Among Us Monsters

In the third year of our marriage, my wife’s ex-boyfriend of eight years suddenly posted a picture on social media showing off a multi-million-dollar wedding house. His caption read: “Wow, got myself a huge villa, I’m the master of charming women!” I stared in shock at the picture, which showed my wife swiping her card at a sales office, and left a single comment: "?" A second later, my wife called to scold me. “I was just fulfilling a promise I made to him back when we were dating, buying him a house. Why are you getting mad at him?” “What? Are you really going to be so vicious as to force me to break my word?” That evening, her ex showed off another lavish post, this time flaunting a renovation bill worth hundreds of thousands. I knew it was a gift from my wife to please him. But by then, I no longer cared.

**Synopsis of *"Between Us and the Stars"***: Keisha Joli, a driven and independent woman, is determined to build a life of her own without relying on anyone. But her world collides with that of Jarren, a powerful and wealthy CEO, whose arrogance represents everything she despises. Initially sworn enemies, their fierce rivalry gradually evolves into an undeniable attraction neither of them can ignore. Despite their differences, Keisha and Jarren find themselves drawn to each other, each challenging the other in ways they never expected. As they navigate the ups and downs of their passionate yet tumultuous relationship, Keisha and Jarren are surrounded by their close-knit group of friends, who are all on their own journeys of love and self-discovery. But just as Keisha and Jarren start to believe they can make it work, a tragic turn of events shatters their world: Keisha's plane crashes during a business trip, leaving Jarren devastated and heartbroken. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Jarren spirals into grief, regretting every moment he took Keisha for granted. As he struggles to come to terms with her loss, a mysterious new figure, Sofia, enters his life, bringing a flicker of hope. But is Keisha truly gone, or is there more to the story than meets the eye? With unresolved love, heartbreak, and the shadow of a second chance, *"Between Us and the Stars"* explores the fine line between fate and choice, with the promise of a new beginning lurking just beyond the horizon.

"Why were you flirting with another man?" Christian’s voice thundered through the room. "Maybe you shouldn’t have flirted with another woman," Jane shot back, her voice cold but trembling with suppressed hurt. For five long years, Jane and Christian endured a loveless marriage — one built on duty rather than affection. Everything changed when Amanda, Christian’s first love, returned to town. Her arrival coincided with Jane’s tragic miscarriage, tearing Christian between the desires of his body and the quiet pull of his heart. Now, Jane has walked away… and it’s killing him. Especially when he sees her with another man — Jared. But Jared has secrets, dark ones, and Jane is about to uncover the truth behind his intentions. Just when she thinks she’s reclaiming her life, a shocking revelation threatens to change everything: Jane is pregnant again — and the child is Christian’s. Will she keep the baby? Can she trust Jared after learning the truth? Or will she return to Christian — the man now on his knees, begging for forgiveness and a second chance? Jane must choose between the man who broke her… and the one who might do it again.

Matapos ang tatlong taon ay bumalik mula sa abroad si Cerise Harrod dahil sa balitang malubhang kalagayan ng ina. Ngunit hindi niya akalaing sasalubungin siya rin siya ng divorce agreement ng kanyang asawa, sa papel. Sigmund Beauch. Pangalan palang nito ay nag-uumapaw na ng karisma. Kilalang businessman at metikuloso sa kanyang ginagawa. Para sa kanya-kanyang hiling ay nagpakasal sila, na naging hadlang sa tunay na pag-ibig ni Sigmund sa kanyang tunay na kasintahang si Vivian. Matapos ang sunod-sunod na di-inaasahang mga pangyayari at tila sinadyang mga pagtatagpo, matutuklasan kaya ni Cerise ang lakas ng pagiging malaya, o mapagtatanto kaya ni Sigmund kung ano ang posibleng mawala sa kanya?

This is no ordinary werewolf tale. Romance and fantasy collide with a curse spun from prophecy and obsession. This is a story of torment and resilience. Of wolves and gods. Of a woman broken again and again, only to rise stronger each time. And at the heart of it all… is a love fated by the Moon. If you’re the kind of reader who thrives on slow-burning tension, this tale will consume you. But tread carefully: the deeper you go, the darker it gets. -------------- Alinta Ull, a bookish, headstrong, and haunted werewolf. Since her eighteenth birthday, tragedy has stalked her in a cruel pattern. Every three years, it brings death, rejection, or abandonment. She believes the Moon has cursed her, and… maybe it has. Desperate to escape her fate, she and her fierce wolf, Angela, travel to the rumoured resting place of the Rogue Deity, a mythical werewolf prophesied to rise beneath the eighth crimson moon. Coincidentally, on Alinta’s thirtieth birthday. But fate is a cruel thing. Something, or someone is watching. A wolf obsessed. A monster in disguise. One who has waited years to possess her, and now has no intention of letting go. In a world where devotion becomes delusion, and love becomes a weapon, one truth remains: Some mates are chosen by the Moon. Others are stolen by monsters. -------------- Content Warning: This novel contains dark and mature themes, including sexual assault, emotional and psychological abuse, trauma, captivity, and manipulation. While it ultimately becomes a tale of hope, rebirth, and true love, the road is long, raw, and often tragic. Reader discretion is strongly advised.

