Anastasia American Doll

"Bakit ang dungis mo na naman? Tanong ni Marilyn sa pamangkin. Mula nang mamatay ang mga magulang ng bata, siya na ang kumupkop dito, naging pangalawang ina siya ng bata. "Si Dolly po kasi, sabi ko sa kanya ayoko maglaro pero nagalit siya." Tukoy ng bata sa hawak na manika. Nasundan naman ng tingin ni Marilyn ang manikang hawak nito, pero dahil walong taon palang ang kanyang pamangkin ay sinawalang bahala niya ang mga sinasabi ng bata. "Anong ginagawa ni Dolly kapag nagagalit siya?" Sinakyan ni Marilyn ang sinabi ni Maya. "Minsan tita nagpapalit po kami, minsan ako ang nasa loob ng kahon para maging manika at siya naman ay magiging tao." Naguluhan si Marilyn sa sinabi ng pamangkin, natatawang ginulo niya ang mahabang buhok nito. Ngunit isang araw ay muli niyang nakita ang isang maputing batang babae, hawak nito ang kahon kung saan nilalagay niya ang manika ni Maya. Pinagsabihan ni Marilyn ang batang babae sa pag-aakalang kukunin nito ang manika ng pamangkin niya. Pinaalis niya ang batang babae, ngumiti lang ito sa kanya. Ngiting nagbigay ng kaba sa sa dibdib ni Marilyn. Inilapag ng batang babae ang kahon at mabilis na itong tumakbo palabas ng gate. Ngunit ganoon na lamang ang hilakbot na nadarama ni Marilyn nang buksan niya ang kahon at makita ang isang manika na nasa loob. "Hindi ito totoo, Maya!"

My childhood friend said that he was connected with the doll. Now that he had lost it, he called me up to cry. One hand held my phone as I consoled him, while the other toyed with the doll. His voice began to take on a more interesting tone with my purposeful touches… I squeezed and pinched the toy and comforted him, “Shh, I agree with you. Whoever took your toy is a terrible person…”

“You don’t mean anything to me,” he spoke dangerously, the tips of his fingers curling in my hairs as he jerked my neck back. “A mere toy that I’ll use whenever I want,” a breathless whimper escaping my lips. “Leave me-“ “Or what?” His lips stretched into a wide grin. “Tear me with your tiny claws?” He backed me into the wall behind me and leaned in closer, his grey eyes pierced my soul. “Remember, Amara, you exist solely for my pleasure.” He pulled my hair harder and my flesh burned the moment he nuzzled his face into my shoulder. I bet he could hear my heart beat accelerating with passing breath. His other arm circling to wrap around my waist, my heart pounded when his strong sandalwood essence in-filtered my senses. “Rhys-” “Shh…and for your punishment, I want you to bend over the wall and lift you skirt.” ****

"Mr. Harrison, this new toy has incredible suction skills. I guarantee it can fix your problem." Never in my wildest dreams would I expect that my husband would make me disguise myself as a sex doll to help treat his boss' impotence, all just to secure a promotion and a raise for himself.

When I first started at Serenity Hills, the head nurse told me coma patients paid well—but the job was messy and brutal. They could only get IV nutrition. Screw that up, and you're basically killing them. Today was day thirty of looking after the girl. Young. Gorgeous. Like always, I hit the nurse's station to grab her IV bags— But then I saw it. Thirty glucose bottles gone. IV nutrition? Still sealed. Chills shot down my spine.

A dark and gloomy villa stood in the middle of the barren landscape, hidden from sight by a perched hedge. It was phenomenal and spectacular, but it makes it appear to have succumbed to a sullen and ominous atmosphere, both inside and out. A lanky hedge and gnarled shrubs give off the impression that the house has indeed been overlooked. The rainstorm seeping from the sewer pipes made the place appear miserable and dispirited. Needless to say, the house appeared razed to the ground and devoid of life. The house was made of rune stone that had been smeared darker in spots by downpours, sending it an insidious demeanor even during the day. The window frames were all padlocked and bricked up in steel frames and woods, as if what was inside would have been too grotesque to see, trying to give the impression that someone must have attempted to prevent something horrible from escaping. People have claimed that the residence was plagued by the witch who died there, but there has been no tangible evidence to substantiate their claims. It was even widely speculated that the villa was venomous and mowed down the leaves of trees that come into direct contact with its concrete pillars. People also construed a terrifying presumption that whoever tries to enter the house will never make it out alive because there is something inside that you would never dare to see with your very own eyes. Whatever was real or not, it was unmistakably foreshadowing, exponentially cold and savage at a hundredth of a thousand glances. A breathtaking doll sat competently on a rocking chair inside the house. Waiting complacently for someone brave and heroic enough to unravel the abominable and ghoulish mystery and paradox behind her enchanting, spine-chilling smile.

"Nikahi aku!" Allard menatap tertarik ke arah seorang gadis yang berdiri di hadapannya. Mata gadis itu memancarkan kesungguhan yang membuat Allard menyunggingkan senyuman tipis. Mengangkat alisnya dengan gaya sombong, Allard berujar, "Layani aku satu malam, jika pelayananmu memuaskan aku akan mempertimbangkan untuk menikahimu."

"It is an anxious, sometimes a dangerous thing to be a doll. Dolls cannot choose; they can only be chosen; they cannot 'do'; they can only be done by."

Setelah mati karena ditikam pencuri, Anastasia terbangun di dalam novel favoritnya sendiri. Sayangnya, ia bukan tokoh utama yang dicintai semua orang—melainkan Anastasia, selir Kaisar Arlos yang kejam, wanita yang di masa depan akan dibunuh bersama anak-anaknya sendiri. Kini ia terjebak sebagai tawanan sang kaisar dan dipaksa melahirkan pewarisnya. Mengetahui akhir tragis yang menantinya, Anastasia harus bertahan hidup, mengubah takdir, dan melarikan diri dari pria yang suatu hari akan menghancurkannya.

Dodging scandals after scandals is Corelle Tatiana Villafuerte's expertise. Hindi madaling panatilihing maganda at malinis ang reputasyon niya lalo pa't kilalang heneral ang kanyang ama. Gagawin niya ang lahat para sa kagustuhan nito kahit pa labag ito sa kanyang kalooban. Ngayo'y tila nakawala siya sa pagpapanggap nang malaman ang katotohanan. Who would have thought that her strict and disciplinarian father is part of a criminal organization? The tables have now turned. She wants to give him a piece of his own medicine, so she sets foot to reveal everything — but everything has a price. She's been kidnapped, held captive, and threatened. By who? The billionaire she can see in magazines, television, and billboards! Who turns out to be the mafia underboss! The man whose sparkling diamond stud, scar cuts, tattoos, and dark suits can blind her. Instead of killing her, he offered to make her his doll. Someone he can dress up to flaunt, display, and play with. After all, he needs a wife to earn the respect of the other mafia boss. Without knowing how messy it could be, she went straight ahead and enjoyed the privileges of being the billionaire's doll. Pero doon lang ba nakabatay ang halaga niya? Sa karangyaan na kayang ipalasap ng binata? Will she remain cherished? Or will the billionaire throw her away when he's finished with her? Is that all she'll ever be? His doll?