toast is for everyone. Since Wendy is getting married today, I would like to personally put the ring on her finger. I'm sure no one has any objections, right?"

Leona is head over heels in love with Apollo McArthur and agrees to marry him, leading to a moment of bliss and happiness. Pero panandalian lang pala ang kasiyahan na tinatamasa niya. She sacrifices everything for their marriage, only to face betrayal, heartache, and disappointment from Apollo. Kahit anong gawin niyang pagsalba sa relasyon nilang mag-asawa ay wala na siyang nagawa nang makipaghiwalay ito sa kanya. Huli na nang malaman niyang nagdadalang-tao pala siya. Apat na taon ang lumipas, she crosses paths with Apollo again. At ganoon na lamang ang pagsisisi ni Apollo nang malaman nito na nagbunga ang pagsasama nila noon. He wants her back, but the thing is, she's getting married to another man.

My fiancé suddenly announces he's marrying my sister instead. And just as my world collapses, the cold, noble Twinkle Oriven kneels before me with a diamond ring in hand. He confesses he's loved me for years. We get married. For three years, he's gentle, considerate, and flawless in every way. Then, one day, I accidentally overhear a conversation between him and a friend. "Twinkle, Amelie has everything she has ever wanted. Isn't it time to end this fake marriage?" "Since I can't marry Amelie, it doesn't matter who I marry. All that matters is that it keeps her life undisturbed." In the chapel where he prays every day, the wallpaper is covered with one name—Amelie Ashcombe. I hear him pray to the heavens. "May all the good in the world belong to Amelie. I'd trade my own happiness for her peace and joy. I don't ask to have her in the next life… I just want her to remember me." So this is the truth behind three years of a seemingly perfect marriage. I erase my identity and stage a fake death. From now on, Twinkle and I are nothing.

The last time I mentioned my engagement to Walter Reagle, everyone in the room went quiet at first. However, after seeing Walter's annoyed look, they all started laughing. "Who still believes in old-fashioned childhood betrothals these days?" "Is Ms. Lawson feeling insecure?" I ignored their teasing. I just looked at Walter, who was lounging on the couch with his shirt collar open, showing off the lovebites on his neck and collarbone. My heart felt like it was being stabbed. The pain came slowly. "We were too young to agree to something so silly," he said. Walter looked up with a faint, mocking smile. He gave me a lazy look. "We're grown up now, Emma. "Let's just forget about the past."

Dirga akan datang tepat sebelum kafe tutup. Namun, ia tidak hanya mencari kafein. Ia mencari pelarian. Ia mencari Elara, membawa gadis itu ke dalam ketegangan yang lebih panas dari uap mesin espresso. Ketika perasaan yang tulus mulai muncul, siapa yang akan kalah dan hancur terlebih dulu? Tuan direktur yang haus kendali, atau pelayan kafe yang mempertaruhkan segalanya demi rahasia setelah jam kerja?