Para masalba ang kompanya ng kanyang ama, napilitan si Bianca na pakasalan si Lucien Hoffman—isang ruthless at disabled na lalaki. Ngunit sa mismong araw ng kanilang kasal, nagulat ang lahat nang makita nilang nakakalakad ito nang maayos. At hindi lang iyon, napakaguwapo pa ni Lucien! Nang magtagpo ang kanilang landas, malamig na sinabi ni Lucien kay Bianca, "I will never love you or sleep with you. To me, you're nothing but a contracted wife." Ngunit dumating ang araw na hindi na niya magawang sundin ang nakasaad sa kontrata. Malumanay niyang sinabi, "I don't know, but I lose my mind when you're not here with me. Now, I’ll treat you as my wife. I will love you and… make love to you.” Umiling si Bianca. “It's a breach of contract! Do you know you'll have to pay for it?” Ngumiti si Lucien. “I can pay for that breach of contract even multiple times, as long as you'll be mine." Ngunit paano kung ang kontratang nagbuklod sa kanila ay siya ring maging dahilan para magkalayo sila?

Dahil sa malaking problemang kinakaharap ng pamilya ni Bella, kinailangan nyang lumuwas ng Maynila upang makipag-sapalaran. Since sya lang ang inaasahan sa kanila, nag-doble kayod sya upang matugunan ang iba pa nilang pangangailangan at maisalba ang bahay at ilang ari-ariang naipundar ng kanyang mga magulang. Bukod doon, kailangan din nyang maipagamot ang kanyang amang may sakit. Dito nya makikilala ang isang lalaking magiging parte ng kanyang buhay. Isang mayamang abogado. Kapalit ng tulong na ibibigay nito sa kanya, ay ang alok naman nitong kasal pansamantala lamang. Kasal na sa mata ng lahat ay isang perpekto at masaya, ngunit sa kabila nito ay isang kontratang naglalaman ng mga kasunduan. Mapaglalabanan kaya nila ang bugso ng damdamin, o mapapanatili ang sinumpaang kasunduan?

He went blank in an instance. Seeing her walk towards his table makes him gone crazy. He wants to deny it but, he misses her. The exact same feeling he has for her six years ago. All kinds of emotions were crawling inside him, hatred, longing and fear, all mixed in one. She’s still the same exact person I used to know, the person I used to love. “Please be seated” she said, as she helps herself to sit. “… it’s been a while, how have you been A-chi?” she asks casually. “ Well as you can see, I’m all good until you come back… Tell me, kaya ka ba bumalik kasi wala ka na namang choice.” I can’t suppress sarcasm. “I may be that special to you, but I suggest you forget about the past, that would be better.” she said, as she sips from her glass. “Tell me, how am I suppose to forget when it was actually part of the reason why we were here, right now. Wow! I didn’t know you have the guts.” I said mockingly. “It was just a formality…” “O’o para sayo, kasi hindi ka nasaktan, hindi ka naiwan, hindi ikaw ang naka-miss limang taon sa buhay ng anak mo! And just so you know, I already have a fiancé.” I said in anger. “Do you love her?” I ask seriously. “Were you asking me that, because you were still confident na may feelings parin ako sayo?” I ask, because I found her unbelievable. “ If you were confident about yourself, you will give me an answer not a question. The fact that you ask me that, means you were shaken.” She said with a straight eye. “ You were still heartless!” I can not help to comment.

I promise I didn’t do anything that day”. He cups my face and stares deeply into my eyes.      “I want to believe you but I can’t”. I place my hands on his. I close my eyes and let the tears fall.    I feel a soft kiss on my cheeks trailing down to my neck. His hands move up my back as he claims my lips in his. My tears flow freely. He pushes me to the wall gently and claim my lips again. I let my hands do what they have been itching to do and run my fingers through his soft hair.   ******************************************   When Isabel Díaz finds out about her boyfriend and soon-to-be baby daddy’s betrayal on Christmas Eve, she packs up and leaves.     Two years later, she is unexpectedly transferred back to America. She later discovers that this is Jaxon Slade’s doing. Moving back there right before Christmas feels like déjà vu.     Will the health of their child bring them together and allow him to redeem himself or will it drift them further apart?

"Sign the papers, Estella." Marco slid the divorce papers across the mahogany table, his eyes fixed on Claudia, who hovered by his side with a victorious smile. "Did you really think a nobody like you could keep me?" Estella's throat tightened as she forced herself to meet his gaze. The diamond on Claudia's finger caught the light—his best friend now wearing what should have been hers forever. "You should be grateful," Claudia murmured, resting a hand on her belly. "Letting you go is the kindest thing we've done for you." When Estella married into the powerful Valdez family, she believed in love conquering all. Instead, she found herself cast out, Helena Valdez herself showing her the door when Claudia announced her pregnancy. Then Alejandro De Luca appeared—Marco's sworn enemy offering an unexpected proposition. "A contract marriage," he said simply. "You get protection. I get revenge." Together, they plotted to dismantle the very family that had humiliated her. With each calculated move, Estella reclaimed pieces of herself she thought lost forever. But revenge is a dangerous game. As their plan unfolded and tragedy struck, Estella discovered that survival meant more than settling scores—it meant learning to wield her pain as power. The quietest heart, after all, often hides the most dangerous storm.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​